Today in News History

On July 4, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1886, Tom Longboat, Canadian runner and soldier (died 1949) was born. In 1898, En route from New York to Le Havre, the SS La Bourgogne collides with another ship and sinks off the coast of Sable Island, with the loss of 549 lives. In 1905, Irving Johnson, American sailor and author (died 1991) was born. In 1926, Lake Underwood, American race car driver and businessman (died 2008) was born. In 1941, World War II: The Burning of the Riga synagogues: The Great Choral Synagogue in German-occupied Riga is burnt with 300 Jews locked in the basement. In 1943, World War II: In Gibraltar, a Royal Air Force B-24 Liberator bomber crashes into the sea in an apparent accident moments after takeoff, killing sixteen passengers on board, including general Władysław Sikorski, the commander-in-chief of the Polish Army and the Prime Minister of the Polish government-in-exile; only the pilot survives. In 1961, On its maiden voyage, the Soviet nuclear-powered submarine K-19 suffers a complete loss of coolant to its reactor. The crew are able to effect repairs, but 22 of them die of radiation poisoning over the following two years. In 1979, Lee Wai Tong, Chinese footballer and manager (born 1905) passed away. In 2005, The Deep Impact collider hits the comet Tempel 1. In 2008, A bomb explodes at a concert in Minsk's Independence Square, injuring 50 people. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.