Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1848, Waterloo railway station in London opens. In 1850, Annie Armstrong, American missionary (died 1938) was born. In 1901, Gwendolyn Lizarraga, Belizean businesswoman, activist, and politician (died 1975) was born. In 1930, Harold Bloom, American literary critic (died 2019) was born. In 1930, Trevor Storer, English businessman, founded Pukka Pies (died 2013) was born. In 1936, The Triborough Bridge in New York City is opened to traffic. In 1971, John W. Campbell, American journalist and author (born 1910) passed away. 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 1979, America's first space station, Skylab, is destroyed as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.