March 17 2014 News Official

A 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Chile, prompting temporary tsunami warnings. Culture & Sports

Following a Sunday vote, Crimea's parliament formally declared independence from Ukraine to join Russia, reporting a 96% majority in favor.

Florida was named the top-seeded team for the 2014 NCAA basketball tournament as the brackets were officially set. March 17 2014 News

Major sponsors like Guinness and Heineken, as well as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio , boycotted the NYC parade due to its exclusion of openly gay organizations.

U.S. Navy SEALs recaptured the Morning Glory , a tanker filled with Libyan oil that had been hijacked by rebels earlier in the month. Human Interest & Tragedy Major sponsors like Guinness and Heineken, as well

Government forces, supported by Hezbollah, seized the strategic rebel-held town of Yabrud near the Lebanese border.

Reports confirmed that 16 people died in a stampede during a massive government job recruitment drive involving roughly 500,000 applicants. Human Interest & Tragedy Government forces, supported by

On March 17, 2014, the following major news events occurred: