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 1940, World War II: Vichy France regime is formally established. Philippe Pétain becomes Chief of the French State. In 1960, Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 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 1976, León de Greiff, Colombian poet and educator (born 1895) passed away. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 1986, Raúl García, Spanish footballer was born. In 1990, Oka Crisis: First Nations land dispute in Quebec begins. In 2002, Amad, Ivorian footballer was born. In 2006, Mumbai train bombings: 209 people are killed in a series of bomb attacks in Mumbai, India. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.