Today in News History

On June 29, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1170, A major earthquake hits Syria, badly damaging towns such as Hama and Shaizar and structures such as the Krak des Chevaliers and the cathedral of St. Peter in Antioch. In 1956, The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 is signed by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, officially creating the United States Interstate Highway System. In 1957, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, Turkmen dentist and politician, 2nd President of Turkmenistan was born. In 1976, The Conference of Communist and Workers Parties of Europe convenes in East Berlin. In 1995, Space Shuttle program: STS-71 Mission (Atlantis) docks with the Russian space station Mir for the first time. In 1999, Karekin I, Syrian-Armenian patriarch (born 1950) passed away. In 2006, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld: The U.S. Supreme Court rules that President George W. Bush's plan to try Guantanamo Bay detainees in military tribunals violates U.S. and international law. In 2007, Apple Inc. releases its first mobile phone, the iPhone. In 2014, The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant self-declares its caliphate in Syria and northern Iraq. In 2015, Hisham Barakat, Egyptian lawyer and judge (born 1950) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.