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 1913, The Second Revolution breaks out against the Beiyang government, as Li Liejun proclaims Jiangxi independent from the Republic of China. In 1946, Sian Barbara Allen, American television actress (died 2025) was born. In 1961, Indian city Pune floods due to failure of the Khadakwasla and Panshet dams, killing at least two thousand people. In 1973, A fire destroys the entire sixth floor of the National Personnel Records Center of the United States. In 1995, Chinese seismologists successfully predict the 1995 Myanmar-China earthquake, reducing the number of casualties to 11. In 2006, The 2006 Lebanon War begins. 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 2010, Pius Njawé, Cameroonian journalist (born 1957) passed away. In 2012, Syrian Civil War: Government forces target the homes of rebels and activists in Tremseh and kill anywhere between 68 and 150 people. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.