What Happened On This Day – January 17
1995 The Great Hanshin earthquake hits Kobe, Japan
6,434 people lost their lives during the quake, according to estimates.
1991 The Gulf War in Iraq begins
“Operation Desert Storm”, launched in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, resulted in about 100,000 civilian deaths.
1961 Patrice Lumumba is murdered with support from western governments
An independent commission concluded that Lumumba, the first democratically elected leader of the Congo, died at the hands of his domestic adversaries with the assistance of the Belgian government and the CIA.
1946 The UN Security Council holds its first session
The UNSC is the most powerful organ of the United Nations and it is charged with upholding international peace and security.
1945 Soviet and Polish forces liberate Warsaw during World War II
About 85% of the city was destroyed at that point.
Births On This Day – January 17
1962 Jim Carrey
Canadian/American actor, producer
1942 Muhammad Ali
American boxer
1927 Eartha Kitt
American actress, singer
1899 Al Capone
American gangster
1706 Benjamin Franklin
American politician, scientist, publisher, 6th President of Pennsylvania
Deaths On This Day – January 17
2008 Bobby Fischer
American chess player
1961 Patrice Lumumba
Congolese politician, 1st Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
1936 Mateiu Caragiale
Romanian author
1893 Rutherford B. Hayes
American politician, 19th President of the United States
1468 Skanderbeg
Albanian lord