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 1659, At the Battle of Konotop the Ukrainian armies of Ivan Vyhovsky defeat the Russians led by Prince Trubetskoy. In 1764, One of the strongest tornadoes in history strikes Woldegk, Germany, killing one person while leveling numerous mansions with winds estimated greater than 300 miles per hour (480 km/h). 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 1906, Ivan Chernyakhovsky, Ukrainian general (died 1945) was born. In 1956, Pyotr Vasilevsky, Belarusian footballer and manager (died 2012) was born. In 1971, Prior to re-entry (following a record-setting stay aboard the Soviet Union's Salyut 1 space station), the crew capsule of the Soyuz 11 spacecraft depressurizes, killing the three cosmonauts on board. Georgy Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov and Viktor Patsayev are the first humans to die in space. In 1995, The Sampoong Department Store collapses in the Seocho District of Seoul, South Korea, killing 502 and injuring 937. 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 2012, A derecho sweeps across the eastern United States, leaving at least 22 people dead and millions without power. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.