Tukuk-OS📅 February 17
14 events · 12 births · 12 deaths
Advertisement
What happened on February 17? Below are the notable events chosen by Wikipedia’s editors for this date, followed by celebrated births, deaths and the observances recognised around the world.
Events
- 2011 — Arab Spring: Bahraini security forces killed four protesters in a pre-dawn raid at the Pearl Roundabout in Manama, while the "Day of Rage" took place in Libya with nationwide protests against Muammar Gaddafi's government.
- 1996 — An earthquake with a moment magnitude of 8.2 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent) occurred in the New Guinea Trench, which generated a tsunami that killed 108 people.
1996 Biak earthquakeMoment magnitude scaleModified Mercalli intensity scale
- 1978 — The Troubles: The Provisional Irish Republican Army carried out a bombing of a restaurant near Belfast, Northern Ireland, killing twelve people and injuring thirty others.
The TroublesProvisional Irish Republican ArmyLa Mon restaurant bombing
- 1974 — A U.S. Army soldier stole a Bell UH-1 helicopter (pictured) and landed it on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C.
Bell UH-1 Iroquois1974 White House helicopter incidentSouth Lawn
- 1964 — Gabonese military officers overthrew President Léon M'ba, but French forces, honouring a 1960 treaty, forcibly reinstated him two days later.
- 1959 — Vanguard 2 (model pictured), the first weather satellite, was launched to measure cloud cover distribution.
- 1944 — World War II: The U.S. Navy began Operation Hailstone, a massive naval air and surface attack against the Japanese naval and air base at Chuuk Lagoon in the Caroline Islands.
- 1913 — The Armory Show (commemorative button pictured), the first large modern-art exhibition in the United States, opened at the 69th Regiment Armory in New York City.
- 1904 — Italian composer Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly premiered at La Scala in Milan to poor reviews, forcing him to revise the opera.
- 1894 — Rudolf Diesel's first working diesel engine ran for one minute.
- 1859 — Cochinchina campaign: French Navy forces captured the Citadel of Saigon, defended by 1,000 Vietnamese soldiers of the Nguyễn dynasty.
- 1838 — Great Trek: Zulu impis massacred about 532 Voortrekkers, Khoekhoe, and Basuto near present-day Weenen, South Africa.
- 1815 — The United States ratifies the Treaty of Ghent – signed in late 1814 – formally ending the War of 1812.
- 1621 — Myles Standish was elected the first commander of the militia of Plymouth Colony.
Births
- 1999 — Alex de Minaur, Australian tennis player
- 1998 — Harry Grant, Australian rugby league player
- 1998 — Devin White, American football player
- 1997 — Gaetano Castrovilli, Italian footballer
- 1996 — Sebastian Aho, Swedish ice hockey player
- 1996 — Sasha Pieterse, South African-American actress and singer-songwriter
- 1995 — Madison Keys, American tennis player
- 1994 — Mason Jobst, American ice hockey player
- 1993 — Marc Márquez, Spanish motorcycle racer
- 1992 — Meaghan Martin, American actress and singer
- 1991 — Phil Pressey, American basketball player and coach
- 1991 — Ed Sheeran, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
Deaths
- 2026 — Jesse Jackson, American civil rights leader, activist, and politician (born 1941)
- 2026 — Shinya Yamada, Japanese musician (born 1970)
- 2025 — Paquita la del Barrio, Mexican singer, songwriter and actress (born 1947)
- 2025 — Frits Bolkestein, Dutch politician (born 1933)
- 2025 — Rick Buckler, English drummer, songwriter, and producer (born 1955)
- 2025 — James Harrison, Australian blood plasma donor (born 1936)
- 2024 — Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, Sri Lankan politician (born 1941)
- 2024 — Josette Molland, WWII French Resistance member and artist (born 1923)
- 2021 — Rush Limbaugh, American talk show host and author (born 1951)
- 2021 — Seif Sharif Hamad, Tanzanian politician (born 1943)
- 2017 — Robert H. Michel, American politician (born 1923)
- 2017 — Michael Novak, American Roman Catholic theologian (born 1933)
Observances & holidays
- Christian feast day: Seven Founders of the Servite Order Alexis Falconieri
- Christian feast day: Constabilis
- Christian feast day: Donatus, Romulus, Secundian, and Companions
- Christian feast day: Evermode of Ratzeburg
- Christian feast day: Fintan of Clonenagh
- Christian feast day: Janani Luwum (Anglican Communion)
- Christian feast day: Lommán of Trim
- Christian feast day: Mesrop Mashtots
- Christian feast day: February 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence declaration of Kosovo in 2008, still partially recognized.
Kosovo Independence DayKosovoAdvisory opinion on Kosovo's declaration of independence
- Revolution Day (Libya)
Advertisement
Advertisement