Summary of the Day ✨ 17 August (17/08)
Multiple terrorist attacks struck global cities today, with bombs exploding in Kabul and Bangkok while a vehicle attack in Barcelona claimed dozens of lives. In a moment of triumph, American swimmer Michael Phelps made history by becoming the first athlete to win eight gold medals at a single Olympic Games.
Historical Events 📜
- 2019: A bomb explodes at a wedding in Kabul killing 63 people and leaving 182 injured.
- 2017: Barcelona attacks: A van is driven into pedestrians in La Rambla, killing 14 and injuring at least 100.
- 2015: A bomb explodes near the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, killing at least 19 people and injuring 123 others.
- 2009: An accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam in Khakassia, Russia, kills 75 and shuts down the hydroelectric power station, leading to widespread power failure in the local area.
- 2008: American swimmer Michael Phelps becomes the first person to win eight gold medals at one Olympic Games.
- 2005: The first forced evacuation of settlers, as part of Israeli disengagement from Gaza, starts.
- 2005: Over 500 bombs are set off by terrorists at 300 locations in 63 out of the 64 districts of Bangladesh.
- 2004: The National Assembly of Serbia unanimously adopts new state symbols for Serbia: Bože pravde becomes the new anthem and the coat of arms is adopted for the whole country.
- 1999: The 7.6 Mw İzmit earthquake shakes northwestern Turkey with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), leaving 17,118–17,127 dead and 43,953–50,000 injured.
- 1998: Lewinsky scandal: US President Bill Clinton admits in taped testimony that he had an “improper physical relationship” with White House intern Monica Lewinsky; later that same day he admits before the nation that he “misled people” about the relationship.
- 1991: Strathfield massacre: In Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, taxi driver Wade Frankum shoots and kills seven people and injures six others before turning the gun on himself.
- 1988: President of Pakistan Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and U.S. Ambassador Arnold Raphel are killed in a plane crash.
- 1985: The 1985–86 Hormel strike begins in Austin, Minnesota.
- 1978: Double Eagle II becomes first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean when it lands in Miserey, France near Paris, 137 hours after leaving Presque Isle, Maine.
- 1977: The Soviet icebreaker Arktika becomes the first surface ship to reach the North Pole.
Famous Births 👶
- 2003: Nastasja Schunk, German tennis player
- 2003: The Kid Laroi, Australian rapper and songwriter
- 2000: Lil Pump, American rapper and songwriter
- 1998: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Japanese baseball player
- 1996: Jake Virtanen, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1995: Gracie Gold, American figure skater
- 1995: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, New Zealand rugby league player
- 1994: Phoebe Bridgers, American singer/songwriter
- 1994: Jack Conklin, American football player
- 1994: Taissa Farmiga, American actress
- 1993: Ederson Moraes, Brazilian footballer
- 1993: Sarah Sjöström, Swedish swimmer
- 1993: Xie Zhenye, Chinese athlete
- 1992: Saraya Bevis, English wrestler
- 1992: Alex Elisala, New Zealand-Australian rugby player (died 2013)
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2025: Terence Stamp, English actor (born 1938)
- 2024: Virginia Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie, British countess (born 1933)
- 2024: Silvio Santos, Brazilian media mogul and television host (born 1930)
- 2016: Arthur Hiller, Canadian actor, director, and producer (born 1923)
- 2015: Yvonne Craig, American ballet dancer and actress (born 1937)
- 2015: Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder, German businessman (born 1933)
- 2015: László Paskai, Hungarian cardinal (born 1927)
- 2014: Børre Knudsen, Norwegian minister and activist (born 1937)
- 2014: Wolfgang Leonhard, German historian and author (born 1921)
- 2014: Sophie Masloff, American civil servant and politician, 56th Mayor of Pittsburgh (born 1917)
- 2014: Miodrag Pavlović, Serbian poet and critic (born 1928)
- 2014: Pierre Vassiliu, French singer-songwriter (born 1937)
- 2013: Odilia Dank, American educator and politician (born 1938)
- 2013: Jack Harshman, American baseball player (born 1927)
- 2013: John Hollander, American poet and critic (born 1929)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Christian feast day:
Saint Beatrice of Silva - Christian feast day:
Saint Clare of Montefalco - Christian feast day:
Saint Hyacinth of Poland - Christian feast day:
Saint Jeanne Delanoue - Christian feast day:
Saint Mammes of Caesarea - Christian feast day:
Samuel Johnson, Timothy Cutler, and Thomas Bradbury Chandler (Episcopal Church) - Christian feast day:
August 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - Engineer’s Day (Colombia)
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence proclamation of Indonesia from Japan in 1945.