Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1335, Pope Benedict XII issues the papal bull Fulgens sicut stella matutina to reform the Cistercian Order. In 1536, Desiderius Erasmus, Dutch priest and philosopher (born 1466) passed away. In 1806, At the insistence of Napoleon, Bavaria, Baden, Württemberg and thirteen minor principalities leave the Holy Roman Empire and form the Confederation of the Rhine. In 1817, Alvin Saunders, Territorial Governor and Senator from Nebraska (died 1899) was born. In 1920, The Soviet-Lithuanian Peace Treaty is signed, by which Soviet Russia recognizes the independence of Lithuania. 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 1952, Irina Bokova, Bulgarian politician, Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs was born. In 1975, São Tomé and Príncipe declare independence from Portugal. In 1998, The Ulster Volunteer Force attacked a house in Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a petrol bomb, killing the Quinn brothers. In 2001, Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on mission STS-104, carrying the Quest Joint Airlock to the International Space Station. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.