Today in News History

On July 8, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1099, Some 15,000 starving Christian soldiers begin the siege of Jerusalem by marching in a religious procession around the city as its Muslim defenders watch. In 1579, Our Lady of Kazan, a holy icon of the Russian Orthodox Church, is discovered underground in the city of Kazan, Tatarstan. In 1709, Peter I of Russia defeats Charles XII of Sweden at the Battle of Poltava, thus effectively ending Sweden's status as a major power in Europe. In 1898, The death of crime boss Soapy Smith, killed in the Shootout on Juneau Wharf, releases Skagway, Alaska from his iron grip. In 1947, Reports are broadcast that a UFO crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico in what became known as the Roswell UFO incident. In 1957, Aleksandr Gurnov, Russian journalist and author was born. In 1962, Ne Win besieges and blows up the Rangoon University Student Union building to crush the Student Movement. In 1980, Aeroflot Flight 4225 crashes near Almaty International Airport in the then Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (present day Kazakhstan) killing all 166 people on board. In 1982, A failed assassination attempt against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein results in the Dujail Massacre over the next several months. In 2020, Alex Pullin, Australian snowboarder (born 1987) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.