Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1691, Battle of Aughrim (Julian calendar): The decisive victory of William III of England's forces in Ireland. In 1850, Otto Schoetensack, German anthropologist and academic (died 1912) 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 1959, David Brown, Australian meteorologist was born. In 1973, A fire destroys the entire sixth floor of the National Personnel Records Center of the United States. In 1975, São Tomé and Príncipe declare independence from Portugal. In 1993, Dan Eldon, English photographer and journalist (born 1970) passed away. In 1995, Chinese seismologists successfully predict the 1995 Myanmar-China earthquake, reducing the number of casualties to 11. 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. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.