WHAT HAPPENED ON 17. DECEMBER
Want to find out what all happened on 17. December

Niterói circus fire: Fire breaks out during a performance by the Gran Circus Norte-Americano in the city of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, killing more than 500. (17. December 1961)

Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt disappears while swimming near Portsea, Victoria, and is presumed drowned. (17. December 1967)

The SALT I talks begin. (17. December 1969)

Project Blue Book: The United States Air Force closes its study of UFOs. (17. December 1969)

Polish 1970 protests: In Gdynia, soldiers fire at workers emerging from trains, killing dozens. (17. December 1970)

Thirty passengers are killed in an attack by Palestinian terrorists on Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport. (17. December 1973)

American Brigadier General James L. Dozier is abducted by the Red Brigades in Verona, Italy. (17. December 1981)

Provisional IRA members detonate a car bomb at Harrods Department Store in London, England, United Kingdom. Three police officers and three civilians are killed. (17. December 1983)

The first episode of television series The Simpsons, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", airs in the United States. (17. December 1989)

Romanian Revolution: Protests continue in Timișoara, Romania, with rioters breaking into the Romanian Communist Party's District Committee building and attempting to set it on fire. (17. December 1989)

Fernando Collor de Mello defeats Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the second round of the Brazilian presidential election, becoming the first democratically elected President in almost 30 years. (17. December 1989)

The British Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997 comes into force, banning all handguns with the exception of antique and show weapons. (17. December 1997)

Second Congo War: The Congolese parties of the Inter Congolese Dialogue sign a peace accord which makes provision for transitional governance and legislative and presidential elections within two years. (17. December 2002)

The Soham murder trial ends at the Old Bailey in London, England, with Ian Huntley found guilty of two counts of murder. His girlfriend Maxine Carr is found guilty of perverting the course of justice. (17. December 2003)

SpaceShipOne, piloted by Brian Binnie, makes its first powered and first supersonic flight. (17. December 2003)

Anti-World Trade Organization protesters riot in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. (17. December 2005)

Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicates the throne as King of Bhutan. (17. December 2005)

MV Danny F II sinks off the coast of Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of 44 people and over 28,000 animals. (17. December 2009)

Mohamed Bouazizi sets himself on fire. This act became the catalyst for the Tunisian revolution and the wider Arab Spring. (17. December 2010)