FridayFri, February 14th Edition Go Back
Today in the World Countries
- Ash Wednesday is being celebrated in Cayman Islands, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Barthelemy
- Rafik Hariri Memorial Day is being celebrated in Lebanon, Lebanon
- Spring Festival Holiday is being celebrated in China
- Tet holiday is being celebrated in Vietnam
- Valentine's Day is being celebrated in Canada
- People born on this day are Aquarius as their zodiac sign.
Today in History
On this day in 2023
- EVENTS
- Rapper and musician Pharrell Williams appointed menswear designer for Louis Vuitton.
- BIRTHS
- Semyon Rezchikov, Photographer, born in Russia.
- DEATHS
- Tohru Okada, Music Producer.
- TV SERIES
- Planet Sex With Cara Delevingne: Season 1 is released. Cara Delevingne travels around the world to talk to experts about a variety of topics related to gender, sexuality and identity.[Premiered originally in the UK on BBC Three on 1 Dec 2022 and will air in the US on Hulu on 14 Feb 2023]
- ALBUMS
- Desire, I Want To Turn into You was released by Caroline Polachek. The second full-length solo release for Caroline Polachek features guest appearances from Dido and Grimes.
- GAMING: PC
- Ten Dates for PC is released. Ten Dates is the sequel to the interactive rom-com, Five Dates, taking place in the post-pandemic world. Misha, a millennial from London in search of that elusive in-person connection, tricks her best friend Ryan into going to a speed dating event with her. Each with their own five potential matches, Misha and Ryan must pluck up the courage and turn on the charm to date wildly different personalities.Throughout the game, your choices and interactions will either strengthen or weaken your relationship with your date. Amidst a branching, multi-directional chain of conversation topics and deep-dive questions, Misha and Ryan are faced with ice-breaker games, awkward scenarios and unexpected truths. Will either find love?
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 5
- Wanted: Dead for PlayStation 5 is released. Wanted: Dead is a new hybrid slasher/shooter from the makers of Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive. The game follows a week in life of the Zombie Unit, an elite Hong Kong police squad on a mission to uncover a major corporate conspiracy. Play as Lt. Hannah Stone, a hardboiled Hong Kong cop, and plow through mercenaries, gang members and private military contractors in a spectacular cyberpunk adventure.
- GAMING: SWITCH
- Blanc for Switch is released. Blanc is an artistic cooperative adventure that follows the journey of a wolf cub and a fawn stranded in a vast, snowy wilderness. They must come together in an unlikely partnership to find their families. Two players take control of either the wolf cub or the fawn. Guide them through the environment, unforgiving weather, and obstacles that you must face together. Build a relationship together locally on the same screen or from far away with online play.
- Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society for Switch is released. From the creators of Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk comes a new tale in the dungeon-exploring adventure filled with charm and mystery!Aided by the master witch Madame Marta, her assistant Eureka, and an army of soul-infused puppets, you are tasked with delving into the depths of a mysterious underground labyrinth teeming with enchanted monsters to unearth the treasures and secrets within.
- POLITICS
- Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley announces she is running for US President, the first to challenge Donald Trump for the Republican party nomination.
- SPORTS
- Charley Ferguson, American football tight end (AFL All-Star 1965; AFL C'ship 1964,65; Buffalo Bills), who died at 83.
On this day in 2022
- EVENTS
- American drummer Sandy Nelson died at the age of 83 from complications of a stroke. He had the 1962 UK No.3 & US No.7 single 'Let There Be Drums', (an early example of surf music) released over 30 albums and as a session drummer played on several hit singles including the Teddy Bears' 'To Know Him Is To Love Him' (1958), The Hollywood Argyles' 'Alley Oop' (1960) and Kathy Young and the Innocents' 'A Thousand Stars' (1960). In 1963, Nelson was involved in a motorcycle accident. The injuries necessitated amputation of his right foot and part of that leg, nonetheless, Nelson continued to record and play drums..
- The megadrought affecting the American Southwest is now considered the worst for 1,200 years according to scientists.
- DEATHS
- Borislav Ivkov, Chess Player.
- Julio Morales, Uruguayan soccer striker (24 caps; Racing Montevideo, Nacional, Austria Wien), who died at 76.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
- Infernax for PlayStation 4 is released. Infernax is the adventures of a great knight who returns to his homeland only to find it plagued with unholy magic. Uncover the mysteries of the curse and face the consequences of your actions.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 5
- The King of Fighters XV for PlayStation 5 is released. Since its debut in 1994, the KOF fighting game series has been driving the world to excitement with its appealing characters and unique game system. Six years have passed since the last title in the series, and now KOF XV surpasses all of its predecessors in terms of graphics, systems, and online experience! '- A total of 39 characters are participating! Classic popular characters, revived characters, new characters, and more! The most epic dream match in KOF history is about to begin!- KOF's story reaches its climax!The latest KOF Saga continues from the previous title in Story Mode. This time, the story is coming to an explosive climax!- The culmination of the series' battle systemInheriting the series' traditional 3-on-3 team battle, KOF XV also features a new system. Enjoy an unprecedented sense of speed and freshness!- Easy and versatile online playRollback netcode has been adopted to reduce lag in online matches. There are also a variety of battle options that allow you to choose how you want to play!- KOF is fully packed with content to enjoyIncludes a Gallery with movies and voices, and a new DJ STATION with over 300 popular songs from the KOF series and more.
- GAMING: SWITCH
- River City Girls Zero for Switch is released. River City Girls Zero is an updated English edition of Super Famicom title Shin Nekketsu Koha: Kunio-tachi no Banka. It is the first title in the Kunio-kun franchise to feature Kyoko and Misako in action.
On this day in 2021
- EVENTS
- 63rd Daytona 500: Michael McDowell navigates through fiery, final-lap pileup to claim his first career NASCAR Cup Series win in his 14th season; race delayed by rain for 6 hours after huge Lap 14 crash.
- Guinea declares an Ebola epidemic after three deaths, its first deaths since 2016.
- At least 60 people killed and hundreds missing after a boat capsizes on the Congo River carrying 700 people in western Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- DEATHS
- Carl Judie, TV Actor.
- Carlos Menem, World Leader.
- Doug Mountjoy, Welsh snooker player (Masters 1977; Pot Black 1978,85; UK C'ship 1988, World C'ship 1981 runner-up), who died at 78.
- TV SERIES
- Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy: Season 1 is released. Stanley Tucci travels across Italy to explore some of the regions signature dishes in this series partially filmed in 2019 and the summer of 2020.
- The Luminaries: Season 1 is released. Anna Wetherell (Eve Hewson) travels to New Zealand to start a new life during New Zealand's gold rush in 1866 where she meets Emery Staines (Himesh Patel) and fortune teller Lydia Wells (Eva Green) in this six-part series based on Eleanor Catton's book of the same name.[Premiered originally in New Zealand's TVNZ 1 on 17 May 2020, in the UK on BBC One on 21 June 2020 and in the US in Feb 2021]
- GAMING: SWITCH
- Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing for Switch is released. Finding true love is hard enough when it’s in person. When a pandemic puts the lockdown on a blooming relationship, will the new couple keep the romance alive, or will distance pull them apart? Cozy up with their quarantine story and see if they’ll find a way to stay connected in the weirdest of times in this new episode of the Half Past Fate story.Features:- Learn to love from afar through the charismatic 3D pixel-art style of Half Past Fate- Enjoy a charming and honest slice-of-life story set in all-too-familiar circumstances- Play from both sides of the new relationship and see how each of your lives have changed- Judge (or admire) each other’s home decor, peculiar roommates, and musical tastes- Explore in endearing detail the intimate environs of each other’s quarantined lives- Maybe figure out what the heck “defragging” does
On this day in 2020
- EVENTS
- UEFA places 2 year ban on Manchester City from European club competition for committing "serious breaches" of club licensing and financial fair play regulations; EPL champions also fined €30million.
- DEATHS
- Garrett Fitzgerald, Irish rugby union coach and administrator (CEO Munster Rugby 1999-2019), who died at 65.
- Jimmy Conway, Irish soccer midfielder (20 caps Republic of Ireland; Fulham), who died at 73.
- MOVIES: NOT RATED
- I Was at Home, But is released. Astrid (Maren Eggert) is a forty-something mother of two, struggling to regain her balance in the wake of her husband’s death. Her adolescent son Phillip (Jakob Lassalle) disappeared for a week and now that he has returned, he faces disciplinary action at school and his toe requires amputation. As new questions confront Astrid from every angle, even simple activities like buying a bicycle or engaging with a work of art, are fraught with unexpected challenges. [Cinema Guild]
- Buffaloed is released. Buffalo is the debt collection capital of America, though Peg Dahl (Zoey Deutch) never saw herself in that world. She's bet on her sharp mind—and even sharper mouth—to get her out of town and into an Ivy League university. But when an acceptance letter to the school of her dreams arrives, she quickly realizes the cruel impossibility of paying tuition. A chance phone call changes everything and leads her into the lucrative yet complex and shady business of delinquent debt collection. She's a natural and soon running her own shop, but at what cost?
- A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is released. When an alien with amazing powers crash-lands near Mossy Bottom Farm, Shaun the Sheep goes on a mission to shepherd the intergalactic visitor home before a sinister organization can capture her.
- The Kindness of Strangers is released. In New York City, six strangers’ lives intersect in a modern tale of ordinary people struggling to find help, hope and love. As the unlikely group comes together, they discover that liberation and triumph lie in each other’s hands.
- VFW is released. A typical night for a group of war veterans at the local VFW turns into an all-out battle for survival when a teenage girl runs into the bar with a bag of stolen drugs. Suddenly under attack from a gang of punk mutants looking to get back what’s theirs – at any cost – the vets use every weapon they can put together to protect the girl, and their VFW, in the biggest fight of their lives.
- MOVIES: NR
- The Times of Bill Cunningham is released. Told in Bill Cunningham’s own words from a recently unearthed six-hour 1994 interview, the iconic street photographer and fashion historian chronicles, in his customarily cheerful and plainspoken manner, moonlighting as a milliner in France during the Korean War, his unique relationship with First Lady Jackie Kennedy, his four decades at The New York Times and his democratic view of fashion and society. Narrated by Sarah Jessica Parker, The Times of Bill Cunningham features incredible photographs chosen from over 3 million previously unpublicized images and documents from Cunningham.
- Olympic Dreams is released. Set against the splendor of the Winter Olympic Games, an intimate and unexpected love story develops between two lonely hearts, each at their own crossroads in life. Penelope (Alexi Pappas) is a first time Olympian and introverted cross-country skier, who, after finishing her event early on in the games, finds herself spending time in Athletes Village with the gregarious and outgoing volunteer dentist, Ezra (Nick Kroll). While both are eager to form connections at the Olympic Games, they are held back by the very thing that has propelled them to this point; what do you do once your lifelong dream has come true, and you’re faced with taking the next step? As Penelope and Ezra navigate the vulnerable slopes, they push one another to embrace qualities they lost sight of in pursuit of their dreams. Will they be able to help each other take of leap of faith into the unknown?
- MOVIES: PG
- Sonic the Hedgehog is released. Sonic navigates the complexities of life on Earth with his newfound - human - best friend Tom Wachowski (James Marsden). Sonic and Tom join forces to try and stop the villainous Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) from capturing Sonic and using his immense powers for world domination.
- MOVIES: PG13
- The Photograph is released. When famed photographer Christina Eames unexpectedly dies, she leaves her estranged daughter Mae Morton (Issa Rae) hurt, angry and full of questions. When a photograph tucked away in a safe-deposit box is found, Mae finds herself on a journey delving into her mother's early life and ignites a powerful, unexpected romance with a rising-star journalist, Michael Block (LaKeith Stanfield).
- Blumhouse's Fantasy Island is released. In Blumhouse's new spin on Fantasy Island, the enigmatic Mr. Roarke makes the secret dreams of his lucky guests come true at a luxurious but remote tropical resort. But when the fantasies turn into nightmares, the guests have to solve the island's mystery in order to escape with their lives.
- MOVIES: R
- Downhill is released. Barely escaping an avalanche during a family ski vacation in the Alps, a married couple is thrown into disarray as they are forced to reevaluate their lives and how they feel about each other.
- The Last Thing He Wanted is released. A veteran D.C. journalist (Anne Hathaway) loses the thread of her own narrative when a guilt-propelled errand for her father (Willem Dafoe) thrusts her from byline to unwitting subject in the very story she’s trying to break.
- Ordinary Love is released. Joan and Tom (Lesley Manville and Liam Neeson) have been married for many years. An everyday couple with a remarkable love, there is an ease to their relationship which only comes from spending a lifetime together. When Joan is diagnosed with breast cancer, the course of her treatment shines a light on their enduring devotion, as they must find the humor and grace to survive a year of adversity.
- MOVIES: TVMA
- Come As You Are is released. Three young men with disabilities (Grant Rosenmeyer, Hayden Szeto, and Ravi Patel) flee their overbearing parents on a road trip to a brothel in Montreal catering to people with special needs. Sam (Gabourey Sidibe), a traveling nurse, drives the three guys across the border as they go on this trip to lose their virginity and embrace their independence.
- TV SERIES
- High Fidelity: Season 1 is released. Brooklyn record store owner (Zoe Kravitz) tries to get over her latest breakup in this second adaptation of the Nick Hornby novel of the same name.
- Visible: Out on Television: Season 1 is released. The documentary series narrated by Janet Mock, Margaret Cho, Asia Kate Dillon, Neil Patrick Harris and Lena Waithe features archival footage and new interviews to look at LGBTQ characters on television and the impact of the LGBTQ movement on the medium.
- ALBUMS
- The Slow Rush was released by Tame Impala. The fourth full-length studio release for Kevin Parker's project was recorded in Los Angeles and Australia.
- Stray was released by Bambara. The fourth full-length release for the Brooklyn-based post-punk trio was produced by Drew Vandenberg.
- Swimmer was released by Tennis. The fifth full-length release for the indie pop husband-and-wife duo of Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley was self-produced and mixed by Claudius Mittendorfer.
- Honeymoon was released by Beach Bunny. The debut full-length release for the Chicago indie pop band led by Lili Trifilio was recorded with producer Joe Reinhart.
- Loom was released by Katie Gately. The second full-length release for the experimental artist was influenced by her mother's cancer diagnosis and eventual passing in 2018.
- Dark Matter was released by Moses Boyd. The debut full-length release for the British jazz artist features guest appearances from Poppy Ajudha, Joe Armon-Jones, Obongjayar, and Nonku Phiri.
- Changes was released by Justin Bieber. The first full-length studio release in nearly five years from the Canadian pop singer-songwriter features guest appearances from Clever, Kehlani, Lil Dicky, Post Malone, Quavo, Travis Scott, and Summer Walker.
- And It's Still Alright was released by Nathaniel Rateliff. The first full-length solo release in over six years for the singer-songwriter was co-produced with James Barone and Patrick Meese.
- GAMING: PC
- Table Manners for PC is released. Swipe right for the brand new NON-VR crazy physics-based dating simulator, Table Manners! Tonight's the night, you've secured a date and you're off to the most glamorous restaurant you know, there's only one problem - you're a disembodied hand with a knack for catastrophe!
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
- Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate for PlayStation 4 is released. Transcend the Power of the Gods, Take on Thousands in Battle!New CharactersStarting with Gaia, new heroes gather from multiple universes to join the fight.New Storyline and Sub-scenariosThe battle has not ended... A new story and ending pursuing the truth of the world has been added. In addition, unique sub-scenarios will be available to reinforce the main story.New Mode and Gameplay ExperienceNew features such as Infinity Mode and the Promotion system have been added. The enhanced gameplay allows players to grow their heroes to their ultimate potential!The Ultimate in Musou Exhilaration!Sacred Treasures can now be used by other characters allowing players to create unique and powerful teams, and with the new Musou Switch Combo feature the game will reach ultimate heights in exhilaration.Improved PlayabilityPart of the UI and control settings have been improved along with additional features to make gameplay easier.
- Street Fighter V: Champion Edition for PlayStation 4 is released. Rule the ring with Street Fighter V: Champion Edition, the most robust version of the acclaimed fighting game! This new version includes all content (excluding Fighting Chance costumes, brand collaboration costumes and Capcom Pro Tour DLC) from both the original release and Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition. Champion Edition adds each character, stage and other content that released after Arcade Edition and with the release of this new version. In total: 40 characters,34 stages, over 200 costumes all action-packed into one knockout edition! READY? FIGHT!All game mode additions and balance updates are free for owners of any Street Fighter V version. Additionally, all DLC characters remain earnable completely free of charge through completing various in-game challenges and receiving earned in-game currency, called Fight Money. For those who can't wait, in-game content can be obtained instantly using real money. Certain additional content can only be acquired using Fight Money, which can be earned through normal gameplay.V-SKILLS I AND IIThe addition of V-Skill II provides more options and depth to the combat system.ONLINE MATCHESBattle against other players online in Casual and Ranked matches.EXTRA BATTLE CHALLENGESComplete optional, time-exclusive challenges for a chance to win rewards.CINEMATIC STORYFollow the cast through "A Shadow Falls, "a feature-length adventure that spans the globe.
- Dreams for PlayStation 4 is released. Dreams is the space you go to where you go to play and experience the dreams of Media Molecule and its community. It’s also a space in which to create your own dreams, whether they’re games, art, films, music or anything in-between and beyond. [Media Molecule]
- GAMING: SWITCH
- Darksiders Genesis for Switch is released. From the dawn of creation, the council has maintained the Balance across existence. Carrying out their orders are the Horsemen, Nephilim (powerful beings spawned from the unnatural union of angels and demons) who have pledged themselves to the Council and been granted immense power.However, this power came at a tragic cost: the Horsemen were ordered to use their newfound strength to wipe out the rest of their kind. What followed was a bloody battle on Eden where the Horsemen, obeying the will of the Council, annihilated the Nephilim.Darksiders: Genesis is an action/adventure that tears its way through hordes of demons, angels, and everything in-between on its way to Hell and back with guns blazing and swords swinging. Genesis gives players their first look at the world of Darksiders before the events of the original game, as well as introduces the horseman Strife.
- Snack World: The Dungeon Crawl Gold for Switch is released. Become a heroic adventurer in this roguelike RPG, crawling through dungeons in your search for rare treasure, on a mission to seek revenge against the villainous Sultan Vinegar that violated your village! You can even tag along in teams of up to four to take down tenacious tyrants.
- POLITICS
- More than 800,000 people displaced from their homes in north-western Syria amid assault by Syrian pro-government forces on last rebel stronghold.
On this day in 2019
- EVENTS
- Singer Ryan Adams accused of sexual misconduct towards younger upcoming female singers in a report by "The New York Times".
- US Senate confirms William Barr as Attorney General.
- Colombian Juan Carlos Sánchez Latorre jailed for sexual abuse of 276 children in Barranquilla.
- Amazon cancels plans to build a corporate campus in Long Island, Queens, New York after widespread opposition.
- JP Morgan is the first bank to create its own crypo-currency JPM Coin.
- Kanye West hired renowned saxophonist Kenny G to play his sultry sax in a room full of roses for his wife, Kim Kardashian, as a Valentines' Day surprise. They pair end up collaborating, with Kenny G playing on Kanye's Jesus Is King track 'Use This Gospel.'.
- Explosive-packed vehicle rams paramilitary convoy in Indian-controlled Kashmir killing at least 40. Islamic group Jaish-e-Mohammad claim responsibility..
- MOVIES: PG13
- Fighting with My Family is released. Fighting with My Family is a heartwarming comedy based on the incredible true story of WWE Superstar Paige™. Born into a tight-knit wrestling family, Paige and her brother Zak are ecstatic when they get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to try out for WWE. But when only Paige earns a spot in the competitive training program, she must leave her family and face this new, cut-throat world alone. Paige’s journey pushes her to dig deep, fight for her family, and ultimately prove to the world that what makes her different is the very thing that can make her a star.
- Happy Death Day 2U is released. Jessica Rothe leads the returning cast of Happy Death Day 2U, the follow-up to the surprise 2017 smash hit of riveting, repeating twists and comic turns. This time, our hero Tree (Rothe) discovers that dying over and over was surprisingly easier than the dangers that lie ahead.
- Alita: Battle Angel is released. Set several centuries in the future, the abandoned Alita (Rosa Salazar) is found in the scrapyard of Iron City by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate cyber-doctor who takes the unconscious cyborg Alita to his clinic. When Alita awakens she has no memory of who she is, nor does she have any recognition of the world she finds herself in. Everything is new to Alita, every experience a first. As she learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield Alita from her mysterious past while her street-smart new friend, Hugo (Keean Johnson), offers instead to help trigger her memories. A growing affection develops between the two until deadly forces come after Alita and threaten her newfound relationships. It is then that Alita discovers she has extraordinary fighting abilities that could be used to save the friends and family she’s grown to love. Determined to uncover the truth behind her origin, Alita sets out on a journey that will lead her to take on the injustices of this dark, corrupt world, and discover that one young woman can change the world in which she lives.
- ALBUMS
- Texas Piano Man was released by Robert Ellis. The fifth full-length release for the Texan singer-songwriter features piano-driven songs that recall such artists as Billy Joel, Elton John or Leon Russell.
- GAMING: PC
- The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia for PC is released. Get ready for an electrifying mix between a bullet hell and a typing game! Dodge bullets while typing exorcisms at the very same time: turn on both sides of your brain and jump into the adventure of Ray Bibbia.
- Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm for PC is released. In Gathering Storm, the second expansion to Civilization VI, the world around you is more alive than ever before. Chart a path to victory for your people by developing new advanced technologies and engineering projects and negotiating with the global community in the World Congress on critical issues. The choices you make in the game will influence the world ecosystem and could impact the future of the entire planet. Natural disasters like floods, storms, and volcanoes can pillage or destroy your Improvements and Districts – but they may also refresh and enrich the lands after they pass. In addition to these new systems, Civilization VI: Gathering Storm introduces eight new civilizations and nine new leaders. Seven new world wonders can be constructed, as well as a variety of new units, districts, buildings, and improvements.
- GAMING: SWITCH
- OlliOlli: Switch Stance for Switch is released. OlliOlli: Switch Stance includes both OlliOlli and OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood - bringing together the defining Skateboarding Series of this generation! Making it’s Nintendo Switch debut, OlliOlli mixes addictive one-life gameplay with over 120 tricks and grinds to pull across 50 deviously crafted Levels,250 Challenges, Spots Mode and Daily Grind. Not enough for you? Complete all Challenges to unlock the super skilful RAD Mode. Rack up the biggest and coolest combos along the way then time your landing to perfection to rule the Leaderboards.
- Modern Combat: Blackout for Switch is released. Modern Combat 5: Blackout is an FPS game with 4 customizable classes that you can level up across single- and multiplayer.
- Cinders for Switch is released. Cinders is our latest project, and one were putting lots of hope into. It is our take on a classic fairytale in a genre that we havent tried before. The game is going to be an atmospheric Visual Novel of quality thats not frequently seen in the genre. We want the players to enjoy the beautiful world of animated illustrations by Gracjana Zielinska, and offer choices that will make them question the somehow naive and banal morals of the classic story. The game is under steady development and should be released around Summer 2011 for Windows and Mac OS X.
- GAMING: XBOX ONE
- Degrees of Separation for Xbox One is released. Degrees of Separation is a puzzle platformer where cooperation is built into every move. Two contrasting souls, Ember and Rime, fall in love, but are separated by an enigmatic force, and must use their powers to progress through a spectacular world of fantasy and adventure.
- POLITICS
- Egyptian parliament approves measures to enable President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to extend his rule till 2034.
- SPORTS
- OKC guard Russell Westbrook makes a triple-double (44 points,14 rebounds,11 assists) in an NBA record 11th consecutive game as the Thunder go down,131-122 in New Orleans.
On this day in 2018
- EVENTS
- Ex-student Nikolas Cruz shoots and kills 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Florida, before being captured.
- Dutch speed skater Jorien ter Mors wins her 3rd career Olympic gold medal in the 1,000m at Pyeongchang; 1,500m and team pursuit champion in Sochi (2014).
- BIRTHS
- Heaven Bahati, Instagram Star, born in Kenya.
- Mila Marwah, YouTube Star, born in Saudi Arabia.
- WEDDINGS
- Comedian Amy Schumer weds chef Chris Fischer in Malibu.
- DEATHS
- Morgan Tsvangirai, Politician.
- Norm Holden, Race Car Driver.
- MOVIES: NOT RATED
- Tehran Taboo is released. In the bustling metropolis of Tehran, avoiding prohibitions has become an everyday sport and breaking taboos can be a means of personal emancipation. Nevertheless, women invariably end up on the bottom rung of the social order. A young woman needs an operation to “restore” her virginity. A judge in the Islamic Revolutionary Court exhorts favors from a prostitute in exchange for a favorable ruling. The wife of an imprisoned drug addict is denied the divorce she needs in order to live independently. [Kino Lorber]
- Double Lover is released. Chloé (Marine Vacth), who works as a guard at a museum in Paris, seeks to shore up her resiliency and enters psychoanalysis. In Paul Meyer (Jérémie Renier), the sensitive patient finds a caring psychiatrist who helps her overcome bouts with depression. Following the end of the treatment, both realize that they have fallen in love. A new chapter begins for Chloé when she and Paul move in together, yet Chloé soon comes to believe that Paul is keeping a secret. She impulsively visits another psychiatrist, Louis Delord. Spiraling emotional and sexual stakes will push all three of them to extremes, forcing Chloé to take action in order to solve a mystery and save herself.
- TV SERIES
- Chris Rock: Tamborine is released. The first of two standup specials on Netflix for Chris Rock was filmed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and is his first in 10 years.
- This Close: Season 1 is released. Both Kate (Shoshanna Stern) and her best friend Michael (Josh Feldman) are deaf and they juggle life and relationships in this dramedy created by Stern and Feldman.
- POLITICS
- Ruud Lubbers, Dutch politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (1982-94), who died at 78.
On this day in 2017
- EVENTS
- Laureus World Sports Awards, Monte-Carlo Sporting, Monaco: Sportsman: Usain Bolt; Sportswoman: Simone Biles; Team: Chicago Cubs.
- BIRTHS
- Melody Valentine Dubose, Family Member, born in New York.
- WEDDINGS
- Fast and the Furious star Tyrese Gibson at the age of 38 weds Samantha Lee in a secret ceremony.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
- Flywrench for PlayStation 4 is released. Flywrench is a frenetic action game from the makers of Nidhogg about piloting an aerobatic ship through the depths of space.
- For Honor for PlayStation 4 is released. For Honor is a competitive third-person melee title which mixes speed, strategy and team play with close range combat. The Chosen has survived a thousand years of wandering the southern deserts. Their journey should have wiped them out hundreds of years ago, but they survived thanks to the skill set and focus of their heroes. These individuals hoe to lead their followers to an improbable victory and to establish a new homeland. Striking fear in their enemies, The Warborn warriors sail across the Boiling Sea to raid the southern coast. Known for their fire and passion, they will seek to drive their enemies out of their ancestral lands. On the shoulders of great heroes, The Legions have driven out invaders, conquered any who wouldn't join them, and established hundreds of others to defend what is theirs. Facing invasion on two fronts, these heroes fight to protect their lands form the heathens who would take it. [Ubisoft]
- Resident Evil 7: biohazard - Banned Footage Vol. 2 for PlayStation 4 is released. It’s Jack’s 55th Birthday! There’s nothing quite like a big birthday bash, and that’s exactly what you’ll get in this extra mode in Banned Footage Vol. 2.
- Semispheres for PlayStation 4 is released. Semispheres is a meditative parallel puzzle game that places dual realities at the heart of its challenge. Its unique single-player split-screen mechanic challenges your brain by putting you in control of two characters at the same time.
- Sniper Elite 4 for PlayStation 4 is released. Welcome to Italy,1943.Set in the aftermath of its award-winning predecessor, Sniper Elite 4 continues the series World War Two heritage by transporting players across the beautiful Italian peninsula, from sun-drenched Mediterranean coastal towns, to colossal Nazi mega structures, daunting forests and giddying mountain monasteries inspired by Monte Cassino.Covert agent and elite marksman Karl Fairburne must fight alongside the brave men and women of the Italian Resistance to help free their country from the yoke of Fascism, and defeat a terrifying new threat with the potential to halt the Allied fightback in Europe before its even begun.If his mission fails, there will be no Operation Overlord, no D-Day landings, and no Victory in Europe.
- GAMING: XBOX ONE
- Ride 2 for Xbox One is released. Welcome to the temple of motorcycles, the only digital garage that will allow you to discover, transform and test the world’s fastest, most iconic and original vehicles. The top of the range of the most famous brands will await you to compete against each other in a unique videogame and show the world their full potential. Over 200 bikes are the undisputed protagonists of the new chapter of this long-waited two-wheel racing game! Feel the adrenaline rush through your veins and face the most dreadful bends with the passion and the boldness of a professional rider. [Milestone]
- iO for Xbox One is released. iO is an abstract Puzzle Platformer about size, speed, mass and momentum. Change your size, weight and speed in order to solve some of the trickiest puzzles. Toy with the laws of physics, reach your destination as quick as possible and grab that gold medal as your reward!
On this day in 2016
- EVENTS
- 69th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs): "The Revenant" Best Film, and Best Director - Alejandro González Iñárritu.
- WEDDINGS
- Model and actress Liberty Ross at the age of 37 weds producer Jimmy Iovine at the age of 62 in Malibu, California.
- DEATHS
- Steven Stucky, American composer (Los Angeles Philharmonic), who died of cancer at 66.
- TV SERIES
- Vinyl: Season 1 is released. Set in 1970s New York City, record label president Richie Finestra (Bobby Cannavale) tries to save his company and find the next big artist in this series from Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger and Terence Winter.
- POLITICS
- Eric Lubbock, Lord Avebury, English politician and human rights advocate (Liberal MP for Orpington 1962-70), who died at 87.
- SPORTS
- NBA All-Star Game, Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON: West beats East,196-173; MVP: Russell Westbrook, OKC Thunder, G.
On this day in 2015
- BIRTHS
- Marvelous Okeke, YouTube Star, born in Nigeria.
- WEDDINGS
- Actor Benedict Cumberbatch at the age of 38 weds opera director Sophie Hunter at the age of 36 at the 12th century Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Mottistone, England.
- British actor Benedict Cumberbatch at the age of 38 weds opera director Sophie Hunter at the age of 36 at the 12th century Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Mottistone, England.
- DEATHS
- Alan Howard, British actor (Royal Shakespeare Company), who died at 77.
- Louis Jourdan [Louis Robert Gendre], French actor (The Paradine Case, Count Dracula, Gigi, Octopussy), who died at 93.
- Michele Ferrero, Business Executive.
- Philip Levine, American poet (1995 Pulitzer prize), who died at 87.
On this day in 2014
- EVENTS
- For the first time in men's figure skating, all 3 Olympic singles medalists are of Asian descent; Yuzuru Hanyu (Japan) gold, Patrick Chan (Canada) and Denis Ten (Kazakhstan).
- Actress Ellen Page comes out as gay in a speech at the Human Rights Campaign's "Time to Thrive" conference.
- BIRTHS
- Eric Cowell, Family Member, born in New York.
- Yigit Sayin, Instagram Star, born in Turkey.
- MOVIES: NC17
- Lucky Bastard is released. Lucky Bastard is the found-footage story of a pornographic website that sponsors a contest for its subscribers—a contest in which the prize is having sex with a porn star. The entire film is shot from the point of view of the website’s cameras recording the on-screen and behind-the-scenes action.
- MOVIES: NOT RATED
- Jimmy P. is released. A WWII vet plagued by excruciating headaches, dizzy spells, hearing loss and bizarre dreams, Jimmy Picard (Del Toro), a Native American Blackfoot, is labeled schizophrenic by a military hospital confused by his condition. Enter French anthropologist and Native American researcher Georges Devereux (Amalric), called in by the hospital to make sense of their baffling patient. Through increasingly vivid conversation, Picard and Devereux develop a compelling friendship as they embark on an exploration of Jimmy’s memories and dreams. [IFC Films]
- Easy Money: Hard to Kill is released. JW (Joel Kinnaman), the promising business student who became an organized coke smuggler in Easy Money, is serving hard time in prison and struggling to get back on an honest path. There are glimmers of hope in his life - some venture capitalists are interested in a new piece of trading software he's developed, and while behind bars he's made peace with an old enemy. But this is all an illusion. On leave from prison, and back in contact with his former gang, JW learns that once you've walked in the shoes of a criminal there may be no going back.
- The Returned is released. The Returned is set in a post-zombie world where a treatment called the “Return Protein” can stop the spread of the virus if injected quickly after infection, but cannot cure it. With daily injections, the “Returned” are able to live relatively normal lives, but with brutal attacks at the hands of Anti-Return groups and rumors that protein stock is running low, the world is again on the brink of chaos. In the midst of this turmoil are Alex (Kris Holden-Reid) and Kate (Emily Hampshire), a young, successful and enviable couple that are hiding a long held secret – Alex is Returned. Suspicious that a government order for all the Returned to report to a secure medical facility, the couple flees, taking with them all the doses of “Return Protein” they have. Now in a race against the clock and few places to turn, they must face their worst fears and come to grips with the reality that if they are neither human nor zombies, who exactly are the Returned? [levelFILM]
- MOVIES: PG13
- Winter's Tale is released. Set in a mythic New York City and spanning more than a century, Winter's Tale is a story of miracles, crossed destinies, and the age-old battle between good and evil.
- Endless Love is released. The story of a privileged girl and a charismatic boy whose instant desire sparks a love affair made only more reckless by parents trying to keep them apart.
- MOVIES: R
- Girl on a Bicycle is released. Paolo, an Italian tour bus driver living in the "second most beautiful city in the world", Paris, has just summoned up the courage to propose marriage to his flight attendant girlfriend Greta when, per chance, he encounters the alluring, mysterious Girl on a Bicycle. Infatuation is immediate. Obsession follows. Unable to get the image of this beauty out of his head, he seeks advice from his best friend, the witty and womanizing Derek. In his bumbling attempt to meet the Girl, French model Cécile, Paolo accidentally knocks her over with his bus and his life turns madly chaotic.
- Date and Switch is released. High school seniors Michael and Matty have been best friends since 3rd grade. Still virgins, they make a pact to help each other “score” before Senior Prom – but their mission suddenly takes an unexpected turn when Matty announces that he’s gay.
- Adult World is released. Amy (Emma Roberts) is a naïve, awkward aspiring poet in a post-grad existence that is going nowhere. Living with her parents in a bland upstate New York town, certain of her yet-to-be-acknowledged literary greatness and desperate for income, she begrudgingly accepts a job at Adult World, the local sex shop. Amy balances her work amongst the pornography and sex toys by fiercely pursuing a surefire kick start for her success: a mentorship with reclusive, crusty and alcoholic writer Rat Billings (John Cusack). [IFC FIlms]
- About Last Night is released. This modern reimagining of the classic romantic comedy follows two couples as they journey from the bar to the bedroom and are eventually put to the test in the real world.
- TV SERIES
- House of Cards (2013): Season 2 is released. Francis and Claire Underwood (Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright) use their positions to continue their rise in power even as people seek to bring them down in the second season of the online-only drama series.
- ALBUMS
- Hotel Valentine was released by Cibo Matto. The first album in 15 years from the avant-garde pop duo of Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori is a concept album about a hotel haunted by a female ghost.
- GAMING: 3DS
- Inazuma Eleven 3: Team Ogre Attacks! for 3DS is released. A new challenge awaits in Inazuma Eleven 3: Team Ogre Attacks! As Mark Evans and his friends prepare to take on the Frontier International Championships, a futuristic enemy travels back in time to threaten the very existence of football. Mark must work with his own future great-grandson, Canon Evans, to preserve the fate of the beautiful game – and help the Inazuma National team win the Frontier International Championships.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 3
- The Last of Us: Left Behind for PlayStation 3 is released. Ellie returns as new light is shed on her relationship with Riley, her best friend from the military boarding school in which they both grew up. After inexplicably disappearing for weeks, Riley reappears in Ellie’s life with a surprising revelation. The two sneak out of their school for the last time, leading to a series of events that might forever change their lives.
- POLITICS
- Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta resigns after less than a year in office.
- SPORTS
- Swiss cross country skier Dario Cologna wins his 2nd gold medal of the Sochi Winter Olympics in the 15k classical; also wins 30k skiathlon.