Today in News History

On July 2, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1698, Thomas Savery patents the first steam engine. In 1723, Bach's Magnificat is first performed. In 1947, Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton, English politician, Minister for International Security Strategy was born. In 1963, Alicia Patterson, American publisher, co-founded Newsday (born 1906) passed away. In 1975, Stefan Terblanche, South African rugby player was born. In 1988, Marcel Lefebvre and the four bishops he consecrated were excommunicated by the Holy See. In 1990, In the 1990 Mecca tunnel tragedy, 1,400 Muslim pilgrims are suffocated to death and trampled upon in a pedestrian tunnel leading to the holy city of Mecca. In 1997, The Bank of Thailand floats the baht, triggering the Asian financial crisis. In 2001, The AbioCor self-contained artificial heart is first implanted. In 2008, Colombian conflict: Íngrid Betancourt, a member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia, is released from captivity after being held for six and a half years by FARC. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.