Today in News History

On June 29, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. 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 1620, English crown bans tobacco growing in England, giving the Virginia Company a monopoly in exchange for tax of one shilling per pound. In 1893, Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, Indian economist and statistician (died 1972) was born. In 1915, The North Saskatchewan River flood of 1915 is the worst flood in Edmonton history. In 1922, France grants "one square kilometer" at Vimy Ridge "freely, and for all time, to the Government of Canada, the free use of the land exempt from all taxes". In 2007, Apple Inc. releases its first mobile phone, the iPhone. In 2011, K. D. Sethna, Indian poet, scholar, writer, philosopher, and cultural critic (born 1904) passed away. In 2012, Yong Nyuk Lin, Singaporean politician, Singaporean Minister of Health (born 1918) passed away. In 2015, Hisham Barakat, Egyptian lawyer and judge (born 1950) passed away. In 2016, Jan Hettema, Springbok cyclist and five times South African National Rally Champion (born 1933) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.