Religious Observances on August 16

• Islamic: Urs of Shaykh Bahaʾuddin Shah Naqshband ق

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On This Day in History — August 16

• 2017 — Minamata Convention on Mercury entered into force.
• 2015 — More than 96 people are killed and hundreds injured following a series of air-raids by the Syrian Arab Air Force on the rebel-held market town of Douma.
• 2013 — The ferry St. Thomas Aquinas collides with a cargo ship and sinks at Cebu, Philippines, killing 61 people with 59 others missing.
• 2012 — South African police fatally shoot 34 miners and wound 78 more during an industrial dispute at Marikana near Rustenburg.
• 2008 — The Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago is topped off at 1,389 feet (423 m), at the time becoming the world's highest residence above ground-level.
• 1989 — A solar flare from the Sun creates a geomagnetic storm that affects micro chips, leading to a halt of all trading on Toronto's stock market.

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Notable Births on August 16

• 1999 — Karen Chen, American figure skater
• 1997 — Greyson Chance, American singer-songwriter and pianist
• 1996 — Caeleb Dressel, American swimmer
• 1994 — Jesika Malečková, Czech tennis player
• 1992 — Diego Schwartzman, Argentinian tennis player
• 1991 — José Eduardo de Araújo, Brazilian footballer

Notable Deaths on August 16

• 2016 — João Havelange, Brazilian water polo player, lawyer, and businessman (b. 1916)
• 2016 — John McLaughlin, American television personality (b. 1927)
• 2015 — Jacob Bekenstein, Mexican-American physicist, astronomer, and academic (b. 1947)
• 2015 — Anna Kashfi, British actress (b. 1934)
• 2015 — Shuja Khanzada, Pakistani colonel and politician (b. 1943)
• 2015 — Mile Mrkšić, Serb general (b. 1947)

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)