Public Holidays on August 17

• 🌍 Assumption of Mary (Colombia)
• 🌍 Discovery Day (Canada)
• 🌍 General José de San Martín Memorial Day (Argentina)
• 🌍 Gold Cup Parade Day (Canada)
• 🌍 Hari Kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia (Indonesia)
• 🌍 Independence Day (Indonesia)
• 🌍 La Asunción (observado) (Colombia)
• 🌍 Paso a la Inmortalidad del General Don José de San Martín (Argentina)
• 🌍 광복절 대체 휴일 (South Korea)

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On This Day in History — August 17

• 2017 — 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

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Notable Births on August 17

• 1996 — Jake Virtanen, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1995 — Gracie Gold, American figure skater
• 1995 — Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, New Zealand rugby league player
• 1993 — Sarah Sjöström, Swedish swimmer
• 1992 — Alex Elisala, New Zealand-Australian rugby player (d. 2013)
• 1992 — Chanel Mata'utia, Australian rugby league player

Notable Deaths on August 17

• 2016 — Arthur Hiller, Canadian actor, director, and producer (b. 1923)
• 2015 — Yvonne Craig, American ballet dancer and actress (b. 1937)
• 2015 — Mike Gaechter, American football player (b. 1940)
• 2015 — Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder, German businessman (b. 1933)
• 2015 — László Paskai, Hungarian cardinal (b. 1927)
• 2014 — Børre Knudsen, Norwegian minister and activist (b. 1937)

On This Day in History — August 18

• 2017 — 2 people are killed and 8 injured in Turku in the first terrorist attack in Finland in over 70 years.
• 2008 — President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf resigns under threat of impeachment.
• 2008 — War of Afghanistan: Uzbin Valley ambush occurs.
• 2005 — A massive power blackout hits the Indonesian island of Java, affecting almost 100 million people, one of the largest and most widespread power outages in history.
• 2003 — One year old Zachary Tuner is murdered in Newfoundland by his mother who was awarded custody despite facing trial for the murder of Zachary's father. The case led to reform of Canada's bail laws.
• 1989 — Leading presidential hopeful Luis Carlos Galán is assassinated near Bogotá in Colombia.

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Notable Births on August 18

• 1997 — Renato Sanches, Portuguese footballer
• 1995 — Alīna Fjodorova, Latvian figure skater
• 1994 — Morgan Sanson, French footballer
• 1993 — Jung Eun-ji, South Korean singer-songwriter
• 1993 — Maia Mitchell, Australian actress and singer
• 1992 — Elizabeth Beisel, American swimmer

Notable Deaths on August 18

• 2017 — Bruce Forsyth, English television presenter and entertainer (b. 1928)
• 2017 — Zoe Laskari, Greek actress and beauty pageant winner (b. 1944)
• 2016 — Ernst Nolte, German historian (b. 1923)
• 2015 — Khaled al-Asaad, Syrian archaeologist and author (b. 1932)
• 2015 — Roger Smalley, English-Australian pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1943)
• 2015 — Louis Stokes, American lawyer and politician (b. 1925)