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 1932, Brian Hutton, Baron Hutton, British jurist; Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland (died 2020) was born. In 1933, John Bradshaw, American theologian and author (died 2016) was born. In 1942, Mike Willesee, Australian journalist and producer (died 2019) was born. In 1968, Theoren Fleury, Canadian ice hockey player was born. In 1969, Claude Béchard, Canadian politician (died 2010) was born. In 1972, The United States Supreme Court rules in the case Furman v. Georgia that arbitrary and inconsistent imposition of the death penalty violates the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments and constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. 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. In 2012, A derecho sweeps across the eastern United States, leaving at least 22 people dead and millions without power. In 2015, Hisham Barakat, Egyptian lawyer and judge (born 1950) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.