Unix Timestamp: 1234656000
Sunday, February 15. 2009, 12:00:00 AM UTC

358 people perish in a fire at a Honduran prison in the city of Comayagua. Many others are injured. //www.washingtonpost.com/world/americas/authorities-in-honduras-say-a-fire-at-a-prison-kills-dozens-of-inmates-40-injured/2012/02/15/gIQAzYnHFR_story.html (AP via "Washington Post") //www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17038259 (BBC) //www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46394192#.TzxPHbRnARA (AP via MSNBC)

Comayagua prison fire:

A fire at a prison in Comayagua, Honduras kills 360.

Chris Ellison, the Australian Minister for Justice, warns anti-whaling protesters and the Japanese whaling fleet that they could face questioning over recent clashes in the Southern Ocean. Meanwhile, the crew were evacuated from the largest ship in the Japanese Antarctic fleet, the "Nisshin Maru," following a fire. //www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200702/s1848838.htm (ABC News Australia Online)

Al Gore announces plans for Live Earth concerts across seven continents in July 2007 to raise awareness of global warming. //www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/15/AR2007021502058.html (Washington Post)

South Korea agrees to resume high level talks with North Korea following the deal over North Korea's nuclear program. //www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200702/s1848954.htm (AFP via ABC Online)

The Hamas-led Palestinian government has resigned to make way for a new administration. The Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh remains as caretaker Prime Minister and will select a new cabinet. //www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200702/s1849075.htm (Reuters/AFP via ABC Online Australia)

The British government draws up plans to break up the BBC in the wake of the Hutton inquiry. //www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1001928,00.html ("Times") //story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/afp/20040214/wl_uk_afp/britain_politics_media_040214223216 (AFP)

Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin goes on record that anyone found to be culpable in the sponsorship scandal, including himself, will be immediately discharged. The issue could delay the upcoming election until after the public enquiry is completed.

Same-sex marriage in the United States: Officials at the city and county of San Francisco, California, turn away hundreds of would-be same-sex newlyweds after thousands of gay and lesbian couples show up to marry over the weekend. The city claims it can only handle between 400 and 600 marriages a day, or about one a minute. //www.365gay.com/newscon04/02/021604sfUpdt.htm (365Gay) //abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040215_814.html (AP) //www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44385-2004Feb15.html (Washington Post) //www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-02-15-gay-marriage-legal_x.htm ("USA Today") //sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/02/16/WEDDINGS.TMP (SF Chronicle)

Global protests against Iraq war: More than 10 million people protest in over 600 cities worldwide, the largest to take place before a war occurs.

Global protests against war on Iraq: People around the world demonstrated against the planning of war against Iraq. In Rome three million people were on the streets, in London one million. In Berlin there were half a million in the largest demonstration for some decades. There were also protest marches all over France as well as in many other smaller European cities. Protests were also held in South Africa, Syria, India, Russia, Canada and in the US, in around 600 cities in total.

The funeral of Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon takes place on the 50th anniversary of her father's funeral.

The Visegrad Agreement, establishing cooperation to move toward free-market systems, is signed by the leaders of Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland.

The French Air Forceraids the Libyan Ouadi Doum airbase in northern Chad.

The Soviet liner "Mikhail Lermontov" sinks in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand.

The Beechcraft Starship makes its maiden flight.

The oil platform "Ocean Ranger" sinks during a storm off the coast of Newfoundland, killing all 84 rig workers aboard.

In Vanuatu, followers of John Frum's cargo cult on the island of Tanna declare secession as the nation of Tafea.

A suspected gas explosion in a Warsaw bank kills 49.

Space Shuttle program: First test taxi flight of Space Shuttle Enterprise.

The 1976 Constitution of Cuba is adopted by national referendum.

The Soviet Union announces that it has sent troops near the Chinese border.

A new red and white maple leaf design is inaugurated as the flag of Canada, replacing the Union Flag and the Canadian Red Ensign.

Andrei Gromyko becomes foreign minister of the Soviet Union.

The Toddlers' Truce, a controversial television closedown between 6.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m., is abolished in the United Kingdom.

Ingmar Bergman's film "The Seventh Seal" opens in Sweden.

The funeral of George VI takes place at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Start of the 1951 New Zealand waterfront dispute, which lasts for 151 days.

Canada indicts 22 communist agents.

WWII ndash Battle of Monte Cassino: The monastery atop Monte Cassino is destroyed by Allied bombing.

WWII: Singapore surrenders to Japanese forces.

The discovery and clinical development of Prontosil, the first broadly effective antibacterial drug, is published in a series of articles in Germany's pre-eminent medical journal, "Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift", by Gerhard Domagk.

The Blaine Act passes the United States Senate, submitting the proposed 21st Amendment to the Constitution to the states for ratification. The amendment is ratified on December 5, ending prohibition in the United States.

In Miami, Florida, Giuseppe Zangara attempts to assassinate President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt, but instead fatally wounds Chicago Mayor Anton J. Cermak.

"Newsweek" magazine is published for the first time.

The Alice Comedy "Alice Solves the Puzzle" is released at 6:54 a.m. by Disney Studios, introducing Bootleg Pete (an early prototype for "'Pegleg Pete"') for the first time.

Inaugural session of the Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ).

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania adopt Gregorian calendar.

Morris and Rose Michtom introduce the first teddy bear in America.

The Berlin U-Bahn underground is opened.

Second Boer War: The Siege of Kimberley is lifted.

The February Manifesto is issued by the Emperor of Russia subjugating the Diet of Finland to Imperial legislation. The Finnish estates lose their veto in regards to laws interpreted to concern all Russia, including autonomous Finland. The manifesto is viewed as unconstitutional and a coup d'état by the Finns who have come to consider their country being in real union with Russia. Furthermore, the manifesto also fails to separate which laws are to be considered local or imperial, leading the Finns to fear that any law could be considered as imperial, therefore in fact stripping the Finnish diet of all its legislative power.

Spanish-American War: The USS \\\'\\\'Maine\\\'\\\' explodes and sinks in Havana harbor, Cuba, for then-unknown reasons, killing 266 men. This event helps lead the United States to declare war on Spain.

Spanish-American War: The USS "Maine" explodes and sinks in Havana harbor, Cuba, for then-unknown reasons, killing 266 men. This event helps lead the United States to declare war on Spain.

At 04:51 GMT, French anarchist Martial Bourdin attempts to destroy the Royal Greenwich Observatory, London, United Kingdom with a bomb.

AIK is founded.

Women's rights: American President Rutherford B. Hayes signs a bill allowing female attorneys to argue cases before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Women\\\'s rights: American President Rutherford B. Hayes signs a bill allowing female attorneys to argue cases before the Supreme Court of the United States.

American Civil War: General Ulysses S. Grant attacks Fort Donelson, Tennessee and captures it the next day.

The North Carolina General Assembly incorporates the Western North Carolina Railroad to build a rail line from Salisbury to the western part of the state.//www.historync.org/railroad-WNCRR.htm CommunicationSolutions/ISI, Railroad — Western North Carolina Railroad, "North Carolina Business History", 2006, accessed 1 Feb 2010

The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children, London, admits its first patient.

In Boston, Massachusetts, members of the anti-slavery Boston Vigilance Committee rescue fugitive slave Shadrach Minkins from a courtroom following his arrest by US marshals.

The United States House of Representatives agrees to the Tallmadge Amendment barring slaves from the new state of Missouri (the opening vote in a controversy that leads to the Missouri Compromise).

The Harmony Society is officially formed.

New Jersey becomes the last northern state to abolish slavery.

Pope Pius VI succeeds Pope Clement XIV as the 250th pope.

The American city of St Louis is established.

The Treaty of Hubertusburg puts an end to the Seven Years\' War between Prussia and Austria and their allies.

The British Royal Navy ship HMS "Royal Katherine" runs aground off Bolt Head in England with the loss of 699 lives.

The British Royal Navy ship HMS \'\'Royal Katherine\'\' runs aground off Bolt Head in England with the loss of 699 lives.

English Civil War: The New Model Army is officially founded.

Ferdinand III becomes the Holy Roman Emperor.

VenusoccultsJupiter this will next happen in 1818.

Joint kings Magnus Eriksson and Haakon Magnusson of Sweden are both deposed by noblemen, who instead elect Magnus's nephew Albrekt of Mecklenburg new king of Sweden.

King Magnus Eriksson's son Haakon, who is already king of Norway, proclaims himself king of Sweden, in opposition to his father. However, later during the year, father and son are reconciled and rule Sweden together.

King Magnus Eriksson's son Haakon, who is already king of Norway, proclaims himself king of Sweden, in opposition to his father. However, later during the year, father and son are reconciled and rule Sweden together.

Arnold of Brescia joins the revolutionary Commune of Rome, where he becomes its intellectual leader for the next decade.

Pietro Bernardo Paganelli of Montemagno, Calci is elected as Pope Eugene III, and succeeds Pope Lucius II as the 167th pope.

Woburn Abbey is founded.

Pope Eugene III issues the bull "Quantum praedecessores", calling for the Second Crusade.

Construction begins on Notre-Dame de Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France.

Kim Pusik and his team of historians finish the compilation of the Korean historical text "Samguk Sagi".

r February 22 ndash Louis the Blind (c.833-928) is crowned Emperor of Occident at Rome.Charles Albert Cingria //books.google.fr/books?id=fqBUzh3pQgUCpg=PA72 "La reine Berthe" L'AGE D'HOMME, 1992 ISBN 978-2-8251-0347-0 Berenger of Friuli is defeated and has to seek refuge in Bavaria at the court of Louis the Child.Marie Nicolas Bouillet //books.google.fr/books?id=fOgOAAAAQAAJpg=PA158 "Atlas universel d'histoire et de géographie, Volume 1" L. Hachette, 1865

Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia.

Bahram V dies after a 18-year reign. He is succeeded by his son Yazdegerd II who becomes the fifteenth Sassanid king of the Persian Empire.

Relics of John Chrysostom are transported to Constantinople.

Aelia Eudocia, wife of Theodosius II, goes on a pilgrimage to Jeruzalem, bringing back with her holy relics to prove her faith.

The "Codex Theodosianus", a collection of edicts of Roman law, is published.

King Hermeric of the Suebic Kingdom of Galicia is forced after a seven-year illness to retire. He hands the government over to his son Rechila.

The last gladiatorial fights are held in the Colosseum (Rome). Animal hunts continue until at least 523.

The original Hagia Sophia is dedicated in Constantinople.