Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1191, Third Crusade: Saladin's garrison surrenders to Philip Augustus, ending the two-year siege of Acre. In 1562, Fray Diego de Landa, acting Bishop of Yucatán, burns the sacred idols and books of the Maya. 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 1817, Alvin Saunders, Territorial Governor and Senator from Nebraska (died 1899) was born. In 1922, Mark Hatfield, American soldier and politician, 29th Governor of Oregon (died 2011) was born. In 1938, Ron Fairly, American baseball player and sportscaster (died 2019) was born. In 1967, Riots begin in Newark, New Jersey. In 1970, Susan Tyler Witten, American politician was born. 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.