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 1749, Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois, French navy officer and politician, Governor General of New France (born 1671) passed away. In 1776, Captain James Cook begins his third voyage. 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 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 1812, The American Army of the Northwest briefly occupies the Upper Canadian settlement at what is now at Windsor, Ontario. In 1927, Harley Hotchkiss, Canadian businessman (died 2011) was born. In 1969, Anne-Sophie Pic, French chef 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 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.