Event:
Mali swears in Dioncounda Traore, an interim president, marking the country's transition back to civilian rule following last month's coup
More Notable Events on April 12:
1981 Maiden voyage of space shuttle Columbia
1961 Yuri Gagarin becomes 1st person to orbit Earth in Vostok 1
1946 Syria gains independence from France
1844 Texas became a U.S. territory
1654 England, Ireland and Scotland united
