Unix Timestamp: 1234915200
Wednesday, February 18. 2009, 12:00:00 AM UTC

The President of Niger, Tandja Mamadou, is overthrown after a group of soldiers storms the presidential palaceref name=Todd

At least 200 people are reported to have been killed in Iran after rail wagons carrying sulfur, petrol and fertiliser derailed and exploded. The accident happened near the town of Nishapur in Khorasan province. //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3498851.stm (BBC)

Israel is condemned by the International Committee of the Red Cross for the location of the Israeli West Bank barrier. The aid agency declared that the barrier at its current position was contrary to international humanitarian law and had caused extensive damage to Palestinian land and property and deprived thousands of Palestinians access to water, health care and education. //www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/iwpList4/F06BB484D900B227C1256E3E00324D96 (ICRC)

A train carrying a convoy of petrol, fertiliser, and sulphur derails and explodes in Iran, killing 320 people.

A federal appeals court in the United States ruled that district court judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum, presiding judge in the much-watched Martha Stewart trial, was in the wrong in barring the media from the voir dire process at the beginning of that trial. //www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2093737 (AP)

Occupation of Iraq: Suicide bombers in two vehicles killed 11 Iraqis and wounded 58 foreign troops and 44 Iraqis near the entrance to a Polish-manned coalition logistics base near the town of Hilla in central Iraq south of Baghdad. //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3498577.stm (BBC)

Canadian finance minister John Manley brings down a budget, the last and one of those with the most expenditures in the career of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. It uses money from the federal surplus to replace a portion of the amount the Liberals cut from a variety of programs during their mandate, partially funds the implementation of the Romanow report on health care, and increases military spending.

The World Health Organization confirms that a new outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Republic of the Congo killed 64. //news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2776719.stm

An arsonist destroys a train in Daegu, South Korea, killing more than 190.

Seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup chion Dale Earnhardt dies as a consequence of an accident in the last turn of the 2001 Daytona 500.

FBI agent Robert Hanssen is arrested and charged with spying for Russia for 15 years.

During the Daytona 500 race, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, known as The Intimidator for his aggressive driving style, is killed in a crash, and a 18 car wreck happened on lap 173 when Tony Stewart flipped in mid-air causing a major wreck. The race had come to a stop to take a 17 lap break because of the debris scattered on the track. The red flag was out to clean up the mess on the backstretch.

An IRA briefcase bomb in a bus kills the bomber and injures 9 in the West End of London.

The Provisional Irish Republican Army explodes bombs in the early morning, at both Paddington station and Victoria station in London.

In the Japanese general election, the Liberal Democratic Party wins a large majority in the House of Representatives of Japan.

The Republic of Ireland general election gives a boost to Fianna Fáil.

The Sahara Desert experiences snow for 30 minutes.

Prog 1 of 2000 AD, is launched (issue dated 26 February 1977).

The California Supreme Court voids the state's death penalty, commuting all death sentences to life in prison.

A jury finds the Chicago Seven defendants not guilty of conspiring to incite a riot, in charges stemming from the violence at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Five of the defendants are found guilty on the lesser charge of crossing state lines to incite a riot.

The 25th Amendment to the United States Constitution is enacted.

Trinidad and Tobago is the first Commonwealth nation to join the Organization of American States.

Donald Sangster becomes the new Prime Minister of Jamaica, succeeding Alexander Bustamante.

Suharto takes power from Sukarno in Indonesia (see Transition to the New Order and Supersemar).

New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison claims he will solve the John F. Kennedy assassination, and that a conspiracy was planned in New Orleans.

The Gambia becomes independent from the United Kingdom.

"Ranger 8" crashes into the Moon, after a successful mission of photographing possible landing sites for the Apollo program astronauts.

Suat Hayri Ürgüplü forms the new (interim) government of Turkey (29th government)

The 1960 Winter Olympic Games begin at the Squaw Valley Ski Resort, in Placer County, California.

Emmett Ashford becomes the first African American umpire in organized baseball, by being authorized to be a substitute umpire in the Southwestern International League.

Greece and Turkey join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Winston Churchill scraps UK compulsory national Identity Cards.

Éamon de Valera, Irish head of government since 1932, loses power to an opposition coalition. John A. Costello is appointed Taoiseach by President O'Kelly.

The first official air mail flight takes place from Allahabad, India to Naini, India, when Henri Pequet carries 6,500 letters a distance of 13 km.

U.S. President Roosevelt prosecutes the Northern Securities Company for violation of the Sherman Act.

Benin is put to the torch by the Punitive Expedition.

Pennsauken Township, New Jersey is incorporated.

The Lincoln County War begins in Lincoln County, New Mexico.

American Civil War: In Montgomery, Alabama, Jefferson Davis is inaugurated as the provisional president of the Confederate States of America.

French forces under Charles Rigault de Genouilly capture Sai Gon in Vietnam.

The American Party (Know-Nothings) convene in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to nominate their first Presidential candidate, former President Millard Fillmore.

March ndash Nepalese-Tibetan War: The signing of the Treaty of Thapathali concludes the war.

Great Trigonometric Survey of India officially gives 'Peak XV' (later to be named Mount Everest) the height of .

Mauveine, the first synthetic organicdye, is discovered by William Henry Perkin while attempting to synthesize quinine. This eventually leads to the birth of the chemical industry.

Beginning of the Galician peasant revolt.

The first ongoing filibuster in the United States Senate begins and lasts until March 11.

The War of 1812 between the United States, Canada and the British Empire ends.

Battle of Montereau: Napoleon is victorious against Austrian forces.

Ohio University is chartered by the Ohio General Assembly.

Spanish Governor José Maria Chacón peacefully surrenders the colony of Trinidad to a British naval force commanded by Sir Ralph Abercromby.

\\\'\\\'Meermin\\\'\\\' slave mutiny: captive Malagasy people seize a Dutch East India Companyslave ship in the Indian Ocean.

Fort St. Louis is established by a Frenchman at Matagorda Bay, thus forming the basis for France's claim to Texas.

John Bunyan publishes his novel, "The Pilgrim's Progress".

Francis, Duke of Guise is assassinated while besieging Orléans.

March ndash Peace of Amboise: Negotiated between the Prince of Condé and Anne de Montmorency, it accords some toleration to the Huguenots, especially to aristocrats. The combined Huguenot and royal armies then march north to besiege the English in Le Havre.

War of the League of Cambrai: Sack of Brescia by the French.

George, Duke of Clarence, convicted of treason against his older brother Edward IV of England, is privately executed in the Tower of London.

Amda Seyon I, Emperor of Ethiopia begins his caigns in the southern Muslim provinces (possibly in 1329).

Amda Seyon I, Emperor of Ethiopia begins his caigns in the southern Muslim provinces (possibly in 1332).

Battle of Rakvere: The Livonian Order is defeated by Dovmont of Pskov.

Sixth Crusade: Frederick II signs a ten-year truce with al-Kamil, regaining Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem with neither military engagements nor support from the papacy.

The beginning of the siege of Acre.

Emperor Xiaozong abdicates to Emperor Guangzong.

The Crusader castles of Montreal and Kerak are captured by Saladin.