This week in history witnessed a confluence of deception, massacres, and tragedy, with events ranging from a long-denied Soviet atrocity to a British prime minister's unprecedented legal sanction.
In a historic reversal after five decades, the Soviet Union finally admitted that its secret police, not the Nazis, were responsible for the 1940 Katyn massacre of nearly 15,000 Polish officers. The admission came amid Mikhail Gorbachev's ultimatum to Lithuania over its declaration of independence.
Closer to home, Boris Johnson became the first sitting prime minister found to have broken the law, fined by the Metropolitan Police for attending a lockdown-breaching gathering at No 10. The Partygate scandal severely damaged his authority, leading to a cabinet revolt and his resignation three months later.
Across the Atlantic, the Virginia Tech massacre claimed 32 lives in the deadliest school shooting in US history. The Independent profiled the gunman, his victims, and a heroic Holocaust survivor professor who died shielding students.
In Paris, a catastrophic fire engulfed Notre-Dame Cathedral, collapsing its iconic spire and destroying centuries-old oak roof in just 63 minutes. The tragedy spurred a global fundraising effort to restore the beloved landmark.
