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 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 1807, The second Treaty of Tilsit is signed between France and Prussia, ending the War of the Fourth Coalition. In 1850, Persian prophet Báb is executed in Tabriz, Persia. In 1955, The Russell-Einstein Manifesto calls for a reduction of the risk of nuclear warfare. In 1962, Starfish Prime tests the effects of a nuclear test at orbital altitudes. In 1979, A car bomb destroys a Renault motor car owned by "Nazi hunters" Serge and Beate Klarsfeld outside their home in France in an unsuccessful assassination attempt. 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 2015, Saud bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabian economist and politician, Saudi Arabian Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1940) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.