Summary of the Day ✨ 21 October (21/10)
Actor Alec Baldwin accidentally killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza on the set of Rust when a prop weapon he discharged was loaded, while in international news, a bus crash in the Democratic Republic of Congo killed 30 people and a passenger train derailment in Taiwan claimed 18 lives. In political developments, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau retained power with a minority government following the 2019 election, and US President Barack Obama announced the complete withdrawal of American troops from Iraq by year’s end.
Historical Events 📜
- 2021: A shooting occurs on the set of the film Rust, in which actor Alec Baldwin discharged a prop weapon which had been loaded, killing the director of photography, Halyna Hutchins, and injuring director Joel Souza.
- 2019: Thirty people are killed in a fiery bus crash in western Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- 2019: In Canada, the 2019 Canadian federal election ends, resulting in incumbent Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remaining in office, albeit with the Liberal Party in a minority government.
- 2018: A passenger train derails in Yilan County, Taiwan, killing 18 people and injuring 187.
- 2011: Iraq War: President Barack Obama announces that the withdrawal of United States troops from Iraq will be complete by the end of the year.
- 2003: Images of the dwarf planet Eris are taken and subsequently used in documenting its discovery.
- 1994: North Korea and the United States sign an Agreed Framework that requires North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons program and agree to inspections.
- 1994: In Seoul, South Korea, 32 people are killed when a span of the Seongsu Bridge collapses.
- 1989: In Honduras, 131 people are killed when a Boeing 727 crashes on approach to Toncontín International Airport near the nation’s capital Tegucigalpa.
- 1987: The Jaffna hospital massacre is carried out by Indian peacekeeping forces in Sri Lanka, killing 70 Tamil patients, doctors and nurses.
- 1986: In Lebanon, pro-Iran kidnappers claim to have abducted American writer Edward Tracy (he is released in August 1991).
- 1984: Niki Lauda claims his third and final Formula One Drivers’ Championship Title by half a point ahead of McLaren team-mate Alain Prost at the Portuguese Grand Prix.
- 1983: The metre is defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second.
- 1981: Andreas Papandreou becomes Prime Minister of Greece, ending an almost 50-year-long system of power dominated by conservative forces.
- 1979: Moshe Dayan resigns from the Israeli government because of strong disagreements with Prime Minister Menachem Begin over policy towards the Arabs.
Famous Births 👶
- 1995: Cameron Burgess, Scottish-Australian footballer
- 1995: Doja Cat, American rapper, singer and songwriter
- 1995: Antoinette Guedia Mouafo, Cameroonian swimmer
- 1993: Kane Brown, American singer and songwriter
- 1992: Natasha Bassett, Australian actress
- 1992: Marzia Kjellberg, Italian businessperson and former YouTuber
- 1992: Damion Lee, American basketball player
- 1992: Bernard Tomic, German-Australian tennis player
- 1991: Alexander Burmistrov, Russian ice hockey player
- 1991: Tom Eastman, English footballer
- 1991: Geoffry Hairemans, Belgian footballer
- 1991: Rob Keogh, English cricketer
- 1991: Vadaine Oliver, English footballer
- 1991: Harry Pell, English footballer
- 1990: Bengali-Fodé Koita, French footballer
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2025: Francisco Pinto Balsemão, Portuguese politician, former Prime Minister of Portugal (born 1937)
- 2024: Mimi Hines, Canadian singer and comedian (born 1933)
- 2023: Bobby Charlton, English footballer and manager (born 1937)
- 2023: Bobi, Portuguese dog (born 1992)
- 2023: Bill Hayden, Australian politician, 21st Governor General of Australia (born 1933)
- 2021: Bernard Haitink, Dutch conductor and violinist (born 1929)
- 2020: Frank Bough, English television presenter (born 1933)
- 2015: France Bučar, Slovenian lawyer and politician (born 1923)
- 2015: Marty Ingels, American actor (born 1936)
- 2015: Norman W. Moore, English conservationist and author (born 1923)
- 2015: Sheldon Wolin, American philosopher, theorist, and academic (born 1922)
- 2014: Ben Bradlee, American journalist and author (born 1921)
- 2014: Nelson Bunker Hunt, American businessman (born 1926)
- 2014: Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani, Iranian cleric and politician, Prime Minister of Iran (born 1931)
- 2014: Edith Kawelohea McKinzie, Hawaiian genealogist, author, and hula expert (born 1925)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Armed Forces Day (Honduras)
- Christian feast day:
Céline of Laon - Christian feast day:
Blessed Charles of Austria (Roman Catholic Church) - Christian feast day:
Fintán of Taghmon - Christian feast day:
Hilarion - Christian feast day:
John of Bridlington - Christian feast day:
Laura of Saint Catherine of Siena - Christian feast day:
Malchus of Syria - Christian feast day:
Pedro Calungsod - Christian feast day:
Peter Yu Tae-chol - Christian feast day:
Severinus of Bordeaux - Christian feast day:
Tuda of Lindisfarne - Christian feast day:
Ursula - Christian feast day:
Viator of Lyons - Christian feast day:
October 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)