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15 August 2024
Holidays, observances, history and sky information for this date.
Holidays
Holiday
Independence DayObservances
No UN observance in the current list for this date.
Selected anniversaries
Anniversary
2005 - The Helsinki Agreement between the Free Aceh Movement and the Government of Indonesia was signed, ending more than 28 years of fighting.1976–2005 separatist group in Indonesia
Anniversary
1998 - The Troubles: A car bomb attack carried out by the Real Irish Republican Army killed 29 people and injured approximately 220 others in Omagh, Northern Ireland.1960s–1998 conflict in Northern Ireland
Anniversary
1977 - Big Ear, a radio telescope at Ohio State University, received a strong, apparently extraterrestrial radio signal that became known as the Wow! signal (printout pictured).Kraus-type radio telescope in Ohio from 1963–98
Anniversary
1963 - President Fulbert Youlou was overthrown in the Republic of Congo, after a three-day uprising in the capital.1st President of Congo-Brazzaville from 1960 to 1963
Anniversary
1948 - The Republic of Korea was established with Syngman Rhee as its first president.Historical events
History
2025 - US president Donald Trump meets with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Alaska, the first such summit since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.President of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)
History
2021 - Kabul falls into the hands of the Taliban as Ashraf Ghani flees Afghanistan along with local residents and foreign nationals, effectively reestablishing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.Capital and the largest city of Afghanistan
History
2020 - Russia begins production on the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine.Russian vaccine against COVID-19
History
2015 - North Korea moves its clock back half an hour to introduce Pyongyang Time, 81⁄2 hours ahead of UTC.Country in East Asia
History
2013 - At least 27 people are killed and 226 injured in an explosion in southern Beirut near a complex used by Lebanon's militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. A previously unknown Syrian Sunni group claims responsibility in an online video.Islamist terror attack in Lebanon
History
2013 - The Smithsonian announces the discovery of the olinguito, the first new carnivorous species found in the Americas in 35 years.US group of museums and research centers
History
2007 - An 8.0-magnitude earthquake off the Pacific coast devastates Ica and various regions of Peru, killing 514 and injuring 1,090.Extreme earthquake and tsunami off the coast of Peru
History
2005 - Israel's unilateral disengagement plan to evict all Israelis from the Gaza Strip and from four settlements in the northern West Bank begins.2005 Israeli government initiative
History
2005 - The Helsinki Agreement between the Free Aceh Movement and the Government of Indonesia is signed, ending almost three decades of fighting.1976–2005 separatist group in Indonesia
History
1999 - Beni Ounif massacre in Algeria: Some 29 people are killed at a false roadblock near the Moroccan border, leading to temporary tensions with Morocco.Commune and town in Béchar Province, Algeria
Notable births
Born
1995 - Setyana Mapasa, Indonesian-Australian badminton playerIndonesian-Australian badminton player (born 1995)
Born
1994 - Lasse Vigen Christensen, Danish footballerDanish footballer (born 1994)
Born
1993 - Clinton N'Jie, Cameroonian footballerCameroonian footballer (born 1993)
Born
1993 - Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, English footballerEnglish footballer (born 1993)
Notable deaths
Died
2024 - Peter Marshall, American game show host, performer, and singer (born 1926)American game show host, performer, singer (1926–2024)
Died
2021 - Gerd Müller, German footballer (born 1945)German footballer (1945–2021)
Died
2020 - Robert Trump, American real-estate developer, business executive (born 1948)American businessman (1948–2020)
Died
2017 - Gunnar Birkerts, Latvian-American architect (born 1925)American architect
Died
2015 - Julian Bond, American academic, leader of the civil rights movement, and politician (born 1940)American politician and activist (1940–2015)
Died
2015 - Hamid Gul, Pakistani general (born 1936)Pakistani director of Intelligence (1936–2015)
Died
2014 - Licia Albanese, Italian-American soprano and actress (born 1909)Italian-born American operatic soprano (1909–2014)
Died
2013 - Rosalía Mera, Spanish businesswoman, co-founded Inditex and Zara (born 1944)Spanish businesswoman (1944–2013)
Sky
Moon phase
Waxing Gibbous
80.3% illuminated
Lunar age: 10.4 days
Sun zodiac
Leo
23.15 degrees
Constellation: Leo
Moon zodiac
Sagittarius
26.75 degrees
Constellation: Ophiuchus
Astronomy events
No major astronomy event in the current calendar for this date.