Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1789, Jacques Necker is dismissed as France's Finance Minister sparking the Storming of the Bastille. In 1912, Sergiu Celibidache, Romanian conductor and composer (died 1996) was born. In 1916, Mortimer Caplin, American tax attorney, educator, and IRS Commissioner (died 2019) was born. In 1925, Charles Chaynes, French composer (died 2016) was born. In 1940, World War II: Vichy France regime is formally established. Philippe Pétain becomes Chief of the French State. In 1953, Suresh Prabhu, Indian accountant and politician, Indian Minister of Railways was born. In 1960, Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1962, Project Apollo: At a press conference, NASA announces lunar orbit rendezvous as the means to land astronauts on the Moon, and return them to Earth. 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. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.