Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1451, Barbara of Cilli, Slovenian noblewoman passed away. In 1653, Sarah Good, American woman accused of witchcraft (died 1692) was born. In 1911, Erna Flegel, German nurse who was still present in the Führerbunker when it was captured by Soviet troops (died 2006) was born. In 1921, A truce in the Irish War of Independence comes into effect. In 1934, Engelbert Zaschka of Germany flies his large human-powered aircraft, the Zaschka Human-Power Aircraft, about 20 meters at Berlin Tempelhof Airport without assisted take-off. In 1935, Oliver Napier, Northern Irish lawyer and politician (died 2011) 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 1994, Nina Nesbitt, Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist was born. In 2011, Ninety-eight containers of explosives self-detonate killing 13 people in Zygi, Cyprus. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.