Today in News History

On July 8, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. 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 1716, The Battle of Dynekilen forces Sweden to abandon its invasion of Norway. In 1876, Alexandros Papanastasiou, Greek sociologist and politician, Prime Minister of Greece (died 1936) was born. In 1917, J. F. Powers, American novelist and short story writer (died 1999) was born. In 1918, Julia Pirie, British spy working for MI5 (died 2008) was born. In 1937, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan sign the Treaty of Saadabad. In 1945, Micheline Calmy-Rey, Swiss politician, 91st President of the Swiss Confederation was born. In 1972, Israeli Mossad assassinate Palestinian writer Ghassan Kanafani. 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.