✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 189th day of the year

July 8

A look at July 8 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Walter Scheel and Nelson Rockefeller, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 2022

    Shinzo Abe

    Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe is shot and killed with an improvised firearm due to resentment against the Unification Church.

    Prime Minister of Japan
  2. 2014

    Israel

    Israel launches an offensive on Gaza amid rising tensions following the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers.

    Country in West Asia
  3. 2003

    Sudan Airways Flight 139

    Sudan Airways Flight 139 crashes near Port Sudan Airport during an emergency landing attempt, killing 116 of the 117 people on board.

    2003 aviation accident
  4. 1990

    Germany national football team

    West Germany win the FIFA World Cup final against defending champions Argentina, with Andreas Brehme scoring the game's only goal.

    Men's association football team
  5. 1980

    Aeroflot Flight 4225

    Aeroflot Flight 4225 crashes near Almaty International Airport in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (present day Kazakhstan), killing all 166 people on board.

    1980 aviation accident
  6. 1965

    Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 21

    Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 21 is destroyed by a bomb near 100 Mile House, Canada, killing 52.

    1965 airliner bombing
  7. 1947

    Unidentified flying object

    Reports are broadcast that a UFO crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico in what became known as the Roswell UFO incident.

    Apparent unusual observation in
  8. 1933

    Rugby union

    The first rugby union test match between the Wallabies of Australia and the Springboks of South Africa is played at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.

    Team sport, code of
  9. 1892

    St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

    St. John's, Newfoundland is devastated in the Great Fire of 1892.

    Capital and largest city
  10. 1497

    Vasco da Gama

    Vasco da Gama sets sail on the first direct European voyage to India.

    Portuguese explorer (c. 1460s
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Famous birthday twins

Born on July 8

Walter Scheel

b. 1919

German soldier and politician, 4th President of West Germany

Nelson Rockefeller

b. 1908

American businessman and politician, 41st Vice President of the United States

Beck

b. 1970

American singer-songwriter and producer

Karl Seglem

b. 1961

Norwegian saxophonist and record producer

Jean de La Fontaine

b. 1621

French author and poet

Todd Martin

b. 1970

American tennis player and coach

Ernst Bloch

b. 1885

German philosopher, author, and academic

Christian Abbiati

b. 1977

Italian footballer

Deaths

  • 2022Shinzo Abe, Japanese politician
  • 1994Kim Il Sung, North Korean commander and politician, President of North Korea
  • 1943Jean Moulin, French soldier and leader of the French Resistance
  • 1859Oscar I of Sweden, King of Sweden and Norway from 1844 to 1859
  • 1695Christiaan Huygens, Dutch mathematician, astronomer, and physicist
  • 1390Albert of Saxony (philosopher), Bishop of Halberstadt and German philosopher (born circa 1320)

Holidays & observances

  • —Christian Feast Day: Abda and Sabas
  • —Christian Feast Day: Auspicius of Trier
  • —Christian Feast Day: Grimbald
  • —Christian Feast Day: Kilian and Totnan
  • —Christian Feast Day: Saints Peter and Fevronia Day (Russian Orthodox)
  • —Christian Feast Day: Procopius of Scythopolis
  • —Christian Feast Day: Sunniva and companions
  • —Christian Feast Day: Theobald of Marly

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