MondayMon, July 13th Edition Go Back

In the future 2305

• FICTION
• Jean-Luc Picard, fictional captain on Star Trek Next Generation.

On this day in 2023

On this day in 2022

• MOVIES: NOT RATED
• The Deer King is released. In the aftermath of a brutal war, former soldier Van toils in a mine controlled by the ruling empire. One day, his solitary existence is upended when a pack of wild dogs carrying a deadly and incurable disease attack, leaving only Van and a young girl named Yuna as survivors. Finally free, the pair seek out a simple existence in the countryside but are pursued by nefarious forces. Intent on protecting Yuna at all costs, Van must uncover the true cause of the plague ravaging the kingdom—and its possible cure.
• TV SERIES
• Everything's Trash: Season 1 is released. Phoebe (Phoebe Robinson), a 30-something podcaster is forced to get her life in order when her older brother runs for office in this comedy series inspired by Robinson's own book, Everything's Trash But It’s Ok.
• GAMING: PC
• Escape Academy for PC is released. You've just arrived at Escape Academy, a school where promising students train to become the ultimate Escape Room Master. Play over a dozen masterfully hand crafted rooms, designed by experienced experts in the field of REAL LIFE escape rooms. Experience the entirety of Escape Academy alone in single player OR through two player co-operative play. Available in local or online splitscreen. Explore the campus of Escape Academy and get to know the faculty, a colorful cast of characters, each an expert in the art of Escape. And some with secrets yet to be uncovered...
• Loopmancer for PC is released. Year 2046 / Dragon City. Xiang Zixu, a brilliant private eye, is killed while investigating the disappearance of a famous female journalist. Immediately after his death, he wakes up with a start in his apartment bedroom. Before he can process what happened, his phone rings and his colleague at the agency tells him of a new case: the disappearance of a famous female journalist.Loopmancer is a 3D platformer roguelite action game with realistic graphics that takes place in a cyberpunk universe. Players play as a detective who comes back to life after an unexpected death, and battle in this lifelike and futuristic city of the east.
• Rune Factory 5 for PC is released. A new stage, a new adventure... The curtain rises on the next chapter in the Rune Factory series.Set off on a grand adventure in a fantasy world with the latest entry in the Rune Factory simulation RPG series. After losing their memory, the hero lands in a small town blessed by nature. There, they are recruited into a band of peacekeeping rangers, and their new life begins. In addition to their normal duties, the hero can farm the land, cast a line into the nearby river, and so much more! Team up with townsfolk to battle monsters and unleash powerful combination attacksjust one of the features new to the series. The stage is set, and the curtain rises on an exciting new adventure in Rune Factory 5!Features:* Tame monsters or team up with townsfolk to explore a massive world* Defend the frontier and support your community as a member of a peacekeeping ranger* Unleash uniquely powerful combo attacks with your teammates * Cultivate crops in the fields* Find friendship, love, and family with a colorful cast of characters
• POLITICS
• Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa flees to the Maldives just before leaving office amid nationwide protests and economic unrest.

On this day in 2021

• EVENTS
• " Unprecedented" early fire season in western US as 67 large fires and nearly 918,000 acres reported burnt by Interagency Fire Center.
• 337 die in violent protests and looting in South Africa following the jailing of Jacob Zuma, with more than 200 shopping malls set alight.
• WEDDINGS
• British Spice Girl at the age of " Baby" Emma Bunton at the age of 45 weds long term partner and British singer-songwriter Jade Jones at the age of 42.
• DEATHS
• Shirley Fry, American tennis player (French Open 1951; Wimbledon, US Open1956; Australian Open 1957; 11 x Grand Slam doubles titles; world #1 1956), who died at 94.
• Yashpal Sharma, Indian cricket batsman (37 Tests; 2 x 100s; 42 ODIs), who died from a heart attack at 66.
• GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
• Where the Heart Leads for PlayStation 4 is released. On the kind of stormy night that can change a person’s destiny, an enormous sinkhole opens in the middle of Whit Anderson’s farm. Braving the rumbling thunder and the driving rain, Casey—their curious Golden Retriever—ventures too close to the gaping maw and tumbles in. Desperate to save her, Whit descends into the darkness, and emerges in a realm beyond his imagining. In this strange world, constantly shifting like the stops and starts of a dream, Whit bears witness to the story of his life and gains the power to change it.
• GAMING: PLAYSTATION 5
• F1 2021 for PlayStation 5 is released. Every story has a beginning in F1 2021, the official videogame of the 2021 FIA Formula One world Championship. Enjoy the stunning new features of F1 2021, including the thrilling story experience 'braking point', two-player career, and get even closer to the grid with 'real-season start'. Take your team to the top in the acclaimed ten-year 'My team' Career mode, or race head-to-head in split-screen and multiplayer. Immerse yourself in the greatest racing spectacle on the planet and race with the authentic lineup of twenty heroic drivers and ten iconic teams from the 2021 Season: 'braking point' - the thrilling new story experience, new ways to play: two-player career and 'real-season start', acclaimed 'My team', split-screen and multiplayer
• SPORTS
• 91st MLB All Star Game, Coors Field, Denver, CO: AL beats NL,5-2 for their eighth consecutive victory.

On this day in 2020

• DEATHS
• Zindzi Mandela, Politician.
• Grant Imahara, American TV Mythbuster, who died of a brain aneurysm at 49.
• Chuck Hulse, American auto racer (USAC Champ Car Series,26 x top 10 finishes), who died at 92.
• Pat Quinn, Scottish soccer forward (4 caps; Motherwell, Hibernian) and manager (East Fife, FH), who died at 84.
• POLITICS
• [Zindziswa] Zindzi Mandela, South African politician and poet, who died at 59.

On this day in 2019

• EVENTS
• George Michael's family and lawyers stepped up their battle to force Fadi Fawaz to leave the singers former home after he broke a number of windows. The jobless squatter admitted smashing windows at George Michael’s old house but bizarrely claimed he was doing home improvements. Fadi was seen smoking a joint on the balcony next to some of the smashed windows..
• SPORTS
• After Atlantic League-MLB partnership rule changes, Southern Maryland Blue Crabs'outfielder Tony Thomas becomes first player in professional baseball history to steal first base in 7-2 win v Lancaster Barnstormers.

On this day in 2018

• EVENTS
• Actress Scarlett Johansson withdraws from a transgender film role after criticism of her casting.
• Chelsea FC sacks high profile manager Antonio Conte despite winning 2016-17 EPL and 2018 FA Cup, replaced by ex-Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri.
• Outline of 5,000 year-old henge discovered at New Grange, Ireland through drought and drone footage.
• Johnson & Johnson ordered to pay record $4.7 billion in damages in talc cancer case by jury in US state of Missouri.
• Kevin Anderson of South Africa beats American John Isner 7-6,6-7,6-7,6-4,26-24 in the longest (6 hours 36 mins) semi final in Wimbledon history.
• US Department of Justice charges 12 Russian intelligence officers with cyber-attacks against Democratic officials during 2016 US election.
• Suicide bombing in Baluchistan, Pakistan, targeting election campaign event kills 128, Islamic State claims responsibility.
• DEATHS
• Nancy Barbato Sinatra, first wife and life-long friend of Frank Sinatra, who died at 101.
• MOVIES: NOT RATED
• Milford Graves Full Mantis is released. Milford Graves Full Mantis is the first ever feature-length portrait of renowned percussionist Milford Graves, exploring his kaleidoscopic creativity and relentless curiosity.
• Path of Blood is released. Path of Blood depicts Islamist terrorism, as it has never been seen before. Drawn from a hoard of jihadi home-movie footage that was captured by Saudi security services, this is the story of Muslim terrorists targeting Muslim civilians and brought to justice by Muslim security agents. It is a stark reminder that all who are touched by terrorism are victimized by it. A powerful and sometimes shocking cinematic experience, Path of Blood reveals how brainwashed youths, fueled by idealism and the misguided pursuit of adventure, can descend into madness and carnage. The raw, unvarnished footage, to which the filmmakers negotiated exclusive access, captures young thrill-seekers at a jihadi “boot camp” deep in the Saudi desert, having signed on to overthrow the Saudi government. They plot to detonate car bombs in downtown Riyadh, become embroiled in a game of cat-and-mouse with government forces and, as their plans unravel, resort to ever more brutal tactics. Adopting a strictly objective approach, the film doesn’t editorialize and contains no interviews or “talking heads” commentary. The home video footage was shot by the terrorists themselves, allowing viewers to see them in all their complexity, while compelling audiences to draw their own conclusions.
• A Midsummer Night's Dream is released. Mistaken identity, unrequited love, and the supernatural are combined in Shakespeare's classic set in modern day Los Angeles.
• What Will People Say is released. Sixteen-year-old Nisha (Maria Mozhdah) lives a double life. When out with her friends, she’s a normal Norwegian teenager. At home with her family, she is the perfect Pakistani daughter. But when her father (Adil Hussain) catches her alone with her boyfriend in her room, Nisha’s two worlds brutally collide. To set an example and escape the judgment of their peers, her parents send Nisha against her will to a small town in Pakistan to live with extended family. There, in an unfamiliar country surrounded by people she barely knows, Nisha must adapt to a rigid culture that denies her the freedoms she once enjoyed. [Kino Lorber]
• MOVIES: PG
• Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation is released. Mavis surprises Dracula with a family voyage on a luxury Monster Cruise Ship so he can take a vacation from providing everyone else's vacation at the hotel. The rest of Drac's Pack cannot resist going along and once they leave port, romance zings Drac when he meets the mysterious ship captain Ericka. Now it's Mavis' turn to play the overprotective parent, keeping her dad and Ericka apart. Little do they know that his "too good to be true"love interest is actually a descendent of Van Helsing, arch nemesis to Dracula and all monsters!
• MOVIES: PG13
• Skyscraper is released. Former FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader and U.S. war veteran Will Ford (Dwayne Johnson) now assesses security for skyscrapers. On assignment in China he finds the tallest, safest building in the world suddenly ablaze, and he’s been framed for it. A wanted man on the run, Will must find those responsible, clear his name and somehow rescue his family who is trapped inside the building...above the fire line.
• MOVIES: R
• Shock and Awe is released. Shock and Awe is based on the true events of Knight Ridder journalists who were the only ones who “got it right” in the lead-up to the 2003 Iraq War when they questioned the true nature of the Bush White House’s justification for the conflict.
• Siberia is released. When a business deal in Russia goes south, a U.S. diamond merchant (Keanu Reeves) and his lover (Ana Ularu) are caught in a lethal crossfire between the buyer and federal intelligence service.
• Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot is released. John Callahan (Joaquin Phoenix) has a lust for life, a talent for off-color jokes, and a drinking problem. When an all-night bender ends in a catastrophic car accident, the last thing he intends to do is give up drinking. But when he reluctantly enters treatment — with encouragement from his girlfriend (Rooney Mara) and a charismatic sponsor (Jonah Hill) — Callahan discovers a gift for drawing edgy, irreverent newspaper cartoons that develop an international following and grant him a new lease on life.
• Eighth Grade is released. Thirteen-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school—the end of her thus far disastrous eighth grade year—before she begins high school.
• MOVIES: TV14
• Dark Money is released. Dark Money, a political thriller, examines one of the greatest present threats to American democracy: the influence of untraceable corporate money on our elections and elected officials. The film takes viewers to Montana—a frontline in the fight to preserve fair elections nationwide—to follow an intrepid local journalist working to expose the real-life impacts of the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. Through this gripping story, Dark Money uncovers the shocking and vital truth of how American elections are bought and sold.
• The Night Eats the World is released. The morning after a party, a young man wakes up to find Paris invaded by zombies.
• MOVIES: TVMA
• Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind is released. A funny, intimate and heartbreaking portrait of one of the world’s most beloved and inventive comedians, Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind is told largely through Williams’ own words, and celebrates what he brought to comedy and to the culture at large, from the wild days of late-1970s L.A. to his death in 2014. [HBO]
• ALBUMS
• Raw Silk Uncut Wood was released by Laurel Halo. The six-track instrumental release from the Berlin-based electronic producer features percussion by Eli Keszler and Oliver Coates on the cello.
• Power was released by Lotic. The debut full-length release for the Houston-born and Berlin-based electronic producer J'Kerian Morgan was inspired partly by marching bands and Ta-Nehisi Coates' "Between The World And Me."
• Ordinary Corrupt Human Love was released by Deafheaven. The fourth full-length studio release for the San Francisco black metal band was produced by Jack Shirley
• K.O. was released by Miss Red. The debut full-length studio release for the the Israeli dancehall MC was produced by The Bug.
• Lamp Lit Prose was released by Dirty Projectors. The eighth full-length release for David Longstreth project features guest appearanmces from Dear Nora, Empress Of, Haim, Amber Mark, Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold, Rostam, and Syd of The Internet.
• All That Reckoning was released by Cowboy Junkies. The first full-length studio release in six years for the Canadian alt-country/folk rock band led by Michael Timmins.
• Sculptor was released by Luluc. The third full-length release for the Australian duo of Zoe Randell and Steve Hassett features contributions from The National’s Aaron Dessner, Matt Eccles, J Mascis, Dave Nelson, and Jim White of Dirty Three.
• The Switch was released by Body/Head. This is the second full-length studio release for Kim Gordon's post-Sonic Youth project with guitarist Bill Nace.
• GAMING: 3DS
• Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker for 3DS is released. The intrepid Captain Toad sets off on his own adventure for the very first time through a wide variety of tricky, enemy-infested, maze-like stages to find hidden gems and nab elusive gold stars.
• GAMING: PC
• The Spectrum Retreat for PC is released. Check-in to The Spectrum Retreat for a stay you won’t forget. Manipulate your way to the truth in this captivating narrative-driven puzzler.
• GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
• Earthfall for PlayStation 4 is released. Earthfall is a 4-player cooperative shooter that challenges players to survive waves of killer alien drones and their inscrutable masters. Traverse the Pacific Northwest with friends or AI teammates in a desperate guerrilla war against an invading extraterrestrial force. Pit yourself against the ever-changing horde and save what’s left of humanity, utilize futuristic weaponry, upgrade deployable barricades with fire or electricity, control mounted turrets, and battle through ten levels of story-driven co-operative play.
• Danger Zone 2 for PlayStation 4 is released. Danger Zone 2 takes the crash testing action out of the Test Area and onto real public roads. A high-speed driving game featuring speed, traffic and crashes, Danger Zone 2 lets players loose onto the Freeways of the USA, the Motorways of the UK and the Autovias of Spain as they compete to cause the biggest crash.
• POLITICS
• Large protests in London against US President Donald Trump featuring Trump-like baby blimp as President Trump meets Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle.

On this day in 2017

• EVENTS
• " Dunkirk" film directed by Christopher Nolan with ensemble cast including Mark Rylance and Tom Hardy premieres in London, England.
• BIRTHS
• Elvano Arelian Fadilla, Instagram Star, born in Singapore.
• DEATHS
• Egil Kapstad, Pianist.
• Liu Xiaobo, Activist.
• GAMING: SWITCH
• I and Me for Switch is released. If there were another me, Observing myself from the perspective of a spectator, How would I regard another me?How would I get along with the other me I and Me is a puzzle platformer. To play the game, you control two cats simultaneously.
• Death Squared for Switch is released. Death Squared is a cooperative puzzle game for 1,2, or 4 players, best enjoyed with loved ones who don't mind a little arguing for the greater good. Prove your teamwork skills in Death Squared as you solve puzzles together or die trying! Each player needs to guide a robot to a color-coded goal, but the path is beset with deadly traps and hazards. Teams of players will need close observation and communication to keep each other alive and discover a solution together. Complete the main campaign with 1 or 2 players, then take a group into 4-player Party Mode for the ultimate teamwork trial! For those that can't get enough, head to the 'Vault' to find extra experiments recommended only for the brave. [Nintendo.com]
• De Mambo for Switch is released. De Mambo lets 1-4 players engage in Mambo Combat. Grab a Joy-Con and charge your measly one button and release at different times to do three different attacks. Knock your opponents off the screen and break the level however you decide (thanks to some flimsy architecture), to make your game marginally different each time you play. De Mambo is the first game by The Dangerous Kitchen, dedicated to all those who helped us reach this point. [Nintendo]
• POLITICS
• US President Donald Trump arrives in Paris for a 2-day visit with French President Emmanuel Macron.

On this day in 2016

• DEATHS
• Bernardo Provenzano, Mafia Boss (Cosa Nostra), who died in a prison hospital at 83.
• Héctor Babenco, Director.
• MOVIES: NOT RATED
• Don't Blink - Robert Frank is released. Robert Frank revolutionized photography and independent film. He documented the Beats, Welsh coal miners, Peruvian Indians, The Stones, London bankers, and the Americans. This is the bumpy ride, revealed with unblinking honesty by the reclusive artist himself.
• Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru is released. At Date With Destiny, Tony Robbins spends six days tearing down peoples' walls in order to build them up again into their authentic selves. Witness the first-ever inside look at this monster event, the methodology behind the workshop, and the life changing, transformational experiences the attendees have under Tony's guidance. [Netflix]
• MOVIES: R
• The Infiltrator is released. Based on a true story, Federal agent Robert "Bob"Mazur (Bryan Cranston) goes deep undercover to infiltrate Pablo Escobar's drug trafficking scene plaguing the nation in 1986 by posing as slick, money-laundering businessman Bob Musella. Teamed with impulsive and streetwise fellow agent Emir Abreu (John Leguizamo) and rookie agent posing as his fiancé Kathy Ertz (Diane Kruger), Mazur befriends Escobar's top lieutenant Roberto Alcaino (Benjamin Bratt). Navigating a vicious criminal network in which the slightest slip-up could cost him his life, Mazur risks it all building a case that leads to indictments of 85 drug lords and the corrupt bankers who cleaned their dirty money, along with the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, one of the largest money-laundering banks in the world.
• TV SERIES
• Mr. Robot: Season 2 is released. Grace Gummer joins the cast with Dorothi Fox, Sandrine Holt, Joey Bada$$, Michael Maize, Luke Robertson, and Craig Robinson set to appear on the second season of the drama.
• GAMING: PC
• Crush Your Enemies for PC is released. Return to the glory days of Real-Time Strategy games. Crush Your Enemies has planning, choosing different types of units, managing resources, taking enemy territory and outwitting your opponent with the ingenious formations of your men.
• GAMING: XBOX ONE
• FRU for Xbox One is released. FRU is a puzzle platformer featuring an innovative use of Kinect, in which your silhouette becomes a "portal"between two worlds. You find yourself solving puzzles by strategically positioning your body, combining physical interaction with traditional platforming. Every level can be solved in multiple ways, with different poses. [Xbox.com]
• POLITICS
• Theresa May is elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by Conservative Party MPs.

On this day in 2015

• EVENTS
• Sandra Bland is found dead in Waller County jail, Texas after spending weekend in jail after a traffic offence. Her family disputes her supposed suicide.
• Rapper 50 Cent filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. A report in the Wall Street Journal said the businessman and actor had assets and debts in the range of $10m to $50m (£6.5m- £32m). The news came out just days after a jury ruled that he must pay $5m to a woman suing over a sex tape case..
• Greek Credit Crisis: Eurozone agrees conditional deal to lend €86bn over 3 years if Greece passes reforms..
• BIRTHS
• Leia Yong, Instagram Star, born in Singapore.
• DEATHS
• Joan Sebastian, World Music Singer.
• Andy Sutcliffe, Race Car Driver.
• GAMING: PC
• Dream (2013) for PC is released. Dream is an exploration game that takes place within the subconscious mind of Howard Phillips, a young man whose waking hours are tedious and dull, but whose dreams are lucid and powerful.
• POLITICS
• Gerhard Zwerenz, German writer and politician, who died at 90.

On this day in 2014

• EVENTS
• US Senior Open Men's Golf, Oak Tree National: Scotsman Colin Montgomerie wins by 1 stroke after a 3-hole playoff with Gene Sauers.
• DEATHS
• Thomas Berger, American novelist, who died at 89.
• Lorin Maazel, American conductor (Cleveland Orchestra,1972-82; Orchestre National de France,1977-91; NY Philharmonic 2001-09), who died at 84.
• Nadine Gordimer, Novelist.
• TV SERIES
• Ray Donovan: Season 2 is released. Ray must deal with the FBI seeking his father, a reporter writing a book about Sully Sullivan, and his relationship with his wife in the second season.
• Masters of Sex: Season 2 is released. Bill and Virginia continue their studies in the second season of the drama.
• The Strain: Season 1 is released. Based on Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan's vampire novel trilogy, Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll) and the Center for Disease Control Canary Team in New York City investigate a rapidly spreading virus that may be related to vampirism.
• SPORTS
• FIFA World Cup Awards: Lionel Messi (golden ball), James Rodriguez (golden boot) and Manuel Neuer (Golden gloves).

On this day in 2013

• EVENTS
• #BlackLivesMatter created in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman on trial for the murder of Trayvon Martin.
• 18 people are killed and 40 are injured after a gravel truck collides with a bus in Podolsk, Russia.
• Ten people are killed after a bus crash in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
• WEDDINGS
• TV host Jimmy Kimmel at the age of 45 weds co-head writer Molly McNearney in Ojai, California.
• " Catwoman" actress Halle Berry at the age of 46 weds actor Olivier Martinez at the age of 47 at Chateau des Conde in Vallery, France.
• DEATHS
• Laurie Ann Frink, American big band jazz trumpeter and educator, who died of cancer at 61.
• Bud Elliott, Race Car Driver.
• Cory Monteith, Canadian actor and musician, who died of heroin and alcohol overdose at 31.