Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

News headlines 

360c

News headlines (both spoken and written) often report (recent) past events in the

present simple.

T IDAL WAVE

H ITS PAPUA NEW G UINEA

PRIME MINI ST ER

SAYS TR AFFIC MUST BE CURBED

Such headlines may refer either to a subsequent present perfect time-frame 

(e.g. ‘A tidal wave has hit Papua New Guinea’) or to a definite past time-frame

(e.g. ‘A tidal wave hit Papua New Guinea late last night’).

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539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms

Past time | 625

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Present tense references to historical events 

360d

In lists or descriptions of important historical events, the present simple is often

used to refer to definite past time:

1939 

15 March: Germany 

invades Czechoslovakia. Hitler claims that German troops

were invited to ‘keep order’.

31 March: Britain and France 

offer a guarantee to defend Poland from a

German attack. Similar assurances 

are given to Greece and Romania.

[from a TV football commentary]

2003 Arsenal 

sign Antonio Reyes. 2004 Man United sign Wayne Rooney. It’s

just tit for tat, isn’t it?