Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 937, Rudolph II of Burgundy (born 880) passed away. In 1836, The Fly-fisher's Entomology is published by Alfred Ronalds. The book transformed the sport and went to many editions. In 1919, The eight-hour day and free Sunday become law for workers in the Netherlands. In 1924, Brett Somers, Canadian-American actress and singer (died 2007) was born. In 1960, Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 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 1990, Oka Crisis: First Nations land dispute in Quebec begins. In 2007, Glenda Adams, Australian author and academic (born 1939) passed away. In 2015, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán escapes from the maximum security Altiplano prison in Mexico, his second escape. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.