In History, Today on January 8

Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro storm government buildings, including the Congress, Supreme Federal Court, and Planalto Presidential Palace, in Brasília, similar in style to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Kazakhstan’s President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, orders security forces to 'shoot to kill without warning' in response to violent protests sparked by fuel price hikes, which had escalated into broader political unrest.

Twitter permanently suspends the account of President Donald Trump, citing the risk of further incitement of violence following the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down by the Iranian military shortly after takeoff from Tehran, killing all 176 people on board.

Mexican drug lord Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán is recaptured by Mexican authorities after escaping from prison six months earlier.

A mass shooting occurs in Tucson, Arizona, where U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords is shot and six people are killed, including a federal judge and a nine-year-old girl.

The Togo presidential election is postponed amid opposition demand for a delay in order to ensure a more free and transparent electoral process.

The United States Navy decommissions the USS Stephen W. Groves, an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, after 22 years of service.

The RMS Queen Mary 2, the largest ocean liner ever built at the time, is officially launched by shipowner Cunard Line and begins its maiden voyage.

The United States reestablishes diplomatic ties with Libya after conducting an assessment that concludes Libya is in compliance with its commitment to abandon its weapons of mass destruction programs.

The No Child Left Behind Act is signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush, aiming to improve student performance and change the culture of America's schools.

Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov begins his journey on the Soyuz TM-18 to the Mir space station, aiming to set a record for the longest continuous human stay in space.

Kegworth air disaster: A British Midland Boeing 737 crashed on the M1 motorway in Leicestershire, England, killing 47 people.

The American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) agrees to divest itself of twenty-two subdivisions as part of an antitrust court settlement, leading to the breakup of the Bell System.

The trial of seven men accused of illegal entry into Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate complex began, marking a significant event in the Watergate scandal.

President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a 'War on Poverty' in the United States during his State of the Union address, leading to significant social welfare legislation.

Charles de Gaulle was inaugurated as the first President of the French Fifth Republic, marking a significant shift in French politics and governance.

Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouts, dies in Nyeri, Kenya.

Britain introduces food rationing during World War II, starting with bacon, butter, and sugar.

Elvis Presley, the American singer and cultural icon known as the 'King of Rock and Roll', is born.

U.S. President Woodrow Wilson delivered his Fourteen Points speech, outlining his vision for a post-World War I world that included the establishment of the League of Nations.

The Imperial Institute is renamed as Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine and becomes part of the University of London.

Herman Hollerith was issued US patent #395,782, for the 'Art of Applying Statistics,' an early step in the development of the computer.

Crazy Horse and his warriors fought their last battle against the US Cavalry at Wolf Mountain, in the Montana Territory during the Great Sioux War of 1876.

African American men were granted the right to vote in Washington, D.C.

Dr. John A. Veatch discovered borax in Tuscan Springs, California, marking the beginning of large-scale mining of borax in the United States.

The United States national debt was reduced to zero for the only time in history under President Andrew Jackson.

The Battle of New Orleans was fought, marking the last major battle of the War of 1812. American forces under General Andrew Jackson defeated the British Army, despite the war having officially ended with the Treaty of Ghent.

George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address in New York City, then the provisional capital of the United States.

Bonnie Prince Charlie's army began withdrawing to Scotland from Derby, after failing to secure a decisive victory against the British government forces during the Jacobite Rising.

French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle reached the mouth of the Mississippi River, claiming the surrounding territory for France.

Galileo Galilei, the renowned Italian astronomer, physicist, and engineer, died in Arcetri, near Florence, Italy. He is known for his contributions to modern science, including improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations.

Louis XII of France marries Anne of Brittany in a ceremony held at the Château de Nantes, thereby strengthening personal ties and political alliances between the French crown and the Duchy of Brittany.

Francesco Grimaldi, disguised as a monk, led his men to capture the fortress protecting the Rock of Monaco, marking the beginning of Grimaldi rule over Monaco.

Lotario de' Conti di Segni was elected as Pope Innocent III, one of the most influential popes of the Middle Ages, known for his role in the Fourth Crusade and the Albigensian Crusade.

The Battle of Ashdown took place, where King Æthelred of Wessex and his brother Alfred the Great defeated the invading Danish Viking army.