Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1899, Wilfrid Israel, German businessman and philanthropist (died 1943) was born. In 1901, Gwendolyn Lizarraga, Belizean businesswoman, activist, and politician (died 1975) was born. In 1960, Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1963, Lisa Rinna, American actress and talk show host was born. 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 1987, Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman, American rabbi and scholar (born 1901) passed away. 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. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.