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 1909, Ike Petersen, American football player (died 1995) was born. In 1957, Aleksandr Gurnov, Russian journalist and author was born. In 1960, Francis Gary Powers is charged with espionage resulting from his flight over the Soviet Union. In 1972, Israeli Mossad assassinate Palestinian writer Ghassan Kanafani. In 1994, Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on an international science mission. In 1994, Kim Jong Il begins to assume supreme leadership of North Korea upon the death of his father, Kim Il Sung. In 1997, Bryce Love, American football player was born. In 2011, Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched in the final mission of the U.S. Space Shuttle program. 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.