Today in News History

On July 1, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1311, Liu Bowen, Chinese military strategist, statesman and poet (died 1375) was born. In 1917, Chinese General Zhang Xun seizes control of Beijing and restores the monarchy, installing Puyi, last emperor of the Qing dynasty, to the throne. The restoration is reversed just shy of two weeks later, when Republican troops regain control of the capital. In 1921, The Chinese Communist Party is founded by Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao, with the help of the Far Eastern Bureau of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (Bolsheviks), who seized power in Russia after the 1917 October Revolution, and the Far Eastern Secretariat of the Communist International. In 1943, Peeter Lepp, Estonian politician, 37th Mayor of Tallinn was born. In 1955, Li Keqiang, Chinese economist and politician, 7th Premier of the People's Republic of China (died 2023) was born. 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 1990, German reunification: East Germany accepts the Deutsche Mark as its currency, thus uniting the economies of East and West Germany. In 1991, Cold War: The Warsaw Pact is officially dissolved at a meeting in Prague. In 1997, China resumes sovereignty over the city-state of Hong Kong, ending 156 years of British colonial rule. The handover ceremony is attended by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Charles, Prince of Wales, Chinese President Jiang Zemin and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. In 2003, Over 500,000 people protest against efforts to pass anti-sedition legislation in Hong Kong. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.