Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1916, Mortimer Caplin, American tax attorney, educator, and IRS Commissioner (died 2019) was born. In 1960, Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1960, France legislates for the independence of Dahomey (later Benin), Upper Volta (later Burkina Faso) and Niger. In 1976, Eduardo Nájera, Mexican-American basketball player and coach was born. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 1989, Shimanoumi Koyo, Japanese sumo wrestler was born. In 1990, Oka Crisis: First Nations land dispute in Quebec begins. In 1991, Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 crashes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, killing all 261 passengers and crew on board. In 1991, Mokhtar Dahari, Malaysian footballer and coach (born 1953) passed away. In 2010, The Islamist militia group Al-Shabaab carries out multiple suicide bombings in Kampala, Uganda, killing 74 people and injuring 85 others. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.