Summary of the Day ✨ 20 March (20/03)
Far-right extremists attacked an anarchist bookstore in Lyon while Kazakhstan experienced a political transition as Kassym-Jomart Tokayev became acting president following Nazarbayev’s resignation. In global events, a rare celestial alignment of solar eclipse, equinox, and supermoon coincided with both a turning point in the Syrian civil war when Kurdish forces broke the siege of Kobanî and a Taliban attack on Kabul’s Serena Hotel that killed nine people.
Historical Events 📜
- 2021: La Plume noire, an anarchist bookstore in Lyon, is targeted by an attack of the far-right, provoking a shock in Lyon’s far-left circles.
- 2019: Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is sworn in as acting president of Kazakhstan, following the resignation of long-time president Nursultan Nazarbayev.
- 2015: A solar eclipse, equinox, and a supermoon all occur on the same day.
- 2015: Syrian civil war: The Siege of Kobanî is broken by the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Free Syrian Army (FSA), marking a turning point in the Rojava–Islamist conflict.
- 2014: Four suspected Taliban members attack the Kabul Serena Hotel, killing at least nine people.
- 2012: At least 52 people are killed and more than 250 injured in a wave of terror attacks across ten cities in Iraq.
- 2010: Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland begins eruptions that would last for three months, heavily disrupting air travel in Europe.
- 2006: Over 150 Chadian soldiers are killed in eastern Chad by members of the rebel UFDC. The rebel movement sought to overthrow Chadian president Idriss Déby.
- 2003: Iraq War: The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland begin an invasion of Iraq.
- 2000: Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, a former Black Panther once known as H. Rap Brown, is captured after murdering Georgia sheriff’s deputy Ricky Kinchen and critically wounding Deputy Aldranon English.
- 1999: Legoland California, the first Legoland outside of Europe, opens in Carlsbad, California, US.
- 1995: The Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo carries out a sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, killing 14 and wounding over 6,200 people.
- 1993: The Troubles: A Provisional IRA bomb kills two children in Warrington, England. It leads to mass protests in both Britain and Ireland.
- 1990: Ferdinand Marcos’s widow, Imelda Marcos, goes on trial for bribery, embezzlement, and racketeering.
- 1988: Eritrean War of Independence: Having defeated the Nadew Command, the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front enters the town of Afabet, victoriously concluding the Battle of Afabet.
Famous Births 👶
- 2003: Cooper Hoffman, American actor
- 2002: Jahmyr Gibbs, American football player
- 2001: Trevor Zegras, American ice hockey player
- 2000: Hyunjin, South Korean rapper
- 1995: Kei, South Korean singer
- 1995: Nick Paul, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1993: Fabian Fahl, German politician
- 1993: JaKarr Sampson, American basketball player
- 1992: Justin Faulk, American ice hockey player
- 1991: Mattia Destro, Italian footballer
- 1991: Michał Kucharczyk, Polish footballer
- 1991: Nick Leddy, American ice hockey player
- 1990: Blake Ferguson, Australian rugby league player
- 1990: Brad Hand, American baseball player
- 1990: Marcos Rojo, Argentine footballer
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2026: Nicholas Brendon, American actor (born 1971)
- 2026: Filaret Denysenko, Ukrainian religious leader, Patriarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate (born 1929)
- 2026: Robert Mueller, American attorney, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (born 1944)
- 2025: Eddie Jordan, Irish businessman, television personality and motorsport team owner (born 1948)
- 2023: John Sattler, Australian rugby league player (born 1942)
- 2023: Kyle White, Australian rugby league player (born 1970)
- 2020: Amadeo Carrizo, Argentine footballer (born 1926)
- 2020: Kenny Rogers, American singer (born 1938)
- 2019: Mary Warnock, English philosopher and writer (born 1924)
- 2018: C. K. Mann, Ghanaian Highlife musician and producer (born 1936)
- 2017: David Rockefeller, American billionaire and philanthropist (born 1915)
- 2016: Anker Jørgensen, Danish politician, Prime Minister of Denmark (born 1922)
- 2015: Eva Burrows, Australian 13th General of The Salvation Army (born 1929)
- 2015: Malcolm Fraser, Australian politician, 22nd Prime Minister of Australia (born 1930)
- 2014: Hennie Aucamp, South African poet, author, and academic (born 1934)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Christian feast day:
Alexandra - Christian feast day:
Blessed John of Parma - Christian feast day:
Clement of Ireland - Christian feast day:
Cuthbert of Lindisfarne - Christian feast day:
Herbert of Derwentwater - Christian feast day:
John of Nepomuk - Christian feast day:
Józef Bilczewski - Christian feast day:
María Josefa Sancho de Guerra - Christian feast day:
Martin of Braga - Christian feast day:
Michele Carcano - Christian feast day:
Wulfram - Christian feast day:
March 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - Great American MeatOut (United States)
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Tunisia from France in 1956.
- International Day of Happiness (United Nations)