Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 70, The armies of Titus attack the walls of Jerusalem after a six-month siege. Three days later they breach the walls, which enables the army to destroy the Second Temple. In 981, Xue Juzheng, Chinese scholar-official and historian passed away. In 1067, John Komnenos, Byzantine general passed away. In 1191, Third Crusade: Saladin's garrison surrenders to Philip Augustus, ending the two-year siege of Acre. In 1335, Pope Benedict XII issues the papal bull Fulgens sicut stella matutina to reform the Cistercian Order. In 1562, Fray Diego de Landa, acting Bishop of Yucatán, burns the sacred idols and books of the Maya. In 1914, Mohammad Moin, Iranian linguist and lexicographer (died 1971) was born. In 1943, Paul Silas, American basketball player and coach (died 2022) was born. In 1948, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion orders the expulsion of Palestinians from the towns of Lod and Ramla. 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. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.