February 23

Wednesday 23, 2005:

Slovakia Summit 2005 begins, marking the first occasion when a sitting American President visits Slovakia; Bush and Putin are in attendance.

Tuesday 23, 1999:

An avalanche destroys the Austrian village of Galtür, killing 31.

Monday 23, 1998:

Netscape Communications Corporation announces the foundation of mozilla.org, to co-ordinate the development of the open source Mozilla web browser.

Sunday 23, 1997:

A large fire occurs in the Russian Space station, Mir.

Thursday 23, 1995:

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gains 30.28 to close at 4,003.33, closing above 4,000 for the first time.

Tuesday 23, 1993:

Gary Coleman wins a $1,280,000 lawsuit against his parents.

Sunday 23, 1992:

The Socialist Labour Party is founded in Georgia.

Saturday 23, 1991:

Thailand: General Sunthorn Kongsompong leads a bloodless coup d'état, deposing Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan.

Monday 23, 1987:

A supernova is seen in the Large Magellanic Cloud (see Supernova 1987a).

Wednesday 23, 1983:

The Environmental Protection Agency announces its intent to buy out and evacuate the dioxin-contaminated community of Times Beach, Missouri.

Monday 23, 1981:

23-F, Antonio Tejero attempts a coup d'état by capturing the Spanish Congress of Deputies.

Saturday 23, 1980:

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini states that Iran's parliament would decide the fate of the American embassy hostages.

Saturday 23, 1974:

The Symbionese Liberation Army demands $4 million more to release kidnap victim Patty Hearst.

Wednesday 23, 1966:

A military coup in Syria replaces the previous government.

Sunday 23, 1958:

Cuban rebels kidnap 5-time world driving champion Juan Manuel Fangio.

Saturday 23, 1957:

The founding congress of the Senegalese Popular Bloc is opened in Dakar.

Thursday 23, 1956:

Nikita Khrushchev attacks the veneration of Joseph Stalin as a "cult of personality".

Wednesday 23, 1955:

Edgar Faure becomes Prime Minister of France

Tuesday 23, 1954:

The first mass vaccination of children against polio begins in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Sunday 23, 1947:

International Organization for Standardization(ISO) is founded.

Friday 23, 1945:

1945 - World War II: The German town of Pforzheim is completely destroyed by a raid of 379 British bombers.

Friday 23, 1940:

The animated movie Pinocchio is released.

Friday 23, 1934:

Léopold III becomes King of Belgium.

Wednesday 23, 1927:

The Federal Radio Commission (later renamed the Federal Communications Commission) begins to regulate the use of radio frequencies.

Sunday 23, 1919:

Benito Mussolini forms the Fascist Party in Italy.

Tuesday 23, 1909:

The Silver Dart makes the first powered flight in Canada and the British Empire.

Thursday 23, 1905:

Chicago, Illinois attorney Paul Harris and three other businessmen meet for lunch to form the Rotary Club, the world's first service club.

Tuesday 23, 1904:

For $10 million the United States gains control of the Panama Canal Zone.

Monday 23, 1903:

Cuba leases Guantanamo Bay to the United States "in perpetuity".

Friday 23, 1900:

Battle of Hart's Hill: In South Africa the Boers and British troops battle.

Wednesday 23, 1898:

Émile Zola is imprisoned in France after writing "J'accuse", a letter accusing the French government of anti-Semitism and wrongfully placing Captain Alfred Dreyfus in jail.

Thursday 23, 1893:

Rudolf Diesel receives a patent for the diesel engine.

Wednesday 23, 1887:

The French Riviera is hit by a large earthquake, killing around 2,000.

Friday 23, 1883:

Alabama becomes the first U.S. state to enact an antitrust law.

Monday 23, 1874:

Walter Winfield patents a game called "sphairistike" which is more commonly called lawn tennis.

Wednesday 23, 1870:

Military control of Mississippi ends and it is readmitted to the Union.

Saturday 23, 1861:

President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrives secretly in Washington, DC after an assassination attempt in Baltimore, Maryland.

Tuesday 23, 1847:

In Mexico, American troops defeat Mexican general Antonio López de Santa Anna.

Tuesday 23, 1836:

The Siege of the Alamo begins in San Antonio, Texas.

Friday 23, 1821:

The Philadelphia College of Apothecaries founds the first pharmacy college.

Wednesday 23, 1820:

Cato Street Conspiracy: A plot to murder all the British cabinet ministers is exposed.

Monday 23, 1778:

American Revolution: Baron von Steuben arrives at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to help to train the Continental Army.

Saturday 23, 1732:

First performance of George Frideric Handel's Orlando, in London.

Monday 23, 1660:

Charles XI becomes King of Sweden.

Saturday 23, 1574:

The 5th holy war against the Huguenots begins in France.

Friday 23, 1455:

Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western book printed from movable type.

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