Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1916, Lyudmila Pavlichenko, Ukrainian-Russian soldier and sniper (died 1974) was born. In 1918, The Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Kawachi blows up at Shunan, western Honshu, Japan, killing at least 621. 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 1962, Julio César Chávez, Mexican boxer was born. In 1973, A fire destroys the entire sixth floor of the National Personnel Records Center of the United States. In 1996, Jordan Romero, American mountaineer was born. In 2006, The 2006 Lebanon War begins. 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 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. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.