Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1923, Richard Pipes, Polish-American historian and academic (died 2018) was born. In 1936, The Triborough Bridge in New York City is opened to traffic. In 1960, David Baerwald, American singer-songwriter, composer, and musician was born. In 1972, Cormac Battle, English-Irish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer was born. 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. In 1989, Travis Waddell, Australian rugby league player was born. In 2006, Mumbai train bombings: 209 people are killed in a series of bomb attacks in Mumbai, India. In 2010, The Islamist militia group Al-Shabaab carries out multiple suicide bombings in Kampala, Uganda, killing 74 people and injuring 85 others. 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.