Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 937, Rudolph II of Burgundy (born 880) passed away. In 1767, John Quincy Adams, American lawyer and politician, 6th President of the United States (died 1848) was born. In 1864, American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C. In 1912, William F. Walsh, American captain and politician, 48th Mayor of Syracuse (died 2011) 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 1977, Martin Luther King Jr., assassinated in 1968, is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 2006, Mumbai train bombings: 209 people are killed in a series of bomb attacks in Mumbai, India. In 2011, Ninety-eight containers of explosives self-detonate killing 13 people in Zygi, Cyprus. In 2014, Randall Stout, American architect, designed the Taubman Museum of Art (born 1958) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.