Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1653, Sarah Good, American woman accused of witchcraft (died 1692) was born. In 1804, A duel occurs in which the Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr mortally wounds former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. In 1832, Charilaos Trikoupis, Greek lawyer and politician, 55th Prime Minister of Greece (died 1896) was born. In 1905, Muhammad Abduh, Egyptian jurist and scholar (born 1849) passed away. In 1906, Murder of Grace Brown by Chester Gillette in the United States, inspiration for Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy. In 1918, Venetia Burney, English educator, who named Pluto (died 2009) was born. In 1974, Pär Lagerkvist, Swedish novelist, playwright, and poet Nobel Prize laureate (born 1891) passed away. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 1995, Yugoslav Wars: Srebrenica massacre begins; lasts until 22 July. In 2011, Ninety-eight containers of explosives self-detonate killing 13 people in Zygi, Cyprus. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.