Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1918, The Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Kawachi blows up at Shunan, western Honshu, Japan, killing at least 621. In 1928, Alastair Burnet, English journalist (died 2012) was born. In 1961, ČSA Flight 511 crashes at Casablanca-Anfa Airport in Morocco, killing 72. 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 1973, A fire destroys the entire sixth floor of the National Personnel Records Center of the United States. 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 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. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.