A model of a Montana-class battleship

The Montana-class was a planned class of battleship for the United States Navy and five were approved for construction during World War II. With increased anti-aircraft capability and substantially thicker armor in all areas, the Montanas would have been the largest and most heavily armed US battleships ever, and would rival Japan's Yamato-class battleships in terms of displacement. The first two vessels were approved by Congress in 1939 following the passage of the Naval Act of 1938. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor delayed the construction of the Montana-class. The success of carrier combat at the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway diminished the perceived value of the battleship. Consequently, the US Navy chose to cancel the Montana-class before any keels were laid in favor of more urgently needed aircraft carriers as well as amphibious and anti-submarine vessels and continuing production of Essex-class aircraft carriers and Iowa-class battleships. (Full article...)

Octopussy and The Living Daylights is the fourteenth and final James Bond book written by Ian Fleming. The book is a collection of short stories published in the United Kingdom by Jonathan Cape on 23 June 1966, after Fleming's death in August 1964. The book originally contained two stories, "Octopussy" and "The Living Daylights"; subsequent editions also included "The Property of a Lady" and then "007 in New York". The stories first appeared in different publications. Many of the elements of the stories are from Fleming's own interests and experiences, including climbing in Kitzbühel, Austria, wartime commando deeds and the sea-life of Jamaica. He used the names of friends and acquaintances for characters within the stories. The two original stories, "Octopussy" and "The Living Daylights", were adapted for publication in comic strip format in the Daily Express in 1966–1967. Elements from the stories have also been used in the Eon Productions Bond films, including the background for the character Octopussy in the film of the same name. (Full article...)

The Duckport Canal was an unsuccessful military venture by Union forces during the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. Ordered built in late March 1863 by Major General Ulysses S. Grant, the canal stretched from the Mississippi River near Duckport, Louisiana, to New Carthage, Louisiana, and utilized a series of swampy bayous for much of its path. It was intended to provide a water-based supply route for a southward movement against the Confederate-held city of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Manual digging was provided by 3,500 soldiers from Grant's army and was finished on April 12. The next day, the levee separating the canal cut and the Mississippi River was breached, and water flowed into the canal. Trees that had grown up in the bayous and falling water levels that reached as shallow as 6 inches (15 cm) at one point hampered the use of the canal, and the project was abandoned on May 4. After some inland maneuvering and a lengthy siege, Vicksburg surrendered on July 4. (Full article...)

During the 1998–99 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division, the third tier of the English football league system. It was the 67th season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 49th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. The club signed two new forwards, each for a new club record transfer fee, but started the season in poor form, winning only one of the first eight league games. The team then went on a much-improved run, being undefeated for 17 league games, and began challenging for promotion to the Football League First Division. Gillingham finished the regular season in fourth place in the Second Division, qualifying for the play-offs for promotion to the First Division. After defeating Preston North End in the semi-finals, they played Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in the final, which Manchester City won the subsequent penalty shoot-out to gain promotion. (Full article...)

Lyon depicted escaping from New Prison

Elizabeth Lyon (fl. c. 1722–1726) was an English thief and prostitute. She was working as a prostitute at the Black Lyon alehouse in London by 1723, where she began a relationship with Jack Sheppard. At Lyon's instigation, Sheppard stole from places where he worked, then moved to housebreaking; Lyon became an accomplice to his crimes. Sheppard was arrested on several occasions and broke out soon after incarceration, often assisted by Lyon. In May 1724, she was arrested when visiting him in prison, and the pair broke out of New Prison. After Sheppard's execution in November 1724, Lyon entered into relationships with other men who were, or became, involved in housebreaking, and she sometimes assisted them. Lyon was arrested in March 1726 and transported to Maryland. Lyon's notoriety is based on her connection to Sheppard; in the years following his execution, novels were published and plays performed that retold their story. (Full article...)

Le Guin, author of Paradises Lost

Paradises Lost is a science fiction novella by American author Ursula K. Le Guin (pictured) first published in 2002 in the collection The Birthday of the World. Set during a multigenerational voyage from Earth to a potentially habitable planet, it follows two members of the fifth generation born aboard the ship as the ship's society responds to the idea of landing on a planet after an extended period in space. The novella explores the isolation brought on by space travel, as well as themes of religion and utopia. It has elements of ecocriticism, a critique of the idea that human beings are altogether separate from their natural environment. Scholar Max Haiven described the novella as "a chastening lesson in both the potential and the perils of freedom", while author Margaret Atwood said that it "shows us our own natural world as a freshly discovered Paradise Regained, a realm of wonder". The novella has been anthologized as well as adapted into an opera of the same name. (Full article...)

Coin depicting Zenobia as empress

Zenobia (c. 240 – c. 274) was queen of the Palmyrene Empire. Her husband Odaenathus became king in 260 and elevated Palmyra's power in the Near East by defeating the Sassanians and stabilizing the Roman East. After his assassination, she became the regent of her son Vaballathus and held de facto power throughout his reign. In 270, Zenobia launched an invasion which brought most of the Roman East under her sway, culminating with the annexation of Egypt. In reaction to Roman emperor Aurelian's campaign in 272, Zenobia declared Palmyra's secession from Rome, naming her son emperor and assuming the title of empress. The Romans were victorious after heavy fighting; the queen was besieged in her capital and captured by Aurelian. He exiled her to Rome, where she spent the remainder of her life. Zenobia fostered a multicultural and intellectual environment in her court, which was open to scholars and philosophers. Her biography has inspired historians, artists and novelists. (Full article...)

Hawke in 2025

Ethan Hawke (born 1970) is an American actor, author, and filmmaker whose career on both screen and stage has spanned over four decades. Known for his versatile range of roles—often in art films—and collaborations with director Richard Linklater, he made his film debut in Explorers (1985) and gained fame with Dead Poets Society (1989), Reality Bites (1994), Gattaca (1997), and Great Expectations (1998). He was Academy Award-nominated for his roles in Training Day (2001) and Boyhood (2014), as well as for screenwriting two films from the Before trilogy (1995–2013), in which he also starred. Hawke saw commercial success with Sinister (2012), The Purge (2013), The Magnificent Seven (2016), and the Black Phone films (2021–2025). He made his Broadway debut in 1992 in Anton Chekhov's The Seagull and was nominated for a Tony Award in 2007 for his performance in Tom Stoppard's The Coast of Utopia. Hawke has authored five books and has four children between his two marriages. (Full article...)

High and Low is a 1963 Japanese police procedural film directed by Akira Kurosawa, based on the 1959 novel King's Ransom by Evan Hunter. Starring Toshirō Mifune and Tatsuya Nakadai, it tells the story of Japanese businessman Kingo Gondō engaged in a struggle over the ownership of a shoe company. When kidnappers mistakenly kidnap his chauffeur's son for ransom, he is forced to make a decision about how to use the money he has leveraged from mortgaging everything he owns. Released in Japan on 1 March 1963, the film became the highest-grossing film at the Japanese box office for that year. The film received positive reviews both domestically and abroad, with critical attention focusing on the film's structure, moral humanism, and the use of blocking. The film has been influential among modern filmmakers, and has been remade multiple times internationally. (Full article...)

Taylor Swift

"Mean" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift (pictured) from her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Big Machine Records released it to US country radio on March 7, 2011. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Mean" is a six-string banjo-led country, country pop, and bluegrass track that incorporates fiddles and mandolins. In the lyrics, Swift addresses her detractors and strives to overcome the criticism and achieve success. Retrospectively, several publications have listed "Mean" as one of the best country songs. It won Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance at the 2012 Grammy Awards. The track received certifications in Australia, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The music video, which features themes of self-empowerment and anti-bullying, garnered multiple industry nominations. Swift included "Mean" in the set lists of the Speak Now World Tour (2011–2012) and the Red Tour (2013–2014). (Full article...)

The FA Cup trophy

The 1876 FA Cup final was an association football match between Wanderers F.C. and Old Etonians F.C. on 11 March 1876 at Kennington Oval in London (cup pictured). The Wanderers won the Cup on two previous occasions, while the Etonians were playing their second consecutive final. Both teams had conceded only one goal in the four rounds of the competition prior to the final. The match ended in a 1–1 draw, the second consecutive FA Cup final to finish level and require a replay. John Hawley Edwards scored for the Wanderers, but the Etonians equalised with a goal credited in modern publications to Alexander Bonsor. A week later, the teams met again at the same venue. The Etonians were forced to make several changes to their line-up due to players being unavailable, and the revised team lost 3–0. Charles Wollaston and Thomas Bridges Hughes scored a goal apiece in a five-minute spell before half-time, and Hughes added the third early in the second half. (This article is part of a featured topic: Wanderers F.C.)

Wolf in 2010

Swift Justice is an American detective drama television series created by Dick Wolf (pictured) and Richard Albarino which aired for one season on UPN from March 13 to July 17, 1996. It follows former Navy SEAL Mac Swift (James McCaffrey), a private investigator who was fired from the New York City Police Department. He receives support from his former partner Detective Randall Patterson (Gary Dourdan) and his father Al Swift (Len Cariou). Episodes were filmed on location in New York. Critics noted its emphasis on violence, specifically in the pilot episode's opening sequence, comparing it to the crime drama The Equalizer (1985–1989) and the 1988 film Die Hard. UPN canceled the program after receiving complaints from viewers, advertisers, and critics of its violent scenes. Wolf considered the cancellation a mistake due to the show's good ratings. The series was praised for its visuals and McCaffrey's performance, but criticized as being either too violent or formulaic. (Full article...)

An illustration of the value of pi

The number π is a mathematical constant, approximately equal to 3.14159, that is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. It is an irrational number, meaning that it cannot be expressed exactly as a ratio of two integers. It is also a transcendental number – as a consequence, it is not possible to "square the circle". Its decimal representation never ends, nor enters a permanently repeating pattern. The digits of π appear to be randomly distributed, but no proof of this conjecture has been found. π appears in many formulae in mathematics and physics, and for thousands of years, mathematicians have computed its value with increasing accuracy. In the 20th and 21st centuries, mathematicians and computer scientists have extended the decimal representation of π to many trillions of digits. π is found in many formulae in trigonometry and geometry, especially those concerning circles and spheres. π is one of the most widely known mathematical constants inside and outside of science. (Full article...)

The Corleck Head is a 1st or 2nd century AD three-faced Irish stone idol discovered in Drumeague in County Cavan c. 1855. Its dating to the Iron Age is based on its iconography, which is similar to that of contemporary northern European Celtic art artefacts. Most archaeologists believe that it probably depicts a Celtic god and was intended to be placed on top of a larger shrine. The head is carved from a single block of limestone into three simply described faces. They each have similar features, including protruding eyes, thin and narrow mouths and enigmatic expressions. The head's dating and cultural significance are difficult to establish. The faces may depict all-knowing, all-seeing gods representing the unity of the past, present and future. The head is assumed to have been intended for ceremonial used on the nearby Corleck Hill, a major religious centre during the late Iron Age and a site for celebration of the Lughnasadh, a pre-Christian harvest festival. (Full article...)

Robert Poore (20 March 1866 – 14 July 1938) was an Anglo-Irish cricketer and British Army officer. He played in first-class cricket playing county cricket in England for Hampshire, where he gained a reputation as a batsman. Poore also played first-class cricket in India for the Europeans in the Bombay Presidency Matches. He began his military service in the Volunteer Force with the 3rd (Royal Wiltshire Militia) Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment. From there, he transferred to the 7th Hussars. Poore served in the Second Matabele War in Southern Africa and later in the Second Boer War from 1899 to 1902, during which he was seconded to the Mounted Military Police and served as provost marshal at Army Headquarters Pretoria. Decorated with the Distinguished Service Order during the war, Poore served in the First World War between 1914 and 1918, commanding the Jhansi Brigade of the British Indian Army, for which he was made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire. (Full article...)

The 2021 Tour Championship (officially the 2021 Cazoo Tour Championship) was a professional snooker tournament that took place from 22 to 28 March 2021 at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales. Organised by the World Snooker Tour, it was the third edition of the Tour Championship and the third and final event of the third season of the Cazoo Cup. The draw for the Tour Championship comprised the top eight players based on the single year ranking list. The event was contested as a single-elimination tournament, each match being played over two sessions. The winner of the tournament received £150,000 out of a total prize fund of £380,000. The event was sponsored by car retailer Cazoo. The defending champion was Stephen Maguire, but as a result of reduced earnings during the season he was unable to qualify and defend the title. In a repeat of the 2019 final Australian Neil Robertson played Englishman Ronnie O'Sullivan. Robertson won the event defeating O'Sullivan 10–4 in the final. There were 26 century breaks made during the event. (Full article...)

Chris Redfield is a character in Resident Evil (Biohazard in Japan), a survival horror video game series created by the Japanese company Capcom. He was introduced as one of the two playable characters of the original Resident Evil, which released on March 22, 1996, appearing alongside his partner Jill Valentine as a member of the Raccoon Police Department's Special Tactics and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.) unit. Chris and Jill fight against the Umbrella Corporation, a pharmaceutical company whose bioterrorism creates zombies and other bio-organic weapons. Later, the pair became founding members of the United Nations' Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA). Chris is the protagonist in several Resident Evil games, novels, and films, and has also appeared in other game franchises. In later games, his features were based on New Zealand model Geordie Dandy. Critics have been polarized in their critiques of the character, with a focus on the frequent modifications and inconsistency in his design. (Full article...)

Alysa Liu at the event

The 2025 World Figure Skating Championships were held from March 26 to 30, 2025, at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States. Sanctioned by the International Skating Union, the World Figure Skating Championships are considered the most prestigious event in figure skating. Medals were awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. The competition determined the entry quotas for each skating federation to the 2026 Winter Olympics. Ilia Malinin of the United States won the men's event for the second time, while Alysa Liu (pictured), also of the United States, won the women's event while accomplishing a personal best score in the short program and free skating routines. Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan won the pairs event, earning their second title, and Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States won the ice dance event for the third consecutive year. (Full article...)

The Boat Races 2016 (also known as The Cancer Research UK Boat Races for the purposes of sponsorship) took place on 27 March 2016. Held annually, The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge along a 4.2-mile (6.8 km) tidal stretch of the River Thames in south-west London. For the first time in the history of the event, the men's, women's and both reserves' races were all held on the Tideway on the same day. Trials for the race took place on the Championship Course in December 2015, and the selected crews took part in several practice races in the build-up to the main event. The weigh-in for the men's and women's races took place on 1 March 2016 with both Cambridge's men and women the heavier crews. Pre-race betting on the men's and women's event had Cambridge's men and Oxford's women as favourites to win. The men's race was won by Cambridge by two and a half lengths, taking the overall record in the event to 82–79 in their favour. (Full article...)

Sam Loxton c. 1948

Sam Loxton (29 March 1921 – 3 December 2011) was an Australian footballer, cricketer and politician. He played 41 games in the Victorian Football League for St Kilda and served in a tank division during World War II. Loxton retired in 1946 to pursue a cricket career and played 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951. He then represented Victoria for seven seasons. He was also the team manager for Australia's tour of Pakistan and India in 1959–60, overseeing a successful campaign despite serious illnesses to various personnel. After retiring from the sport, he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as a member of the Liberal Party, representing the electoral district of Prahran from 1955 to 1979. He was also a state selector for over two decades and served at national level for ten years. Loxton responded to various tumultuous events during his tenure, often relating to player misconduct; he retired from cricket administration in 1981 following the underarm incident. (Full article...)