Today in News History

On July 2, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1853, The Russian Army crosses the Prut river into the Danubian Principalities (Moldavia and Wallachia), providing the spark that will set off the Crimean War. In 1923, Cyril M. Kornbluth, American soldier and author (died 1958) was born. In 1940, Georgi Ivanov, Bulgarian military officer, cosmonaut and politician was born. In 1948, Mutula Kilonzo, Kenyan lawyer and politician (died 2013) was born. In 1977, Vladimir Nabokov, Russian-born novelist and critic (born 1899) passed away. In 1979, Ahmed al-Ghamdi, Saudi Arabian terrorist, hijacker of United Airlines Flight 175 (died 2001) was born. In 1986, Aeroflot Flight 2306 crashes while attempting an emergency landing at Syktyvkar Airport in Syktyvkar, in present-day Komi Republic, Russia, killing 54 people. In 1989, Andrei Gromyko, Soviet economist and politician, Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1909) passed away. In 1994, USAir Flight 1016 crashes near Charlotte Douglas International Airport, killing 37 of the 57 people on board. In 2010, The South Kivu tank truck explosion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo kills at least 230 people. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.