Today in News History

On June 18, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 618, Li Yuan becomes Emperor Gaozu of Tang, initiating three centuries of Tang dynasty rule over China. In 860, Byzantine-Rus' War: A fleet of about 200 Rus' vessels sails into the Bosphorus and starts pillaging the suburbs of the Byzantine capital Constantinople. In 1916, Julio César Turbay Ayala, Colombian lawyer and politician, 25th President of Colombia (died 2005) was born. In 1935, Police in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, clash with striking longshoremen, resulting in a total of 60 injuries and 24 arrests. In 1942, Thabo Mbeki, South African politician and 2nd President of South Africa was born. In 1946, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, a Socialist, calls for a Direct Action Day against the Portuguese in Goa. In 1953, The Egyptian revolution of 1952 ends with the overthrow of the Muhammad Ali dynasty and the declaration of the Republic of Egypt. In 1954, Carlos Castillo Armas leads an invasion force across the Guatemalan border, setting in motion the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état. In 1984, A major clash between about 5,000 police and a similar number of striking miners takes place at Orgreave, South Yorkshire, during the 1984-85 UK miners' strike. In 1992, Kofoworola Abeni Pratt, the first black Chief Nursing Officer of Nigeria (born 1910) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.