Today in News History

On July 1, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1955, Li Keqiang, Chinese economist and politician, 7th Premier of the People's Republic of China (died 2023) was born. In 1957, The International Geophysical Year begins. In 1967, Merger Treaty: The European Community is formally created out of a merger between the Common Market, the European Coal and Steel Community, and the European Atomic Energy Commission. In 1968, The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is signed in Washington, D.C., London and Moscow by sixty-two countries. In 1990, German reunification: East Germany accepts the Deutsche Mark as its currency, thus uniting the economies of East and West Germany. In 1991, Cold War: The Warsaw Pact is officially dissolved at a meeting in Prague. In 1997, China resumes sovereignty over the city-state of Hong Kong, ending 156 years of British colonial rule. The handover ceremony is attended by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Charles, Prince of Wales, Chinese President Jiang Zemin and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. In 2002, The International Criminal Court is established to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. In 2004, Saturn orbit insertion of Cassini-Huygens begins at 01:12 UTC and ends at 02:48 UTC. In 2020, The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement replaces NAFTA. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.