SaturdaySat, March 21st Edition Go Back
Today in the World Countries
- Ghode Jatra (Kathmandu valley) is being celebrated in Nepal
- Human Rights Day is being celebrated in South Africa
- Independence Day is being celebrated in Namibia
- Mother's Day is being celebrated in Syria
- Nauryz holiday is being celebrated in Kazakhstan
- Navruz is being celebrated in Uzbekistan
- Navruz Holiday is being celebrated in Tajikistan
- Novruz is being celebrated in Iran
- Novruz Holiday is being celebrated in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan
- People's Holiday of Nooruz is being celebrated in Kyrgyzstan
- Spring Day is being celebrated in Iraq
- Spring Equinox is being celebrated in Japan
- World Down Syndrome Day is being celebrated in International
- People born on this day are Aries as their zodiac sign.
Today in History
Happening Today
- EVENTS
- 6.5-magnitude earthquake strikes Afghanistan's north-east near the border with Pakistan, killing at least 19 and injuring over 200 people.
- DEATHS
- Heinz Steinmann, German soccer defender (3 caps West Germany; Schwarz-Weiß Essen,1. FC Saarbrücken, Werder Bremen), who died at 85.
- MOVIES: NOT RATED
- Kubrick by Kubrick is released. A rare and transcendent journey into the life and films of the legendary Stanley Kubrick like we've never seen before, featuring a treasure trove of unearthed interview recordings from the master himself.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 5
- Tchia for PlayStation 5 is released. A Tropical Open-World adventure. Climb, glide, swim, and sail your boat around a beautiful archipelago in this physics-driven sandbox. Use Tchia's special ability to take control of any animal or object you can find, and Jam on your fully playable Ukulele. A game inspired by New Caledonia.
- The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners - Chapter 2: Retribution for PlayStation 5 is released. Your tour through undead New Orleans continues in this new chapter to the Tourist's story in The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners. Hunted by the seemingly unstoppable Axeman and facing off against the Tower's latest push for total dominance, discover what connects these new threats together before it's too late. New faces, places, weapons and gear all await you on your journey to a final showdown for the city's fate.Do you have what it takes to survive it all?
- GAMING: SWITCH
- Remnant: From the Ashes for Switch is released. The world has been thrown into chaos by an ancient evil from another dimension. As one of the last remnants of humanity, you must set out alone or alongside up to two other survivors to face down hordes of deadly enemies to try to carve a foothold, rebuild, and retake what was lost.
On this day in 2022
- EVENTS
- 178 wildfires have burnt more than 108,000 acres across southwest Texas according to local fire officials with 23 still active.
- GAMING: PC
- ITORAH for PC is released. Guide Itorah through a fantastic world inhabited by strange masked beings.Mankind has vanished and Itorah seems to be the last of her kind! To uncover her past she will have to pick up her loud-mouthed axe and fight her way through lush forests, dangerous temples, stormy cliffs and more hand-painted biomes.Their innocent quest for knowledge quickly turns into a mission to save this strange new world from its biggest threat: A mysterious plague that threatens to consume everything.
- POLITICS
- Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador inaugurates Felipe Angeles International Airport to serve Mexico City.
- SPORTS
- Fevzi Zemzem, Turkish soccer striker (18 caps; AS Göztepe 356 games) and manager (Orduspor), who died at 80.
On this day in 2021
- EVENTS
- Miami Beach imposes a state of emergency and a curfew as large crowds descend on the area for spring break.
- DEATHS
- Nawal el-Saadawi, Egyptian feminist writer and activist (Women at Point Zero), who died at 89.
- Jeff Grayshon MBE, English rugby league utility (England 11 caps; GB 13 caps; Dewsbury, Cronulla-Sutherland, Bradford Northern, Leeds, Featherstone Rovers, Batley), who died at 72.
- Adam Zagajewski, Poet.
- Trisutji Kamal, Indonesian classical pianist and composer (Prayer of Redemption), who died at 84.
- TV SERIES
- Q: Into the Storm: Season 1 is released. The six-part documentary series seeks to discover the origins of QAnon and how the anonymous "Q"uses the internet to spread disinformation, influence people and right-wing politics.
- Genius (2017): Season 3 is released. The life of Aretha Franklin (Cynthia Erivo) is dramatized in the third season of the biographical anthology series from Brian Grazer and Ron Howard.
- POLITICS
- 45 crushed to death in a crowd paying respects to the late President John Magufuli at a stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
On this day in 2020
- EVENTS
- Italy records record daily death toll of 793 for COVID-19 pandemic as the worldwide death tolls surpasses 12,000 with 299,000 known infections (Johns Hopkins figures).
- DEATHS
- Sol Kerzner, Entrepreneur.
- POLITICS
- Ted Graham, Lord Graham of Edmonton, English politician, House of Lords (chief opposition whip), who died at 94.
- Lorenzo Sanz, Spanish businessman and football executive (president Real Madrid 1995-2000; owner Málaga CF), who died from COVID-19 pandemic at 76.
On this day in 2019
- EVENTS
- Overloaded boat sinks in the Tigris river near Mosul, Iraq, drowning nearly 100.
- Levi Strauss & Company is traded publicly for the second time in its history on the New York stock exchange.
- A huge blast from a chemical factory in Chenjiagang Chemical Industry Park in eastern China is so big it registers as an earthquake, kills 78 people and injuries 617.
- Bangladeshi woman with two uteruses safely gives birth to twins 26 days after giving birth to another child.
- Ringo Starr's fourteenth All-Starr Band debuts in concert; members include: Steve Lukather, Gregg Rolie, Colin Hay, Hamish Stuart, Gregg Bissonette, and Warren Ham.
- GAMING: PC
- Space Junkies for PC is released. A visceral, jeckpack-fueled VR Arcade Shooter through which you fly through deadly Orbital Arenas in Hostile Space, facing off in extreme battles. [Ubisoft]
- We. The Revolution for PC is released. As a judge of the Revolutionary Tribunal, preside over complicated cases of ordinary citizens, dangerous criminals, and enemies of the revolution in revolutionary Paris. Make judgments, plot political intrigue, and try to not lose your own head.
- POLITICS
- US President Donald Trump says US should recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights on Twitter.
- Governor of Missouri Mike Parson declares a state of emergency as flooding from Nebraska and Iowa flows downstream into the state.
- Former Brazilian President Michel Temer is arrested in São Paulo as part of a large corruption investigation.
- New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces a ban on military-style semiautomatic weapons,6 days after the Christchurch terrorist attack.
- SPORTS
- Japanese baseball right fielder Ichiro Suzuki finishes his career with a record 4,367 base hits (NPB & MLB) as Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland A's,5-4 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Emilia Clarke reveals she suffered two brain aneurysms while filming "Games of Thrones" in an article for "The New Yorker".
On this day in 2018
- EVENTS
- English TV presenter Ant McPartlin charged with drink driving following an accident in London.
- Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg admits they "made mistakes" after data on 50 million users is harvested by Cambridge Analytica.
- Dave Patterson and John Hennessy win computings'Turing Award for RISC computer chips.
- China announces greater controls over the media, including merging state-run radio and television broadcasters into a single conglomerate called “Voice of China”.
- African trade deal agreed by 44 African countries in Kigali, Rwanda.
- Austin bombing suspect Mark Conditt kills himself in chase with police in Austin, Texas.
- Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi accepts plea deal for 8 months in prison after slapping Israeli officer.
- Suicide bomber kills 31 in crowd celebrating Persian New Year in Kabul, Afghanistan.
- DEATHS
- Anne Lisa Ruud, TV Actress.
- TV SERIES
- Krypton: Season 1 is released. The fate of the planet Krypton is in the hands of Superman's grandfather Seg-El (Cameron Cuffe) in this sci-fi series from David S. Goyer and Ian Goldberg also features Brainiac (Blake Ritson) and Adam Strange (Shaun Sipos).
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
- World of Warriors for PlayStation 4 is released. Let Battle commence! Coming exclusively to PS4, World of Warriors lets you summon the greatest warriors in history to do battle across the Wildlands.
- POLITICS
- Peru's President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski offers his resignation amid vote-buying scandal.
- Nigerian government confirms 101 out of 110 schoolgirls kidnapped from Dapchi returned.
On this day in 2017
- EVENTS
- Singer Wyclef Jean wrongly identified as a suspect, handcuffed and detained by LA county sheriff’s department.
- DEATHS
- Pete Hamilton, Race Car Driver.
- Colin Dexter, English crime writer (Inspector Morse), who died at 86.
- TV SERIES
- Dave Chappelle: Deep in the Heart of Texas is released. This comedy special filmed in April 2015 at Austin's Moody Theater is one of the three scheduled in 2017 for Netflix.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
- Mass Effect: Andromeda for PlayStation 4 is released. The story opens after a 600-year journey to the Andromeda galaxy, as the crew begins searching for a new home for humanity. The dreams of easy settlement are quickly shattered, as worlds expected to be paradises are instead wastelands, and the Pathfinder discovers that not all inhabitants of the galaxy welcome humanity. Terrifying enemies will challenge players and their crew, forcing them to utilize destructible environments, vertical movement through boosted jumps, customizable weapons, Biotics and other tools in their arsenal to even the playing field in a combat system and character progression that is more thrilling and open than ever. Mass Effect: Andromeda also features a separate team-based online multiplayer mode where players can engage in fast, fluid and frenetic combat to work together and achieve success. Utilizing combat skills, strategies, weapons and abilities gained from the field, players must coordinate to take down overwhelming forces. [Electronic Arts]
- Troll and I for PlayStation 4 is released. Deep in the Nordic wilderness, a teenage boy named Otto is forced to flee his home after a band of brutal hunters rip through his village in search of a mythical creature rumored to inhabit the forest. Now on the run for his life, Otto inadvertently finds and befriends the elusive creature being sought by the hunters. Thus begins the perilous adventure of Troll and Otto.Together, the unlikely friends embark on a journey through treacherous territory plagued with rivals. Natives to the forest, Troll and Otto must use their inherent skills to sneak, strategize, and battle their way back home. The forest is filled with unknowns, and teamwork is pivotal to staying alive.
- Touhou Genso Wanderer for PlayStation 4 is released. In this roguelike RPG, you will take control of Reimu, the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, to investigate the latest incident to take place in the world of Gensokyo.
- Toukiden 2 for PlayStation 4 is released. Slayers: Go forth and eradicate the Oni menace. Experience the latest hunting action game featuring a dynamic targeted destruction system. From the battlefield to the village that serves as your base of operations, the game takes place in a vast “open world.” Explore the vast world for yourself, and enjoy hunting action from an entirely new perspective. [Playstation.com]
- POLITICS
- Martin McGuinness, Irish Sinn Féin politician and IRA member, who died of a heart condition at 66.
- SPORTS
- Chuck Barris, american TV game show producer and host (Gong Show), who died at 87.
On this day in 2016
- EVENTS
- A rare Beatles record found in the loft of Les Maguire - the keyboardist in fellow Liverpool act, Gerry and the Pacemakers sold for £77,500 at auction. The 10-inch acetate of 'Till There Was You' and 'Hello Little Girl' from 1962 was described as 'a Holy Grail item'. It was the first Beatles disc to be cut before the band broke into the national charts..
- DEATHS
- Andrew Grove, Hungarian-American pioneer in the semiconductor industry and one of the founders and CEO of Intel, who died at 79.
- Peter Brown [Pierre Lind de Lappe], American actor (Lawman, Laredo, Bold & Beautiful), who died at 80.
- Robert McNeill Alexander, British zoologist (estimated speed of dinosaurs), who died at 81.
- GAMING: PC
- Day of the Tentacle Remastered for PC is released. Dr. Fred’s mutated purple tentacle is about to take over the world, and only you can stop him. Originally released by LucasArts in 1993 as a sequel to Ron Gilbert’s Maniac Mansion, Day of the Tentacle is a mind-bending, time travel, cartoon puzzle adventure game in which three unlikely friends work together to prevent an evil mutated purple tentacle from taking over the world. Now, over 20 years later, Day of the Tentacle is back in a remastered edition that features all new hand-drawn, high resolution artwork, with remastered audio, music and sound effects (which the original 90s marketing blurb described as ‘zany!’). Players are able to switch back and forth between classic and remastered modes, and mix and match audio, graphics and user interface to their heart’s desire. We’ve also included a concept art browser, and recorded a commentary track with the game’s original creators Tim Schafer, Dave Grossman, Larry Ahern, Peter Chan, Peter McConnell and Clint Bajakian.
On this day in 2015
- EVENTS
- Ireland retains Six Nations Rugby Championship with 40-10 win over Scotland at Murrayfield; England needs 26 point win over France for title but can only beat Les Bleus,55-35 at Twickenham.
- WEDDINGS
- Country music singer Jason Aldean at the age of 38 weds former American Idol contestant Brittany Kerr at the age of 27 in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
- DEATHS
- Hans Erni, Painter.
- Jackie Trent, English singer-songwriter (Neighbours theme) and actress, who died at 74.
- Perro Aguayo Jr., Wrestler.
- SPORTS
- Chuck Bednarik, American Pro/College Football Hall of Fame center/linebacker (Philadelphia Eagles,1949-62), who died of Alzheimer's disease and dementia at 89.
- Chuck Pednarik 'Concrete Charlie', American professional football player for the Philadelphia Eagles, who died at 89.
On this day in 2014
- EVENTS
- Canadian freestyle skier (moguls) and two-time Olympic gold medalist Alexandre Bilodeau retires at 26.
- Russia formally annexes Crimea amid international condemnation.
- BIRTHS
- Diana Bebe, YouTube Star, born in Ukraine.
- WEDDINGS
- Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli at the age of 55 weds 2nd wife, his Italian manager Veronica Berti at the age of 29 at the Sanctuary of Madonna di Montenero in Livorno, Italy.
- Tenor Andrea Bocelli marries 2nd wife manager Veronica Berti.
- DEATHS
- Ignatius Zakka, Religious Leader.
- Jack Fleck, American golfer (US Open 1955), who died at 92.
- James Rebhorn, American actor, who died from melanoma at 65.
- MOVIES: NOT RATED
- Jodorowsky's Dune is released. The story of cult film director Alejandro Jodorowsky's ambitious but ultimately doomed film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction classic, Dune.
- Just a Sigh is released. Alix and Doug were not supposed to meet, but they did. Alix was on a train bound for Paris where she was going to audition for a film, having just left Calais where she had performed in an Ibsen play. Doug, a literature professor, had left England for Paris, where he was to attend the funeral of a dear friend. They were not supposed to meet and yet they did. They did because Alix, whose relationship with her husband was at a crossroads, fancied this handsome serious-looking gentleman on the Paris-bound train. They did because Doug, although not in the mood for love, quickly fell for her. They were not supposed to meet but their brief encounter would prove to be overwhelming.
- It Felt Like Love is released. On the outskirts of Brooklyn, a fourteen-year-old's sexual quest takes a dangerous turn when she pursues an older guy and tests the boundaries between obsession and love. [Variance Films]
- Nymphomaniac: Volume I is released. Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac, is discovered badly beaten in an alley by an older bachelor, Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård), who takes her into his home. As he tends to her wounds, she recounts the erotic story of her adolescence and young-adulthood (portrayed in flashback by Stacy Martin). [Magnolia Pictures]
- Maladies is released. Maladies charts the struggles of an unstable former soap opera star (James Franco) in 1960’s New York as he tries to restart his floundering creative career. Hoping to find clarity and new purpose as a writer, he holes up with his eccentric sister (Fallon Goodson) at the seaside home of their best friend (Catherine Keener). But as he disappears further into his own mind, reality begins to slip through his grasp.
- Cheap Thrills is released. Craig (Pat Healy), a struggling family man, loses his low-wage job and is threatened with eviction. In an effort to delay facing the music at home, he heads to a local bar and encounters an old friend (Ethan Embry). The two friends are roped into a round of drinks by a charismatic and obscenely wealthy stranger (David Koechner) along with his mysterious wife (Sara Paxton). The couple engages the two friends in a series of innocent dares in exchange for money over the course of the evening, with each challenge upping the ante in both reward and boundaries. It seems like easy and much needed money, but the couple’s twisted sense of humor pushes just how far Craig and his friend are willing to go for money and cheap thrills.
- Anita is released. An entire country watched transfixed as a poised African-American woman in a blue dress sat before a Senate committee of 14 white men and with a clear, unwavering voice recounted the repeated acts of sexual harassment she had endured while working with U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. That October day in 1991 Anita Hill, a bookish law professor from Oklahoma, was thrust onto the world stage and instantly became a celebrated, hated, venerated, and divisive figure. Anita Hill’s graphic testimony was a turning point for gender equality in the U.S. and ignited a political firestorm about sexual misconduct and power in the workplace that resonates still today. She has become an American icon, empowering millions of women and men around the world to stand up for equality and justice. Against a backdrop of sex, politics, and race, Anita reveals the intimate story of a woman who spoke truth to power. The film is both a celebration of Anita Hill’s legacy and a rare glimpse into her private life with friends and family, many of whom were by her side that fateful day 22 years ago. Anita Hill courageously speaks openly and intimately for the first time about her experiences that led her to testify before the Senate and the obstacles she faced in simply telling the truth. She also candidly discusses what happened to her life and work in the 22 years since.
- Stay is released. A couple's happy existence is upended when Abbey (Taylor Schilling) gets pregnant and Dermot (Aidan Quinn) is opposed to the idea of fatherhood.
- MOVIES: PG
- Muppets Most Wanted is released. Muppets Most Wanted takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe’s most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper.
- MOVIES: PG13
- A Birder's Guide to Everything is released. David Portnoy (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a 15-year-old birding fanatic, thinks that he's made the discovery of a lifetime. So, on the eve of his father's remarriage, he escapes on an epic road trip with his best friends to solidify their place in birding history.
- Divergent is released. In a world where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues, Tris Prior is warned she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy by a faction leader to destroy all Divergents, Tris must learn to trust in the mysterious Four and together they must find out what makes being Divergent so dangerous before it's too late.
- MOVIES: R
- Blood Ties is released. New York,1974. Fifty-year-old Chris (Clive Owen) has just been released on good behavior after several years in prison following a gangland murder. Reluctantly waiting for him outside the gates is his younger brother, Frank (Billy Crudup), a cop with a bright future. Chris and Frank have always been different, and their father, Leon (James Caan), who raised them alone, seems to favor Chris despite all his troubles. Yet blood ties are the ones that bind, and Frank, hoping that his brother has changed, is willing to give him a chance—he shares his home, finds him a job, and helps him reconnect with his children and his ex-wife, Monica (Marion Cotillard). But Chris’ inevitable descent back into a life of crime proves to be the last in a long line of betrayals, and after his brother’s latest transgressions, Frank banishes him from his life. But it’s already too late, as the brothers’ destiny is bound together, forever.
- McCanick is released. Set over the course of one day, a narcotics detective hunts for a seemingly harmless young criminal who knows the truth about the cop's past.
- Rob the Mob is released. New York City,1991. Small-time crooks Tommy (Michael Pitt) and Rosie (Nina Arianda) Uva, who specialize in robbing Mafia social clubs, stumble upon a secret so closely guarded that rank-and-file mobsters don’t even know of its existence. To the Feds, it’s the smoking gun they’ve been looking for—a key to dismantling New York’s already-faltering crime syndicate once and for all. To Big Al (Andy Garcia), it’s something that can't fall into the wrong hands. For Tommy and Rosie, caught between the law and a mob contract, the future depends on who gets to them first.
- GAMING: PC
- YAIBA: NINJA GAIDEN Z for PC is released. The ninja are the most elite of warriors, exercising unparalleled skill, precision, and lethality for centuries. Only the most deadly candidates are given the rare and coveted opportunity to join the clan. The final test of a ninja
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 4
- inFamous: Second Son for PlayStation 4 is released. inFAMOUS Second Son is an action adventure game in which, surrounded by a society that fears them, superhumans are ruthlessly hunted down and caged by the Department of Unified Protection. Step into a locked-down Seattle as Delsin Rowe, who has recently discovered his superhuman power and is now capable of fighting back against the oppressive DUP. Enjoy your power as you choose how you will push your awesome abilities to the limit and witness the consequences of your actions as they affect the city and people around you. [Playstation]
On this day in 2013
- EVENTS
- Martin Gould defeats Ali Carter to win the snooker 2013 Championship League.
- 24 people are killed and 100 are injured by a tornado and hail storm in southern China.
- A barter dispute loses control and results in 10 people being killed,20 injured, and 4 mosques being burnt to the ground in Myanmar.
- At least 45 people drown and 60 are missing after a Nigerian boat sinks off the shore of Gabon.
- Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon was set to seal its place in history at the US Library of Congress as part of its National Recording Registry. The recording that received the highest number of public nominations for this year's registry was Dark Side, Floyd's groundbreaking 1973 album..
- The European Space Agency reveals new data that indicates that the universe is 13.82 billion years old.
- DEATHS
- Chinua Achebe, Nigerian poet and novelist (Things Fall Apart), who died at 82.
- GAMING: PC
- Trials Evolution: Gold Edition for PC is released. The Gold Edition will also include everything from Trials HD - the XBLA predecessor to Trials Evolution - doubling the amount of content being offered in the return of Trials to the PC. Altogether, Trials Evolution: Gold Edition will contain more than 120 tracks, skill games, and multiplayer levels.
- GAMING: PLAYSTATION 3
- Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory for PlayStation 3 is released. Several years after preventing Arfoire's revival, Gamindustri has remained at peace without any major issues. The CPUs and their younger sisters have been enjoying their quiet lives for a while... Then one day, the CPU of Planeptune-Neptune-is sent to another dimension. This new dimension feels very much like her own...except it has only progressed to the Gamindustri of the 1980s. In this dimension, a group of villains calling themselves the "Seven Sages" are trying to create a world without CPUs. With help from her new friends, including that dimension's CPU of Planeptune-Plutia-Neptune begins her quest to protect a totally different Gamindustri in her brand-new adventure!