Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. 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 1959, Tupou VI, King of Tonga was born. In 1960, Orlyonok, the main Young Pioneer camp of the Russian SFSR, is founded. In 1977, Brock Lesnar, American mixed martial artist and wrestler was born. In 1996, Jordan Romero, American mountaineer was born. In 2000, Vinícius Júnior, Brazilian footballer was born. 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, Syrian Civil War: Government forces target the homes of rebels and activists in Tremseh and kill anywhere between 68 and 150 people. In 2024, Bill Viola, American video and installation artist (born 1951) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.