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 1801, British ships inflict heavy damage on Spanish and French ships in the Second Battle of Algeciras. In 1928, Alastair Burnet, English journalist (died 2012) was born. In 1961, Indian city Pune floods due to failure of the Khadakwasla and Panshet dams, killing at least two thousand people. In 1967, Riots begin in Newark, New Jersey. In 1995, Chinese seismologists successfully predict the 1995 Myanmar-China earthquake, reducing the number of casualties to 11. In 2006, The 2006 Lebanon War begins. In 2012, A tank truck explosion kills more than 100 people in Okobie, Nigeria. In 2013, Six people are killed and 200 injured in a French passenger train derailment in Brétigny-sur-Orge. In 2014, Alfred de Grazia, American political scientist and author (born 1919) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.