Today in News History

On July 9, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1776, Church bells (possibly including the Liberty Bell) are rung after John Nixon delivers the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. In 1892, St. John's, Newfoundland is devastated in the Great Fire of 1892. In 1932, The Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches its lowest level of the Great Depression, closing at 41.22. In 1947, Reports are broadcast that a UFO crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico in what became known as the Roswell UFO incident. In 1994, Kim Jong Il begins to assume supreme leadership of North Korea upon the death of his father, Kim Il Sung. In 1994, Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on an international science mission. In 2003, Sudan Airways Flight 139 crashes near Port Sudan Airport during an emergency landing attempt, killing 116 of the 117 people on board. In 2011, Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched in the final mission of the U.S. Space Shuttle program. In 2012, Gyang Dalyop Datong, Nigerian physician and politician (born 1959) passed away. 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.