From today's featured article
The 2006 UAW-Ford 500 was an American stock car racing competition. Held on October 8 at Talladega Superspeedway, it was the 30th race in the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and the fourth in the ten-race, season-ending Chase for the Nextel Cup. Brian Vickers (pictured) of Hendrick Motorsports won the first race of his career; Kasey Kahne finished second, and Kurt Busch came in third. David Gilliland, who had the pole position, was passed by teammate Dale Jarrett. The race lead changed 63 times, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. leading for the most laps (37). On the final lap, Jimmie Johnson and Vickers made a move to pass Earnhardt; Vickers clipped Johnson, then Johnson clipped Earnhardt, and both were knocked into the infield. The race was halted, giving Vickers the win; he was later criticized for hurting his teammate Johnson in the points standings. After the race, Jeff Burton maintained his Drivers' Championship points lead, while Chevrolet maintained its lead in the Manufacturers' Championship. ( Full article... )
Did you know ...
- ... that 16-year-old 3x3 wheelchair basketball player Ebony Stevenson (pictured) wore footwear decorated by an indigenous artist at the 2026 Commonwealth Games?
- ... that the top of a Manhattan apartment building was likened to a "mountain castle redoubt in a Harry Potter movie"?
- ... that Zayn Malik auditioned for The X Factor "for fun, to see what would happen"?
- ... that a shrine 's staircase is a popular destination for fans of the 2016 film Your Name ?
- ... that Romanian satirist Teodor Mazilu demanded "a proper hat" as his dying wish?
- ... that the Berbers waited for the departure of Byzantine general Belisarius to rebel, leading to the first battle at Mammes against his trusted commander, Solomon?
- ... that veteran actress Takako Tokiwa called Manami Ōno an "exceptional talent" after co-starring in Ōno's debut television drama?
- ... that justice sensitivity is a personality trait describing how readily people notice injustice, and how forcefully they react to it?
- ... that WAR described itself as "the most racist newspaper on Earth"?
In the news
- American computer scientist Margaret Hamilton (pictured) dies at the age of 90.
- In motorsport, Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin win the World Rally Championship.
- A snap election is announced following widespread housing protests in Spain.
- In rugby league, the Super League Grand Final ends with Wakefield Trinity defeating the Warrington Wolves.
- High school students in France and Belgium launch mass protests for better conditions, starting fires and causing 400 schools to be closed.
On this day
- 1862 – American Civil War: The Battle of Perryville was fought west of Perryville, Kentucky.
- 1952 – Three trains collided (aftermath pictured) at Harrow & Wealdstone station in London, killing 112 people and injuring 340 others.
- 1969 – Demonstrations organized by the Weather Underground known as the Days of Rage began in Chicago, aimed at ending U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
- 1995 – The Croatian Army and Croatian Defence Council launched Operation Southern Move , their last offensive in the Bosnian War.
- 2019 – Anti-government protests calling for free and fair elections began in Baku, Azerbaijan.
- Mark Oliphant (b. 1901)
- Sadiq Khan (b. 1970)
- Zheng Qinwen (b. 2002)
- Pannir Selvam Pranthaman (d. 2025)
Today's featured picture
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Hermann Castle is a medieval fortress in Narva, Estonia, overlooking the river Narva on the border with Russia. Originating as a Danish border stronghold in the 13th century, it was initially built of wood and the town of Narva developed around it. In 1346, the castle passed to the Livonian Order, which completed the Hermann Tower, following the construction of Ivangorod Fortress by Muscovite Russia on the opposite bank of the river in 1492. In the 16th century, the Livonian Order reinforced the town's walls and gates and adapted several towers for use as cannon emplacements, two of which survive in reconstructed form in the castle's western court. This photograph shows Hermann Castle from across the river in 2022. Photograph credit: A.Savin Recently featured: |