Today in News History

On June 17, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1900, Boxer Rebellion: Western Allied and Japanese forces capture the Taku Forts in Tianjin, China. In 1940, World War II: The British Army's 11th Hussars assault and take Fort Capuzzo in Libya, Africa from Italian forces. In 1940, The three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania fall under the occupation of the Soviet Union. 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 1963, A day after South Vietnamese President Ngô Đình Diệm announced the Joint Communiqué to end the Buddhist crisis, a riot involving around 2,000 people breaks out. One person is killed. In 1967, Nuclear weapons testing: China announces a successful test of its first thermonuclear weapon. In 1984, Si Tianfeng, Chinese race walker was born. In 1985, Özge Akın, Turkish sprinter was born. In 1992, A "joint understanding" agreement on arms reduction is signed by U.S. President George Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin (this would be later codified in START II). In 2012, Stéphane Brosse, French mountaineer (born 1971) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.