Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1405, Ming admiral Zheng He sets sail to explore the world for the first time. In 1826, Alexander Afanasyev, Russian ethnographer and author (died 1871) was born. In 1844, Yevgeny Baratynsky, Russian philosopher and poet (born 1800) passed away. In 1886, Boris Grigoriev, Russian painter and illustrator (died 1939) was born. In 1916, Alexander Prokhorov, Australian-Russian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2002) was born. In 1920, Zecharia Sitchin, Russian-American author (died 2010) was born. In 1921, The Red Army captures Mongolia from the White Army and establishes the Mongolian People's Republic. In 1934, Engelbert Zaschka of Germany flies his large human-powered aircraft, the Zaschka Human-Power Aircraft, about 20 meters at Berlin Tempelhof Airport without assisted take-off. In 1953, Suresh Prabhu, Indian accountant and politician, Indian Minister of Railways was born. In 2009, Ji Xianlin, Chinese linguist and paleographer (born 1911) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.