Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1919, The eight-hour day and free Sunday become law for workers in the Netherlands. In 1936, The Triborough Bridge in New York City is opened to traffic. In 1943, Richard Carleton, Australian journalist (died 2006) was born. In 1943, World War II: Allied invasion of Sicily: German and Italian troops launch a counter-attack on Allied forces in Sicily. In 1943, Peter Jensen, Australian metropolitan was born. In 1960, Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 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 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 2014, John Seigenthaler, American journalist and academic (born 1927) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.