On This Day — January 17

🕰️ Notable Events on January 17

• 2010 — Rioting begins between Muslim and Christian groups in Jos, Nigeria, results in at least 200 deaths. Wikipedia ↗
• 2007 — The Doomsday Clock is set to five minutes to midnight in response to North Korea's nuclear testing. Wikipedia ↗
• 2002 — Mount Nyiragongo erupts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, displacing an estimated 400,000 people. Wikipedia ↗
• 1998 — Lewinsky scandal: Matt Drudge breaks the story of the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky affair on his Drudge Report website. Wikipedia ↗
• 1997 — Cape Canaveral Air Force Station: A Delta II carrying a GPS2R satellite explodes 13 seconds after launch, dropping 250 tons of burning rocket remains around the launch pad. Wikipedia ↗
• 1996 — The Czech Republic applies for membership of the European Union. Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — The 6.9 Mw Great Hanshin earthquake shakes the southern Hyōgo Prefecture with a maximum Shindo of VII, leaving 5,502-6,434 people dead, and 251,301-310,000 displaced. Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — The 6.7 Mw Northridge earthquake shakes the Greater Los Angeles Area with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), leaving 57 people dead and more than 8,700 injured. Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — During a visit to South Korea, Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa apologizes for forcing Korean women into sexual slavery during World War II. Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Gulf War: Operation Desert Storm begins early in the morning. Iraq fires eight Scud missiles into Israel in an unsuccessful bid to provoke Israeli retaliation. Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos lifts martial law eight years and five months after declaring it. Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Capital punishment in the United States resumes after a ten-year hiatus, as convicted murderer Gary Gilmore is executed by firing squad in Utah. Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Black Panther Party members Bunchy Carter and John Huggins are killed during a meeting in Campbell Hall on the campus of UCLA. Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Palomares incident: A B-52 bomber collides with a KC-135 Stratotanker over Spain, killing seven airmen, and dropping three 70-kiloton nuclear bombs near the town of Palomares and another one into the sea. Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivers a televised farewell address to the nation three days before leaving office, in which he warns against the accumulation of power by the "military-industrial complex" as well as the dangers of massive spending, especially deficit spending. Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Former Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba is murdered in circumstances suggesting the support and complicity of the governments of Belgium and the United States. Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — The Great Brink's Robbery: Eleven thieves steal more than $2 million from an armored car company's offices in Boston. Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — United Nations Security Council Resolution 79 relating to arms control is adopted. Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — The Renville Agreement between the Netherlands and Indonesia is ratified. Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — The UN Security Council holds its first session. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — World War II: The Vistula-Oder Offensive forces German troops out of Warsaw. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — The SS-Totenkopfverbände begin the evacuation of the Auschwitz concentration camp as Soviet forces close in. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg is taken into Soviet custody while in Hungary; he is never publicly seen again. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — World War II: Allied forces launch the first of four assaults on Monte Cassino with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome, an effort that would ultimately take four months and cost 105,000 Allied casualties. Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — World War II: Greek submarine Papanikolis captures the 200-ton sailing vessel Agios Stefanos and mans her with part of her crew. Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Franco-Thai War: French forces inflict a decisive defeat over the Royal Thai Navy. Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Popeye the Sailor Man, a cartoon character created by E. C. Segar, first appears in the Thimble Theatre comic strip. Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Finnish Civil War: The first serious battles take place between the Red Guards and the White Guard. Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — The United States pays Denmark $25 million for the Virgin Islands. Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Russia defeats Ottoman Turkey in the Battle of Sarikamish during the Caucasus Campaign of World War I. Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — Captain Robert Falcon Scott reaches the South Pole, one month after Roald Amundsen. Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard receives its premiere performance at the Moscow Art Theatre. Wikipedia ↗
• 1903 — El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico becomes part of the United States National Forest System as the Luquillo Forest Reserve. Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — The United States takes possession of Wake Island in the Pacific Ocean. Wikipedia ↗
• 1893 — Lorrin A. Thurston, along with the Citizens' Committee of Public Safety, led the Overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the government of Queen Liliʻuokalani. Wikipedia ↗
• 1885 — A British force defeats a large Dervish army at the Battle of Abu Klea in the Sudan. Wikipedia ↗
• 1873 — A group of Modoc warriors defeats the United States Army in the First Battle of the Stronghold, part of the Modoc War. Wikipedia ↗
• 1852 — The United Kingdom signs the Sand River Convention with the South African Republic. Wikipedia ↗
• 1811 — Mexican War of Independence: In the Battle of Calderón Bridge, a heavily outnumbered Spanish force of 6,000 troops defeats nearly 100,000 Mexican revolutionaries. Wikipedia ↗
• 1799 — Maltese patriot Dun Mikiel Xerri, along with a number of other patriots, is executed. Wikipedia ↗
• 1781 — American Revolutionary War: Battle of Cowpens: Continental troops under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan defeat British forces under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton at the battle in South Carolina. Wikipedia ↗
• 1773 — Captain James Cook commands the first expedition to sail south of the Antarctic Circle. Wikipedia ↗
• 1648 — England's Long Parliament passes the "Vote of No Addresses", breaking off negotiations with King Charles I and thereby setting the scene for the second phase of the English Civil War. Wikipedia ↗
• 1608 — Emperor Susenyos I of Ethiopia surprises an Oromo army at Ebenat; his army reportedly kills 12,000 Oromo at the cost of 400 of his men. Wikipedia ↗
• 1595 — During the French Wars of Religion, Henry IV of France declares war on Spain. Wikipedia ↗
• 1562 — France recognizes the Huguenots by the Edict of Saint-Germain. Wikipedia ↗
• 1524 — Giovanni da Verrazzano sets sail westward from Madeira to find a sea route to the Pacific Ocean. Wikipedia ↗
• 1377 — Pope Gregory XI moves the Papacy back to Rome from Avignon. Wikipedia ↗
• 1287 — King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Menorca. Wikipedia ↗
• 395 — Upon the death of Emperor Theodosius I, the Roman Empire is permanently divided into the Eastern Roman Empire under Arcadius, and the Western Roman Empire under Honorius. Wikipedia ↗
• Octavian divorces his wife Scribonia and marries Livia Drusilla, ending the fragile peace between the Second Triumvirate and Sextus Pompey. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on January 17

• 1998 — Jeff Reine-Adelaide, French footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1998 — Sophie Molineux, Australian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — Mark Steketee, Australian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Trevor Bauer, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Slade Griffin, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Alise Post, American BMX rider Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Santiago Tréllez, Colombian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Taylor Jordan, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Andrea Antonelli, Italian motorcycle racer (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Will Genia, Australian rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Héctor Moreno, Mexican footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Cody Decker, American major league baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Pablo Barrientos, Argentinian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Betsy Ruth, American wrestler and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Simone Simons, Dutch singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Calvin Harris, Scottish singer-songwriter, DJ, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Álvaro Arbeloa, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Johannes Herber, German basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Rick Kelly, Australian race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Marcelo Garcia, Brazilian martial artist Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Dwyane Wade, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Amanda Wilkinson, Canadian singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Warren Feeney, Northern Irish footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Ukrainian-American dancer and choreographer Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Zooey Deschanel, American singer-songwriter and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Modestas Stonys, Lithuanian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Ricky Wilson, English singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Freddy Rodriguez, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Yang Chen, Chinese footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Vesko Kountchev, Bulgarian viola player, composer, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Derrick Mason, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Mexican footballer and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Chris Bowen, Australian politician, 37th Treasurer of Australia Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Liz Ellis, Australian netball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Aaron Ward, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Giorgos Balogiannis, Greek basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Richard Burns, English race car driver (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Kid Rock, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Sylvie Testud, French actress, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Cássio Alves de Barros, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Jeremy Roenick, American ice hockey player and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Genndy Tartakovsky, Russian-American animator, director, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Naveen Andrews, English actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Lukas Moodysson, Swedish director, screenwriter, and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Tiësto, Dutch DJ and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Rowan Pelling, English journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, Dutch author, poet, and scholar Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Richard Hawley, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Trish Johnson, English golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Joshua Malina, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Sylvain Turgeon, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Michelle Fairley, Northern Irish actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Michelle Obama, American lawyer and activist, 46th First Lady of the United States Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — John Schuster, Samoan-New Zealand rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Kai Hansen, German singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Jun Azumi, Japanese broadcaster and politician, 46th Japanese Minister of Finance Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Jim Carrey, Canadian-American actor and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Sebastian Junger, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Brian Helgeland, American director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — John Crawford, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Chili Davis, Jamaican-American baseball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Susanna Hoffs, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Tony Kouzarides, English biologist, cancer researcher Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Steve Harvey, American actor, comedian, television personality and game show host Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Ann Nocenti, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Damian Green, English journalist and politician, Minister of State for Immigration Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Paul Young, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Steve Earle, American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, author and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Pietro Parolin, Italian cardinal Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Steve Javie, American basketball player and referee Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., American lawyer, radio host, activist, and environmentalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Jeff Berlin, American bass player and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Carlos Johnson, American singer and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Darrell Porter, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Ryuichi Sakamoto, Japanese pianist, composer, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Luis López Nieves, Puerto Rican-American author and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Anita Borg, American computer scientist and academic (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Gyude Bryant, Liberian businessman and politician (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Augustin Dumay, French violinist and conductor Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Andy Kaufman, American actor and comedian (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Mick Taylor, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Davíð Oddsson, Icelandic politician, 21st Prime Minister of Iceland Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Javed Akhtar, Indian poet, playwright, and composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Anne Cutler, Australian psychologist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Ann Oakley, English sociologist, author, and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Chris Montez, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — René Préval, Haitian agronomist and politician, 52nd President of Haiti (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Muhammad Ali, American boxer and activist (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Ita Buttrose, Australian journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Ulf Hoelscher, German violinist and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Nigel McCulloch, English bishop Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — István Horthy, Jr., Hungarian physicist and architect Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni, Egyptian-Armenian patriarch (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Tabaré Vázquez, Uruguayan physician and politician, 39th President of Uruguay Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Christodoulos of Athens, Greek archbishop (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Maury Povich, American talk show host and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — John Bellairs, American author and academic (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Toini Gustafsson, Swedish cross country skier Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Alain Badiou, French philosopher and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — John Boyd, English academic and diplomat, British ambassador to Japan Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — A. Thangathurai, Sri Lankan lawyer and politician (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Ruth Ann Minner, American businesswoman and politician, 72nd Governor of Delaware Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Donald Cammell, Scottish-American director and screenwriter (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Dalida, Egyptian-French singer and actress (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, French-Pakistani diplomat, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Shari Lewis, American actress, puppeteer/ventriloquist, and television host (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Sheree North, American actress and dancer (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — James Earl Jones, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Douglas Wilder, American sergeant and politician, 66th Governor of Virginia Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Don Zimmer, American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Jacques Plante, Canadian-Swiss ice hockey player, coach, and sportscaster (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Tan Boon Teik, Malaysian-Singaporean lawyer and politician, Attorney-General of Singapore (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Jean Barraqué, French composer (d. 1973) Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Vidal Sassoon, English-American hairdresser and businessman (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Thomas Anthony Dooley III, American physician and humanitarian (d. 1961) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Eartha Kitt, American actress and singer (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Harlan Mathews, American lawyer and politician (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — E. W. Swackhamer, American director and producer (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Newton N. Minow, American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Moira Shearer, Scottish-English ballerina and actress (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Clyde Walcott, Barbadian cricketer (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Gunnar Birkerts, Latvian-American architect (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Robert Cormier, American author and journalist (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Pakistani cricketer and author (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Rik De Saedeleer, Belgian footballer and journalist (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Jewel Plummer Cobb, American biologist, cancer researcher, and academic (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Rangeya Raghav, Indian author and playwright (d. 1962) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Luis Echeverría, Mexican academic and politician, 50th President of Mexico Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Nicholas Katzenbach, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 65th United States Attorney General (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Betty White, American actress, game show panelist, television personality, and animal rights activist Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Asghar Khan, Pakistani general and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Antonio Prohías, Cuban cartoonist (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Georges Pichard, French author and illustrator (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Keith Joseph, English lawyer and politician, Secretary of State for Education (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — George M. Leader, American soldier and politician, 36th Governor of Pennsylvania (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — M. G. Ramachandran, Indian actor, director, and politician, 5th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Peter Frelinghuysen Jr., American lieutenant and politician (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Anacleto Angelini, Italian-Chilean businessman (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Irving Brecher, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Paul Royle, Australian lieutenant and pilot (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — William Stafford, American poet and author (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — Busher Jackson, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1966) Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — John S. McCain Jr., American admiral (d. 1981) Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — George Stigler, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
• 1908 — Cus D'Amato, American boxing manager and trainer (d. 1985) Wikipedia ↗
• 1907 — Henk Badings, Indonesian-Dutch composer and engineer (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1907 — Alfred Wainwright, British fellwalker, guidebook author and illustrator (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
• 1905 — Ray Cunningham, American baseball player (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1905 — Peggy Gilbert, American saxophonist and bandleader (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on January 17 (Calendar.cx)