Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 911, Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. In 1789, Jacques Necker is dismissed as France's Finance Minister sparking the Storming of the Bastille. In 1801, French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons makes his first comet discovery. In the next 27 years he discovers another 36 comets, more than any other person in history. In 1825, Thomas P. Grosvenor, American soldier and politician (born 1744) passed away. In 1913, Cordwainer Smith, American sinologist, author, and academic (died 1966) was born. In 1916, Mortimer Caplin, American tax attorney, educator, and IRS Commissioner (died 2019) was born. In 1921, A truce in the Irish War of Independence comes into effect. In 1928, Greville Janner, Baron Janner of Braunstone, Welsh-English lawyer and politician (died 2015) was born. In 2011, Ninety-eight containers of explosives self-detonate killing 13 people in Zygi, Cyprus. In 2014, John Seigenthaler, American journalist and academic (born 1927) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.