ThursdayThu, December 31st Edition Go Back

Today in the World Countries

DEATHS
Pietro Spada, Pianist.
Pope Benedict Xvi, Religious Leader.
Anita Pointer, American pop and R& B singer (The Pointer Sisters - "He's So Shy" ; "I'm So Excited"), who died at 74.

WEDDINGS
Ice skater Adam Rippon marries real estate broker Jussi-Pekka Kajaala.
DEATHS
Betty White, TV Actress.
Billy Turner Jr., American thoroughbred trainer (Triple Crown 1977 Seattle Slew), who died from prostate cancer at 81.
TV SERIES
Cobra Kai: Season 4 is released. The latest All Valley Tournament sees John Kreese (Martin Kove) and Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) teaming up against Daniel and Johnny's dojo on the fourth season of the Karate Kid spin-off series.
Stay Close: Season 1 is released. Secrets from the past threatens the lives of Megan (Cush Jumbo), a working mother of three; photographer Ray (Richard Armitage); Detective Broome (James Nesbitt); and Megan's friend Lorraine (Sarah Parish) in this adaptation of Harlan Coben's novel of the same name.

EVENTS
WHO grants the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 pandemic vaccine emergency authorization, paving the way for worldwide distribution.
BIRTHS
Noah H Marwah, Family Member, born in Los Angeles, CA.
DEATHS
Joan Micklin Silver, American film director (Hester Street; Crossing Delancey), who died at 85.
Tommy Docherty, Scottish soccer midfielder (25 caps; Preston North End) and manager (Chelsea, QPR, Scotland, Manchester United), who died at 92.
POLITICS
Richard Thornburgh,76th United States Attorney General (1988-91) and 41st Governor of Pennsylvania (dealt with Three Mile Island nuclear meltdown), who died at 88.

EVENTS
Iraqi militiamen and protesters breach the outer wall of the US embassy in Baghdad following US airstrikes against Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia, on December 29.
DEATHS
Basil Watts, English rugby league second rower (5 Tests Great Britain,1 England; World Cup 1954; York RLFC), who died at 93.

EVENTS
Ray Sawyer of Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show died age 81. With Dr. Hook the singer had the 1970s hits 'The Cover of Rolling Stone', 'A Little Bit More', 'When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman' and 'Sylvia's Mother'. He was a recognisable presence in the band owing to the eyepatch he wore after he lost his right eye in a 1967 automobile accident..
DEATHS
Urban "Urbie" Green, American jazz trombonist (Woody Herman; Buck Clayton; Hugo Montenegro), who died at 92.
Dean Ford (Thomas McAleese), Scottish singer-songwriter (Marmalade), who died from complications relating to Parkinson's disease at 72.
Kader Khan, Movie Actor.
POLITICS
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wins third term in Bangladesh elections with 17 people killed in violent clashes.
SPORTS
Houston guard James Harden scores 43 points in Rockets'113-101 win over Memphis Grizzlies; 4th straight NBA game with 40+ points and 8th straight with 35+; joins Oscar Robertson as only player with at least 35 points & 5 assists in 8 straight games.

EVENTS
Cleveland Browns crash to a 28-24 loss to Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field to become only the 2nd team in NFL history to finish season with 0-16 record.
Bus crash at Migaa near Molo, central Kenya, kills at least 30.
Ban on ivory trade in China comes into effect.
Singer Lorde called a bigot in ad in Washington Post after cancelling show in Israel.
POLITICS
Indian movie star Rajinikanth announces he is entering politics.

EVENTS
Chris Ofili is appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to art.
DEATHS
William Christopher, American comedian and actor (Father Mulcahy-M*A*S*H), who died at 84.

EVENTS
US law enforcement kills 1,134 in 2015, young black men 9x more likely to be victims.
82nd Orange Bowl: #1 Clemson beats #4 Oklahoma,37-17.
WEDDINGS
TV presenter Alex Jones at the age of 38 weds Charlie Thomson in a magical ceremony at Cardiff Castle.
DEATHS
Wayne Rogers, American actor (M*A*S*H, House Calls), who died at 82.
Natalie Cole, American pop vocalist ('Pink Cadillac" ; "Miss You Like Crazy"), who died at 65.
Marvin Panch, Race Car Driver.
Donovan Haider, Race Car Driver.
Beth Howland, American actress (Vera - Alice, Company), who died at 74.

EVENTS
36 die and 47 are wounded during a stampede of New Year revellers on Shanghai's Bund riverfront.
DEATHS
Edward Herrmann, Movie Actor.
MOVIES: R
A Most Violent Year is released. In New York City during the winter of 1981, statistically one of the most violent years in the city's history, an immigrant and his family try to expand their business and capitalize on opportunities as the rampant violence, decay, and corruption of the day drag them in and threaten to destroy all they have built.
POLITICS
Beji Caid Essebsi is sworn in as Tunisia's 1st ever freely elected President.

WEDDINGS
Actress-comedian Lily Tomlin at the age of 74 weds screenwriter Jane Wagner at the age of 78 in Los Angeles, California.
" The Big Bang Theory" actress Kaley Cuoco at the age of 28 weds professional tennis player Ryan Sweeting at the age of 26 at Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Santa Susana, California.
DEATHS
Al Porcino, American big band jazz and session trumpeter (Woody Herman, Stan Kenton), who died after a fall at 88.
George Tet, Race Car Driver.
James Avery, American actor, who died from complications from surgery at 68.
John Fortune [John C. Wood], English satirist and comedian (Bremner, Bird and Fortune), who died at 74.
GAMING: WII U
Dr. Luigi for Wii U is released. Much like the classic puzzle game Dr. Mario, Dr. Luigi requires you to line up color-coded pills to destroy viruses. Dr. Luigi offers different skill settings and attacks in multiplayer games, and an original mode where the pills are, of course, L-shaped. The game comes with a Dr. Mario mode, Wii U GamePad compatibility, and online play, so wannabe virus busters from all around the world can compete.