Today in News History

On June 29, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1149, Raymond of Poitiers is defeated and killed at the Battle of Inab by Nur ad-Din Zangi. In 1170, A major earthquake hits Syria, badly damaging towns such as Hama and Shaizar and structures such as the Krak des Chevaliers and the cathedral of St. Peter in Antioch. In 1457, The Dutch city of Dordrecht is devastated by fire. In 1864, At least 99 people, mostly German and Polish immigrants, are killed in Canada's worst railway disaster after a train fails to stop for an open drawbridge and plunges into the Rivière Richelieu near St-Hilaire, Quebec. In 1916, British diplomat turned Irish nationalist Roger Casement is sentenced to death for his part in the Easter Rising. In 1972, A Convair CV-580 and De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter collide above Lake Winnebago near Appleton, Wisconsin, killing 13. In 1995, The Sampoong Department Store collapses in the Seocho District of Seoul, South Korea, killing 502 and injuring 937. In 2002, Naval clashes between South Korea and North Korea lead to the death of six South Korean sailors and sinking of a North Korean vessel. In 2007, Joel Siegel, American journalist and critic (born 1943) passed away. In 2014, The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant self-declares its caliphate in Syria and northern Iraq. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.