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TIL The first Roman fire brigade was created to be very lucrative. Arriving at the scene the fire fighters did nothing while a price was negotiated. Failing to reach a deal, the structure was allowed to burn to the ground after which an offer was made to purchase it for a fraction of its value.

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KO1jw TIL Democratic Republic of Congo completed its $22m National Museum in 2019. It is hoped the collection will be expanded with items taken abroad during the colonial era. In 2018, a landmark French report called for thousands of artefacts to be returned to Africa
G01N TIL during the siege of Stalingrad the commanding officer Friedrich Paulus was promoted to Field Marshal with the expectation he commit suicide rather than surrender. After he surrendered he was heard saying “I have no intention of shooting myself for a Bohemian corporal”. He lived till 1957.
j6Vej TIL More than one million Chinese soldiers crossed the Yalu River into North Korea during the Korean War and soldiers stayed for years afterwards to help with reconstruction and aid. However, the Chinese were told to avoid any close connection with North Koreans and not to mingle or make friends
DQMJp TIL from the 1970s to 1990s, the South African apartheid government conducted "Project Coast," a program where they investigated using recreational drugs, snake venom, pheromones, bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, pesticides, poisons, and more as biological weapons for both war and crowd control.
PYQ7g TIL that Bruce Springsteen once signed a kid's late note after the kid came to one of his concerts holding a sign saying he's be late to school tomorrow. The note read, “Dear Ms. Jackson, Xabi has been out very late rocking & rolling. Please excuse him if he is tardy.”