Today in News History

On June 20, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1918, Zoltán Sztáray, Hungarian-American author (died 2011) was born. In 1927, Simin Behbahani, Iranian poet and activist (died 2014) was born. In 1944, World War II: The Battle of the Philippine Sea concludes with a decisive U.S. naval victory. The lopsided naval air battle is also known as the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot". In 1963, Following the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Soviet Union and the United States sign an agreement to establish the so-called "red telephone" link between Washington, D.C., and Moscow. In 1969, Misha Verbitsky, Russian mathematician and academic was born. In 1982, The International Conference on the Holocaust and Genocide opens in Tel Aviv, despite attempts by the Turkish government to cancel it, as it included presentations on the Armenian genocide. In 1994, The 1994 Imam Reza shrine bomb explosion in Iran leaves at least 25 dead and 70 to 300 injured. In 2005, Larry Collins, American journalist, historian, and author (born 1929) passed away. In 2012, Andrew Sarris, American critic (born 1928) passed away. In 2019, Iran's Air Defense Forces shoot down an American surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions between the two countries. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.