Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1905, Betty Allan, Australian statistician and biometrician (died 1952) was born. In 1924, Charlie Tully, Northern Irish footballer and manager (died 1971) was born. In 1936, The Triborough Bridge in New York City is opened to traffic. In 1943, World War II: Allied invasion of Sicily: German and Italian troops launch a counter-attack on Allied forces in Sicily. In 1950, Bonnie Pointer, American singer (died 2020) was born. 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 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 1983, A TAME airline Boeing 737-200 crashes near Cuenca, Ecuador, killing all 119 passengers and crew on board. 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.