Today in News History

On July 4, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 324, Battle of Adrianople: Constantine I defeats Licinius, who flees to Byzantium. In 1778, American Revolutionary War: The Iroquois, allied with Britain, killed 360 people in the Wyoming Valley massacre. In 1823, Ahmed Vefik Pasha, Greek-Ottoman statesman, diplomat, playwright, and translator (died 1891) was born. In 1898, Stefanos Stefanopoulos, Greek politician, Prime Minister of Greece (died 1982) was born. In 1918, Mehmed V, Ottoman sultan (born 1844) passed away. In 1939, László Kovács, Hungarian politician and diplomat, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs was born. In 1970, The Troubles: The "Falls Curfew" begins in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In 1988, The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey is completed, providing the second connection between the continents of Europe and Asia over the Bosphorus. In 1988, United States Navy warship USS Vincennes shoots down Iran Air Flight 655 over the Persian Gulf, killing all 290 people aboard. In 2015, Boyd K. Packer, American religious leader and educator (born 1924) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.