Today in News History

On July 1, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1908, SOS is adopted as the international distress signal. In 1911, Germany dispatches the gunboat SMS Panther to Morocco, sparking the Agadir Crisis. In 1917, World War I: Russia launches an offensive against Austria-Hungary to capture Galicia, its final offensive of the war. In 1942, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, Iraqi field marshal and politician (died 2020) was born. In 1942, World War II: First Battle of El Alamein. In 1957, The International Geophysical Year begins. In 1959, Specific values for the international yard, avoirdupois pound and derived units (e.g. inch, mile and ounce) are adopted after agreement between the US, the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries. In 1968, The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is signed in Washington, D.C., London and Moscow by sixty-two countries. In 2002, Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937, a Tupolev Tu-154, and DHL Flight 611, a Boeing 757, collide in mid-air over Überlingen, southern Germany, killing all 71 on board both planes. In 2020, The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement replaces NAFTA. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.