Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. 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 1801, British ships inflict heavy damage on Spanish and French ships in the Second Battle of Algeciras. In 1908, Alain Cuny, French actor (died 1994) was born. In 1928, Alastair Burnet, English journalist (died 2012) was born. In 1955, Timothy Garton Ash, English historian and author was born. In 1994, Eila Campbell, English geographer and cartographer (born 1915) 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 2010, Pius Njawé, Cameroonian journalist (born 1957) passed away. In 2012, Hamid Samandarian, Iranian director and playwright (born 1931) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.