Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1900, Marcel Paul, French communist politician and Holocaust survivor (died 1982) 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 1936, Jan Němec, Czech director and screenwriter (died 2016) was born. In 1948, Elias Khoury, Lebanese intellectual, playwright and novelist (died 2024) was born. In 1952, Irina Bokova, Bulgarian politician, Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs was born. In 1961, ČSA Flight 511 crashes at Casablanca-Anfa Airport in Morocco, killing 72. In 2006, The 2006 Lebanon War begins. 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 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.