Today in News History

On June 17, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1462, Vlad the Impaler attempts to assassinate Mehmed II (The Night Attack at Târgovişte), forcing him to retreat from Wallachia. In 1929, The town of Murchison, New Zealand is rocked by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killing 17. At the time it was New Zealand's worst natural disaster. In 1933, Union Station massacre: In Kansas City, Missouri, four FBI agents and captured fugitive Frank Nash are gunned down by gangsters attempting to free Nash. In 1953, Cold War: East Germany Workers Uprising: In East Germany, the Soviet Union orders a division of troops into East Berlin to quell a rebellion. In 1971, U.S. President Richard Nixon in a televised press conference called drug abuse "America's public enemy number one", starting the War on drugs. In 1972, Watergate scandal: Five White House operatives are arrested for burgling the offices of the Democratic National Committee during an attempt by members of the administration of President Richard M. Nixon to illegally wiretap the political opposition as part of a broader campaign to subvert the democratic process. In 1979, Tyson Apostol, American television personality was born. In 1984, Michael Mathieu, Bahamian sprinter was born. In 2001, Donald J. Cram, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1919) passed away. In 2013, Michael Baigent, New Zealand-English theorist and author (born 1948) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.