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 1894, Pyotr Kapitsa, Russian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1984) was born. In 1895, Igor Tamm, Russian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1971) was born. 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 1964, Alexei Gusarov, Russian ice hockey player and manager was born. In 1981, Anastasia Myskina, Russian tennis player was born. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.