Today in News History

On July 4, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In -362 BC, Battle of Mantinea: The Thebans, led by Epaminondas, defeated the Spartans. In 1456, Ottoman-Hungarian wars: The Siege of Nándorfehérvár (Belgrade) begins. In 1863, American Civil War: Union forces repulse a Confederate army at the Battle of Helena in Arkansas. The battle thwarts a Rebel attempt to relieve pressure on the besieged city of Vicksburg, and paves the way for the Union capture of Little Rock. In 1879, Anglo-Zulu War: The Zululand capital of Ulundi is captured by British troops and burned to the ground, ending the war and forcing King Cetshwayo to flee. In 1976, Israeli commandos raid Entebbe airport in Uganda, rescuing all but four of the passengers and crew of an Air France jetliner seized by Palestinian terrorists. In 1989, Benjamin Büchel, Liechtensteiner footballer was born. In 1990, Naoki Yamada, Japanese footballer was born. In 2008, A bomb explodes at a concert in Minsk's Independence Square, injuring 50 people. In 2009, The first of four days of bombings begins on the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao. In 2015, Chile claims its first title in international football by defeating Argentina in the 2015 Copa América Final. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.