Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1691, Battle of Aughrim (Julian calendar): The decisive victory of William III of England's forces in Ireland. 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, Henry David Thoreau, American essayist, poet, and philosopher (died 1862) was born. In 1944, Simon Blackburn, English philosopher and academic was born. In 1955, Timothy Garton Ash, English historian and author was born. In 1969, Henry George Lamond, Australian farmer and author (born 1885) passed away. 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 2015, Chenjerai Hove, Zimbabwean journalist, author, and poet (born 1956) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.