Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1861, Anton Arensky, Russian pianist, composer, and educator (died 1906) was born. In 1913, Serbian forces begin their siege of the Bulgarian city of Vidin; the siege is later called off when the war ends. In 1916, Lyudmila Pavlichenko, Ukrainian-Russian soldier and sniper (died 1974) was born. In 1943, World War II: Battle of Kursk: German and Soviet forces engage in the Battle of Prokhorovka, one of the largest armored engagements of all time. In 1960, Orlyonok, the main Young Pioneer camp of the Russian SFSR, is founded. In 1998, Arkady Ostashev, Soviet/Russian scientist and engineer (born 1925) passed away. 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. In 2012, Syrian Civil War: Government forces target the homes of rebels and activists in Tremseh and kill anywhere between 68 and 150 people. In 2014, Valeriya Novodvorskaya, Russian journalist and politician (born 1950) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.