Topics Today

Newcastle Herald

Friday December 26, 2008

GR

Today's fact

The corkscrew was invented in 1860.

Today's word

Palazzo: A large imposing building.

It happened today

From our files 1964: The crew of an aircraft watching for sharks over Newcastle beaches yesterday afternoon found the ocean between Redhead and Blacksmiths beaches "almost full" of sharks.

Today in history

1492: Explorer Christopher Columbus founds a European settlement on the island of Hispaniola.

1799: George Washington is eulogised by colonel Henry Lee as "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen".

1956: Twenty-one African Americans are arrested in Birmingham, Alabama, for riding in the "white" sections of buses during a mass defiance of laws requiring separation of the races on public transportation.

2003: An earthquake rocks the Iranian city of Bam, 980 kilometres south-east of the capital Teheran, killing 50,000 people and destroying 90 per cent of the city's residential area.

2004: Massive tsunami triggered by earthquakes tears across the Indian Ocean, devastating coastal communities in 12 countries, killing at least 216,000 people, and leaving more than a million people homeless.

Born today

Henry Miller, US writer (1891-1980), Mao Zedung, Chinese leader (1893-1976); Alan King, US comedian (1927-2004); Abdul "Duke" Fakir, US rhythm-and-blues singer (1935-); David Sedaris, pictured, US humourist/author (1956-).

Odd Spot

A New Zealand woman thought all her Christmases had come at once when she scooped $NZ42 million ($36 million) on a poker machine. The festive season was brief, however, when it was discovered the machine was faulty and Otago woman Verna Brown was actually owed just $NZ500 ($420).

Today's text

Praise God! He can make you strong by means of my good news, which is the message about Jesus Christ. Romans 16:25

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home