Today in News History

On July 9, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 551, A major earthquake strikes Beirut, triggering a devastating tsunami that affects the coastal towns of Byzantine Phoenicia, causing thousands of deaths. In 1357, Emperor Charles IV assists in laying the foundation stone of Charles Bridge in Prague. In 1917, Krystyna Dańko, Polish orphan, survivor of Holocaust (died 2019) was born. In 1955, The Russell-Einstein Manifesto calls for a reduction of the risk of nuclear warfare. In 1986, The New Zealand Parliament passes the Homosexual Law Reform Act legalising homosexuality in New Zealand. In 1993, The Parliament of Canada passes the Nunavut Act leading to the 1999 creation of Nunavut, dividing the Northwest Territories into arctic (Inuit) and sub-arctic (Dene) lands based on a plebiscite. In 1999, Days of student protests begin after Iranian police and hardliners attack a student dormitory at the University of Tehran. In 2004, The Senate Report on Iraqi WMD Intelligence is released by the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, casting doubt on the rationale for the Iraq War. In 2005, Alex Shibicky, Canadian ice hockey player (born 1914) passed away. In 2006, One hundred and twenty-five people are killed when S7 Airlines Flight 778, an Airbus A310 passenger jet, veers off the runway while landing in wet conditions at Irkutsk Airport in Siberia. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.