Santo Domingo.- The anniversaries of July 17 are marked by important historical events and international celebrations that left a mark on world history. Below are the main anniversaries of July 17:
Catholic Calendar of Saints
- Saint Marina
- Saint Alexius
- Saint Generosus
National Anniversaries:
- 1975: The Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL) is founded, under a different initial name, as part of the efforts to modernize the country’s communications.
- 2001: President Hipólito Mejía enacts the General Law on Environment and Natural Resources (Law 64-00).
International Anniversaries:
- 1955: Disneyland opens its doors for the first time in Anaheim, California, being the first theme park created by Walt Disney.
- 1918: Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, his wife Alexandra, and their children are executed by the Bolsheviks, marking the end of the Romanov dynasty.
- 1936: The Spanish Civil War begins, following the military uprising against the republican government.
- 1998: The International Criminal Court (ICC) is founded, following the signing of the Rome Statute.
Births:
- 1899: James Cagney, American actor known for his gangster roles.
- 1952: David Hasselhoff, American actor and singer, famous for series such as Baywatch.
- 1980: Angela Merkel, former German Chancellor.
- 1954: J. Michael Straczynski, screenwriter and film and TV producer (Babylon 5, Thor).
- 1960: Johnny Briceño, Belizean politician, Prime Minister of Belize since 2020.
- 1961: Guru, American rapper and actor (d. 2010).
- 1961: Jeremy Hardy, British comedian (d. 2019).
- 1961: Jonathan Potts, Canadian actor.
- 1962: Lokman Slim, Lebanese activist and politician (d. 2021).
- 1963: Suha Arafat, Palestinian politician.
- 1963: Regina Belle, American singer-songwriter.
- 1994: Kali Uchis, Colombian-American singer and songwriter.
Deaths:
- 1918: Nicholas II of Russia and his family, assassinated during the Bolshevik Revolution.
- 1790: Adam Smith, Scottish economist and philosopher, author of The Wealth of Nations.
- 1928: Álvaro Obregón, Mexican military officer, president between 1920 and 1924 (b. 1880).
- 1935: George William Russell, Irish writer, poet, and painter (b. 1867).
- 1938: Robert Wiene, German filmmaker (b. 1873).
- 1942: Daniel Alomía Robles, Peruvian composer and musicologist (b. 1871).
- 1944: William James Sidis, American mathematician
- 2014: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes, shot down in Ukraine, with 298 victims.
