(K) Kazakhstan—The flag of Kazakhstan was adopted on 4 June 1992, replacing the Soviet-era flag. The flag was designed by Shaken Niyazbekov.
(L) Lake Huron—Manitoulin Island, the largest lake island in the world, is located in Lake Huron, Ontario. With an area of 2,766 sq km, it contains over 100 lakes, including Lake Manitou, Lake Kagawong and Lake Mindemoya. Lady Macbeth, Sleepwalking scene, Macbeth. Wikipedia
(M) Macbeth—In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Lady Macbeth sleepwalks, rubbing her hands and recalling the deaths of King Duncan, Lady Macduff and Banquo. The Doctor, observing her guilt-ridden state, believes she needs divine help rather than medical treatment.
(N) Naughtiest—Enid Blyton’s Naughtiest Girl series, set at a progressive boarding school, was written in the 1940s and 1950s. Anne Digby later added to the series. Poster for Hyde Park of Hudson Wikipedia
(O) Olivia Colman—is an English actress, is known for her roles in television series like Peep Show, Broadchurch and The Crown, as well as films like The Favourite, The Father and The Lost Daughter. She has received numerous awards, including an Academy Award, four BAFTAs, two Emmys and three Golden Globes. As well as playing Elizabeth II in The Crown she played her mother, Queen Elizabeth, who was King George VI’s consort and the future Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in Hyde Park on Hudson.
(P) Putney Bridge—The Boat Race is an annual rowing competition between Cambridge and Oxford universities, held on the River Thames in London. The men’s race began in 1829 and the women’s race in 1927. Cambridge leads in both the men’s and women’s races, with 87 and 47 wins respectively.
Putney Bridge at Dusk as viewed from the south-west at the boat sheds along the Thames. Wikipedia
This note was issued on 14 July 2005, the opening day of the Open Golf Championship at St Andrews, and celebrated the remarkable career of Jack Nicklaus, who won the Open three times, including twice at St Andrews. It was the first British banknote to feature a living non-royal person. Wikipedia
Six—Nicklaus won six Masters, the last being in 1986. Nicknamed “the Golden Bear”, he won 117 professional tournaments, including a record 18 major championships, and is considered one of the greatest golfers of all time. This note was issued on 14 July 2005, the opening day of the Open Golf Championship at St Andrews, and celebrated the remarkable career of Jack Nicklaus, who won the Open three times, including twice at St Andrews. It was the first British banknote to feature a living non-royal person. Mars Odyssey Patch. Wikipedia
24 October 2001—The Mars Odyssey orbiter, launched in 2001, studies water, ice, geology, and radiation on Mars and acts as a communication relay. The mission was planned to last 32 months but has been expanded by more than 20 years and is expected to end later in 2025.
Geneva, Switzerland—The World Health Organisation (WHO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations that coordinates international public health responses. Established in 1948, the WHO promotes health and safety, provides technical assistance, sets international health standards, and advocates for universal health care coverage. The organisation is governed by the World Health Assembly and funded primarily by member states and private donors. Francis Ford Coppola. Wikipedia
Francis Ford Coppola—an American filmmaker known for his work in the New Hollywood movement. He is celebrated for directing films like The Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now and The Conversation, which have earned him numerous awards and accolades.
Albania—Italy invaded Albania in 1939, leading to the creation of an Italian protectorate and the exile of King Zog. During World War II, Italy’s ambitions for Greater Albania, encompassing Albanian-majority regions, were realised until Nazi Germany took control in 1943. Albanian partisans liberated it from Nazi occupation in 1944.
All of the events below happened today, 7 April, in various years.
Artist’s rendering, from NASA, of the Mars Odyssey spacecraft, in mission configuration. Wikipedia
Jack Nicklaus won his first Masters tournament on 7 April 1963 at the age of 23; how many Masters titles did he win during his career?
Four
Five
Six
The Mars Odyssey spacecraft was launched today in 2001. When did it reach Mars orbit?
15 July 2001
24 October 2001
1 February 2002
On this day in 1948, the World Health Organization, a specialised agency of the UN, was formally established. Where is it based?
Geneva, Switzerland
New York, US
Vienna, Austria
Born today in 1939, who directed the 1979 film Apocalypse Now?
Francis Ford Coppola
Wolfgang Petersen
Martin Scorsese
On 7 April 1939, Benito Mussolini made ___ a protectorate, forcing King Zog I into exile and replacing him with King Victor Emmanuel II. What missing country completes this sentence?
It was not a question today but the original Olympic motto, “Citius, Altius, Fortius”, is Latin for “Faster, Higher, Stronger”. It was proposed by Pierre de Coubertin who borrowed from his friend Henri Didon, a Dominican priest and athletics aficionado.
The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below.
Marathon foot race—The marathon commemorates Pheidippides, a Greek soldier, who ran from Marathon to Athens to announce the Athenian victory over the Persians. The first modern marathon winner was a Greek, Spyridon Louis. Oddjob. Goldfinger, 1964. Wikipedia
Oddjob—played by Harold Sakata in Goldfinger (1964). Sakata won a silver medal in weightlifting’s light-heavyweight division at the London Olympics in 1948?
London—hosted in 1908, 1948 and 2012; Paris (1900, 1924 and 2024) and Athens (1896 and 2004). Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, 2011. Wikipedia
Maurice Ravel—Performing Boléro at the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean won gold and became the highest-scoring figure skaters of all time for a single programme. Their performance was watched by over 24 million people in the UK.
Egypt— According to the BBC, there are “Some facilities earmarked by Egypt for 2036, including a 90,000-seater stadium, are already in use at its yet-to-be-named New Administrative Capital, located some 40km east of Cairo.
Stadium, New Administrative Capital, Egypt. Wikipedia
Prestwick—The first Open Championship, held in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club, marked the beginning of modern golfing history. Willie Park won the inaugural event, beating Old Tom Morris by two strokes. Prestwick hosted the first 12 Open Championships and a total of 24, second only to St Andrews.
Lily and James—James and Lily Potter, parents of Harry, were members of the Order of the Phoenix. James was an Animagus and co-author of the Marauder’s Map, while Lily was a Muggle-born witch. Both were killed by Voldemort. The station pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon. Wikipedia
23 countries—Astronauts/cosmonauts from the following countries have visited the ISS; the number of visits by each nation is also shown. (Information obtained from NASA at 15:15GMT 30 March 2025). United States (168 visitors), Russia (62), Japan (11), Canada (9), Italy (6), France (4,), Germany (4), Saudi Arabia (2), Sweden (2), United Arab Emirates (2), Belarus (1), Belgium (1), Brazil (1), Denmark (1), Great Britain (1), Israel (1), Kazakhstan (1), Malaysia (1), Netherlands (1), South Africa (1), South Korea (1), Spain (1), Turkey (1). Jabberwocky. Wikipedia
Animal—the jabberwock is depicted as a dragon-like monster with various features, including a serpentine neck, rabbit-like teeth, spidery talons and bat-like wings. Koala distribution in Australia. Wikipedia
South Australia—The koala’s range spans 1,000,000 km2 across eastern and southeastern Australia, including Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
City of Kings—Named Ciudad de los Reyes by the Spanish under Francisco Pizarro, the name was chosen of the feast of the Epiphany, the coming of the Magi—the three
In 1540, five years after the city of Lima was founded, the first church built by Francisco Pizarro was inaugurated. Wikipedia
Willie Park Sr., the first “Champion Golfer of the Year”, wearing the Challenge Belt, the winner’s prize at The Open until 1870. Wikipedia
G is for golf. The first Open Championship played at St Andrews in 1873, was actually the 13th championship in the competition’s history. Where had the first twelve Open Championships taken place?
Carnoustie, Angus
Musselburgh, East Lothian
Prestwick, Ayrshire
H is for Harry. In the books by J.K. Rowling, who were Harry Potter’s parents?
Molly and Arthur
Lily and James
Rose and Hugo
I is for International Space Station (ISS). By March 2025, individuals from how many countries had visited the ISS?
9 countries
16 countries
23 countries
J is for Jabberwocky. Jabberwocky is a nonsense poem included in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass, the follow-up to Alice in Wonderland. What word best describes a jabberwock?
K is for koala. In what parts of Australia are koalas native in the 21st century?
Northern Territory
South Australia
Western Australia
L is for Lima. The Spanish founded the city now known as Lima, the capital city of Peru, in 1535 but their chosen name quickly fell into disuse. What, in English, was this chosen name?
Montreal, Quebec – William Shatner, a Canadian actor, is renowned for his prolific output and self-deprecating humour, which have solidified his place in North American pop culture. He is best known for his iconic role as Captain James T. Kirk in the science fiction television series Star Trek (1966–69) and several Star Trek films.
Amerigo Vespucci—is best remembered for the place named after him. He believed Brazil was part of a new continent, inspiring Waldseemüller to name it “America”—the Latinised Amerigo—in 1507. This name became standard on maps of the New World. Ruins of the Great Dam of Marib, Yemen. Wikipedia
Yemen—The Arab League, formed in Cairo in 1945 with seven members, is a regional organisation in the Arab world. It now has 22 members and its main goals are to strengthen relations, safeguard independence, and consider the affairs of Arab countries.
1934—The 1934 Masters Tournament, the first of its kind, was held at Augusta National Golf Club. Horton Smith won the event with a 284 (−4), one stroke ahead of Craig Wood.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat—the following quote is about Lloyd Webber and Rice’s collaboration: “The names of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice are, of course, forever bound together in musical theatre history, like those of Gilbert and Sullivan.”—Theatre critic Mark Shenton on the partnership of Lloyd Webber and Rice.
All of the following are about today’s date, 22 March, but in a variety of years.
William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk. Wikipedia
William Shatner was born today in 1931 in the Canadian city of…
Montreal, Quebec
Toronto, Ontario
Vancouver, British Columbia
On this day in 1508, Ferdinand II of Aragon commissioned a new chief navigator of the Spanish Empire. Born in the Republic of Florence, he was…
Amerigo Vespucci
Vasco da Gama
Christopher Columbus.
The Arab League was formed this day in Cairo by Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan (now Jordan) and…
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates
Yemen
The first Masters Tournament took place at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia on this date in…
1934
1938
1941
The 22nd March 1948 saw the birth of the English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who is well known for his collaboration with Tim Rice. The first of their works to be performed publicly was…