Today in News History

On July 13, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 982, Gunther, margrave of Merseburg passed away. In 1402, Nanjing surrenders to Zhu Di without a fight, ending the Jingnan campaign. The Jianwen Emperor disappears and his family is incarcerated. In 1793, Journalist and French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat is assassinated in his bathtub by Charlotte Corday, a member of the opposing political faction. In 1934, Peter Gzowski, Canadian journalist and academic (died 2002) was born. In 1964, Charlie Hides, American drag queen and comedian was born. In 1973, Watergate scandal: Alexander Butterfield reveals the existence of a secret Oval Office taping system to investigators for the Senate Watergate Committee. In 1977, New York City: Amidst a period of financial and social turmoil experiences an electrical blackout lasting nearly 24 hours that leads to widespread fires and looting. In 1985, Vice President George H. W. Bush becomes the Acting President for the day when President Ronald Reagan undergoes surgery to remove polyps from his colon. In 2012, Richard D. Zanuck, American film producer (born 1934) passed away. In 2016, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron resigns, and is succeeded by Theresa May. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.