Today in News History

On June 17, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1832, William Crookes, English chemist and physicist (died 1919) was born. In 1929, Tigran Petrosian, Armenian chess player (died 1984) was born. In 1930, U.S. President Herbert Hoover signs the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act into law. In 1933, Union Station massacre: In Kansas City, Missouri, four FBI agents and captured fugitive Frank Nash are gunned down by gangsters attempting to free Nash. In 1967, Nuclear weapons testing: China announces a successful test of its first thermonuclear weapon. In 1972, Watergate scandal: Five White House operatives are arrested for burgling the offices of the Democratic National Committee during an attempt by members of the administration of President Richard M. Nixon to illegally wiretap the political opposition as part of a broader campaign to subvert the democratic process. In 1989, Interflug Flight 102 crashes during a rejected takeoff from Berlin Schönefeld Airport, killing 21 people. In 1992, A "joint understanding" agreement on arms reduction is signed by U.S. President George Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin (this would be later codified in START II). In 1999, Basil Hume, English cardinal (born 1923) passed away. In 2012, Stéphane Brosse, French mountaineer (born 1971) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.