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 1918, Edward B. Giller, American Major General (died 2017) was born. In 1928, Balakh Sher Mazari, former prime minister of Pakistan (died 2022) was born. In 1961, Ces Drilon, Filipino journalist was born. 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 1982, A failed assassination attempt against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein results in the Dujail Massacre over the next several months. In 1994, Kim Jong Il begins to assume supreme leadership of North Korea upon the death of his father, Kim Il Sung. In 2011, Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched in the final mission of the U.S. Space Shuttle program. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.