March 17 2014 News File

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.

Reports confirmed that 16 people died in a stampede during a massive government job recruitment drive involving roughly 500,000 applicants.

President Barack Obama announced new sanctions targeting Russian and Ukrainian officials responsible for the "illegal referendum," stating the U.S. would not recognize the secession. March 17 2014 News

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

Actor Wayne Knight , famous for his role in Seinfeld , took to Twitter to debunk a viral hoax claiming he had died in a car accident. News Roundup and Notes: Just Security Major sponsors like Guinness and Heineken, as well

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

On March 17, 2014, the following major news events occurred: would not recognize the secession

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