This day in history

On 12 April, 1961, aboard the spacecraft Vostok, Soviet Major Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human being to travel into space.

During the flight, the 27 year old test pilot and industrial technician also became the first man to orbit the planet, a feat accomplished by his space capsule in 89 minutes. The only statement attributed to Gagarin during his historic one hour and 48 minutes in space was, Flight is proceeding normally; I am well.
 

Pakistani opposition leader, Javed Hashmi, is sentenced to 23 years in jail for inciting mutiny in the army, forgery and defamation, having criticised President Pervez Musharraf.
 

In a forerunner to the Rock and Roll revolution in music, Bill Haley & His Comets record “Rock Around the Clock”
 

The original Union Jack is adopted by Britain.