21 August 2026
► EVENTS on 21 AUGUST;
On this day in 1911 in Paris, France – The Mona Lisa painting was stolen by Vincenzo Peruggia, who was an employee of the Louvre. He was apprehended two years later, when he tried to sell the painting to directors of an art gallery in Florence, Italy.
Peruggia served 6 months in gaol and the Mona Lisa was returned to the Louvre in 1913. In 1956, the painting was damaged by vandals when one threw acid on it, and another used a rock. Bulletproof glass has since been used to shield the Mona Lisa from further attacks.
1986, Cameroon, Africa – An overnight eruption of carbon dioxide gas from the bottom of Lake Nyos suffocated 1,700 people and 3,500 head of livestock within a 20 kilometre range.
A pool of magma 80 kilometres beneath the lake releases carbon dioxide gas which seeps upwards and through the lake floor, mixing with the water to form carbonic acid. When the water becomes over-saturated, large amounts of carbon dioxide can be released into the air.
On this occasion, around 1.2 cubic kilometres of carbon dioxide effervesced from the lake waters and formed a cloud estimated at 50 metres deep, which rushed down the mountain side at around 50 km/h before dissipating.
Today’s photo: A breakky presenter’s view of High Street, New Norfolk, this time of year. (Yours Truly)
Today’s Playlist –
| TRACK | RELEASE YEAR | PLAY TIME | PREVIOUS PLAYS (*See Below) |
| Jason McCahill – It’s Good To See You | 2026 | 09:05 | 3 |
| Graeme Clarke & Heather Johnson – Someone Is Looking For Someone Like You | 2026 | 09:11 | 3 |
| Dean Perrett & Jeff Brown – Home Again | 2026 | 09:14 | 0 |
| Diamond 45s – Charting on this day 1966 + Dusty Springfield – You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me | 1966 | 09:19 | 6 |
| + Mamas & Papas – Monday Monday | 1966 | 09:22 | 6 |
| Andersonlane – Easier To Live | 2026 | 09:27 | 2 |
| Brian May & ABC Melbourne Showband – Strangers In The Night | 09:33 | 4 | |
| Count Basie & His Orchestra – Something New William James Basie, BKA Count Basie, born in Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S.A in 1904. Died 1984. | 1941 | 09:36 | 1 |
| Kenny Rogers – Coward Of The County Kenny Rogers, born in Houston, Texas, U.S.A in 1938. Died 2020 | 1979 | 09:39 | 8 |
| Jackie De Shannon – Needles And Pins Sharon Lee Myers BKA Jackie DeShannon, born in Hazel, Kentucky, U.S.A in 1944. Turns 85 | 1964 | 09:46 | 3 |
| For a Listener Brooks and Dunn – Neon Moon | 1991 | 09:50 | 1 |
| Max Bygraves – Paper Roses~Welcome Home | 09:54 | 1 | |
| Kerri Perrett – Dusty Dreams | 2026 | 10:04 | 0 |
| Richard Lynch – Radio Friend | 2026 | 10:10 | 0 |
| For a Listener Marek Torzewski – Magnes Dusz | 10:15 | 1 | |
| Vintage Vinyl + Ames Brothers – Tammy | 1957 | 10:22 | 1 |
| + Harry Belafonte – Jamaica Farewell | 1957 | 10:24 | 1 |
| Lindsay Butler – Country Strings | 10:29 | 1 | |
| Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra – Red Roses For A Blue Lady | 10:33 | 6 | |
| 70s Gem + Gerry Monroe – It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie | 1971 | 10:36 | 6 |
| + Dusk – Angel Baby | 1971 | 10:38 | 5 |
| Everly Brothers – Walk Right Back Isaac Donald Everly BKA Don Everly, died this day in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A in 2021, aged 84. | 1961 | 10:42 | 8 |
| Ray Malcolm – What In The World’s Come Over You | 2026 | 10:44 | 3 |
| Joy Adams – Let’s Make A Memory | 2026 | 10:49 | 0 |
| Toffee Nut Orion – Dust Over Kora | 2026 | 10:54 | 2 |
| New Zealand Maori Chorale – Tahi Nei Taru Kino | 10:58 | 6 | |
| Kevin Sullivan – Against The Tide | 2020 | 11:05 | 6 |
| Tony Cook – Just Be Happy | 2023 | 11:11 | 3 |
| COMFORT ZONE + Colleen Hewett – Dreaming My Dreams With You | 1983 | 11:16 | 4 |
| + Ol’ 55 – Looking For An Echo | 1976 | 11:21 | 9 |
| Bill Goodall – Theme For Young Lovers | 2022 | 11:28 | 1 |
| 101 Strings – Down By The Riverside | 11:33 | 2 | |
| Diamond 45s – Charting on this day 1966 + Dean Martin – A Million and One | 1966 | 11:39 | 0 |
| + Sandy Posey – Born A Woman | 1966 | 11:42 | 5 |
| For a Listener Shadows – Apache | 1960 | 11:44 | 30 |
| Ron Christopher – Dakota | 2026 | 11:49 | 0 |
| Elisa Bartoli & Steven Vitali – Hurt Me So And Lie | 2026 | 11:53 | 0 |
* Previous Plays: This covers the period since Edition # 1 of Valley Sunrise in 2012, and includes Friday Morning Radio, which first aired in 2016.