Today in News History

On July 11, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1864, American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C. In 1897, Salomon August Andrée leaves Spitsbergen to attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon. In 1914, The US Navy launches the USS Nevada (BB-36) as its first standard-type battleship. In 1943, Massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army within the Reichskommissariat Ukraine (Volhynia) peak. In 1943, World War II: Allied invasion of Sicily: German and Italian troops launch a counter-attack on Allied forces in Sicily. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 1983, A TAME airline Boeing 737-200 crashes near Cuenca, Ecuador, killing all 119 passengers and crew on board. In 1995, Yugoslav Wars: Srebrenica massacre begins; lasts until 22 July. In 2010, The Islamist militia group Al-Shabaab carries out multiple suicide bombings in Kampala, Uganda, killing 74 people and injuring 85 others. In 2011, Ninety-eight containers of explosives self-detonate killing 13 people in Zygi, Cyprus. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.