Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1799, Ranjit Singh conquers Lahore and becomes Maharaja of the Punjab (Sikh Empire). In 1801, British ships inflict heavy damage on Spanish and French ships in the Second Battle of Algeciras. In 1917, The Bisbee Deportation occurs as vigilantes kidnap and deport nearly 1,300 striking miners and others from Bisbee, Arizona. In 1918, The Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Kawachi blows up at Shunan, western Honshu, Japan, killing at least 621. In 1948, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion orders the expulsion of Palestinians from the towns of Lod and Ramla. In 1969, Henry George Lamond, Australian farmer and author (born 1885) passed away. In 1995, Chinese seismologists successfully predict the 1995 Myanmar-China earthquake, reducing the number of casualties to 11. In 2001, Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on mission STS-104, carrying the Quest Joint Airlock to the International Space Station. In 2006, The 2006 Lebanon War begins. 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.