Unix Timestamp: 1066867200
Thursday, October 23. 2003, 12:00:00 AM UTC

A 7.2-magnitude earthquake rocks the city of Van in eastern Turkey, killing at least 100 people. //www.cnnturk.com/2011/turkiye/10/23/cok.sayida.bina.yikildi/634159.0/index.html (CNN Türk), //www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45005013/ns/world_news-europe/ (MSNBC)

A magnitude 7.2 Msubw/sub earthquake jolted eastern Turkey near the city of Van, killing 604 people, and damaging about 2,200 buildings.

Group of Twenty finance leaders agree to give 6% more International Monetary Fund votes to developing countries, though the U.S. retains its veto power, in a meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea. //www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11612701 (BBC) //ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/101023/n_top_news/cnews_us_g20 (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

In preparation for the Seoul summit, finance ministers of the G-20 agree to reform the International Monetary Fund and shift 6% of the voting shares to developing nations and countries with emerging markets.ref name=G20 summit agrees to reform IMF//www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11612701 G20 summit agrees to reform IMF BBC.

A Magnitude 6.7 earthquake and aftershocks of similar scale occur in the Tokamachi area. A huge landslide occurs on the outskirts of Nagaoka. According to Japanese officials, 68 people are killed, 4,085 are injured, and 103,000 are rendered homeless.

Michael Schumacher wins his 7th Formula One World Drivers Chionship (5th consecutive), making him the most successful driver in the history of Formula One.

Brazil successfully launches its first rocket into space.

The "iPod" was first introduced by "Apple".

Apple Computer releases the now famous iPod.

Madeleine Albright holds talks with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il.

The O. J. Simpson civil trial begins in Santa Monica, California.

In Houston, Texas, Yolanda Saldivar is convicted of first degree murder in the shooting death of Selena Quintanilla Perez and three days later is sentenced to life in prison.

Emperor of Japan Akihito begins the first imperial visit of China, telling a Beijing audience he felt deep sorrow for the suffering of the Chinese people during World War II.

In Paris, the Vietnam-backed government of the state of Cambodia signs an agreement with the Khmer Rouge to end the civil war and bring the Khmer Rouge into government in spite of its role in the Cambodian genocide. The deal results in the creation of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia.

The Minnesota Twins win the World Series against the Atlanta Braves.

Turkmenistan declares its independence from the Soviet Union.

The first free parliamentary elections are held in Poland.

The world learns from moving BBC News TV reports that a famine is plaguing Ethiopia, where thousands of people have already died of starvation due to a famine and as many as 10,000,000 more lives are at risk. //news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/25/newsid_2478000/2478431.stm

Simultaneous suicide truck-bombings destroy both the French and the United States Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, killing 241 U.S. servicemen, 58 French paratroopers and 6 Lebanese civilians.

Morocco begins its invasion of Ifni.

The Hungarian revolution breaks out against the pro-Soviet government. Hungary attempts to leave the Warsaw Pact.

The Philippines' DZAQ-TV3 (now ABS-CBN) makes its initial telecast, becoming Asia's first commercial television broadcaster.

Jackie Robinson signs a contract with the Montreal Royals.

The United Nations is founded.

ICJ (World Court) established by the United Nations Charter.

The Norwegian Nazi leader Vidkun Quisling is shot to death by a firing squad for treason against Norway.

Florence Foster Jenkins gives a recital in Carnegie Hall.

The Holocaust: Anne Frank and sister Margot Frank are deported from Auschwitz to the Bergen-Belsen concentration c.

WWII: Medal of Honor winning submarine ace Richard O'Kane becomes a prisoner of war when "Tang" is sunk in the Formosa Strait.

WWII: The Naval Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines begins (lasts until October 26).

WWII: The Red Army liberates Kirkenes, the first town in Norway to be liberated.

WWII: Medal of Honor winning submarine ace Richard O\\'Kane becomes a prisoner of war when ''Tang'' is sunk in the Formosa Strait.

"Appalachian Spring", a ballet by Martha Graham with music by Aaron Copland, debuts at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., with Graham in the lead role.

Award-winning composer and Hollywood songwriter Ralph Rainger ("Thanks for the Memory") is among 12 people killed in the mid-air collision between an American Airlines DC-3 airliner and a U.S. Army bomber near Palm Springs, California.

November 4 ndash WWII: Second Battle of El Alamein: British troops go on the offensive against the Axis forces.

Walt Disney's animated film "Dumbo" is released.

In Germany, the Communists attempt a "putsch" in Hamburg. Street fighting in Hamburg for the next two days.

The German army occupies Saxony and crushes the Soviet Republic of Saxony.

WWI: Torpedoing of the armored cruiserSMS \'\'Prinz Adalbert\'\' results in only three men being rescued from a crew of 675, the greatest single loss of life for the German Imperial Navy in the Baltic Sea during the War.

Vajiravudh (Rama VI) is crowned King of Siam, after the death of his father, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V).

An aeroplane of Alberto Santos-Dumont takes off at Bagatelle in France and flies 60 meters (200 feet). This is the first officially recorded powered flight in Europe..

The Kappa Delta Sorority is founded.

The city of Tainan, last stronghold of the Republic of Formosa, capitulates to the forces of the Empire of Japan, ending the short-lived republic and beginning the Japanese rule era.

The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) is founded by the Bulgarians in the town of Thessaloniki.Its aim was to libarate the region of Macedonia from the Ottoman Turks.

The current Japanese era name is changed to the Meiji period. The 265-year-long Edo period is at an end.

The Báb publicly proclaimed to be the promised one of Islam (the Qá'im, or Mahdi). He is also considered to be simultaneously the return of Elijah, John the Baptist, and the Ushídar-Máh referred to in the Zoroastrian scriptures.ref name=gpb_58 He announces to the world the coming of He whom God shall make manifest. He is considered the forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh ndash the founder of the Bahá'í Faith ndash whose claims include being the return of Jesus.

The Báb publicly proclaimed to be the promised one of Islam (the Qá\\\\\\\\'im, or Mahdi). He is also considered to be simultaneously the return of Elijah, John the Baptist, and the Ushídar-Máh referred to in the Zoroastrian scriptures.ref name=gpb_58 He announces to the world the coming of He whom God shall make manifest. He is considered the forerunner of Bahá\'u\'lláh ndash the founder of the Bahá'í Faith ndash whose claims include being the return of Jesus.

José Gervasio Artigas and 16.000 "orientales" leave the Banda Oriental del Uruguay to go into exile.

War of Jenkins\' Ear: Great Britain declares war on Spain.

War of Jenkins' Ear: Great Britain declares war on Spain.

The Parliament of the Kingdom of Great Britain first meets in London.

First English Civil War ndash Battle of Edgehill: Royalists and Parliamentarians battle to a draw.

Work begins on construction of Beaumaris Castle on Anglesey, last of the ring of castles built by Edward I of England to subdue Wales.

Marco Polo returns to Italy from his travels to China.

The first treaty forming the Auld Alliance between Scotland and France against England is signed in Paris.

Philip IV of France and Pope Boniface VIII begin having disagreements.

Jayavarman VIII of the Khmer Empire in Cambodia abdicates Srindravarman succeeds him.

Edward I summons the Model Parliament.

Mongol leader Ghazan Khan is converted to Islam, ending a line of Tantric Buddhist leaders.

Battle of Grathe Heath: A civil war in Denmark ends with the death of King Sweyn III. Valdemar I of Denmark becomes king of all Denmark and restores and rebuilds the country.

Henry II of England grants a charter to the merchants of Lincoln (approximate date).

Henry II of England invades Wales and is defeated at the Battle of Ewloe by Owain Gwynedd.

Cardiff Castle is built.

London Tornado of 1091: A T8/F4 tornado is recorded in St Mary-le-Bow of London, England, which destroys London Bridge.

Henry, son of William I, attempts a coup against his brothers but fails to seize the English throne.

Battle of az-Zallaqah: Alfonso VI of León and Castile is defeated by the Almoravids, who had been called into Spain by Abbad III of Sevilla.

The Domesday Book is completed in England.

Syracuse, the last Muslim stronghold in Sicily, is conquered by the Normans.

The "Synodus Palmaris", called by Gothic king Theodoric the Great, clears Pope Symmachus of all charges, thus ending the schism of Antipope Laurentius.

Valentinian III, infant son of Galla Placidia, is installed as emperor ("Augustus") of the Western Roman Empire. Real power is in the hands of his mother who becomes a regent.

Flavius Aetius leads a force of Huns (60,000 men) into Northern Italy. He reached a compromise with Placidia in return of obtaining the rank commander-in-chief ("magister militum") in Gaul.

The Huns advance unopposed on Constantinople but are halted by a plague that decimates their hordes (see 433).

c. 425ndash426 ndash Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is built.

Last known usage of Demotic script in Egypt.

The Sanhedrin is disbanded by the Roman Empire.

Winter ndash A Roman army under command of Ardaburius leaves Thessalonica (modern Central Macedonia) and marched for Northern Italy where they make their base at Aquileia.

Emperor Theodosius II nominates his cousin Valentinian, age 5, the imperial title "nobilissimus Caesar" (most noble) of the Western Roman Empire. He is betrothed to his own daughter Licinia Eudoxia, who is only 2 years old.

Shao Di, age 18, is deposed by a group of high officials and succeeded by his younger brother Wen Di as emperor of the Liu Song Dynasty. Shao is exiled to Suzhou, and later killed by an assassin.

Roman usurper Joannes sends Flavius Aetius, governor of the Palace ("cura palatii"), to the Huns to ask for their assistance. After negotiating, he returns back for Italy with a large force.