Unix Timestamp: 1707868800
Wednesday, February 14. 2024, 12:00:00 AM UTC

The United States Navy will use an SM-3 missile to destroy USA 193, a broken National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite which contains unused hydrazine fuel. //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7245578.stm (BBC News) //ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h7aoM2ii3QVBCAV8m2HtJSuPxPNwD8UQD9400 (AP via Google)

President Vladimir Putin says Russia would target its missiles at Ukraine if it threatened Russia's national security. //www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11968223 (Interfax)

Marco Pantani, world renowned cyclist, winner of the 1998 Tour de France and the 1998 Giro d'Italia, is found dead in a hotel in the Adriatic city of Rimini, Italy.//www.nytimes.com/2004/02/16/sports/othersports/16BIKE.html?8hpib

Four ex-Symbionese Liberation Army members were sentenced to prison for the 1975 murder of Myrna Opsahl during a bank robbery in Carmichael, California.//www.sacbee.com/content/news/projects/sla/story/6114412p-7070153c.html

UNMOVIC chief weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei presented a report to the United Nations Security Council. They stated that the Iraqis had been co-operating well with the inspectors and that no weapons of mass destruction had been found, but that the Saddam Hussein regime had still to account for many banned weapons believed to have been in his arsenal. Mr Blix also expressed doubts about some of the conclusions in Colin Powell's Security Council presentation of February 5, and specifically questioned the significance of some of the photographic evidence that Mr Powell had presented.

risoner Shaker Aamer moved to Guantanamo Bay detention c. Aamer has been held since without charge and despite being cleared for release in 2007 and 2009.

The U.S. Embassy in Athens, Greece comes under mortar fire.

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Garry Kasparov beats Deep Blue in a second chess match.

In Irian Jaya, an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 and associated tidal waves kills 102 people and causes widespread devastation.

The UK government publishes the Scott Report.

Begum Khaleda Zia is reelected as prime minister of Bangladesh. The country's second democratic election is marred by low voter turnout, due to several boycotts and pre-election violence, which result in at least 13 deaths.

Violent clashes erupt between Filipino soldiers and Vietnamese boat people, as the Philippines government attempts to forcibly repatriate hundreds of Vietnamese asylum seekers.

A Long March 3 rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China crashes into a rural village after liftoff, killing as many as 50.

In south-west Wales, the oil tanker "Sea Empress" runs aground, spilling 73,000 tonnes of crude oil, killing many birds.

Ukraine and four other nations in the Commonwealth of Independent States reject Russia's proposal to maintain unified armed forces. Ukraine, Moldova, and Azerbaijan announce they will go ahead with plans to created their own armed forces.

The United Kingdom and Argentina restore diplomatic relations after 8 years. The UK had severed ties in response to Argentina's invasion of the Falkland Islands, a British Dependent Territory, in 1982.

In Cartagena, Colombia, a summit is held between President of the United StatesGeorge H. W. Bush, President of BoliviaJaime Paz Zamora, President of ColombiaVirgilio Barco Vargas, and President of PeruAlan García. The leaders pledge additional cooperation in fighting international drug trafficking.

The Pale Blue Dot picture was sent back from the Voyager 1 probe after completing its primary mission. It was around 3.5 billion miles away from earth.

CNN reporter Jeremy Levin is freed from captivity in Lebanon.

The iconic live album "The Who: Live at Leeds" is recorded.

MacDonald family massacre: Jeffrey R. MacDonald kills his wife and children at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, claiming that drugged-out hippies did it.thumb|150px| February 11: Ōsumi (satellite) launched

Author David Irving is ordered to pay £40,000 libel damages to Capt. John Broome over his book "The Destruction of Convoy PQ17".

Pope Paul VIissues a motu proprio deleting many names from the Roman calendar of saints (including Valentine, who was celebrated on that day).

"Respect" is recorded by Aretha Franklin (to be released in April).

The Australian dollar is introduced at a rate of 2 dollars per pound, or 10 shillings per dollar.

Harold Wilson becomes leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, and could be within 18 months of becoming prime minister with a general election due in that time.//www.expressandstar.com/days/1950-75/1963.html

A Sabena Boeing 707 crashes near Brussels, Belgium, killing 73, including the entire United States figure skating team and several coaches.

President Kennedy warns the Soviet Union to avoid interfering with the United Nations pacification of the Congo.

A total solar eclipse occurs in southern part of Europe

Discovery of the chemical elements: Element 103, Lawrencium, is first synthesized in Berkeley, California.

The Hashemite Kingdoms of Iraq and Jordan unite in the Arab Federation of Iraq and Jordan with Iraqi King Faisal II as head of state.

26 – 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union

February 25 – The Winter Olympics held in Oslo, Norway.

In an election speech at Edinburgh, Winston Churchill proposes a parley at the summit with Soviet leaders, first use of term summit for such a meeting.ref name=Kynaston

Cold War:

The Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China sign a mutual defense treaty.

Walt Disney releases his 12th animated film, "Cinderella" in Hollywood.

Juho Kusti Paasikivi is re-elected president of Finland.

Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru join the United Nations.

SHAEF headquarters is established in Britain by General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

An anti-Japanese revolt breaks out on Java.

Rostov-na-Donu, Russia is liberated.

Battle of the Kasserine Pass: German General Erwin Rommel and his Afrika Korps launch an offensive against Allied defenses in Tunisia it is the United States' first major battle defeat of the war.

WWII ndash Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura begins his duties as Japanese Ambassador to the United States.

The British naval base at Singapore begins operations.

The original film version of "Dracula" with Bela Lugosi is released.

St. Valentine's Day Massacre: Seven gangsters, rivals of Al Capone, are murdered in Chicago.

St. Valentine\\'s Day Massacre: Seven gangsters, rivals of Al Capone, are murdered in Chicago.

An earthquake in Yugoslavia kills 100.

"IBM" is founded in New York State.

The League of Women Voters is founded in Chicago.

The Polish-Soviet War begins.

Russia switches from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar the date skips from February 1 to February 14.

Second Boer War ndash Battle of Paardeberg: 20,000 British troops invade the Orange Free State.

Voting machines are approved by the U.S. Congress for use in federal elections.

Oscar Wilde's last play "The Importance of Being Earnest" is first shown at St. James' Theatre in London.

In the FA Cup Quarter Final, a goal is deliberately stopped by handball on the goal line. An Indirect free kick is awarded, since the Penalty kick was proposed that year but not implemented. This event probably changes public opinion on the penalty kick, which was seen as 'an Irishman's motion' before (see William McCrum).

The first train load of oranges leaves Los Angeles via the transcontinental railroad.

Chilean troops disembark at Antofagasta, Chile, at the time a Bolivian port. The event marks the beginning of the War of the Pacific between Chile and the joint forces of Peru and Bolivia.

Oregon is admitted as the 33rd U.S. state.

Texas is linked by telegraph with the rest of the United States, when a connection between New Orleans and Marshall, Texas is completed.

In New York City, James Knox Polk becomes the first President of the United States to have his photograph taken.

The event that inspired the Beatles song "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" is held in England.

Minh Mang starts to rule in Vietnam.

Battle of Vauchs: Napoleon I of France is victorious against von Blücher.

The First Serbian Uprising begins as an intro into Serbian Revolution. By 1817, Principality of Serbia proclaims self-rule from Ottoman Empire, thus becoming the first nation-state in Europe.

The Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1797), part of the Wars of the French Revolution.

Captain James Cook dies on the Sandwich Islands on his third and last voyage.

Henry Pelham becomes British Prime Minister.

The Order of St. Anna is established in Russia, in honour of the daughter of Peter the Great.

Metacomet and his Wanoags attack Northton, Massachusetts meanwhile, the Massachusetts Council debates whether a wall should be erected around Boston.

March ndash Following the death of his mentor, Cardinal Mazarin, King Louis XIV of France starts to rule independently.

George Monck’s regiment becomes "The Lord General's Regiment of Foot Guards" (which later becomes Coldstream Guards)

Elizabeth, daughter of King James I of England, marries Frederick V, Elector Palatine.

Archbishop John Whitgift begins building his hospital at Croydon.

Henry III of France marries Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont.

Battle of Uedahara: Firearms are used for the first time on the battlefield in Japan, and Takeda Shingen is defeated by Murakami Yoshikiyo.

Guadalajara, Mexico, is founded by the Spaniards after 3 previous attempts failed, due to aggressive opposition from local tribes.

Louis XI of France marries Charlotte of Savoy.

August ndash The princes of the German states vote to depose Wenceslaus as Holy Roman Emperor due to his weak leadership and his mental illnesses.

Richard II of England dies by means unknown in Pontefract Castle. It is likely that King Henry IV ordered the death of Richard by starvation to prevent further uprisings.

Roughly 2,000 Jews are burned to death in Strasbourg.//www.fordham.edu/halsall/jewish/1348-jewsblackdeath.html Fordham.edu

An antipope schism occurs when Roger II of Sicily supports Anacletus II as pope instead of Innocent II, who flees to France.

Pope Innocent II succeeds Pope Honorius II as the 164th pope.

Pope Gregory VII excommunicates Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor.

Pope Benedict VIII recognizes and crowns Henry of Bavaria (who has ruled since 1003) as King of Germany.

r March 9 ndash First known mention of the name of Lithuania in connection with the murder of Saint Bruno of Querfurt.

Ramiro I succeeds Alfonso II as king of Asturias.

The Oaths of Strasbourg, an alliance of Louis the German and Charles the Bald against emperor Lothar, are sworn and recorded in the vernacular languages.

Uurad is succeeded by Bred, then Ciniod as King of the Picts.

The reign of caliph Al-Mu'tasim ends.

The Uyghurs leave the Mongolian plateau.

Charles the Bald marries Ermentrude.

Three year old Michael III succeeds Theophilus (emperor) as emperor of Byzantium.

Charles the Bald and Louis the German sign a treaty.

Cerball mac Dúnlainge becomes king of Osraige

The Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim take Marv, the capital of the province of Khurasan, marking the consolidation of the Abbasid revolt. Abbasid forces under Qahtaba ibn Shabib al-Ta\'i take Nishapur and Rayy, defeating an Ummayad army at Gurgan.

The plague breaks out in Constantinople.

The city of Baalbek is sacked.

Pope Gelasius I introduces Valentine's Day, after he has abolished Lupercalia (approximate date).