Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1562, Fray Diego de Landa, acting Bishop of Yucatán, burns the sacred idols and books of the Maya. In 1789, In response to the dismissal of the French finance minister Jacques Necker, the radical journalist Camille Desmoulins gives a speech which results in the storming of the Bastille two days later. In 1801, British ships inflict heavy damage on Spanish and French ships in the Second Battle of Algeciras. In 1852, Hipólito Yrigoyen, Argentinian lawyer and politician, 19th President of Argentina (died 1933) was born. In 1924, Michel d'Ornano, French politician (died 1991) was born. In 1967, Bruny Surin, Canadian sprinter was born. In 1969, Chantal Jouanno, French politician, French Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports was born. In 1985, Ismael Londt, Surinamese-Dutch kickboxer was born. In 1995, Chinese seismologists successfully predict the 1995 Myanmar-China earthquake, reducing the number of casualties to 11. In 1997, François Furet, French historian and author (born 1927) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.