Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1832, Charilaos Trikoupis, Greek lawyer and politician, 55th Prime Minister of Greece (died 1896) was born. In 1882, The British Mediterranean Fleet begins the Bombardment of Alexandria in Egypt as part of the Anglo-Egyptian War. In 1943, World War II: Allied invasion of Sicily: German and Italian troops launch a counter-attack on Allied forces in Sicily. 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 1973, Konstantinos Kenteris, Greek runner 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 1979, America's first space station, Skylab, is destroyed as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. In 1995, Yugoslav Wars: Srebrenica massacre begins; lasts until 22 July. In 1998, Panagiotis Kondylis, Greek philosopher and author (born 1943) passed away. 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.