The US president’s brief 24-hour trip to the French capital coincides with celebrations for Bastille Day, France’s national day which is marked on Friday, and the 100th anniversary of US involvement in World War I. What is Bastille Day? Bastille Day marks the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789, by angry Parisian crowds. This seismic act demonstrated that ordinary people would no longer accept the absolute power of the king and signalled the start of the French Revolution which forced the creation of the modern French Republic. Last year a truck was deliberately driven into crowds celebrating the national day in the French resort of Nice, killing 86 people and injuring 434.

Source: Dhaka Tribune July 13, 2017 19:41 UTC