Today in News History

On July 7, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1863, The United States begins its first military draft; exemptions cost $300. In 1899, George Cukor, American director and producer (died 1983) was born. In 1937, The Marco Polo Bridge Incident (Lugou Bridge) provides the Imperial Japanese Army with a pretext for starting the Second Sino-Japanese War (China-Japan War). In 1960, Kevin A. Ford, American colonel and astronaut was born. In 1978, Davor Kraljević, Croatian footballer was born. In 1982, Jan Laštůvka, Czech footballer was born. In 1996, Yoon Chae-kyung, South Korean singer and actress was born. In 1999, Vikram Batra, Param Vir Chakra, Indian Army personnel (born 1974) passed away. In 2003, NASA Opportunity rover, MER-B or Mars Exploration Rover-B, was launched into space aboard a Delta II rocket. In 2016, Ex-US Army soldier Micah Xavier Johnson shoots fourteen policemen during an anti-police protest in downtown Dallas, Texas, killing five of them. He is subsequently killed by a robot-delivered bomb. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.