Today in News History

On July 6, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In -371 BC, Cleombrotus I, Spartan king passed away. In 1614, Raid on Żejtun: The south east of Malta, and the town of Żejtun, suffer a raid from Ottoman forces. This was the last unsuccessful attempt by the Ottomans to conquer the island of Malta. In 1686, Antoine de Jussieu, French biologist and academic (died 1758) was born. In 1873, Dimitrios Maximos, Greek banker and politician, 140th Prime Minister of Greece (died 1955) was born. In 1923, Wojciech Jaruzelski, Polish general and politician, 1st President of Poland (died 2014) was born. In 1975, The Comoros declares independence from France. In 1988, The Piper Alpha drilling platform in the North Sea is destroyed by explosions and fires. One hundred sixty-seven oil workers are killed, making it the world's worst offshore oil disaster in terms of direct loss of life. In 1995, In the Bosnian War, under the command of General Ratko Mladić, Serbia begins its attack on the Bosnian town of Srebrenica. In 1997, The Troubles: In response to the Drumcree dispute, five days of mass protests, riots and gun battles begin in Irish nationalist districts of Northern Ireland. In 2013, A 73-car oil train derails in the town of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec and explodes into flames, killing at least 47 people and destroying more than 30 buildings in the town's central area. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.