Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1488, Joseon Dynasty official Choe Bu returned to Korea after months of shipwrecked travel in China. In 1562, Fray Diego de Landa, acting Bishop of Yucatán, burns the sacred idols and books of the Maya. In 1918, The Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Kawachi blows up at Shunan, western Honshu, Japan, killing at least 621. In 1957, Rick Husband, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut (died 2003) was born. In 1961, ČSA Flight 511 crashes at Casablanca-Anfa Airport in Morocco, killing 72. In 1973, A fire destroys the entire sixth floor of the National Personnel Records Center of the United States. In 1995, Chinese seismologists successfully predict the 1995 Myanmar-China earthquake, reducing the number of casualties to 11. In 2001, Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on mission STS-104, carrying the Quest Joint Airlock to the International Space Station. In 2007, U.S. Army Apache helicopters engage in airstrikes against armed insurgents in Baghdad, Iraq, where civilians are killed; footage from the cockpit is later leaked to the Internet. In 2014, Nestor Basterretxea, Spanish painter and sculptor (born 1924) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.