Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1302, Battle of the Golden Spurs (Guldensporenslag in Dutch): A coalition around the Flemish cities defeats the king of France's royal army. In 1735, Mathematical calculations suggest that it is on this day that dwarf planet Pluto moved inside the orbit of Neptune for the last time before 1979. In 1798, The United States Marine Corps is re-established; they had been disbanded after the American Revolutionary War. In 1897, Salomon August Andrée leaves Spitsbergen to attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon. In 1919, The eight-hour day and free Sunday become law for workers in the Netherlands. In 1922, Fritz Riess, German-Swiss racing driver (died 1991) was born. In 1953, Piyasvasti Amranand, Thai businessman and politician, Thai Minister of Energy was born. In 1965, Tony Cottee, English footballer, manager, and sportscaster was born. In 1971, The nationalization of all large copper mines in Chile is completed. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.