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 1790, The Civil Constitution of the Clergy is passed in France by the National Constituent Assembly. 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 1969, Chantal Jouanno, French politician, French Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports was born. In 1973, A fire destroys the entire sixth floor of the National Personnel Records Center of the United States. In 1997, François Furet, French historian and author (born 1927) passed away. In 1998, The Ulster Volunteer Force attacked a house in Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a petrol bomb, killing the Quinn brothers. 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 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.