Today in News History

On June 19, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1861, José Rizal, Filipino journalist, author, and poet (died 1896) was born. In 1903, Benito Mussolini, at the time a radical Socialist, is arrested by Bern police for advocating a violent general strike. In 1947, Pan Am Flight 121 crashes in the Syrian Desert near Mayadin, Syria, killing 15 and injuring 21. In 1951, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Egyptian terrorist (died 2022) was born. In 1987, Basque separatist group ETA commits one of its most violent attacks, in which a bomb is set off in a supermarket, Hipercor, killing 21 and injuring 45. In 1987, Aeroflot Flight N-528 crashes at Berdiansk Airport in present-day Ukraine, killing eight people. In 1988, Pope John Paul II canonizes 117 Vietnamese Martyrs. In 2007, The al-Khilani Mosque bombing in Baghdad leaves 78 people dead and another 218 injured. In 2007, Ze'ev Schiff, Israeli journalist and author (born 1932) passed away. In 2009, Mass riots involving over 10,000 people and 10,000 police officers break out in Shishou, China, over the dubious circumstances surrounding the death of a local chef. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.