In History, Today on February 20

Honduras and Nicaragua settled a longstanding dispute over maritime boundaries in a ruling by the International Court of Justice, helping to clarify rights over their waters in the Caribbean Sea. This decision came after years of negotiation and contention over maritime territories.

Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia, announced the resignation of the deputy prime minister and several ministers as part of political reconfigurations amidst internal party tensions.

Cyclone Gita struck New Zealand, causing significant damage and power outages as authorities declared a state of emergency in some of the affected areas.

Cyclone Winston, the strongest tropical cyclone on record to make landfall in Fiji, struck the island nation, causing widespread destruction and resulting in 44 deaths.

The United States and Turkey agree to train and equip moderate Syrian opposition forces as part of the effort to combat ISIS in Syria.

Violence escalated in Ukraine during the Euromaidan protests, with police and protesters clashing in Kyiv, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. This day marked one of the deadliest in the conflict, leading to significant political changes in Ukraine.

The 2010 Winter Olympics are held in Vancouver, Canada. On this day, the United States wins its first-ever gold medal in Nordic combined skiing.

Two Tamil Tiger aircraft were shot down by the Sri Lankan Air Force while attempting to attack Colombo, marking a significant moment in the Sri Lankan Civil War.

Spain became the first country to approve a referendum on the European Constitution, with a majority voting in favor of the treaty.

A fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, killed 100 people and injured more than 200 others. The fire was caused by pyrotechnics set off by the tour manager of the band Great White, igniting flammable soundproofing foam in the walls and ceiling surrounding the stage.

Tara Lipinski wins gold at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, becoming the youngest individual gold medalist in the history of the Winter Games at the age of 15.

The Soviet Union launched the Mir space station, which became the first modular space station and operated in low Earth orbit until 2001.

John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth, aboard Friendship 7 during NASA's Mercury-Atlas 6 mission.

The Emmett Ashford Decision ensures that black men could umpire in Major League Baseball.

The Battle of the Kasserine Pass begins in Tunisia during World War II. It was the first large-scale meeting of American and German forces in North Africa.

Caroline Mikkelsen became the first woman to set foot on Antarctica.

Adolf Hitler secretly met with German industrialists to secure funding for the Nazi Party's election campaign.

King O'Malley drives in the first survey peg to mark the commencement of work on Australia's new capital city, Canberra.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art opened in New York City.

The Treaty of Turkmenchay was signed, ending the Russo-Persian War (1826–1828). The treaty ceded the Iranian territories of Erivan khanate (modern-day Yerevan) and Nakhchivan khanate to Russia, marking significant territorial losses for Persia.

Rossini's opera 'The Barber of Seville' premiered at the Teatro Argentina in Rome.

Louis-Alexandre Berthier, a prominent military leader, and later Marshal of France, captured Rome and declared the Roman Republic, which replaced the Papal States and marked a significant moment in the French Revolutionary Wars.

The Postal Service Act, establishing the United States Post Office Department, was signed by President George Washington.

Edward VI of England was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey.

Orkney and Shetland are pawned by Norway to Scotland in lieu of a dowry for Margaret of Denmark.

Amadeus VI of Savoy, known as 'The Green Count,' married Bonne of Bourbon.

The death of Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid, the founder of the Ikhshidid dynasty, which ruled over Egypt and parts of the Levant, marking a transition in the region's leadership.

The Battle of Marj Rahit took place, a significant conflict during the Second Fitna, a period of civil war in the early Islamic Caliphate. The battle was fought between the Umayyad forces led by Marwan I and the supporters of Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, who had declared himself caliph in Mecca.

Emperor Tenmu institutes the Divine Wind Festival (Toshigami Matsuri) in Japan, intended to honor the deities and ensure good fortune for the upcoming year.

The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I issues the Codex Justinianus, a fundamental work in the history of Western law, as part of his comprehensive legal reforms.