Today in News History

On July 6, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1779, Battle of Grenada: The French defeat British naval forces in the Caribbean during the American Revolutionary War. In 1884, Harold Stirling Vanderbilt, American businessman and sailor (died 1970) was born. In 1925, Merv Griffin, American actor, singer, and producer, created Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! (died 2007) was born. In 1940, Story Bridge, a major landmark in Brisbane, as well as Australia's longest cantilever bridge is formally opened. In 1944, The Hartford circus fire, one of America's worst fire disasters, kills approximately 168 people and injures over 700 in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1962, The Late Late Show, the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster, airs on RTÉ One for the first time. In 1962, As a part of Operation Plowshare, the Sedan nuclear test takes place. In 1988, The Piper Alpha drilling platform in the North Sea is destroyed by explosions and fires. One hundred sixty-seven oil workers are killed, making it the world's worst offshore oil disaster in terms of direct loss of life. In 1989, The Tel Aviv-Jerusalem bus 405 suicide attack: Sixteen bus passengers are killed when a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad took control of the bus and drove it over a cliff. In 2013, A 73-car oil train derails in the town of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec and explodes into flames, killing at least 47 people and destroying more than 30 buildings in the town's central area. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.