Summary of the Day ✨ 11 March (11/03)
Violence erupts globally as Burmese forces massacre villagers in Shan State while a US soldier kills Afghan civilians, and separately, the WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic as President Biden signs the American Rescue Plan into law to combat the economic fallout.
Historical Events 📜
- 2023: The Burmese military kills at least 30 villagers, including 3 Buddhist monks, during the Pinlaung massacre in Shan State, Myanmar.
- 2021: US President Joe Biden signs the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan into law.
- 2020: The World Health Organization (WHO) declares the COVID-19 virus epidemic a pandemic.
- 2018: A Bombardier Challenger 604 crashes into the Zagros Mountains near the Iranian city of Shar-e-kord, killing all 11 people on board.
- 2012: A U.S. soldier kills 16 civilians in the Panjwayi District of Afghanistan near Kandahar.
- 2011: An earthquake measuring 9.0 in magnitude strikes 130 km (81 mi) east of Sendai, Japan, triggering a tsunami killing thousands of people. This event also triggered the second largest nuclear accident in history, and one of only two events to be classified as a Level 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale.
- 2010: Economist and businessman Sebastián Piñera is sworn in as President of Chile. Aftershocks of the 2010 Pichilemu earthquakes hit central Chile during the ceremony.
- 2009: Winnenden school shooting: Fifteen are killed and nine are injured before recent graduate Tim Kretschmer shoots and kills himself, leading to tightened weapons restrictions in Germany.
- 2008: Space Shuttle Endeavour launches on STS-123, carrying the first component of the Japanese Kibō module to the International Space Station.
- 2006: Michelle Bachelet is inaugurated as the first female president of Chile.
- 2004: Madrid train bombings: Simultaneous explosions on rush hour trains in Madrid, Spain kill 191 people.
- 2003: The International Criminal Court holds its inaugural session in The Hague.
- 1990: Lithuania declares independence from the Soviet Union.
- 1990: Patricio Aylwin is sworn in as the first democratically elected President of Chile since 1970.
- 1985: Mikhail Gorbachev is elected to the position of General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, making Gorbachev the USSR’s de facto, and last, head of state.
Famous Births 👶
- 2004: Margarita Kolosov, German rhythmic gymnast
- 2003: Tristan Vukčević, Serbian-Swedish basketball player
- 1997: Travis Konecny, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1997: Ray Spalding, American basketball player
- 1996: Conor Garland, American ice hockey player
- 1994: Andy Robertson, Scottish footballer
- 1993: Jodie Comer, English actress
- 1993: Anthony Davis, American basketball player
- 1992: Austin Swift, American producer and actor
- 1990: Ayumi Morita, Japanese tennis player
- 1989: Malcolm Delaney, American basketball player
- 1989: Orlando Johnson, American basketball player
- 1989: Anton Yelchin, Russian-American actor (died 2016)
- 1988: Pedro Báez, Dominican baseball player
- 1988: Fábio Coentrão, Portuguese footballer
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2025: Junior Bridgeman, American basketball player and businessman (born 1953)
- 2025: Clive Revill, New Zealand actor and singer (born 1930)
- 2024: Paul Alexander, Polio survivor (born 1946)
- 2022: Rupiah Banda, President of Zambia (born 1937)
- 2021: Ray Campi, American singer and musician (born 1934)
- 2021: Takis Mousafiris, Greek composer and songwriter (born 1936)
- 2018: Ken Dodd, English comedian and singer (born 1927)
- 2018: Siegfried Rauch, German actor (born 1932)
- 2018: Karl Lehmann, German cardinal (born 1936)
- 2018: Mary Rosenblum, American science fiction and mystery author (born 1952)
- 2016: Iolanda Balaș, Romanian high jumper (born 1936)
- 2016: Doreen Massey, English geographer and political activist (born 1944)
- 2015: Walter Burkert, German philologist and scholar (born 1931)
- 2015: Jimmy Greenspoon, American singer-songwriter and keyboard player (born 1948)
- 2014: Dean Bailey, Australian footballer and coach (born 1967)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Christian feast day:
Alberta of Agen - Christian feast day:
Constantine - Christian feast day:
Óengus of Tallaght - Christian feast day:
Sophronius of Jerusalem - Christian feast day:
Vindicianus - Day of Restoration of Independence from the Soviet Union in 1990 (Lithuania)
- Moshoeshoe Day (Lesotho)
- Saudi Flag Day