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From today's featured article

Antiochus X on a tetradrachm

Antiochus X Eusebes (c. 113 BC – 92 or 88 BC) was a king of Syria during the Hellenistic period. During his lifetime Seleucid Syria was beset by civil wars, interference by Ptolemaic Egypt and incursions by the Parthians. In 95 BC, Seleucus VI killed his own half-uncle Antiochus IX, the father of Antiochus X, who took revenge by defeating Seleucus VI and driving him to his death in 94 BC. Antiochus X did not enjoy a stable reign as he had to fight three of Seleucus VI's brothers, Antiochus XI, Philip I and Demetrius III. Antiochus XI defeated Antiochus X and expelled him in 93 BC from Antioch, the capital. A few months later, Antiochus X regained his position and killed Antiochus XI. The civil war continued but its final outcome is uncertain. Antiochus X married his stepmother Cleopatra Selene, and had several children with her, including a future king, Antiochus XIII. He probably died fighting against the Parthians in 88 BC. (Full article...)

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In the news

Naftali Bennett

A new government is formed in Israel, with Naftali Bennett (pictured) becoming prime minister, ending Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year tenure.
The spacecraft Juno performs a flyby of Jupiter's moon Ganymede.
Using a compromised encrypted device network, a multinational sting operation results in hundreds of arrests and the seizure of several tons of illegal drugs.
Two trains collide in Sindh, Pakistan, killing at least 65 people.

On this day

June 17

The Capture of the Forts at Taku by Fritz Neumann

1397 – The kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway formed the Kalmar Union, a personal union under Eric of Pomerania.
1843 – New Zealand Wars: British settlers clashed with Māori over a land dispute in the Wairau Valley, resulting in 26 deaths.
1900 – Boxer Rebellion: Allied naval forces captured the Taku Forts (depicted) from Qing China after a brief but bloody battle.
1963 – Riots broke out in Saigon one day after the signing of the Joint Communiqué to resolve the Buddhist crisis in South Vietnam.
2017 – Four wildfires erupted across central Portugal, eventually killing at least 66 people.

Gauhar Ara Begum (b. 1631)
Daskalogiannis (d. 1771)
Mohamed Morsi (d. 2019)

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Today's featured picture

Pyrosoma atlanticum is a species of deep-water colonial tunicate found in oceans around the world. The colony forms a hollow cylinder that can grow up to 60 cm (24 in) long. The constituent zooids, which may be pink, yellowish, or bluish, form a rigid tube; each zooid has a pair of luminescent organs which can be turned on and off, causing a rhythmic flashing. No neural pathway runs between the zooids, but each responds to the light produced by other individuals, and even to light from nearby colonies. This P. atlanticum colony was photographed in a tide pool in Pacific Grove, California.

Photograph credit: Rhododendrites

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