Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1616, Samuel de Champlain returns to Quebec. In 1789, Jacques Necker is dismissed as France's Finance Minister sparking the Storming of the Bastille. In 1893, A revolution led by the liberal general and politician José Santos Zelaya takes over state power in Nicaragua. In 1960, Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1971, The nationalization of all large copper mines in Chile is completed. 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. In 1983, A TAME airline Boeing 737-200 crashes near Cuenca, Ecuador, killing all 119 passengers and crew on board. In 1990, Oka Crisis: First Nations land dispute in Quebec begins. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.