Today in News History

On June 17, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1940, George Akerlof, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate was born. In 1940, World War II: The British Army's 11th Hussars assault and take Fort Capuzzo in Libya, Africa from Italian forces. In 1952, Guatemala passes Decree 900, ordering the redistribution of uncultivated land. 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 1958, Sam Hamad, Syrian-Canadian academic and politician was born. In 1960, The Nez Perce tribe is awarded $4 million for 7 million acres (28,000 km2) of land undervalued at four cents/acre in the 1863 treaty. In 1966, Mohammed Ghazy Al-Akhras, Iraqi journalist and author was born. In 1978, Travis Roche, Canadian ice hockey player was born. In 1985, Space Shuttle program: STS-51-G mission: Space Shuttle Discovery launches carrying Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the first Arab and first Muslim in space, as a payload specialist. In 1989, Interflug Flight 102 crashes during a rejected takeoff from Berlin Schönefeld Airport, killing 21 people. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.