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17 March 2024
Holidays, observances, history and sky information for this date.
Holidays
No listed India public holiday for this date.
Observances
No UN observance in the current list for this date.
Selected anniversaries
Anniversary
2011 - First Libyan Civil War: The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1973, authorizing military intervention in Libya to protect civilians.Armed conflict in North Africa
Anniversary
2004 - Unrest in Kosovo broke out, resulting in the deaths of 28, the wounding of more than 600 others, and the destruction of several Serb Orthodox churches and shrines.Ethnic violence in Kosovo
Anniversary
2000 - Hundreds of followers of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, a Ugandan sect, died in a mass murder committed by its leaders.Ugandan religious movement (1989–2000)
Anniversary
1988 - Eritrean War of Independence: Eritrean People's Liberation Front troops encircled Ethiopian forces in the Battle of Afabet, gaining a decisive victory three days later.1961–1991 conflict within Ethiopia
Anniversary
1979 - The Penmanshiel Tunnel in the Scottish Borders collapsed during refurbishing construction, killing two workers, and leading to the abandonment of the tunnel.Abandoned railway tunnel in Scotland
Historical events
History
2016 - Rojava conflict: At a conference in Rmelan, the Movement for a Democratic Society declares the establishment of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria.Military and political conflict in northern Syria
History
2004 - Unrest in Kosovo: More than 22 are killed and 200 wounded. Thirty-five Serbian Orthodox shrines in Kosovo and two mosques in Serbia are destroyed.Ethnic violence in Kosovo
History
2003 - Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council, Robin Cook, resigns from the British Cabinet in disagreement with government plans for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.Political role in the UK Government
History
2000 - Five hundred and thirty members of the Ugandan cult Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God die in a fire, considered to be a mass murder or suicide orchestrated by leaders of the cult. Elsewhere another 248 members are later found dead.Country in East Africa
History
1992 - Israeli Embassy attack in Buenos Aires: Car bomb attack kills 29 and injures 242.Suicide bombing in Argentina
History
1992 - A referendum to end apartheid in South Africa is passed 68.7% to 31.2%."Yes" vote by white South Africans to abolish apartheid
History
1988 - A Colombian Boeing 727 jetliner, Avianca Flight 410, crashes into a mountainside near the Venezuelan border killing 143.Country in South America
History
1988 - Eritrean War of Independence: The Nadew Command, an Ethiopian army corps in Eritrea, is attacked on three sides by military units of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front in the opening action of the Battle of Afabet.1961–1991 conflict within Ethiopia
History
1985 - Serial killer Richard Ramirez, aka the "Night Stalker", commits the first two murders in his Los Angeles murder spree.American serial killer and sex offender (1960–2013)
History
1979 - The Penmanshiel Tunnel collapses during engineering works, killing two workers.Abandoned railway tunnel in Scotland
Notable births
Born
2001 - Pietro Pellegri, Italian footballerItalian association football player
Born
1998 - Brandon Aiyuk, American football playerAmerican football player (born 1998)
Born
1997 - Daniel Sprong, Dutch ice hockey playerDutch ice hockey player (born 1997)
Born
1995 - Claressa Shields, American boxer and mixed martial artistAmerican boxer (born 1995)
Born
1994 - DeForest Buckner, American football playerAmerican football player (born 1994)
Born
1994 - Terry Rozier, American basketball playerAmerican basketball player (born 1994)
Notable deaths
Died
2025 - John Hemingway, Irish fighter pilot, last surviving Battle of Britain pilot (born 1919)Irish RAF fighter pilot (1919–2025)
Died
2025 - Lee Shau-kee, Hong Kong real estate billionaire (born 1928)Hong Kong real estate billionaire (1928–2025)
Died
2021 - John Magufuli, the fifth President of Tanzania (born 1959)President of Tanzania from 2015 to 2021
Died
2018 - Mike MacDonald, Canadian comedian (born 1954)Canadian actor & comedian (1954–2018)
Died
2018 - Phan Văn Khải, the fifth Prime Minister of Vietnam (born 1933)Vietnamese politician (1933–2018)
Died
2016 - Meir Dagan, Israeli general (born 1945)Israeli general and Mossad director (1945–2016)
Died
2016 - Zoltán Kamondi, Hungarian director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1960)Hungarian film director (1960–2016)
Sky
Moon phase
First Quarter
46.9% illuminated
Lunar age: 7.1 days
Sun zodiac
Pisces
27.39 degrees
Constellation: Pisces
Moon zodiac
Cancer
1.24 degrees
Constellation: Auriga
Astronomy events
No major astronomy event in the current calendar for this date.