Unix Timestamp: 1046563200
Sunday, March 2. 2003, 12:00:00 AM UTC

Barnes Noble settles an intellectual property dispute over the design of its ebook reader, the Nook. //www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/02/us-barnesandnoble-idUSTRE7213KI20110302 (Reuters)

A landslide in the Bududa District of Uganda results in at least 100 deaths. //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8545005.stm (BBC News) //www.newvision.co.ug/D/10/10/711645 ("New Vision")

The President of Guinea-Bissau, João Bernardo Vieira, is assassinated during an armed attack on his residence in Bissau.

2008 Andean diplomatic crisis: Venezuela and Ecuador move troops to the Colombian border, following a Colombian raid against FARC guerrillas inside Ecuador's national territory, in which senior commander Raúl Reyes is killed.

South American diplomatic crisis: President Hugo Chávez orders the closure of the Venezuelan embassy in Colombia and moves ten battalions to the Colombian-Venezuelan border in response to the killing of FARC leader Raúl Reyes in Ecuador by Colombian armed forces the previous day. Rafael Correa, the President of Ecuador, orders troops to the Colombian border. The Colombian government accuses Correa of having a relationship and commitments with FARC. //ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i3-gy-m2ViT4af14BjcC-rOHaWrgD8V5F3704 (AP via Google News) //ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i3-gy-m2ViT4af14BjcC-rOHaWrgD8V5MN2G0 (AP via Google News) //news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7274222.stm (BBC News)

A bus carrying the baseball team of Bluffton University plunges off an overpass onto Interstate 75 near Atlanta, Georgia, killing six including four students. //edition.cnn.com/2007/US/03/02/bus.accident/index.html (CNN)

NASA announces that the Mars rover MER-B (Opportunity) has confirmed that its landing area was once drenched in water.

2001 U.S. Attack on Afghanistan: Army Chief Warrant Officer Stanley L. Harriman, of the Third Special Forces Group, is killed in an ambush along the road from Gardēz to the Shahi Kot Valley.

The Taliban begins destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas.

The Taliban begin their destruction of the Buddhas of Bamyan, in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan.

The brand new Mandalay Bay hotel and casino opens in Las Vegas.

Nick Leeson is arrested for his role in the collapse of Barings Bank.

The first ACT (Australian Capital Territory) elections are held.

Portugal wins the FIFA U-20 World Cup, defeating Nigeria on the final by 2–0 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Time, Inc. and Warner Communications announce plans for a merger, forming Time Warner.

Jammu Siltavuori abducts and murders two 8-year-old girls in the Myllypuro suburb of Helsinki, Finland.

Twelve European Community nations agree to ban the production of all chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) by the end of the century.

The Purley Station rail crash in London leaves 5 dead and 94 injured.

American Motors Corporation is acquired by the Chrysler Corporation

The "New York Post" publishes an article about David Rorvik's book "The Cloning of Man", about a supposed cloning of a human being.

"Soyuz 28" (Aleksei Gubarev, Vladimir Remek) is launched on a rendezvous with "Salyut 6", with the first cosmonaut from a third country (besides the Soviet Union and United States) ndash Czechoslovak citizen Vladimír Remek.

Ethiopia admits that its troops are fighting with the aid of Cuban soldiers against Somalian troops in the Ogaden.

Rhodesia attacks Zambia.

The Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention is formally dissolved in Northern Ireland, resulting in direct rule of Northern Ireland from London via the British Parliament.

Vietnam recognizes the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).

The Maguire Seven are found guilty of possessing explosives and subsequently jailed for 14 years.

A massive theft of nuclear materials is revealed in Brazil.

In an interview with "London Evening Standard" reporter Maureen Cleave, John Lennon of The Beatles states that they are more popular than Jesus now.

Kwame Nkrumah arrives in Guinea and is granted asylum.

Canadian Pacific Airlines Flight 402 crashes while landing at Tokyo International Airport in Japan, killing 64 of 72 persons on board.

"Merci Chérie" by Udo Jürgens (music by Udo Jürgens, text by Udo Jürgens and Thomas Hörbiger) wins the Eurovision Song Contest 1966 for Austria.

BOAC Flight 911 crashes in severe clear-air turbulence over Mount Fuji near Tokyo, Japan, killing all 124 persons on board.

"The Sound of Music" premieres at the Rivoli Theater in New York City.

Recording sessions for the album Kind of Blue by Miles Davis take place at Columbia's 30th Street Studio in New York City.

A British Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition team led by Sir Vivian Fuchs completes the first overland crossing of the Antarctic, using snowcat caterpillar tractors and dogsled teams, in 99 days, via the South Pole.

Morocco declares its independence from France.

The British deport Archbishop Makarios from Cyprus to the Seychelles.

Soviet Armed Forces suppresses mass demonstrations in the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, reacting to Nikita Khrushchev's de-Stalinization policy.

Claudette Colvin (a fifteen year old African American girl) refuses to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, to a white woman after the driver demands it. She is carried off the bus backwards whilst being kicked and handcuffed and harassed on the way to the police station.

The first NBA All-Star game was played in the Boston Garden.

The B-50 Superfortress "Lucky Lady II" under Captain James Gallagher lands in Fort Worth, Texas, after completing the first non-stop around-the-world airplane flight (it was refueled in flight 4 times).

Former U.S. Vice-President Henry A. Wallace starts his term of office as U.S. Secretary of Commerce, serving under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The Bachem Ba 349 Natter is launched from Stetten am kalten Markt. The Natter is the first manned rocket, developed as anti-aircraft weapon. The launch fails and the pilot dies.Year by Year 1945 ndash History International

WWII: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ndash United States and Australian forces sink Japanese convoy ships.

Cartoon character Elmer Fudd makes his debut in the animated short "Elmer's Candid Camera".

In Bombay, Mohandas Gandhi begins a fast protesting against British rule in India.

Irish writer Flann O'Brien's comic metafiction "At Swim-Two-Birds" is published in London but attracts little attention at this time.

Irish writer Flann O\\'Brien's comic metafiction "At Swim-Two-Birds" is published in London but attracts little attention at this time.

Students at Harvard University demonstrate the new tradition of swallowing goldfish to reporters.

Pope Pius XII (Cardinal Pacelli) succeeds Pope Pius XI as the 260th pope.

In Durban, South Africa the Timeless Test begins between England and South Africa, the longest game of cricket ever played. It is abandoned twelve days later when the English team has to catch the last ferry home.

Hitler advises Jozef Tiso to declare Slovakia's independence in order to prevent its partition by Hungary and Poland.

U.S. President Herbert Hoover is succeeded by Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), who in reference to the Great Depression, proclaims The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself in his inauguration speech. FDR is sworn in by Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes. It is also the last time Inauguration Day in the United States occurs on March 4.

A powerful earthquake and tsunami hit Honshū, Japan, killing some 3,000.

German election, 1933: National Socialists gain 43.9% of the votes.

The Great Depression: President Franklin D. Roosevelt declares a Bank holiday, closing all United States banks and freezing all financial transactions (the 'holiday' ends on March 13).

Ching Yun University is established.

The original film version of \\'\\'King Kong\\'\\', starring Fay Wray, premieres at Radio City Music Hall and the RKO Roxy Theatre in New York City.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is dedicated.

Frances Perkins becomes United States Secretary of Labor, and the first female member of the United States Cabinet.

The Parliament of Austria is suspended because of a quibble over procedure Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss initiates authoritarian rule by decree (see Austrofascism).

The original film version of "King Kong", starring Fay Wray, premieres at Radio City Music Hall and the RKO Roxy Theatre in New York City.

Mahatma Gandhi informs the British viceroy of India that civil disobedience will begin 9 days later.

The longest bridge in the world, the San Francisco Bay Toll-Bridge, opens.

"Time" Magazine hits newsstands in the United States for the first time.

First Communist International meeting in Moscow.

U.S. President Woodrow Wilson begins his second term.

The enactment of the Jones Act grants Puerto Ricans United States citizenship.

Women calling for bread in Petrograd start riots, which spontaneously spread throughout the city.

(N.S.) (February 23, O.S.) ndash The Russian February Revolution begins with the overthrow of the Tsar.

Jeannette Rankin of Montana becomes the first woman member of the United States House of Representatives.

The United States Senate adopts the cloture rule in order to limit filibusters.

In New York City, the Martha Washington Hotel, the first hotel exclusively for women, opens.

beginning) ndash Groups of officials inspect towns around Australia in order to find a location for the new Federal capital.

In Washington State, USA, Mount Rainier National Park is established.

The Hong Kong Observatory is formed.

Roderick Maclean fails to assassinate Queen Victoria.

Rutherford B. Hayes becomes President of the United States, succeeding Ulysses S. Grant as a result of the Compromise of 1877

Emile Berliner invents the microphone.

In the Compromise of 1877, the U.S. presidential election, 1876 is resolved with the selection of Rutherford B. Hayes as the winner, even though Samuel J. Tilden had won the popular vote on November 7, 1876.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet "Swan Lake" debuts.

The first American experimental steam fire engine was tested.

Gaylad, ridden by Tom Olliver, wins the Grand National at Aintree Racecourse.

Ferdinand becomes Emperor of Austria.

March 18 ndash The last King of Ceylon, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha is deposed under the terms of the Kandyan Convention, which results in Ceylon becoming a British colony.

Russian troops occupy Helsinki and threaten Sveaborg.

The inaugural meeting of the Wernerian Natural History Society, a former Scottish learned society, is held in Edinburgh.

The U.S. Congress passes an act to prohibit the importation of slaves into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States ... from any foreign kingdom, place, or country (to take effect 1 January 1808).

The Swansea and Mumbles Railway in South Wales, at this time known as the Oystermouth Railway, becomes the first passenger carrying railway in the world.

The Slave Trade Act becomes law, abolishing the slave trade in the British Empire. (Slavery is abolished in 1833).

Long-distance communication speeds up with the unveiling of a semaphore machine in Paris.

Battle of La Guaira: a British expeditionary fleet under Sir Charles Knowles is defeated by the Spanish.

In London, a night watchman finds a severed head by the Thames it is later recognized to be that of the husband of Catherine Hayes. She and one accomplice are later executed.

Dancer John Weaver performs in the first ballet in Britain shown in Drury Lane, "The Loves of Mars and Venus".

Nine Years' War: As French forces leave, they set fire to Heidelberg Castle and the nearby town of Heidelberg.

Nine Years\' War: As French forces leave, they set fire to Heidelberg Castle and the nearby town of Heidelberg.

The Great Fire of Meireki in Edo, Japan, destroys most of the city and damages Edo castle, killing an estimated 100,000 people.

False Dmitry III is recognised as tsar by the Cossacks.

Battle of Grandson: A Swiss army defeats the Burgundians under Charles the Bold.

The Albanian League is established in Lezha George Kastrioti Skanderbeg is proclaimed commander of the Albanian resistance.

Continuous riots in Rome induce Pope Gregory XI to move temporarily back to Avignon.

The Bad Parliament dissolved.

Władysław II Jagiello succeeds his father, Algirdas, as Grand Duke of Lithuania. Jagiello removes his uncle, Kęstutis, as co-ruler.

Håkon Sigurdsson of Norway defeats the Danish invasion force at Hjørungavåg.

Sweyn Forkbeard becomes King of Denmark.

Louis V becomes King of the Franks.

MarchndashJuly ndash The Song Dynasty sends armies on three fronts against the Liao Dynasty in the Sixteen Prefectures, but are defeated on all fronts.(Chi go Pass Compaign)

Emperor Ichijō succeeds Emperor Kazan on the throne of Japan.

One of the Four Great Books of Song, the Chinese encyclopedia "Finest Blossoms in the Garden of Literature" is finished in this year, with a total of 1,000 volumes representing the work of some 2,200 authors.

Explorer Bjarni Herjólfsson becomes the first inhabitant of the Old World to sight North America.

The "de facto" ruler of al-Andalus, al-Mansur, continues his effort in the north of the Iberian peninsula, he takes and sacks Coimbra (following this episod the city is said to have remained deserted for six years).

Vitiges set up seven cs, overlooking the main gates and access routes to the city, in order to starve it out. He blocks the aqueducts that are supplying Rome with water, necessary both for drinking and for operating the corn mills.Bury (1923), Ch. XIX, p. 185

Siege of Rome: The Ostrogoth army (45,000 men) under king Vitiges begin the siege of the capital. Belisarius conducts a delaying action outside the Flaminian Gate, he and a detachment of his "bucellarii" are almost cut off.Bury (1923), Ch. XIX, p. 182–183