“History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.” – David McCullough
Today In History
1. Kano Suicide Car Bombing
On this day in 2013, 41people reportedly died when a suicide car bombing occurred at a bus station in Kano. A Volkswagen Golf packed with explosives and driven by three suicide bombers sped to five buses, which were being boarded by civilians, mostly Christians, to east and south Nigeria. The explosive ladened car hit one of the buses and the ensuing inferno spread to the other buses to cause more casualties.
2. Évian Accords Were Signed
On this day in 1962, a set of peace treaties signed in Évian-les-Bains, France, by France and the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic, the government-in-exile of FLN (Front de Libération Nationale), which sought Algeria’s independence from France. This accord ended the Algerian war.
3. Côte d’Ivoire Hosted The Africa Cup of Nations
On this day in 1984, Côte d’Ivoire hosted the 14th edition of African Cup if Nations for the first time in the country’s history. Cameroon eventually won the Africa’s ultimate football championship.
4. Africa’s Longest Highway Tunnel Was Opened
On this day in 1988, Africa’s longest highway tunnel, the 3.9-km Huguenot Tunnel under the Du Toitskloof Mountains was opened outside Cape Town, South Africa. The tunnel replaced a pass over the mountains built by Italian prisoners of war during World War II.
5. Bardo National Museum Attack
On this day in 2015, two terrorists attacked the Bardo National Museum located in Tunis, Tunisia and took hostages. 23 people died from the attack while 50 others sustained injuries. The police eventually killed the two terrorists indentified as Tunisian citizens Yassine Labidi and Saber Khachnaoui.
6. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Theft
On this day in 1990, 13 works of art were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. It is regarded as the largets art theft in US history. No conviction has been made for the crime, neither have the stolen art works been recovered.
7. Ozone Disco Fire
On this day in 1996, Ozone Disco fire broke out in Quezon City, Philippines, killing at least 162 people. It is officially regarded as the worst fire in Philippine history and among the 10 worst nightclub fires in the world.
8. Stavropolskaya Aktsionernaya Avia Flight 1023
On this day in 1997, Stavropolskaya Aktsionernaya Avia Flight 1023, a charter flight en route from Stavropol in southern Russia to Trabzon in Turkey suffered a structural failure and crashed into a forest, killing all 50 passengers and crew on board.
