Today in News History

On July 8, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1579, Our Lady of Kazan, a holy icon of the Russian Orthodox Church, is discovered underground in the city of Kazan, Tatarstan. In 1709, Peter I of Russia defeats Charles XII of Sweden at the Battle of Poltava, thus effectively ending Sweden's status as a major power in Europe. In 1716, The Battle of Dynekilen forces Sweden to abandon its invasion of Norway. In 1895, Igor Tamm, Russian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1971) was born. In 1917, J. F. Powers, American novelist and short story writer (died 1999) was born. In 1957, Aleksandr Gurnov, Russian journalist and author was born. In 1964, Alexei Gusarov, Russian ice hockey player and manager was born. In 1972, Israeli Mossad assassinate Palestinian writer Ghassan Kanafani. In 1982, A failed assassination attempt against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein results in the Dujail Massacre over the next several months. 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.