Today in News History

On July 8, 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 1864, Ikedaya Incident: The Choshu Han shishi's planned Shinsengumi sabotage on Kyoto, Japan at Ikedaya. In 1892, St. John's, Newfoundland is devastated in the Great Fire of 1892. In 1906, Philip Johnson, American architect, designed the IDS Center and PPG Place (died 2005) was born. In 1947, Reports are broadcast that a UFO crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico in what became known as the Roswell UFO incident. In 1962, Ne Win besieges and blows up the Rangoon University Student Union building to crush the Student Movement. In 1965, Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 21 is destroyed by a bomb near 100 Mile House, Canada, killing 52. In 1968, The Chrysler wildcat strike begins in Detroit, Michigan. In 1980, Aeroflot Flight 4225 crashes near Almaty International Airport in the then Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (present day Kazakhstan) killing all 166 people on board. In 1982, A failed assassination attempt against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein results in the Dujail Massacre over the next several months. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.