ThursdayThu, April 23rd Edition Go Back
Today in the World Countries
- People born on this day are Taurus as their zodiac sign.
Today in History
On this day in 2023
- EVENTS
- At least 100 bodies discovered in shallow graves in Shakahola forest, eastern Kenya. Believed to be members of Good News International Church, which encourages salvation through starvation..
- BIRTHS
- Atte Rytkã¶nen, Blogger, born in Finland.
- Zoey Di Giacomo, Instagram Star, born in Venezuela.
- SPORTS
- Dick Towers, American college football coach (Southern Illinois University 1967-73) and executive (AD Kansas State University 1981-85), who died from multiple myeloma at 92.
On this day in 2022
- EVENTS
- 59th Venice Biennale contemporary art exhibition opens, with 80 participating. Main exhibition "The Milk of Dreams" curated by Cecilia Aleman..
- Venice Biennale's top award, The Golden Lion (Best National Participation) awarded to UK's Sonia Boyce for her work "Feeling Her Way".
- WEDDINGS
- Actors Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead marry in Los Angeles.
- DEATHS
- Arno [Arnold Hintjens], Belgian rock singer-songwriter (TC Matic), pancreatic cancer at 72.
On this day in 2021
- DEATHS
- Bill Whittington, American auto racer (24 Hours of Le Mans 1979), who died in a plane crash at 71.
- Charlie Black, American country music songwriter (Anne Murray - "Shadows in the Moonlight" ; K.T. Oslin - "Come Next Monday"), who died at 71.
- Charlie Glotzbach, Race Car Driver.
- MOVIES: NOT RATED
- Tiny Tim: King for a Day is released. The story about the outcast, Herbert Khaury's rise to stardom as Tiny Tim. Either considered a freak or a genius Tiny Tim left no one unaffected.
- Together Together is released. When young loner Anna (Patti Harrison) is hired as the gestational surrogate for Matt (Ed Helms), a single man in his 40s who wants a child, the two strangers come to realize this unexpected relationship will quickly challenge their perceptions of connection, boundaries and the particulars of love.
- Sisters with Transistors is released. Narrated by legendary multimedia artist Laurie Anderson, Lisa Rovner’s Sisters with Transistors showcases the music of and rare interviews with female electronic pioneers Clara Rockmore, Delia Derbyshire, Daphne Oram, Éliane Radigue, Maryanne Amacher, Bebe Barron, Suzanne Ciani, Pauline Oliveros, Laurie Spiegel, and Wendy Carlos.. As Rovner’s documentary demonstrates, these women—many of whom were classically trained musicians, brilliant mathematicians, or a combination of both—relished the freedom of electronic music, even as they were discriminated against because of their gender and because of their chosen medium. (More often than not, these biases intersected: Ciani, who was asked to score 1981’s The Incredible Shrinking Woman—a vehicle for Lily Tomlin, written by Jane Wagner—by a female executive, had to wait nearly 20 years until another woman was in charge of a studio to get another such offer.) Through their inventiveness and rebellion, these trailblazers’ music went on to influence musicians working in a variety of genres, and proved the worthiness of going electric. Sisters with Transistors is an essential primer for those interested in discovering this vital, oft-overlooked history but also offers plenty of pleasures for crate-digging experimental music obsessives who know the BBC Radiophonic Workshop’s output like the back of their hand. Contemporary musicians, such as Holly Herndon and Kim Gordon, also offer insights into their forebears’ indelible music and their personal significance. [Metrograph Pictures]
- My Wonderful Wanda is released. Wanda (Agnieszka Grochowska) is a Polish caretaker who has left her own small children in Poland to look after Josef (André Jung) the stroke-ridden patriarch of the wealthy Wegmeister-Gloor dynasty. Wanda is adept in navigating the tricky family dynamics between the two grown (if still childish) offspring and the elegant if controlling matriarch Elsa (Marthe Keller), along with the sporadic intervention of animals stuffed or alive. But an unexpected turn of events turns everything upside down.
- Wet Season is released. As Mandarin-language teacher Ling continues with fruitless IVF treatment while taking care of her ailing father-in-law, she finds herself slowly drawn towards a promising student who seems to have been abandoned by his parents. Outside it’s monsoon season, but Ling’s inner turmoil looks set to get her into a heap of trouble.
- MOVIES: PG
- Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is released. Take a stroll down Sesame Street and witness the birth of the most impactful children's series in TV history. From the iconic furry characters to the classic songs you know by heart, learn how a gang of visionary creators changed our world.
- MOVIES: R
- Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train is released. Tanjiro and the group have completed their rehabilitation training at the Butterfly Mansion, and they arrive at their next mission on the Mugen Train, where over forty people have disappeared in a very short span of time. Tanjiro and Nezuko, along with Zenitsu and Inosuke, join one of the most powerful swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps, Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku, to face the demon aboard the Mugen Train.
- TV SERIES
- Romeo & Juliet is released. Directed by Simon Godwin, Emily Burns' adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was filmed at London's National Theatre with Jessie Buckley and Josh O'Connor as the doomed young lovers airs as a part of PBS's Great Performances series. [Premiered originally in the UK on Sky Arts on 5 Apr 2021]
- Shadow and Bone: Season 1 is released. Young soldier Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li) discovers she has a power that could free her country but she must learn how to use it while avoiding those who seek to stop her in this series based on Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse novels.
- ALBUMS
- Surrounded by Time was released by Tom Jones. The latest full-length covers release from the Welsh artist was co-produced by Ethan Johns and Mark Woodward.
- Sweep It Into Space was released by Dinosaur Jr.. The 12th full-length release for the Massachusetts rock trio was produced with Kurt Vile.
- Nurture was released by Porter Robinson. The second full-length studio release for the Atlanta-based electronic producer features a track Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs.
- Mutator was released by Alan Vega. The posthumous solo release of the Suicide frontman's songs recorded with Liz Lamere in 1995-1996.
- Flat White Moon was released by Field Music. The eighth full-length studio release for the British rock band led by brothers David Brewis and Peter Brewis was inspired in part by music from The Beatles, Free, Fleetwood Mac, and Led Zeppelin.
- GAMING: PC
- NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... for PC is released. Get ready to experience where the NieR series all began - NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...Set in a post-apocalyptic world, NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 is puts you in the role of the titular Nier, a young man on a quest to cure his sister Yonah of a deadly disease. What they discover will make them question everything they thought they knew The original NieR release has an interesting history. In Japan, there were two versions of the game: NieR Replicant and NieR Gestalt. NieR Replicant focused on Brother Nier and his sister Yonah. In NieR Gestalt, the main character was Father Nier, and Yonah his daughter. Only NieR Gestalt released in the West (under the name NIER) - so excitingly, this will be the first time many people will have played the Replicant version of the game.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 5
- Judgment for PlayStation 5 is released. From the makers of the acclaimed Yakuza series, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, Judgment is the dramatic tale of a disgraced lawyer seeking redemption in a world rife with corruption and despair. Investigate the seedy Red Light District of Kamurocho by stepping into the mind of private detective Takayuki Yagami and utilize innovative investigation systems to uncover the secrets that lie deep within Kamurocho's corrupt underbelly. Experience visceral combat with two unique combat styles. Take down groups of thugs with sweeping blows in Crane Style, then switch to Tiger to overwhelm a single foe with a series of powerful strikes. Practice mixing-and-matching styles in combat in conjunction with a wide variety of skills, weapons, and powerful (and hilarious) EX Actions to unlock a whole new dimension in combat.
- Chivalry 2 for PlayStation 5 is released. Chivalry 2 is a multiplayer first person slasher inspired by epic medieval movie battles. Players are thrust into the action of every iconic moment of the era - from the thunder of cavalry charges, to storms of flaming arrows, sprawling castle sieges and more. Catapults tear the earth apart as players lay siege to castles, set fire to villages and slaughter filthy peasants in the return of grand Team Objective maps. Ride to war on horseback and claim glory by your blade. Are ye a heroic warrior, or a blood-soaked murderer? Keep fighting and gurgling out battlecries even when wounded, bleeding out and missing limbs. Enhanced player expression brings thousands of hilarious new voice-lines and deep character customization. A revamped, faster and more fluid combat system offers an expanded range of creative choices, allowing players to perfect their playstyle. Immersive sound and effects ensure every blow lands with the sickening thud of steel sinking into bone.
On this day in 2020
- EVENTS
- German Chancellor Angela Merkel warns this is "not the end phase but still just the beginning" of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Ecuador's COVID-19 pandemic death toll is then one of world's highest per capita after 7,600 more deaths than usual (503 official toll), in report by "The New York Times".
- First findings of a frog fossil 40 million years old, found on Seymour Island, Antarctica (2015) published in "Scientific Reports".
- NFL Draft: LSU quarterback Joe Burrow first pick by Cincinnati Bengals.
- TV SERIES
- Gangs of London: Season 1 is released. The British crime drama created by Gareth Evans begins with the assassination of crime lord Finn Wallace (Colm Meaney), which creates a power vacuum. His son, Sean Wallace (Joe Cole), seeks to take over with the help of Ed Dumani (Lucian Msamati), but the Albanian Mafia, the Kurds, the Pakistanis, and Welsh travellers all see an opening to expand their own power.[Premiered originally in the UK on Sky Atlantic on 23 Apr 2020, will premiere in the US on AMC+ on 1 Oct 2020 before airing on AMC in 2021]
- GAMING: PC
- Iratus: Lord of the Dead for PC is released. Iratus: Lord of the Dead is a dark, challenging turn-based roguelike RPG through which you play as an evil necromancer escaping from your dungeon prison to once again embark on the domination of the world.
- Filament for PC is released. An abandoned spaceship, missing crew and a lone mysterious voice. Solve challenging puzzles and uncover what really happened to the crew of The Alabaster.
- Cloudpunk for PC is released. Your name is Rania. This is your first night working for Cloudpunk, the semi-legal delivery company based in the sprawling city of Nivalis. You go everywhere, from the Marrow below to the spires that pierce the grey clouds high above before scraping the edge of the troposphere. No delivery job is too dangerous, and no one is faster than a Cloudpunk driver. In this story-based exploration game, you will meet a diverse range of characters including androids, AI and unscrupulous humans at every level of society. Everyone has a story, and in the course of one night in Nivalis, everything will change.
- XCOM: Chimera Squad for PC is released. XCOM: Chimera Squad delivers an all-new story and turn-based tactical combat experience in the XCOM universe. After years of alien rule, humanity won the war for Earth. But when the Overlords fled the planet, they left their former soldiers behind. Now, five years after the events of XCOM 2, humans and aliens are working together to forge a civilization of cooperation and coexistence. Welcome to City 31, a model of peace in a post-invasion world. However, not all of Earth's inhabitants support interspecies alliance. Chimera Squad, an elite force of human and alien agents, must work together to destroy the underground threats driving the city toward chaos. Your agents are unique: each of them equipped with special tactical abilities and driven by a different motivation for joining Chimera Squad. Deploy targeted team members to investigate and combat the dangers that pervade the districts of City 31. Lead Chimera Squad through a new experience that innovates on XCOM's turn-based legacy, utilizing strategy, teamwork, and new breach-and-clear gameplay to complete your mission objectives. The future of City 31 depends on you.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
- MotoGP 20 for PlayStation 4 is released. Take control of your own career, switch from real teams to new teams created with sponsors from the world of MotoGP™, decide the development of the bike and manage your technical unit to win. Improved physics, with even more realistic and complex braking management. The tire has been divided into independent sectors for wear and temperature, and the fuel consumption can be managed with driving style and power maps. If you were looking for a challenge, this is definitely the one for you. Being a successful driver is much more than just keeping the throttle wide open. You also need to win with style! Unleash your creativity with 6 different graphic editors, including the new Suit and Livery editor for your bike. [Milestone]
- Stranded Deep for PlayStation 4 is released. Assume the role of a plane crash survivor stranded somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Come face-to-face with some of the most life-threatening scenarios that will result in a different experience each time you play as you scavenge for supplies in order to survive on this hostile island.
- GAMING: XBOX ONE
- Deliver Us The Moon for Xbox One is released. Deliver Us The Moon is a Sci-Fi thriller set in an apocalyptic near future, where Earth's natural resources are depleted. A lone astronaut is sent to the moon on a critical mission to save humanity from extinction.
- POLITICS
- US President Donald Trump suggests COVID-19 pandemic might be treated by injecting disinfectant or UV lights into a human body at a White House press briefing. Government officials and disinfectant companies quickly state doing so is not only extremely dangerous but potentially deadly..
- Norbert Blüm, German politician, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, who died at 84.
- SPORTS
- Bernardino Lombao, Spanish handballer (Atlético de Madrid 1967-69), coach (Nat basketball teams) and TV presenter (De Olimpia a Los Ángeles, Objetivo 92), who died at 81.
On this day in 2019
- EVENTS
- Ed Sheeran was forced to knock down an outdoor sauna and ditch a huge pub sign at his £1.5 million Suffolk mansion after he failed to get planning permission. He had named his home pub after his wife Cherry Lancaster Seaborn, calling it The Lancaster Lock - but council officers weren't happy. They demanded he take down the 16ft sign after finding he'd broken planning rules during a site visit..
- Second of two major earthquakes strikes island of Samar, Philipines, magnitude 6.3, a day after magnitude 6.1 hits Luzon Island killing at least 16 people.
- World's first malaria vaccine, giving partial protection to children, begins in Malawi by the WHO.
- DEATHS
- Neal Carter, Race Car Driver.
- Henry W. Bloch, American businessman (co-founder of H& R Block) and philanthropist, who died at 96.
- GAMING: SWITCH
- Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen for Switch is released. An epitaph speaks of another's demise...A mysterious island known as Bitterblack Isle appears off the coast of Gransys. Its depths have claimed the lives of many Arisen their voices still haunt the labyrinth that lies deep beneath its surface--a labyrinth ripe with secrets waiting to be discovered.The time to take up arms has come once again. Delve into the isle's depths and uncover its dark secret!
- Mortal Kombat 11 for Switch is released. Mortal Kombat is back and better than ever in the next evolution of the iconic franchise. The all new Custom Character Variations give you unprecedented control to customize the fighters and make them your own. The new graphics engine showcasing every skull-shattering, eye-popping moment, brings you so close to the fight you can feel it. And featuring a roster of new and returning Klassic Fighters, Mortal Kombat's best in class cinematic story mode continues the epic saga over 25 years in the making.
- SPORTS
- Southampton striker Shane Long scores fastest goal in English Premier League history when he nets after 7.69 seconds in 1-1 draw at Watford.
On this day in 2018
- EVENTS
- Van deliberately driven into pedestrains in Toronto, Canada, killing 10 and injuring 13.
- Marvel's "Avengers: Infinity War" directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr and large ensemble cast premieres in Los Angeles.
- BIRTHS
- Prince Louis Arthur Charles, Prince, born in London, England.
- DEATHS
- Sachio Kinugasa, Japanese baseman nicknamed Tetsujin, meaning "Iron Man", who died of colon cancer at 71.
- Bob Dorough, American jazz vocalist, pianist, composer, songwriter, arranger, and producer (Schoolhouse Rock!; Too Much Coffee Man), who died at 94.
- POLITICS
- Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan resigns after 10 years in office after mass protests against him beginning an unconstitutional third term.
- Mario Abdo Benítez is elected President of Paraguay.
On this day in 2017
- EVENTS
- Kerry Turman, a longtime bassist for The Temptations died of natural causes age 59 after performing at a show in Missouri. Turman had performed with The Temptations since the 1980s..
- DEATHS
- Johnny Roe, Irish jockey (9 x Irish flat racing Champion Jockey; National Stakes 1971; 1000 Guineas Stakes 1975), who died at 79.
- Kenny Sears, American NBA player (NY Knicks), who died at 83.
- TV SERIES
- Silicon Valley: Season 4 is released. Pied Piper becomes PiperChat in the fourth season of the Mike Judge comedy.
On this day in 2016
- EVENTS
- American singer Beyoncé released her sixth studio album Lemonade accompanied by a 65-minute film of the same title. The most acclaimed studio album of Beyoncé's career the album was nominated for nine Grammy Awards at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards (2017), and was the best-selling album of 2016..
- Beyoncé releases her 6th album "Lemonade" with a 1 hour film on HBO.
- ALBUMS
- Lemonade was released by Beyoncé. The sixth solo studio album for the singer premiered as an hour-long HBO special before streaming on Tidal. A physical release is set for May 6.
- POLITICS
- Banharn Silpa-archa, Prime Minister of Thailand (1995-96), who died at 83.
On this day in 2015
- EVENTS
- Loretta Lynch is confirmed as the first African-American woman as US Attorney-General, succeeding Eric Holder.
- DEATHS
- Sawyer Sweeten, American actor (Everyone Loves Raymond), commits suicide at 19.
- GAMING: PC
- Uncanny Valley for PC is released. Uncanny Valley is a survival horror game that includes a mix of exploration, puzzle solving and a bit of action with a lot of optional story content. The developers are trying to preserve the old survival horror kind of gameplay instead of following the modern trend of creating a third person shooter with horror elements.
- Crypt of the NecroDancer for PC is released. A hardcore rhythm-based roguelike game. Can you survive this deadly dungeon of dance, slay the NecroDancer, and recapture your still beating heart? Or will you be a slave to the rhythm for all eternity? Players must move on the beat to navigate procedurally generated dungeons while battling dancing skeletons, zombies, dragons, and more! Groove with the game's epic dance soundtrack, or select songs from your own MP3 collection! You can even play with a dance pad to really shake your bones!
- GAMING: WII U
- Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack 2 for Wii U is released. Downloadable goodies for MK 8 players.
On this day in 2014
- DEATHS
- Patric Standford, British composer (Taikayoku; Christus Requiem), who died at 75.
- Benjamín Brea, Spanish-Venezuelan jazz saxophonist, arranger and teacher, who died of stomach cancer at 67.
- Volker Wangenheim, German conductor & composer (Sinfonia Notturna), who died at 85.
- MOVIES: NOT RATED
- Bicycling With Molière is released. Two actors (Lambert Wilson and Fabrice Luchini). One play (The Misanthrope). Can the differences between two egocentric men be put aside for the sake of friendship and theatre?