Today in News History

On July 8, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1798, As a result of the XYZ Affair, the US Congress rescinds the Treaty of Alliance with France sparking the "Quasi-War". In 1807, The first Treaty of Tilsit between France and Russia is signed, ending hostilities between the two countries in the War of the Fourth Coalition. In 1911, The United States, UK, Japan, and Russia sign the North Pacific Fur Seal Convention of 1911 banning open-water seal hunting, the first international treaty to address wildlife preservation issues. In 1937, The Marco Polo Bridge Incident (Lugou Bridge) provides the Imperial Japanese Army with a pretext for starting the Second Sino-Japanese War (China-Japan War). In 1944, World War II: Largest Banzai charge of the Pacific War at the Battle of Saipan. In 1958, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Alaska Statehood Act into law. In 1980, Institution of sharia law in Iran. In 1980, During the Lebanese Civil War, 83 Tiger militants are killed during what will be known as the Safra massacre. In 1983, Cold War: Samantha Smith, a US schoolgirl, flies to the Soviet Union at the invitation of Secretary General Yuri Andropov. In 2017, The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted with 122 countries voting in favour. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.