Summary of the Day ✨ 21 September (21/09)
Violent incidents occurred globally as a deadly earthquake struck Albania injuring dozens, while LGBT activist Zak Kostopoulos was murdered in Athens and Al-Shabaab militants killed at least 67 people in a Kenya mall attack. Separately, Adventist Health System agreed to pay a record $118.7 million settlement for fraud allegations, and Egyptian militants launched a cross-border attack on Israeli soldiers.
Historical Events 📜
- 2019: A 5.6 Mw earthquake shakes the Albanian port of Durrës. Forty-nine people are injured in the capital, Tirana.
- 2018: LGBT rights activist Zak Kostopoulos is beaten to death on a busy street in Athens
- 2015: Adventist Health System agreed to pay $118.7 million to settle allegations of fraud. It was the largest a hospital network has ever paid.
- 2013: Al-Shabaab Islamic militants attack the Westgate shopping mall in Kenya, killing at least 67 people.
- 2012: Three Egyptian militants open fire on a group of Israeli soldiers in a southern Israel cross-border attack.
- 2003: The Galileo spacecraft is terminated by sending it into Jupiter’s atmosphere.
- 2001: America: A Tribute to Heroes is broadcast by over 35 network and cable channels, raising over $200 million for the victims of the September 11 attacks.
- 2001: Ross Parker is murdered in Peterborough, England, by a gang of ten British Pakistani youths.
- 1999: The 7.7-magnitude Chi-Chi earthquake strikes central Taiwan, killing 2,400 people.
- 1997: St. Olaf’s Church, a stone church from the 16th century in Tyrvää, Finland, is burnt down by a burglar.
- 1996: The Defense of Marriage Act is passed by the United States Congress.
- 1993: Russian president Boris Yeltsin triggers a constitutional crisis when he suspends parliament and scraps the constitution.
- 1993: A Transair Georgian Airlines Tu-134 is shot down by a missile in the Black Sea near Sokhumi, Georgia.
- 1991: Armenia gains independence from the Soviet Union.
- 1984: Brunei joins the United Nations.
Famous Births 👶
- 2006: Alisha Palmowski, British female racing driver
- 1999: Wang Junkai, Chinese singer
- 1999: Alexander Isak, Eritrean-Swedish professional footballer
- 1998: Máscara de Bronce, Mexican wrestler
- 1998: Yainer Díaz, Dominican baseball player
- 1995: Bruno Caboclo, Brazilian basketball player
- 1994: Devin Williams, American baseball player
- 1993: Kirsty Gilmour, Scottish badminton player
- 1993: Kwon Mina, South Korean singer and actress
- 1993: Ante Rebić, Croatian footballer
- 1992: Kim Jong-dae, South Korean singer-songwriter
- 1992: Rodrigo Godínez, Mexican footballer
- 1992: Devyn Marble, American basketball player
- 1991: Anastassia Kovalenko, Estonian motorcycle racer
- 1991: Carlos Martínez, Dominican baseball player
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2024: Raquel Blandón, Guatemalan lawyer and activist, First Lady of Guatemala (born 1943)
- 2024: Benny Golson, American saxophonist and composer (born 1929)
- 2024: Eddie Low, New Zealand country singer and musician (born 1943)
- 2024: Mercury Morris, American football player (born 1947)
- 2023: Walewska Oliveira, Brazilian volleyball player and Olympic champion (born 1979)
- 2022: Raju Srivastav, Indian comedian, actor and politician (born 1963)
- 2021: Willie Garson, American actor (born 1964)
- 2020: Arthur Ashkin, American scientist and Nobel laureate (born 1922)
- 2018: Trần Đại Quang, President of Vietnam (born 1956)
- 2018: Vitaliy Masol, Ukrainian Former Prime Minister (born 1928)
- 2015: Yoram Gross, Polish-Australian director and producer (born 1926)
- 2015: Ray Warleigh, Australian-English saxophonist and flute player (born 1938)
- 2015: Richard Williamson, American footballer and coach (born 1941)
- 2014: Michael Harari, Israeli intelligence officer (born 1927)
- 2014: Caldwell Jones, American basketball player and coach (born 1950)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Autumnal equinox observances in the Northern Hemisphere, vernal equinox observances in the Southern Hemisphere (see September 22):
Spring Day (Argentina) - Christian feast day:
Cadoc - Christian feast day:
Ephigenia of Ethiopia - Christian feast day:
Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert (one of the Korean Martyrs) - Christian feast day:
Matthew the Evangelist (Western Church) - Christian feast day:
Maura of Troyes - Christian feast day:
Nativity of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox Church, Julian calendar) - Christian feast day:
September 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - Arbor Day (Brazil)
- Commemoration of the Declaration of Martial Law (Philippines)
- Customs Service Day (Poland)
- Founder’s Day and National Volunteer Day (Ghana)
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Armenia from the Soviet Union in 1991.
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Belize from the United Kingdom in 1981.
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Malta from the United Kingdom in 1964.