Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1562, Fray Diego de Landa, acting Bishop of Yucatán, burns the sacred idols and books of the Maya. In 1928, Alastair Burnet, English journalist (died 2012) was born. In 1928, Imero Fiorentino, American lighting designer (died 2013) was born. In 1949, Douglas Hyde, Irish scholar and politician, 1st President of Ireland (born 1860) passed away. In 1967, Riots begin in Newark, New Jersey. In 1973, A fire destroys the entire sixth floor of the National Personnel Records Center of the United States. In 1984, Michael McGovern, Northern Irish footballer was born. In 1998, The Ulster Volunteer Force attacked a house in Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a petrol bomb, killing the Quinn brothers. 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 2012, A tank truck explosion kills more than 100 people in Okobie, Nigeria. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.