Today in News History

On July 8, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1864, Ikedaya Incident: The Choshu Han shishi's planned Shinsengumi sabotage on Kyoto, Japan at Ikedaya. In 1898, The death of crime boss Soapy Smith, killed in the Shootout on Juneau Wharf, releases Skagway, Alaska from his iron grip. In 1917, J. F. Powers, American novelist and short story writer (died 1999) was born. In 1937, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan sign the Treaty of Saadabad. In 1947, Reports are broadcast that a UFO crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico in what became known as the Roswell UFO incident. In 1962, Ne Win besieges and blows up the Rangoon University Student Union building to crush the Student Movement. In 1968, The Chrysler wildcat strike begins in Detroit, Michigan. In 1970, Richard Nixon delivers a special congressional message enunciating Native American self-determination as official US Indian policy, leading to the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975. In 1982, A failed assassination attempt against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein results in the Dujail Massacre over the next several months. In 2014, Israel launches an offensive on Gaza amid rising tensions following the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.