Today in News History

On July 9, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 969, The Fatimid general Jawhar leads the Friday prayer in Fustat in the name of Caliph al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah, thereby symbolically completing the Fatimid conquest of Egypt. In 1401, Timur attacks the Jalairid Sultanate and destroys Baghdad. In 1764, Ann Ward, English author and poet (died 1823) was born. In 1910, Govan Mbeki, South African anti-apartheid and ANC leader and activist (died 2001) was born. In 1918, In Nashville, Tennessee, an inbound local train collides with an outbound express, killing 101 and injuring 171 people, making it the deadliest rail accident in United States history. In 1925, Guru Dutt, Indian actor, director, and producer (died 1964) was born. In 1938, Sanjeev Kumar, Indian film actor (died 1985) was born. In 1944, World War II: American forces take Saipan, bringing the Japanese archipelago within range of B-29 raids, and causing the downfall of the Tojo government. In 1993, Mitch Larkin, Australian swimmer was born. In 1995, The Navaly church bombing is carried out by the Sri Lanka Air Force killing 125 Tamil civilian refugees. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.