Today in History: Haitian President Jovenel Moïse assassinated
Today in History:
On July 7, 2021, a squad of gunmen assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse and wounded his wife in an overnight raid on their home.
Also on this date:
In 1865, four people were hanged in Washington, D.C. for conspiring with John Wilkes Booth to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln: Lewis Powell, David Herold, George Atzerodt and Mary Surratt, the first woman to be executed by the federal government.
In 1898, President William McKinley signed the Newlands Resolution, approving the annexation of the Republic of Hawaii.
In 1930, construction began on Boulder Dam (known today as Hoover Dam).
In 1976, the United States Military Academy at West Point included female cadets for the first time as 119 women joined the Class of 1980.
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan announced he was nominating Arizona Judge Sandra Day O'Connor to become the first female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
In 1990, the first 'Three Tenors' concert took place as opera stars Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras performed amid the brick ruins of Rome's Baths of Caracalla on the eve of the FIFA World Cup final.
In 2005, terrorist bombings in three Underground stations and a double-decker bus killed 52 people and four bombers in the worst attack on London since World War II.
In 2010, Los Angeles police arrested and charged Lonnie Franklin Jr. in the city's 'Grim Sleeper' serial killings. (Franklin, who was sentenced to death for the killings of nine women and a teenage girl, died in prison in March 2020 at the age of 67.)
In 2013, Andy Murray became the first British man in 77 years to win the Wimbledon title, beating Novak Djokovic in the final.
In 2016, Micah Johnson, a Black Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, opened fire on Dallas police, killing five officers in an act of vengeance for the fatal police shootings of Black men; the attack ended with Johnson being killed by a bomb delivered by a police robot.
Today's Birthdays: Musician-conductor Doc Severinsen is 98. Former Beatle Ringo Starr is 85. World Golf Hall of Famer Tony Jacklin is 81. Actor Joe Spano is 79. Actor Roz Ryan is 74. Actor Billy Campbell is 66. Basketball Hall of Famer Ralph Sampson is 65. Singer-songwriter Vonda Shepard is 62. Actor-comedian Jim Gaffigan is 59. Actor Amy Carlson is 57. Actor Jorja Fox is 57. Actor Robin Weigert is 56. Basketball Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie is 53. Actor Kirsten Vangsness ('Criminal Minds') is 53. Actor Berenice Bejo (Film: 'The Artist') is 49. Actor Hamish Linklater is 49. Olympic figure skating medalist Michelle Kwan is 45. Guitarist Synyster Gates (Avenged Sevenfold) is 44. Pop singer Ally Brooke (Fifth Harmony) (TV: 'The X Factor') is 32. Pop musician Ashton Irwin (5 Seconds to Summer) is 31. Country singer Maddie Font (Maddie and Tae) is 30.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
16 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Supreme Court won't revive aggressive Florida immigration law
The Supreme Court has given the Trump administration great leeway in pursuing its immigration agenda. In a series of orders ruling on emergency applications from the administration, the justices have allowed it to lift protections for hundreds of thousands of people who had been granted temporary protected status or humanitarian parole, allowing them to be deported. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The court also allowed the administration to pursue so-called third-country deportations, sending migrants to places other than their home nations without an opportunity to argue that they would face the risk of torture. Advertisement Wednesday's order suggested that the court may take a different view of states' power over immigration. The law, adopted by Florida lawmakers this year, created two new crimes. The first, entering the state after eluding federal authorities, called for a mandatory nine-month misdemeanor sentence for a first offense and escalating felony sentences for later ones. The second crime, reentering the state after having been deported, is a felony. The law requires people arrested on suspicion of violating either provision to be jailed without bond while their cases proceed. Advertisement Two migrants' and immigration rights groups quickly challenged the law, saying it interfered with the federal government's power to set immigration policy and to conduct foreign affairs. Judge Kathleen M. Williams of US District Court in Miami temporarily blocked enforcement of the law. A three-judge panel of the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals refused to pause Williams' ruling, saying it was likely that federal immigration laws preempted the state law. The panel put the appeal on a fast track, and the Trump administration filed a brief supporting the state. At least six other states have similar laws, all enacted in the past two years, as Republican lawmakers have sought to harness the energy President Trump has brought to the immigration issue and to stiffen penalties for migrants without legal residency status. Every court that has considered the laws has ruled against them, according to a Supreme Court brief filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents the challengers. Those courts relied on Arizona v. United States, a 2012 decision in which the Supreme Court endorsed broad federal power over immigration by a 5-3 vote. 'Arizona may have understandable frustrations with the problems caused by illegal immigration,' while the federal government tries to address them, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote for the majority, 'but the state may not pursue policies that undermine federal law.' The court's composition has changed since then, and officials in Florida had been hopeful that the current justices would alter the balance of power between the federal government and the states in the realm of immigration. Advertisement In Florida's emergency application, James Uthmeier, the state's attorney general, said there was no conflict between federal law and the relevant parts of the state statute. 'Florida carefully crafted both provisions to precisely track, mimic and depend upon federal immigration law,' he wrote, adding that a contrary view 'strikes at the heart of states' ability to protect their citizens from the devastating effects of illegal immigration.' On July 3, after that brief was filed, a divided three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit ruled against a similar Texas law. 'For nearly 150 years, the Supreme Court has recognized that the power to control immigration — the entry, admission and removal of aliens — is exclusively a federal power,' Judge Priscilla Richman, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, wrote for the majority. Florida officials have been aggressive in trying to enforce the new law, despite Williams's ruling. In an April letter to state law enforcement agencies, Uthmeier wrote that it was his view that 'no lawful, legitimate order currently impedes your agencies from continuing to enforce Florida's new illegal entry and reentry laws.' Last month, Williams, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, held Uthmeier in civil contempt for the letter, which she found defied her April ruling. 'Litigants cannot change the plain meaning of words as it suits them, especially when conveying a court's clear and unambiguous order,' Williams wrote. 'Fidelity to the rule of law can have no other meaning.' Responding on social media, Uthmeier wrote that 'if being held in contempt is what it costs to defend the rule of law and stand firmly behind President Trump's agenda on illegal immigration, so be it.' Advertisement The contempt finding was not directly before the justices, but Florida's seeming defiance of Williams' ruling may have colored their view of the state's emergency application. This article originally appeared in
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Report says all B.C. events should get risk review, in wake of festival tragedy
VANCOUVER - A report on safety of festivals and other celebrations in British Columbia says all public events, regardless of size, should be supported by a risk assessment. It's among several recommendations made by a former B.C. Supreme Court chief justice appointed after a vehicle raced down a Vancouver street during the Lapu Lapu Day festival in April, killing 11 and injuring dozens more. The report by Christopher Hinkson makes six recommendations aimed at improving safety at all types of events, including development of a provincial hub for information and advice, stronger inter-agency co-ordination, and more accessible education and planning resources. While some events have access to professional support, the report says many celebrations rely on volunteers with little training or funding, and rather than impose rigid rules the commission says steps need to be taken for consistency and confidence in hosting gatherings. Adam Kai-Ji Lo has been charged with multiple counts of second-degree murder over the Lapu Lapu festival attack and his next court appearance for a fitness hearing is on July 23. The City of Vancouver and police issued a preliminary report in May, saying planning for the festival appeared to have followed prescribed processes despite not having heavy vehicle barriers in place. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Supreme Court Won't Revive Aggressive Florida Immigration Law
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to revive an aggressive Florida immigration law that had been blocked by lower courts. The law would let state officials prosecute unauthorized migrants who enter the state. The court's one-sentence order gave no reasons, which is typical when the justices act on emergency applications. There were no noted dissents. The law, adopted by Florida lawmakers this year, created two new crimes. The first, entering the state after eluding federal authorities, called for a mandatory nine-month misdemeanor sentence for a first offense and escalating felony sentences for later ones. The second crime, re-entering the state after having been deported, is a felony. The law requires people arrested on suspicion of violating either provision to be jailed without bond while their cases proceed. Two migrants and immigrations rights groups quickly challenged the law, saying it interfered with the federal government's power to set immigration policy and to conduct foreign affairs. Judge Kathleen M. Williams, of the Federal District Court in Miami, temporarily blocked enforcement of the law. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
