Unix Timestamp: 1016755200
Friday, March 22. 2002, 12:00:00 AM UTC

The President of Mali, Amadou Toumani Touré, is ousted in a coup d'état after mutinous soldiers attack government offices.

Jamaican Police announce that Bob Woolmer, the coach of the Pakistan national cricket team, was murdered on Sunday, and proceed to question all members of the team. //www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23389746-details/Cricket%20coach%20Bob%20Woolmer%20WAS%20murdered/article.do (This is London), //www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6click_id=17art_id=nw20070322222429587C709168 (IOL (S. Africa))

Palestinians protest in the streets after an Israeli helicopter gunship fires a missile at the entourage of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in Gaza City, killing him and 7 others.

Two Russian fighter jets tracked a U.S. U-2 spy plane flying near the Russian border. The U-2 was partaking in reconnaissance over Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov returns after setting a record for 438 days in outer space.

South Africa officially abandons its nuclear weapons programme. President de Klerk announces that the country's 6 warheads had already been dismantled in 1990.

Mahamane Ousmane is elected president of Niger.

Jiang Zemin becomes President of the People's Republic of China.

The Intel Corporation ships the first P5Pentium chips.

Following a rash of integrist murders, Algeria breaks diplomatic relations with Iran, accusing the country of interfering in its interior affairs.

The Israeli Knesset elects Ezer Weizman as President of Israel.

Teachers at the McMartin Preschool in Manhattan Beach, California are charged with Satanic ritual abuse of the schoolchildren (the charges are later dropped as completely unfounded).

The Australia Olympic Committee announces it will send an Olympic delegation to Moscow, despite objections by Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.

The Georgia Guidestones are erected in Elbert County, Georgia.

Archbishop Óscar Romero is killed by gunmen while celebrating Mass in San Salvador. At his funeral 6 days later, 42 people are killed amid gunfire and bombs.

Karl Wallenda of the Flying Wallendas dies after falling off a tight-rope between two hotels in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

"Ding-a-dong" by Teach-In (music by Dick Bakker, text by Will Luikinga and Eddy Ouwens) wins the 20th Eurovision Song Contest 1975 for the Netherlands.

The 92nd U.S. Congress votes to send the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the states for ratification.

"Après Toi" sung by Vicky Leandros (music by Klaus Munro Mario Panas, lyric by Klaus Munro Yves Dessca) wins the Eurovision Song Contest 1972 for Luxembourg.

"Bewitched" starring Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick Sargent aired its final episode, The Truth, Nothing but the Truth, So Help Me Sam on ABC.

After fourteen years, the last of Leonard Bernstein's "Young People's Concerts" is telecast by CBS. This last concert is devoted to Gustav Holst's "The Planets".

An avalanche on Mount Fuji kills 19 climbers.

After fourteen years, the last of Leonard Bernstein's "Young People\'s Concerts" is telecast by CBS. This last concert is devoted to Gustav Holst's "The Planets".

"The Godfather" is released in cinemas in the United States.

The last trolleybus system in the United Kingdom closes in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire after over 60 years of operation.

The British government announces the prorogation of the Parliament of Northern Ireland and the introduction of 'Direct Rule' of Northern Ireland, after the Unionist government refuses to cede security powers.

The landmark art exhibition "When Attitudes become Form", curated by Harald Szeemann opens at the Kunsthalle Bern in Bern, Switzerland.

Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Danny The Red) and 7 other students occupy the administrative offices of the University of Nanterre, setting in motion a chain of events that lead France to the brink of revolution in May.

In Washington, D.C., General Motors President James M. Roche appears before a Senate subcommittee, and apologizes to consumer advocate Ralph Nader for the company's intimidation and harassment caign against him.

Nicolae Ceauşescu becomes the first secretary of the Romanian Communist Party.

The Beatles release their first album "Please Please Me".

Arthur Leonard SchawlowCharles Hard Townes receive the first patent for a laser.

Wernher von Braun publishes the first in his series of articles titled "Man Will Conquer Space Soon!", including ideas for manned flights to Mars and the Moon.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Egypt demands that Britain remove all its troops in the Suez Canal.

The 22nd Academy Awards ceremony is held.

NSC-68 is issued by the United States National Security Council

Influential British comic "Eagle" is launched

The United Kingdom grants Transjordan, as it is then known, its independence 3 years later the country changes its name to Jordan.Year by Year 1946 – History Channel International

Sylvester the cat, a cartoon character, debuts in "Life with Feathers"

WWII ndash Operation Varsity: Two airborne divisions capture bridges across the Rhine River to aid the Allied advance.

The Arab League is formed with the adoption of a charter in Cairo, Egypt.

WWII: The entire population of Khatyn in Belarus is burnt alive by the German occupation forces.

Washington's Grand Coulee Dam begins to generate electricity.

After an ultimatum of March 20, Nazi Germany takes Memelland from Lithuania.

The world's first Television program is transmitted from the Funkturm in Berlin, Germany.

President Franklin Roosevelt signs an amendment to the Volstead Act known as the Cullen-Harrison Act, allowing the manufacture and sale of 3.2 beer (3.2% alcohol by weight, approximately 4% alcohol by volume) and light wines. ROOSEVELT AUTHORIZES BEER SALE BY SIGNING BILL FOR 3.2 BREW, "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette", March 23, 1933, p.1.

Hockey Night in Canada is first broadcast on the Toronto Star's private station CFCA, making the first hockey broadcast ever.

Radio station WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio begins broadcasting.//www.enquirer.com/editions/2002/03/17/tem_wlw_700_turns_80.html

The first taxicabs with taxi meters begin operating in London.

English football team Sheffield United F.C. formed at the Adelphi Hotel, Sheffield.

The Football League is formed.

Polygamy is made a felony by the Edmunds Act as passed by the U.S. Congress.

Emancipation Day for Puerto Rico: Slaves are freed (with a few exceptions).

The Grand Duchy of Tuscany is annexed to the newly formed Kingdom of Italy.

MarchndashAugust ndash The second rout of the Jiangnan DaYing (Army GroupJiangnan) destroys the Qing's army of 180,000.

Republic of San Marco comes into existence in Venice.

Greece receives autonomy from the Ottoman Empire. This effectively ends the Greek War of Independence. Greece continues to seek full independence through diplomatic negotiations with the Empire as well as with Russia, France and Britain.

Easter Day in Western Christianity falls on its earliest possible date. In Western Christianity, it will not occur on this date again until 2285.

The Commissioners' Plan for Manhattan is presented.

Russian troops occupy Turku.

The Parliament of Great Britain passes the St Act, imposing the first direct tax levied from Great Britain on the thirteen American colonies. This is to help pay for British military operations in North America.

The Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty issues the Edict of Toleration recognizing all the Roman Catholic Church, not just the Jesuits, and legalizing missions and their conversion of Chinese people.

March 12 O.S.) - Start of the Williamite War in Ireland: The deposed James II of England lands with 6,000 French soldiers in Ireland, where there is a Catholic majority, hoping to use it as the base for a counter-coup. However, many Irish Catholics see him as an agent of Louis XIV of France and refuse to support him.

The ship "Waeckende Boey" is wrecked on the coast of Java the four survivors walk overland to Jepara.

Massachusetts Bay Colony outlaws the possession of cards, dice, and gaming tables.

The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony sign a peace treaty with Massasoit of the Wanoags.

First Templars stronghold is established in the kingdom of León and Castile.ref name=Fletcher Reconquista

The Priory in Lesmahagow is founded by Benedictine monks.

The first exle of an anti-Semiticblood libel is recorded in England, in connection with the murder of William of Norwich.