Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1801, French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons makes his first comet discovery. In the next 27 years he discovers another 36 comets, more than any other person in history. In 1962, Project Apollo: At a press conference, NASA announces lunar orbit rendezvous as the means to land astronauts on the Moon, and return them to Earth. In 1962, First transatlantic satellite television transmission. In 1973, Varig Flight 820 crashes near Paris on approach to Orly Airport, killing 123 of the 134 on board. In response, the FAA bans smoking in airplane lavatories. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 1983, A TAME airline Boeing 737-200 crashes near Cuenca, Ecuador, killing all 119 passengers and crew on board. In 1990, Oka Crisis: First Nations land dispute in Quebec begins. In 1991, Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 crashes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, killing all 261 passengers and crew on board. In 1994, Gary Kildall, American computer scientist, founded Digital Research (born 1942) passed away. In 2006, Mumbai train bombings: 209 people are killed in a series of bomb attacks in Mumbai, India. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.