Today in News History

On June 18, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1942, Roger Ebert, American journalist, critic, and screenwriter (died 2013) was born. In 1948, Britain, France and the United States announce that on June 21, the Deutsche Mark will be introduced in western Germany and West Berlin. Over the next six days, Communists increasingly restrict access to Berlin. In 1967, Geki, Italian race car driver (born 1937) passed away. In 1972, Staines air disaster: One hundred eighteen people are killed when a BEA H.S. Trident crashes minutes after takeoff from London's Heathrow Airport. In 1983, Space Shuttle program: STS-7, Astronaut Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space. In 1994, Takeoff, American rapper (died 2022) was born. In 2006, The first Kazakh space satellite, KazSat-1 is launched. In 2007, The Charleston Sofa Super Store fire happened in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine firefighters. In 2009, The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), a NASA robotic spacecraft is launched. In 2018, Big Van Vader (also known as Vader) American professional wrestler (born 1955) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.