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 1920, Paul Gonsalves, American saxophonist (died 1974) was born. In 1928, Alastair Burnet, English journalist (died 2012) was born. In 1943, Paul Silas, American basketball player and coach (died 2022) was born. In 1948, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion orders the expulsion of Palestinians from the towns of Lod and Ramla. In 1961, Indian city Pune floods due to failure of the Khadakwasla and Panshet dams, killing at least two thousand people. 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 1995, Chinese seismologists successfully predict the 1995 Myanmar-China earthquake, reducing the number of casualties to 11. 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. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.