In History, Today on January 17

Pope Gregory XI returned the Papacy from Avignon to Rome, effectively ending the Avignon Papacy, a period during which seven successive popes resided in Avignon, France, rather than in Rome.

The Edict of Saint-Germain was issued, granting limited toleration to the Huguenots in France.

The Treaty of Lyon is signed, ending the Franco-Savoyard War and resulting in territorial exchanges between France and the Duchy of Savoy.

Emperor Susenyos of Ethiopia surprised the Oromo army at Ebenat, resulting in a significant victory.

Captain James Cook becomes the first known European to cross the Antarctic Circle.

The Battle of Cowpens is fought during the American Revolutionary War, resulting in a decisive victory for American forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan over British forces.

Mexican War of Independence: In the Battle of Calderón Bridge, a heavily outnumbered Spanish force defeats Mexican revolutionaries.

A group of Modoc warriors defeated the United States Army in the First Battle of the Stronghold.

The overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom occurs as Queen Liliʻuokalani is deposed by a group of American and European businessmen, leading to the establishment of the Republic of Hawaii.

British explorer Robert Falcon Scott reaches the South Pole, only to discover that Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen had beaten him there by 34 days.

The Soviet Union captures Warsaw, Poland, from Nazi Germany during World War II.

The United Nations Security Council holds its first session at Church House, Westminster, London.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivers his farewell address to the nation, warning of the dangers of the military-industrial complex.

A B-52 bomber collides with a KC-135 tanker over Spain, dropping three 70-kiloton hydrogen bombs near the town of Palomares.

Operation Desert Storm begins as the United States and coalition forces launch a massive air offensive against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.

The Northridge earthquake strikes Los Angeles, California, causing widespread damage and fatalities.

The Great Hanshin earthquake struck the Kobe region of Japan, resulting in over 6,000 deaths.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission approves the merger of America Online and Time Warner, creating AOL Time Warner, the world's largest media company at the time.

Mount Nyiragongo erupts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, displacing an estimated 400,000 people and causing significant destruction in the city of Goma.

The Doomsday Clock is set to five minutes to midnight due to concerns over nuclear proliferation and climate change.

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti leads to a massive international relief effort, with the United Nations and various NGOs providing aid to the affected population.

Algerian forces launch a raid to end the In Amenas hostage crisis, where Islamist militants had taken hostages at a gas facility, resulting in numerous casualties.

The European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft, launched in 2004, is successfully reactivated after a 31-month hibernation period to continue its mission to study Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh declares a state of emergency after refusing to step down following his defeat in the December 2016 election.

A car bomb attack at the General Santander National Police Academy in Bogotá, Colombia, kills 22 people and injures dozens more, marking one of the deadliest attacks in the country in recent years.