Today in News History

On June 17, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1909, Ralph E. Winters, Canadian-American film editor (died 2004) was born. In 1922, John Amis, English journalist and critic (died 2013) was born. In 1929, The town of Murchison, New Zealand is rocked by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killing 17. At the time it was New Zealand's worst natural disaster. In 1929, Bud Collins, American journalist and sportscaster (died 2016) was born. In 1947, Linda Chavez, American journalist and author was born. In 1963, A day after South Vietnamese President Ngô Đình Diệm announced the Joint Communiqué to end the Buddhist crisis, a riot involving around 2,000 people breaks out. One person is killed. In 1966, Mohammed Ghazy Al-Akhras, Iraqi journalist and author was born. In 1987, With the death of the last individual of the species, the dusky seaside sparrow becomes extinct. In 1989, Interflug Flight 102 crashes during a rejected takeoff from Berlin Schönefeld Airport, killing 21 people. In 2017, A series of wildfires in central Portugal kill at least 64 people and injure 204 others. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.