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21 March 2024
Holidays, observances, history and sky information for this date.
Holidays
No listed India public holiday for this date.
Observances
United Nations
International Day of ForestsSelected anniversaries
Anniversary
2019 - A major explosion at a chemical plant in Yancheng, China, killed 78 people and injured 640 others.Fatal explosion in Jiangsu, China
Anniversary
2006 - A man smashed the statue of Phra Phrom at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, with a hammer, and was subsequently beaten to death by bystanders.Thai representation of the god Brahma
Anniversary
2006 - Jack Dorsey sent the first message on the social-media network Twitter.American entrepreneur (born 1976)
Anniversary
1983 - In the West Bank, a number of Palestinian girls complained of breathing difficulties due to strange odors, leading to accusations of poison gas.Palestinian territory occupied by Israel
Anniversary
1980 - The American soap opera Dallas aired the episode "A House Divided", which led to eight months of international speculation on "Who shot J.R.?"American prime time soap opera (1978–1991)
Historical events
History
2022 - China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 crashes in Guangxi, China, killing 132 people.2022 plane crash in Guangxi, China
History
2019 - The 2019 Xiangshui chemical plant explosion occurs, killing at least 47 people and injuring 640 others.Fatal explosion in Jiangsu, China
History
2006 - The social media site Twitter (now officially named X) is founded.Virtual online communities
History
2000 - Pope John Paul II makes his first ever pontifical visit to Israel.Head of the Catholic Church from 1978 to 2005
History
1999 - Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones become the first to circumnavigate the Earth in a hot air balloon.Swiss balloonist and psychiatrist
History
1994 - The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change enters into force.International environmental treaty
History
1990 - Namibia becomes independent after 75 years of South African rule.Country in Southern Africa
History
1989 - Transbrasil Flight 801 crashes into a slum near São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport, killing 25 people.1989 aviation accident
History
1986 - Debi Thomas becomes the first African American to win the World Figure Skating Championships.American figure skater (born 1967)
History
1985 - Canadian paraplegic athlete and humanitarian Rick Hansen begins his circumnavigation of the globe in a wheelchair in the name of spinal cord injury medical research.Impairment of motor and sensory functions in the lower limbs
Notable births
Born
2000 - Yoon San-ha, South Korean singer and actorSouth Korean singer and actor (born 2000)
Born
1998 - Miles Bridges, American basketball playerAmerican basketball player (born 1998)
Born
1997 - Martina Stoessel, Argentine singer and actressArgentine singer and actress (born 1997)
Notable deaths
Died
2026 - Michael Lyster, Irish radio and television broadcaster (born 1954)Irish radio and television broadcaster (1954–2026)
Died
2026 - Rhoda Roberts, Australian arts executive (born 1959)Australian arts executive (1959–2026)
Died
2025 - Kitty Dukakis, American author, First Lady of Massachusetts (born 1936)American author (1936–2025)
Died
2025 - George Foreman, American boxer, actor, and businessman (born 1949)American boxer (1949–2025)
Died
2023 - Willis Reed, American basketball player (born 1942)American basketball player (1942–2023)
Died
2021 - Nawal El Saadawi, Egyptian secularist, feminist (born 1931)Egyptian feminist writer, activist, physician and psychiatrist (1931–2021)
Died
2019 - Victor Hochhauser CBE, British music promoter (born 1923)British music promoter (1923–2019)
Died
2019 - Gonzalo Portocarrero, Peruvian sociologist (born 1949)Peruvian sociologist (1949–2019)
Sky
Moon phase
Waxing Gibbous
85.5% illuminated
Lunar age: 11.1 days
Sun zodiac
Aries
1.36 degrees
Constellation: Pisces
Moon zodiac
Leo
20.26 degrees
Constellation: Leo
Astronomy events
No major astronomy event in the current calendar for this date.