Today in News History

On June 29, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1620, English crown bans tobacco growing in England, giving the Virginia Company a monopoly in exchange for tax of one shilling per pound. 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 1866, Bartholomeus Roodenburch, Dutch swimmer (died 1939) was born. In 1906, Heinz Harmel, German general (died 2000) was born. In 1915, The North Saskatchewan River flood of 1915 is the worst flood in Edmonton history. In 1919, Walter Babington Thomas, Commander of British Far East Land Forces (died 2017) was born. In 1950, Korean War: U.S. President Harry S. Truman authorizes a sea blockade of Korea. In 1979, Marleen Veldhuis, Dutch swimmer was born. 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 2006, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld: The U.S. Supreme Court rules that President George W. Bush's plan to try Guantanamo Bay detainees in military tribunals violates U.S. and international law. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.