Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. 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 1923, James E. Gunn, American science fiction author (died 2020) was born. In 1943, World War II: Battle of Kursk: German and Soviet forces engage in the Battle of Prokhorovka, one of the largest armored engagements of all time. In 1959, David Brown, Australian meteorologist was born. In 1961, Indian city Pune floods due to failure of the Khadakwasla and Panshet dams, killing at least two thousand people. In 1962, Joanna Shields, American-English businesswoman was born. In 1978, Topher Grace, American actor was born. In 1995, Chinese seismologists successfully predict the 1995 Myanmar-China earthquake, reducing the number of casualties to 11. In 2007, U.S. Army Apache helicopters engage in airstrikes against armed insurgents in Baghdad, Iraq, where civilians are killed; footage from the cockpit is later leaked to the Internet. In 2008, Tony Snow, American journalist, 26th White House Press Secretary (born 1955) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.