In History, Today on February 12

NASA officially declared the Mars rover Opportunity's mission complete after the rover failed to respond following a dust storm in June 2018. Opportunity had been operational on Mars since 2004, far exceeding its planned 90-day mission.

North Korea conducted a test of the Pukguksong-2, a medium-range ballistic missile, marking its first missile test after the inauguration of South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church met in Havana, Cuba, marking the first meeting between the leaders of the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches since the Great Schism of 1054.

The 2010 Winter Olympics officially opened in Vancouver, Canada. The event was marked by the tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili during a training run on the same day.

General Motors announced a record $38.7 billion loss for 2007, the largest annual loss ever for an automotive company at that time. This announcement highlighted the financial struggles of the U.S. auto industry leading up to the global financial crisis.

The city of San Francisco began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, marking a significant moment in the movement for marriage equality in the United States.

The trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević began at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague. He faced charges of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide related to the wars in Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo.

Edvard Munch's iconic painting 'The Scream' is stolen from the National Gallery in Oslo, Norway, by a group of thieves.

Operation Homecoming begins as the first American prisoners of war are released by North Vietnam.

Construction begins on the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

The Soviet Union launches Venera 1, the first spacecraft to fly by Venus.

Soraya Esfandiary Bakhtiari marries Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi of Iran.

Christian Dior unveils his first collection in Paris, which includes the 'New Look' that revolutionizes women's fashion.

Calvin Coolidge becomes the first President of the United States to deliver a radio broadcast from the White House.

The last Emperor of China, Puyi, abdicates the throne, marking the end of the Qing Dynasty and the imperial era in China.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is founded in the United States, aiming to fight for civil rights and end racial discrimination.

The Congress granted permission for freemen of color to serve in the United States military after the end of the Spanish-American War.

Women in the Utah Territory gained the right to vote, making Utah the second U.S. territory to grant voting rights to women after Wyoming.

Michigan State University, the first land-grant institution as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States, was established by the Michigan Legislature.

Chile formally declares its independence from Spain, solidifying its status as a sovereign nation.

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is born in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 was enacted in the United States, allowing the capture and return of runaway slaves within the territory of the U.S. and imposing penalties on those who aided their escape.

Gustav III ascended the throne as the King of Sweden following the death of his father, King Adolf Frederick, leading the country through a period of Enlightenment-inspired reforms.

Englishman James Oglethorpe founds the colony of Georgia, establishing the city of Savannah as its first settlement.

Pedro de Valdivia, a Spanish conquistador, establishes the city of Santiago, which becomes the capital of Chile.

Vasco da Gama sets sail from Lisbon, Portugal, on his second voyage to India, further establishing the sea route around the Cape of Good Hope.

The English capture the town of Rouvray during the Hundred Years' War, known as the Battle of the Herrings, which saw French and Scottish forces defeated.

Pope Leo IX was consecrated as Pope, marking the beginning of a reformist papacy known for its efforts to combat clerical simony and enforce clerical celibacy.

Pope John VIII crowns Charles the Fat as Emperor of the Carolingian Empire.