Today in History

1861 - The first South American railroad line opens in Paraguay.

1879 - US inventor Thomas A. Edison demonstrates the first electric lamp.

1916 - Austria’s premier, Count Carl Stuergkh, is assassinated by a socialist.

1966 - More than 140 people are killed when a coal waste landslide engulfs a school and several houses in south Wales.

1986 - US writer Edward Tracy is kidnapped in Beirut. 1991 - Lebanese kidnappers free American Jesse Turner after nearly five years.

1996 - Arnoldo Aleman claims victory over Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua’s presidential poll.

2000 - Thuraya-1, the first satellite of Thuraya Satellit Telecommunications Co was successfully launched into orbit.

2015 - Abu Dhabi Global Market opens for business with the approval of financial services licence applications.