22 years (1995 - 2017) worth of news scrapped from Wikipedia

news_corpus.txt

Current events of September 3, 1995 (1995-09-03) (Sunday) :
eBay is founded.
Current events of September 6, 1995 (1995-09-06) (Wednesday) :
NATO air strikes against Bosnian Serb forces continue, after repeated attempts at a solution to the Bosnian War fail.
Current events of September 19, 1995 (1995-09-19) (Tuesday) :
The Washington Post and The New York Times publish the Unabomber's manifesto.
Current events of September 22, 1995 (1995-09-22) (Friday) :
American millionaire Steve Forbes announces his candidacy for the 1996 Republican presidential nomination.
Current events of September 23, 1995 (1995-09-23) (Saturday) :
Argentine national Guillermo "Bill" Gaede is arrested in Phoenix, Arizona, on charges of industrial espionage. His sales to Cuba, China, North Korea and Iran are believed to have involved Intel and AMD trade secrets worth US$10–20 million.
Current events of September 26, 1995 (1995-09-26) (Tuesday) :
The trial against former Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti, who is accused of Mafia connections, begins.
Current events of September 27, 1995 (1995-09-27) (Wednesday) :
Bob Denard's mercenaries capture President Said Mohammed Djohor of the Comoros; the local army does not resist.
Current events of September 28, 1995 (1995-09-28) (Thursday) :
Croatian forces massacre 9 elderly Croatian Serbs in the village of Varivode, Croatia.
Current events of August 2, 1995 (1995-08-02) (Wednesday) :
The first cold front of the White Earthquake strikes Chile; during the rest of August several communities becomes isolated due to heavy snowfall and livestock is decimated.
Current events of August 3, 1995 (1995-08-03) (Thursday) :
An Il-76TD piloted by a Russian crew is forced down by Taliban fighter planes. The crew escape with the aircraft on August 16, 1996.
Current events of August 4, 1995 (1995-08-04) (Friday) :
Croatian forces, with the cooperation of the ARBiH, launch Operation Storm against rebel Republic of Serbian Krajina forces, which subsequently ceases to exist as a political entity.
Current events of August 5, 1995 (1995-08-05) (Saturday) :
Croatian forces liberate, Knin, and continue their advance into the Republic of Serbian Krajina.
Current events of August 6, 1995 (1995-08-06) (Sunday) :
Hundreds in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Washington, D.C., and Tokyo mark the 50th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb.
Current events of August 7, 1995 (1995-08-07) (Monday) :
Operation Storm ends with a UN-brokered ceasefire; remaining Republic of Serbian Krajina forces start surrendering.
Current events of August 11, 1995 (1995-08-11) (Friday) :
The Russell Hill subway accident results in 3 deaths and 30 injuries in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Current events of August 14, 1995 (1995-08-14) (Monday) :
An avalanche buries Alison Hargreaves, the first woman to climb Mt. Everest without oxygen; she is reported dead.
Current events of August 16, 1995 (1995-08-16) (Wednesday) :
Bermudans reject independence in a referendum.
Current events of August 24, 1995 (1995-08-24) (Thursday) :
Microsoft releases Windows 95.
Current events of August 28, 1995 (1995-08-28) (Monday) :
A Bosnian Serb mortar bomb near a Sarajevo market square kills 37 civilians.
Current events of August 29, 1995 (1995-08-29) (Tuesday) :
Eduard Shevardnadze, the Georgian head of state, survives an assassination attempt in Tbilisi.
Current events of August 30, 1995 (1995-08-30) (Wednesday) :
The NATO bombing campaign against Bosnian Serb artillery positions begins in Bosnia and Herzegovina, continuing into September. At the same time, ARBiH forces begin an offensive against the Bosnian Serb Army around Sarajevo, central Bosnia, and Bosnian Krajina.
Current events of December 1, 1994 (1994-12-01) (Thursday) :
Ernesto Zedillo takes office as President of Mexico.
Current events of December 2, 1994 (1994-12-02) (Friday) :
The Australian government agrees to pay reparations to indigenous Australians who were displaced during the nuclear tests at Maralinga in the 1950s and 1960s.
Current events of December 3, 1994 (1994-12-03) (Saturday) :
Taiwan held the first full local elections; James Soong elected as the first and only direct elected Governor of Taiwan, Chen Shui-bian became the first direct elected Mayor of Taipei, Wu Den-yih became the first directed Mayor of Kaohsiung.
Current events of December 8, 1994 (1994-12-08) (Thursday) :
More than 300 children die in the 1994 Karamay fire which engulfs a theatre in Karamay, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China in one of the worst civilian fires in the nation's history.
Current events of December 11, 1994 (1994-12-11) (Sunday) :
Russian president Boris Yeltsin orders troops into Chechnya.A small bomb explodes on Philippine Airlines Flight 434, killing a Japanese businessman. The bombing was a field test done by Ramzi Yousef to test explosives that would have been used in Project Bojinka.
Current events of December 12, 1994 (1994-12-12) (Monday) :
Rebel forces capture 40 Russian soldiers and six armoured vehicles near the Chechan capital, Grozny.Two days of torrential rain floods many houses in Glasgow, Scotland.An anonymous man wins more than $40 million in the new national lottery in Britain.
Current events of December 13, 1994 (1994-12-13) (Tuesday) :
The trial of former President Mengistu begins in Ethiopia.Fred West, 53, a builder living in Gloucester, is remanded in custody, charged with murdering 12 people (including two of his own daughters) whose bodies are mostly found buried at his house in Cromwell Street. His wife Rose West, 41, is charged with 10 murders. Police believe that the murders took place between 1967 and 1987, and suspect that they may have killed up to 30 people.Three people drown in what was being described as Scotland's worst flood in living memory.
Current events of December 14, 1994 (1994-12-14) (Wednesday) :
A Learjet piloted by Richard Anderson and Brad Sexton misses an elementary school and crashes into an apartment complex in Fresno, California, killing both pilots and injuring several apartment residents.A runaway Santa Fe freight train rear ends a Union Pacific train at the bottom of Cajon Pass, California.British Home Secretary Michael Howard announces that Myra Hindley will serve a whole life tariff for the Moors murders of the 1960s.Construction commences on the Three Gorges Dam, at Sandouping, China.Ten people are killed in a plane crash near the International Airport in North Carolina.Three people are killed in a blast at a fertilizer plant in Iowa.In Chechnya, Russian armoured columns encircle the city of Grozny awaiting orders to crush the rebellion.
Current events of December 15, 1994 (1994-12-15) (Thursday) :
The first version of web browser Netscape Navigator is released.[1]
Current events of December 19, 1994 (1994-12-19) (Monday) :
A planned exchange rate correction of the Mexican peso to the US dollar, becomes a massive financial meltdown in Mexico, unleashing the 'Tequila' effect on global financial markets. This prompts a US$50 billion "bailout" by the Clinton Administration.The Whitewater scandal investigation begins in Washington, D.C.Civil unions between same-sex couples are legalized in Sweden.
Current events of December 26, 1994 (1994-12-26) (Monday) :
French anti-terrorist police storm a hijacked jet at Marseille and kill 4 Islamist terrorists.
Current events of December 31, 1994 (1994-12-31) (Saturday) :
This date is skipped by the Phoenix Islands to switch from the UTC−11 time zone to UTC+13, and by the Line Islands to switch from UTC−10 to UTC+14. The latter becomes the earliest time zone in the world, one full day ahead of Hawaii.
Current events of January 1, 1995 (1995-01-01) (Sunday) :
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is established to replace the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).Austria, Finland and Sweden join the European Union.The Draupner wave in the North Sea in Norway is detected, confirming the existence of rogue waves.
Current events of January 2, 1995 (1995-01-02) (Monday) :
Fire damages Stormont Castle, the former Northern Ireland Parliament building.[1]
Current events of January 3, 1995 (1995-01-03) (Tuesday) :
Former Washington DC Mayor Marion Barry is re-elected to office after an absence of four years.Lawyers for British mass murderer Fred West ask for her release based on her inability to get a fair trial due to the publicity of her husband's suicide.Two Australian journalists, working for the British Broadcasting Corporation in Chechnya are held hostage by Russian troops for 24 hours before being released.English bowler, Darren Gough, picks up six wickets against Australia in the Third Test of the Ashes series in Sydney, Australia.
Current events of January 4, 1995 (1995-01-04) (Wednesday) :
A seven-week old baby elephant recovers in a Kenyan animal hospital after being injured in a stampede which separated it from its mother.Prince Charles and the Duchess of York holiday in the Swiss Alps with their children.
Current events of January 5, 1995 (1995-01-05) (Thursday) :
Russian president Boris Yeltsin orders a halt to the bombing raids on the capital of Chechnya.Prince Charles is photographed kissing his children's nanny on the Swiss ski slopes.
Current events of January 6, 1995 (1995-01-06) (Friday) :
A chemical fire occurs in an apartment complex in Manila, Philippines. Policemen led by watch commander Aida Fariscal and investigators find a bomb factory and a laptop computer and disks that contain plans for Project Bojinka, a mass-terrorist attack. The mastermind, Ramzi Yousef, is arrested one month later.
Current events of January 9, 1995 (1995-01-09) (Monday) :
Valeri Polyakov completes 366 days in space while aboard the Mir space station, breaking a duration record.
Current events of January 16, 1995 (1995-01-16) (Monday) :
An avalanche hits the village Súðavík in Iceland, killing 14 people.The fourth Star Trek TV series, Voyager, premieres on UPN in the United States.
Current events of January 17, 1995 (1995-01-17) (Tuesday) :
The 6.9 Mw Great Hanshin earthquake shakes the southern Hyōgo Prefecture with a maximum Shindo of VII, leaving 5,502–6,434 people dead, and 251,301–310,000 displaced.Prodigy begins offering access to the World Wide Web.[2]
Current events of January 24, 1995 (1995-01-24) (Tuesday) :
Opening statements in the O. J. Simpson murder case trial in Los Angeles.
Current events of January 25, 1995 (1995-01-25) (Wednesday) :
Norwegian rocket incident: A rocket launched from the space exploration centre at Andøya, Norway is briefly interpreted by the Russians as an incoming attack.
Current events of January 30, 1995 (1995-01-30) (Monday) :
John Howard becomes leader of the Liberal Party of Australia to challenge Paul Keating for the 1996 Federal Election and the position of Prime Minister of Australia.
Current events of January 31, 1995 (1995-01-31) (Tuesday) :
U.S. President  Bill Clinton invokes emergency powers, to extend a $20 billion loan to help Mexico avert financial collapse.
Current events of February 1, 1995 (1995-02-01) (Wednesday) :
Lyricist/guitarist Richey Edwards of the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers goes missing from a hotel in Bayswater, London on the eve of a planned tour of the United States. His car is found two weeks later at Severn View services in Aust.The death toll from an Algiers suicide bomb rises to 42.Thousands flee devastating floods in Western Europe.Intervention by United States President Bill Clinton ends the turmoil in Mexico's financial markets.Amnesty International charges the United Nations Human Rights Commission with favouring political expediency over real human rights concerns.Ecuador declares a ceasefire after six days of border clashes with Peru.Egypt claims that archaeologists have found the tomb of Alexander the Great.A Luxembourg court finds that international creditors of failed BCCI Bank are to receive compensation payments totaling over $2 billion.Italy's leading sports daily urges soccer clubs to cut all ties with hardline supporters after a stabbing death.
Current events of February 2, 1995 (1995-02-02) (Thursday) :
Casualties mount as Russian troops try to control Chechnya.The United Nations reports a build-up of Krajina Serb troops in north-west Bosnia.The United Nations sends a peace mediator to Sierra Leone amid a flare-up of fighting.A Cairo summit brings Middle East leaders together to breathe new life into the peace process. Taher El Masri, ex-Prime Minister of Jordan, says that the peace process depends on Israel.Indonesia responds to a United States report which criticizes Jakarta's human rights record.The United States Government states that it has no plans to change its economic forecasts.British Prime Minister John Major tries to hold together the Northern Ireland peace process after a newspaper leaks a document.Hundreds are evacuated from their homes in the Netherlands as floods continue.Peru's President Fujimori proposes a ceasefire in the week-long border dispute with Ecuador.
Current events of February 9, 1995 (1995-02-09) (Thursday) :
STS-63: Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr. and Michael Foale became the second African American and Briton, respectively, to walk in space.
Current events of February 13, 1995 (1995-02-13) (Monday) :
A United Nations tribunal on human rights violations in the Balkans charges 21 Bosnian Serb commanders with genocide and crimes against humanity.
Current events of February 15, 1995 (1995-02-15) (Wednesday) :
Hacker Kevin Mitnick is arrested by the FBI and charged with penetrating some of the United States' most "secure" computer systems.
Current events of February 17, 1995 (1995-02-17) (Friday) :
Colin Ferguson is convicted of six counts of murder for the December 1993 Long Island Rail Road shooting and later receives a 25-year sentence for each of the six murders.
Current events of February 21, 1995 (1995-02-21) (Tuesday) :
Serkadji prison mutiny in Algeria: Four guards and 96 prisoners are killed in a day and a half.Ibrahim Ali, a 17-year-old Comorian living in France, is murdered by 3 far-right National Front activists.Steve Fossett lands in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada, becoming the first person to make a solo flight across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon.
Current events of February 23, 1995 (1995-02-23) (Thursday) :
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gains 30.28 to close at 4,003.33 – the Dow's first ever close above 4,000.
Current events of February 25, 1995 (1995-02-25) (Saturday) :
Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) (Organización del Tratado de Cooperación Amazónica [OTCA]).
Current events of February 26, 1995 (1995-02-26) (Sunday) :
The United Kingdom's oldest investment banking firm, Barings Bank, collapses after securities broker Nick Leeson loses $1.4 billion by speculating on the Tokyo Stock Exchange
Current events of February 27, 1995 (1995-02-27) (Monday) :
In Denver, Colorado, Stapleton Airport closes and is replaced by the new Denver International Airport, the largest in the United States.
Current events of February 28, 1995 (1995-02-28) (Tuesday) :
Members of the group Patriot's Council are convicted in Minnesota of manufacturing ricin.
Current events of July 1, 1995 (1995-07-01) (Saturday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: In response to UNSCOM's evidence, Iraq admits for first time the existence of an offensive biological weapons program, but denies weaponization.
Current events of July 4, 1995 (1995-07-04) (Tuesday) :
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom John Major wins his battle to remain leader of the Conservative Party.
Current events of July 9, 1995 (1995-07-09) (Sunday) :
Sri Lankan Civil War: 125 civilians are killed in Navaly as result of bombing by the Sri Lanka Air Force.
Current events of July 10, 1995 (1995-07-10) (Monday) :
Burmese dissident Aung San Suu Kyi is freed from house arrest.
Current events of July 11, 1995 (1995-07-11) (Tuesday) :
Srebrenica massacre: Units of the Army of Republika Srpska, under the command of General Ratko Mladić, enter Srebrenica with little resistance from Dutch peacekeepers of the United Nations Protection Force, going on to kill thousands of Bosniak men and boys and rape many women.President Clinton announces the restoration of United States–Vietnam relations twenty years after the Vietnam War.A Cubana de Aviación Antonov An-24 crashes into the Caribbean off southeast Cuba killing 44 people.
Current events of July 17, 1995 (1995-07-17) (Monday) :
The Nasdaq Composite index closes above the 1,000 mark for the first time.
Current events of July 18, 1995 (1995-07-18) (Tuesday) :
A series of huge eruptions by the Soufrière Hills volcano sends lava flows and ash falls across a wide area of southern Montserrat.
Current events of July 21, 1995 (1995-07-21) (Friday) :
Third Taiwan Strait Crisis: The Chinese People's Liberation Army fires missiles into the waters north of Taiwan.
Current events of July 23, 1995 (1995-07-23) (Sunday) :
David Daliberti and William Barloon, 2 Americans held as spies by Iraq, are released by Saddam Hussein after negotiations with U.S. Congressman Bill Richardson.
Current events of October 3, 1995 (1995-10-03) (Tuesday) :
O. J. Simpson is found not guilty of double murder for the deaths of former wife Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
Current events of October 4, 1995 (1995-10-04) (Wednesday) :
France launches a counter-coup in the Comoros with 600 soldiers. They arrest Bob Denard and his mercenaries and take Denard to France; Caabi el-Yachroutu becomes the interim president.Hurricane Opal makes landfall at Pensacola Beach, Florida, as a Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph (185 km/h) winds.
Current events of October 5, 1995 (1995-10-05) (Thursday) :
Tansu Çiller of DYP forms the new government of Turkey (51st government, a minority government which failed to receive the vote of confidence).
Current events of October 6, 1995 (1995-10-06) (Friday) :
Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz announce the discovery of 51 Pegasi b, the first confirmed extrasolar planet orbiting an ordinary main-sequence star.
Current events of October 9, 1995 (1995-10-09) (Monday) :
1995 Palo Verde derailment: An Amtrak Sunset Limited train is derailed by saboteurs near Palo Verde, Arizona.
Current events of October 15, 1995 (1995-10-15) (Sunday) :
The Carolina Panthers win their first-ever regular season game by defeating the New York Jets at Clemson Memorial Stadium in South Carolina.
Current events of October 16, 1995 (1995-10-16) (Monday) :
The Million Man March is held in Washington, D.C. The event was conceived by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
Current events of October 17, 1995 (1995-10-17) (Tuesday) :
French woman Jeanne Calment reaches the confirmed age of 120 years and 238 days, making her the oldest person ever recorded.
Current events of October 23, 1995 (1995-10-23) (Monday) :
In Houston, Texas, Yolanda Saldívar is convicted of first degree murder in the shooting death of Selena Quintanilla Perez, and 3 days later is sentenced to life in prison.
Current events of October 24, 1995 (1995-10-24) (Tuesday) :
A total solar eclipse is visible from Iran, India, Thailand, and Southeast Asia.[1]
Current events of October 25, 1995 (1995-10-25) (Wednesday) :
A Metra commuter train slams into a school bus in Fox River Grove, Illinois, killing seven students.
Current events of October 26, 1995 (1995-10-26) (Thursday) :
An avalanche hits the village Flateyri in Iceland, killing 20 people.
Current events of October 28, 1995 (1995-10-28) (Saturday) :
A fire in Baku Metro, Azerbaijan, kills 289 passengers (the world's worst subway disaster).
Current events of October 30, 1995 (1995-10-30) (Monday) :
Quebec independentists narrowly lose a referendum for a mandate to negotiate independence from Canada.Tansu Çiller of DYP forms the new government of Turkey.
Current events of April 1, 1995 (1995-04-01) (Saturday) :
Dialog Telekom launches Sri Lanka's first GSM mobile phone network.
Current events of April 2, 1995 (1995-04-02) (Sunday) :
An explosion in Gaza kills 8, including a Hamas leader.
Current events of April 5, 1995 (1995-04-05) (Wednesday) :
The U.S. House of Representatives votes 246–188 to cut taxes for individuals and corporations.
Current events of April 7, 1995 (1995-04-07) (Friday) :
First Chechen War – Samashki massacre: Russian paramilitary troops begin a massacre of at least 250 civilians in Samashki, Chechnya.In the United States, House Republicans celebrate passage of most of the Contract with America.
Current events of April 11, 1995 (1995-04-11) (Tuesday) :
Former United States Defense Secretary Robert MacNamara admits in his book that the Vietnam War was a terrible mistake.
Current events of April 12, 1995 (1995-04-12) (Wednesday) :
Young fascist give the Nazi salute at the funeral of Mussolini's daughter.The Princess of Wales makes a flying visit to Northern Ireland.The Hubble Telescope sends back pictures of the Cats-Eye Nebula, the Cart wheel Galaxy and planet Mars.Actor Sylvester Stallone announces his engagement to model, Angie Eberhard.A new Californian legal decision means that gun-makers can be sued for the damage that their guns cause.
Current events of April 13, 1995 (1995-04-13) (Thursday) :
A stream of lava threatens to engulf a village on the Cape Verdi Islands.The shipwreck of torpedoed Second World War hospital ship the "Centaur" is discovered off Cape Moreton, Queensland.Actor Burl Ives remains seriously ill in a coma.
Current events of April 18, 1995 (1995-04-18) (Tuesday) :
Rox becomes first television series distributed via internet.[1][2][3]
Current events of April 19, 1995 (1995-04-19) (Wednesday) :
Oklahoma City bombing: 168 people, including 8 Federal Marshals and 19 children, are killed at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and 680 wounded by a bomb set off by Timothy McVeigh and one of his accomplices, Terry Nichols.
Current events of April 24, 1995 (1995-04-24) (Monday) :
A Unabomber bomb kills lobbyist Gilbert Murray in Sacramento, California.
Current events of April 28, 1995 (1995-04-28) (Friday) :
In Daegu, South Korea, a gas explosion at a subway construction site kills 101 people, mostly teenage schoolboys.
Current events of April 30, 1995 (1995-04-30) (Sunday) :
The United States government stops funding the NSFNET, making the Internet a wholly privatised system.[4]
Current events of December 3, 1995 (1995-12-03) (Sunday) :
Strikes paralyze France's public sector.
Current events of December 7, 1995 (1995-12-07) (Thursday) :
NASA's Galileo Probe enters Jupiter's atmosphere.
Current events of December 8, 1995 (1995-12-08) (Friday) :
Jean-Dominique Bauby, editor-in-chief of Elle magazine, suffers a massive stroke and lapses into a coma.6-year-old Gyaincain Norbu is enthroned as the 11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama at Tashilhunpo Monastery.
Current events of December 14, 1995 (1995-12-14) (Thursday) :
The Dayton Agreement is signed in Paris.
Current events of December 15, 1995 (1995-12-15) (Friday) :
The European Court of Justice rules that all EU football players have the right to a free transfer among member states at the end of their contracts.Because of the "quadruple-witching" option expiration, volume on the New York Stock Exchange hits 638 million shares, the highest single-day volume since October 20, 1987, when the Dow staged a stunning recovery a day after Black Monday.
Current events of December 16, 1995 (1995-12-16) (Saturday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraqi scuba divers, under the direction of the United Nations Special Commission, dredge the Tigris near Baghdad. The divers find over 200 prohibited Russian-made missile instruments and components.
Current events of December 20, 1995 (1995-12-20) (Wednesday) :
American Airlines Flight 965 (Boeing 757) crashes into a mountain near Buga, Valle del Cauca, Colombia after veering off its course en route to Cali, Colombia. Of the 164 people on board, 4 passengers are the only survivors.HM The Queen advises "an early divorce" to Lady Diana Spencer and Charles, Prince of Wales. The divorce is finalized on 28 August 1996.
Current events of December 30, 1995 (1995-12-30) (Saturday) :
The lowest ever United Kingdom temperature of −27.2 °C (−17.0 °F) is recorded at Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands. This equals the record set at Braemar, Aberdeenshire in 1895 and 1982.The Republic of Texas group claims to have formed a provisional government in Texas.
Current events of December 31, 1995 (1995-12-31) (Sunday) :
The final original Calvin and Hobbes comic strip is published.
Current events of November 1, 1995 (1995-11-01) (Wednesday) :
NASA loses contact with the Pioneer 11 probe.Participants in the Yugoslav Wars begin negotiations at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.The U.S. House of Representatives votes to ban partial birth abortions by a vote of 288–139.Mike Tyson cancels a fight against Buster Mathis Junior after breaking his thumb during training.
Current events of November 2, 1995 (1995-11-02) (Thursday) :
The Supreme Court of Argentina orders the extradition of Erich Priebke, ex-S.S. captain.Leaders of Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia are invited to the United States for peace talks.Maori protesters attempting to confront Queen Elizabeth II are outnumbered by police at Rotorua.
Current events of November 3, 1995 (1995-11-03) (Friday) :
At Arlington National Cemetery, U.S. President Bill Clinton dedicates a memorial to the victims of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing.Queen Elizabeth II signs historic legislation apologising to Maoris over land confiscated by the Crown in the 19th century.The Hubble Telescope sends back pictures of a star being born.A man with a bomb hijacks a bus carrying mentally disadvantaged children.The former South African Defence Minister and ten retired military officers are charged with the murder of 13 people in a black township near Durban.
Current events of November 4, 1995 (1995-11-04) (Saturday) :
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin is assassinated at a peace rally in Tel Aviv.Russian President Boris Yeltsin makes a major change in his nation's leadership by handing most of his power to the Russian Prime Minister.A typhoon hits the Philippines leaving one hundred dead and over a quarter of a million homeless.Fire almost wipes out the tourist town of Daintree in far north Queensland.Pakistan denies allegations of all tampering during a match against the West Australian cricket team in Perth, Western Australia.
Current events of November 5, 1995 (1995-11-05) (Sunday) :
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin is shot dead at a peace rally in Tel Aviv.The death toll in the Philippines from Typhoon Angela rises to over 580.Students clash with riot police in demonstrations in Seoul, South Korea over the arrest of President Roh Tae-Woo for fraud.Boxing: Riddick Bowe defeats Evander Holyfield in eight rounds in Las Vegas.
Current events of November 6, 1995 (1995-11-06) (Monday) :
Floodwaters in Victoria, Australia are still rising with hundreds of people stranded and leaving several country towns cut off after rivers burst their banks.Historic St. Paulus Lutheran Church in San Francisco is destroyed by fire.  The church survived the 1906 earthquake and featured in such films as "Vertigo" and "Dirty Harry"British actor, Paul Eddington, loses his battle with skin cancer and dies at home.
Current events of November 7, 1995 (1995-11-07) (Tuesday) :
Typhoon Angela leaves the Philippines and Vietnam devastated, with 882 deaths and US$315 million in damage. The typhoon was the strongest ever to strike the Philippines in 25 years, with wind speeds of 130 mph (210 km/h) and gusts of 180 mph (290 km/h).Slain Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin is laid to rest in Jerusalem.
Current events of November 8, 1995 (1995-11-08) (Wednesday) :
Police use a controversial pressure-point hold on demonstrators at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Auckland, New Zealand.
Current events of November 10, 1995 (1995-11-10) (Friday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: With help from Israel and Jordan, UNSCOM inspector Scott Ritter intercepts 240 Russian gyroscopes and accelerometers on their way to Iraq from Russia.In Nigeria, playwright and environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, along with 8 others from the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, are hanged by government forces.
Current events of November 11, 1995 (1995-11-11) (Saturday) :
A ferry capsizes off the coast of Thailand with 170 people on board.PLO leader Yasser Arafat makes a surprise visit to Israel to pay his respects to the family of slain Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting suspends Nigeria due to the Nigerian Government's execution of nine human rights activists.
Current events of November 12, 1995 (1995-11-12) (Sunday) :
The Millbrook Commonwealth Action Programme, a programme to implement the Harare Declaration, is announced by the Commonwealth Heads of Government.Two more suspects are arrested as Israel mourns the assassination of their Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.Up to 34 trekkers are feared dead after two avalanche disasters on Mount Everest.
Current events of November 14, 1995 (1995-11-14) (Tuesday) :
A budget standoff between Democrats and Republicans in the Congress of the United States, forces the federal government to temporarily close national parks and museums, and run most government offices with skeleton staff.
Current events of November 16, 1995 (1995-11-16) (Thursday) :
A United Nations tribunal charges Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić with genocide during the Bosnian War.
Current events of November 21, 1995 (1995-11-21) (Tuesday) :
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gains 40.46 to close at 5,023.55, its first close above 5,000. This makes 1995 the first year where the Dow surpasses two millennium marks in a single year.The Dayton Agreement to end the Bosnian War is reached at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio (signed December 14).Bosnian peace talks at an air force base in Ohio draw to a close.Yasser Arafat visits the West Bank city of Jenin.The Beatles' song "Free as a Bird" is released simultaneously across the world.Malaysia begins to dissent from the Free Trade Agreement made at the APEC Summit in Japan.United States President Bill Clinton ends a six-day stand-off with Republican leaders in Congress by agreeing to negotiate ways of balancing the budget.16 people are killed in a car bomb attack on the Egyptian embassy in Pakistan.Tennis: Steffi Graf claims her 48th win from 50 matches in the WTA final.Claude X, the world's most accomplished gate-crasher, turns up at the wedding of Denmark's Prince Joachim and Princess Alexandra.
Current events of November 22, 1995 (1995-11-22) (Wednesday) :
Rosemary West is sentenced to life for killing 10 women and girls, including her daughter and stepdaughter, after the jury returns a guilty verdict at Winchester Crown Court. The trial judge recommends that she should never be released from prison, making her only the second woman in British legal history to be subjected to a whole life tariff (the other was Myra Hindley).Six-year-old Elisa Izquierdo's child abuse-related death at the hands of her mother makes headlines, and instigates major reform in New York City's child welfare system.The 7.3 Mw Gulf of Aqaba earthquake shakes the Sinai Peninsula and Saudi Arabia region with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), killing eight and injuring 30, and generating a non-destructive tsunami.The first-ever full length computer animated feature film, Toy Story, is released by Pixar and Walt Disney Pictures.
Current events of November 28, 1995 (1995-11-28) (Tuesday) :
The Barcelona Treaty is signed by 27 attending nations.U.S. President Bill Clinton signs the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995, which ends the federal 55 mph (89 km/h) speed limit.
Current events of November 30, 1995 (1995-11-30) (Thursday) :
Javier Solana becomes the new NATO General Secretary; Operation Desert Storm officially ends.
Current events of June 1, 1995 (1995-06-01) (Thursday) :
The busiest hurricane season in 62 years begins.
Current events of June 2, 1995 (1995-06-02) (Friday) :
Mrkonjić Grad incident: A United States Air Force F-16 piloted by Captain Scott O'Grady is shot down over Bosnia and Herzegovina while patrolling the NATO no-fly zone. O'Grady is rescued by U.S. Marines six days later.Waffen-SS Hauptsturmführer Erich Priebke is extradited from Argentina to Italy.The Dimmitt, Texas Tornado strikes.
Current events of June 3, 1995 (1995-06-03) (Saturday) :
Montreal Expos pitcher Pedro Martínez  becomes the second Major League Baseball pitcher to pitch a "perfect game" leading into the 10th inning.
Current events of June 6, 1995 (1995-06-06) (Tuesday) :
U.S. astronaut Norman Thagard breaks NASA's space endurance record of 14 days, 1 hour and 16 minutes, aboard the Russian space station Mir.The Constitutional Court of South Africa abolishes capital punishment in South Africa in the case of S v Makwanyane and Another.
Current events of June 13, 1995 (1995-06-13) (Tuesday) :
French President Jacques Chirac announces the resumption of nuclear tests in French Polynesia.
Current events of June 15, 1995 (1995-06-15) (Thursday) :
A powerful earthquake, registering a moment magnitude of 6.2, hits the city of Aigio, Greece, resulting in several deaths and significant damage to many buildings.
Current events of June 16, 1995 (1995-06-16) (Friday) :
The IOC selects Salt Lake City to host the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Current events of June 20, 1995 (1995-06-20) (Tuesday) :
Oil multinational Royal Dutch Shell caves in to international pressure and abandons plans to dump the Brent Spar oil rig at sea.
Current events of June 22, 1995 (1995-06-22) (Thursday) :
Japanese police rescue 365 hostages from a hijacked All Nippon Airways Flight 857 (Boeing 747-200) at Hakodate airport. The hijacker was armed with a knife and demanded the release of Shoko Asahara.
Current events of June 24, 1995 (1995-06-24) (Saturday) :
The New Jersey Devils sweep the heavily favored Detroit Red Wings to win their first Stanley Cup in the lock-out shortened season.South Africa wins the Rugby World Cup.
Current events of June 27, 1995 (1995-06-27) (Tuesday) :
Jodi Huisentruit, an Iowa television anchor, is reported missing after failing to show up for work. She is declared legally dead in 2001.
Current events of June 29, 1995 (1995-06-29) (Thursday) :
Lisa Clayton completes her 10-month solo circumnavigation from the Northern Hemisphere.STS-71: Space Shuttle Atlantis docks with the Russian Mir space station for the first time.The Sampoong Department Store collapses in the Seocho-gu district of Seoul, South Korea, killing 502 and injuring 937.Iraq disarmament crisis: According to UNSCOM, the unity of the U.N. Security Council begins to fray, as a few countries, particularly France and Russia, become more interested in making financial deals with Iraq than in disarming the country.
Current events of March 1, 1995 (1995-03-01) (Wednesday) :
Julio María Sanguinetti is sworn in as President of Uruguay for his second term.Polish Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak resigns from Parliament and is replaced by ex-communist Józef Oleksy.In Moscow, Russian anti-corruption journalist Vladislav Listyev is killed by a gunman.The first Yahoo! Search interface is founded.United States marines lead the evacuation of the last peacekeepers from Mogadishu, Somalia.The United States Navy finds that a mechanical fault caused the crash of an F-14 fighter plane in October 1994.Rival Kurdish factions blame each other for a car bomb blast in Iraq.Peter Kerry, the English school boy who took his father's passport and credit cards and flew to Malaysia, arrives back in Britain.
Current events of March 2, 1995 (1995-03-02) (Thursday) :
Nick Leeson is arrested in Singapore for his role in the collapse of Barings Bank.Mayhem, gunfire and looting at Mogadishu Airport accompanied the departure of the United Nations Forces after their failed peacekeeping mission.South African police raid Winnie Mandela's home after allegations that she accepted financial kickbacks over contract awards for low cost housing.A funeral is held in Denver, Colorado for policeman, Sean Lynagh, who was shot while trying to stop a car theft.Barings Bank trader Nicholas Leeson is detained at Frankfurt Airport.The Japanese city of Kobe is shaken by an earthquake.Sheryl Crow and Tony Bennett win honours at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.Soccer: Tottenham Hotspurs player Ronny Rosenthal scores a hatrick to defeat Southampton in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Current events of March 3, 1995 (1995-03-03) (Friday) :
In Somalia, the United Nations peacekeeping mission ends.
Current events of March 6, 1995 (1995-03-06) (Monday) :
On an episode of The Jenny Jones Show ("Same-Sex Crushes") in the United States, Scott Amedure reveals a crush on his heterosexual friend Jonathan Schmitz. Schmitz kills Amedure several days after the show.
Current events of March 12, 1995 (1995-03-12) (Sunday) :
The Gazi Quarter riots occur in Sultangazi (then Gaziosmanpaşa), Istanbul, Turkey. A few days later, riots break out in Ümraniye, Istanbul and Kızılay, Ankara also.
Current events of March 13, 1995 (1995-03-13) (Monday) :
David Daliberti and William Barloon, Americans working for a military contractor in Kuwait, are arrested after straying into Iraq.
Current events of March 14, 1995 (1995-03-14) (Tuesday) :
Astronaut Norman Thagard becomes the first American to ride into space aboard a Russian launch vehicle (the Soyuz TM-21), lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Current events of March 16, 1995 (1995-03-16) (Thursday) :
Mississippi ratifies the Thirteenth Amendment, becoming the last state to approve the abolition of slavery. The amendment was nationally ratified in 1865.
Current events of March 20, 1995 (1995-03-20) (Monday) :
Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway: Members of the Aum Shinrikyo religious cult release sarin gas on 5 subway trains in Tokyo, killing 13 and injuring 6,252.
Current events of March 22, 1995 (1995-03-22) (Wednesday) :
Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov returns after setting a record for 438 days in outer space.
Current events of March 24, 1995 (1995-03-24) (Friday) :
For the first time in 26 years, no British soldiers patrol the streets of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Current events of March 26, 1995 (1995-03-26) (Sunday) :
The Schengen Agreement, easing cross-border travel, goes into effect in several European countries.
Current events of March 30, 1995 (1995-03-30) (Thursday) :
A police officer tries to assassinate Takaji Kunimatsu, chief of the National Police Agency of Japan.
Current events of March 31, 1995 (1995-03-31) (Friday) :
Murder of Selena: Mexican American Tejano pop singer Selena is shot and killed at a Days Inn motel in Corpus Christi, Texas, by her former employee, Yolanda Saldívar.TAROM Flight 371 from Bucharest to Brussels crashes shortly after take off killing all 60 people on board.
Current events of January 1, 1996 (1996-01-01) (Monday) :
Fahd of Saudi Arabia temporarily gives power to Crown Prince Abdullah, his legal successor, due to ill health.[clarification needed]
Current events of January 3, 1996 (1996-01-03) (Wednesday) :
Motorola introduces the Motorola StarTAC Wearable Cellular Telephone, the world's smallest and lightest mobile phone to date.
Current events of January 4, 1996 (1996-01-04) (Thursday) :
Hosni Mubarak, the President of Egypt, appoints a new government in response to accusations of corruption in the parliamentary elections; which were held the previous year, in late-1995.[clarification needed]
Current events of January 5, 1996 (1996-01-05) (Friday) :
Hamas operative Yahya Ayyash is assassinated by an Israeli Shabak-planted, bomb-laden cell phone.
Current events of January 7, 1996 (1996-01-07) (Sunday) :
One of the worst blizzards in American history hits the eastern states, killing more than 150 people. Philadelphia receives a record 30.7 inches (78 cm) of snow, New York City's public schools close for the first time in eighteen years and the federal government in Washington, D.C. is closed for days.
Current events of January 8, 1996 (1996-01-08) (Monday) :
A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city, Kinshasa, killing 300 people.
Current events of January 9, 1996 (1996-01-09) (Tuesday) :
Serious fighting breaks out between Russian soldiers and rebel fighters in Chechnya.
Current events of January 11, 1996 (1996-01-11) (Thursday) :
Ryutaro Hashimoto, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, becomes Prime Minister of Japan.
Current events of January 13, 1996 (1996-01-13) (Saturday) :
Italy's Prime Minister, Lamberto Dini, resigns after the failure of all-party talks to confirm him. New talks are initiated by President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro to form a new government.
Current events of January 14, 1996 (1996-01-14) (Sunday) :
Jorge Sampaio is elected President of Portugal.
Current events of January 16, 1996 (1996-01-16) (Tuesday) :
President of Sierra Leone Valentine Strasser is deposed by the chief of defence, Julius Maada Bio. Bio promises to restore power following elections scheduled for February.
Current events of January 17, 1996 (1996-01-17) (Wednesday) :
Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old American child victim and namesake for the AMBER Alert system, is murdered in Arlington, Texas.
Current events of January 19, 1996 (1996-01-19) (Friday) :
The North Cape oil spill occurs as an engine fire forces the tugboat Scandia ashore on Moonstone Beach in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. The North Cape Barge is pulled along with it and leaks 820,000 gallons of home heating oil.An Indonesian ferry sinks off the northern tip of Sumatra, drowning more than 100 people.
Current events of January 20, 1996 (1996-01-20) (Saturday) :
Yasser Arafat is re-elected president of the Palestinian Authority.
Current events of January 21, 1996 (1996-01-21) (Sunday) :
France undertakes its last nuclear weapons test.
Current events of January 22, 1996 (1996-01-22) (Monday) :
Andreas Papandreou, Prime Minister of Greece, resigns due to health problems; a new government forms under Costas Simitis.
Current events of January 24, 1996 (1996-01-24) (Wednesday) :
Polish Premier Józef Oleksy resigns amid charges that he spied for Moscow. He is replaced by Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz.
Current events of January 26, 1996 (1996-01-26) (Friday) :
Whitewater scandal: U.S. First Lady Hillary Clinton testifies before a grand jury.
Current events of January 27, 1996 (1996-01-27) (Saturday) :
Colonel Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara deposes the first democratically elected President of Niger, Mahamane Ousmane, in a military coup.
Current events of January 29, 1996 (1996-01-29) (Monday) :
President Jacques Chirac announces a "definitive end" to French nuclear testing.Fire destroys La Fenice, Venice's opera house.
Current events of January 30, 1996 (1996-01-30) (Tuesday) :
Irish National Liberation Army leader Gino Gallagher is killed in an internal feud.Sarah Balabagan is caned in the United Arab Emirates.
Current events of January 31, 1996 (1996-01-31) (Wednesday) :
Colombo Central Bank bombing: an explosives-filled truck rams into the gates of the Central Bank in Colombo, Sri Lanka, killing at least 86 people and injuring 1,400.An explosion in Shaoyang, China kills 122 people and injures over 400 when 10 short tons (9.1 t) of dynamite in an illegal explosives warehouse underneath an apartment building detonate.An amateur astronomer from southern Japan discovers Comet Hyakutake; it will pass very close to the Earth in March.
Current events of May 1, 1995 (1995-05-01) (Monday) :
Jacques Chirac is elected president of France.Croatian forces launch Operation Flash against rebel Serb forces in western Slavonia.Oriental Pearl Tower, a landmark spot in Shanghai, China, formally open.[citation needed]Biological father Otakar Kirchner wins a landmark custody case, the Baby Richard case in the Illinois Supreme Court against adoptive parents, Jay and Kim Warburton.$5 million worth of gold bullion is stolen from Kerry Packer's company Publishing and Broadcasting.Damon Hill wins the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix in Spain.Five public housing building are imploded in Philadelphia, United States.
Current events of May 2, 1995 (1995-05-02) (Tuesday) :
Croatia goes to war against the Serbian enclave of Krajina.A four-month ceasefire ends in Bosnia with Serbs and Muslims ready to continue their civil war.Hundreds of friends attend a memorial service held in London for English comedian Peter Cook.The Mafia Godfather Salvatore Riina known as the "Beast of Sicily" goes on trial in Sicily under massive security accused of the murder in 1992 of top prosecutor Giovanni Falcone.21 executives resign two months after the new owners of Barings Bank take over.  Former Barings merchant banker, Nick Leeson, remains in a German jail while Singapore seeks his extradition on fraud charges.
Current events of May 3, 1995 (1995-05-03) (Wednesday) :
The Clinton administration considers allowing 20,000 Cuban refugees to settle in the United States.A Serbian attack on the Croatian capital of Zagreb prompts fresh fears of a full scale war in former Yugoslavia.
Current events of May 7, 1995 (1995-05-07) (Sunday) :
Finland wins the ice hockey world championship.
Current events of May 10, 1995 (1995-05-10) (Wednesday) :
At Vaal Reefs gold mine in Orkney, a runaway locomotive falls into a lift shaft onto an ascending cage and causes it to plunge 1,500 feet (460 m) to the bottom of the 6,900 feet (2,100 m) deep shaft, killing 104.[1][2]
Current events of May 11, 1995 (1995-05-11) (Thursday) :
More than 170 countries agree to extend the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty indefinitely and without conditions.
Current events of May 13, 1995 (1995-05-13) (Saturday) :
The 6.6 Mw Western Macedonia earthquake shakes northwestern Greece with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), injuring 25 and causing $450 million in damage.
Current events of May 14, 1995 (1995-05-14) (Sunday) :
The Dalai Lama proclaims 6-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the 11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama.Team New Zealand wins the America's Cup in San Diego, beating Stars and Stripes 5–0.
Current events of May 16, 1995 (1995-05-16) (Tuesday) :
Japanese police besiege the headquarters of Aum Shinrikyo near Mount Fuji and arrest cult leader Shoko Asahara.
Current events of May 17, 1995 (1995-05-17) (Wednesday) :
Shawn Nelson, 35, goes on a tank rampage in San Diego.
Current events of May 20, 1995 (1995-05-20) (Saturday) :
U.S. President Bill Clinton indefinitely closes part of the street in front of the White House, Pennsylvania Avenue, to vehicular traffic in response to the Oklahoma City bombing.
Current events of May 21, 1995 (1995-05-21) (Sunday) :
Pope John Paul II canonizes John Sarkander during his visit to Olomouc, the Czech Republic.
Current events of May 24, 1995 (1995-05-24) (Wednesday) :
AFC Ajax wins the UEFA Champions League at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna by defeating A.C. Milan 0–1 by a goal of Patrick Kluivert. This was the third consecutive win of Ajax over Milan that season, ranking Ajax in the fourth place on the list of European Cup and UEFA Champions League winners.
Current events of May 27, 1995 (1995-05-27) (Saturday) :
The 7.0 Mw Neftegorsk earthquake shakes northern Sakhalin Island in Russia with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), leaving 1,989 people dead and 750 injured.In Culpeper, Virginia, actor Christopher Reeve is paralyzed from the neck down after falling from his horse in a riding competition.
Current events of March 1, 1996 (1996-03-01) (Friday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraqi forces refuse UNSCOM inspection teams access to five sites designated for inspection. The teams enter the sites only after delays of up to seventeen hours.
Current events of March 2, 1996 (1996-03-02) (Saturday) :
Ranabima Royal College is established in Sri Lanka.The Australian federal election, 1996 is held; Labor's Paul Keating loses to Liberal leader John Howard.
Current events of March 3, 1996 (1996-03-03) (Sunday) :
José María Aznar, leader of the Popular Party, is elected as Prime Minister of Spain, replacing Felipe González.Two more suicide bombs explode in Israel, killing 32 people. The Yahya Ayyash Units admit responsibility, and Palestinian president Yasser Arafat condemns the killings in a televised address. Israel warns of retaliation.
Current events of March 6, 1996 (1996-03-06) (Wednesday) :
Mesut Yılmaz, of ANAP forms the new government of Turkey (53rd government).A boat carrying market traders capsizes outside Freetown harbour, in Sierra Leone, killing at least 86 people.Chechen rebels attack the Russian government headquarters in Grozny; 70 Russian soldiers and policemen and 130 Chechen fighters are killed.
Current events of March 8, 1996 (1996-03-08) (Friday) :
China begins surface-to-surface missile testing and military exercises off Taiwanese coastal areas. The United States government condemns the act as provocation, and the Taiwanese government warns of retaliation.
Current events of March 9, 1996 (1996-03-09) (Saturday) :
Jorge Sampaio is the new Portuguese president.
Current events of March 11, 1996 (1996-03-11) (Monday) :
John Howard is sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Australia.
Current events of March 13, 1996 (1996-03-13) (Wednesday) :
Dunblane massacre: Unemployed former shopkeeper Thomas Hamilton walks into the Dunblane Primary School in Scotland and opens fire, killing sixteen infant school pupils and one teacher before committing suicide.
Current events of March 14, 1996 (1996-03-14) (Thursday) :
An international peace summit is held in Egypt, in response to escalating terrorist attacks in the Middle East.
Current events of March 16, 1996 (1996-03-16) (Saturday) :
Robert Mugabe is re-elected as President of Zimbabwe, although only 32% of the electorate actually voted.
Current events of March 17, 1996 (1996-03-17) (Sunday) :
Sri Lanka wins the Cricket World Cup by beating Australia in a disappointing final.
Current events of March 18, 1996 (1996-03-18) (Monday) :
The Ozone Disco Club fire in Quezon City, Philippines kills 163 people.
Current events of March 19, 1996 (1996-03-19) (Tuesday) :
Nelson Mandela is granted a divorce from Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
Current events of March 20, 1996 (1996-03-20) (Wednesday) :
The UK government announces that Bovine spongiform encephalopathy has likely been transmitted to people.
Current events of March 22, 1996 (1996-03-22) (Friday) :
Sweden's Finance Minister Göran Persson becomes the new Prime Minister of Sweden.
Current events of March 23, 1996 (1996-03-23) (Saturday) :
Taiwan (Republic of China) holds its first direct elections for President; Lee Teng-hui is re-elected.
Current events of March 24, 1996 (1996-03-24) (Sunday) :
Islamists clash with security forces in Kashmir, killing eleven people.The devastating Marcopper mining disaster on the island of Marinduque, Philippines takes place.
Current events of March 25, 1996 (1996-03-25) (Monday) :
An 81-day-long standoff begins between anti-government Freemen and federal officers in Jordan, Montana.The 68th Academy Awards, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, are held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles with Braveheart winning Best Picture.Closest approach to Earth of Comet Hyakutake, one of the closest cometary approaches of the previous 200 years
Current events of March 26, 1996 (1996-03-26) (Tuesday) :
The International Monetary Fund approves a $10,200,000,000 loan to Russia for economic reform.
Current events of March 28, 1996 (1996-03-28) (Thursday) :
Fire breaks out at the Pasar Anyar shopping centre in Bogor, West Java. The first death toll estimate is 78 until rescuers notice that 68 of them are mannequins.Three British soldiers are found guilty of the manslaughter of Danish tour guide Louise Jensen in Cyprus. Allan Ford, Justin Fowler and Geoffrey Pernell receive life sentences for the September 1994 rape/murder.
Current events of February 4, 1996 (1996-02-04) (Sunday) :
The 6.6 Mw earthquake near Lijiang in South-west China kills up to 322 people, injures 17,000, and leaves 300,000 homeless.
Current events of February 6, 1996 (1996-02-06) (Tuesday) :
Birgenair Flight 301, on an unauthorised charter flight from the Caribbean to Germany, crashes into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the Dominican Republic, killing all 189 passengers and crew.
Current events of February 7, 1996 (1996-02-07) (Wednesday) :
René Préval succeeds Jean-Bertrand Aristide as President of Haiti, in the first peaceful handover of power since the nation achieved independence 192 years earlier; in 1804.
Current events of February 8, 1996 (1996-02-08) (Thursday) :
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was signed into law by U.S. President Bill Clinton, deregulating access to the telecommunications and broadcasting market, including the dissemination of media by internet. The bill was the first to be signed in cyberspace.
Current events of February 9, 1996 (1996-02-09) (Friday) :
The element copernicium is created by fusing a 208Pb nucleus with a 70Zn nucleus, forming 278Cn. Given the placeholder name "ununbium", the element is not named until 2010.An IRA ceasefire ends with the Docklands bombing in London's Canary Wharf District, killing two people and causing over £85,000,000 worth of damage.
Current events of February 10, 1996 (1996-02-10) (Saturday) :
Chess computer "Deep Blue" defeats world chess champion Garry Kasparov for the first time.Bosnian Serbs break off contact with the Bosnian government and with representatives of Ifor, the NATO localised force, in reaction to the arrest of several Bosnian Serb war criminals.
Current events of February 14, 1996 (1996-02-14) (Wednesday) :
Violent clashes erupt between Filipino soldiers and Vietnamese boat people, as the Filipino government attempts to forcibly repatriate hundreds of Vietnamese asylum seekers.Japanese professional shogi player Yoshiharu Habu became the first man to hold all seven titles (Meijin, Ryu-oh, Oi, Oza, Kisei, Osho, Kioh) simultaneously.
Current events of February 15, 1996 (1996-02-15) (Thursday) :
In south-west Wales, the oil tanker Sea Empress runs aground, spilling 73,000 tonnes (72,000 long tons; 80,000 short tons) of crude oil, killing many birds.The American Embassy in Athens, Greece, comes under mortar fire.Begum Khaleda Zia is re-elected 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 has resulted in at least thirteen deaths.The UK government publishes the Scott Report.
Current events of February 16, 1996 (1996-02-16) (Friday) :
1996 Maryland train collision: A Chicago-bound Amtrak train, the Capitol Limited, collides with a MARC commuter train bound for Washington, D.C., killing 11 people.
Current events of February 17, 1996 (1996-02-17) (Saturday) :
In Philadelphia, Garry Kasparov beats "Deep Blue" in a second chess match.The 8.2 Mw Biak earthquake shakes the Papua province of eastern Indonesia with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). A large tsunami followed, leaving 166 people dead or missing and 423 injured.
Current events of February 18, 1996 (1996-02-18) (Sunday) :
An IRA briefcase bomb on board a bus kills the bomber and injures nine people in the West End of London.
Current events of February 19, 1996 (1996-02-19) (Monday) :
A wooden ferry capsizes as it enters the port of Cadiz in the Philippines, killing 54 people.
Current events of February 21, 1996 (1996-02-21) (Wednesday) :
King Fahd of Saudi Arabia announces his medical recovery in the national press and assumes power again from his brother, Crown Prince Abdullah.
Current events of February 24, 1996 (1996-02-24) (Saturday) :
Cuban fighter jets shoot down two American aircraft belonging to the Cuban exile group, Brothers to the Rescue. Cuban officials assert that they invaded Cuban airspace.
Current events of February 25, 1996 (1996-02-25) (Sunday) :
Two suicide bombs in Israel kill 25 and injure 80; Hamas claims responsibility.
Current events of February 27, 1996 (1996-02-27) (Tuesday) :
Pokémon Red and Blue are released in Japan by Nintendo as Pocket Monsters: Red and Green, the first role-playing video game in the Pokémon series, developed by Game Freak.
Current events of February 28, 1996 (1996-02-28) (Wednesday) :
Canadian singer Alanis Morissette wins the top honor, Album of the Year award, at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards. At just twenty-one years of age, she is the youngest person to ever win this award, a record she will hold until 2010; when Taylor Swift wins.
Current events of February 29, 1996 (1996-02-29) (Thursday) :
In Lumberton, North Carolina, Daniel Green is convicted of the murder of James Jordan, the father of famous basketball player; Michael Jordan.Faucett Flight 251 en route from Lima to Rodriguez Ballon airport crashes into a mountain near Arequipa; all 123 people on board are killed.At least 81 people drown when a boat capsizes 120 kilometres east of Kampala, Uganda.The Bosnian government declares the end of the Siege of Sarajevo.
Current events of April 1, 1996 (1996-04-01) (Monday) :
The Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia is created.
Current events of April 3, 1996 (1996-04-03) (Wednesday) :
A Boeing 737 military jet crashes into a mountain north of Dubrovnik, Croatia. All 35 people on board are killed, including United States Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown (see 1996 Croatia USAF CT-43 crash).Suspected "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski is arrested at his Montana cabin.Massacres of Hutus by Tutsis in Burundi take place, with more than 450 killed within a few days.
Current events of April 6, 1996 (1996-04-06) (Saturday) :
Fighting breaks out in Monrovia, Liberia, between various rebel factions struggling for power in the country's interrupted civil war. Several foreign nationals leave the nation.Major League Soccer kicks off in front of an overflow crowd of 31,683 packed in Spartan Stadium, to witness the historic first game. San Jose Clash forward Eric Wynalda scores the league's first goal in a 1–0 victory over D.C. United.Turkish authorities begin Operation Hawk, a military offensive against rebels from the Kurdish Worker's Party in south-east Turkey.
Current events of April 9, 1996 (1996-04-09) (Tuesday) :
In a common statement, the European Union officially recognises the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Current events of April 11, 1996 (1996-04-11) (Thursday) :
The Israeli government launches Operation Grapes of Wrath, consisting of massive attacks on Lebanon, in retaliation for prior terrorist attacks, and sparking off a violent series of retaliations.At Düsseldorf Airport, smouldering polystyrene evolves into a major fire, killing seventeen people inside the terminal building.
Current events of April 18, 1996 (1996-04-18) (Thursday) :
Qana Massacre: Over 100 Lebanese civilians are killed after Israel shells the United Nations compound in Qana.In reaction to the Qana Massacre, an Islamist group in Egypt open fire on a hotel, killing eighteen Greek tourists and injuring seventeen others.
Current events of April 21, 1996 (1996-04-21) (Sunday) :
A general election in Italy proclaims a new center-left government headed by Romano Prodi, replacing Silvio Berlusconi.
Current events of April 24, 1996 (1996-04-24) (Wednesday) :
At the urging of Yasser Arafat, the Palestine Liberation Organization drops its clause calling for the removal of Israel. The Israeli government responds by dropping a similar clause concerning the existence of Palestine.
Current events of April 26, 1996 (1996-04-26) (Friday) :
A regional security treaty is signed by the "Shanghai Five".
Current events of April 28, 1996 (1996-04-28) (Sunday) :
Port Arthur massacre: Martin Bryant kills 35 people at the Port Arthur, Tasmania tourist site, Australia.A bomb explodes in Bhaiperu, Pakistan, killing more than sixty people.
Current events of June 1, 1996 (1996-06-01) (Saturday) :
The Czech Republic's first general election ends inconclusively. Prime Minister Václav Klaus and his incumbent Civic Democratic Party emerge as the winners, but are unable to form a majority government. President Václav Havel refuses to invite Klaus to form a coalition.
Current events of June 4, 1996 (1996-06-04) (Tuesday) :
The space rocket Ariane 5 explodes forty seconds after takeoff in French Guiana. The project costs European governments $7,500,000,000 over eleven years.
Current events of June 6, 1996 (1996-06-06) (Thursday) :
Leighton W. Smith, Jr. resigns as NATO commander in the face of increasing criticism.
Current events of June 7, 1996 (1996-06-07) (Friday) :
An IRA gang kills Detective Garda Jerry McCabe during a botched armed robbery in Adare, County Limerick.
Current events of June 8, 1996 (1996-06-08) (Saturday) :
The 10th European Football Championship (UEFA Euro 96) begins in England.Steffi Graf defeats Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the longest ever women's final at the French Open, to win her 19th Grand Slam title.
Current events of June 10, 1996 (1996-06-10) (Monday) :
Peace talks begin in Northern Ireland without Sinn Féin.
Current events of June 11, 1996 (1996-06-11) (Tuesday) :
An explosion in a São Paulo suburban shopping centre kills 44 people and injures more than 100.A peace convoy carrying Chechen separatist leaders and international diplomats is targeted by a series of remotely controlled land mines; eight people are killed.
Current events of June 12, 1996 (1996-06-12) (Wednesday) :
In Philadelphia, a panel of federal judges blocks a law against indecency on the Internet. The panel says that the 1996 Communications Decency Act would infringe upon the free speech rights of adults.
Current events of June 13, 1996 (1996-06-13) (Thursday) :
An 81-day standoff between the Montana Freemen and FBI agents ends with their surrender in Montana.
Current events of June 15, 1996 (1996-06-15) (Saturday) :
In Manchester, UK, a massive IRA bomb injures over 200 people and devastates a large part of the city centre.
Current events of June 19, 1996 (1996-06-19) (Wednesday) :
Boris Yeltsin emerges as the winner in Russia's first round of presidential elections.
Current events of June 20, 1996 (1996-06-20) (Thursday) :
Thousands of Megawati Sukarnoputri supporters clash with police in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Current events of June 23, 1996 (1996-06-23) (Sunday) :
The Nintendo 64 video game system is released in Japan.Archbishop Desmond Tutu is given an official farewell at his retirement service.
Current events of June 25, 1996 (1996-06-25) (Tuesday) :
The Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia kills nineteen U.S. servicemen.
Current events of June 26, 1996 (1996-06-26) (Wednesday) :
Journalist Veronica Guerin is shot and killed in her car just outside Dublin.
Current events of June 28, 1996 (1996-06-28) (Friday) :
A new government is formed in Turkey, with Necmettin Erbakan of Refah Partisi becoming Prime Minister of the coalition government, and Deputy/Foreign Minister Tansu Çiller of the True Path Party succeeding him after two years.The Constitution of Ukraine is signed into law.
Current events of June 29, 1996 (1996-06-29) (Saturday) :
The Prince's Trust concert is held in Hyde Park, London, and is attended by 150,000 people. The Who headlines the event in their first performance since 1989.An explosion in a firecrackers factory in Sichuan Province, China kills at least 36 people and injures 52 others.
Current events of June 30, 1996 (1996-06-30) (Sunday) :
Costas Simitis is elected president of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement of Greece.Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić relinquishes power to his deputy, Biljana Plavšić.Germany defeats the Czech Republic 2–1 after extra time in the final of the European Championships.
Current events of May 4, 1996 (1996-05-04) (Saturday) :
A Sudanese Federal Airlines jet crashes on a domestic flight in a severe dust storm, while making an emergency landing 325 kilometres north-east of Khartoum, killing all 53 passengers and crew.
Current events of May 8, 1996 (1996-05-08) (Wednesday) :
The Keck II telescope is dedicated in Hawaii.
Current events of May 9, 1996 (1996-05-09) (Thursday) :
South Africa's National Party pulls out of the coalition government formed two years earlier, and the African National Congress assumes full political control.Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni wins a landslide victory in the country's first direct presidential elections, securing 75% of the vote.
Current events of May 10, 1996 (1996-05-10) (Friday) :
1996 Everest disaster: A sudden storm engulfs Mount Everest with several climbing teams high on the mountain, leaving eight people dead. By the end of the month, at least four other climbers die in the worst season of fatalities on the mountain to date.The Australian government introduces a nationwide ban on the private possession of both automatic and semi-automatic rifles, in response to the Port Arthur massacre.Vietnamese Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong, facing forced repatriation due to their classification as economic migrants rather than refugees, stage a protest at the Whitehead Detention Centre.
Current events of May 11, 1996 (1996-05-11) (Saturday) :
After takeoff from Miami, a fire started by improperly handled oxygen canisters in the cargo hold of Atlanta-bound ValuJet Flight 592, causes the Douglas DC-9 to crash in the Florida Everglades, killing all 110 people on board.
Current events of May 13, 1996 (1996-05-13) (Monday) :
Severe thunderstorms and a tornado in Bangladesh kill 600 people.
Current events of May 15, 1996 (1996-05-15) (Wednesday) :
Nine hostages held by the Free Papua Organization in Irian Jaya are rescued after an operation by the Indonesian military; two other hostages are later found dead.
Current events of May 17, 1996 (1996-05-17) (Friday) :
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, is elected as Prime Minister of India, replacing P. V. Narasimha Rao of the Indian National Congress. However, the party does not receive an overall majority and Vajpayee resigns thirteen days later rather than face a no confidence vote, and is replaced by the United Front leader, Deve Gowda.
Current events of May 18, 1996 (1996-05-18) (Saturday) :
The X Prize Foundation launches the $10,000,000 Ansari X Prize.
Current events of May 20, 1996 (1996-05-20) (Monday) :
Gay rights – Romer v. Evans: The Supreme Court of the United States rules against a law that prevents any city, town or county in the state of Colorado from taking any legislative, executive, or judicial action to protect the rights of homosexuals.
Current events of May 21, 1996 (1996-05-21) (Tuesday) :
The MV Bukoba sinks in Tanzanian waters in Lake Victoria, killing nearly 1,000 people in one of Africa's worst maritime disasters.The Trappist Martyrs of Atlas are executed.The famous 1913 Liberty Head nickel owned by Louis E. Eliasberg becomes the first coin to top $1,000,000 at a U.S. auction.
Current events of May 23, 1996 (1996-05-23) (Thursday) :
Göran Kropp reaches the Mount Everest summit alone without oxygen, after having cycled there from Sweden.Members of the Armed Islamic Group in Algeria kill seven French Trappist monks, after talks with French government concerning the imprisonment of several GIA sympathisers break down.
Current events of May 27, 1996 (1996-05-27) (Monday) :
First Chechnya War: Russian President Boris Yeltsin meets with Chechnyan rebels for the first time and negotiates a ceasefire for the dispute.
Current events of May 28, 1996 (1996-05-28) (Tuesday) :
Albania's general election of May 26 is declared unfair by international monitors, and the ruling Democratic Party under President Sali Berisha is charged by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe with rigging the elections. Several hundred protestors gather in Tirana to demonstrate against the election result.
Current events of May 30, 1996 (1996-05-30) (Thursday) :
The Likud Party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, wins a narrow victory in the Israeli general election.The Hoover Institution releases an optimistic report that global warming will probably reduce mortality in the United States and provide Americans with valuable benefits.[1]
Current events of May 31, 1996 (1996-05-31) (Friday) :
FIFA decides to give the FIFA World Cup 2002, the first World Cup in Asia, to Japan and South Korea, becoming the first World Cup with co-host countries in the history of the event.
Current events of September 2, 1996 (1996-09-02) (Monday) :
Saddam Hussein withdraws troops from a Kurdish safe haven in Northern Iraq following American pressure.Pope John Paul II appears on the balcony of his summer residence dispelling fears of continuing bad health.A multi-million dollar salvage effort fails to retrieve parts of the Titanic after a cable snapped sending the vessel back to the depths.Wild fires in Washington DC burn large areas forcing the evacuation of local residents.A permanent peace agreement is signed at the Malacañan Palace between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front.The children's television program, Arthur premiered on PBS.
Current events of September 3, 1996 (1996-09-03) (Tuesday) :
United States military forces attack targets inside Iraq with long range cruise missiles.A truck crashes into a bus in Mexico killing up to 20 passengers.Russian President Boris Yeltsin makes a rare public appearance at his Moscow holiday home chatting with Russian Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin.Archaeologists believe they have found the heart of Robert the Bruce after uncovering an ancient casket in Melrose Abbey, Scotland.Princess Diana is forced to pay cash for lipstick after her expired credit card was rejected.The United States launches Operation Desert Strike against Iraq in reaction to the attack on Arbil.
Current events of September 4, 1996 (1996-09-04) (Wednesday) :
The United States attacks Iraq for a second day with cruise missiles fired from two ships and a submarine in the Persian Gulf. Australia is one of few nations to support the United States bombardment of Iraq, while France and Spain decline support.London police seize 105 white rhino horns in the biggest haul of its kind.British Prime Minister John Major brings his wife Norma into the limelight as part of a new focus in the Tory campaign.Two more bodies are discovered beneath the house of paedophile ring leader Marc Dutroux in Belgium.The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia attack a military base in Guaviare, Colombia, starting three weeks of guerrilla warfare that will claim the lives of at least 130 Colombians.
Current events of September 5, 1996 (1996-09-05) (Thursday) :
Belgium mourns the death of two girls, the latest victims of an international paedophile ring as excavations continue in the search for 12 other missing children.Benjamin Netanyahu breaks an election promise by shaking the hand of Yasser Arafat at their first talks.The United States denies reports that more US missiles have been fired and several people have been killed in Iraq following international criticism of the missile attacks. Secretary of State Warren Christopher travels to Europe in a bid to rally support.Hurricane Fran makes landfall near Cape Fear, North Carolina as a Category 3 storm with 115 mph (185 km/h) sustained winds.  Fran caused over $3,000,000,000 in damages ($4.68 billion in present-day terms[1]) and killed 27 people, mainly in North Carolina.  The name "Fran" was retired due to the extensive damage.
Current events of September 10, 1996 (1996-09-10) (Tuesday) :
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) signed (it will be ratified 180 days after ratification by 44 Annex 2 countries).
Current events of September 11, 1996 (1996-09-11) (Wednesday) :
Union Pacific finalises its purchase of Southern Pacific that was effectively started almost a century before in 1901.
Current events of September 12, 1996 (1996-09-12) (Thursday) :
Ricardo López sends a package, containing an acid bomb, to Icelandic singer Björk with the intention to kill or disfigure her, and then commits suicide. The package is intercepted by the Scotland Yard four days later, before doing any harm.
Current events of September 13, 1996 (1996-09-13) (Friday) :
Alija Izetbegović is elected President of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the country's first election since the Bosnian War.
Current events of September 18, 1996 (1996-09-18) (Wednesday) :
A North Korean Sang-O class submarine runs aground in South Korea. The crew are described as spies by the South Korean government and killed by the South Korean military.
Current events of September 20, 1996 (1996-09-20) (Friday) :
Leader of Pakistani opposition party Pakistan Peoples Party Murtaza Bhutto is killed during a gunfight with police.Tiger Cave Kiln discovered at Hangzhou in the Chinese province of Zhejiang.
Current events of September 22, 1996 (1996-09-22) (Sunday) :
The Panhellenic Socialist Movement under the leadership of Costas Simitis succeeds in the 1996 Greek legislative election.
Current events of September 24, 1996 (1996-09-24) (Tuesday) :
U.S. President Bill Clinton signs the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the United Nations.
Current events of September 25, 1996 (1996-09-25) (Wednesday) :
The last of the Magdalene asylums is closed in Ireland.
Current events of September 27, 1996 (1996-09-27) (Friday) :
In Afghanistan, the Taliban capture the capital city of Kabul, after driving out President Burhanuddin Rabbani and executing former leader Mohammad Najibullah.
Current events of September 30, 1996 (1996-09-30) (Monday) :
The United States Congress passes an amendment that bars anyone convicted of even misdemeanor level domestic violence from obtaining and possessing firearms.
Current events of July 1, 1996 (1996-07-01) (Monday) :
The Northern Territory in Australia legalises voluntary euthanasia.German orthography reform of 1996 agreed internationally.
Current events of July 2, 1996 (1996-07-02) (Tuesday) :
In Los Angeles, Lyle and Erik Menendez are sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Current events of July 3, 1996 (1996-07-03) (Wednesday) :
Boris Yeltsin is re-elected as President of Russia after the second round of elections.
Current events of July 5, 1996 (1996-07-05) (Friday) :
Dolly the sheep, the first mammal to be successfully cloned from an adult cell, is born at the Roslin Institute in Midlothian, Scotland, UK.
Current events of July 8, 1996 (1996-07-08) (Monday) :
Martina Hingis becomes the youngest person in history (aged 15 years and 282 days) to win at Wimbledon in the Ladies' Doubles event.
Current events of July 10, 1996 (1996-07-10) (Wednesday) :
Harriet the Spy, the first film made by Nickelodeon Movies, is released in cinemas.
Current events of July 11, 1996 (1996-07-11) (Thursday) :
Arrest warrants are issued for Bosnian Serb war criminals Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić by the Russell Tribunal in The Hague.
Current events of July 12, 1996 (1996-07-12) (Friday) :
Hurricane Bertha: made landfall in North Carolina as a Category 2 storm, causing $270,000,000 in damage ($421 million in present-day terms[1]) to the United States and its possessions and many indirect deaths.
Current events of July 13, 1996 (1996-07-13) (Saturday) :
A Republican Sinn Féin bomb explodes outside of a hotel in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, disrupting a wedding reception and injuring seventeen people.
Current events of July 16, 1996 (1996-07-16) (Tuesday) :
An outbreak of E. coli food poisoning in Japan results in 6,000 children being ill, including two deaths, after a group of school children eat contaminated lunches.
Current events of July 17, 1996 (1996-07-17) (Wednesday) :
The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa) is constituted.Paris and Rome-bound TWA Flight 800 (Boeing 747) explodes off the coast of Long Island, New York, killing all 230 people on board.Joe Klein admits that he is "Anonymous", the author of Primary Colors.
Current events of July 18, 1996 (1996-07-18) (Thursday) :
Howard Hughes is sentenced to life imprisonment at Chester Crown Court for the rape and murder of 7-year-old Sophie Hook at Llandudno twelve months previously. The trial judge recommends that Hughes, 31, should never be released. However, the Home Secretary set his minimum term at 50 years in 2002, meaning he is eligible for parole in 2046.
Current events of July 19, 1996 (1996-07-19) (Friday) :
An F3 tornado 5.5 miles (8.9 km) away from the Westminster, Maryland city center injures three people and causes $5,000,000 in damages ($7.8 million in present-day terms[1]).[2]The 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States, begin.Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadžić resigns from public office in Republika Srpska after being indicted for war crimes.
Current events of July 21, 1996 (1996-07-21) (Sunday) :
The Saguenay Flood, one of Canada's most costly natural disasters, is caused by flooding on the Saguenay River in Quebec.
Current events of July 24, 1996 (1996-07-24) (Wednesday) :
The Dehiwala train bombing kills 56 commuters outside Colombo.
Current events of July 25, 1996 (1996-07-25) (Thursday) :
The Tutsi-led Burundian army performs a coup and reinstalls previous president Pierre Buyoya, ousting current president Sylvestre Ntibantunganya.
Current events of July 27, 1996 (1996-07-27) (Saturday) :
The Centennial Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics kills one person and injures 111.
Current events of July 29, 1996 (1996-07-29) (Monday) :
The child protection portion of the Communications Decency Act (1996) is struck down as too broad by a U.S. federal court.
Current events of August 1, 1996 (1996-08-01) (Thursday) :
Sarah Balabagan returns to the Philippines.A pro-democracy demonstration supporting Megawati Sukarnoputri in Indonesia is broken up by riot police.
Current events of August 4, 1996 (1996-08-04) (Sunday) :
The 1996 Summer Olympics conclude.
Current events of August 6, 1996 (1996-08-06) (Tuesday) :
NASA announces that the Allan Hills 84001 meteorite, thought to originate from Mars, may contain evidence of primitive lifeforms.The Australian census is conducted.The American punk rock band the Ramones perform for the final time.
Current events of August 7, 1996 (1996-08-07) (Wednesday) :
Heavy rains kill more than 80 campers near Huesca, Spain.
Current events of August 9, 1996 (1996-08-09) (Friday) :
Boris Yeltsin is sworn in at the Kremlin for a second term as President of Russia.
Current events of August 11, 1996 (1996-08-11) (Sunday) :
The British rock band Oasis plays the biggest free-standing concert in UK history at Knebworth, Hertfordshire.
Current events of August 13, 1996 (1996-08-13) (Tuesday) :
Data sent back by the Galileo space probe indicates there may be water on one of Jupiter's moons.
Current events of August 14, 1996 (1996-08-14) (Wednesday) :
A rocket ignited during a fireworks display in Arequipa, Peru knocks down a high-tension power cable into a dense crowd, electrocuting 35 people.
Current events of August 15, 1996 (1996-08-15) (Thursday) :
Bob Dole is nominated for President of the United States, and Jack Kemp for Vice President, at the Republican National Convention in San Diego, California.
Current events of August 16, 1996 (1996-08-16) (Friday) :
Brookfield Zoo, Chicago. After a 3-year-old boy falls into the 20-foot (6.1 m) deep gorilla enclosure, Binti Jua, a female lowland gorilla sits with the injured boy until his rescue.After having spent 378 days in a Taliban prison, the crew of Russian Il-76TD manage to overpower their guards, board their aircraft and fly to freedom (see: 1995 Airstan incident).
Current events of August 18, 1996 (1996-08-18) (Sunday) :
The San Jose Mercury News publishes Gary Webb's three-part series on the Reagan CIA's role in crack cocaine importation to fund the Contras.[1]
Current events of August 20, 1996 (1996-08-20) (Tuesday) :
A thousands-large protest in Seoul, calling for reunification with North Korea, is broken up by riot police.
Current events of August 21, 1996 (1996-08-21) (Wednesday) :
Former State President of South Africa, F. W. de Klerk, makes an official apology for crimes committed under Apartheid to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Cape Town.In the UK, Queen Elizabeth II issues letters patent on divorced former wives of British princes, taking away from the ex-wives the attribute and style of Royal Highness. With that Sarah, Duchess of York as well as Diana, Princess of Wales legally cease to be Royals, but they remain as non-royal Duchess and Princess. Still they are allowed to keep these titles for their children are in line to the throne.
Current events of August 23, 1996 (1996-08-23) (Friday) :
Osama bin Laden writes "The Declaration of Jihad on the Americans Occupying the Country of the Two Sacred Places," a call for the removal of American military forces from Saudi Arabia.
Current events of August 26, 1996 (1996-08-26) (Monday) :
Chun Doo-hwan is sentenced to death, after being found guilty of mutiny and treason.Bill Clinton signs welfare reform into law.Iraqi expatriates seeking refuge hijack a Sudanese airliner en route from Khartoum to Amman.
Current events of August 28, 1996 (1996-08-28) (Wednesday) :
Their Royal Highnesses, the Prince and Princess of Wales, are formally divorced at the High Court of Justice in London. Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales is restyled Diana, Princess of Wales, due to the Queen's letters patent issued a week earlier.
Current events of August 29, 1996 (1996-08-29) (Thursday) :
U.S. President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore are re-nominated at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, IL, USA.A Russian Tupolev 154 jetliner crashes into a mountain as it approaches the airport at Spitsbergen, Norway, killing all 141 people on board.
Current events of August 30, 1996 (1996-08-30) (Friday) :
The attempted raising of a 15-tonne section of the RMS Titanic fails, as 1,700 spectators, including survivors of the wreckage, watch.
Current events of August 31, 1996 (1996-08-31) (Saturday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraqi forces launch an offensive into the northern No-Fly Zone and capture Arbil.The Big 12 Conference is inaugurated with a football game between Kansas State University and Texas Tech University in Manhattan, Kansas.
Current events of October 1, 1996 (1996-10-01) (Tuesday) :
Yasser Arafat and Benjamin Netanyahu meet with US President Bill Clinton in Washington DC.
Current events of October 2, 1996 (1996-10-02) (Wednesday) :
Paula Yates begins to her battle with former husband Bob Geldof over custody of their three children.The Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments are signed by U.S. President Bill Clinton.The former Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Andrey Lukanov, is assassinated.Aeroperú Flight 603 crashes into the Pacific Ocean when the instruments fail just after takeoff from Lima Airport, killing all seventy people on board.
Current events of October 5, 1996 (1996-10-05) (Saturday) :
Yasser Arafat meets with European leaders in preparation for renewed peace talks with Israel.
Current events of October 6, 1996 (1996-10-06) (Sunday) :
Yasser Arafat returns triumphant to Gaza for Middle East peace talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.The government of New Zealand agrees to pay $130,000,000 worth of compensation for the loss of land suffered by the Māori population between the years of 1844 and 1864.
Current events of October 7, 1996 (1996-10-07) (Monday) :
President Bill Clinton wins the first TV debate with Republican rival Bob Dole.Pope John Paul II is admitted to a Rome hospital for an appendix operation.News Corporation launches the Fox News Channel as a 24-hour news channel to compete against CNN.
Current events of October 8, 1996 (1996-10-08) (Tuesday) :
Irish Republican Army terrorists plant bombs at a heavily secured British army base south-west of Belfast: 31 soldiers and civilians are injured.Footage of Princess Diana and James Hewitt from five years ago is released.Demolition workers tear down the former home of mass murderers Fred and Rosemary West.
Current events of October 15, 1996 (1996-10-15) (Tuesday) :
Several large strikes begin in various industries across Belgium in protest to the dismissal of the magistrate Jean-Marc Connerotte by the Supreme Court.
Current events of October 22, 1996 (1996-10-22) (Tuesday) :
A fire at La Planta prison in southwest Caracas, Venezuela, kills thirty prisoners.
Current events of October 23, 1996 (1996-10-23) (Wednesday) :
The O. J. Simpson civil trial begins in Santa Monica, California.
Current events of October 26, 1996 (1996-10-26) (Saturday) :
The New York Yankees win the World Series for the first time since 1978, defeating the Atlanta Braves 3–2 to win the series in 6 games.
Current events of October 30, 1996 (1996-10-30) (Wednesday) :
Fighting erupts when Banyamulenga Tutsis of Laurent Kabila in Zaire seize Uvira and proceed to kill Hutu refugees.
Current events of October 31, 1996 (1996-10-31) (Thursday) :
TAM Transportes Aéreos Regionais Flight 402 crashes into a densely populated area of São Paulo, killing all 96 people on board.
Current events of December 2, 1996 (1996-12-02) (Monday) :
U.S. President Bill Clinton signs the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments.Widespread student pro-democracy protests are broken up in Burma.
Current events of December 5, 1996 (1996-12-05) (Thursday) :
Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan gives a speech in which he suggests that "irrational exuberance" may have "unduly escalated asset values".
Current events of December 9, 1996 (1996-12-09) (Monday) :
Jerry Rawlings is reelected president of Ghana.
Current events of December 11, 1996 (1996-12-11) (Wednesday) :
Tung Chee-hwa is appointed to become the new leader of Hong Kong after it reverts to Chinese rule in 1997.East Timor's Nobel Peace Prize winners, Bishop Carlos Belo and Jose Ramos-Horta, challenge Indonesia to release political prisoners.The Israeli Government authorises the construction of 130 houses for Jewish settlers in the heart of Arab East Jerusalem and Palestinian officials call if "extreme provocation".NATO ministers condemn the Serbian Government for cancelling local elections while Opposition MPs in Serbia boycott the Parliament and leave the chamber half-empty.  Tens of thousands of protesters take to the streets for the 23rd day.NATO ministers vote to extend the organisation to include old "Iron Curtain" countries.Russian coalminers end their week-long strike after Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin promises they will get all their back pay.South African President Nelson Mandela signs the country's new constitution.
Current events of December 12, 1996 (1996-12-12) (Thursday) :
Uday Hussein is seriously injured in an assassination attempt.Algerian Muslim fundamentalists massacre 20 bus passengers.Tamil Tiger rebels attack a military base in East Sri Lanka with 60 dead on both sides of the fighting.Another ceasefire is agreed between the rebels and the hardline government of Tajikistan.British explorer, Sir Ranulph Fines, abandons his solo crossing of Antarctica on foot because of painful kidney stones.  He was 25% of the way across the continent.China criticises the European Parliament for giving a human rights prize to imprisoned Chinese dissident, Wei Jing-Sheng.Israel demands that Palestinian authorities hand over Arab gunmen who killed a female Jewish settler and her son in the West Bank.Israeli Foreign Minister, David Levvi, says Israel will have to give up part of the Golan Heights to have peace with Syria.A rally in Grozny marks the second anniversary of the invasion of Chechnya by Russian troops.A United Nations Children's Fund report condemns the extent of child labour in the world and calls the exploitation of children doing hazardous work for little pay as slavery.A Red Cross Hercules aircraft drops emergency supplies to tens of thousands of Rwandan and Burundi refugees west of the town of Bukavi, Zaire.Russia's Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov announces Russia is to negotiate closer diplomatic relations with NATO.  Russia still disapproves of Hungary and Poland becoming a part of NATO.
Current events of December 13, 1996 (1996-12-13) (Friday) :
Kofi Annan is elected by the United Nations Security Council the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Current events of December 14, 1996 (1996-12-14) (Saturday) :
The Antarctic saga of British explorer, Sir Ranulph Fines, ends after 25 days of his 100 day race across the polar ice cap when he is airlifted from the continent.A disgruntled employee who entered a Parisian office building, captured 35 hostages and held police at bay for 4 hours, surrenders after releasing his prisoners and firing shots from the windows.Germany unveils the design for the new European currency.  Ireland agrees on how to punish countries breaking the rules on monetary union and Britain still refuses to accept the currency.Former General Motors employees, Jose Lopez, is accused of stealing company secrets when he left to work for Volkswagen.Iraqi security forces arrest hundreds in their attempt to find the attackers of Uday Hussein.Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic invites the European Security Agency to help end 25 days of mass protests in the streets of Belgrade.Tanzanian troops halt the flow of Rwandan Hutus fleeing refugee camps along the border of Tanzania and Rwanda.The United States questions Israel's offer of financial incentives to encourage Jewish settlement in Palestinian territories.  Hamas calls for renewed attacks on Israel.
Current events of December 15, 1996 (1996-12-15) (Sunday) :
A ski lift accident in the Swiss resort of Riederalp leaves one dead and 18 injured.Protests against Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic continue into their 26th day with 200,000 people packing the streets of Belgrade.European Union leaders end their two-day summit in Dublin.Iranian spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameinei, says his country would respond, forcefully, if the United States launches an attack on Iran in retaliation for the 19 American soldiers killed by terrorists in Saudi Arabia.The Iraqi National Accord becomes the second group to claim responsibility for the assassination attempt on Uday Hussein.Iranian-backed Hezbollah denies responsibility for a  Katushya rocket attack on Israel in South Lebanon.The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation says an exploding fuel tank was not the cause of a TWA Flight 800 crash off New York last July.  The FBI is still investigating the possibility of a bomb or a missile destroying the plane.Saudi Arabian military police investigate the murder of Australian nurse Yvonne Gilford at Dahran's King Fahd Military Complex.
Current events of December 17, 1996 (1996-12-17) (Tuesday) :
The Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement takes 72 hostages in the Japanese Embassy in Lima, Peru.
Current events of December 18, 1996 (1996-12-18) (Wednesday) :
The loi Carrez, or Carrez law governing property transactions, is enacted in France[1]
Current events of December 20, 1996 (1996-12-20) (Friday) :
Steve Jobs' company NeXT is bought by Apple Computer, the company co-founded by Jobs.Scream (1996) comes out in theaters.
Current events of December 25, 1996 (1996-12-25) (Wednesday) :
Six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey is murdered in the basement of her parents' home in Boulder, Colorado.
Current events of December 26, 1996 (1996-12-26) (Thursday) :
The largest strike in South Korean history begins.
Current events of December 27, 1996 (1996-12-27) (Friday) :
Taliban forces retake the strategic Bagram Air Base, which solidifies their buffer zone around Kabul.
Current events of December 29, 1996 (1996-12-29) (Sunday) :
Guatemala and the leaders of the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity sign a peace accord that ends the 36-year Guatemalan Civil War.
Current events of December 30, 1996 (1996-12-30) (Monday) :
In the Indian state of Assam, a passenger train is bombed by Bodo separatists, killing 26.Proposed budget cuts by Benjamin Netanyahu spark protests from 250,000 workers, who shut down services across Israel.
Current events of December 31, 1996 (1996-12-31) (Tuesday) :
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway is merged with the Burlington Northern Railroad to form the BNSF Railway, making it one of the largest railroad mergers in U.S. history.The Hacienda in Las Vegas is imploded to make way for the Mandalay Bay.
Current events of January 17, 1997 (1997-01-17) (Friday) :
A Delta II rocket carrying a military GPS payload explodes, shortly after liftoff from Cape Canaveral.
Current events of January 18, 1997 (1997-01-18) (Saturday) :
In northwest Rwanda, Hutu militia members kill 6 Spanish aid workers, 3 soldiers, and seriously wound another.
Current events of January 19, 1997 (1997-01-19) (Sunday) :
Yasser Arafat returns to Hebron after more than 30 years, and joins celebrations over the handover of the last Israeli-controlled West Bank city.
Current events of January 20, 1997 (1997-01-20) (Monday) :
U.S. President Bill Clinton is inaugurated for his second term.
Current events of January 22, 1997 (1997-01-22) (Wednesday) :
Madeleine Albright becomes the first female Secretary of State, after confirmation by the United States Senate.
Current events of January 23, 1997 (1997-01-23) (Thursday) :
Mir Aimal Kasi is sentenced to death for a 1993 assault rifle attack outside CIA headquarters that killed 2 and wounded 3.
Current events of January 27, 1997 (1997-01-27) (Monday) :
It is revealed that French museums had nearly 2,000 pieces of art that had been stolen by Nazis.
Current events of January 31, 1997 (1997-01-31) (Friday) :
Final Fantasy VII is released in Japan.
Current events of November 1, 1996 (1996-11-01) (Friday) :
Al Jazeera, known as a multi-language news channel, begins regular service in Doha, Qatar.[citation needed]
Current events of November 5, 1996 (1996-11-05) (Tuesday) :
Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's government is dismissed by President Farooq Leghari after widespread allegations of corruption.United States presidential election, 1996: Incumbent Democratic President Bill Clinton defeats his Republican challenger, Bob Dole.
Current events of November 7, 1996 (1996-11-07) (Thursday) :
A devastating category 4 cyclone strikes Andhra Pradesh, India. The storm surge sweeps fishing villages out to sea, over 2,000 people die. 95% of the crops are completely destroyed.NASA launches the Mars Global Surveyor.
Current events of November 8, 1996 (1996-11-08) (Friday) :
All 141 people on board a Nigerian-owned Boeing 727 die when the aircraft crashes into the Atlantic Ocean while approaching Lagos airport.
Current events of November 11, 1996 (1996-11-11) (Monday) :
13 are killed and 70 wounded in a bomb blast in a Moscow cemetery during a service for veterans of the Afghanistan war.Queen Elizabeth II leads a Remembrance Day service in London to honour Britain's war dead.United Nations Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali renews his plea for military intervention to save starving in Zaire.
Current events of November 12, 1996 (1996-11-12) (Tuesday) :
Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 collides in mid-air with Kazakhstan Airlines Il-76 in New Delhi, India, resulting in the loss of 349 lives.
Current events of November 15, 1996 (1996-11-15) (Friday) :
State Street in Chicago is re-opened to pedestrian traffic.
Current events of November 16, 1996 (1996-11-16) (Saturday) :
Mother Teresa receives honorary U.S. citizenship.The scoreboard at Buffalo's $127,500,000 HSBC Arena falls to the ice just hours before a National Hockey League game; no one is injured.[1][2][3]
Current events of November 17, 1996 (1996-11-17) (Sunday) :
A bomb explosion in Kaspiysk, Russia, kills 32 people.Emil Constantinescu is elected as President of Romania.
Current events of November 18, 1996 (1996-11-18) (Monday) :
World-renowned bird expert Tony Silva is sentenced to seven years in prison without parole, for leading an illegal parrot smuggling ring.Frederick Chiluba is re-elected as President of Zambia.
Current events of November 19, 1996 (1996-11-19) (Tuesday) :
Martin Bryant is sentenced to 35 consecutive sentences of life imprisonment plus 1,035 years without parole for murdering 35 people in a shooting spree in Tasmania earlier this year.Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Organization (CTBTO) established.STS-80: Space Shuttle Columbia conducts the longest mission of the Space Shuttle program.
Current events of November 20, 1996 (1996-11-20) (Wednesday) :
The 1996 Garley Building fire occurred in Hong Kong, resulting in 41 deaths and 81 injuries.
Current events of November 21, 1996 (1996-11-21) (Thursday) :
A propane explosion at the Humberto Vidal shoe store and office building in San Juan, Puerto Rico kills 33 people.Demonstrators in Zagreb demand the survival of Radio 101.
Current events of November 23, 1996 (1996-11-23) (Saturday) :
The Republic of Angola officially joins the World Trade Organization, as Angola.Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 is hijacked, then crashes into the Indian Ocean off the coast of Comoros after running out of fuel, killing 125.
Current events of November 25, 1996 (1996-11-25) (Monday) :
An ice storm strikes the U.S., killing 26 directly, hundreds more from accidents.  A powerful windstorm blasts Florida; winds gust to 90mph.The U.S. stock market, especially the Dow Jones Industrial Average, gains at an incredibly fast pace following the 1996 Presidential election. It gains ten days in a row during the month.The APEC Summit opens in the Philippines.
Current events of November 26, 1996 (1996-11-26) (Tuesday) :
The Sands Hotel in Las Vegas is imploded to make way for the Venetian Hotel.
Current events of February 4, 1997 (1997-02-04) (Tuesday) :
On their way to Lebanon, 2 Israeli troop-transport helicopters collide, killing 73.After at first contesting the results, Serbian President Slobodan Milošević recognizes opposition victories in the November 1996 elections.British Home Secretary Michael Howard informs Moors Murderer Myra Hindley that she will never be released from prison. Mr. Howard has made the decision in agreement with a recommendation made by his predecessor David Waddington in 1990.
Current events of February 5, 1997 (1997-02-05) (Wednesday) :
The so-called "Big Three" banks in Switzerland announce the creation of a $71 million fund to aid Holocaust survivors and their families.Morgan Stanley and Dean Witter Reynolds investment banks announce a $10 billion merger.
Current events of February 10, 1997 (1997-02-10) (Monday) :
The United States Army suspends Gene C. McKinney, Sergeant Major of the Army, its top-ranking enlisted soldier, after hearing allegations of sexual misconduct.Sandline affair: Australian newspapers publish stories that the government of Papua New Guinea has brought mercenaries onto Bougainville Island.
Current events of February 13, 1997 (1997-02-13) (Thursday) :
STS-82: Tune-up and repair work on the Hubble Space Telescope is started by astronauts from the Space Shuttle Discovery.The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 7,000 for the first time, gaining 60.81 to 7,022.44.
Current events of February 22, 1997 (1997-02-22) (Saturday) :
In Roslin, Scotland, scientists announce that an adult sheep named Dolly had been successfully cloned, and was born in July 1996.
Current events of February 23, 1997 (1997-02-23) (Sunday) :
A small fire occurs on the Russian space station Mir.
Current events of February 27, 1997 (1997-02-27) (Thursday) :
Divorce becomes legal in the Republic of Ireland.
Current events of February 28, 1997 (1997-02-28) (Friday) :
North Hollywood shootout: Two robbers wearing kevlar body armor armed with AK-47s containing armor-piercing bullets injure 17 police officers and civilians in a gun battle. The incident sparks debate on the appropriate firepower for United States patrol officers to have available in similar situations in the future.
Current events of April 1, 1997 (1997-04-01) (Tuesday) :
Comet Hale–Bopp meets or exceeds most predictions when it passes perihelion.The popular television series (based on the video games of the same name), Pokémon premieres on TV Tokyo.
Current events of April 3, 1997 (1997-04-03) (Thursday) :
The Thalit massacre in Algeria: All but one of the 53 inhabitants of Thalit are killed by guerrillas.
Current events of April 11, 1997 (1997-04-11) (Friday) :
Fire damages the Turin Cathedral in Italy.
Current events of April 14, 1997 (1997-04-14) (Monday) :
Fire breaks out in a pilgrim camp on the Plain of Mena, 7 miles (11 km) from Mecca; 343 die.Former S.S. Captain Erich Priebke is retried; on July 22 he is sentenced to 5 years in prison.
Current events of April 16, 1997 (1997-04-16) (Wednesday) :
Houston socialite Doris Angleton is murdered in her River Oaks home. Her brother-in-law, Roger Angleton, later admits to the crime in his suicide note.
Current events of April 18, 1997 (1997-04-18) (Friday) :
The Red River of the North breaks through dikes and floods Grand Forks, North Dakota, and East Grand Forks, Minnesota, causing US$2 billion in damage.
Current events of April 21, 1997 (1997-04-21) (Monday) :
A Pegasus rocket carries the remains of 24 people into earth orbit, in the first space burial.
Current events of April 22, 1997 (1997-04-22) (Tuesday) :
Haouch Khemisti massacre: 93 villagers  are killed in Algeria.A 126-day hostage crisis at the residence of the Japanese ambassador in Lima, Peru, ends after government commandos storm and capture the building, rescuing 71 hostages. One hostage dies of a heart attack, 2 soldiers are killed by rebel fire, and all 14 Túpac Amaru rebels are slain.France supports the new transitional government in Zaire, withdrawing its support of Mobutu Sese Seko.
Current events of April 23, 1997 (1997-04-23) (Wednesday) :
42 villagers are killed in the Omaria massacre in Algeria.
Current events of April 27, 1997 (1997-04-27) (Sunday) :
Andrew Cunanan murders Jeffrey Trail, beginning a murder spree that lasts until July and ends with the murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace.
Current events of April 29, 1997 (1997-04-29) (Tuesday) :
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), CWC treaty enters into force.Two trains crash at Hunan, China; 126 are killed.
Current events of March 4, 1997 (1997-03-04) (Tuesday) :
U.S. President Bill Clinton bans federal funding for any research on human cloning.
Current events of March 6, 1997 (1997-03-06) (Thursday) :
Pablo Picasso's Tête de Femme is stolen from a London gallery (recovered a week later).In Sri Lanka, Tamil Tigers overrun a military base and kill more than 200.
Current events of March 13, 1997 (1997-03-13) (Thursday) :
India's Missionaries of Charity chooses Sister Nirmala to succeed Mother Teresa as its leader.The National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China creates a new Chongqing Municipality, out of part of Sichuan.The Phoenix Lights, a series of UFOs, are seen over Phoenix, Arizona.
Current events of March 16, 1997 (1997-03-16) (Sunday) :
Sandline affair: On Bougainville Island, soldiers of commander Jerry Singirok arrest Tim Spicer and his mercenaries of the Sandline International.
Current events of March 18, 1997 (1997-03-18) (Tuesday) :
The tail of a Russian An-24 charter plane breaks off while en route to Turkey, causing the plane to crash, killing all 50 on board, and resulting in the grounding of all An-24s.
Current events of March 21, 1997 (1997-03-21) (Friday) :
In Zaire, Etienne Tshiksekedi is appointed prime minister; he ejects supporters of Mobutu Sese Seko from his cabinet.Mercenaries of Sandline International withdraw from Papua New Guinea.
Current events of March 22, 1997 (1997-03-22) (Saturday) :
Tara Lipinski, 14, becomes the youngest women's world figure skating champion.The Comet Hale–Bopp makes its closest approach to Earth.
Current events of March 23, 1997 (1997-03-23) (Sunday) :
The British detective drama show, Midsomer Murders broadcasts on ITV.
Current events of March 24, 1997 (1997-03-24) (Monday) :
The 69th Academy Awards, hosted by Billy Crystal, are held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, with The English Patient winning Best Picture.
Current events of March 26, 1997 (1997-03-26) (Wednesday) :
In San Diego, 39 Heaven's Gate cultists commit mass suicide at their compound.Julius Chan resigns as prime minister of Papua New Guinea, ending the Sandline affair.
Current events of March 31, 1997 (1997-03-31) (Monday) :
Teletubbies makes its debut on BBC2.
Current events of May 2, 1997 (1997-05-02) (Friday) :
The Labour Party of the United Kingdom returns to power for the first time in 18 years, with Tony Blair becoming Prime Minister, in a landslide majority in the 1997 general election.
Current events of May 3, 1997 (1997-05-03) (Saturday) :
Katrina and the Waves win the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 for the UK with "Love Shine a Light", the most successful Eurovision entry ever.
Current events of May 8, 1997 (1997-05-08) (Thursday) :
Playhouse Disney launches.
Current events of May 10, 1997 (1997-05-10) (Saturday) :
The 7.3 Mw Qayen earthquake shakes eastern Iran with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). At least were 1,567 killed and 2,300 were injured.
Current events of May 11, 1997 (1997-05-11) (Sunday) :
IBM's Deep Blue defeats Garry Kasparov in the last game of the rematch, the first time a computer beats a chess World champion in a match.
Current events of May 12, 1997 (1997-05-12) (Monday) :
The Russian-Chechen Peace Treaty is signed.
Current events of May 14, 1997 (1997-05-14) (Wednesday) :
The Star Alliance is formed between Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines System, Thai Airways International and United Airlines.
Current events of May 15, 1997 (1997-05-15) (Thursday) :
The United States government acknowledges existence of the "Secret War" in Laos (1953–1975) during the Vietnam War, and dedicates the Laos Memorial in honor of Hmong and other "Secret War" veterans.
Current events of May 16, 1997 (1997-05-16) (Friday) :
President Mobutu Sese Seko is exiled from Zaire.U.S. President Bill Clinton issues a formal apology to the surviving victims of the Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male and their families.
Current events of May 17, 1997 (1997-05-17) (Saturday) :
Troops of Laurent Kabila march into Kinshasa.
Current events of May 22, 1997 (1997-05-22) (Thursday) :
Kelly Flinn, the U.S. Air Force's first female bomber pilot certified for combat, accepts a general discharge in order to avoid a court-martial.
Current events of May 23, 1997 (1997-05-23) (Friday) :
Mohammad Khatami wins the 1997 Iranian presidential election and becomes the first Iranian Reformist president.
Current events of May 25, 1997 (1997-05-25) (Sunday) :
French legislative election, 1997 first-round voting.Strom Thurmond becomes the longest-serving member in the history of the United States Senate (41 years and 10 months).A military coup in Sierra Leone replaces President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah with Major Johnny Paul Koroma.
Current events of May 27, 1997 (1997-05-27) (Tuesday) :
The second-deadliest tornado of the 1990s hits in Jarrell, Texas, killing 27 people.
Current events of May 31, 1997 (1997-05-31) (Saturday) :
The 13-kilometer Confederation Bridge, the world's longest bridge spanning ice-covered waters, opens between Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, Canada.
Current events of June 1, 1997 (1997-06-01) (Sunday) :
Socialist Party-led Centre-left coalition won the second-round in 1997 French legislative elections, began with the third Cohabitation (1997-2002).Hugo Banzer wins the Presidential elections in Bolivia.
Current events of June 2, 1997 (1997-06-02) (Monday) :
In Denver, Colorado, Timothy McVeigh is convicted on 15 counts of murder and conspiracy for his role in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
Current events of June 6, 1997 (1997-06-06) (Friday) :
In Lacey Township, New Jersey, high school senior Melissa Drexler kills her newborn baby in a toilet.
Current events of June 7, 1997 (1997-06-07) (Saturday) :
A computer user known as "_eci" publishes his Microsoft C source code on a Windows 95 and Windows NT exploit, which later becomes WinNuke. The source code gets wide distribution across the internet, and Microsoft is forced to release a security patch.
Current events of June 8, 1997 (1997-06-08) (Sunday) :
A United States Coast Guard helicopter crashes near Humboldt Bay, California; all 4 crewmembers perish.
Current events of June 10, 1997 (1997-06-10) (Tuesday) :
Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot orders the killing of his defense chief, Son Sen, and 11 of Sen's family members, before Pol Pot flees his northern stronghold (the news does not reach outside Cambodia for 3 days).
Current events of June 11, 1997 (1997-06-11) (Wednesday) :
In the United Kingdom, the House of Commons votes for a total ban on handguns.
Current events of June 12, 1997 (1997-06-12) (Thursday) :
The United States Department of the Treasury unveils a new $50 bill, meant to be more difficult to counterfeit.
Current events of June 13, 1997 (1997-06-13) (Friday) :
A jury sentences Timothy McVeigh to death for his part in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
Current events of June 16, 1997 (1997-06-16) (Monday) :
About 50 are killed in the Daïat Labguer (M'sila) massacre in Algeria.
Current events of June 19, 1997 (1997-06-19) (Thursday) :
The fast food chain McDonald's wins a partial victory in its libel trial, known as the McLibel case, against two environmental campaigners.
Current events of June 22, 1997 (1997-06-22) (Sunday) :
Swedish musician Ted Gärdestad commits suicide by jumping in front of a train (he is found dead later that morning).
Current events of June 25, 1997 (1997-06-25) (Wednesday) :
A massive eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano on the island of Montserrat leads to evacuation and eventual abandonment of the capital, Plymouth.An unmanned Progress spacecraft collides with the Russian space station Mir.
Current events of June 26, 1997 (1997-06-26) (Thursday) :
Bertie Ahern is appointed as the 10th Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland and Mary Harney is appointed as the 16th, and first female, Tánaiste, after their parties, Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats respectively, win the 1997 General Election.Bloomsbury Publishing publishes J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in London at 10:20am when Megan Taylor was bornLegend Megan Taylor was born and Rory Pilcher's life changed
Current events of June 27, 1997 (1997-06-27) (Friday) :
Walt Disney Feature Animation's thirty-fifth animated feature Hercules is released.
Current events of July 1, 1997 (1997-07-01) (Tuesday) :
The United Kingdom hands sovereignty of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China.
Current events of July 4, 1997 (1997-07-04) (Friday) :
NASA's Pathfinder space probe lands on the surface of Mars.
Current events of July 5, 1997 (1997-07-05) (Saturday) :
In Cambodia, Hun Sen of the Cambodian People's Party overthrows Norodom Ranariddh in a coup.
Current events of July 7, 1997 (1997-07-07) (Monday) :
The Great Flood begins in southern Poland.
Current events of July 8, 1997 (1997-07-08) (Tuesday) :
Mayo Clinic researchers warn that the dieting drug "fen-phen" can cause severe heart and lung damage.NATO invites the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland to join the alliance in 1999.
Current events of July 10, 1997 (1997-07-10) (Thursday) :
In London, scientists report their DNA analysis findings from a Neanderthal skeleton, which support the out of Africa theory of human evolution, placing an "African Eve" at 100,000 to 200,000 years ago.Miguel Ángel Blanco is kidnapped in Ermua, Spain and murdered by the ETA.
Current events of July 11, 1997 (1997-07-11) (Friday) :
Thailand's worst hotel fire at Pattaya kills 90.
Current events of July 13, 1997 (1997-07-13) (Sunday) :
The remains of Che Guevara are returned to Cuba for burial, alongside some of his comrades. Guevara and his comrades were executed on 9 October 1967 in Bolivia.
Current events of July 15, 1997 (1997-07-15) (Tuesday) :
Spree killer Andrew Cunanan shoots fashion designer Gianni Versace to death outside Versace's Miami residence.
Current events of July 16, 1997 (1997-07-16) (Wednesday) :
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gains 63.17 to close at 8,038.88. It is the Dow's first close above 8,000. The Dow has doubled its value in 30 months.
Current events of July 17, 1997 (1997-07-17) (Thursday) :
The F. W. Woolworth Company closes after 117 years in business.
Current events of July 21, 1997 (1997-07-21) (Monday) :
On her 200th birthday, the fully restored USS Constitution (aka "Old Ironsides") sets sail for the first time in 116 years.The first genetically modified 3 parent baby is born.[1]
Current events of July 23, 1997 (1997-07-23) (Wednesday) :
Digital Equipment Corporation files antitrust charges against chipmaker Intel.
Current events of July 24, 1997 (1997-07-24) (Thursday) :
Spree killer Andrew Cunanan commits suicide in a Miami houseboat.
Current events of July 25, 1997 (1997-07-25) (Friday) :
K. R. Narayanan is sworn in as India's 10th president and the first member of the Dalit caste to hold this office.
Current events of July 27, 1997 (1997-07-27) (Sunday) :
About 50 are killed in the Si Zerrouk massacre in Algeria.
Current events of July 30, 1997 (1997-07-30) (Wednesday) :
18 people are killed in the Thredbo landslide in the Snowy Mountains resort in Australia. Stuart Diver is the only survivor.
Current events of August 1, 1997 (1997-08-01) (Friday) :
Boeing and McDonnell Douglas complete a merger.Steve Jobs returns to Apple Computer, Inc at Macworld in Boston.
Current events of August 2, 1997 (1997-08-02) (Saturday) :
Australian ski instructor Stuart Diver is rescued as the sole survivor from the Thredbo landslide in New South Wales, in which 18 die.
Current events of August 3, 1997 (1997-08-03) (Sunday) :
Between 40–76 villagers are killed in the Oued El-Had and Mezouara massacre in Algeria.Two of the three islands of the Union of the Comoros — Anjouan and Mohéli — attempt to succeed to revert to colonial rule by France. It fails when the French government of President Jacques Chirac refuses to recolonize them resulting in the two islands being reintegrated into the Comoros over the next two years.Iran's new president, moderate Muslim cleric Mohammad Khatami, took office with a message of peace to the world. In a reference to the United States, he said his country opposed the "high-handedness of certain big countries."
Current events of August 4, 1997 (1997-08-04) (Monday) :
185,000 Teamsters Union United Parcel Service drivers walk off the job.Jeanne Calment, the oldest person ever, dies at age 122 years 164 days in Arles, France.
Current events of August 6, 1997 (1997-08-06) (Wednesday) :
Microsoft buys a $150 million share of financially troubled Apple Computer.Korean Air Flight 801 crash lands west of Guam International Airport, resulting in the deaths of 228 people.
Current events of August 13, 1997 (1997-08-13) (Wednesday) :
In Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Cruzeiro defeats Sporting Cristal of Peru 1–0, becoming the Copa Libertadores de América champions for the second time.South Park debuts on Comedy Channel.
Current events of August 16, 1997 (1997-08-16) (Saturday) :
Krishan Kant is elected vice president of India.
Current events of August 20, 1997 (1997-08-20) (Wednesday) :
Algerian Civil War: Over 60 are killed and 15 are kidnapped in the Souhane massacre in Algeria.
Current events of August 21, 1997 (1997-08-21) (Thursday) :
Be Here Now, the third album from English rock band Oasis, becomes the fastest selling album in UK history.
Current events of August 26, 1997 (1997-08-26) (Tuesday) :
60–100 are killed in the Beni Ali massacre in Algeria.The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning is set up in Northern Ireland, as part of a peace process.
Current events of August 29, 1997 (1997-08-29) (Friday) :
Over 98 (and possibly up to 400) are killed in the Rais massacre in Algeria.
Current events of August 31, 1997 (1997-08-31) (Sunday) :
The flag of Malaysia is renamed Jalur Gemilang.Reports emerge in the early hours of the morning that Diana, Princess of Wales, has been injured in a car crash in Paris which has claimed the life of Dodi Fayed, the Harrods heir. Within four hours, it is confirmed that Diana has died in hospital as a result of her injuries. The United Kingdom and much of the rest of the world is plunged into widespread mourning. (BBC)The head of Yagan, a Noongar warrior, is repatriated to Australia 164 years after being taken to the United Kingdom. (The West Australian)
Current events of October 1, 1997 (1997-10-01) (Wednesday) :
Luke Woodham walks into Pearl High School in Pearl, Mississippi, and opens fire, killing 2 girls, after killing his mother earlier that morning.
Current events of October 2, 1997 (1997-10-02) (Thursday) :
British scientists Moira Bruce and John Collinge, with their colleagues, independently show that the new variant form of the Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease is the same disease as Bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
Current events of October 4, 1997 (1997-10-04) (Saturday) :
One million men gather for Promise Keepers' "Stand in the Gap" event in Washington, D.C.Loomis Fargo Bank Robbery: The second largest cash robbery in U.S. history ($17.3 million, mostly in small bills) occurs at the Charlotte, North Carolina office of Wells Fargo. An FBI investigation eventually results in 24 convictions and the recovery of approximately 95% of the stolen cash.
Current events of October 11, 1997 (1997-10-11) (Saturday) :
The mixed martial arts organization Pride Fighting Championships holds its inaugural event at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. In the main event Rickson Gracie defeats Nobuhiko Takada by armbar.
Current events of October 12, 1997 (1997-10-12) (Sunday) :
43 are killed at a false roadblock, in the Sidi Daoud massacre in Algeria.
Current events of October 15, 1997 (1997-10-15) (Wednesday) :
Andy Green sets the first supersonic land speed record for the ThrustSSC team, led by Richard Noble of the UK. ThrustSSC goes through the flying mile course at Black Rock Desert, Nevada at an average speed of 1,227.985 km/h (763.035 mph).NASA launches the Cassini–Huygens probe to Saturn.
Current events of October 16, 1997 (1997-10-16) (Thursday) :
The first color photograph appears on the front page of The New York Times.
Current events of October 17, 1997 (1997-10-17) (Friday) :
The remains of Che Guevara are laid to rest with full military honours in a specially built mausoleum in the city of Santa Clara, Cuba, where he had won the decisive battle of the Cuban Revolution 39 years before.
Current events of October 27, 1997 (1997-10-27) (Monday) :
In the U.S., the Dow Jones Industrial Average drops -554.26 points (-7.18%), closing at 7,161.14.
Current events of October 28, 1997 (1997-10-28) (Tuesday) :
In the U.S., the Dow Jones Industrial Average gains a record 337.17 points (+4.71%), closing at 7,498.32. One billion shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange for the first time ever.
Current events of October 29, 1997 (1997-10-29) (Wednesday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraq says it will begin shooting down Lockheed U-2 surveillance planes being used by UNSCOM inspectors.
Current events of October 30, 1997 (1997-10-30) (Thursday) :
In Newton, Massachusetts, British au pair Louise Woodward is found guilty of the baby-shaking death of 8-month-old Matthew Eappen.
Current events of September 4, 1997 (1997-09-04) (Thursday) :
In Lorain, Ohio, the last Ford Thunderbird for 3 years rolls off the assembly line.
Current events of September 5, 1997 (1997-09-05) (Friday) :
Over 87 are killed in the Beni Messous massacre in Algeria.The International Olympic Committee picks Athens, Greece, to be the host city for the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Current events of September 6, 1997 (1997-09-06) (Saturday) :
The funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, takes place at Westminster Abbey, watched by over 2 billion people worldwide.A Jean Michel Jarre Oxygene in Moscow concert, celebrating the city's 850th anniversary, draws 3.5 million people.
Current events of September 7, 1997 (1997-09-07) (Sunday) :
The F-22 Raptor makes its first test flight.
Current events of September 11, 1997 (1997-09-11) (Thursday) :
Scotland votes to create its own Parliament after 290 years of union with England.
Current events of September 13, 1997 (1997-09-13) (Saturday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: An Iraqi military officer attacks an UNSCOM weapons inspector on board an UNSCOM helicopter, while the inspector attempts to take photographs of unauthorized movement of Iraqi vehicles inside a site designated for inspection.
Current events of September 15, 1997 (1997-09-15) (Monday) :
The Norwegian parliamentary election was held in Norway.
Current events of September 17, 1997 (1997-09-17) (Wednesday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: While waiting for access to a site, UNSCOM inspectors witness and videotape Iraqi guards moving files, burning documents, and dumping waste cans into a nearby river.
Current events of September 18, 1997 (1997-09-18) (Thursday) :
Wales votes in favor of devolution and the formation of a National Assembly for Wales.Al-Qaeda carries out a terrorist attack in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Current events of September 19, 1997 (1997-09-19) (Friday) :
53 are killed in the Guelb El-Kebir massacre in Algeria.
Current events of September 21, 1997 (1997-09-21) (Sunday) :
The Islamic Salvation Army, the Islamic Salvation Fronts' armed wing, declares a unilateral ceasefire in Algeria.
Current events of September 25, 1997 (1997-09-25) (Thursday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: UNSCOM inspector Dr. Diane Seaman catches several Iraqi men sneaking out the back door of an inspection site, with log books for the creation of prohibited bacteria and chemicals.
Current events of September 26, 1997 (1997-09-26) (Friday) :
An air crash in Indonesia (likely caused by smoke rising from numerous forest fires in the area) kills 235 people (see Garuda Indonesia Flight 152).An earthquake strikes the Italian regions of Umbria and Marche, causing part of the Basilica of St. Francis at Assisi to collapse.
Current events of September 27, 1997 (1997-09-27) (Saturday) :
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Požega in Croatia is founded.
Current events of December 1, 1997 (1997-12-01) (Monday) :
In the Indian state of Bihar, Ranvir Sena attacks the CPI(ML) Party Unity stronghold Lakshmanpur-Bathe, killing 63 lower caste people.
Current events of December 3, 1997 (1997-12-03) (Wednesday) :
In Ottawa, Canada, representatives from 121 countries sign a treaty prohibiting the manufacture and deployment of anti-personnel land mines. However, the United States, the People's Republic of China, Russia, South Korea and 32 other nations do not sign and/or ratify the treaty.
Current events of December 8, 1997 (1997-12-08) (Monday) :
Myra Hindley, one of the Moors murderers, arrives at the High Court of Justice, to contest a recent Home Secretary's decision that she should remain in prison until she dies.
Current events of December 10, 1997 (1997-12-10) (Wednesday) :
The capital of Kazakhstan is moved from Almaty to Astana.
Current events of December 11, 1997 (1997-12-11) (Thursday) :
The Kyoto Protocol is adopted by a United Nations committee.
Current events of December 12, 1997 (1997-12-12) (Friday) :
Demonstrations occur in the state capitals of Australia against the WTO and IMF.The 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup begins in Saudi Arabia.
Current events of December 16, 1997 (1997-12-16) (Tuesday) :
"Dennō Senshi Porygon", an episode of the Pokémon TV series, is aired in Japan, inducing seizures in hundreds of Japanese children.
Current events of December 18, 1997 (1997-12-18) (Thursday) :
Myra Hindley loses her High Court appeal against the government's decision to keep her behind bars for the rest of her life.
Current events of December 19, 1997 (1997-12-19) (Friday) :
Janet Jagan (the former wife of Cheddi Jagan) takes office in Guyana.James Cameron's Titanic, the then highest-grossing film of all time, premieres in the U.S.
Current events of December 21, 1997 (1997-12-21) (Sunday) :
Brazil beats Australia 6–0 in the Confederations Cup final.
Current events of December 24, 1997 (1997-12-24) (Wednesday) :
50–100 villagers are killed in the Sid El-Antri massacre in Algeria.
Current events of December 27, 1997 (1997-12-27) (Saturday) :
Ulster loyalist paramilitary leader Billy Wright is assassinated in Northern Ireland, inside Long Kesh prison.
Current events of December 29, 1997 (1997-12-29) (Monday) :
Hong Kong begins to kill all the chickens within its territory (1.25 million) to stop the spread of a potentially deadly influenza strain.
Current events of December 30, 1997 (1997-12-30) (Tuesday) :
Wilaya of Relizane massacres of December 30, 1997: In the worst incident in Algeria's insurgency, 400 are killed from four villages in the wilaya of Relizane.
Current events of February 3, 1998 (1998-02-03) (Tuesday) :
Cavalese cable car disaster: a United States military pilot causes the deaths of 20 people near Trento, Italy, when his low-flying plane severs the cable of a cable-car.
Current events of February 4, 1998 (1998-02-04) (Wednesday) :
The 5.9 Mw Afghanistan earthquake shakes the Takhar Province with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (Very strong). With 2,323 killed, and 818 injured, damage is considered extreme.
Current events of February 7, 1998 (1998-02-07) (Saturday) :
The 1998 Winter Olympics begin their opening ceremony in Nagano, Japan.
Current events of February 16, 1998 (1998-02-16) (Monday) :
China Airlines Flight 676 crashes into a residential area near Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, killing 202 people (all 196 on board and 6 on the ground).
Current events of February 20, 1998 (1998-02-20) (Friday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraqi President Saddam Hussein negotiates a deal with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, allowing weapons inspectors to return to Baghdad, preventing military action by the United States and Britain.
Current events of February 22, 1998 (1998-02-22) (Sunday) :
The 1998 Winter Olympics end with a closing ceremony in Nagano, Japan.
Current events of February 28, 1998 (1998-02-28) (Saturday) :
A massacre in Likoshane, FR Yugoslavia starts the Kosovo War.
Current events of November 3, 1997 (1997-11-03) (Monday) :
In France, striking truck drivers blockade ports during a pay dispute.
Current events of November 10, 1997 (1997-11-10) (Monday) :
Telecom companies WorldCom and MCI Communications announce a US$37 billion merger to form MCI WorldCom (the largest merger in U.S. history).A Fairfax, Virginia jury finds Mir Aimal Kasi guilty of murdering 2 CIA employees in 1993.
Current events of November 11, 1997 (1997-11-11) (Tuesday) :
Mary McAleese is elected the 8th President of Ireland in succession to Mary Robinson, the first time in the world that one woman has succeeded another as elected head of state.
Current events of November 12, 1997 (1997-11-12) (Wednesday) :
Ramzi Yousef is found guilty of masterminding the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
Current events of November 17, 1997 (1997-11-17) (Monday) :
In Luxor, Egypt, 62 people are killed by 6 Islamic militants outside the Temple of Hatshepsut.
Current events of November 19, 1997 (1997-11-19) (Wednesday) :
In Des Moines, Iowa, Bobbi McCaughey gives birth to septuplets in the second known case where all 7 babies are born alive, and the first in which all survive infancy.
Current events of November 27, 1997 (1997-11-27) (Thursday) :
NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission is launched, the start of the satellite component of the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System.
Current events of March 2, 1998 (1998-03-02) (Monday) :
Data sent from the Galileo probe indicates that Jupiter's moon Europa has a liquid ocean under a thick crust of ice.In Austria, Natascha Kampusch is abducted by Wolfgang Přiklopil (she will remain in his captivity until August 2006).
Current events of March 5, 1998 (1998-03-05) (Thursday) :
NASA announces that the Clementine probe orbiting the Moon has found enough water in polar craters to support a human colony and rocket fueling station.
Current events of March 11, 1998 (1998-03-11) (Wednesday) :
Danish parliamentary election, 1998: Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen is re-elected.
Current events of March 13, 1998 (1998-03-13) (Friday) :
The High-Z Supernova Search Team becomes the first team to publish evidence that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate.
Current events of March 23, 1998 (1998-03-23) (Monday) :
The 70th Academy Awards ceremony, hosted for the 6th time by Billy Crystal, is held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Titanic wins 11 Oscars including Best Picture.
Current events of March 24, 1998 (1998-03-24) (Tuesday) :
First Computer-assisted Bone Segment Navigation, performed at the University of Regensburg, Germany.
Current events of March 26, 1998 (1998-03-26) (Thursday) :
Oued Bouaicha massacre in Algeria: 52 people are killed with axes and knives; 32 of the killed are babies under the age of 2.
Current events of March 31, 1998 (1998-03-31) (Tuesday) :
Netscape released Mozilla source code under an open source license. This is described in The Book of Mozilla, 3:31.
Current events of January 1, 1998 (1998-01-01) (Thursday) :
Smoking is banned in all California bars and restaurants.Toronto and six other communities in Canada are merged to form a new megacity. The next day Mel Lastman is sworn in as its first mayor.
Current events of January 2, 1998 (1998-01-02) (Friday) :
Russia begins to circulate new rubles to stem inflation and promote confidence.Three separate avalanches in British Columbia, Canada, kill a total of nine people.
Current events of January 4, 1998 (1998-01-04) (Sunday) :
Wilaya of Relizane massacres of 4 January 1998 in Algeria: Over 170 are killed in 3 remote villages.
Current events of January 5, 1998 (1998-01-05) (Monday) :
The Ice Storm of 1998, caused by El Niño, strikes southern Ontario and Quebec, Canada, resulting in widespread power failures, severe damage to forests, and a number of deaths.
Current events of January 6, 1998 (1998-01-06) (Tuesday) :
Alan Eagleson pleads guilty to fraud in Canada.The Lunar Prospector spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently shadowed craters near the Moon's poles.
Current events of January 8, 1998 (1998-01-08) (Thursday) :
Ramzi Yousef is sentenced to life in prison for planning the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993.
Current events of January 11, 1998 (1998-01-11) (Sunday) :
Over 100 people are killed in the Sidi-Hamed massacre in Algeria.
Current events of January 12, 1998 (1998-01-12) (Monday) :
Nineteen European nations agree to forbid human cloning.
Current events of January 14, 1998 (1998-01-14) (Wednesday) :
Ralph Guarino is arrested for attempting to rob a Bank of America bank in the World Trade Center.
Current events of January 17, 1998 (1998-01-17) (Saturday) :
The Drudge Report breaks the story about U.S. President Bill Clinton's alleged affair with Monica Lewinsky, which would lead to the House of Representatives' impeachment of him.
Current events of January 20, 1998 (1998-01-20) (Tuesday) :
Nepalese police intercept a shipment of 272 human skulls in Kathmandu.[citation needed]
Current events of January 22, 1998 (1998-01-22) (Thursday) :
Suspected "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski pleads guilty, and accepts a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.
Current events of January 28, 1998 (1998-01-28) (Wednesday) :
Gunmen hold at least 400 children and teachers hostage for several hours, at an elementary school in Manila, Philippines.
Current events of April 5, 1998 (1998-04-05) (Sunday) :
In Japan, the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge linking Shikoku with Honshū and costing about US$3.8 billion, opens to traffic, becoming the largest suspension bridge in the world.
Current events of April 6, 1998 (1998-04-06) (Monday) :
Pakistan tests medium-range missiles capable of hitting India.
Current events of April 10, 1998 (1998-04-10) (Friday) :
Good Friday: 1 hour after the end of the talks deadline, the Belfast Agreement is signed between the Irish and British governments and most Northern Ireland political parties, with the notable exception of the Democratic Unionist Party.
Current events of April 15, 1998 (1998-04-15) (Wednesday) :
Pol Pot commits suicide while under house arrest in Cambodia. However, rumors have said that he was poisoned and Ta Mok claims he had a heart attack.
Current events of April 20, 1998 (1998-04-20) (Monday) :
The alleged date the German Red Army Faction (created 1970) is dissolved.
Current events of April 22, 1998 (1998-04-22) (Wednesday) :
Disney's Animal Kingdom opens at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Current events of April 23, 1998 (1998-04-23) (Thursday) :
The Yugoslav Army ambushes a group of Kosovo Liberation Army fighters attempting to smuggle weapons from Albania into Kosovo, killing 19.
Current events of May 8, 1998 (1998-05-08) (Friday) :
CBS telecasts The Wizard of Oz for the last time. Beginning in 1999, The Wizard of Oz will be shown on cable, and in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 it will be telecast by the WB Television Network in addition to its cable showings.
Current events of May 11, 1998 (1998-05-11) (Monday) :
India conducts 3 underground nuclear tests in Pokhran, including 1 thermonuclear device.The first euro coins are minted in Pessac, France. Because the final specifications for the coins were not finished in 1998, they will have to be melted and minted again in 1999.
Current events of May 13, 1998 (1998-05-13) (Wednesday) :
Riots directed against Chinese Indonesians break out in Indonesia. Indonesian natives destroy and burn Chinese Indonesian-owned properties, however, most of the 1,000 people who died in the riots were the Javanese Indonesian looters who targeted the Chinese shops, not the Chinese themselves, since the looters were burnt to death in a massive fire.[1][2][3][4][5]
Current events of May 19, 1998 (1998-05-19) (Tuesday) :
The Galaxy IV communications satellite fails, leaving 80–90% of the world's pagers without service.The wreck of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, sunk during the Battle of Midway in 1942, is found near Midway Atoll by a team led by former US Navy officer Robert D. Ballard.
Current events of May 21, 1998 (1998-05-21) (Thursday) :
Suharto (elected 1967) resigns, after 32 years as President of Indonesia and his 7th consecutive re-election by the Indonesian Parliament (MPR). Suharto's hand-picked Vice President, B. J. Habibie, becomes Indonesia's third president.
Current events of May 26, 1998 (1998-05-26) (Tuesday) :
Bear Grylls, 23, becomes the youngest British climber to scale Mount Everest.[6]
Current events of May 28, 1998 (1998-05-28) (Thursday) :
Nuclear testing: In response to a series of Indian nuclear tests, Pakistan explodes 5 nuclear devices of its own in the Chaghai hills of Baluchistan, codenamed Chagai-I, prompting the United States, Japan and other nations to impose economic sanctions. Pakistan celebrates Youm-e-Takbir annually.
Current events of May 30, 1998 (1998-05-30) (Saturday) :
A 6.6 magnitude earthquake hits northern Afghanistan, killing up to 5,000.A second nuclear test, codenamed Chagai-II, is conducted and supervised by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC).
Current events of June 2, 1998 (1998-06-02) (Tuesday) :
The CIH computer virus is discovered in Taiwan.
Current events of June 3, 1998 (1998-06-03) (Wednesday) :
Eschede train disaster: An Intercity-Express high-speed train derails between Hanover and Hamburg, Germany, causing 101 deaths.
Current events of June 7, 1998 (1998-06-07) (Sunday) :
Former Brigadier-General Ansumane Mané seizes control over military barracks in Bissau, marking the beginning of the Guinea-Bissau Civil War (1998–99).Peter Arnett publishes a false report of Operation Tailwind (initiated 1970), claiming that sarin nerve agents were used to eliminate a group of deserting U.S. soldiers.James Byrd, Jr. is beaten and dragged to death by 3 white men in Jasper, Texas.
Current events of June 10, 1998 (1998-06-10) (Wednesday) :
The 1998 FIFA World Cup begins in France.
Current events of June 12, 1998 (1998-06-12) (Friday) :
The Centennial Celebration of Independence of the Philippines from Spain is observed.
Current events of June 25, 1998 (1998-06-25) (Thursday) :
Microsoft releases Windows 98.
Current events of June 30, 1998 (1998-06-30) (Tuesday) :
Philippine Vice President Joseph Estrada is sworn in as the 13th President of the Philippines.
Current events of July 2, 1998 (1998-07-02) (Thursday) :
J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is published.
Current events of July 5, 1998 (1998-07-05) (Sunday) :
Japan launches a probe to Mars, joining the United States and Russia as an outer space-exploring nation.
Current events of July 6, 1998 (1998-07-06) (Monday) :
The new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok opens, while the historic Kai Tak Airport closes.
Current events of July 12, 1998 (1998-07-12) (Sunday) :
France beats Brazil 3–0 in the football World Cup final.
Current events of July 17, 1998 (1998-07-17) (Friday) :
At a conference in Rome, 120 countries vote to create a permanent International Criminal Court to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.In Saint Petersburg, Nicholas II of Russia and his family are buried in St. Catherine Chapel, 80 years after he and his family were killed by the Lenin-led Bolsheviks in 1918.The 7.0 Mw Papua New Guinea earthquake shakes the region near Aitape with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). This submarine earthquake triggered a landslide that caused a destructive tsunami, leaving 2,183–2,700 dead and thousands injured.Biologists report in the journal Science how they sequenced the genome of the bacterium that causes syphilis, Treponema pallidum.
Current events of July 24, 1998 (1998-07-24) (Friday) :
Saving Private Ryan premieres in theaters.
Current events of October 2, 1998 (1998-10-02) (Friday) :
Antz, the first feature film made by DreamWorks, is released.
Current events of October 6, 1998 (1998-10-06) (Tuesday) :
Matthew Shepard is beaten and left to die in a cornfield in Laramie, Wyoming.
Current events of October 14, 1998 (1998-10-14) (Wednesday) :
Eric Rudolph is charged with 4 bombings (including the 1996 Olympic bombing) in Atlanta.
Current events of October 16, 1998 (1998-10-16) (Friday) :
British police place General Augusto Pinochet, the former Chilean dictator from 1973-1990, under house arrest during his medical treatment in the UK.
Current events of October 17, 1998 (1998-10-17) (Saturday) :
A pipeline explosion in Jesse, Nigeria results in 1,082 deaths.
Current events of October 29, 1998 (1998-10-29) (Thursday) :
Hurricane Mitch makes landfall in Central America, killing an estimated 18,000 people.
Current events of September 1, 1998 (1998-09-01) (Tuesday) :
Second Congo War:
The Democratic Republic of the Congo says that the rebels are surrounded by forces loyal to President Laurent Kabila in the west. (BBC)
The rebels gain control over Goma, Kabila's home area. (BBC)
Current events of September 2, 1998 (1998-09-02) (Wednesday) :
A McDonnell Douglas MD-11 airliner (Swissair Flight 111) crashes near Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia, after taking off from New York City en route to Geneva; all 229 people on board are killed.A United Nations court finds Jean-Paul Akayesu, the former mayor of a small town in Rwanda, guilty of 9 counts of genocide, marking the first time that the 1948 law banning genocide is enforced.
Current events of September 4, 1998 (1998-09-04) (Friday) :
Google, Inc. is founded in Menlo Park, California, by Stanford University PhD candidates Larry Page and Sergey Brin.[1]The last former Soviet Union radar station, Skrunda-1, is closed down in Latvia.
Current events of September 5, 1998 (1998-09-05) (Saturday) :
The Government of North Korea adopts a military dictatorship on its 50th anniversary.
Current events of September 10, 1998 (1998-09-10) (Thursday) :
At midnight, a shooting occurs aboard an Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the Russian Navy docked in the northern Russian port-city of Severomorsk. The shooter, Alexander Kuzminykh, a 19-year-old seaman from St. Petersburg, opened fire after murdering a soldier (who was supervising his detention on punishment charges in the personnel quarters of the submarine) with a chisel, and taking his AK-74U carbine. After killing five people and wounding one with the dead soldier's weapon, he proceeded to take 2 fellow soldiers hostage, and barricaded himself in the submarine's torpedo room, where he would later murder them. For 23 hours, doctors, relatives, and a priest attempt to persuade him to surrender, but to no avail. After threatening numerous times to set the torpedo room on fire (an event the authorities feared would cause a quote "second Chernobyl"), the crisis came to an end on the morning of 12 September, when a special anti-terrorist commando unit of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) launched a raid on the torpedo room during which, Kuzminkykh allegedly committed suicide, contrary to prior reports that he'd been killed by the unit.
Current events of September 12, 1998 (1998-09-12) (Saturday) :
Bosnian general election, 1998: Votes in Bosnia and Herzegovina go to the polls for a general election.The Cuban Five intelligence agents are arrested in Miami, and convicted of espionage. The agents claim they were not spying against the United States Government but against the Cuban exile community in Miami.
Current events of September 24, 1998 (1998-09-24) (Thursday) :
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami retracts a fatwa against Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie that was in force since 1989 stating that the Iranian government will "neither support nor hinder assassination operations on Rushdie".
Current events of August 4, 1998 (1998-08-04) (Tuesday) :
Rebel forces revolt against President Laurent Kabila's government in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, starting the Second Congo War; 3,900,000 people are killed before it ends in 2003, making it the bloodiest war, to date, since World War II. Accusations of Rwanda backing them up have been made with Rwanda denying it. (BBC)
Current events of August 5, 1998 (1998-08-05) (Wednesday) :
The United States tells the Democratic Republic of the Congo's neighbours to not get involved with the rebellion in the east of the country. (BBC)Korean Air Flight 8702 crashes near the airport due to bad weather, starting a fire. There were no fatalities but 25 people were injured.
Current events of August 7, 1998 (1998-08-07) (Friday) :
Yangtze River Floods: In China the Yangtze river breaks through the main bank; before this, from August 1–5, peripheral levees collapsed consecutively in Jiayu County Baizhou Bay. The death toll exceeds 12,000, with many thousands more injured.1998 U.S. embassy bombings: The bombings of the United States embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya, kill 224 people and injure over 4,500; they are linked to terrorist Osama bin Laden, an exile of Saudi Arabia.
Current events of August 15, 1998 (1998-08-15) (Saturday) :
The Omagh bombing is carried out in Northern Ireland by the Real IRA.
Current events of August 24, 1998 (1998-08-24) (Monday) :
The first RFID human implantation is tested in the United Kingdom.
Current events of August 26, 1998 (1998-08-26) (Wednesday) :
Computer virus CIH activates and attacks Windows 9x.
Current events of November 1, 1998 (1998-11-01) (Sunday) :
The European Court of Human Rights is instituted.
Current events of November 3, 1998 (1998-11-03) (Tuesday) :
Edmonton, Canada and Wonju, South Korea are declared as sister cities.Jesse Ventura, former professional wrestler, is elected Governor of Minnesota.
Current events of November 5, 1998 (1998-11-05) (Thursday) :
Lewinsky scandal: As part of the impeachment inquiry, House Judiciary Committee chairman Henry Hyde sends a list of 81 questions to U.S. President Bill Clinton.The journal Nature publishes a genetic study showing compelling evidence that Thomas Jefferson fathered his slave Sally Hemings' son Eston Hemings Jefferson.Myra Hindley loses her second appeal in 11 months against her whole life tariff.
Current events of November 7, 1998 (1998-11-07) (Saturday) :
John Glenn returns to Earth aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery.
Current events of November 8, 1998 (1998-11-08) (Sunday) :
U.S. and now defunct energy company Unocal signed an agreement with Petrobangla to develop Bangladesh's largest gas field. (BBC)
Current events of November 9, 1998 (1998-11-09) (Monday) :
In the largest civil settlement in United States history, a federal judge approves a US$1.03 billion settlement requiring dozens of brokerage houses (including Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, and Salomon Smith Barney) to pay investors who claim they were cheated in a widespread price-fixing scheme on the NASDAQ.The United Kingdom formally abolishes the death penalty.
Current events of November 12, 1998 (1998-11-12) (Thursday) :
Daimler-Benz completes a merger with Chrysler Corporation to form Daimler-Chrysler.
Current events of November 13, 1998 (1998-11-13) (Friday) :
Theglobe.com goes public, opening up 1000% and setting a stock market record for highest rising IPO in history. This became one of the first and most widely publicized IPOs of the internet boom.Iraq disarmament crisis: U.S. President Bill Clinton orders airstrikes on Iraq, then calls them off at the last minute when Iraq promises once again to "unconditionally" cooperate with UNSCOM.
Current events of November 16, 1998 (1998-11-16) (Monday) :
Sesame Workshop (back then known as Children's Television Workshop) launches Elmo's World, the most famous Sesame Street segment, lasting from the late 90' to Sesame Street's 40th anniversary (69-09) and the 10th anniversary of the segment itself (99-09).
Current events of November 17, 1998 (1998-11-17) (Tuesday) :
Voyager 1 overtakes Pioneer 10 as the most distant man-made object from the Solar System, at a distance of 69.419 AU (1.03849×1010 km).
Current events of November 19, 1998 (1998-11-19) (Thursday) :
Lewinsky scandal: The United States House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee begins impeachment hearings against U.S. President Bill Clinton.
Current events of November 20, 1998 (1998-11-20) (Friday) :
A court in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan declares accused terrorist Osama bin Laden "a man without a sin" in regard to the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.Galina Starovoitova, Russian legislator and democracy advocate, is assassinated in Saint Petersburg, Russia.At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the first component for the International Space Station (Zarya, or sunrise) is launched.
Current events of November 21, 1998 (1998-11-21) (Saturday) :
Nintendo releases The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Current events of November 22, 1998 (1998-11-22) (Sunday) :
Voters in Albania were asked whether they approved of the Constitution of Albania. (Princeton)
Current events of November 23, 1998 (1998-11-23) (Monday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: According to UNSCOM, Iraq once again ends cooperation with the United Nations inspectors, alternately intimidating and withholding information from them.
Current events of November 24, 1998 (1998-11-24) (Tuesday) :
Second Congo War: Reports from the Republic of the Congo say that twelve people drowned in a Congolese river when a marine patrol boat tried to intercept a canoe in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. River traffic was suspended between the two countries for security reasons after the Second Congo War began. (BBC)America Online announces it will acquire Netscape Communications in a stock-for-stock transaction worth US$4.2 billion.A declassified report by Swiss IOC official Marc Hodler reveals that bribes had been used to bring the 2002 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City during bidding process in 1995. The International Olympic Committee, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, the United States Olympic Committee and the United States Department of Justice immediately launch an investigation into the scandal.
Current events of November 26, 1998 (1998-11-26) (Thursday) :
Tony Blair becomes the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to address the Dáil Éireann, the Republic of Ireland's parliament.Japan and China sign the Japan-China Joint Declaration On Building a Partnership of Friendship and Cooperation for Peace and Development.
Current events of November 28, 1998 (1998-11-28) (Saturday) :
Floods devastate Bangladesh's rice fields. (CNN)
Current events of November 30, 1998 (1998-11-30) (Monday) :
Deutsche Bank announces a US$10 billion deal to buy Bankers Trust, thus creating the largest financial institution in the world.
Current events of December 1, 1998 (1998-12-01) (Tuesday) :
Exxon announces a US$73.7 billion deal to buy Mobil, thus creating Exxon-Mobil, the second-largest company on the planet by revenue.
Current events of December 4, 1998 (1998-12-04) (Friday) :
The Space Shuttle Endeavour launches the first American component to the International Space Station, the 25,600 lb Unity module on STS-88. It docks with Zarya two days later.
Current events of December 5, 1998 (1998-12-05) (Saturday) :
D.C. United defeats Vasco da Gama 2–1 on aggregate to win the Interamerican Cup.
Current events of December 6, 1998 (1998-12-06) (Sunday) :
Hugo Chávez, politician and former member of the Venezuelan military, is elected President of Venezuela.
Current events of December 8, 1998 (1998-12-08) (Tuesday) :
Tadjena massacre in Algeria: 81 villagers are killed.
Current events of December 11, 1998 (1998-12-11) (Friday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraq announces that United Nations weapons inspections will no longer take place on Friday, the Muslim day of rest. Iraq also refuses to provide test data from the production of missiles and engines.
Current events of December 14, 1998 (1998-12-14) (Monday) :
The Yugoslav Army ambushes a column of 140 Kosovo Liberation Army militants attempting to smuggle arms from Albania into Kosovo, killing 36.
Current events of December 16, 1998 (1998-12-16) (Wednesday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: U.S. President Bill Clinton orders airstrikes on Iraq. UNSCOM withdraws all weapons inspectors from Iraq.
Current events of December 17, 1998 (1998-12-17) (Thursday) :
Claudia Benton, of West University Place, Texas, is murdered in her house by Angel Maturino Resendiz.
Current events of December 19, 1998 (1998-12-19) (Saturday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraqi Vice-President Taha Yassin Ramadan announces that Iraq will no longer cooperate and declares that UNSCOM's "mission is over."Lewinsky scandal: President Bill Clinton is impeached by the United States House of Representatives.
Current events of December 21, 1998 (1998-12-21) (Monday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: UN Security Council members France, Germany and Russia call for sanctions to end against Iraq. The 3 Security Council members also call for UNSCOM to either be disbanded or for its role to be recast. The U.S. says it will veto any such proposal.
Current events of December 26, 1998 (1998-12-26) (Saturday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraq announces its intention to fire upon U.S. and British warplanes that patrol the northern and southern "no-fly zones".Six sailors die and 5 yachts are lost in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, the biggest disaster in the race's history
Current events of December 29, 1998 (1998-12-29) (Tuesday) :
Khmer Rouge leaders apologize for the genocide in Cambodia that claimed over 1 million in the 1970s.
Current events of December 31, 1998 (1998-12-31) (Thursday) :
The first leap second since June 30, 1997 occurs. In the eurozone, the currency rates of this day are fixed permanently.
Current events of February 4, 1999 (1999-02-04) (Thursday) :
Unarmed West African immigrant Amadou Diallo is shot dead by four plainclothes New York City police officers on an unrelated stake-out, inflaming race-relations in the city.
Current events of February 5, 1999 (1999-02-05) (Friday) :
Mike Tyson is sentenced to a year's imprisonment, fined $5,000, and ordered to serve 2 years probation and perform 200 hours of community service for the August 31, 1998 assault on two people after a car accident.
Current events of February 7, 1999 (1999-02-07) (Sunday) :
King Hussein of Jordan dies from cancer, and his son Abdullah II inherits the throne.
Current events of February 10, 1999 (1999-02-10) (Wednesday) :
Avalanches in the French Alps near Geneva kill at least ten.
Current events of February 11, 1999 (1999-02-11) (Thursday) :
Pluto, a dwarf planet with an eccentric orbit, changes from the eighth to ninth planet furthest from the Sun. It had been the eighth furthest since 1979, and will be again from 2227 to 2247.
Current events of February 12, 1999 (1999-02-12) (Friday) :
President Bill Clinton is acquitted by the United States Senate in his impeachment trialJohn Myatt and John Drewe are sentenced for art forgery for one and six years, respectively.
Current events of February 15, 1999 (1999-02-15) (Monday) :
Rapper Big L, real name Lamont Coleman, is shot and killed with 7 bullets to the head and chest just blocks from his home in Harlem.
Current events of February 16, 1999 (1999-02-16) (Tuesday) :
In Uzbekistan a bomb explodes and gunfire is heard at the government headquarters in an apparent assassination attempt against President Islam Karimov.Across Europe, Kurdish rebels take over embassies and hold hostages after Turkey arrested one of their rebel leaders, Abdullah Öcalan.In Jasper, Texas, testimony begins in the trial of John William King who is accused of dragging African American James Byrd Jr. to death in an apparent hate crime. King was later convicted and sentenced to the death penalty.
Current events of February 21, 1999 (1999-02-21) (Sunday) :
Turkey withdraws its troops from Iraq against the Kurdish rebels. (BBC)The Albertinkatu shootings in Helsinki, Finland: Three men are killed and one is wounded at a shooting range.
Current events of February 22, 1999 (1999-02-22) (Monday) :
Moderate Iraqi Shiite cleric Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr is assassinated. (New York Times)
Current events of February 23, 1999 (1999-02-23) (Tuesday) :
Eminem's 'The Slim Shady LP is released, following his 1997 EP 'The Slim Shady EP' and debut album 'Infinite'.Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Öcalan is charged with treason in Ankara, Turkey.White supremacist John William King is found guilty of kidnapping and killing African American James Byrd Jr. by dragging him behind a truck for two miles (3 km).An avalanche destroys the Austrian village of Galtür, killing 31.The R&B trio TLC releases their third album FanMail after their five year hiatus from the release of their second album in 1994, CrazySexyCool. It debuted at #1 on this billboard 200 and spent 5 non-consecutive weeks at #1. This was the last TLC studio album released with all three original members living, rapper Lisa Lopes would die in a treacherous car accident in Honduras just three years later, in 2002.
Current events of February 24, 1999 (1999-02-24) (Wednesday) :
LaGrand Case: The State of Arizona executes Karl LaGrand, a German national involved in an armed robbery that led to a death. Karl's brother Walter is executed a week later, in spite of Germany's legal action in the International Court of Justice to attempt to save him.
Current events of February 27, 1999 (1999-02-27) (Saturday) :
While trying to circumnavigate the world in a hot air balloon, Colin Prescot and Andy Elson set a new endurance record after being in a hot air balloon for 233 hours and 55 minutes.Olusegun Obasanjo becomes Nigeria's first elected president since mid-1983.
Current events of January 1, 1999 (1999-01-01) (Friday) :
The euro currency is introduced.An avalanche destroys a school gymnasium during New Year celebrations in Kangiqsualujjuaq in far northern Quebec, killing nine.Fernando Henrique Cardoso takes office as President of Brazil for the second time.
Current events of January 2, 1999 (1999-01-02) (Saturday) :
A brutal snowstorm smashes into the Midwestern United States, causing 14 inches (359 mm) of snow at Milwaukee, Wisconsin and 19 inches (487 mm) at Chicago, Illinois. In Chicago, temperatures plunge to -13°F (-25°C), and 68 deaths are reported.
Current events of January 4, 1999 (1999-01-04) (Monday) :
Gunmen open fire on Shiite Muslims worshipping in an Islamabad mosque killing 16 people and injuring 25.
Current events of January 5, 1999 (1999-01-05) (Tuesday) :
Apple Computer releases the Power Macintosh G3 (Blue & White).
Current events of January 6, 1999 (1999-01-06) (Wednesday) :
Dennis Hastert becomes Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
Current events of January 7, 1999 (1999-01-07) (Thursday) :
Second Congo War: Zimbabwe says its military intervention in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is being funded by France, Libya and Angola. (BBC)
Current events of January 8, 1999 (1999-01-08) (Friday) :
3.4 million copies of the film The Rescuers are recalled after a photo of a topless woman was discovered in two of the 110,000 frames of the movie.
Current events of January 11, 1999 (1999-01-11) (Monday) :
Bülent Ecevit, of DSP forms the new government of Turkey (56th government, an interim government)
Current events of January 12, 1999 (1999-01-12) (Tuesday) :
The remains of Christina Marie Williams were found three miles (5 km) from her home on the old Fort Ord military base.Britney Spears releases her debut album.
Current events of January 13, 1999 (1999-01-13) (Wednesday) :
After fourteen years of playing NBA basketball, NBA superstar Michael Jordan announces his second retirement from basketball.
Current events of January 20, 1999 (1999-01-20) (Wednesday) :
The China News Service announces new government restrictions on Internet use aimed especially at Internet cafes.
Current events of January 21, 1999 (1999-01-21) (Thursday) :
War on Drugs: In one of the largest drug busts in American history, the United States Coast Guard intercepts a ship with over 9,500 pounds (4.3 t) of cocaine aboard. The ship was headed for Houston, Texas.
Current events of January 25, 1999 (1999-01-25) (Monday) :
A 6.0 Richter scale earthquake hits western Colombia killing at least 1,000.
Current events of January 31, 1999 (1999-01-31) (Sunday) :
The Denver Broncos win their second consecutive Super Bowl, defeating the Atlanta Falcons, 34-19, in Super Bowl XXXIII.Family Guy debuts on Fox."Silent Hill" debuts for the original PlayStation console in North America
Current events of April 1, 1999 (1999-04-01) (Thursday) :
Nunavut, an Inuit homeland, part of the Northwest Territories becomes Canada's third territory.David L. Smith, the creator of the Melissa virus, is arrested at his brother's home in Eatontown, New Jersey, 6 days after introducing the virus to the Internet.
Current events of April 5, 1999 (1999-04-05) (Monday) :
Two Libyans suspected of bringing down Pan Am flight 103 in 1988 are handed over to Scottish authorities for eventual trial in the Netherlands. The United Nations suspends sanctions against LibyaIn Laramie, Wyoming, Russell Henderson pleads guilty to kidnapping and felony murder in order to avoid a possible death penalty conviction for the apparent hate crime killing of Matthew Shepard
Current events of April 7, 1999 (1999-04-07) (Wednesday) :
A bomb explodes in the Valley of the Fallen church in Spain; GRAPO claims responsibility.
Current events of April 9, 1999 (1999-04-09) (Friday) :
Ibrahim Baré Maînassara, president of Niger, is assassinated
Current events of April 17, 1999 (1999-04-17) (Saturday) :
A nail bomb explodes in the middle of a busy market in Brixton, South London
Current events of April 18, 1999 (1999-04-18) (Sunday) :
"The Great One" Wayne Gretzky plays his final game in the NHL.[1]
Current events of April 19, 1999 (1999-04-19) (Monday) :
MySpace.com was officially introduced to the Internet, though MySpace-beta had been around since 1998
Current events of April 20, 1999 (1999-04-20) (Tuesday) :
Two Littleton, Colorado teenagers named Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold open fire on their teachers and fellow students. The teenagers killed twelve students and one teacher, and then killed themselves. See Columbine High School massacre. (BBC)
Current events of April 25, 1999 (1999-04-25) (Sunday) :
End of term for Tuanku Jaafar ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman as the tenth Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.
Current events of April 26, 1999 (1999-04-26) (Monday) :
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah Al-Haj, Sultan of Selangor becomes the eleventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.British TV presenter Jill Dando is shot dead outside her home in Fulham, West London.(BBC)
Current events of April 30, 1999 (1999-04-30) (Friday) :
Cambodia joins the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bringing the total members to ten.A third nail bomb (see April 17) explodes in the Admiral Duncan pub in Old Compton Street, Soho, London, killing a pregnant woman and two friends and injuring seventy others, including her husband. This was part of a hate campaign against ethnic minorities and gay people by David Copeland.Cartoon Network's Fridays was first launched.
Current events of May 1, 1999 (1999-05-01) (Saturday) :
Three spectators were killed and eight others were injured at Lowe's Motor Speedway during an IRL race when a tire went into the grandstand.First episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, named "Help Wanted".
Current events of May 2, 1999 (1999-05-02) (Sunday) :
Norman J. Sirnic and Karen Sirnic are murdered by Angel Maturino Resendiz in a parsonage in Weimar, Texas. They were his fourth and fifth victims in his fourth incident.
Current events of May 3, 1999 (1999-05-03) (Monday) :
Photo driver licences and banknotes made out of polymer substrate are introduced to New Zealand.An F5 tornado slams into Oklahoma City, Oklahoma killing 38 people. This was the second strongest tornado ever recorded in United States history. (See 1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak).  A possible tornado outbreak that has a similar force to it will take place sometime in the next 250-500 years.The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 11,000 for the first time. It closes at 11,014.70.
Current events of May 5, 1999 (1999-05-05) (Wednesday) :
Microsoft releases Windows 98 Second Edition.
Current events of May 6, 1999 (1999-05-06) (Thursday) :
Elections are held in Scotland and Wales for the new Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales.
Current events of May 7, 1999 (1999-05-07) (Friday) :
A jury finds The Jenny Jones Show and Warner Bros. liable in the shooting death of Scott Amedure after the show purposely deceived Jonathan Schmitz to appear on a secret same-sex crush episode.Kosovo War: In Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, three Chinese embassy workers are killed and 20 wounded when a NATO aircraft mistakenly bombs the Chinese embassy in Belgrade.In Guinea-Bissau, President João Bernardo Vieira is ousted in a military coup.
Current events of May 8, 1999 (1999-05-08) (Saturday) :
Goalkeeper Jimmy Glass saved Carlisle United from certain relegation when he scored last minute goal against Plymouth Argyle and relegate Scarborough instead.Nancy Mace becomes the first female cadet to graduate from The Military College of South Carolina.Actress Dana Plato commits suicide the day after appearing on Howard Stern.
Current events of May 11, 1999 (1999-05-11) (Tuesday) :
Starting late on May 10 and continuing through the early hours of May 12, NASA's ACE and Wind spacecraft each observed that the density of the solar wind dropped by more than 98%. (NASA Science)
Current events of May 12, 1999 (1999-05-12) (Wednesday) :
David Steel becomes the first Presiding Officer (speaker) of the modern Scottish Parliament.
Current events of May 13, 1999 (1999-05-13) (Thursday) :
In Italy, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi is elected President of the republic.
Current events of May 17, 1999 (1999-05-17) (Monday) :
Ehud Barak is elected prime minister of Israel.
Current events of May 18, 1999 (1999-05-18) (Tuesday) :
The Backstreet Boys release their album, Millennium.
Current events of May 19, 1999 (1999-05-19) (Wednesday) :
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is released in theaters.
Current events of May 23, 1999 (1999-05-23) (Sunday) :
Bluetooth is announced.
Current events of May 23, 1999 (1999-05-23) (Sunday) :
Kansas City, Missouri, wrestler Owen Hart (Blue Blazer) falls 78 feet (24 m) to his death while being lowered into a World Wrestling Federation ring during WWF Over the Edge.
Current events of May 26, 1999 (1999-05-26) (Wednesday) :
Indian Air Force launches attack on intruding Pakistan backed militants in Kashmir sparking the Kargil War.Manchester United win the UEFA Champions League at the Nou Camp stadium, Barcelona, beating Bayern Munich to lift their third major trophy in their unprecedented Treble, after winning the English Premier League and FA Cup.Madejczyk Massacre Averted, Bridgman, Michigan school shooting plot.The first Welsh Assembly for over 600 years opens in Cardiff.India wins the cricket match against Sri Lanka in the 1999 Cricket World Cup by 157 runs.
Current events of May 27, 1999 (1999-05-27) (Thursday) :
The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague, Netherlands indicts Slobodan Milošević and four others for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Kosovo.
Current events of May 28, 1999 (1999-05-28) (Friday) :
In Milan, Italy, after 22 years of restoration work, Leonardo da Vinci's newly-restored masterpiece The Last Supper is put back on display.
Current events of May 31, 1999 (1999-05-31) (Monday) :
Olusegun Obasanjo is elected President of Nigeria.
Current events of March 1, 1999 (1999-03-01) (Monday) :
One of four bombs detonated in Lusaka, Zambia, destroys the Angolan Embassy.Rwandan Hutu rebels kill and hack to pieces eight foreign tourists at the Buhoma homestead, UgandaThe Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines comes into force.
Current events of March 3, 1999 (1999-03-03) (Wednesday) :
Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones begin their attempt to circumnavigate the world in a hot air balloon without stopping. Their journey ended in success on March 21.Walter LaGrand is executed by means of gas chamber.
Current events of March 4, 1999 (1999-03-04) (Thursday) :
Monica Lewinsky's book detailing her affair with Bill Clinton goes on sale in the United States.In a military court, Captain Richard Ashby of the United States Marines is acquitted of the charge of reckless flying which resulted in the deaths of twenty skiers in the Italian Alps when his low-flying jet hit a gondola lift cable.
Current events of March 12, 1999 (1999-03-12) (Friday) :
Hungary, Poland and Czech Republic join NATO.
Current events of March 15, 1999 (1999-03-15) (Monday) :
The European Commission under the presidency of Jacques Santer resigns over allegations of corruption.
Current events of March 17, 1999 (1999-03-17) (Wednesday) :
The Roth 401(k) is introduced by U.S. Senator William Roth.
Current events of March 20, 1999 (1999-03-20) (Saturday) :
Serbs launch an offensive in Kosovo.
Current events of March 21, 1999 (1999-03-21) (Sunday) :
Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones become the first to circumnavigate the Earth in a hot air balloon.
Current events of March 22, 1999 (1999-03-22) (Monday) :
US pro-euthanasia doctor Jack Kevorkian goes on trial for murder in Pontiac, Michigan. He is later convicted of second-degree murder
Current events of March 23, 1999 (1999-03-23) (Tuesday) :
Gunmen assassinate Paraguay's Vice President Luis María Argaña.
Current events of March 24, 1999 (1999-03-24) (Wednesday) :
NATO launches air strikes in Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which was force to sign a peace treaty. This marks the first time NATO attacked a sovereign countryFire in the Mont Blanc Tunnel kills thirty nine people, closing the tunnel for nearly three years.
Current events of March 26, 1999 (1999-03-26) (Friday) :
The Melissa worm attacks the Internet.A jury in Michigan finds Dr. Jack Kevorkian guilty of second-degree murder for administering a lethal injection to a terminally ill man (the incident was videotaped and aired on September 17, 1998 edition of 60 Minutes)
Current events of March 29, 1999 (1999-03-29) (Monday) :
For the first time, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above the 10000 mark at 10006.78.
Current events of March 31, 1999 (1999-03-31) (Wednesday) :
The Matrix, first episode of the Matrix trilogy movies, is released in theaters.
Current events of June 1, 1999 (1999-06-01) (Tuesday) :
The initial release of Napster'solid - the socialist youth is formed in Hannover, GermanyAmerican Airlines Flight 1420 crashes in Little Rock.
Current events of June 2, 1999 (1999-06-02) (Wednesday) :
After decades of fighting off outside technological influences like television, the King of Bhutan allows television transmissions to commence in the Kingdom for the first time, coinciding with the King's silver jubilee (see Bhutan Broadcasting Service).
Current events of June 5, 1999 (1999-06-05) (Saturday) :
The AIS, the armed wing of FIS, agrees in principle to disband in Algeria.
Current events of June 6, 1999 (1999-06-06) (Sunday) :
In Brazil, 345 prisoners escape from Putim prison through the front gate.
Current events of June 8, 1999 (1999-06-08) (Tuesday) :
The government of Colombia announces it will include the estimated value of the country's illegal drug crops, exceeding half a billion US dollars, in its gross national product.
Current events of June 9, 1999 (1999-06-09) (Wednesday) :
Kosovo War: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and NATO sign a peace treaty.
Current events of June 10, 1999 (1999-06-10) (Thursday) :
Kosovo War: NATO suspends its air strikes after Slobodan Milošević agrees to withdraw Serbian forces from Kosovo.June 10-June 13: elections are held for the European Parliament.
Current events of June 12, 1999 (1999-06-12) (Saturday) :
Kosovo War: Operation Joint Guardian begins - NATO-led United Nations peacekeeping force KFOR enter the province of Kosovo in Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.Texas Governor George W. Bush announces his intention to seek the Republican Party's nomination for President of the United States.
Current events of June 15, 1999 (1999-06-15) (Tuesday) :
George Morber Senior and Carolyn Frederick are murdered by Angel Maturino Resendiz in Gorham, Illinois. They are his eighth and ninth victims, in his seventh and final incident.
Current events of June 18, 1999 (1999-06-18) (Friday) :
The J18 international anti-globalization protests was organized in dozens of cities around the world, some of which led to riots.
Current events of June 19, 1999 (1999-06-19) (Saturday) :
The Dallas Stars defeated the Buffalo Sabres in triple overtime of game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals to win their first Stanley Cup.  Brett Hull scored the controversial cup-winning goal to seal the victory.Stephen King is struck by a vehicle while out for a walk near his home in Maine.
Current events of June 21, 1999 (1999-06-21) (Monday) :
Apple Computer released the first iBook
Current events of July 6, 1999 (1999-07-06) (Tuesday) :
Barry Winchell, a homosexual soldier in the U.S. military, dies of head wounds at a hospital after being hit in the head with a baseball bat by a fellow soldier the previous day.
Current events of July 7, 1999 (1999-07-07) (Wednesday) :
In Rome, Hicham El Guerrouj runs the fastest mile ever recorded.  His time was a mere 3:43:13
Current events of July 8, 1999 (1999-07-08) (Thursday) :
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is released.Astronaut Pete Conrad dies after a motorcycle accident. (Los Angeles Times)
Current events of July 11, 1999 (1999-07-11) (Sunday) :
India recaptures Kargil as Pakistan pulls out its troops and militants after international condemnation. India claims victory in the two-month conflict.
Current events of July 16, 1999 (1999-07-16) (Friday) :
Off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, a plane piloted by John F. Kennedy Jr. crashes, killing him, his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and his sister-in-law Lauren Bessette.
Current events of July 17, 1999 (1999-07-17) (Saturday) :
The Pabok Regional County Municipality in Quebec, Canada is renamed to Le Rocher-Percé after the Percé Rock.Studio Ghibli releases the animated film My Neighbors the Yamadas.The band Earth, Wind & Fire performs in the Live by Request concert series.Two main-belt asteroids are discovered: 21650 Tilgner by Stefano Sposetti, and 19612 Noordung at Črni Vrh Observatory.The final game of the 1999 FIVB Volleyball World League tournament takes place in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Italy beats Cuba 3:1 to become the champion. (OSSCG)Jack Howell plays his final baseball game, with the Astros.
Current events of July 20, 1999 (1999-07-20) (Tuesday) :
Mercury program: Liberty Bell 7 is raised from the Atlantic Ocean. (CNN)
Current events of July 21, 1999 (1999-07-21) (Wednesday) :
Two divers die in the Deer Island Outfall Tunnel during a project to remove safety plugs inside risers leading from the tunnel to the bottom of Massachusetts Bay. (Associated Press)
Current events of July 22, 1999 (1999-07-22) (Thursday) :
The nationwide persecution of Falun Gong starts in the People's Republic of China.Former drummer of Megadeth, Gar Samuelson, dies. He was part of the original Megadeth lineup.
Current events of July 23, 1999 (1999-07-23) (Friday) :
Mohammed VI of Morocco becomes king.July 23 to July 25 - Woodstock 99 festival held in New York.Hijack of ANA Flight 61 in Tokyo.
Current events of July 25, 1999 (1999-07-25) (Sunday) :
Lance Armstrong wins his first Tour de France.
Current events of July 27, 1999 (1999-07-27) (Tuesday) :
21 die in a canyoning disaster near Interlaken, Switzerland.
Current events of July 31, 1999 (1999-07-31) (Saturday) :
NASA intentionally crashes the Lunar Prospector spacecraft into the Moon, thus ending its mission to detect frozen water on the moon's surface.
Current events of August 2, 1999 (1999-08-02) (Monday) :
M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense is released into theaters.
Current events of August 8, 1999 (1999-08-08) (Sunday) :
ABC's Who Wants To Be a Millionaire premieres, hosted by Regis Philbin, and gives the contestants a chance at $1,000,000.The first edition of the Callatis Festival, the largest music and culture festival in Romania.Mystery Science Theater 3000 ends its 10-year run on cable television.
Current events of August 9, 1999 (1999-08-09) (Monday) :
Russian President Boris Yeltsin fires his Prime Minister, Sergei Stepashin, and for the fourth time fires his entire cabinet
Current events of August 10, 1999 (1999-08-10) (Tuesday) :
Buford O. Furrow, Jr. wounds five and kills one during the August 1999 Los Angeles Jewish Community Center shootingAtlantique Incident occurs as an intruding Pakistan Navy plane is shot down in India. The incident sparks tensions between the two nations, coming just a month after the end of the Kargil War.
Current events of August 11, 1999 (1999-08-11) (Wednesday) :
Total solar eclipse in Europe and AsiaAn F-2 tornado rips through downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, killing one person and injuring 80.
Current events of August 14, 1999 (1999-08-14) (Saturday) :
Work is completed on the Øresund Bridge, connecting Denmark and Sweden.
Current events of August 17, 1999 (1999-08-17) (Tuesday) :
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Istanbul and northwestern Turkey, killing more than 17,000 and injuring 44,000.
Current events of August 19, 1999 (1999-08-19) (Thursday) :
In Belgrade, tens of thousands of Serbians rally to demand the resignation of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević
Current events of August 22, 1999 (1999-08-22) (Sunday) :
Mandarin Airlines Flight 642 crashed in Hong Kong
Current events of August 26, 1999 (1999-08-26) (Thursday) :
Michael Johnson captures the 400 m world record.The pilot episode of SmackDown! aired
Current events of September 7, 1999 (1999-09-07) (Tuesday) :
A powerful, magnitude 5.9 earthquake hits Athens, killing 143 people and injuring more than 2,000.Viacom and CBS merge.
Current events of September 8, 1999 (1999-09-08) (Wednesday) :
First of a series of Russian apartment bombings. Subsequent bombings occurred on September 1 and September 16, while a bombing on September 22 failed.
Current events of September 9, 1999 (1999-09-09) (Thursday) :
Sega publicly distributed their final video game system in North America which was the Dreamcast with 19 launch titles, breaking video game and entertainment sales records in the first 24 sale hours.The 1999 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony airs from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.
Current events of September 14, 1999 (1999-09-14) (Tuesday) :
Kiribati, Nauru, and Tonga join the United Nations.
Current events of September 21, 1999 (1999-09-21) (Tuesday) :
921 earthquake in central Taiwan kills about 2,400 people.
Current events of September 28, 1999 (1999-09-28) (Tuesday) :
Muse sell their first studio album Showbiz.
Current events of October 3, 1999 (1999-10-03) (Sunday) :
Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara, head writers in the WWF during its most successful time in history, sign with rival company WCW.
Current events of October 5, 1999 (1999-10-05) (Tuesday) :
Thirty-one people die in the Ladbroke Grove rail crash, west of London, England.
Current events of October 7, 1999 (1999-10-07) (Thursday) :
The United States Congress passed a managed care bill allowing patients to sue HMOs.The first DIY SOS episode is broadcast.
Current events of October 12, 1999 (1999-10-12) (Tuesday) :
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attempts to dismiss Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf and install ISI director Ziauddin Butt in his place. Senior Army generals refuse to accept the dismissal. Musharraf, who was out of the country, attempts to return in a commercial airliner. Sharif orders the Karachi airport to not allow the plane to land. The generals lead a coup, ousting Sharif's administration and taking over the airport. The plane lands with only a few minutes of fuel to spare, and Musharraf takes control of the government.The 6 billionth person in the world, according to the UN is born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Current events of October 13, 1999 (1999-10-13) (Wednesday) :
The United States Senate rejects ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Current events of October 15, 1999 (1999-10-15) (Friday) :
National Geographic Society reveals the fossil of Archaeoraptor in a press conference (the fossil is later found to be a forgery).The NRL excluded a number of teams from the Australian NRL Rugby League competition as a result of the Super League war. Excluded were the South Sydney Rabbitohs who successfully contested their omission in 2001. Other teams were cut previously prior to 1999, or forced to merge.
Current events of October 18, 1999 (1999-10-18) (Monday) :
Russo and Ferrara's first Monday Nitro with them at the helm of creative airs.Goku first goes Super Saiyan for american audiences.
Current events of October 25, 1999 (1999-10-25) (Monday) :
Golfer Payne Stewart, 42, dies in an aircraft accident.
Current events of October 27, 1999 (1999-10-27) (Wednesday) :
Gunmen open fire in the Armenian parliament killing Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, Parliament Chairman Karen Demirchyan and 6 other members.The New York Yankees complete a 4 game sweep of the Atlanta Braves to win their second consecutive World Series.
Current events of October 31, 1999 (1999-10-31) (Sunday) :
EgyptAir Flight 990 traveling from New York City to Cairo crashes off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, killing all 217 on-board.Roman Catholic Church and Lutheran Church leaders sign the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, ending a centuries-old doctrinal dispute over the nature of faith and salvation.Nerf Arena Blast is released by Atari, Inc. and Visionary Media, Inc..
Current events of November 5, 1999 (1999-11-05) (Friday) :
United States v. Microsoft: US District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson issues a preliminary ruling that the software company Microsoft had "monopoly power" (on April 3, 2000, Jackson found that Microsoft violated the Sherman Anti-Trust Act).
Current events of November 6, 1999 (1999-11-06) (Saturday) :
Australians vote to keep the British Queen as their head of state.Australia win over France to win the 1999 Rugby world Cup at Millennium Stadium.
Current events of November 9, 1999 (1999-11-09) (Tuesday) :
TAESA Flight 725, went down a few minutes after leaving the Uruapan airport en route to Mexico City. One hundred and twelve people were killed in the accident.
Current events of November 12, 1999 (1999-11-12) (Friday) :
A 7.2-magnitude earthquake strikes Duzce and northwestern Turkey.
Current events of November 15, 1999 (1999-11-15) (Monday) :
Neopets, the virtual pet website, is launched.
Current events of November 18, 1999 (1999-11-18) (Thursday) :
In College Station, Texas, 12 people are killed and 27 injured when Texas A&M University's Aggie Bonfire collapses during construction of the Bonfire.Near Tshikapa, Democratic Republic of Congo, a Convair CV-580 operated by Compagnie Aérienne Africaine crashes on a forced landing due to no. 2 engine problems. There are no fatalities.In Istanbul, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) ends a two-day summit by calling for a political settlement in Chechnya and adopting a Charter for European Security
Current events of November 19, 1999 (1999-11-19) (Friday) :
The People's Republic of China launches the first Shenzhou spacecraft.John Carpenter becomes the first millionaire on any quiz show thanks to Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
Current events of November 22, 1999 (1999-11-22) (Monday) :
Wayne Gretzky is inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, his number 99 permanently retired by the NHL.
Current events of November 26, 1999 (1999-11-26) (Friday) :
Earthquake and Tsunami in Vanuatu
Current events of November 27, 1999 (1999-11-27) (Saturday) :
Labour Party elected in New Zealand general election. Helen Clark first Elected Woman Prime Minister in New Zealand History.The last ever episode of Hey Hey It's Saturday goes to air on Channel Nine in Australia ending a 40-year history of live television from TCN-9 and GTV-9.
Current events of November 28, 1999 (1999-11-28) (Sunday) :
A man wielding a samurai sword enters St Andrews Catholic Church in Thornton Heath and injures 11Jorge Batlle for the Colorado Party is elected president of Uruguay
Current events of November 29, 1999 (1999-11-29) (Monday) :
General election in Malaysia.
Current events of November 30, 1999 (1999-11-30) (Tuesday) :
In Seattle, the first major mobilization of the anti-globalization movement catches police unprepared and forces the cancellation of the opening ceremonies of the WTO Meeting of 1999 (protests end on December 3).
Current events of December 2, 1999 (1999-12-02) (Thursday) :
The United Kingdom devolves political power in Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Executive.
Current events of December 3, 1999 (1999-12-03) (Friday) :
After rowing for 81 days and 2,962 nautical miles (5486 km), Tori Murden becomes the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean by rowboat alone when she reaches Guadeloupe from the Canary IslandsNASA loses radio contact with the Mars Polar Lander moments before the spacecraft enters the Martian atmosphere.Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse fire - A massive fire occurs at an abandoned cold storage and warehouse facility in Worcester, Massachusetts, killing six firefighters.
Current events of December 12, 1999 (1999-12-12) (Sunday) :
President Lt. General Umar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir of Sudan dismisses the National Assembly during an internal power struggle between him and speaker of the Parliament Hasan al-Turabi.
Current events of December 14, 1999 (1999-12-14) (Tuesday) :
Algerian Ahmed Ressam was arrested while crossing the Canada–United States border at Port Angeles, Washington when United States Customs found explosives in the trunk of his automobile. The arrest caused fears of a terrorist attack in the United States and was a major factor in the cancellation of a public New Year's celebration in Seattle. Ressam was later convicted in a plot to bomb Los Angeles International Airport on New Year's Eve.
Current events of December 15, 1999 (1999-12-15) (Wednesday) :
Torrential rains caused catastrophic floods and mudslides in the coastal regions of Venezuela, killing an estimated 25,000 people and leaving 100,000 others homeless.The MRT-3 Metrostar Express line is inaugurated between North Ave. and Taft Ave.
Current events of December 17, 1999 (1999-12-17) (Friday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: The United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (Unmovic) is created to replace UNSCOM. The U.N. Security council once again orders Iraq to allow inspections teams immediate and unconditional access to any weapons sites and facilities. Iraq rejects the resolution.
Current events of December 18, 1999 (1999-12-18) (Saturday) :
NASA launches into orbit the Terra platform carrying five Earth Observation instruments, including ASTER, CERES, MISR, MODIS and MOPITT.
Current events of December 20, 1999 (1999-12-20) (Monday) :
Macau is handed over to the People's Republic of China by Portugal.Vermont's Supreme Court orders the state to legalize same-sex unions.
Current events of December 21, 1999 (1999-12-21) (Tuesday) :
The Spanish Civil Guard intercepts near Calatayud (Zaragoza) a Madrid-bound van driven by ETA and loaded with 950 kg of explosives. The next day, another van loaded with 750 kg is found not far from there. The incident is known as "la caravana de la muerte" (the caravan of death). Shortly after 9/11, ETA confirmed their plan had been to blow down Torre Picasso
Current events of December 24, 1999 (1999-12-24) (Friday) :
Indian Airlines Flight 814, which was en route from Kathmandu, Nepal to Delhi, India was hijacked and taken to Kandahar, Afghanistan
Current events of December 29, 1999 (1999-12-29) (Wednesday) :
Former Beatle George Harrison is stabbed several times in the chest by Michael Anram, who had broken into his home. Harrison's wife wrestles the knife out the assailant's hand before the police arrives. The man apparently believed that Harrison was the devil. He was later charged with attempted murder
Current events of December 30, 1999 (1999-12-30) (Thursday) :
Sarah Knauss dies at the age of 119. She was an American supercentenarian considered the "world's oldest person" by Guinness World Records from April 16, 1998 until her death at age 119.Bosnian authorities declare the northeast towns of Bosnia and Herzegovina a disaster zone due to severe flooding caused by melting snow. (BBC)
Current events of December 31, 1999 (1999-12-31) (Friday) :
Boris Yeltsin resigns as President of Russia, to be replaced by Vladimir Putin.Five hijackers, who had been holding 155 hostages on an Indian Airlines Flight 814 aeroplane, leave the aircraft with two Islamic clerics that they had demanded be freed.Popular Culture started celebrating the new Millennium and Century celebrations worldwide. It was also the last day of the 1990s decade.HM Queen Elizabeth II opens the Millennium Dome at Greenwich, London.Concerns of serious Y2K problems with computer systems.The Panama Canal Authority took over the administration of the Panama Canal as per the Torrijos–Carter Treaties.Sony removes support of all games on their PlayStation video game console.Godzilla 2000: Millennium is released in Japan
Current events of March 1, 2000 (2000-03-01) (Wednesday) :
The Constitution of Finland is rewritten.Hans Blix assumes the position of Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC.
Current events of March 9, 2000 (2000-03-09) (Thursday) :
A chartered Vologda Air Yakovlev Yak-40 stalls on takeoff and crashes at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow, Russia, killing all nine people on board.FBI arrests suspected purveyor of art forgeries, Ely Sakhai, in New York City.
Current events of March 10, 2000 (2000-03-10) (Friday) :
The NASDAQ Composite Index reaches an all-time high of 5132.52. ([1])
Current events of March 18, 2000 (2000-03-18) (Saturday) :
2000 Taiwanese presidential election
Chen Shui-bian is elected President of the Republic of China.
Current events of March 20, 2000 (2000-03-20) (Monday) :
Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, a former Black Panther, is captured after a gun battle that left a sheriff's deputy dead.
Current events of March 26, 2000 (2000-03-26) (Sunday) :
Austrian Airlines, Tyrolean Airways and Lauda Air join the Star Alliance.Presidential elections in Russia: Vladimir Putin elected President.
Current events of March 30, 2000 (2000-03-30) (Thursday) :
America's Cup 2000 retained by Team New Zealand near Auckland. Prada Challenge 2000 lost 0-5 in a "best-of-9".
Current events of January 1, 2000 (2000-01-01) (Saturday) :
Year 2000 problem
Y2K passes without the serious, widespread computer failures and malfunctions that had been predicted.The first day of the 21st century and 3rd millennium is celebrated worldwide, though not without debate.It is the first day of the 2000s decade.The piece Longplayer begins. It will last 1000 years, finishing on December 31, 2999.Following the creation of Ottawa "megacity", the city adopts a new flag.Szeged's universities are unified into a single institution called the University of Szeged.The hostages of Indian Airlines flight IC 814 return home after the Government of India releases the prisoners demanded by the hijackers.Sweden disestablishes the Church of Sweden as the official state religion.2000 Rose Bowl
In front of a crowd of 93,731 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, the Wisconsin Badgers defeat the Stanford Cardinal by a score of 17–9.
Current events of January 2, 2000 (2000-01-02) (Sunday) :
Kosheh massacres
21 Coptic Christians were the victims of a massacre in el-Kosheh village in Upper Egypt, located 450 kilometres south of Cairo.Concert de Gaudi, a concerto for classical guitar and orchestra by the American composer Christopher Rouse, premieres in Hamburg, Germany.The Hofstra Arena in Hempstead, New York opens. The arena hosted the final Presidential Debate of the 2008 United States presidential election between John McCain and Barack Obama, as well as, the second debate of the 2012 presidential election between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, and the first debate of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump of the 2016 election.Disappearance of Zebb Quinn
Zebb Quinn, an American man who goes missing in Asheville, North Carolina. Quinn was 18 years old and working at a Walmart in Asheville when he disappeared. As of 2017, his case remains unsolved.Adam Kontras posts a video alongside a blog entry, marking the first post on what would later become the longest-running video blog in history.
Current events of January 3, 2000 (2000-01-03) (Monday) :
The final daily original Peanuts comic strip is published.Yahoo! stocks closing at an all-time high of $118.75 a share.In Shepherdstown, West Virginia, is the site of the Peace Talks between Israel and Syria where both sides were urged to make the hard choices needed to end a half-century of conflict.
Current events of January 4, 2000 (2000-01-04) (Tuesday) :
The Autonomous Region of Sicily, in Italy adopts a new flag.Air Canada acquires their largest rival, Canadian Airlines.Åsta accident
In Åsta, Åmot, Norway, two diesel passenger trains collide, killing 19, while 67 survives. The fire after the collision lasts nearly six hours.The trophy for the inaugural competition of the FIFA Club World Championship is presented for the first time at the Sheraton Hotels and Resorts in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Current events of January 5, 2000 (2000-01-05) (Wednesday) :
2000 al-Qaeda Summit
The meeting is held until January 8 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The summit's purpose was allegedly to plan future attacks, which apparently included the bombing of the USS Cole on October 12, 2000 and the September 11 attacks in 2001.An LTTE suicide bomber blows herself up outside the office of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka killing 13 civilians and three police officers.Southern Illinois incident
Over the towns of Highland, Dupo, Lebanon, Shiloh, Summerfield, Millstadt and O'Fallon, Illinois, people reports a massive, silent, triangular operating at an unusual treetop level altitude and speeds.2000 FIFA Club World Championship
The inaugural tournament of the FIFA Club World Cup begins in Brazil.iTools (later known as .Mac and MobileMe), a free collection of Internet-based services, is launched by Apple Inc.
Current events of January 6, 2000 (2000-01-06) (Thursday) :
IRL driver Sam Schmidt is paralyzed after a crash in preseason testing at the Walt Disney World Speedway.The last Pyrenean ibex, a female named Celia, is found dead. She was killed by a fallen tree.Windows Media Player for Pocket PC is announced, since then, has been revised on a schedule roughly similar to that of the Windows version.
Current events of January 7, 2000 (2000-01-07) (Friday) :
Microsoft Corporation acquires Visio Corporation in a stock swap.
Current events of January 8, 2000 (2000-01-08) (Saturday) :
Music City Miracle
During the 1999–2000 NFL playoffs, one of the most memorable and debated plays in NFL history takes place at then-Adelphia Coliseum. The "Music City Miracle" was a last-minute trick play on a kickoff return that resulted in a touchdown and catapulted the Tennessee Titans past the Buffalo Bills to the Divisional Playoffs. It also ensured that the Titans would go undefeated in the first season in the team's new home. The victory is seen in front of a franchise-record crowd of 66,782.
Current events of January 9, 2000 (2000-01-09) (Sunday) :
The administration of Ecuador president Jamil Mahuad announces its intention to adopt the U.S. dollar as the official currency of the country to address the ongoing economic crisis. Subsequent protest led to the 2000 Ecuadorian coup d'état which saw Mahuad's removal from office and the elevation of Vice President Gustavo Noboa to the presidency.The Kingdome, a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle is closed.
Current events of January 10, 2000 (2000-01-10) (Monday) :
The Tama Toshi Monorail (Tama-Center Station) opens in Tokyo, Japan. This is a raised station with two tracks and two opposed side platforms, with the station building located underneath. It is a standardized station building for this monorail line.America On-line announces an agreement to buy Time Warner for $162 billion, becoming the largest-ever corporate merger.Crossair Flight 498
Crossair suffers the first fatal accident in its 25-year history when Crossair Flight 498 crashes in Niederhasli, Switzerland, after take off from Zurich, killing all 10 people on board.The Lady Franklin Point catches fire and is almost totally destroyed.
Current events of January 11, 2000 (2000-01-11) (Tuesday) :
Algerian Civil War
The armed wing of the Islamic Salvation Front concludes its negotiations with the government for an amnesty and disbands in Algeria.The trawler Solway Harvester sinks off the coast of Ramsey, Isle of Man.Singer Whitney Houston is caught with 15.2 grams of marihuana in her bag at a Hawaii airport. She boards her flight to San Francisco before police can arrive to arrest her.
Current events of January 12, 2000 (2000-01-12) (Wednesday) :
The Maputo and Incomati River burst their banks, directly affecting some 40,000, and flooding along the Incomati affected about 20,000 several days later.In the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Defence's policy since this day is to allow homosexual men, lesbians and transgender personnel to join any of the British Armed Forces, and discrimination on a sexual orientation basis is forbidden. It is also forbidden for someone to pressure LGBT people to come out.
Current events of January 13, 2000 (2000-01-13) (Thursday) :
Steve Ballmer is named chief executive officer of Microsoft.2000 Marsa Brega Short 360 crash
A full-loaded Swiss-registered Short 360 leased by Avisto ditched into the sea near Marsa Brega in Libya. The aircraft was chartered by Sirte Oil Company to transport oil workers to the city. It was carrying 38 passengers and 3 crews. As both engines failed in mid-flight, the crew chose to ditch the aircraft. The crash claimed the lives of 21 people.66-year-old Raymond York becomes the first jockey to ride in seven different decades.
Current events of January 14, 2000 (2000-01-14) (Friday) :
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes at 11,722.98 at the peak of the Dot-com bubble.Dayton-Hudson is renamed the Target Corporation.2000 Yunnan earthquake
An earthquake measuring 5.9 in magnitude occurres in the Yunnan province in southwest China, killing 7 people and injuring at least 2,528 more. Almost 41,000 homes were levelled by the earthquake.2000 FIFA Club World Championship
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista from Brazil becomes the first winner of the championship.Ross Perot Jr.'s group sells the Dallas Mavericks to Internet entrepreneur and season ticket-holder Mark Cuban for $285 million.U.S. Government announce restrictions on export of cryptography are relaxed (although not removed). This allows many US companies to stop the long running process of having to create US and international copies of their software.
Current events of January 15, 2000 (2000-01-15) (Saturday) :
Željko Ražnatović, better known as Arkan, is assassinated in the lobby of Belgrade's elite InterContinental Hotel. He was on Interpol's most wanted list in the 1970s and 1980s for robberies and murders committed in a number of countries across Europe. Until his death, he was the most powerful crime boss in the Balkans.
Current events of January 16, 2000 (2000-01-16) (Sunday) :
Chilean presidential election, 1999–2000
In the second round run-off, Ricardo Lagos is elected president of Chile, as candidate of the Party for Democracy.
Current events of January 17, 2000 (2000-01-17) (Monday) :
In the United States, for the first time, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is officially observed in all fifty states.The Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1992, enters into force.Maxim Petrov, nicknamed Doctor Death by the media, a Russian serial killer, is arrested, convicted for the killing of 12 people in St. Petersburg between 1999 and 2000.
Current events of January 18, 2000 (2000-01-18) (Tuesday) :
At 16:43 UT, the Tagish Lake meteorite lands in the Tagish Lake area in northwestern British Columbia, Canada.
Current events of January 19, 2000 (2000-01-19) (Wednesday) :
Hedy Lamarr, Austrian actress and inventor, dies at age of 85.Boland Hall fire
Three students died and 54 were injured in a dormitory fire at Seton Hall University. Two students were charged with murder and arson for allegedly setting the fire.The Charleston Five are brought up of felony charges of conspiracy to invite a riot in Charleston, South Carolina.The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, in the United States, initials the first standards group dedicated towards developing digital cinema.
Current events of January 20, 2000 (2000-01-20) (Thursday) :
In Belgrade, around 10,000 people attend the funeral of Arkan. He is buried at the Belgrade's New Cemetery with military honors by his volunteers and with funeral rites.A digital cable and satellite network dedicated to the soap operas, SOAPnet, begins re-airing soaps that originally aired on ABC, NBC and CBS.Table Mountain Fire (2000)
After four days, the veld fire is put out. Over 10,000 ha were burned across the Western Cape, in South Africa.
Current events of January 21, 2000 (2000-01-21) (Friday) :
2000 Ecuadorian coup d'état
Amidst a economic crisis, a coup d'état takes place in Ecuador, resulting in President Jamil Mahuad being sent into exile, and replaced by Vice President Gustavo Noboa.January 2000 lunar eclipse
A total lunar eclipse takes place, the first of two total lunar eclipses of the year.
Current events of January 22, 2000 (2000-01-22) (Saturday) :
Gustavo Noboa becomes President of Ecuador, after Jamil Mahuad is sent into exile.2000 African Cup of Nations
The 22nd edition of the African Cup of Nations begins in Ghana and Nigeria.
Current events of January 23, 2000 (2000-01-23) (Sunday) :
57th Golden Globe Awards
The Sopranos wins the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama; Sex and the City wins for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy,
Toy Story 2 wins the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy while American Beauty wins the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama.Royal Rumble 2000
The Rock defeats the Big Show, winning the main event, the Royal Rumble match.
Current events of January 24, 2000 (2000-01-24) (Monday) :

Current events of January 25, 2000 (2000-01-25) (Tuesday) :

Current events of January 26, 2000 (2000-01-26) (Wednesday) :

Current events of January 27, 2000 (2000-01-27) (Thursday) :

Current events of January 28, 2000 (2000-01-28) (Friday) :

Current events of January 29, 2000 (2000-01-29) (Saturday) :

Current events of January 30, 2000 (2000-01-30) (Sunday) :
The January 2000 North American blizzard is dissipated. The storm was one of the most powerful winter storms on record in parts of the United States.Kenya Airways Flight 431 crashes off the coast of Ivory Coast into the Atlantic Ocean, killing 169.The 2000 Baia Mare cyanide spill occurs near Baia Mare, Romania, into the Someş River.The Super Bowl XXXIV took place at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. The half time adverts featured seventeen dot-com companies (most memorably pets.com) that each paid over $2 million for a 30-second spot.
Current events of January 31, 2000 (2000-01-31) (Monday) :
Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crashes off the California coast, into the Pacific Ocean, killing 88.Dr. Harold Shipman is sentenced to life in prison for murder of at least 15 of his patients out of 365 suspected victims.
Current events of February 1, 2000 (2000-02-01) (Tuesday) :

Current events of February 2, 2000 (2000-02-02) (Wednesday) :

Current events of February 6, 2000 (2000-02-06) (Sunday) :
Brühl train disaster
In Brühl, Germany, 9 people are killed when a train negotiated a low speed turnout at three times the correct speed and derailed, on the West Rhine Railway.Tarja Halonen is elected the first Finnish female president.
Current events of February 12, 2000 (2000-02-12) (Saturday) :
Screamin' Jay Hawkins,  Tom Landry, Charles M. Schulz, and Oliver die, of unrelated causes.
Current events of February 13, 2000 (2000-02-13) (Sunday) :
The final original Peanuts comic strip is published.
Current events of February 16, 2000 (2000-02-16) (Wednesday) :
Archbishop Desmond Tutu makes an address at the University of Toronto. (University of Toronto)UMBC's Poetry Symposium takes place, with the participation of poets Linda Pastan, Michael Harper, Ray Gonzalez, Leo Connellan, Forrest Gander, Derrick Gilbert, Terence Winch, and Michael Fallon. (UMBC)
Current events of February 29, 2000 (2000-02-29) (Tuesday) :
This leap day is the last in a turn-of-the-century leap year until February 29, 2400.Shooting of Kayla Rolland
Six-year-old Dedrick Owens shoots and kills Kayla Rolland, also six years old, at Theo J. Buell Elementary School in Mount Morris Township, Michigan. Rolland is currently the youngest victim of a school shooting. (CNN)
Current events of April 1, 2000 (2000-04-01) (Saturday) :
Boomerang is first broadcast on television in the United States.Singapore Airlines joins the Star Alliance.Japanese prime minister Obuchi Keizo suffers a stroke and falls into a coma.Due to unpopularity, Microsoft decides to discontinue Microsoft Vizact, a program that allowed creation of interactive documents.The website Rotten Tomatoes is officially launched on a full-time basis.The 2000 United States Census is conducted.
Current events of April 3, 2000 (2000-04-03) (Monday) :
United States v. Microsoft: Microsoft is ruled to have violated United States antitrust laws by keeping "an oppressive thumb" on its competitors.
Current events of April 5, 2000 (2000-04-05) (Wednesday) :
Mori Yoshiro replaces Keizō Obuchi as prime minister of Japan.
Current events of April 7, 2000 (2000-04-07) (Friday) :
Attack submarine ex-Trepang completes being recycled.
Current events of April 10, 2000 (2000-04-10) (Monday) :

Current events of April 16, 2000 (2000-04-16) (Sunday) :
Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail, Raja of Perlis dies after a reign of 55 years. He was the longest reigning monarch in the world since the death of Hirohito, Emperor of Japan.Surekha Yadav drove first ladies special local train for Central Railway.
Current events of April 17, 2000 (2000-04-17) (Monday) :
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin becomes Raja of Perlis.
Current events of April 22, 2000 (2000-04-22) (Saturday) :
In a  predawn raid, federal agents seize six-year-old Elián González from his relatives' home in Miami, Florida, and fly him to his Cuban father in Washington, DC, ending one of the most publicized custody battles in US history.
Current events of April 25, 2000 (2000-04-25) (Tuesday) :
The State of Vermont passes HB847, legalizing Civil Unions for same-sex couples.
Current events of July 2, 2000 (2000-07-02) (Sunday) :
A Philippine Air Force GAF Nomad experiences possible engine trouble after takeoff from Cagayancillo Airport on Cagayancillo off Palawan in the Philippines. Its pilot attempts to return to the airport, but the plane overshoots the runway and crashes into the Sulu Sea, killing 11 of the 12 people on board. Philippine governor Salvatore Socrates and Philippine Air Force Major General Santiago Madrid are among the dead.Mexican general election, 2000
Vicente Fox is elected president of Mexico, as candidate of the rightist National Action Party, ending 71 years of Institutional Revolutionary Party rule.UEFA Euro 2000
France beat Italy 2–1 in extra time with a golden goal at the final of the UEFA Euro 2000.
Current events of July 10, 2000 (2000-07-10) (Monday) :
EADS is formed by the merger of Aérospatiale-Matra, Dornier Flugzeugwerke, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG and Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA.In southern Nigeria, a leaking petroleum pipeline explodes killing about 250 villagers who were scavenging for gasoline.Bashar al-Assad is confirmed as Syria's leader in a national referendum following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad.
Current events of July 14, 2000 (2000-07-14) (Friday) :
At Pine Lake in Central Alberta, a tornado tears through the Green Acres Campground killing 12 people and critically injuring more than 60.The first series of Big Brother UK starts.A powerful solar flare, later named the Bastille Day event, causes a geomagnetic storm on Earth.
Current events of July 17, 2000 (2000-07-17) (Monday) :
After coming in too high to make a successful landing at Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport in Patna, India, Alliance Air Flight 7412, a Boeing 737-2A8, attempts to make a 360-degree left turn for another landing attempt but stalls and crashes, killing 55 of the 58 people on board and injuring all three survivors. On the ground, five more people die and two are injured.The 10th President of Syria, Bashar al Assad, assumed office.
Current events of July 18, 2000 (2000-07-18) (Tuesday) :
Alex Salmond resigns as the leader of the Scottish National Party.
Current events of July 25, 2000 (2000-07-25) (Tuesday) :
Air France Flight 4590, a Concorde supersonic passenger jet, crashes into a hotel in Gonesse just after takeoff from Paris killing all 109 aboard and 5 on the ground.
Current events of June 4, 2000 (2000-06-04) (Sunday) :
An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 strikes in Bengkulu, Indonesia, killing 90 people and injuring 2000 more. (Boston University)
Current events of June 16, 2000 (2000-06-16) (Friday) :
Susan Sarandon opens cheese speciality shop in Paris, France.
Current events of June 21, 2000 (2000-06-21) (Wednesday) :
Section 28, a law preventing the promotion of homosexuality is repealed by the Scottish Parliament.
Current events of June 23, 2000 (2000-06-23) (Friday) :
Palace Backpackers Hostel fire in Childers, Queensland, Australia, kills 15 people.
Current events of June 30, 2000 (2000-06-30) (Friday) :
During a set of the band Pearl Jam at the Roskilde Festival near Copenhagen, 9 died and 26 are injured in the crowd.
Current events of August 8, 2000 (2000-08-08) (Tuesday) :
Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley is raised to the surface after 136 years on the ocean floor.A coalition of 28 U.S. states file a lawsuit against the major record labels, accusing them of keeping the prices of CDs fixed at artificially high prices since 1995.
Current events of August 12, 2000 (2000-08-12) (Saturday) :
Russian submarine Kursk sinks in the Barents Sea. All 118 men aboard die.
Current events of August 27, 2000 (2000-08-27) (Sunday) :
Ostankino Tower in Moscow catches fire, three people are killed.
Current events of August 28, 2000 (2000-08-28) (Monday) :
For the first time in history, religious and spiritual leaders of the world's diverse faith traditions came together in New York to discuss how to forge a partnership of peace with the United Nations. (UN Millennium Peace Summit)
Current events of May 3, 2000 (2000-05-03) (Wednesday) :
Computer pioneer Datapoint Corporation files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Current events of May 4, 2000 (2000-05-04) (Thursday) :
An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 strikes in Banggai Islands, Indonesia, killing 54 people.After originating in Philippines, the ILOVEYOU computer virus, spreads quickly through the world.A rare astronomical conjunction occurs on the New Moon including all seven of the traditional celestial bodies known from ancient times until the discovery of Uranus in 1781; this conjunction consists of the Sun and Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
Current events of May 5, 2000 (2000-05-05) (Friday) :
A rare conjunction occurs on the New Moon including all seven of the traditional celestial bodies known from ancient times up until 1781 with the discovery of Uranus. The conjunction consists of the Sun and Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.(NASA)
Current events of May 12, 2000 (2000-05-12) (Friday) :
The Tate Modern opens in London.
Current events of May 18, 2000 (2000-05-18) (Thursday) :
Boo.com collapses due to lack of funds after six months.
Current events of May 25, 2000 (2000-05-25) (Thursday) :
Reginald Chua hijacks Philippine Airlines Flight 812, an Airbus A330-301 with 290 other people on board, just before landing at Ninoy Aquino International Airport near Manila, Philippines. He demands the passengers place their valuables in a bag, and then attempts to jump from the plane via the rear door using a homemade parachute, but panics and instead clings to the door; a male flight attendant then pushes him from the door and he falls from the plane over, Antipolo, Rizal. His body is found three days later near Llabac in Real, Quezon.Israel withdraws IDF troops from southern Lebanon after 18 years.
Current events of May 28, 2000 (2000-05-28) (Sunday) :
The comic strip Bringing Up Father ends its 87-year run in newspapers.The volcano Mount Cameroon erupts.Roman Rasskazov of Russia set a new 10-km race walk world record in Saransk in a time of 37:11.
Current events of September 6, 2000 (2000-09-06) (Wednesday) :
In New York City, the United Nations Millennium Summit begins with more than 180 world leaders present.The last wholly Swedish-owned arms manufacturer, Bofors, is sold to American arms manufacturer United Defense.World leaders attend the Millennium Summit at the United Nations Headquarters (until September 8, 2000).
Current events of September 7, 2000 (2000-09-07) (Thursday) :
Rage Against the Machine's Tim Commerford is arrested for climbing on the set at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards after his band lost the award for Best Rock Video to Limp Bizkit. The director of Rage's "Sleep Now in the Fire" video, Michael Moore, suggests Commerford was probably "just bored" by the show. Britney Spears performed her hit single "Oops!... I Did It Again", becoming one of the VMA's most iconic and controversial performances due to her skin-coloured outfit. NSYNC performed their hit single "Bye Bye Bye", also becoming one of the VMA's most iconic performances ever.The UK fuel protests take place, with refineries blockaded, and supply to the country's network of petrol stations halted.
Current events of September 14, 2000 (2000-09-14) (Thursday) :
Microsoft releases Windows ME.End of UK Fuel protests.
Current events of September 15, 2000 (2000-09-15) (Friday) :
The 2000 Summer Olympics are opened in Sydney, Australia.
Current events of September 16, 2000 (2000-09-16) (Saturday) :
Ukrainian journalist Georgiy Gongadze is last seen alive; this day is taken as the commemoration date of his death.
Current events of September 27, 2000 (2000-09-27) (Wednesday) :
Anti-globalization protests in Prague, at the summit of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
Current events of September 28, 2000 (2000-09-28) (Thursday) :
Ariel Sharon with a large security detail visits the Temple Mount. Palestinian protest against his visit and the ongoing Israeli military occupation develops into the Al-Aqsa Intifada.WestQuay Shopping Centre opens in Southampton.
Current events of September 30, 2000 (2000-09-30) (Saturday) :
HM Prison Maze in Northern Ireland is closed.
Current events of November 1, 2000 (2000-11-01) (Wednesday) :
Serbia is admitted to the United Nations as the 190th member
Current events of November 2, 2000 (2000-11-02) (Thursday) :
The first resident crew enters the International Space Station.A mutiny takes place at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Suva, Fiji.  Four soldiers are killed.
Current events of November 3, 2000 (2000-11-03) (Friday) :
Widespread flooding throughout England and Wales after days of heavy rain.
Current events of November 4, 2000 (2000-11-04) (Saturday) :
Died: Stephanie Lawrence, 50, English musical theatre actress (liver disease)
Current events of November 5, 2000 (2000-11-05) (Sunday) :
Phil Goff, Foreign Minister of New Zealand, openly accuses Lieutenant Colonel Filipo Tarakinikini of involvement in the mutiny of November 2.Died: Roger Peyrefitte, 93, French diplomat and author
Current events of November 6, 2000 (2000-11-06) (Monday) :
Died: L. Sprague de Camp, 92, US science fiction and fantasy author
Current events of November 7, 2000 (2000-11-07) (Tuesday) :
U.S. presidential election, 2000: Republican challenger and Governor of Texas George W. Bush defeats Democrat Vice President Al Gore by the electoral college, despite Gore winning the popular votes, but the final outcome is not known for over a month because of disputed votes in Florida, until 12 December 2000 the US Supreme Court stop the recount.A criminal gang raids the Millennium Dome to steal The Millennium Star diamond but police surveillance catches them in the act.Hillary Clinton is elected to the United States Senate, becoming the first First Lady of the United States to win public office.Died: Former Queen Ingrid of Sweden, 90; Chidambaram Subramaniam, 90, Indian statesman
Current events of November 8, 2000 (2000-11-08) (Wednesday) :
The third and final stage of the Egyptian parliamentary election, 2000, ends in victory for the ruling National Democratic Party.
Current events of November 9, 2000 (2000-11-09) (Thursday) :
Died: Michel Demaret, 60, Belgian politician; Eric Morley, 82, English businessman and founder of the Miss World pageant
Current events of November 11, 2000 (2000-11-11) (Saturday) :
Kaprun disaster
155 skiers and snowboarders die when a train catches fire in an alpine tunnel in Kaprun, Austria
Current events of November 13, 2000 (2000-11-13) (Monday) :
Richard C. Duncan presents his paper, "The Peak of World Oil Production and the Road to the Olduvai Gorge", on the Olduvai theory (about the collapse of the industrial civilization), at the Summit 2000 Pardee Keynote Symposia of the Geological Society of America.
Current events of November 14, 2000 (2000-11-14) (Tuesday) :
Netscape Navigator version 6.0 is launched following two years of open source development creating a stable Mozilla web browser upon which it is based.
Current events of November 15, 2000 (2000-11-15) (Wednesday) :
A new Indian state called Jharkhand is formed carving out South Chhota Nagpur area from Bihar.
Current events of November 16, 2000 (2000-11-16) (Thursday) :
Bill Clinton becomes the first sitting US President to visit Vietnam.
Current events of November 17, 2000 (2000-11-17) (Friday) :
Catastrophical landslide in Log pod Mangartom, Slovenia, kills seven, and causes millions of SIT of damage. It is one of the worst catastrophes in Slovenia in the past 100 years.Alberto Fujimori is removed from office as president of Peru. 4,097 children born in us
Current events of November 18, 2000 (2000-11-18) (Saturday) :
Catherine Zeta-Jones marries Michael Douglas at the Plaza Hotel, New York City.The 2000 Tiger Cup football competition concludes in Thailand.  The winners are the Thailand national football team.
Current events of November 19, 2000 (2000-11-19) (Sunday) :
Hallaton Treasure is found in Leicestershire, England, comprising over 5,000 silver and gold coins, mostly of the Corieltauvi, the Hallaton Helmet and other metal objects from around the time of the Roman conquest of Britain.The 2000 Scottish Challenge Cup Final is won by Airdrieonians F. C.
Current events of November 27, 2000 (2000-11-27) (Monday) :
In Canada's Parliamentary elections, Jean Chrétien is re-elected as Prime Minister as the Liberal Party increases its majority in the House of Commons.
Current events of November 28, 2000 (2000-11-28) (Tuesday) :
Ukrainian politician Oleksander Moroz sets off the Cassette Scandal by publicly accusing President Leonid Kuchma of involvement in the murder of journalist Georgiy Gongadze.
Current events of January 1, 2001 (2001-01-01) (Monday) :
Israeli–Palestinian conflict: A Hamas suicide car bomber detonates in the city of Netanya, wounding 50. (Jewish Virtual Library)A black monolith measuring approximately nine feet tall appears in Seattle's Magnuson Park, placed by "Some People", a group of anonymous artists; the monolith is in reference to the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.Greece adopts the euro as its currency. (The Guardian)This date was formally defined as the start of the 21st century and 3rd millennium, but such usage is disputed.
Current events of January 6, 2001 (2001-01-06) (Saturday) :
The United States Congress, presided over by Vice President Al Gore as President of the Senate, certifies George Walker Bush's Electoral College victory and thus as the winner of the U.S. presidential election.
Current events of January 9, 2001 (2001-01-09) (Tuesday) :
Shenzhou 2, an unmanned Chinese spacecraft, was launched.
Current events of January 10, 2001 (2001-01-10) (Wednesday) :
Apple introduce their iTunes digital media player application at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco.
Current events of January 11, 2001 (2001-01-11) (Thursday) :
The Federal Trade Commission approved the merger of AOL and Time Warner to form AOL Time Warner.
Current events of January 13, 2001 (2001-01-13) (Saturday) :
A 7.6 magnitude earthquake hits all of El Salvador, killing at least 800 people and leaving thousands homeless.
Current events of January 15, 2001 (2001-01-15) (Monday) :
Wikipedia, a Wiki free content encyclopedia, goes online.
Current events of January 17, 2001 (2001-01-17) (Wednesday) :
Impeachment proceedings against Philippine President Joseph Estrada, accused of playing Jueteng, end preeminently and trigger the second EDSA People Power Revolution or People Power II. His Vice-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo succeeds him as the 14th President of the Republic.
Current events of January 20, 2001 (2001-01-20) (Saturday) :
George Walker Bush succeeds Bill Clinton as President of the United States after prevailing over Al Gore in the disputed U.S. presidential election, 2000.
Current events of January 23, 2001 (2001-01-23) (Tuesday) :
Five Falun Gong members set themselves on fire in a protest in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China. However, the incident has been widely disputed by Falun Gong, claiming the incident was staged by the Chinese government in order to make Falun Gong hated in China.The United Nations Security Council have a resolution on the Angolan Civil War, extending the monitoring mechanism of sanctions against UNITA for a further three months. (United Nations)
Current events of January 24, 2001 (2001-01-24) (Wednesday) :
The last two of the "Texas 7" are taken into custody in Colorado Springs, Colorado.Following the Hinduja affair, Peter Mandelson is forced to resign from the Government of the United Kingdom for a second time.
Current events of January 25, 2001 (2001-01-25) (Thursday) :
A 50-year-old DC-3 crashes near Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela, killing 25.
Current events of January 26, 2001 (2001-01-26) (Friday) :
An earthquake hits Gujarat, India, killing more than 69,000 people.
Current events of January 28, 2001 (2001-01-28) (Sunday) :
Super Bowl XXXV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida: Baltimore Ravens defeats the New York Giants, 34-7.
Current events of January 29, 2001 (2001-01-29) (Monday) :
Thousands of student protesters in Indonesia storm parliament and demand that President Abdurrahman Wahid resign due to alleged involvement in corruption scandals.
Current events of January 31, 2001 (2001-01-31) (Wednesday) :
Sega officially announces that they are going to discontinue their Dreamcast system on March 30. They also said that they vowed never to make another video game system ever again and to make only video games.In the Netherlands a Scottish court convicts a Libyan and acquits another for their part in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 which crashed into Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988.
Current events of October 1, 2000 (2000-10-01) (Sunday) :
The 2000 Summer Olympics close in Sydney, Australia.Incorporation of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited & Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited under the Indian Companies Act, 1956.October 2000 events (Israel) – 12 Arab citizens of Israel are killed by Israeli security forces after a riot/violent demonstration in solidarity with Palestinians under military rule in the West Bank and Gaza.
Current events of October 5, 2000 (2000-10-05) (Thursday) :
The Beatles release a hardcover book version of The Beatles Anthology, containing newly published photos and interviews with band members. The book went straight to the top of the New York Times bestsellers list.EMI and Warner Music Group withdraw their application to the European Commission for a proposed $20 billion merger due to regulators' concerns. The merger would have concentrated 80% of the European music business into the hands of just four major labels.President Slobodan Milošević leaves office after widespread demonstrations throughout Serbia and the withdrawal of Russian support. This political event became known as 5th October Revolution in Serbia.
Current events of October 11, 2000 (2000-10-11) (Wednesday) :
250 million US gallons (950,000 m3) of coal sludge spill in Martin County, Kentucky. Considered a greater environmental disaster than the Exxon Valdez oil spill.Sports software company Recreational Technologies ends its attempt to become the primary provider of MLB scouting software, laying off 90% of its development staff.
Current events of October 12, 2000 (2000-10-12) (Thursday) :
In Aden, Yemen, the USS Cole is badly damaged by two suicide bombers who placed a small boat laden with explosives alongside the United States Navy destroyer, killing 17 crew members and wounding at least 39.The Lowry theatre and gallery centre in Salford, England is officially open by the Queen Elizabeth II.The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow is consecrated.Taking off from a grass strip at a lodge in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, a Piper PA-24 Comanche piloted by Colorado State Representative Gary McPherson is unable to gain altitude and crashes into the trees, killing McPherson and two people on board.
Current events of October 18, 2000 (2000-10-18) (Wednesday) :
Hatfield rail crash, United Kingdom: Part of a rail shatters as a passenger train passes over it; four people are killed, 70 are injured.
Current events of October 22, 2000 (2000-10-22) (Sunday) :
The Mainichi Shinbun newspaper exposes Japanese archeologist Shinichi Fujimura as a fraud.
Current events of October 23, 2000 (2000-10-23) (Monday) :
Rodney Anoa'i (professional wrestler) died in Liverpool at the age of 34.
Current events of October 26, 2000 (2000-10-26) (Thursday) :
Pakistani authorities announce that their police have found an apparently ancient mummy of a Persian Princess in the province of Balochistan. Iran, Pakistan and the Taliban all claim the mummy until Pakistan announces it is a modern-day fake on April 17, 2001.Sony's PlayStation 2 is released in North America with 27 launch titles.Bringing Out the Dead is the last film to be released on LaserDisc by a major studio.2000 World Series
The New York Yankees defeat the New York Mets in Game 5 of the 2000 World Series, 4–1, to win their 26th World Series title. This is the first Subway Series matchup between the two crosstown rivals.
Current events of October 30, 2000 (2000-10-30) (Monday) :
The last Multics machine is shut down.
Current events of October 31, 2000 (2000-10-31) (Tuesday) :
Napster and BMG Music announce a partnership that would change the website into a subscription-based service offering legal downloads.Singapore Airlines Flight 006 collides with an excavator in the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, killing 83 of the 179 people on board and injuring 71 of the 96 survivors.
Current events of December 1, 2000 (2000-12-01) (Friday) :
Vicente Fox takes office as President of Mexico.Miss World pageant held in London's Millennium Dome. Priyanka Chopra wins the title.
Current events of December 2, 2000 (2000-12-02) (Saturday) :
The Backstreet Boys debuts with 1.6 million with Black & Blue and becomes the first artists in history to achieve back-to-back million-plus first week sales. It also sells 5 million worldwide and sets a record for the best International Sales Week in History.The Smashing Pumpkins played what was intended to be their farewell concert at the Metro Theater. Even though the band later reunited, Corgan viewed it as the end of an era. [1]Sarai Banjara rail disaster
46 people killed and 150 injured when a freight train derailed into the path of a passenger train in the Punjab, India.The 2000 MAC Championship Game (American football) is played at Marshall Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia, USA[2] and is won by the Marshall Thundering Herd.
Current events of December 3, 2000 (2000-12-03) (Sunday) :
The UK Snooker Championship is won by John Higgins.Died: Miklós Szabó, 91, Hungarian athlete and former world record-holder at 2000 metres and 2 miles.
Current events of December 5, 2000 (2000-12-05) (Tuesday) :
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1330 is unanimously adopted and extends provisions relating to the export of Iraqi petroleum or petroleum products in return for humanitarian aid for a further 2000 days.[3]Municipal elections are held in South Africa, to elect members to the local governing councils.
Current events of December 6, 2000 (2000-12-06) (Wednesday) :
Died: Gershom Browne, 102, last Guyanese veteran of World War I.
Current events of December 7, 2000 (2000-12-07) (Thursday) :
The first ballot takes place in the Ghanaian presidential election.  The two leading candidates are John Kufuor and John Atta-Mills, who go on to the second ballot.Kadisoka temple discovered in Sleman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.Died: Vlado Gotovac, 70, a talented poet, died due to complications caused by Hepatitis
Current events of December 9, 2000 (2000-12-09) (Saturday) :
The crew of the space shuttle Endeavour complete the final transfers of supplies to the International Space Station and other items being returned to Earth, and undock from the space station after 6 days, 23 hours and 13 minutes.Died: Daniel Wretström, 17, Swedish white power skinhead musician (killed in a brawl)[4]
Current events of December 10, 2000 (2000-12-10) (Sunday) :
Parliamentary elections are held in Côte d'Ivoire.  28 seats are excluded because of a boycott by the Rally of the Republicans.[5] The result is a victory for the Ivorian Popular Front, which wins 96 of the 225 seats in the National Assembly of Côte d'Ivoire.Died: Marie Windsor, 80, US film actress
Current events of December 11, 2000 (2000-12-11) (Monday) :
The Trinidad and Tobago general election results in victory for the United National Congress.The Communauté de communes de Londinières is created in the Seine-Maritime département of the Haute-Normandie region of northern France.
Current events of December 12, 2000 (2000-12-12) (Tuesday) :
Bush v. Gore: The U.S. Supreme Court stops the Florida presidential recount, effectively giving the state, and the Presidency, to George W. Bush, although some sources claimed Gore had won, by many overvotes, rejected by computer, showing votes for Gore plus write-in "Gore".
Current events of December 13, 2000 (2000-12-13) (Wednesday) :
The Texas Seven escape from their prison unit in Kenedy, Texas, and start a crime spree.
Current events of December 14, 2000 (2000-12-14) (Thursday) :
The full genome sequence of the flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana is published in Nature.
Current events of December 15, 2000 (2000-12-15) (Friday) :
Reactor 3, the last reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, is shut down due to Western political pressure.In the landmark censorship case of Little Sisters Book and Art Emporium v. Canada (Minister of Justice), the Supreme Court of Canada rules that Canada Customs does not have the authority to make its own judgments about the permissibility of material being shipped to retailers but is permitted to confiscate only material that has specifically been ruled by the courts to constitute an offence under the Canadian Criminal Code.
Current events of December 16, 2000 (2000-12-16) (Saturday) :
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is released in Japan.F4 rated Tuscaloosa tornado hits south & east of Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Current events of December 17, 2000 (2000-12-17) (Sunday) :
The Australian Railroad Group begins operating, following its purchase of the Westrail freight business.
Current events of December 18, 2000 (2000-12-18) (Monday) :
Died: Kirsty MacColl, 41, English singer, run over by a speeding powerboat while swimming with her children at Cozumel, Mexico;
Current events of December 19, 2000 (2000-12-19) (Tuesday) :
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1333 is adopted, calling for a ban on military assistance to the Taliban, closure of its camps and an end to the provision of sanctuary of the movement.[7]
Current events of December 20, 2000 (2000-12-20) (Wednesday) :
Mirusuvil massacre: eight Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, including children,[8] on 20 December 2000[9][10][11] are killed by Sri Lankan Army soldiers and buried in a mass grave.
Current events of December 21, 2000 (2000-12-21) (Thursday) :
The Falkirk West by-election in the UK, resulting from the resignation of Dennis Canavan, is won by Eric Joyce for Labour.
Current events of December 22, 2000 (2000-12-22) (Friday) :
Madonna marries film director Guy Ritchie, at Skibo Castle in Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland with Gwyneth Paltrow, Stella McCartney, Sting, George Clooney, Jon Bon Jovi, Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Rupert Everett and others in attendance.
Current events of December 23, 2000 (2000-12-23) (Saturday) :
Died: Victor Borge, 91, Danish comedian, conductor and pianist.
Current events of December 24, 2000 (2000-12-24) (Sunday) :
Christmas Eve 2000 Indonesia bombings
At least 18 people are killed in multiple Islamist bomb attacks on churches across Indonesia.
Current events of December 25, 2000 (2000-12-25) (Monday) :
A shopping center fire at Luoyang, Henan, China kills 309 people.
Current events of December 26, 2000 (2000-12-26) (Tuesday) :
Died: Jason Robards, 78, US actor
Current events of December 27, 2000 (2000-12-27) (Wednesday) :
The Bømlafjord Tunnel opens, connecting the island of Føyno in Stord to the mainland at Dalshovda in Sveio, Norway.The December 2000 nor'easter is formed, beginning as an Alberta clipper, affecting, specially, Northern New Jersey and Eastern New York.
Current events of December 28, 2000 (2000-12-28) (Thursday) :
John Kufuor wins the second ballot in the presidential election to become President of Ghana.  His victory marks the first peaceful democratic transition of power in Ghana since the country achieved independence in 1957.U.S. department store chain Montgomery Ward announces it is going out of business 128 years after it was founded as the world's first mail order business.
Current events of December 30, 2000 (2000-12-30) (Saturday) :
Rizal Day Bombings
A series of bombs explode in various places in Metro Manila, Philippines, within a span of a few hours killing 22 and injuring about a hundred.
Current events of December 31, 2000 (2000-12-31) (Sunday) :
The Millennium Dome, in London, closes one year to the day after its opening.Purists have begun celebrating the new Millennium and Century.The December 2000 nor'easter is dissipated. The storm affected, specially, New Jersey and New York.
Current events of April 1, 2001 (2001-04-01) (Sunday) :
An EP-3E United States Navy spy plane collides with a Chinese People's Liberation Army fighter jet.Former president of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milošević surrenders to police special forces, to be tried on charges of war crimes.The first legal same-sex marriage in the Netherlands is celebrated.
Current events of April 7, 2001 (2001-04-07) (Saturday) :
An Mi-17 helicopter crashes into mountain in south of Hanoi, Vietnam, killing 16. The flight was carrying United States armed forces personnel searching for MIAs from Vietnam War.
Current events of April 8, 2001 (2001-04-08) (Sunday) :
Tiger Woods wins the 2001 Masters Tournament, completing the "Tiger Slam", with Woods becoming the first golfer to hold all four professional major titles simultaneously, having won the U.S. Open, Open Championship, and PGA Championship in 2000.
Current events of April 11, 2001 (2001-04-11) (Wednesday) :
The detained crew of a United States EP-3E aircraft that landed in Hainan, People's Republic of China, after a collision with an F-8 fighter, is released.
Current events of April 20, 2001 (2001-04-20) (Friday) :
The anti-globalization movement holds a People's Summit and large protest marches, some of which are forcibly put down by police, against the FTAA summit in Quebec City, Quebec.
Current events of April 30, 2001 (2001-04-30) (Monday) :
Dennis Tito, the first 'space tourist' in space lifts off in a Russian rocket heading for the International Space Station.
Current events of May 1, 2001 (2001-05-01) (Tuesday) :
Chandra Levy disappears while jogging.
Current events of May 19, 2001 (2001-05-19) (Saturday) :
First Apple Store opens in New York City.
Current events of May 27, 2001 (2001-05-27) (Sunday) :
The Oldham riots take place in Oldham, Greater Manchester, after a string of events create tension between White and Asian communities.
Current events of May 29, 2001 (2001-05-29) (Tuesday) :
Barbara and Jenna Bush prosecuted for under-age drinking after posing as over 21 in a Texas drinking establishment.
Current events of February 1, 2001 (2001-02-01) (Thursday) :
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman announced that they had separated.
Current events of February 6, 2001 (2001-02-06) (Tuesday) :
Likud Party leader Ariel Sharon wins election as Prime Minister of Israel.
Current events of February 8, 2001 (2001-02-08) (Thursday) :
Disney California Adventure opens in Anaheim, California.
Current events of February 9, 2001 (2001-02-09) (Friday) :
American submarine USS Greeneville accidentally strikes and sinks Japanese fishing vessel Ehime-Maru.
Current events of February 12, 2001 (2001-02-12) (Monday) :
NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft touchdown in the "saddle" region of 433 Eros becoming the first spacecraft to land on an asteroid.
Current events of February 13, 2001 (2001-02-13) (Tuesday) :
A 6.6 magnitude earthquake hits El Salvador, killing at least 400.
Current events of February 15, 2001 (2001-02-15) (Thursday) :
All your base are belong to us hits wider Internet with flash/video version, becoming an instant hit.
Current events of February 16, 2001 (2001-02-16) (Friday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: British and U.S. forces carry out bombing raids, attempting to disable Iraq's air defense network.
Current events of February 17, 2001 (2001-02-17) (Saturday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: Baghdad is bombed by US and UK war planes, killing three people.
Current events of February 18, 2001 (2001-02-18) (Sunday) :
FBI agent Robert Hanssen is arrested and charged with spying for Russia for 25 years.On the final lap of the Daytona 500 race, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, known as "The Intimidator" for his aggressive driving style, is killed in a crash.  Earlier, an 18 car wreck happened on lap 173 when Tony Stewart flipped in mid-air causing a major wreck. The race had come to a stop to take a 17 lap break because of the debris scattered on the track. The red flag was out to clean up the mess on the backstretch.Major League Baseball Hall of famer, Eddie Mathews, dies in La Jolla, California due to complications of pneumonia.  Mathews is the only player in Braves history to have played for the Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta teams.  He is tied with Ernie Banks with 512 career home runs.
Current events of February 19, 2001 (2001-02-19) (Monday) :
An Oklahoma City bombing museum is dedicated at the Oklahoma City National Memorial.
Current events of February 28, 2001 (2001-02-28) (Wednesday) :
An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale hits the Northwest area of the United States. There were no reports of any deaths.The Great Heck rail crash occurs.
Current events of March 2, 2001 (2001-03-02) (Friday) :
Civil war in Afghanistan (1996-2001): The Taliban began their destruction of the Buddhas of Bamyan, in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan.
Current events of March 3, 2001 (2001-03-03) (Saturday) :
It is the last day on the Howard Stern Show for Jackie Martling.A U.S. Air Force Materials Command C-23 Sherpa transport crashes during stormy weather in the U.S. state of Georgia, killing 21.
Current events of March 4, 2001 (2001-03-04) (Sunday) :
Dissident Irish Republican campaign: A massive car bomb explodes in front of the BBC Television Centre in London, seriously injuring 11 people. The attack was attributed to the Real IRA.
Current events of March 5, 2001 (2001-03-05) (Monday) :
In Mecca, 35 Muslim pilgrims are crushed to death during the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
Current events of March 7, 2001 (2001-03-07) (Wednesday) :
The SpongeBob SquarePants You Wish" TV special airs on Nickelodeon.
Current events of March 14, 2001 (2001-03-14) (Wednesday) :

Current events of March 23, 2001 (2001-03-23) (Friday) :
The World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) (WWF/E) purchases rival organization World Championship Wrestling (WCW) for an estimated $7 million.The Russian Mir space station is disposed of, breaking up in the atmosphere before falling into the southern Pacific Ocean near Fiji.
Current events of March 29, 2001 (2001-03-29) (Thursday) :
A chartered Gulfstream III jet crashes into a hillside during approach into Aspen, Colorado, killing 18 people.
Current events of July 1, 2001 (2001-07-01) (Sunday) :
Aliso Viejo officially becomes the 34th city in Orange County, California.Alliant International University is formed.
Current events of July 2, 2001 (2001-07-02) (Monday) :
The world's first self-contained artificial heart is implanted in Robert Tools.
Current events of July 3, 2001 (2001-07-03) (Tuesday) :
A Vladivostokavia Tupolev Tu-154 jetliner crashes on approach to landing at Irkutsk, Russia, killing 145.
Current events of July 4, 2001 (2001-07-04) (Wednesday) :
The film Cats & Dogs is released.
Current events of July 6, 2001 (2001-07-06) (Friday) :
The film Kiss of the Dragon is released.
Current events of July 7, 2001 (2001-07-07) (Saturday) :
The Bradford riots take place in Manningham, Bradford, UK, after clashes in the city centre between National Front members and members of the local Asian community.Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins the Pepsi 400 in the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at the Daytona International Speedway since the death of Dale Earnhardt. Teammate Michael Waltrip ran second, blocking for Jr., an exact mirror of the Daytona 500 where Jr. blocked for Waltrip en route to his first 500 win.
Current events of July 9, 2001 (2001-07-09) (Monday) :
Goran Ivanišević won Wimbledon tennis tournament and became the first, and so far the last, wildcard to achieve that accord.
Current events of July 13, 2001 (2001-07-13) (Friday) :
The International Olympic Committee session in Moscow, Russia. Beijing wins the bid as the host city for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Current events of July 18, 2001 (2001-07-18) (Wednesday) :
In Baltimore, Maryland, a 60-car train derailment occurs in a tunnel sparking a fire that will last days and virtually shut down downtown Baltimore (see Howard Street Tunnel fire).The film Jurassic Park III is released.
Current events of July 19, 2001 (2001-07-19) (Thursday) :
UK politician and novelist Jeffrey Archer, sentenced to four years in prison for perjury and perverting the course of justice.
Current events of July 20, 2001 (2001-07-20) (Friday) :
Vanessa Leggett is found in contempt by a Federal Court for refusing to release notes made for her book on the Doris Angleton murder.The 27th G8 summit takes place in Genoa, Italy until July 22nd. Massive demonstrations against the meeting by anti-globalisation groups. One demonstrator, Carlo Giuliani, is shot dead by a carabiniere and several others are badly injured during an attack by the police on a school which the protesters were using as their headquarters.
Current events of July 21, 2001 (2001-07-21) (Saturday) :
Akashi pedestrian bridge accident: At the conclusion of a fireworks display on Okura Beach in Akashi, Hyōgo, Japan, 11 people are killed and more than 120 are injured when a pedestrian footbridge connecting the beach to JR Asagiri railway station becomes overcrowded and people leaving the event fall down in a domino effect.
Current events of July 23, 2001 (2001-07-23) (Monday) :
Honduras defeats Brazil in a soccer match by final result of 2–0.Died: Eudora Welty
Current events of July 26, 2001 (2001-07-26) (Thursday) :
The republic of Moldova becomes a member of the World Trade Organization.
Current events of July 27, 2001 (2001-07-27) (Friday) :
The film Planet of the Apes is released.
Current events of July 28, 2001 (2001-07-28) (Saturday) :
Alejandro Toledo is sworn as the new president of Peru, eight months after the vote of no-confidence of former President Alberto Fujimori.
Current events of July 31, 2001 (2001-07-31) (Tuesday) :
Died: Poul Anderson
Current events of August 1, 2001 (2001-08-01) (Wednesday) :
Law goes into effect in Germany legalizing same-sex registered partnerships.
Current events of August 2, 2001 (2001-08-02) (Thursday) :
Robert Mueller confirmed as the new FBI director.
Current events of August 6, 2001 (2001-08-06) (Monday) :
The United States-based Central Intelligence Agency issued a warning to the President of the United States that attacks were eminent in the United States or U.S. interests.
Current events of August 9, 2001 (2001-08-09) (Thursday) :
US President George W. Bush announces his support for federal funding of limited research on embryonic stem cells.
Current events of August 10, 2001 (2001-08-10) (Friday) :
Film: Osmosis Jones played by Chris Rock, starring Bill Murray
Current events of August 20, 2001 (2001-08-20) (Monday) :
TV series: Oswald
Current events of August 24, 2001 (2001-08-24) (Friday) :
Film: Bubble Boy
Current events of August 25, 2001 (2001-08-25) (Saturday) :
Died: Aaliyah, contemporary R&B and pop singer, dies in a plane crash at the age of 22.
Current events of June 1, 2001 (2001-06-01) (Friday) :
The popular Bratz, rival to the Barbie doll, debuts.Several members of the Nepalese royal family are killed in the Nepalese royal massacre
Current events of June 5, 2001 (2001-06-05) (Tuesday) :
Houston, Texas, is devastated by flooding when Tropical Storm Allison dumps 36 inches (914 mm) of rain on the city. Damage exceeds five billion American dollars over a 4-day period until June 9th.The Harehills riots takes place in Harehills, Leeds, UK, after a questionable arrest of an Asian man for possession of an illegal car tax disc.
Current events of June 7, 2001 (2001-06-07) (Thursday) :
Tony Blair's Labour Party elected for second term in UK general election.
Current events of June 11, 2001 (2001-06-11) (Monday) :
Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh is executed at a complex in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Current events of June 20, 2001 (2001-06-20) (Wednesday) :
Andrea Yates drowns her five children in a bathtub and confesses to her crimes.
Current events of June 21, 2001 (2001-06-21) (Thursday) :
A total solar eclipse happened.
Current events of November 1, 2001 (2001-11-01) (Thursday) :
Derek Jeter hits the MLB's first November home run at the World Series.
Current events of November 4, 2001 (2001-11-04) (Sunday) :
Hurricane Michelle hits Cuba, destroying crops and thousands of homes.Establishment of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Current events of November 6, 2001 (2001-11-06) (Tuesday) :
Twentieth Century Fox's anti-terrorist drama action show 24 (TV series) premieres.Buffy the Vampire Slayer's musical episode "Once More, with Feeling" was premiered on the UPN network.
Current events of November 7, 2001 (2001-11-07) (Wednesday) :
The super-sonic commercial aircraft Concorde resumes flying after a 15-month break.
Current events of November 12, 2001 (2001-11-12) (Monday) :
In New York City, American Airlines Flight 587 crashes minutes after takeoff from John F. Kennedy International Airport, killing all 260 on board.2001 Attack on Afghanistan: Taliban forces abandon Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, ahead of advancing Afghan Northern Alliance troops (Northern Alliance fighters took Kabul on November 14).
Current events of November 13, 2001 (2001-11-13) (Tuesday) :
Doha Round: The World Trade Organization ends a four-day ministerial conference in Doha, Qatar.Symbionese Liberation Army member Kathleen Soliah (Sara Jane Olsen) withdraws her previous guilty plea.War on Terrorism: In the first such act since World War II, US President George W. Bush signs an executive order allowing military tribunals against any foreigners suspected of having connections to terrorist acts or planned acts on the United States.
Current events of November 15, 2001 (2001-11-15) (Thursday) :
The Microsoft Xbox is released in the United States with 14 launch titles.
Current events of November 16, 2001 (2001-11-16) (Friday) :
The first Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is released, grossing US $975.8 million in first week, becoming the second highest grossing film around the world, behind Titanic.
Current events of November 17, 2001 (2001-11-17) (Saturday) :
The animated Justice League cartoon premieres on Cartoon Network in America.
Current events of November 18, 2001 (2001-11-18) (Sunday) :
The Nintendo GameCube is released in the United States with 13 launch titles.The World Wrestling Federation defeated the ECW–WCW alliance at Survivor Series in Greensboro, North Carolina (The "Miracle in Greensboro")
Current events of November 20, 2001 (2001-11-20) (Tuesday) :
In Washington, D.C., US President George W. Bush dedicates the United States Department of Justice headquarters building as the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building, honoring the late Robert F. Kennedy on what would have been his 76th birthday.In Iowa City, Iowa, a devastating fire consumed the original cupola on the Old Capital Building. A replacement 12,000 pound wood dome was installed and painted in 23 3/4 carat gold leaf.[1]
Current events of November 21, 2001 (2001-11-21) (Wednesday) :
Disney's popular acclaimed animated series, Recess ends production.
Current events of November 23, 2001 (2001-11-23) (Friday) :
Convention on Cybercrime is signed in Budapest, Hungary.
Current events of November 24, 2001 (2001-11-24) (Saturday) :
Melanie Thornton, the German/American Pop singer, also the former member of La Bouche, dies in a plane crash going to Zürich, Switzerland,along with Maria Serreno-Serreno and Nathaly Van Het Ende of the German dance band Passion Fruit (band).
Current events of November 29, 2001 (2001-11-29) (Thursday) :
George Harrison of the Beatles dies at the age of 58 from lung cancer in Hollywood, California.
Current events of December 2, 2001 (2001-12-02) (Sunday) :
Enron files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection five days after Dynegy canceled a US$8.4 billion buyout bid (as of  2003[update] this was the largest bankruptcy in the history of the United States).
Current events of December 4, 2001 (2001-12-04) (Tuesday) :
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah Al-Haj, Sultan of Selangor and 11th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia dies in office.
Current events of December 13, 2001 (2001-12-13) (Thursday) :
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, Raja of Perlis becomes the 12th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia
Current events of December 14, 2001 (2001-12-14) (Friday) :
Annular solar eclipse
Current events of December 16, 2001 (2001-12-16) (Sunday) :
Battle of Tora Bora fought between Coalition Forces and Terrorist Allies and Osama Bin Laden and remaining Taliban forces escape by mule to Pakistan reported by former Delta Force commander going by the alias Dalton Fury.
Current events of December 18, 2001 (2001-12-18) (Tuesday) :
Two men, Ahmed Agiza and Muhammad al-Zery, are secretly deported to Egypt from Sweden after a request from the United States in what is believed to be a CIA-led operation. (Washington Post)
Current events of December 20, 2001 (2001-12-20) (Thursday) :
The Argentine government of President Fernando De la Rúa collapses amidst rioting and violence throughout the country. See December 2001 riots (Argentina)
Current events of December 27, 2001 (2001-12-27) (Thursday) :
The People's Republic of China is granted permanent normal trade status with the United States.
Current events of October 2, 2001 (2001-10-02) (Tuesday) :
Aftermath of the September 11 attacks:
The official count of bodies found at the site of the World Trade Center is 363; 301 have been identified.
NATO's secretary general, Lord Robertson announces that the United States provided "clear and compelling proof" in oral briefings to NATO al-Qaeda's responsibility who affirm the invocation of the mutual defense clause of the organization's charter.
8 p.m. EDT: Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music, a tribute to John Lennon that became a concert of prayer and healing for New York City to benefit the relief efforts, hosted by Kevin Spacey and featuring Dave Matthews, Moby, Stone Temple Pilots, Nelly Furtado, Shelby Lynne, Alanis Morissette, Cyndi Lauper, The Isley Brothers, Lou Reed, Marc Anthony, Natalie Merchant, Yolanda Adams, Sean Lennon and Yoko Ono, is held at Radio City Music Hall and simultaneously broadcast live on the TNT and WB networks. It had been scheduled before the attack to be taped September 20 and broadcast on October 9 to promote a non-violent world.Swissair seeks for bankruptcy protection and grounds its entire fleet.
Current events of October 4, 2001 (2001-10-04) (Thursday) :
Georgian-Abkhazian conflict: A group of Chechen and Georgian fighters led by the commander Ruslan Gelayev entered the gorge from the Georgian side and attacked the village Giorgievskoe.Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 crashes over the Black Sea en route from Tel Aviv Israel to Novosibirsk Russia – 78 dead.First case of anthrax in the US (attack) is announced by federal officials.The film Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone is released.
Current events of October 5, 2001 (2001-10-05) (Friday) :
The film Joy Ride is released.
Current events of October 7, 2001 (2001-10-07) (Sunday) :
War in Afghanistan (2001-present): The United States invades Afghanistan, with participation from other nations.
Current events of October 8, 2001 (2001-10-08) (Monday) :
Linate Airport disaster: MD-87 of Scandinavian Airlines collides first with a private plane and then a building at Linate Airport in Milan, Italy, killing 100.Girma Wolde-Giorgis succeeds Negasso Gidada as President of Ethiopia.
Current events of October 9, 2001 (2001-10-09) (Tuesday) :
The 2001 anthrax attacks continue as anthrax letters are mailed from Princeton, New Jersey, to Senators Tom Daschle of South Dakota and Patrick Leahy of Vermont.
Current events of October 15, 2001 (2001-10-15) (Monday) :
NASA's Galileo spacecraft passes within 112 miles of Jupiter's moon Io.
Current events of October 19, 2001 (2001-10-19) (Friday) :
SIEV-X sinks en route to Christmas Island.The film From Hell is released.
Current events of October 20, 2001 (2001-10-20) (Saturday) :
"The Concert for New York City: a celebration of the strength, resilience, and pride of New York and America" is held featuring performances by The Who, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Billy Joel, Destiny's Child, Eric Clapton, Adam Sandler, Bon Jovi, Elton John and many more.
Current events of October 23, 2001 (2001-10-23) (Tuesday) :
The Provisional Irish Republican Army of Northern Ireland commences disarmament after peace talks.The iPod is first introduced by Apple.
Current events of October 25, 2001 (2001-10-25) (Thursday) :
Microsoft releases Windows XP.
Current events of October 26, 2001 (2001-10-26) (Friday) :
U.S. President George W. Bush signs the Patriot Act into law.
Current events of October 30, 2001 (2001-10-30) (Tuesday) :
Famous Arab encyclopedist M. A. Benyounis dies.Michael Jackson's Invincible album was released.
Current events of September 1, 2001 (2001-09-01) (Saturday) :
The German national football team lose a World Cup qualifier for only the second time at home in their history (including as West Germany) by a heavy 1-5 margin to an England team managed by Sven-Göran Eriksson in the Olympic Stadium in Munchen (Munich), ending a significant run of England losses to Germany.
Current events of September 3, 2001 (2001-09-03) (Monday) :
The United States, Canada and Israel withdraw from the U.N. Conference on Racism because they feel that the issue of Zionism is overemphasized.
Current events of September 4, 2001 (2001-09-04) (Tuesday) :
Google is awarded U.S. Patent 6,285,999, for the PageRank search algorithm used in the Google search engine.
Current events of September 5, 2001 (2001-09-05) (Wednesday) :
Peru's attorney general files homicide charges against ex-President Alberto Fujimori.
Current events of September 6, 2001 (2001-09-06) (Thursday) :
United States v. Microsoft: The United States Justice Department announces that it was no longer seeking to break-up software maker Microsoft and will instead seek a lesser antitrust penalty.
Current events of September 7, 2001 (2001-09-07) (Friday) :
Michael Jackson performs his first 30th anniversary (of his career) concert in New York City.
Current events of September 9, 2001 (2001-09-09) (Sunday) :
Ahmed Shah Massoud, leader of the Afghan Northern Alliance, is assassinated in Afghanistan.The Country Bears concert known as the Country Bear Jamboree closed its doors in Disneyland for the last time. The show continues in Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland.At exactly 01:46:40 UTC, one billion seconds since the Unix epoch (January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC) pass and the Unix billenium is reached.
Current events of September 10, 2001 (2001-09-10) (Monday) :
Michael Jackson performs his second 30th anniversary (because of his career) concert in New York.Charles Ingram cheats his way into winning one million pounds on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.Donald Rumsfeld warns of $2,300,000,000,000 of Pentagon spending that cannot be accounted for. (Defense)Norwegian parliamentary election, 2001: Votes in Norway go to the polls for the parliamentary election with Thorbjørn Jagland scoring a victory.
Current events of September 11, 2001 (2001-09-11) (Tuesday) :
September 11 attacks: Planes are hijacked by al-Qaeda members and flown into the World Trade Center in New York City, The Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania, killing 2,996 people (including 19 terrorists).Reactions to the September 11 attacks:
Canada's border with the United States is on high alert in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the United States so the Canadian government initiates both "Operation Support" and "Operation Yellow Ribbon."
Early speculation about the source of the attacks centered on Saudi-born terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, who was living in and working from Afghanistan. Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan leaders condemned the attacks and rejected suggestions that Osama bin Laden could be behind them.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair cancels a speech he was due to give to the TUC, and pledges to "stand shoulder to shoulder" with the United States.
Current events of September 14, 2001 (2001-09-14) (Friday) :
The Nintendo Gamecube is released in Japan.
Current events of September 15, 2001 (2001-09-15) (Saturday) :
The Queen Isabella Causeway in Texas collapses after being hit by a tugboat, killing 8.
Current events of September 17, 2001 (2001-09-17) (Monday) :
The New York Stock Exchange reopens following the terrorist attacks in New York.The default date used by git format patch for email output.
Current events of September 18, 2001 (2001-09-18) (Tuesday) :
The 2001 anthrax attacks commence as anthrax letters are mailed from Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, to ABC News, CBS News, NBC News, the New York Post, and the National Enquirer.
Current events of September 21, 2001 (2001-09-21) (Friday) :
White English teenager Ross Parker stabbed to death in racially motivated attack by a gang of Muslim Asians in Peterborough, England. Racial tensions in the area had been raised following the September 11th attacks. (Dailymail) (Peterborough Today)The AZF fertiliser factory in Toulouse, France, explodes, killing 31 and injuring over 2000. Later, a terrorist group take up the name "AZF" when threatening to bomb French railways.
Current events of September 25, 2001 (2001-09-25) (Tuesday) :
The national satellite radio service XM went live.
Current events of September 26, 2001 (2001-09-26) (Wednesday) :
The fifth and final Star Trek television series Enterprise debuts on UPN.
Current events of February 3, 2002 (2002-02-03) (Sunday) :
American football:  Super Bowl XXXVI:  New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17—one of the most astonishing upsets in Super Bowl history.
Current events of February 5, 2002 (2002-02-05) (Tuesday) :
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell says that the United States is willing to sign a treaty with Russia on limiting strategic nuclear weapons, indicating a possible shift in administration policy after withdrawing, last December, from the Antiballistic Missile Treaty of 1972. President George W. Bush and President Vladimir Putin are set to hold an arms reduction summit meeting in Moscow in May. – Background material: nuclear disarmament, nuclear warfare, nuclear proliferation.
Current events of February 6, 2002 (2002-02-06) (Wednesday) :
Proclamation by Mayor Martin O'Malley designating February 6, 2002, as "Beverly Lynn Burns Day" in Baltimore, Maryland.
Current events of February 8, 2002 (2002-02-08) (Friday) :
The opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, which are held in Salt Lake City.John Entwistle plays his last show with The Who. He would die shortly after this performance.
Current events of February 10, 2002 (2002-02-10) (Sunday) :
Iraqi club Al-Shorta win the 2001–02 Umm Al Ma’arak (mother of all battles) Cup by defeating Al-Talaba 1-0 in the final.
Current events of February 11, 2002 (2002-02-11) (Monday) :
British Telecommunications plc starts its US federal court case relating to a controversial patent that it claims gives it a monopoly on the technology of web links.New British digital free-to-air television channels CBBC and CBeebies, launch at 6am from the BBC Television centre, London.
Current events of February 16, 2002 (2002-02-16) (Saturday) :
George W. Bush signs a secret national security council directive establishing the goals and objectives for going to war with Iraq, according to the book Rumsfeld's War by Rowan Scarborough.[1]275 animal rights activists unite in front of the D.C. Neiman Marcus to demand that the company stop supporting the fur industry.[2]George W. Bush's weekly Presidential Radio Address, titled Asia Trip, discusses foreign relations.
Current events of February 20, 2002 (2002-02-20) (Wednesday) :
Palindrome day, at 8:02 pm, on February 20, 2002, the date is read officially as 20:02, 20, 02, 2002, or 2002, 2002, 2002.
Current events of February 22, 2002 (2002-02-22) (Friday) :
Chuck Jones, Academy-Award-winning animator, dies at 91.
Current events of February 26, 2002 (2002-02-26) (Tuesday) :
12 Shiite Muslims are killed in a mosque in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.Big riot between Muslims and Hindus.
Current events of February 27, 2002 (2002-02-27) (Wednesday) :
Alicia Keys wins six Grammys.Today is the centennial of John Steinbeck's birth."War on Terrorism": The U.S. sends Special Operations Forces to the former Soviet republic of Georgia to help combat guerrilla fighters, though Russia protests.57 people die in Godhra when a Muslim mob sets fire to a carriage on the Sabarmati Express filled with Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists returning from Ayodhya en route to Ahmedabad. After detaching the burned carriage, the train continues to Vadodara, where Hindus beat and stab people leaving the train, killing one. A 17-year-old is later killed in Godhra by police trying to disrupt mobs.Comedian Spike Milligan dies from liver disease, aged 83.
Current events of February 28, 2002 (2002-02-28) (Thursday) :
Gulbarg Society massacre : During the 2002 Gujarat riots, a mob attacked the Gulbarg Society, a lower middle-class Muslim neighbourhood in Chamanpura, Ahmedabad. Most of the houses were burnt, and at least 35 victims including a former Congress, Member of Parliament, Ehsan Jafri, were burnt alive, while 31 others went missing after the incident, later presumed dead, bringing the total of the dead to 69.[3][4][5]
Current events of March 1, 2002 (2002-03-01) (Friday) :
Space Shuttle mission STS-109 is launched at 6:22 a.m.The Bush Administration acknowledges the implementation of the Continuity of Operations Plan for the first time.
Current events of March 2, 2002 (2002-03-02) (Saturday) :
2001 U.S. Attack on Afghanistan: Army Chief Warrant Officer Stanley L. Harriman, of the Third Special Forces Group, is killed in an ambush along the road from Gardēz to the Shahi Kot Valley.
Current events of March 3, 2002 (2002-03-03) (Sunday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A Palestinian sniper firing from a hill near Ofra kills seven Israel Defense Forces soldiers and three Israeli settlers, and wounds another six. He is later captured and imprisoned for life.
Current events of March 4, 2002 (2002-03-04) (Monday) :
2001 U.S. Attack on Afghanistan: Seven American Special Operations Forces soldiers are killed as they attempt to infiltrate the Shahi Kot Valley on a low-flying helicopter reconnaissance mission.  Around 3 a.m. local time a Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, causing a soldier to fall out and damaging a hydraulic line. The helicopter made an emergency landing a half-mile away. A second helicopter on the mission picked up the first helicopter's crew and flew to where the crew member had fallen. The soldiers soon came under heavy fire, and six were killed. The remaining soldiers returned fire and retrieved the bodies before returning to base.Bubble fusion: Scientific papers for and against the observation of apparent nuclear fusion in imploding bubbles become available online.  If this can be repeated, this is an important scientific breakthrough. Other physicists fear that this may be a repeat of the cold fusion fiasco.
Current events of March 11, 2002 (2002-03-11) (Monday) :
Robert Mugabe wins the Zimbabwe elections with 54% of the vote to Morgan Tsvangirai's 40% on a turnout of 55.9%. His victory is controversial and comes amid claims that many have been prevented from voting and there has been a campaign of intimidation. But election observers from South Africa and the Organisation of African Unity state that the outcome is legitimate.In Australia, the first edition of the Melbourne edition of Seven News is produced at the station's new Docklands studios.
Current events of March 12, 2002 (2002-03-12) (Tuesday) :
Israel ground troops invade the West Bank and Gaza Strip in her largest offensive since the 1982 invasion of Lebanon.  Dozens of tanks occupy Ramallah.  Thirty-seven total dead so far, Israeli and Palestinian.Coheed and Cambria release their first album, The Second Stage Turbine Blade, on Equal Vision Records.Twentieth Century Fox's American television drama series The Shield premieres.
Current events of March 19, 2002 (2002-03-19) (Tuesday) :
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions calls a three-day general strike protesting police interference with union meetings, harassment of trade unionists, and general lawlessness following the general elections, which has led to slow-downs in business.In South Korea, 5,600 power plant workers are on the 25th day of their strike, protesting the neoliberal government plans to privatize the state-run electricity plants.  A vote among the remaining power plant workers to strike is cancelled due to company interference.
Current events of March 20, 2002 (2002-03-20) (Wednesday) :
The U.S. Senate passes the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill 60–40.
Current events of March 23, 2002 (2002-03-23) (Saturday) :
Two million to three million trade union members rally in Rome in protest both of labor legislation filed by Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi and of the assassination of Marco Biagi, an advisor to the Labor Minister, by the re-formed Red Brigades.[1]  Labor leaders threaten a general strike if the legislation is passed.[2]
Current events of March 24, 2002 (2002-03-24) (Sunday) :
74th Academy Awards ceremony takes place.
Current events of March 27, 2002 (2002-03-27) (Wednesday) :
Recent celebrity deaths: Milton Berle, Dudley Moore, and Billy Wilder die.President Bush signs the campaign finance reform bill.Israeli–Palestinian conflict: At the start of Passover, a suicide bomber kills 30 and injures about 140 in a hotel in Netanya. The event triggers Operation Defensive Shield.
Current events of March 28, 2002 (2002-03-28) (Thursday) :
Arab–Israeli conflict: Delegates to the summit of the Arab League endorse the "land for peace" plan proposed by Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.Pope John Paul II accepts the resignation of Archbishop Juliusz Paetz, who had been accused of sexual abuse.
Current events of March 29, 2002 (2002-03-29) (Friday) :
Filipino actor Rico Yan died while vacationing on Dos Palmas Resort in Puerto Princesa City,Palawan, Philippines at the age of 27 due to acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis.
Current events of March 30, 2002 (2002-03-30) (Saturday) :
Recent celebrity deaths: Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother dies at Royal Lodge, Windsor.Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A suicide bomber explodes in My Coffee Shop, a Tel Aviv café at around 9:30 p.m. local time, wounding 32 people.
Current events of March 31, 2002 (2002-03-31) (Sunday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israeli troops exchange gunfire with guards of Yasir Arafat in Ramallah. A suicide bomber identified as Shadi Tubasi, a resident of the refugee camp Jenin, kills 14 and wounds more than 40 in Haifa. Later, a suicide bomber wounds four members of an intensive-care unit, one critically, in a paramedics' dispatch station in Efrat. In the past 18 months, according to the Associated Press, 1262 people have been killed on the Palestinian side and on 401 on the Israeli side.
Current events of April 4, 2002 (2002-04-04) (Thursday) :
The Angolan Civil War ends after 26 years of fighting since Angolan independence in 1975.
Current events of April 5, 2002 (2002-04-05) (Friday) :
Layne Staley lead singer and co-lyricist of the rock group  Alice In Chains found dead in home.
Current events of April 6, 2002 (2002-04-06) (Saturday) :
As the Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies, the United States repeats its demands to Israel that it should pull back its troops.
Current events of April 7, 2002 (2002-04-07) (Sunday) :
There are reports that the Poincaré conjecture may have been solved by Martin Dunwoody.More than half a million people march on the streets of Caracas protesting against the Venezuelan government.
Current events of April 11, 2002 (2002-04-11) (Thursday) :
Ten nations deposit their ratifications for the International Criminal Court at a United Nations ceremony, bringing the total to 66, well above the 60 needed to bring the Statute into force. The ICC will therefore come into force on 1 July 2002.More than half a million people march on the streets of Caracas protesting against the Venezuelan government.An empty American Airlines jet parked outside a hangar at Los Angeles International Airport trolls through a fence before coming to a stop on a service road.A truck full of explosives was detonated close to the El Ghriba synagogue in Djerba, Tunisia killing 21 people, of whom 14 were German tourists, 2 French nationals and 5 Tunisians. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the Ghriba synagogue bombing.
Current events of April 12, 2002 (2002-04-12) (Friday) :
Coup d'état in Venezuela. President Hugo Chávez is brought to military barracks. Military announces transitional government consisting of mix of civilians and military headed by  leader of the  Chamber of Commerce (Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce), Pedro Carmona, who immediately repeals constitution, dissolves supreme court and parliament.
Current events of April 14, 2002 (2002-04-14) (Sunday) :
Hugo Chávez returns to power in Venezuela.
Current events of April 18, 2002 (2002-04-18) (Thursday) :
A small aircraft crashes on the Pirelli building in Milan, Italy, killing two women.
Current events of April 21, 2002 (2002-04-21) (Sunday) :
Extreme-right candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen qualifies for second round of French Presidential Elections. Right-wing incumbent Jacques Chirac places first. Socialist prime minister Lionel Jospin places third and announces his retirement from politics. Thousands take to the street all over France to protest against Le Pen.
Chirac (19.88%), Le Pen (16.86%), Jospin (16.18%), Bayrou (6.5%), Laguiller (5.72%), Mamere (5.25%), Chevenement (5.32%), Besancenot (4.5%), Saint-Josse (4.0%), Hue(3.6%). Turnout 75%.
Current events of April 23, 2002 (2002-04-23) (Tuesday) :
Pope John Paul II meets with American cardinals at the Vatican through April 24 regarding sexual abuse of children by priests and religious workers.
Current events of April 25, 2002 (2002-04-25) (Thursday) :
Singer/rapper Lisa Lopes, better known as "Left Eye" of the group TLC, dies in a car accident in Honduras.
Current events of April 26, 2002 (2002-04-26) (Friday) :
In Erfurt, Germany, a nineteen-year-old runs amok at his high school, killing 13 teachers, two other pupils, a police officer and himself. The event sparks a discussion about stricter weapons laws in Germany, and about banning violent computer games and movies.
Current events of April 28, 2002 (2002-04-28) (Sunday) :
Recent celebrity deaths:  Alexander Lebed – Russian General who ran for the presidency against Boris Yeltsin; Ruth Handler – inventor of the Barbie Doll
Current events of January 1, 2002 (2002-01-01) (Tuesday) :
Euro banknotes and coins become legal tender in 12 member states of the European Union.
Current events of January 3, 2002 (2002-01-03) (Thursday) :
Beer brewer Freddy Heineken (grandson of the brewery's founder) died in his home at the age of 78.
Current events of January 4, 2002 (2002-01-04) (Friday) :
U.S. officials announce they have custody of Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi.The Israeli Army seizes the Karine A on the Red Sea, claiming the arms on the ship were bound for the Palestinian Authority.Tom Daschle accuses President Bush and the Republicans of having caused the "most dramatic fiscal deterioration in our nation's history."The United States Department of Labor announces that the United States unemployment rate rose to 5.8% in December.U2, India.Arie, and Alicia Keys lead the nominations for the 44th Grammy Awards from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.The movies Impostor, Eisenstein, Black Hawk Down, and Gosford Park are released in the U.S.
Current events of January 5, 2002 (2002-01-05) (Saturday) :
Milan Bandić, mayor of Zagreb tries to bribe a police officer after causing a car accident while driving under the influence of alcohol. This will lead to his resignation and a three-year-long hiatus in his mayor termCharles J. Bishop, an American pilot, steals a Cessna 172 and crashes into Bank of America Tower in Tampa, Florida. This event will be remembered as the 2002 Tampa plane crash.
Current events of January 8, 2002 (2002-01-08) (Tuesday) :
Fast-food restaurant chain Wendy's founder Dave Thomas dies at 69.Ozzie Smith is elected to the Baseball Hall of FameMichael Jordan's wife files for divorce.
Current events of January 20, 2002 (2002-01-20) (Sunday) :
Speed skating: world championships sprint, Hamar, Norway. Katriona Lemay-Doan of Canada wins in the women's event (2. Andrea Nuyt, Neth., 3. Anzhela Kotyuaga, Bel.), Jeremy Wotherspoon, also of Canada becomes the champion in the men's competition (2. Casey Fitzrandolph, US, 3. Michael Ireland, Can.).
Current events of January 23, 2002 (2002-01-23) (Wednesday) :
Kenneth Lay, CEO of the bankrupt Enron Corporation, resigns.
Current events of January 24, 2002 (2002-01-24) (Thursday) :
Enron hearings begin.Terrorist suspect John Walker Lindh's hearing begins.
Current events of January 29, 2002 (2002-01-29) (Tuesday) :
George W. Bush delivered his State of the Union Address to Congress.
Current events of May 2, 2002 (2002-05-02) (Thursday) :
Squatters celebrated the reappropriation of Can Masdeu after a 3-day standoff with the Spanish national police resulting in the one of few successful attempts to resist a squat eviction in recent history.
Current events of May 5, 2002 (2002-05-05) (Sunday) :
Jacques Chirac wins the French presidential elections with 82.21% of the vote to 17.79% for Jean-Marie Le Pen, the turnout was 79.71%. Chirac appoints Jean-Pierre Raffarin as his prime minister, replacing Lionel Jospin.World Wrestling Federation is renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment due to trademark issues with World Wildlife FundInternazionale awkwardly hands over the Serie A Scudetto to their bitter rivals Juventus after losing away to SS Lazio, 4–2.
Current events of May 6, 2002 (2002-05-06) (Monday) :
Recent celebrity deaths: In the Netherlands, controversial right wing politician Pim Fortuyn is shot dead when leaving a radio studio, nine days before the general election for the lower house of parliament.As a result of an ongoing lawsuit from the World Wildlife Fund over the use of the initials 'WWF,' the company formerly known as the World Wrestling Federation is forced to change its name to World Wrestling Entertainment.
Current events of May 7, 2002 (2002-05-07) (Tuesday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A Palestinian suicide bomber kills 15 and wounds 58 in a billiards and gambling club in Rishon LeZion at approximately 11 p.m. local time, while Ariel Sharon is meeting with President Bush in Washington D.C.Compaq Computer Company is finally merged into Hewlett-Packard Corporation.
Current events of May 8, 2002 (2002-05-08) (Wednesday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A Palestinian suicide bomber badly injures himself near Megiddo, southeast of Haifa, when the explosives he was carrying go off prematurely.
Current events of May 9, 2002 (2002-05-09) (Thursday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Muhammad al-Madani, governor of Bethlehem, leaves the Church of the NativityIsrael calls up additional reserve forces and moves tanks into position for an expected incursion into the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the most recent suicide bombing.
Current events of May 10, 2002 (2002-05-10) (Friday) :
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) an American professional wrestling promotion is founded by Jeff Jarrett and his father Jerry Jarrett.
Current events of May 15, 2002 (2002-05-15) (Wednesday) :
Politics of the Netherlands: General elections for the lower house of parliament were held. The Lijst Pim Fortuyn (LPF) was the great winner, the party gained 26 of the 150 seats, a historic achievement for a new party. The CDA (Christen Democratisch Appèl) led by Jan Peter Balkenende became the greatest party (43 seats). The great losers were the coalition parties of the ruling "purple coalition" (PvdA, labour party; VVD, liberals; D'66, leftist liberals). These parties were diminished to half of their former size. Ad Melkert (PvdA) resigns as political leader of his party.
Current events of May 16, 2002 (2002-05-16) (Thursday) :
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones released in theaters.
Current events of May 19, 2002 (2002-05-19) (Sunday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A suicide bomber disguised as an Israeli soldier kills at least two Israelis and wounds more than 50 in Netanya.
Current events of May 20, 2002 (2002-05-20) (Monday) :
East Timor becomes an independent state.Recent celebrity deaths: Stephen Jay Gould dies.
Current events of May 21, 2002 (2002-05-21) (Tuesday) :
Recent celebrity deaths: The French artist Niki de Saint Phalle dies in San Diego, California, aged 71.
Current events of May 22, 2002 (2002-05-22) (Wednesday) :
Recent (discovery of) celebrity deaths: Police find the remains of missing intern Chandra Levy in a park in Washington, DC.
Current events of May 23, 2002 (2002-05-23) (Thursday) :
Recent celebrity deaths: Golfer Sam Snead dies at 89.The Indian-Pakistani conflict intensifies in the Kashmir region. Both powers have nuclear weapons.
Current events of May 24, 2002 (2002-05-24) (Friday) :
An article in the journal Science reports that a new naturally occurring amino acid has been found in a certain type of archaic bacteria. Scientists are calling this new amino acid Pyrrolysine.
Current events of May 25, 2002 (2002-05-25) (Saturday) :
China Airlines Flight 611, breaks up in mid-flight while flying from Chiang Kai Shek International Airport in Taipei, Taiwan, to Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong, China. All 225 passengers and crew on board perished in the breakup and crash.
Current events of May 26, 2002 (2002-05-26) (Sunday) :
Space exploration: The BBC reports that the NASA space probe Mars Odyssey has found signs of huge ice deposits on the planet Mars.
Current events of May 28, 2002 (2002-05-28) (Tuesday) :
September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack: The last steel beam standing at the World Trade Center site is cut down and placed on a flatbed truck (to be carried away Thursday) in a quiet ceremony honoring the construction workers.
Current events of May 30, 2002 (2002-05-30) (Thursday) :
Miller Brewing is acquired from Philip Morris by South African Brewing for $3.6 billion in stock.September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack: A wordless ceremony at the World Trade Center site marks the end of the recovery effort. In the ceremony, which started at 10:29 a.m. with the tolling of a firemen's bell, a stretcher with an American flag, symbolizing the victims whose remains were not recovered or yet identified was carried up the 500-foot ramp to an FDNY ambulance, which slowly left the site, as did the flatbed truck carrying the last steel beam to be removed. The ceremony included the playing of America the Beautiful by the NYPD pipe-and-drum corps, a flyover by five NYPD helicopters, and the playing of taps by a NYPD and FDNY bugler. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of rescue and recovery workers, family members of victimes, and New York politicians.
Current events of May 31, 2002 (2002-05-31) (Friday) :
The United States Department of State issues a travel warning advising all Americans except for essential diplomatic personnel (about 60,000 people) to leave India because "conditions along India's border with Pakistan and in the state of Jammu and Kashmir have deteriorated."The European Union ratifies the Kyoto Protocol treaty, and Japan stated they would shortly.Football World Cup 2002: Senegal defeats defending champion France 1–0.
Current events of August 4, 2002 (2002-08-04) (Sunday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A Palestinian suicide bombing claims nine lives, near Safed; there is a shooting attack in Jerusalem, claiming 2; there is an attack upon a settler family, killing the parents. Not all of the victims of these attacks were Israeli Jews; some were Israeli Arabs and Druze.The water parasite Cryptosporidium was discovered in drinking water as a result of the 2002 Glasgow floods.The closing ceremony of the XVII Commonwealth Games which had started on July 25.
Current events of August 5, 2002 (2002-08-05) (Monday) :
Recent celebrity deaths: Chick Hearn, pro-basketball announcer dies at the age of 85.Stock market downturn of 2002: U.S. indices continue heavy losses from the previous week and fall by over three percent on the day, NASDAQ falling below its July 23 low.British cases of Legionnaires' disease continue to rise, to a total of 56 diagnosed cases so far, in that country's largest outbreak for many years.Microsoft has announced that it is to make some concessions towards the proposed final settlement of the United States v. Microsoft case, ahead of the judge's verdict.The gun turret of the USS Monitor was raised from the sea bottom off the coast of North Carolina, where it had lain since sinking in 1869.
Current events of August 7, 2002 (2002-08-07) (Wednesday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israeli forces kill six Palestinians: Israeli undercover soldiers kill four Palestinian militants wound three in a gun-fight in Tulkarm. An Israeli sniper kills Hussam Hamdan, a member of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israeli troops and 30 tanks push into northern Gaza, killing a Palestinian policeman. These come in response to the attacks of August 4 listed above.Three members of Manchester rock band Oasis have been injured in a head-on car crash in Indianapolis while on tour in the U.S. None were seriously injured.Mathematics: A group at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur have presented an algorithm that they claim determines whether a number is prime in polynomial time relative to the length of the input number in bits. This is an important result in computational complexity theory.Stock market downturn of 2002: The stock market remains volatile.Explosions went off near the parliament building as Colombia's President Álvaro Uribe was being sworn in, killing at least 10 people.Recent celebrity deaths: Edsger Dijkstra, one of the giants of the field of computer science, has died.
Current events of August 8, 2002 (2002-08-08) (Thursday) :
Accountancy scandals: WorldCom announced it had discovered $3.3 billion in false accounting in addition to the $3.8 billion discovered earlier.The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) votes to require television manufacturers to include digital tuners in nearly all televisions by 2007.
Current events of August 9, 2002 (2002-08-09) (Friday) :
Extreme weather: Dozens are killed by floods caused by torrential rains in Europe, including the Malše and Blanice rivers of the Czech Republic, the Black Sea resort village of Shirokaya Balka near Novorossiisk in Russia, and Romania. The downpours have also caused extensive damage in Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, and Spain.A massive explosion in Jalalabad at the maintenance facility of the Afghan Construction and Logistics Unit, a private construction company, kills at least 10 and injures 25, damaging 50 homes and a hydroelectric dam.
Current events of August 10, 2002 (2002-08-10) (Saturday) :
Charlton Heston, movie actor and president of the National Rifle Association, announces that he has Alzheimer's disease.
Current events of August 11, 2002 (2002-08-11) (Sunday) :
UNEP (UN Environment Programme) reports on the Asian brown cloud.
Current events of August 12, 2002 (2002-08-12) (Monday) :
Recent celebrity deaths: Enos Slaughter, Baseball Hall of Famer, dies at 86 from the disease non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.Extreme weather: The death toll in Europe caused by flooding has risen to at least 74, with 58 deaths in Russia, 3 in Germany, 3 in Austria, and one in the Czech Republic. Prime Minister Vladimír Špidla declared a state of emergency in Prague, Bohemia, Plzeň and Karlovy Vary. All shipping on the Danube has been halted. Premier Silvio Berlusconi approved $50 million in emergency aid in response to the $300 million in damage of northern Italy's crops.US Airways declares bankruptcy, caused by the air travel slowdown following the September 11, 2001, Terrorist Attack.Colombian president Álvaro Uribe declares state of emergency.
Current events of August 13, 2002 (2002-08-13) (Tuesday) :
Extreme weather: On the seventh day of heavy rains, the peak of 100-year flood of the Vltava River reaches Prague, and the Kampa district is submerged under several yards of water, as well as the Prague Zoo, killing an elephant, five rhinoceros, a lion, a gorilla and 80 birds, and allowing five seals to escape. The Kampa Museum is flooded. 15,000 people were evacuated from Mělník, and 1,600 people were evacuated from Děčín. The death toll in Europe is at 88, 9 in the Czech Republic.
Current events of August 14, 2002 (2002-08-14) (Wednesday) :
Vladimir Putin announces that Belarus will be fully integrated into Russia, with each of Belarus's six provinces to become a separate republic within the Russian Federation.Recent celebrity deaths: Larry Rivers, American painter, dies at 78.Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Marwan Barghouti, captured April 15, is indicted in a civilian Israeli court.The United States Food and Drug Administration orders a recall of all soft tissues processed since October 3 by CryoLife, the largest supplier of implant tissue in the United States, after 27 cases of serious infection, including one death in November.Extreme weather: The peak of a 100-year flood of the Vltava River surges through the Czech Republic into the Elbe in Germany. In Plzeň the city center is flooded, and breweries shut down. In České Budějovice, most of the old town is under more than a foot of water, and the Czech Budweiser breweries are shut down. More than 200,000 Czechs are forced to leave their homes. Damages are estimated at over $600 million. In Dresden, the Zwinger Palace courtyard and basement are flooded, damaging paintings. The Semper Opera basement is flooded, closing it for weeks. More than 3,000 hospital patients are evacuated. Europe-wide death toll is now 99.
Current events of August 17, 2002 (2002-08-17) (Saturday) :
Extreme weather: The Elbe crests at Dresden at the record height of 30.84 feet (9.40 m). 30,000 Germans are evacuated along the river's path.
Current events of August 18, 2002 (2002-08-18) (Sunday) :
Extreme weather: One of the sea lions who escaped from the Prague Zoo on the 13th is safely recaptured near Wittenberg.
Current events of August 19, 2002 (2002-08-19) (Monday) :
Martin Strel is approaching Memphis, Tennessee, in his effort for peace to swim the length of the Mississippi River.Recent celebrity deaths: Al Ayyam reports that international terrorist Abu Nidal was found dead of apparent suicide.Extreme weather: The flooding death toll in Europe reaches 109. The Danube peaks at Budapest at a record 28.3 feet (8.6 m), mostly contained by the walls along the river. Dessau is flooded. Overall damage in the Czech Republic is expected to cost $2.8 billion.
Current events of August 20, 2002 (2002-08-20) (Tuesday) :
Iraqi club Al-Shorta win the Umm Al Ma’arak (mother of all battles) Cup for the third time in a row by defeating Al-Talaba 1-0 in the final.
Current events of August 21, 2002 (2002-08-21) (Wednesday) :
Extreme weather: In India, a 125-year-old dam bursts under torrential rains, killing 10.
Current events of August 22, 2002 (2002-08-22) (Thursday) :
Extreme weather: In China, the Dongting Lake floods Yueyang, forcing the evacuation of 600,000 people; the crest of the flooding from the Yangtze River is expected Sunday. Floods and landslides have killed nearly 1000 people in China, 200 in the Hunan province. There have been 376 deaths in India, 494 in Nepal, and 158 deaths in Bangladesh this monsoon season.Government of Canada: Jean Chrétien, the Prime Minister of Canada, announces he will step down in February 2004.
Current events of August 23, 2002 (2002-08-23) (Friday) :
Recent celebrity deaths: Baseball Hall of Fame player Hoyt Wilhelm dies.
Current events of August 25, 2002 (2002-08-25) (Sunday) :
The first series of the British reality show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! started on ITV1Apple releases Mac OS X version 10.2.
Current events of August 26, 2002 (2002-08-26) (Monday) :
Éric Gagné, former three-time All-Star Major League Baseball closer and 2003 NL Cy Young Award winner, begins his MLB-record streak of 84 consecutive games saved.
Current events of August 31, 2002 (2002-08-31) (Saturday) :
Recent celebrity deaths: Lionel Hampton, jazz  vibraphone master, dies.Israeli-Palestinian conflict:  A think tank affiliated with the Arab League ended its meeting in Cairo by calling Jews "enemies of all nations", by claiming that Arabs, as Semites, cannot be anti-Semitic, and by claiming that the events of September 11, 2001 were concocted by the United States government.  See http://www.zccf.org.ae/LECTURES/E2_lectures/e255.htm.
Current events of June 5, 2002 (2002-06-05) (Wednesday) :
Sweden passes a law that allows homosexual couples to apply for both the national and the international adoption of children.In a watershed moment for soccer in the United States, the United States men's national soccer team upsets pre-tournament favorites Portugal 3–2, in their opening match of the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Current events of June 6, 2002 (2002-06-06) (Thursday) :
Singer and Grammy Award winner Robert Kelly (aka R. Kelly) was arrested and charged with having sex with an underaged girl. He was sentenced 2 years.A 32-foot meteor explodes in the airspace west of Kashmir, raising fears that misidentifited meteor explosions could spark a nuclear war.[1]Robbin Crosby of Ratt dies from a heroin overdose.
Current events of June 8, 2002 (2002-06-08) (Saturday) :
Lennox Lewis knocks out Mike Tyson in an IBF and WBC championship boxing match in Memphis.Croatia beats Italy 2–1 at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.The Hayman Fire begins, the largest of the Colorado wildfires.
Current events of June 10, 2002 (2002-06-10) (Monday) :
Terrorism: The U.S. government announced that it had prevented an al-Qaida attempt to construct and detonate a radiological weapon (sometimes called a "dirty bomb") in the United States.Kashmir crisis: Pakistan and India appear to have stepped down their rhetoric over the Kashmir crisis, reducing the threat of nuclear war in the subcontinent slightly.Recent celebrity deaths: Former mob boss John "Teflon Don" Gotti dies of cancer.Technology - The first direct electronic communication experiment between the nervous systems of two humans is carried out by Kevin Warwick in the United Kingdom.
Current events of June 11, 2002 (2002-06-11) (Tuesday) :
Mohammed Zahir Shah opened a loya jirga in Afghanistan.Technology – Microsoft's .Net service is being examined by the European Union for possible breaking of data privacy laws.Nanotech – IBM creates punched cards with a diameter of just 10 nanometers.Hit reality show, American Idol premiered its first episode on Fox Network.
Current events of June 14, 2002 (2002-06-14) (Friday) :
A new terrorist organisation, Al Qanoon, claimed responsibility for an earlier suicide bomb attack aimed at the US consulate in Karachi in Pakistan. 11 people were killed in the bomb attack, and approximately 45 injured. The US has subsequently closed all diplomatic missions in Pakistan.Astrophysics – An asteroid (2002 MN), the size of a soccer field, barely misses hitting the Earth. It was the second closest asteroid approach to Earth in recorded history. The asteroid was first observed three days after its close approach, on June 17, 2002.[2]
Current events of June 16, 2002 (2002-06-16) (Sunday) :
Pope John Paul II declared Pio of Pietrelcina a saint
Current events of June 18, 2002 (2002-06-18) (Tuesday) :
BT Cellnet is rebranded as O2 at 6 PM.Soap actress Nancy Addison died of cancer.
Current events of June 20, 2002 (2002-06-20) (Thursday) :
Law – The United States Supreme Court is asked about requiring Internet filters.Law – Go Daddy Software pursues VeriSign for damages.Technology – Toshiba clones Apple Computer's iPod.
Current events of June 22, 2002 (2002-06-22) (Saturday) :
Medicine – Europe is declared polio-free by the World Health Organization.Recent celebrity deaths: Columnist Ann Landers dies of myeloma at age 83.Natural disaster – a major earthquake hit Iran, with its epicentre at Bou'in-Zahra, measuring at least 6.0 on the Richter scale.
Current events of June 26, 2002 (2002-06-26) (Wednesday) :
Law – A federal court in San Francisco, California, ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional, because of its "under God" clause.Accountancy scandals – There are reports of alleged fraud at WorldCom, one of the world's largest telcos and internet service providers.
Current events of June 27, 2002 (2002-06-27) (Thursday) :
Accountancy scandals – The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has begun fraud action against WorldCom.Finance – The euro approaches parity with the United States dollar.Music – The Who's bassist John Entwistle dies of a heart attack at age 57.
Current events of June 30, 2002 (2002-06-30) (Sunday) :
The Final of the 2002 FIFA World Cup took place in Yokohama, Japan. Brazil defeated Germany and claimed the title for a record fifth time.
Current events of July 1, 2002 (2002-07-01) (Monday) :
A Russian Tupolev Tu-154 airliner and a Boeing 757 operated by DHL collide at 35,000 ft over Überlingen, due to failure of correct communication from ground-to-air. The 69 people aboard the Tupolev (mainly Russian schoolchildren) and the two pilots of the Boeing are all killed.
Current events of July 2, 2002 (2002-07-02) (Tuesday) :
Nicotine water is ruled illegal by the Food and Drug Administration.Entertainment – Yahoo! Internet Life magazine folds.Medicine – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States will be headed by an infectious disease expert.Technology – A US federal judge decided that Microsoft is not required to reveal its lobbying contacts.
Current events of July 3, 2002 (2002-07-03) (Wednesday) :
Columbia Pictures publicly distributed Men in Black II into movie theaters.
Current events of July 5, 2002 (2002-07-05) (Friday) :
Recent celebrity deaths: Ted Williams, baseball player, aged 83.
Current events of July 8, 2002 (2002-07-08) (Monday) :
Organization of African Unity disbanded, African Union created.
Current events of July 9, 2002 (2002-07-09) (Tuesday) :
George W. Bush gives a stern speech addressing American accounting scandals.Recent celebrity deaths: Rod Steiger, American actor, aged 77.Women's Health Initiative published.
Current events of July 10, 2002 (2002-07-10) (Wednesday) :
Michel Brunet, a paleontologist at the University of Poitiers, France, announced in the journal Nature that a 7-million-year-old skull found in the desert of Chad is the earliest hominid fossil ever found. But he was immediately met by a firestorm of criticism from other scientists who claim that it is merely the skull of an ape, possibly a proto-gorilla.The Free Software Initiative of Japan was founded.
Current events of July 11, 2002 (2002-07-11) (Thursday) :
A group of Moroccan soldiers set up base on the Perejil Island.
Current events of July 14, 2002 (2002-07-14) (Sunday) :
French president Jacques Chirac misses a would-be assassin's bullet during Bastille Day celebrations.
Current events of July 15, 2002 (2002-07-15) (Monday) :
John Walker Lindh, the so-called "American Taliban", pled guilty to two charges, and prosecutors dropped the rest. He will be sentenced in October.
Current events of July 18, 2002 (2002-07-18) (Thursday) :
Patents: Forgent Networks asserts that it owns and will enforce patent rights on the widely used JPEG image compression standard which is used widely on the World Wide Web.  The announcement creates a furore remisicent of Unisys' attempts to assert its rights over the GIF image compression standard.Muslim missile engineer Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam is elected president of India, to be sworn into office July 25.This morning, Spain launches Operation Romeo-Sierra, a military attempt to take over the Perejil Island. The operation is successful.
Current events of July 22, 2002 (2002-07-22) (Monday) :
A few hours after the spiritual leader of Hamas, Ahmed Yassin, offered to halt all suicide attacks in exchange for full Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza Strip, an Israeli F-16 jet dropped a bomb into a densely populated residential area of Gaza City. Fifteen people were killed, including Salah Shehade (the leader of Hamas's military wing, the Izz ad-Din el-Qasam Brigades), and more than 100 others were wounded.  Nine of the dead were children, including Mohammed al-Huwaiti (aged 4), his brother Subhi (aged 3), Ayman Mattar (aged 1) and Dunya Rami Mattar (aged three months). The United Nations swiftly condemned the action as a flagrant violation of international law. Ariel Sharon, Israel's Prime Minister, said it was "one of our biggest successes", though the Prime Minister's office later added, "it is well known he regrets the killing of civilians."[1]An earthquake (magnitude 4.7) hits parts of Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.Accounting scandals: WorldCom filed for bankruptcy protection, in the largest corporate insolvency ever.Harry Potter. The director for the third Harry Potter film has been announced as Mexican-born Alfonso Cuarón. Cuarón will start directing "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" next year.Politics of the Netherlands. A new cabinet is sworn in, with Jan Peter Balkenende replacing Wim Kok as Prime Minister.  He heads a coalition of three parties: Christen Democratisch Appèl, Lijst Pim Fortuyn and Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie.  One of the state secretaries of the new cabinet resigned a few hours later.Steve Fossett circles the Globe in a balloon.
Current events of July 23, 2002 (2002-07-23) (Tuesday) :
Recent celebrity deaths: Chaim Potok, novelist dies of cancer at age 73.
Current events of July 24, 2002 (2002-07-24) (Wednesday) :
First near-Earth object to be given a positive rating on the Palermo Technical Impact Hazard Scale for potential Earth collision is (89959) 2002 NT7 with a potential impact on February 1, 2019.U.S. Congressman James Traficant was expelled from the House of Representatives on a vote of 420 to 1. Traficant had been convicted of ten federal counts of corruption.The major Millennium Challenge 2002 war game run by the United States armed forces begins.
Current events of July 25, 2002 (2002-07-25) (Thursday) :
A proposal by the United States to delay adoption of a new United Nations anti-torture pact was defeated 15–29, after which the pact was adopted by the Economic and Social Council. The United States cited concerns that, if adopted by the General Assembly, American state prisons and other facilities may become subject to inspection.Open source: Streaming media company RealNetworks has announced that it will support the free software Ogg Vorbis audio compression technology as part of its new open-source initiative. This will provide a mass market for the Vorbis technology, allowing it access to network effects which may make it a serious competitor to Microsoft's closed technologies.The opening day of the XVII Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
Current events of July 27, 2002 (2002-07-27) (Saturday) :
Ukraine airshow disaster: A Sukhoi Su-27 fighter plane crashes into a crowd at an airshow in Lviv in Ukraine, killing at least 78 people and injuring many more.A series of bomb blasts have rocked the Christian districts of the city of Ambon in Indonesia in what appears to be a continuation of violence between Christian and Muslim inhabitants. Over the past five years more than 5000 people have been killed in this conflict.Nine American miners have been rescued from a mine in Pennsylvania, after frantic drilling by rescuers.The Homeland Security Bill passes the United States House of Representatives, in a form that appears to kill Operation TIPS.
Current events of July 28, 2002 (2002-07-28) (Sunday) :
Cyclist Lance Armstrong wins his fourth consecutive Tour de France.
Current events of July 29, 2002 (2002-07-29) (Monday) :
England beats India in the first cricket Test match of the series.
Current events of July 30, 2002 (2002-07-30) (Tuesday) :
Pope John Paul II canonizes Pedro de San José Betancurt.Greek electronic game ban: The bill 3037/2002, a controversial attempt to fight illegal gambling, is declared a law in Greece.2002 Glasgow floods
Current events of July 31, 2002 (2002-07-31) (Wednesday) :
The Foreign Relations Committee of the United States Senate begins hearings on the proposed invasion of IraqThe stock market continues its recovery from the Stock market downturn of 2002In Mexico Pope John Paul II canonizes St. Juan Diego, a Mexican Indian who had a vision of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Current events of September 1, 2002 (2002-09-01) (Sunday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict:  The Arab League disavowed the final statement made by the Zayed Center for Coordination and Follow-Up, claiming that they adhere to a policy of supporting Israel's right to exist within pre-1967 borders, and restating that the conflict in the Middle East is between Palestinians and Israelis, not all Jews.
Current events of September 3, 2002 (2002-09-03) (Tuesday) :
Stock market downturn of 2002: The Nikkei stock average falls 3.2% to 9,217.04, an 18-year low.2002 US Open: Lindsay Davenport defeated Yelena Bovina to advance to the semi-finals against the winner of Serena Williams vs. Daniela Hantuchová; Monica Seles defeated Martina Hingis to advance to the quarter-finals against Venus Williams.
Current events of September 4, 2002 (2002-09-04) (Wednesday) :
Argentina defeated the United States, 87–80, at the World Basketball Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana.  It was the first loss ever in international play for a United States team containing National Basketball Association players.The Oakland Athletics baseball team won their 20th consecutive game, an American League record.Laura Diaz joined rival KCBS-TV after leaving KABC-TV, where she worked for 18 years.Glenn Tilton joined United Airlines as President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Current events of September 5, 2002 (2002-09-05) (Thursday) :
An assassination attempt was made on President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan in Kandahar.  A gunman wearing the uniform of the new Afghan Army opened fire, wounding the Governor of Kandahar and an American Special Operations officer.  The gunman and one of the President's bodyguards were killed.
Current events of September 6, 2002 (2002-09-06) (Friday) :
September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack/Memorials and Services: The US Congress convenes for a one-day joint session in Federal Hall in New York City, the original capital of the United States.
Current events of September 7, 2002 (2002-09-07) (Saturday) :
2002 US Open: Serena Williams defeats Venus Williams.
Current events of September 8, 2002 (2002-09-08) (Sunday) :
2002 US Open: Pete Sampras defeats Andre Agassi in four sets to win his record 14th major.Iraqi club Al-Shorta win the 2002 Al-Quds International Championship by defeating Al Najaf 1-0 in the final.
Current events of September 9, 2002 (2002-09-09) (Monday) :
Martin Strel is swimming to his final destination of the Gulf of Mexico.
Current events of September 10, 2002 (2002-09-10) (Tuesday) :
Switzerland becomes a full member of the United Nations.Large deposits of methane hydrate are found off the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Current events of September 11, 2002 (2002-09-11) (Wednesday) :
The first anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks is marked by many services and memorials.Ramzi bin al-Shibh, a key al Qaeda member who supposedly helped to plan the September 11 attacks was captured in PakistanJohnny Unitas dies at the age of 69.Skeleton of a baby girl is found encased in a concrete block in a lock-up in Barepot near Workington.
Current events of September 12, 2002 (2002-09-12) (Thursday) :
U.S. plan to invade Iraq: In a speech before the U.N. General Assembly, George W. Bush asserts that Iraq has defied various U.N. resolutions and is "a threat to the authority of the United Nations and a threat to peace". He says that the US will work with the Security Council to draft the necessary resolutions for military action.
Current events of September 14, 2002 (2002-09-14) (Saturday) :
Tim Montgomery of the United States broke the world record in the 100 meter dash at the IAAF Grand Prix Final, running 9.78 seconds to beat the former record of 9.79 set by Maurice Greene of the United States in 1999.In both San Francisco and Los Angeles, California, hundreds of anti-war protesters marched and spoke out against the U.S. plan to invade Iraq.
Current events of September 16, 2002 (2002-09-16) (Monday) :
U.S. plan to invade Iraq: Colin Powell meets with the United Nations Security Council to push for stronger resolutions against Iraq. In a surprise reversal, Iraq tells the United Nations it will allow weapons inspectors "immediately and without condition."Cryptography: A worrying theoretical cryptanalytic attack on the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) has been announced in a paper by Nicolas Courtois and Josef Pieprzyk entitled "Cryptanalysis of Block Ciphers with Overdefined Systems of Equations". This appears to show a surprising potential theoretical weakness in the AES algorithm.
Current events of September 18, 2002 (2002-09-18) (Wednesday) :
After three days of negotiations in Sattahip, Thailand, the Tamil Tigers agreed to drop their demand for independence from Sri Lanka, and accepted autonomy in the north and northwest of the country.Archaeologists use a remote-controlled robot to access a hitherto sealed chamber within the Great Pyramid of Giza: the robot drilled a hole in a long-sealed door and poked a fiber-optic camera through. Unfortunately, all that was revealed was another closed door.Nazi collaborator Maurice Papon is released from jail due to health reasons.The body of abducted British schoolgirl Amanda Dowler is found in remote woodland in Yateley near Hampshire.Athlete Bob Hayes dies.
Current events of September 19, 2002 (2002-09-19) (Thursday) :
An attempted coup by disaffected former soldiers of Côte d'Ivoire was put down, with the death of the alleged coup leader, General Robert Guéï, a former military dictator of the country.  Guéï was killed when his car refused to stop at a roadblock in downtown Abidjan.  Rebels continue in control of the cities of Bouaké and Korhogo.Israeli-Palestinian conflict: After a suicide bomber kills 5 and wounds more than 60 on a bus next to Tel Aviv's Great Synagogue, Israeli troops, tanks, and bulldozers destroy buildings in Yasser Arafat's Ramallah headquarters.U.S. plan to invade Iraq: The Bush administration pressures US Congress to pass a resolution giving Bush authority to use "all means he determines to be appropriate, including force" to oust Saddam Hussein and disarm Iraq.Extreme weather, recent celebrity deaths: About one-third of the Maili glacier breaks off from the Caucasus Mountains and buries Karmadon, Russia, under up to 500 feet of ice and debris, killing 125, including the young Russian movie star Sergei Bodrov Jr.Hurricane Isabelle strikes the Northeastern part of the United States.
Current events of September 20, 2002 (2002-09-20) (Friday) :
U.S. plan to invade Iraq: White House and Pentagon officials announce that Gen. Tommy Franks presented detailed war plans to President Bush in early September.Spirited Away was released in the US.Joss Whedon's short-lived TV show Firefly makes its debut.A large tornado carves a path through Indiana, this tornado was given a rating of EF3, which is 3/5 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
Current events of September 21, 2002 (2002-09-21) (Saturday) :
Recent celebrity deaths: Science fiction author Robert L. Forward dies.
Current events of September 22, 2002 (2002-09-22) (Sunday) :
Armagh beat Kerry at Croke Park, Dublin by a scoreline of 1-12 to 0-14 to win their first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.A new Bundestag (German parliament) is chosen. In a very tight election, Gerhard Schröder defeats Edmund Stoiber to remain Chancellor. The German Green Party does very well. The coalition between the SPD and the German Green Party continue with Joschka Fischer as vice chancellor.
Politics of Germany, Bundestag, List of political parties in Germany (SPD, CDU/CSU, Greens, FDP, PDS)
People:  Guido Westerwelle (Chancellor-Candidate of the FDP)Hurricane Isidore strikes the Yucatán Peninsula as a Category Three hurricane.
Current events of September 23, 2002 (2002-09-23) (Monday) :
Belgium is the second European country (after the Netherlands) to legalise euthanasia.Stock market downturn of 2002: Global indices sink heavily today, with the Nasdaq falling 3% to a 6-year low of 1,184.94. The yield of the U.S. Treasury's 10-year bond sank to a 40-year low of 3.70%, with the 2-year bond yield falling to a record low of 1.89%. Meanwhile, concern of the U.S. plan to invade Iraq pushed oil prices to over $30 a barrel, not seen since February 2001.Spratly Islands:  The Governor of the Philippine state of Palawan has sent Philippine soldiers to take possession of the uninhabited oil-rich Spratly Islands, which are claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, the People's Republic of China, Malaysia, the Republic of China (Taiwan), and Vietnam.
Current events of September 24, 2002 (2002-09-24) (Tuesday) :
Technology: Motorola has announced a single-chip satellite navigation receiver, opening the possibility of the addition of location-specific functions to low cost ubiquitous computing devices. The chip combines RF processing, analog signal processing, digital signal processing and a CPU on a single chip.Côte d'Ivoire:  Côte d'Ivoire rebel soldiers, still attempting to overthrow the government, have invested a compound containing over 100 American citizens and other foreigners.  200 United States Marines have entered the country.
Current events of September 25, 2002 (2002-09-25) (Wednesday) :
India: The federal government has moved thousands of troops into the state of Gujarat after 32 people were killed in an attack on a Hindu temple. According to the government, the move is aimed at preventing further communal violence in the aftermath of the attack.
Current events of September 27, 2002 (2002-09-27) (Friday) :
Several thousand people marched in Denver, Colorado, to protest the U.S. plan to invade Iraq when President Bush visited the city.Sports: The best golfers in Europe and the United States begin competition for the 2002 Ryder Cup at The Belfry in England.The annual G7 meeting begins the weekend of the 2002 IMF/World Bank annual meetings in Washington, D.C.. 649 protesters from the alternative globalization movement are arrested.East Timor becomes the 191st member of the United Nations.
Current events of September 28, 2002 (2002-09-28) (Saturday) :
Hundreds of thousands of people marched in London to protest the U.S. plan to invade Iraq.  About a hundred thousand also protested in Rome, Italy.
Current events of September 30, 2002 (2002-09-30) (Monday) :
Senator Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) withdraws from his campaign for reelection following ethics scandals.NOAA and NASA researchers announce the ozone hole over Antarctica has grown markedly smaller since last year and has broken into two, due to warmer temperatures.Accounting scandals: New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has filed civil fraud lawsuits against ex-WorldCom CEO Bernie Ebbers, Qwest Communications executives Philip Anschutz and Joseph Nacchio, Metromedia Fiber Networks chairman Stephen Garofalo, and ex-McLeod USA CEO Clark McLeod.Stock market downturn of 2002: Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi fired financial regulator Hakuo Yanagisawa in favor of economy minister Heizō Takenaka.
Current events of October 3, 2002 (2002-10-03) (Thursday) :
Hurricane Lili strikes near Intercoastal City, Louisiana, as a Category One hurricane weakened from the significant Category Four storm it was just 10 hours earlier.
Current events of October 5, 2002 (2002-10-05) (Saturday) :
Bertrand Delanoë, mayor of Paris, gets stabbed in the abdomen at city hall during the Nuits Blanches event.
Current events of October 6, 2002 (2002-10-06) (Sunday) :
The Limburg, a French oil tanker, explodes off the coast of Yemen, in a terrorist attack.Israeli-Palestinian conflict: In the West Bank village of Akraba, Jewish settlers fire upon Palestinians picking olives, shooting dead 24-year-old Hani Yusuf and wounding another. Israelis soldiers shoot dead Samir Nursi, an Islamic Jihad gunman, in a gun battle in the Jenin refugee camp.
Current events of October 7, 2002 (2002-10-07) (Monday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israeli troops raid Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip, killing 13 (10 from a helicopter missile) and wounding as many as 100, after Palestinians fire a rocket at a Jewish settlement in the area. Later Palestinians kidnap and kill Rajeh Abu Lehiya, chief of the Palestinian riot police, and two others die in gunfire during a police-Hamas supporters conflict.Stock market downturn of 2002: Nasdaq falls 1.8% to 1119.40, the Dow Jones Industrial Average index falls 1.4% to 7422.84, and the S&P falls 1.91% to 785.28, levels not reached since August 1996, mid-1997, and spring of 1997 respectively.Announcement of the discovery of Quaoar, a planetoid object circling the Sun.
Current events of October 9, 2002 (2002-10-09) (Wednesday) :
Public Interest group Harvardwatch released a report on Harken's partnership with Harvard University.The European Commission of the European Union has announced that ten countries – Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia – have met its criteria for entry, opening the way for an expansion of the EU from 15 member states to 25.  The European Parliament has still to consider each candidate individually and the final decision will require the approval of the current member states.Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is making various ceremonial appearances in Canada in her role as the Queen of Canada.Lawrence Lessig argues Eldred v. Ashcroft in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.  The case challenges retroactive copyright extensions passed by Congress, and potentially affects millions of copyrighted works.
Current events of October 10, 2002 (2002-10-10) (Thursday) :
France confirms that an explosion aboard French oil tanker Limburg off the coast of Yemen was, indeed, a terrorist act.Israeli-Palestinian conflict
A suicide bomber killed a 71-year-old woman and injured several other at a bus stop near Tel Aviv, Israel.
A large crowd of Palestinian police officers and militiamen marched in a funeral procession for a policeman killed by a Hamas militiaman.  Hamas claims that, although they did not authorize the killing, it was justified under Islamic law.Hungarian Holocaust survivor Imre Kertész wins the Nobel Prize for Literature.  The Nobel Committee singled out his 1975 novel Fateless, a semiautobiographical account of a boy sent to Auschwitz who survives by detaching himself from the everyday gritty reality.In the journal Nature, anthropologist Milford Wolpoff and colleagues at the University of Michigan argued that the fossil skull discovered in Chad in July is not that of an early human, but of an ape.The International Court of Justice grants sovereignty over the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon and not Nigeria.
Current events of October 11, 2002 (2002-10-11) (Friday) :
U.S. plan to invade Iraq
The United States Senate voted to give war powers to President George W. Bush as part of the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iraq.Myyrmanni bombing
A suicide bomber explodes at the Myyrmanni Shopping Mall in Vantaa, Finland, killing seven including the bomber.Israeli-Palestinian conflict
United States embassy guards in Tel Aviv, Israel, stopped a suicide bomber from setting off a bomb in a crowded beachfront cafe.More than 10,000 supporters of Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat rallied in Gaza City to show strength against Hamas.Jimmy Carter is honored with the Nobel Peace Prize.
Current events of October 12, 2002 (2002-10-12) (Saturday) :
2002 Bali bombings: A car-bomb on the Indonesian island of Bali explodes outside a nightclub killing at least 182 people, 75% of whom are said to have been foreign holidaymakers. Another 210 people are said to have been injured. The principal suspects for this terrorist incident are a group seeking to establish an Islamic state in Indonesia, Jemaah Islamiyah, although it could equally be the work of al-Qaeda. Another bomb explodes at around the same time in the nearby town of Denpasar, Bali. It had been said to be an attack on Australian holidaymakers due to its role in the liberation of East Timor.Ethnic rioting in India results in numerous deaths. The riots are said to be a reaction to recent public comments by Jerry Falwell, American televangelist, derogatory of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.
Current events of October 13, 2002 (2002-10-13) (Sunday) :
2002 Bali bombings: U.S. President George W. Bush amongst many others has condemned the perpetrators of the Bali car bombing of October 11. The death toll has now risen to at least 187.
Current events of October 14, 2002 (2002-10-14) (Monday) :
2002 Bali bombings: Indonesia's defense minister blamed al-Qaida and its extremist allies for the massive bomb attack that killed more than 180 people at a nightclub on the resort island of Bali.United Kingdom took back the reins of government in Northern Ireland amid a crisis in the peace process provoked by a spying scandal, but vowed to try and restore home rule early next year. See also Good Friday Agreement.The Washington sniper strikes again for the twelfth time at 9:15 p.m. at a Home Depot in Falls Church, Virginia, making Linda Franklin the ninth fatality. (Washington Post)The San Francisco Giants defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, four games to one, to win the National League Championship Series and move on the World Series.  They will play the Anaheim Angels, who defeated the Minnesota Twins four games to one to win the American League Championship Series.
Current events of October 15, 2002 (2002-10-15) (Tuesday) :
A Kiev judge ordered prosecutors to open a criminal probe of Ukraine's veteran President Leonid Kuchma, on charges of corruption and abuse of power.ImClone Systems founder Sam Waksal pleaded guilty to bank fraud and conspiracy in an insider trading scandal that threatens Martha Stewart and her home decorating empire.
Current events of October 16, 2002 (2002-10-16) (Wednesday) :
U.S. plans to invade Iraq: Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002, was signed into law by President George W. Bush.Seven members of the Dawson family were murdered in Baltimore, Maryland in retribution for opposing local drug activityPolitics of the Netherlands
The cabinet of Balkenende resigns. Because of the constant internal fighting in the new party LPF, the other two governing parties, CDA and VVD decided that continuing the coalition was impossible. It seems almost certain that there will be new elections, possibly as early as December.
Officials in Brussels fear that the collapse in the Netherlands will delay the expansion of the EU. The Netherlands cabinet was already divided on the issue and if new elections are to be held it may take 4–5 months before another cabinet is installed that is willing to make a decision.Gerhard Schröder and Joschka Fischer sign the coalition treaty for the second red-green cabinet of Germany.
Current events of October 17, 2002 (2002-10-17) (Thursday) :
Zamboanga bombings: Two bombs exploded in the main shopping district of the mostly Christian city of Zamboanga in the southern Philippines, killing six and wounding about 150. It was the second major evident terrorist incident in southeast Asia in less than a week. Suspicion immediately focused on Jemaah Islamiyah, an Islamic extremist group also being investigated for the October 11 Bali car bombing, in which more than 180 people died.U.S. officials announce the existence of a clandestine North Korea nuclear weapons program, admitted to by North Korean officials.There is further evidence for the existence of a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way galaxy.  The object Sagittarius A* has now been identified as the black hole at the galactic centre by a team led by Rainer Schödel of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, who observed the behavior of the star S2 which is near Sagittarius A*.
Current events of October 18, 2002 (2002-10-18) (Friday) :
October 18, 2002 Manila bus bombing: A bomb exploded in suburban Manila, destroying a bus and killing at least three people, while 23 others were wounded. A grenade exploded in the Philippine capital's financial district hours earlier. The bomb attacks occurred only one day after two deadly bombings in the southern Philippines.An armed individual entered a school in Stuttgart, Germany and held five people hostage, demanding a ransom for their release.  The hostages were known to be four schoolchildren and one teacher. The 16-year-old subsequently released the hostages and surrendered peacefully.Valentin Tsvetkov, governor of the Russian Far East region of Magadan, was assassinated on the streets in Moscow, in what authorities claim was probably a contract killing.
Current events of October 19, 2002 (2002-10-19) (Saturday) :
Chess champion Vladimir Kramnik and the computer program Deep Fritz have drawn the Brains in Bahrain match, a series of eight games, with four points each.
Current events of October 22, 2002 (2002-10-22) (Tuesday) :
Canadian author Yann Martel won the Booker Prize for his "quirky fable" Life of Pi. The prize is worth £50,000 ($77,300). Martel's work was picked from 130 novels from Britain, Ireland.The German Bundestag made Gerhard Schröder again Chancellor. He was elected with 305 votes, one vote out of the 306 red-green coalition missing. After that, the new ministers of the Bundesregierung were appointed.
Current events of October 23, 2002 (2002-10-23) (Wednesday) :
Moscow theatre siege, Second Chechen War: Suspected Chechen guerrillas took hundreds hostage in a theater in Moscow, threatening to blow up the building and demanding withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya.Washington sniper: Police reported that a ransom note was left at the scene of the latest shooting by the person believed to have shot 13 people and killed 9.  The note apparently demanded $10 million, and it contained a threat to local residents saying, "Your children are not safe anywhere at any time."
Current events of October 24, 2002 (2002-10-24) (Thursday) :
Moscow theatre siege, Second Chechen War: The Chechen rebels holding hundreds of hostages in a Moscow theater shot and killed one captive and said they were ready to die for their cause, warning that thousands more of their comrades were "keen on dying."Beltway sniper: Within hours of Police Chief Charles Moose announcing that John Allen Muhammad was wanted in connection with the investigation, Muhammad and his 17-year-old stepson John Lee Malvo were arrested on federal weapons charges, found with the rifle used in the shootings.
Current events of October 25, 2002 (2002-10-25) (Friday) :
Moscow theatre siege, Second Chechen War: The Chechen separatist "suicide squad" release eight children, but keep some 700 people hostage in a Moscow theater rigged with explosives. Diplomats wait for the gunmen to honor a pledge to free about 75 foreigners among their hostages, including Australians, Austrians, Britons, Germans and three Americans.Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Hundreds of Israeli soldiers backed by scores of tanks and other military vehicles took control of the Palestinian city of Jenin in response to a suicide bombing that killed 14 people.IBM announces that its Blue Gene petaflop supercomputer architecture will use the Linux operating system.Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi dissolved the country's Parliament, officially starting the campaign for one of the African Great Lakes country's most competitive general elections and closing his tenure as one of Africa's longest ruling leaders.The Alberta Alliance Party is officially registered with Elections Alberta.
Current events of October 26, 2002 (2002-10-26) (Saturday) :
Moscow theatre siege, Second Chechen War: Special forces of the Russian army attack the Chechen separatists who were holding hostages in a Moscow theater. Fifty of the 53 separatists and 117 of the 800 hostages are killed. Most of hostages were killed by poison gas used by the special forces, with most of the surviving hostages hospitalised with gas poisoning.The Anaheim Angels force a decisive seventh game with the San Francisco Giants in the 2002 World Series with a dramatic late-inning rally from 5–0 to win 6–5.
Current events of October 27, 2002 (2002-10-27) (Sunday) :
Leftist Luis Inácio Lula da Silva handily wins Brazil's presidential election.The Anaheim Angels win the 2002 World Series by four games to three, with a 4–1 win over the San Francisco Giants in Game 7.Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys passes Walter Payton as the NFL's leading rusher in a 17–14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.The ITV London area television network London Weekend Television closes and Carlton Communications took over the channel.
Current events of October 28, 2002 (2002-10-28) (Monday) :
Three nursing professors are shot dead at the University of Arizona by a student flunking out of the nursing program. Robert J. Flores, Jr., 41, shot and killed Robin Rogers, 50, Barbara Monroe, 45, and Cheryl McGaffic, 44, before turning the gun on himself. Two of the teachers were shot in a classroom and the gunman allowed the students to leave before killing himself.Team Bath become the first university team to qualify for the FA Cup First Round since 1882. They beat Horsham 4–3 on penalties in the Fourth Qualifying Round replay.
Current events of October 29, 2002 (2002-10-29) (Tuesday) :
Moscow theatre siege, Second Chechen War: Some medical experts now believe that the Moscow hostages and terrorists were  gassed with a military incapacitating agent such as BZ or a similar substance. Others claim that a fentanyl derivative may have been used. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow stated that it believed that the substance was an opiate. Other candidates suggested include the Russian incapacitating agent Kolokol-1 and aerosolized Valium. Yet another medical expert has stated that the gas used is a common anaesthetic gas that is commonly used in Europe.The crime novelist Patricia Cornwell announces DNA evidence possibly linking the painter Walter Sickert to one of the many letters claiming to be from the 19th century serial killer Jack the Ripper.The Canadian ministry of foreign affairs issues an advisory to Canadians born in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, and Sudan warning them to "consider carefully" whether to go to the United States for "any reason". This follows a US law requiring photos and fingerprints of Canadian citizens born in those countries upon entering the US, as well as the deportation to Syria of Maher Arar, a Canadian citizen. The American ambassador, Paul Cellucci, later assures the Canadian government that all Canadian passport holders will be treated equally; however, further incidents attributed to racial profiling take place.
Current events of October 30, 2002 (2002-10-30) (Wednesday) :
The government of Canada issued a travel advisory to the United States for all Canadian citizens born in Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan or Syria after the United States announced that anyone born in those countries will be photographed and fingerprinted upon arrival in the United States.The European Union accuses tobacco company R. J. Reynolds of selling black market cigarettes to drug traffickers and mobsters from Italy, Russia, Colombia and the Balkans.The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party chose former Vice President of the United States Walter Mondale as their candidate for the United States Senate seat of recently deceased Senator Paul Wellstone from Minnesota.
Current events of October 31, 2002 (2002-10-31) (Thursday) :
Nine bombs explode in Soweto, South Africa and the vicinity and one near Pretoria.Over a million people gather in Greenwich Village to celebrate Halloween.Pat Buchanan denounces Canada as Soviet Canuckistan over the warning issued by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs regarding travel to the US.The Russian Health Minister Yuri Shevchenko has now stated that the incapacitating agent used in the storming of the Moscow theatre siege was a fentanyl derivative.
Current events of November 1, 2002 (2002-11-01) (Friday) :
An earthquake has killed 29 in the town of San Giuliano di Puglia, in Campobasso, Molise, in Italy. Twenty-six of the victims were children killed then the roof of their school collapsed. An estimated 5,500 Italians are left homeless.Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly announced her findings in the United States v. Microsoft antitrust case after the close of the financial markets.
Current events of November 2, 2002 (2002-11-02) (Saturday) :
Recent celebrity deaths: Charles Sheffield, science fiction author and physicist, dies of brain cancer at age 67Gay Games open in Sydney, Australia.The Godless Americans March on Washington brings together 2,000 atheists, freethinkers, and humanists in a mile-long parade down the National Mall.
Current events of November 3, 2002 (2002-11-03) (Sunday) :
2002 Denali earthquake: An earthquake measuring 7.9 on the moment magnitude scale occurs near Denali National Park in Alaska. The earthquake was the largest recorded in the interior of the United States for more than 150 years and was the strongest ever recorded in the interior of Alaska. No fatalities and only a few injuries were reported.
Current events of November 4, 2002 (2002-11-04) (Monday) :
Yemen: An AGM-114 Hellfire missile launched by an American drone airplane destroyed a car carrying what the United States claims were six members of al-Qaeda, including the mastermind of the USS Cole attack, Qaed Salim Sinan al-Harethi.Turkey: Turkish Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has won the Turkish general election. The AK Party campaigned on economic and social issues, and downplayed its Islamist origins. The AK Party's chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is banned from holding political office, so someone else will become Turkish Prime Minister. Opponents of the AK Party have expressed concerns that the AK Party's victory may threaten the secular nature of the Turkish state.Human rights: Amnesty International has released a 74-page report accusing the Israel Defense Forces of war crimes and human rights violations.Internet: Country code top-level domain administrators have started to talk about taking back control of their parts of the domain name system that has been controlled by ICANN since the death of Jon Postel. They have complained that ICANN is unaccountable, dictatorial and unresponsive to users' needs.
Current events of November 5, 2002 (2002-11-05) (Tuesday) :
Embattled U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissioner Harvey Pitt tenders his resignation.Election Day: In the 2002 midterm elections, Republicans receive a net gain of two seats of the closely divided U.S. Senate, retaking control of the body. The Republicans also retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives, with a net gain of eight House seats. Democrats make some gains in the state governors' races, with a net gain of three governorships.Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon dissolves the Knesset and calls for elections early the next year.UK Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith made what was widely considered to be a disastrous speech where he demanded that his party "unite or die"; observers believe that this marks the start of a new leadership struggle within the Conservative Party.
Current events of November 6, 2002 (2002-11-06) (Wednesday) :
The United States signs the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and AgricultureAnti-Semitism: With approval of official state censors, Egyptian television broadcast the first episode of a miniseries, Horseman Without a Horse, based upon the debunked Protocols of the Elders of Zion. It airs at the hour that Egyptian families gather together to break their fast during the fasting month of Ramadan.The Federal Reserve Board of Governors lowers its overnight bank-lending rate to 1.25 percent, and this bigger-than-expected rate cut signals there may be more weakness in the economy than the market expected. The Fed indicated in its statements accompanying the rate cut that concern about a war with Iraq and the threat of terrorism may be slowing consumer and business spending.Two Mig-29s of the Slovak Air Force crashed following a mid-air collision near Hnilec in central-eastern Slovakia. One pilot ejected safely, while the other, Major Marián Katuška, was killed in the accident.
Current events of November 7, 2002 (2002-11-07) (Thursday) :
A referendum in Gibraltar organised by the Government of Gibraltar showed that 99% of those who voted rejected a proposal for joint sovereignty with Spain The turnout for the referendum was 88%.Colombian drug lord Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela, one of the leaders of the Cali drug cartel, was released from prison (for "good behavior") after serving less than half of his sentence, despite objections from the governments of Colombia and the United States.Iran banned advertising of US products and an Iranian, believing a sorcerer had made him invisible, tried to rob a bank in Tehran.In Northampton, England, four men stand trial accused of the racist murder of Ross Parker which occurred shortly after the September 11 attacks.
Current events of November 8, 2002 (2002-11-08) (Friday) :
A team of Italian researchers has produced an analysis of their experimental results that may be indirect evidence of the existence of gravitational waves. Their paper, entitled "Study of the coincidences between the gravitational wave detectors EXPLORER and NAUTILUS in 2001" is based on a statistical analysis of the results from their detectors.General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Jiang Zemin announced several key policies at the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Beijing. Although Marxism-Leninism would remain the official ideology of China, entrepreneurs and people in unconventional occupations, who are building "socialism with Chinese characteristics", would have a voice in establishing Communist Party ideology. Mr. Jiang is preparing to yield the position of General Secretary of the Party to Hu Jintao, but will maintain the presidency.Former President of France Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, head of the Convention on the Future of Europe, told the newspaper Le Monde that Turkey should not become a member of the European Union, even though Turkey is a very important country with a true elite. He particularly mentioned that the capital and 95% of the population were not located on the European continent. He also mentioned that one cannot discuss, as we do it, the national legislation of the Union, on very important points of everyday European issues and pretend that some discussions could be extended to countries which, for perfectly estimable reasons, have another culture, another approach, another way of life.
Current events of November 10, 2002 (2002-11-10) (Sunday) :
According to the Guardian newspaper, Gauthier Hulot of the Paris Geophysical Institute has discovered evidence of a reduction of the Earth's magnetic field over the last two hundred years. It is possible that this may be a prelude to a reversal of polarity of the Earth's magnetic field over the next few hundred years.
Current events of November 11, 2002 (2002-11-11) (Monday) :
A three-day general strike begins in Nepal. According to Outlook India, "the capital Kathmandu virtually came to a standstill ... Maoists have called the strike to oppose the King's appointment of Lokendra Bahadur Chand... as prime minister after dismissing the government of Sher Bahadur Deuba."[1] Also, 30 Maoist guerrillas were killed in a renewed assault on the revolutionary forces the country's government is currently fighting against. See also politics of Nepal.The Burrell affair takes a turn for the worse as further scandalous rumours begin to circulate about the British royal family and their servants.Grigori Perelman uploads an article to arxiv.org with the proof the Poincaré conjecture: Perelman, Grisha (November 11, 2002). "The entropy formula for the Ricci flow and its geometric applications".
Current events of November 12, 2002 (2002-11-12) (Tuesday) :
Ethiopian famine: Meles Zenawi, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia is reported as saying that the famine that threatens his country could be worse than the 1984 famine. He is reported as saying that "if that was a nightmare, this will be too ghastly to contemplate", and has appealed for famine relief for Ethiopia.Antibiotic resistance: A woman in the US city of Detroit who was infected in July by a strain of Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to vancomycin, the antibiotic often viewed by doctors as the "antibiotic of last resort", is now reported to have tested to be clear of the infection. She is still being kept in isolation to prevent the infection from being spread to others.Anti-Semitism: Harvard University canceled an invitation to Irish poet and Oxford University lecturer Tom Paulin after some statements attributed to him in an article in an Egyptian newspaper, al-Ahram, were labelled anti-Jewish by university officials. Paulin is quoted (amongst other things) as saying that American Jewish settlers in Israel should be "shot dead. ... I think they are Nazis, racists. I feel nothing but hatred for them." He is also quoted as saying that he understands "how suicide bombers feel", and recommends that Palestinians take up guerrilla warfare against civilians in order to create a sense of solidarity.R&B Super Group, TLC released their fourth studio album, 3D (TLC album), seven months after the tragic death of their band member, rapper Lisa Lopes, resulting from a deadly car accident in the Honduras.
Current events of November 13, 2002 (2002-11-13) (Wednesday) :
U.S. President George W. Bush says that an audio tape thought to carry the voice of Osama bin Laden, believed to be authentic, has put the "world on notice."The Democratic Caucus of the United States House of Representatives selects California Representative Nancy Pelosi as their minority leader, making her the first woman to lead a major American party.A new HIV vaccine developed by researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases begins clinical trials on humans.
Current events of November 15, 2002 (2002-11-15) (Friday) :
The Communist Party of China names former Secretary of the Secretariat Hu Jintao as its General Secretary, replacing Jiang Zemin. Jiang will remain President until Spring 2003.
Current events of November 16, 2002 (2002-11-16) (Saturday) :
A plot by a group of terrorists believed to be a part of or affiliated to the al-Qaeda network was revealed as having been uncovered by MI5. The plot involved a plan to release poison gas in the London Underground railway network.Abdullah Gül becomes the new prime minister of Turkey.
Current events of November 17, 2002 (2002-11-17) (Sunday) :
The UK government has refused to either confirm or deny the putative poison gas attack revealed on November 16, although it is known that three men are currently being held and investigated under the terms of the Terrorism Act 2000.Abba Eban, former Israeli foreign affairs minister, dies.An Italian court sentences former Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti to 24 years in prison for complicity in the 1979 contract killing murder of journalist Mino Pecorelli.
Current events of November 18, 2002 (2002-11-18) (Monday) :
The first team of United Nations weapons inspectors arrive in Iraq, where they will prepare for inspections for evidence of the development or possession of weapons of mass destruction by Saddam Hussein's regime.
Current events of November 19, 2002 (2002-11-19) (Tuesday) :
José Bové, member of the anti-globalization movement, will have to carry out a fourteen months time in prison for destruction of the transgenic rice seedlings in France.The tanker Prestige, which has been leaking oil off the north-west coast of Spain for several days, split into two at 8 o'clock in the morning (0700 GMT). The vessel was reported to be about 250 km away from the Spanish coast at that time. The entire load of oil is 70,000 ton; most of it is still in the two parts of the ship; if all leaks out the resulting damage could be twice that of the Exxon Valdez disaster off the coast of Alaska in 1989. Despite efforts, the oil reached the coast. See: [2].James Coburn, actor, dies of a heart attack, aged 74.
Current events of November 20, 2002 (2002-11-20) (Wednesday) :
Professor Gunther von Hagens carried out the first public dissection in London for over a century. This was an illegal act, but was not prevented by the authorities.Pop star Michael Jackson dangles his baby off his hotel balcony with people telling him to be family.
Current events of November 22, 2002 (2002-11-22) (Friday) :
Cosmology: The BBC has reported that a group of researchers at Southern Methodist University has reported the possibility that strange matter may have been responsible for unexplained seismic events recorded in 1993.At least 100 people were killed at the Miss World Beauty Pageant in Nigeria. At least 200 of others were reported missing. The Miss World Beauty Pageant was meant to be a significant international event, and all the world was looking forward to it. It had been planned for weeks. Instead, the entire event was violently interrupted by Muslim and Christian mobs. The Miss World competition was decided to be moved to London.
Current events of November 23, 2002 (2002-11-23) (Saturday) :
In the Netherlands, Volkert van der Graaf confessed to the murder of Pim Fortuyn.  He said he acted alone and did it to protect vulnerable groups in society.Following riots and killings in Nigeria, Miss World contest organizers leave and reconvene in London2002 Ecuadorian elections: In the presidential runoff election, former coup leader and left-leaning soldier Lucio Gutiérrez of the January 21 Patriotic Society Party/Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement – New Country receives 54.4% of the vote to become the next president of Ecuador, defeating Álvaro Noboa of the Institutional Renewal Party of National Action, who receives 45.2% of the vote.
Current events of November 24, 2002 (2002-11-24) (Sunday) :
2002 Austrian legislative elections: The conservative Austrian People's Party (OVP), led by Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel wins a landslide victory (42.27% of the vote), picking up 27 seats and becoming the largest party in the National Council for the first time since 1966. The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is reduced to 10.16% of the vote and loses 34 seats.David McRae, a conservation worker from Guthrie, Angus, Scotland, dies from rabies. He was the first person to contract rabies in the United Kingdom since 1902.Philosopher John Rawls dies.
Current events of November 25, 2002 (2002-11-25) (Monday) :
President George W. Bush signs the Homeland Security Act into law. The act creates a new Department of Homeland Security and is the largest government reorganization since the National Security Act of 1947 more than 50 years before.A group of European scientists has announced that they intend to use the Very Large Telescope to take pictures of the lunar module bases remaining on the Moon, in order to debunk the Apollo moon landing conspiracy theory that states that the Apollo moon landings were a hoax.
Current events of November 26, 2002 (2002-11-26) (Tuesday) :
U.S. President George W. Bush signs the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act into law, creating a federal backstop for insurance claims related to acts of terrorism.
Current events of November 27, 2002 (2002-11-27) (Wednesday) :
The controversial physician Severino Antinori has claimed that a project to clone human beings has succeeded, with the first human clone due to be born in 2003. His claims were received with skepticism from many observers. The even more controversial organization Clonaid then announced that they had five clones waiting to be born, one of whom, they claimed, would be born in December 2002.
Current events of November 28, 2002 (2002-11-28) (Thursday) :
Thanksgiving Day 2002.2002 Mombasa attacks: Three suicide bombers detonated themselves at a hotel in Mombasa, Kenya, killing a number of people, including Israeli tourists who have been presumed to be the targets of the attack. At the same time two anti-aircraft missiles were fired at a passenger aircraft, which only narrowly missed. The two attacks are suspected to be connected, and it is suspected that al-Qaeda may be involved in the attacks.Henry Kissinger is appointed chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, commonly known as the 9/11 Commission.
Current events of November 29, 2002 (2002-11-29) (Friday) :
The Concert for George was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Current events of November 30, 2002 (2002-11-30) (Saturday) :
It is reported that the Provisional IRA may be about to make substantial concessions in order to restart the stalled Northern Ireland peace process.
Current events of December 3, 2002 (2002-12-03) (Tuesday) :
Football (soccer): Real Madrid has defeated Olimpia Paraguay to win the Intercontinental Cup.
Current events of December 5, 2002 (2002-12-05) (Thursday) :
Today is the Islamic festival of Eid ul-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan for Muslims worldwide.United Airlines, the world's second-biggest carrier, appears headed for the largest bankruptcy filing in airline industry history. The company's efforts  to avoid a Chapter 11 filing apparently ended Wednesday when a government board rejected its bid for $1.8 billion in federal loan guarantees.The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the Harvard mouse, designed for its usefulness in cancer research, is not patentable.  In its view such a higher life form does not fall within the definition of invention.At Arusha, Tanzania, President Pierre Buyoya of Burundi and Pierre Nkurunziza, leader of the Hutu insurgents Forces for the Defense of Democracy (FDD), signed a cease-fire accord. The goal is to end a nine-year civil war.
Current events of December 6, 2002 (2002-12-06) (Friday) :
The Chechen separatist Akhmed Zakayev has returned to London, where he is expected to seek asylum.  He was arrested but released soon afterwards on bail paid by Vanessa Redgrave.Israeli–Palestinian conflict: Israeli troops backed by tanks and helicopter gunships swept into the Bureij refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on Friday, provoking a gunbattle and killing 10 people, Palestinian witnesses and medics said.Venezuela's oil exports ground to a halt, negotiations stalled and protesters faced off on the streets as prospects dimmed for a peaceful resolution to a strike designed to unseat President Hugo Chávez.In continuing legal action against Exxon over the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, punitive damages against the company have been reduced from USD$5 billion to $4 billion. The company is expected to appeal.Archeologists digging near the Gulf Coast of Mexico have discovered an inscribed seal and fragments of a plaque which contain writing, pushing back the date for the first appearance of writing in Mesoamerica to about 650 BC.  It also suggests that the Olmec culture developed writing, not the Zapotecs.Pi has been calculated to 1.24 trillion digits. Professor Yasumasa Kanada and nine other researchers at the Information Technology Center at the University of Tokyo have set the new world record.
Current events of December 7, 2002 (2002-12-07) (Saturday) :
Two paintings by Vincent van Gogh were stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam overnight. Coming shortly after a large diamond theft from an exhibition at the Museon in The Hague, it casts doubt on the high-tech security systems.Miss Turkey, Azra Akın from Almelo, won the Miss World competition which had been moved from Nigeria to London because of religious violence.A massive fire in Edinburgh's Old Town destroys part of the pioneering Informatics department of the University, as well as a major venue for the Edinburgh Fringe.
Current events of December 9, 2002 (2002-12-09) (Monday) :
Sports Illustrated magazine announces that cyclist Lance Armstrong is their Sportsman of the Year.
Current events of December 10, 2002 (2002-12-10) (Tuesday) :
The government of Indonesia and rebel leaders from the province of Aceh (in the north of Sumatra) have signed a peace accord which negotiators hope will bring an end to fighting in the province.Venezuela's Supreme Court announced it was suspending its services, citing political harassment and condemning deadly violence during a general strike by opponents of President Hugo Chávez.The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, located in New York, reversed a lower court ruling that found the federal death penalty unconstitutional because it amounted to the "state-sponsored murder" of innocent people.A paper published in The Lancet by a team led by Christos Pantelis from the University of Melbourne suggests that it may be possible to predict the onset of schizophrenia using magnetic resonance imaging of the brain.  If so, this will be the first time that brain scans have been used to predict the onset of a mental illness, offering the possibility of preventative treatment before a major psychotic episode.Nobel Prize awards in Stockholm, Sweden and Oslo, Norway.The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools revoked the accreditation of Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia, for financial irregularities.The UK electricity grid (see National Grid) reports the highest ever demand of 54,430MW between 17:00 and 17:30hrs.
Current events of December 11, 2002 (2002-12-11) (Wednesday) :
First flight of the ESC-A variant of the Ariane 5 is a failure, with the rocket and the two communications satellites it was carrying destroyed a few minutes after lift-off from Kourou, French Guiana.South African police seize 384 kg of explosives found in a truck belonging to Tom Vorster, alleged leader of the far-right militant group the Boeremag.
Current events of December 13, 2002 (2002-12-13) (Friday) :
The Vatican announces that Pope John Paul II has accepted the resignation of Boston's Cardinal Bernard Francis Law due to widespread outcry among Boston Catholics over Law's role in covering up pedophilia-related and other sex crimes among priests in his diocese.US Senate majority leader Trent Lott apologizes on television amid growing outcry for his resignation from both ends of the political spectrum for comments made at Senator Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party which seemed to support Thurmond's 1948 segregationist presidential campaign platform.The Geminid meteor shower peaks tonight. Best viewing is between midnight and dawn.Henry Kissinger stepped down as the chairman of a panel investigating the September 11 attacks, citing conflict of interest with his clients.  The choice of Kissinger by President George W. Bush.The European Union invited Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Cyprus and Malta to join.  Expansion is scheduled for May 2004.Star Trek: Nemesis was released in North America.
Current events of December 16, 2002 (2002-12-16) (Monday) :
Former Bosnian Serb President Biljana Plavšić pled guilty to one count of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague for her part in atrocities against Bosnian Muslims and Croats during the 1992–95 Bosnian War.Opposition protesters blockaded highways in and around the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, angered by President Hugo Chávez's resolve to hang on to power, called for an escalation in its campaign to remove him.Former Vice President and 2000 Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore announces on the CBS News' 60 Minutes that he will not seek election to the presidency in 2004.
Current events of December 17, 2002 (2002-12-17) (Tuesday) :
Congo's government, rebels and opposition parties signed a peace accord to end four years of civil war and set up a transitional government to lead Africa's third-largest nation to its first democratic elections since independence in 1960.The Bush administration announced it will begin deploying a limited system to defend the United States against ballistic missiles by 2004.ElcomSoft is found not guilty on four counts of DMCA violations, in the first important test case involving the controversial law.
Current events of December 18, 2002 (2002-12-18) (Wednesday) :
Insurance and finance company Conseco, deep in debt and facing a federal investigation of its accounting practices, filed for Chapter 11 protection in what is at that point the third-largest bankruptcy in U.S. history.An Indian court sentences three men to death for treason for their assistance in helping five gunmen prepare for the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, which killed nine people and triggered a tense standoff with nuclear rival Pakistan. Capital punishment in India is rare.Matsushita and Sony have announced that they are collaborating on the development of a Linux platform for home electronics.
Current events of December 19, 2002 (2002-12-19) (Thursday) :
U.S. plan to invade Iraq: After reviewing a 12,000 page Iraqi weapons declaration document, U.S. officials state that Iraq has failed to account for all its chemical and biological agents and that Iraq is in material breach of a United Nations Security Council resolution.Hundreds of Middle Eastern immigrants in Southern California who came to INS officials to register, as per new regulations, are arrested and imprisoned for various INS violations, many of them due to official delays in processing necessary forms. Critics compared the action to the Japanese internment in the same region during World War II. Others claimed that the people are in violation of United States immigration law, and the arrests are valid.Ruling party candidate Roh Moo-hyun wins South Korea's presidential election, a result that could complicate ties with the United States as the allies grapple with North Korea's nuclear programme.Pope John Paul II will approve the miracle needed to beatify Mother Teresa, whose dedication to the destitute earned her a special place in the pontiff's heart. A second miracle then will be needed to declare Mother Teresa a saint.AOL Time Warner announces that they have been issued a patent for instant messaging.  AOL says that they have no plans to enforce the patent, but it could cause problems for the purveyors of other instant messaging systems, in particular Microsoft and Yahoo!.Rebels in the Côte d'Ivoire seize the key western city of Man from government forces.Three men convicted of the racist murder of Ross Parker in Peterborough, England, which occurred ten days after the September 11th attacks.
Current events of December 20, 2002 (2002-12-20) (Friday) :
Barbara Joyce Williams Ferrell, daughter of baseball player Ted Williams, has dropped her lawsuit to have the body of her father removed from a cryonics storage facility and cremated.Maoist guerrillas ambushed a police van in Jharkhand, a state in eastern India, killing 18 people, mostly police officers. At least 20 policemen were wounded in the ambush and the gunbattle that followed.Senator Trent Lott resigned as Senate Majority Leader, concluding that his approving statements of fellow Senator Strom Thurmond's segregationist run for President of the United States in 1948 had limited his effectiveness and that of his fellow Republicans.Portland Trail Blazers players, Golden State Warriors players and Warriors' fans get involved in a melee after the Trail Blazers beat the Warriors, 113–111 in Oakland. It might be the first time in NBA history that a home team's fans attack the visiting team during or after a game.Speed skater Catriona Le May Doan won the Lou Marsh Trophy, given annually to Canada's outstanding athlete.  She edgted out Dallas Mavericks guard Steve Nash.The magazine Science chose the discovery of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) as the top science story of the year.  The molecular switches have the potential to treat such diseases as HIV and cancer.Scientists at California Institute of Technology announced the discovery of clouds of methane on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn.Governor Frank H. Murkowski of Alaska announced that he had chosen his daughter, state Representative and House Majority Leader Lisa Murkowski, to succeed him in the United States Senate.  The elder Murkowski, in winning the recent election as governor, was forced to leave his Senate position.The cult television show Firefly, created by Joss Whedon is canceled.
Current events of December 21, 2002 (2002-12-21) (Saturday) :
In the Côte d'Ivoire, units of the French Foreign Legion, based at the city of Duekoue on Sassandra River have come into contact with rebels advancing southward from the city of Man.  Colonel Emmanuel Maurin, commander of the French force, states "Between what we have here and the river, they shall not pass."South Korean President-elect Roh Moo-hyun states that he will visit Washington after receiving an invitation from President George W. Bush. During his campaign, Roh stated he would not visit simply for a White House "photo op."
Current events of December 22, 2002 (2002-12-22) (Sunday) :
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat announced that he has called off presidential and legislative elections scheduled for next month, as he feels that continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory will make a free election impossible.North Korea announced that it is physically removing monitoring devices placed on the Yongbyon nuclear reactor.  The devices were placed by the United Nations following the 1994 nuclear agreement to shut down Yongbyon, which is capable of making weapons-grade material, in exchange for deliveries of oil.  In November 2002, Korea admitted that it is working on a weapons of mass destruction program in response to "imperialist threats."  The United States states it does not trust the North Koreans.Demonstrators estimated in the tens of thousands supported proposed national security laws for Hong Kong, following last week's demonstrations with similar numbers against these proposed laws.  The Government Consultation Exercise for the proposed laws received 18,000 comments.  Article 23 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong, negotiated by Britain and China before the 1997 handover to China, stated that Hong Kong must enact national security legislation by itself banning treason, turning over state secrets, and urging separation from China.A senior member of ETA, Ibon Femandez de Iradi, escaped from French custody yesterday.  He and a woman companion was arrested Wednesday after their car was found to have false number plates.  Ibon Femandez de Iradi was the logistics chief for ETA, a Basque separatist group which has been implicated in terrorist activities.Time announced that its "Persons of the Year" are three female whistleblowers – Coleen Rowley, FBI agent who wrote a memorandum to FBI Director Robert Mueller claiming that the Minneapolis office had been remiss in its investigation of suspected terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui; Cynthia Cooper, former WorldCom auditor, who alerted the company's Board of Directors of accounting irregularities; and Sherron Watkins, former Enron Vice President, who reported to the company's former Chairman Kenneth Lay in 2001 that the company was about to collapse as a result of false accounting.Musician Joe Strummer dies of a heart attack, aged 50.Singer Kristyn Osbourne of the country music group SHeDAISY filed a $3.5 million lawsuit against karaoke companies for failure to pay songwriters.British/Irish pop girl group Girls Aloud are formed on Popstars: The Rivals.
Current events of December 23, 2002 (2002-12-23) (Monday) :
Bill Frist was voted to succeed Trent Lott as United States Senate Majority Leader.Scientists at California company VaxGen Inc., have finished the first human trial of an AIDS vaccine, a mammoth $200 million, 5,400-patient effort more than a decade in the making. The Food and Drug Administration has granted the vaccine "fast-track" status that would speed it through the approval process, if it proves effective, for public availability.  The test results are expected to be made public within approximately three months.Victor Emmanuel, Prince of Naples, the heir of the last King of Italy, visited the country for the first time since the Italian Royal Family was banned.  A constitutional amendment passed in November allowed the royal family to return as ordinary citizens.
Current events of December 24, 2002 (2002-12-24) (Tuesday) :
A number of US Muslim groups have initiated a class action lawsuit against the US Attorney General, John Ashcroft and the US immigration services over the arrest and detention of Muslim men.A bomb believed planted by a Muslim separatist organisation killed 13 people, including a town mayor, and wounded 12 in a Christmas Eve attack in the southern Philippines town of Datu Piang.Iran's state radio reported quoted a statement by airport officials, saying that pilot "carelessness" caused a plane carrying Ukrainian and Russian aerospace scientists to crash in central Iran, killing all 46 people on board.Sun Microsystems won a major antitrust victory against Microsoft when a federal judge ordered Microsoft to distribute Sun's Java programming language in its Microsoft Windows operating system.
Current events of December 25, 2002 (2002-12-25) (Wednesday) :
Kicker Katie Hnida of the University of New Mexico makes history by becoming the first woman to participate in a NCAA division 1 football game, missing a kick for her team during the Las Vegas Bowl game.
Current events of December 26, 2002 (2002-12-26) (Thursday) :
North Korea is reactivating a plutonium producing nuclear power plant north of Pyongyang after removing United Nations seals on the reactor and degrading the capability of surveillance cameras. This same reactor is thought by U.S. officials as the source for plutonium for two previously produced atomic bombs. North Korea has been named by the George W. Bush Administration as part of the so-called "axis of evil".[1]War on Terror: A Washington Post article quotes numerous anonymous CIA agents who confirm that the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States uses so-called "stress and duress" interrogation techniques, which are claimed by human rights activists to be acts of torture. The anonymous agents defend the practice as necessary in light of the September 11 terrorist attacks; publicly, US government officials deny the charges, while declining to address specifics.  Privately, however, one official justified human rights violations as being a necessary part of the job.[2]Israeli–Palestinian conflict: Israel announces it will begin with temporarily providing social services such as education, healthcare, and licenses in the West Bank. The Israeli government claims the move is necessary to provide badly needed services to the Palestinian people in light of the Palestinian Authority's inability to do so. Palestinian officials claim the move is an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority and tantamount to the reinstatement of the Israeli occupation that existed before the 1993 Oslo Accords.A 55-year-old contractor from Putnam County, West Virginia named Andrew "Jack" Whittaker Jr won the $314.9 million Christmas Day Powerball jackpot which is the biggest undivided lottery prize in American history.[3]
Current events of December 27, 2002 (2002-12-27) (Friday) :
Chechen rebels detonate two car bombs at the Grozny headquarters of Chechnya's Russian-backed government in an apparent suicide attack, killing more than 80 people.[4]North Korea expels UN weapons inspectors, and announces plans to reactivate a dormant nuclear fuel processing laboratory.[5]Clonaid, the medical arm of a cult called Raëlism, who believe that aliens introduced human life on Earth, claims to have successfully cloned a human being.  They claim that aliens taught them how to perform cloning, even though the company has no record of having successfully cloned any previous animal.  A spokesperson said an independent agency would prove that the baby, named Eve, is in fact an exact copy of her mother.[6]Presidential elections in Kenya between Uhuru Kenyatta, candidate for ruling party KANU, and Mwai Kibaki, candidate for opposition party NARC. Early reports say the latter wins a landslide victory.
Current events of December 29, 2002 (2002-12-29) (Sunday) :
The Kenyan electoral commission confirms that the opposition National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) has won landslide victories over the ruling KANU party in Friday's elections, ending 40 years of single party rule and 24 years of rule by Daniel arap Moi.  The NARC's presidential candidate, Mwai Kibaki, led by more than 30 percentage points over the KANU's official candidate.[7]Brighton, England's historic West Pier partially collapsed.  It had served from the Victorian era until it was closed in 1975.[8][9]
Current events of December 30, 2002 (2002-12-30) (Monday) :
The Israeli Supreme Court rules that reservists may not refuse to serve in the West Bank or Gaza because of their objection to Israeli government policies.  The Court ruled "the recognition of selective conscientious objection might loosen the links that hold us together as a people."Three Americans (the director, a doctor, and the administrator) at the Baptist hospital in Jibla, Yemen, were killed and one pharmacist was injured by Abed Abdul-Razzak Kamal. Kamal was captured and claims he was linked to the extremist Islamic Reform Party. Another member of his alleged cell, Ali al-Jarallah, was arrested for shooting a Yemeni left-wing politician on Sunday.The United Nations Security Council voted 13–0, with two abstentions, to revise the list of goods Iraq is allowed to purchase under the "food-for-oil" program.  The list includes flight simulators, communications equipment, high-speed motorboats, and rocket cases, which the United States noted are dual-use technologies.  The Security Council also agreed to ask the UN for standards to evaluate the quantities of medicine and antibiotics Iraq is allowed to import under this program.A tanker, the Amazonian Explorer, arrived in Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela, 200 kilometers east of Caracas, the capital.  President Hugo Chávez traveled to the port to supervise the unloading of 525,000 barrels (83,500 m3) of gasoline.  Gasoline is restricted due to a strike at Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PdVSA), the state-owned oil company, which is aimed at forcing President Chávez to call early elections.Crude oil futures on the New York market rose to $33 per barrel (208 $/m3) because of the Venezuelan oil strike and fears of war with Iraq.
Current events of December 31, 2002 (2002-12-31) (Tuesday) :
United States troops get into a brief gun battle with paramilitary forces of the Warzirstan Scouts of Pakistan, in a remote tribal area along the undefined Afghan/Pakistani border, in Paktia Province, Afghanistan. One US soldier is wounded by gunfire, and several Pakistani soldiers are killed when US air support arrives.  The border in this region is poorly demarcated..[10] Three missiles from US helicopter gunships strike a madrassa owned by former Taliban official Maulana Muhammad Hassan, according to the ANI news agency.The first trial of a member of the Russian military for human rights violations in Chechnya concludes controversially, with Col. Yuri Budanov found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed to a psychiatric hospital for further evaluation and treatment. Budanov was charged with murder and abduction after being accused of raping and strangling Heda Kungayeva, an 18-year-old Chechen girl whom Budanov contends was a rebel sniper.[11]
Current events of February 1, 2003 (2003-02-01) (Saturday) :
Space Shuttle Columbia incident: The Space Shuttle Columbia was reported to have disintegrated over Texas on its final approach to a landing after its 28th space mission.  All seven crew members were killed in the disaster.  It was later discovered that a piece of foam insulation had broken off the external fuel tank and punctured a hole in the left wing during launch.A crowded passenger train and a freight train collided head on and burst into flames in northwestern Zimbabwe, killing 40 people and injuring about 60.  The wreckage was still burning 14 hours after the collision.Seven high school students from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, were killed when an avalanche swept over them on a school ski trip. The remaining ten members of the ski trip survived.
Current events of February 2, 2003 (2003-02-02) (Sunday) :
The term of Czech Republic President Václav Havel ends without an elected successor to fill the position.
Current events of February 3, 2003 (2003-02-03) (Monday) :
Record producer Phil Spector was arrested in relation to an investigation into the fatal shooting of a 40-year-old woman in Los Angeles. Press reports identify the woman as the actress Lana Clarkson.Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri claims Space Shuttle Columbia disaster is a sign from God. He says "It is a punishment from God. Muslims see it that way. It is a trinity of evil because it carried Americans, an Israeli and a Hindu, a trinity of evil against Islam." al-Masri's remarks are widely denounced by many other Muslim clerics.  Reported in a BBC News Article: Muslim cleric's shuttle outburst attacked.
Current events of February 4, 2003 (2003-02-04) (Tuesday) :
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia renamed to Serbia and Montenegro with a new constitution converting the federal republic to a "loose union".Sheikh Abu Hamza al-Masri was removed from his position as an agent of Finsbury Park mosque. BBC News StoryUnited Kingdom parliament: MPs in the British House of Commons have voted to reject all seven options presented for the reform of the House of Lords.
Current events of February 5, 2003 (2003-02-05) (Wednesday) :
At the United Nations US Secretary of State Colin Powell presents the US government's case against the Saddam Hussein government of Iraq, as part of the diplomatic side of the U.S. plan to invade Iraq. The presentation includes tape recordings, satellite photographs and other intelligence data, and aims to prove WMD production, evasion of weapons inspections and a link to Al-Qaida.The International Court of Justice orders the United States to take "all measures necessary" to prevent the execution of three Mexican nationals, pending its final judgment[1]Congressman Howard Coble, of North Carolina, chairman of the House committee overseeing homeland security, said that the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II was justified, and that it had been done for "their own safety."  He was roundly criticized by Asian American members of Congress and spokespeople for Asian American organizations.
Current events of February 6, 2003 (2003-02-06) (Thursday) :
In the United Kingdom, seven more arrests have been made under the Terrorism Act 2000 in raids in the cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Manchester.US Rapper 50 Cent released Get Rich Or Die Tryin' under Aftermath Entertainment, Shady Records and Interscope.
Current events of February 7, 2003 (2003-02-07) (Friday) :
The Center for Public Interest, a United States nonprofit watchdog group, obtained a leaked draft version of John Ashcroft's proposed Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003, also known as "the Patriot Act II". If enacted, the legislation would grant the United States government unprecedented secret internal surveillance powers and sharply curtail judicial review of such surveillance,The chief United Nations arms inspector Hans Blix said Iraq appeared to be making fresh efforts to cooperate with U.N. teams hunting weapons of mass destruction, as Washington said the "momentum is building" for war with Iraq.The United States said it was ready for any contingency after North Korea issued threats of pre-emptive attack and suggested it was poised to restart an atomic reactor central to its suspected drive for nuclear arms.A car bomb at an upscale club in Bogotá, Colombia kills 36 and wounds 150 in the worst attack in many years.Israeli police said they had found a suicide bomber's explosives belt hidden in a mosque in Israel, and said it was the first such discovery since the al-Aqsa Intifada began more than two years ago.President George W. Bush ordered the government to draw up guidelines for cyber-attacks against enemy computer networks, according to a Washington Post report. The order is known as National Security Presidential Directive 16.An oil tanker carrying 35,000 tons of fuel oil ran aground off Denmark but no immediate spill was reported in the area noted for its wildlife, a Danish Royal Navy spokesman said.Pakistan's most feared Islamic militant group, branded by Washington last week a foreign terrorist group, was severely weakened by a crackdown on extremism, intelligence officials claimed.Senior citizens groups began a call for a boycott of British-owned pharmaceuticals company GlaxoSmithKline, the largest in the world, after the company announced that it would no longer sell drugs to Canadian companies that sell drugs at steep discounts to Americans over the Internet.  The boycott would include such brands as Tums antacid, Aquafresh toothpaste, Contac cold remedy, Paxil and Flonase.The last game is completed in the FIDE Man vs Machine World Chess Championship, in which Garry Kasparov, the highest rated human chess master, competed against the world champion computer program, Deep Junior. The six game match was played to a 3–3 draw.
Current events of February 8, 2003 (2003-02-08) (Saturday) :
Sections of a 'dodgy dossier' issued by the UK government, which purported to present the latest British intelligence about Iraq, and which had been cited by Tony Blair and Colin Powell as evidence for the need for war, were criticized as plagiarisms.  They had been copied without permission from a number of sources including Jane's Intelligence Review and a 12-year-old doctoral thesis of a Californian student that had been published in the US journal Middle East Review of International Affairs. Some sentences were copied word-for-word, and spelling mistakes had been reproduced from the original articles. Downing Street responded by saying that the government had never claimed exclusive authorship and that the information was accurate.
Current events of February 9, 2003 (2003-02-09) (Sunday) :
The Indian Government begins it largest ever vaccination program. It aims to inoculate 160 million children against polio within six days. (BBC)13% of the 3,300 reservists called by the British Government in preparation for a possible war in Iraq have attempted to avoid being drafted. (BBC)
Current events of February 10, 2003 (2003-02-10) (Monday) :
France and Belgium broke the NATO procedure of silent approval concerning the timing of protective measures for Turkey in case of a possible war with Iraq. Germany said it supports this veto. The procedure was put into operation on February 6 by secretary general George Robertson. In response Turkey called upon Article 4 of the NATO Treaty, which stipulates that member states must deliberate when asked to do so by another member state if it feels threatened.Muslims celebrate the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha.
Current events of February 11, 2003 (2003-02-11) (Tuesday) :
The 2002 nominees for the Academy Award (Oscar) were announced to the public.
Current events of February 12, 2003 (2003-02-12) (Wednesday) :
The British government deploys troops around Heathrow airport after reports that al-Qaeda agents may have smuggled surface-to-air missiles into Britain.An audio tape attributed to Osama bin Laden is released by al Jazeera television. It recounts the battle of Tora Bora and urges Muslims to fight the United States and to overthrow the Iraq regime of Saddam Hussein.
Current events of February 13, 2003 (2003-02-13) (Thursday) :
Austria bars US military units involved in the attack on Iraq from entering into or flying over its territories without a United Nations mandate to attack Iraq.United States military officials anonymously confirm to the Washington Post that two Special Forces units have been operating on the ground inside Iraq for over a month, making preliminary preparations for a large-scale invasion.[2]U.S. Senate Democrats continue to threaten to filibuster the candidacy of Miguel Estrada for the D.C. Circuit Court.  The Democrats argue that Estrada is too conservative and not answering all of their questions.  Estrada was first nominated for the position in May 2001.A United Nations panel reports that Iraq's al-Samoud 2 missiles, disclosed by Iraq to weapons inspectors in December, have a range of 180 km (above the 150 km limit allowed by the UN), splitting opinion over whether they breach UNSCR 1441.Motorola announces that they will release a cell phone running the Linux operating system.At London Gatwick Airport, British police arrest a man carrying a hand grenade under the Terrorism Act 2000. Two men have also been arrested at Heathrow airport under the same legislation.
Current events of February 14, 2003 (2003-02-14) (Friday) :
Four ex-Symbionese Liberation Army members were sentenced to prison for the 1975 murder of Myrna Opsahl during a bank robbery in Carmichael, California.[3]A very large demonstration was held in Melbourne to protest against the Australian government's support for the US's policy on Iraq.  Organisers estimated that 200,000 people came out on to the streets, while some news sources put the number at "up to 150,000".[4]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.Tariq Aziz of Iraq met with Pope John Paul IIDolly the sheep, the world's first cloned mammal, was euthanized well short of her natural lifespan because of a progressive lung disease.
Current events of February 15, 2003 (2003-02-15) (Saturday) :
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.
Current events of February 16, 2003 (2003-02-16) (Sunday) :
A missile larger than allowed by UN sanction rules has been found in Iraq (BBC)The latest of the Doha round of world trade talks in Tokyo fail to find agreement between the ministers of 22 nations, greatly reducing hopes of a new trade deal before the end of the 2004 deadline (BBC)
Current events of February 17, 2003 (2003-02-17) (Monday) :
London congestion charging begins: Motorists must pay £5 per day to enter central London. This attempt by the Transport for London group to reduce traffic density and pollution, and encourage use of public transport is being followed closely by cities around the world.In Chicago, Illinois, a stampede at the E2 south side nightclub kills 21 people.
Current events of February 18, 2003 (2003-02-18) (Tuesday) :
An arson attack on an underground train in the Daegu, South Korea, claims lives of 192 and 148 injured and dozens missing. Witnesses reportedly saw a man throwing a milk carton filled with a flammable substance into a train.The World Health Organization confirms that a new outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Republic of the Congo killed 64.[5]Canadian finance minister John Manley brings down a budget, the last and one of those with the most expenditures in the career of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. It uses money from the federal surplus to replace a portion of the amount the Liberals cut from a variety of programs during their mandate, partially funds the implementation of the Romanow Report on health care, and increases military spending.Hours before the first ships transporting heavy United States military equipment to Turkey were supposed to reach port, the Turkish government announces that it will withhold approval to dock unless the United States increases a reciprocal $6 billion foreign aid grant to $10 billion. The Bush administration indicated that no substantial changes will be made to the proposed aid package.[6]
Current events of February 19, 2003 (2003-02-19) (Wednesday) :
2003 Iran Ilyushin Il-76 crash: A military plane carrying 302 members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards crashed in the mountains of southeastern Iran killing all on board. The government did not go into the possible cause of the crash. The plane was en route from Zahedan, on the Pakistan border, to Kerman, about 500 miles southeast of Tehran.An air force Fokker F27 crashes in fog-shrouded mountains near the northwestern city of KohatPakistan, killing Pakistan air force chief Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali, his wife and 15 others.[7]
Current events of February 20, 2003 (2003-02-20) (Thursday) :
The Station nightclub fire: A fire started by pyrotechnics set-off by Great White, a rock band playing a nightclub in West Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island, kills at least 96 and injures nearly 200, with 35 in critical condition. Fatalities from burn injuries are expected to increase.[8]University of South Florida computer engineering professor Dr. Sami Al-Arian was arrested by the FBI after he and seven others were indicted on 50 terrorism-related charges. United States Attorney General John Ashcroft alleged at a news conference that Al-Arian is the North American leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Current events of February 21, 2003 (2003-02-21) (Friday) :
Michael Jordan makes NBA history when he scores 43 points for the Washington Wizards versus the New Jersey Nets, becoming the first player over 40 years old to score 40 or more points in a game, and leading the Wizards to an 89–86 win.
Current events of February 22, 2003 (2003-02-22) (Saturday) :
Jesica Santillan, who was made critically ill after receiving donor organs of the wrong blood type in a medical accident during a heart-lung transplant, is taken off life support after being declared brain dead after a second heart-lung transplant operation.In Memphis, Tennessee, Mike Tyson beats fringe contender Clifford Etienne 49 seconds into round one of a boxing match. In an undercard bout, controversial former skater Tonya Harding loses a four round decision in her women's professional boxing debut.
Current events of February 23, 2003 (2003-02-23) (Sunday) :
The 45th Grammy Awards ceremony is held in New York City, dominated by newcomer Norah Jones receiving eight awards including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist.British athlete Paula Radcliffe sets a new 10 km road race world record of 30:21 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Current events of February 24, 2003 (2003-02-24) (Monday) :
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes China's remote western region of Xinjiang at 10:03 am local time (0203 UTC) near the mountainous border with Kyrgyzstan.  At least 266 are killed, more than 4,000 are injured, and over 1,000 buildings, including housing and schools, collapse.U.S. plan to invade Iraq: General Colin Powell states at a meeting in Beijing that "It is time to take action. The evidence is clear ... We are reaching that point where serious consequences must flow." His speech appears to imply that military action is likely to follow within three weeks, based on previous Pentagon briefings.Reports of the results of a study of VaxGen's experimental AIDS vaccine show little effect on the spread of AIDS in the overall experimental group. However, there are possible signs of partial resistance to HIV infection in the subgroup of subjects of African and Asian ethnic origin.The major Netherlands-based food concern Ahold announces that financial malversations in a US daughter firm lead to an unanticipated loss of 500 million dollars.In Athens, Greece, senior U.S. diplomat Brady Kiesling resigned in protest at the Bush administration's policy on Iraq.The SFO AirTrain opened with nine stations and two lines.
Current events of February 25, 2003 (2003-02-25) (Tuesday) :
US plan to invade Iraq: The United States, Britain and Spain present to the UN Security Council a much-anticipated second resolution stating that Iraq "has failed to take the final opportunity" to disarm, but does not include deadlines or an explicit threat of military force.  Meanwhile, France, Germany, and Russia offer a counter-proposal calling for peaceful disarmament through further inspections. Sometime reporter Jeff Gannon, actual name James Guckert, signs in at the White House for the first time, according to Secret Service White House access logs obtained through FOIA by Representatives John Conyers (D-MI) and Louise Slaughter (D-NY).Both major parties of Kurdistan, an autonomous region in Northern Iraq, vow to fight Turkish troops if they enter Kurdistan to capture Mosul or interfere in Kurdish self-rule.  Between them the two parties can mobilize up to 80,000 guerillas – most likely no match for the modern Turkish army, but a severe blow to the unity of U.S. allies on the Northern front expected in the U.S. plan to invade Iraq.Roh Moo-hyun becomes the new president of South Korea.North Korea fires test missiles into the Sea of Japan.Toshihiko Fukui, former Bank of Japan Deputy Governor, is named as a new chief of Bank of Japan.Four former executives of Qwest Communications International are criminally charged with fraudulently booking $33,000,000 in revenue during 2001. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also files a civil suit against seven former (including the four criminally charged) and one current Qwest executives, alleging fraudulent accounting practices in violation of SEC rules.[9]NASA reports that the space probe Pioneer 10 finally ceased its transmissions from deep space, after more than thirty years of a mission which was originally intended to last less than two.
Current events of February 26, 2003 (2003-02-26) (Wednesday) :
Daniel Libeskind's design is announced as the winner and future occupant of the former World Trade Center site. The design includes an office building and a Wedge of Light which will honor the victims of the terrorist attacks by shutting down its lights between 8:46 am and 10:28 am EST every September 11. It will also use the WTC's foundations.North Korea nuclear weapons program: Officials from the United States state that North Korea reactivated a reactor at its main nuclear complex.US plan to invade Iraq: Hans Blix stated that Iraq still had not made a "fundamental decision" to disarm, despite recent signs of increased cooperation. Specifically, Iraq refused to destroy its al-Samoud 2 long range missiles—a weapon system that was in violation of the UN Security Council's resolutions and the US treaty with Iraq. These missiles are deployed and mobile. Also, an R-400 aerial bomb was found that could possibly contain biological agents. Given this find, the UN Inspectors have requested access to the Al-Aziziyah weapons range to verify that all 155 R-400 bombs can be accounted for and proven destroyed.George Bush commits publicly to a post-invasion democracy in Iraq, says it will be "an example" to other nations in Arabia.The House of Commons saw the largest rebellion by MPs from any governing party in Britain for at least 100 years.  122 MPs from the ruling Labour party were among 199 from all parties who voted to add the phrase "[This House] finds the case for military action against Iraq as yet unproven" to a government motion. The motion itself endorsed UN Security Council Resolution 1441 and supported "... the Government's continuing efforts in the UN to disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction."Saddam Hussein, in an interview with Dan Rather, rules out exile as an option. He calls for dialogue with United States president George W. Bush, and suggests that the two should engage in a televised debate.Dr. Sami Al-Arian was terminated from his teaching position at the University of South Florida. USF President Judy Genshaft indicated that Dr. Al-Arian's non-academic activities created a conflict of interest with the University, and also cited items from Al-Arian's 50-count indictment. A representative from the American Association of University Professors indicated that the AAUP does not feel that due process was followed in Al-Arian's case, and that the organization will likely formally censure USF at its June meeting.Toyanne Hightower, a manager for Banta Corporation, was murdered in her sleep in the city of Watauga, Texas, by her 16-year-old son. While he was preparing to shoot her, he phoned two friends and had them listen in a three-way phone call as he pulled the trigger. When his father returned home, he tried to shoot him also, but his father was able to disarm him. Her son was subsequently tried and sentenced to 40 years in the Texas prison system.
Current events of February 27, 2003 (2003-02-27) (Thursday) :
Ariel Sharon presents the new politically right-wing Israeli government. Part of his coalition are Sharon's Likud bloc, the National Religious Party, the National Union and Tommy Lapid's secular Shinui party.Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar personally asks United States President George W. Bush to silence Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, indicating that Rumsfeld's numerous public remarks on European countries' Iraq policies are generally viewed as inflammatory and overwhelmingly counterproductive within the European diplomatic community. Aznar indicated a preference for Secretary of State Colin Powell.[10]Career diplomat John Brady Kiesling resigns from the U.S. Foreign Service with a sharp public rebuke for the Bush administration's foreign policy, asking "Has oderint dum metuant really become our motto?" and "Is the Russia of the late Romanovs really our model, a selfish, superstitious empire thrashing toward self-destruction in the name of a doomed status quo?" Full textFred Rogers, the host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, dies of stomach cancer in his Pittsburgh home at the age of 74.An internal investigation by the Washington, D.C., police department indicates that hundreds of people arrested for failure to obey a police order to disperse at Pershing Park on September 27, 2002, during protests against the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund were never actually ordered to disperse before being arrested. MPDC Chief Charles Ramsey was unapologetic, indicating that the actions of the police were necessary to protect the city.[11]Iraq crisis of 2003: Regarding the disarmament of Iraq, the chief weapons inspector Hans Blix, says "The results in terms of disarmament have been very limited so far."Rowan Williams is enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury.U.S. presidential election, 2004: Senator Bob Graham of Florida announces his candidacy for the Democratic Party nomination of President.Rauf Denktas, chief of the Turkish Cypriots, rejected the latest version of a United Nations plan to reunite Cyprus.Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Holocaust survivor, announced his support to the United States and United Kingdom campaign against Iraq.
Current events of February 28, 2003 (2003-02-28) (Friday) :
Iraq crisis of 2003: Iraq begins the process of destroying Al Samoud two missiles on March 1. Hans Blix, U.N. chief weapons inspector said  "It is a very significant piece of real disarmament". However, the spokesman of the White House, Ari Fleischer declared that the Iraq commitment to destroy these missiles is a fraud that President George W. Bush had predicted, and indicated that the United States wanted a total and complete disarmament of Iraq.  He also repeated that if the United Nations did not act to disarm Baghdad, the United States would lead a coalition of voluntary countries to disarm Saddam Hussein.Canada's prime minister Jean Chrétien indicates that he believes that regime change is a dangerous goal for an invasion of Iraq, and that disarmament only should be the goal of international pressure.[12]It is reported that, citing "national interest" as a reason, the British government under Margaret Thatcher contributed approximately £1bn of taxpayer money to Iraq under Saddam Hussein in the 1980s. Most of this money went into military infrastructure built by British companies such as GEC-Marconi.[13]The new Austrian government, again headed by Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, is sworn in by Federal President Thomas Klestil. After more than three months of negotiations following the general elections of November 24, 2002, Schüssel (Austrian People's Party) decided to continue the coalition with the right-of-centre Austrian Freedom Party begun in early 2000. Although any future influence on federal politics by Jörg Haider was averted, one of the new members of the government is Ursula Haubner, Haider's sister.Darren Flutie, Canadian Football's all-time leader in receptions, retires.The Czech Republic finally chooses a new President, former Prime Minister Václav Klaus.  The county had been without a President after three attempts at choosing a replacement for former President Václav Havel.The United States 9th Circuit Court, based in San Francisco, California, reaffirmed its ruling that the words "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance are unconstitutional.  It is expected that the Bush administration will appeal to the Supreme Court.The United States government backtracked on its pledge to send American combat troops to the Philippines in order to track down Islamic terrorists in that nation.  Philippine opponents of the plan threatened to impeach President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, if she had allowed foreign troops on Philippine soil in contradiction to the Philippine constitution.The European Dreamcast online gaming network Dreamarena was closed down.
Current events of June 1, 2003 (2003-06-01) (Sunday) :
The Group of Eight summit opens in Évian, France, to tight security and tens of thousands of protestors.The sluice-gates on the Three Gorges Dam in China are closed, starting the filling of the reservoir of the world's largest hydroelectric project.The Railroad Museum of the Niagara Frontier opens.
Current events of June 2, 2003 (2003-06-02) (Monday) :
President George W. Bush begins his Middle East trip today, beginning with Egypt. He is in talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. He promises to work for the goal of Israel and a Palestinian state being able to live side by side without any bloodshed.Thousands of Iraqi soldiers threaten to begin suicide attacks against U.S. troops as leaders of Iraq's tribes tell the Americans that they could face war if they do not leave.Israel says it will dismantle only some of the more than 100 West Bank settlement outposts since violence began in that area 32 months ago.In Zimbabwe, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is first arrested, then released. This coincides with the start of a week of protests against the government, who have put Tsvangirai on trial for treason. He is due to appear in court later today.Europe launches its first voyage to another planet, Mars. The European Space Agency's Mars Express probe launches from the Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan.[1]The U.S. Federal Communications Commission announces sweeping changes to the concentration of media ownership protections in the U.S, allowing a single owner to own up to 45% of media in a given city.A US Department of Justice internal audit is released which asserts that the government systematically abused the civil rights of individuals detained after the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack, engaging in "a pattern of physical and verbal abuse".[2]
Current events of June 3, 2003 (2003-06-03) (Tuesday) :
A British Parliamentary committee announces it will hold an inquiry into the government's decision to go to war with Iraq.Israel frees about 100 Palestinian prisoners before the Mideast peace summit with President of the United States George W. Bush in a sign of goodwill.U.S. President George W. Bush meets with Arab leaders, and says that their summit is making progress on the US-backed "road-map" to Israeli-Palestinian peace.  The Arab leaders announce their support for the "road map" and promise to work on cutting off funding to "terrorist groups".Mathematician Jean-Pierre Serre is awarded the first Abel Prize at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway.Amelia Vega of the Dominican Republic wins the Miss Universe contest in Panama City, Panama. She is the first Miss Universe from the Dominican Republic.Sammy Sosa of baseball's Chicago Cubs is ejected from a game after he is found to have used a corked bat. The Cubs went on to beat the Devil Rays, 3 to 2.  Major League Baseball Officials confiscated 76 of Sosa's spare bats after his ejection, and all were found to be clean, with no cork.
Current events of June 4, 2003 (2003-06-04) (Wednesday) :
Road map for peace: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon promises to dismantle illegal settlements in the West Bank, while new Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas renounces all terrorism against Israel.Martha Stewart is indicted by a federal grand jury on nine criminal counts including securities fraud, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy in the U.S. government's investigation of her possible insider trading of ImClone Systems stock in December 2001. Just hours after this, she announces that she will quit as chairman and CEO of her company.Scientists have used genetic engineering techniques to make chickens grow teeth.[3]The United States House of Representatives votes 282 to 139 to ban Intact dilation and extraction, a process commonly referred to as partial-birth abortion.The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 9,000 for the first time since August 22, 2002.
Current events of June 5, 2003 (2003-06-05) (Thursday) :
German politician Jürgen Möllemann dies while parachuting.Computer virus Bugbear.b spreads worldwide on computer systems running Microsoft Windows by infecting email attachments.[4]The United States agrees to dismantle its bases and withdraw American forces from positions they have occupied near the DMZ, which separates North and South Korea, for decades.Pope John Paul II marks his 100th foreign voyage in a trip to Croatia, where the pontiff is expected to meet with Serbian Orthodox Christians as a sign of goodwill between the centuries-long feuding sister churches.[5]For the first time in more than two months, no new deaths were reported yesterday from SARS, the latest indication that the epidemic is subsiding, the World Health Organization said.[6]A United Nations war crimes tribunal charges President Charles Taylor of Liberia with war crimes for masterminding atrocities in the Sierra Leone civil war.Metallica's St. Anger album released.
Current events of June 6, 2003 (2003-06-06) (Friday) :
NASA investigators cracked a reinforced carbon fiber wing by shooting it with a piece of insulation, providing more evidence that falling insulation may have caused the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.[7]
Current events of June 7, 2003 (2003-06-07) (Saturday) :
Foreign affairs minister of Finland, Erkki Tuomioja, says that NATO could be a good option for the Scandinavian country. Finland has been previously very conservative about military alliances and known for its neutrality. (In Finnish) A more balanced view is given in an interview in Helsingin Sanomat's English edition of June 10.Empire Maker wins the Belmont Stakes horse race, stopping the bid of Funny Cide to win the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.  Funny Cide is third, behind Ten Most Wanted (horse).
Current events of June 8, 2003 (2003-06-08) (Sunday) :
After several days of violence and confusion in Mauritania, Pro-Israeli President Maaouiya Ould Taya appears to have defeated the uprising against him.[8]The Polish referendum on EU enlargement entrance finishes today; 78% of the voters voted to join the EU, with approximately 59% turnout.[9]The presence of the monkeypox virus in the United States is confirmed with four cases in Wisconsin, sparking the first discovery of the virus in the Western Hemisphere. Dozens of suspected cases have appeared across three Midwest states, where pet enthusiasts came into contact with infected domestic prairie dogs, which caught the disease from the Gambian giant rat.
Current events of June 9, 2003 (2003-06-09) (Monday) :
Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right coalition is routed in the Italian local elections.Archaeologists announce that the mummy of Queen Nefertiti may have been found in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.[10]The FBI begins to drain a Frederick, Maryland, pond hoping to uncover more evidence in the 2001 anthrax attacks.[11]North American ice hockey: The New Jersey Devils win the Stanley Cup, beating the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, 3-0, in Game Seven of their championship series.In New Brunswick, Canada, Bernard Lord's Progressive Conservatives edge out Shawn Graham's Liberals in the general election.  Lord's party takes 28 seats, Graham's 26 and the New Democratic Party takes 1.
Current events of June 10, 2003 (2003-06-10) (Tuesday) :
Donald Regan, Secretary of the Treasury under U.S. President Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1985 and White House Chief of Staff from 1985 to 1987, dies at 84 of cancer.Same-sex marriage in Canada: The Ontario Appeals Court rules that the law restricting marriage to heterosexual couples contravenes the equality provisions in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The court does not permit the province any grace time to bring its law in conformity with the ruling. This appears to mean that Ontario has become the first jurisdiction in North America to recognize same-sex marriages. Toronto announces that its city clerk will begin to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples, and two same-sex couples who filed suit have their marriages retroactively recognized.[12]
Current events of June 11, 2003 (2003-06-11) (Wednesday) :
Three 160,000-year-old human skulls unearthed in Ethiopia bridge an important gap in the human fossil record and lend support to the "out of Africa" single origin theory of human evolution.[13]Masquerading as an Orthodox Jew, a suicide bomber blows up a bus in Jerusalem, Israel, killing at least sixteen people. An Israeli helicopter attack in the Gaza Strip kills at least seven.[14]Same-sex marriage in Canada: The attorney general of Ontario announces that his government will conform to yesterday's court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in that province.US baseball: Six Houston Astros pitchers combine to pitch a no-hitter against the New York Yankees.  The game sets several records, including the most pitchers to combine for a no-hitter in Major League Baseball history, and a record for the Yankees for the most sequential games without being no-hit.[15]
Current events of June 12, 2003 (2003-06-12) (Thursday) :
Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt's Supreme Council for Antiquities, dismisses claim that archaeologists discovered Nefertiti's mummy.[16]The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says 54 people in the US may be infected with monkeypox.British Prime Minister Tony Blair reshuffles his Cabinet: the Lord Chancellor is to be replaced by a new Department for Constitutional Affairs, and Peter Hain and John Reid have new jobs, while Alan Milburn unexpectedly resigns. The government also plans to replace the House of Lords' judicial functions with a new Supreme Court.[17][18]A mass grave in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, dating back to the Stalinist purges in the 1930s, is discovered containing at least 575 victims. Ninety percent of the dead were found with the remains of yellow and red garments and religious items usually worn by Buddhist monks. The number could top 1,000, investigators said.
Current events of June 13, 2003 (2003-06-13) (Friday) :
The Iraqi oil pipeline near Baiji catches fire, following two explosionsThe United States occupation forces north of Baghdad kill 27 Iraqis in a pitched battle.Israel announces intention to kill high-ranking Hamas members, including Sheikh Ahmed Yassin despite an opinion poll showing that more than two-thirds of Israelis want the campaign of assassinations to stop.[19]Abud Sarhan, a shepherd, sues US Army General Franks and Secretary Rumsfeld following the deaths of 17 family members during the invasion of IraqUS Baseball: Pitching against the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankee Roger Clemens notches his 4,000th strikeout and his 300th win.
Current events of June 14, 2003 (2003-06-14) (Saturday) :
Czech citizens vote "yes" to joining the European Union by 77% with 55% turnout.
Current events of June 15, 2003 (2003-06-15) (Sunday) :
The German Green Party backs Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's Agenda 2010 with more than 90% of all votes at an extraordinary party convention.The San Antonio Spurs become NBA basketball champions by defeating the New Jersey Nets in game six of the 2003 NBA Finals, 88–77. It is the Spurs second franchise title.American and Canadian researchers publish a paper that uses gene linkage techniques to identify a mutation in the GRK3 gene as a possible cause of up to 10% of cases of bipolar disorder, one of the major mental illnesses.
Current events of June 16, 2003 (2003-06-16) (Monday) :
The Church of All Saints, Yekaterinburg is consecrated to commemorate the spot where the Ipatiev House used to stand.
Current events of June 17, 2003 (2003-06-17) (Tuesday) :
United States troops shoot dead two former Iraqi soldiers who were protesting that they had not been paid since their country was occupied.Following an international outrcy, the Romanian government retracts an official statement that no holocaust occurred on its territory during the Second World War.Linus Torvalds announces that he will take a leave of absence from his job at Transmeta to work full-time at OSDL on the Linux kernel.Same-sex marriage in Canada: The Canadian government announces that it will not appeal the Ontario appeals court ruling that permitted same-sex marriage. Instead, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien indicates that his government will introduce legislation to change the definition of marriage but protect the rights of churches to decide which marriages they will solemnize.The New York Times reports about allegations of severe child abuse within the Tranquility Bay correctional facility for unruly children, run by the Utah-based World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools.Kyodo reports that United States Armed Forces arrest the Japanese journalist Rei Shiba and two Iraqi guides on around June 8 in Ar Ramadi, 100 km west of Baghdad, while covering a university. The American forces reportedly put a bag on their heads during the arrest and gagged them in custody.[20]Shahad Omar AlAmoudi was born in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Current events of June 18, 2003 (2003-06-18) (Wednesday) :
Two months after becoming Finland's first female prime minister, Anneli Jäätteenmäki resigns amid accusations she lied about the leak of sensitive political information about Iraq discussions with George W. Bush during the election campaign.[21]Bounty hunters (including, reportedly, Duane "Dog" Chapman) aid in the capture of Andrew Luster, the fugitive Max Factor heir and a convicted rapist, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.The Angolan government announces a Boeing 727 has been stolen from Luanda's International Airport. The FAA asks all control towers in the United States to watch for any unscheduled aircraft as a consequence.
Current events of June 19, 2003 (2003-06-19) (Thursday) :
The widely syndicated comic strip Garfield celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Current events of June 20, 2003 (2003-06-20) (Friday) :
The Christian Science Monitor apologises to George Galloway for falsely alleging that he received ten million dollars from Saddam Hussein.  Galloway refuses to accept the apology.The Houston Chronicle reports that Bill Sikora, who advised NASA in 1989 on how to evade Freedom of Information Act requests, is  now working as legal counsel on the agency's Space Shuttle Columbia disaster investigation board.[22]
Current events of June 21, 2003 (2003-06-21) (Saturday) :

Current events of June 22, 2003 (2003-06-22) (Sunday) :
Real Madrid clinches the Primera división, the top football league in Spain, beating Real Sociedad by two points. The very next day, Real fires its manager, Vicente del BosqueHundreds of US troops raid Iraqi homes in the town of Ramadi, fired up by the Ride of the Valkyries coming through loudspeakers, in a scene which Reuters reporter Alistair Lyon describes as "a bizarre musical reprise from Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now." Meanwhile, a group identifying itself as the Iraqi National Front of Fedayeen announces to increase attacks on US troops if they refuse to leave the occupied country.[23]The largest hailstone ever recorded falls in Aurora, Nebraska.
Current events of June 23, 2003 (2003-06-23) (Monday) :
The U.S. Supreme Court issues opinions in Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz and Hamacher v. Bollinger, challenges to the affirmative action admissions policies at the University of Michigan. In Grutter, the Court held that the University of Michigan Law School's admissions policy, which considered race as one of a number of "soft" admissions factors on a case-by-case basis, was constitutional. In Gratz, the Court held that the undergraduate affirmative action admissions policy, which was based on a point system and was more rigid than the Law School's, was unconstitutional.[24]In Peekskill, New York, a 10-month-old baby girl survives a seven story fall. Her father, Willie Williams, takes her to the hospital, where she was treated for bruises and cuts, but Mr. Williams is later arrested on charges of attempted murder.[25]Human Rights Watch calls for a criminal investigation into Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's alleged role in the massacre of civilians, mostly Palestinians and Lebanese Shiites, in Sabra and the Shatila refugee camp.
Current events of June 24, 2003 (2003-06-24) (Tuesday) :
Six members of the British Royal Military Police are killed, in an attack in Majar al-Kabir, a village near the town of Amarah in Iraq. Eight others are wounded in two separate ambushes.[26]
Current events of June 25, 2003 (2003-06-25) (Wednesday) :

Current events of June 26, 2003 (2003-06-26) (Thursday) :
Cameroonian soccer player Marc-Vivien Foé collapsed during a Confederations Cup semi-final between Cameroon and Colombia in Lyon, France. He subsequently died after doctors failed to resuscitate him. He played for Olympique Lyonnais and was loaned to Manchester City F.C. in the 2002/03 season.[27]The U.S. Supreme Court issues opinions in Lawrence v. Texas, ruling 6–3 that a ban on gay sex is an unconstitutional violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.  The decision reverses the court's ruling 17 years ago which upheld the anti-sodomy laws.[28]Under pressure from members of Congress and human rights activists, officials in the administration of United States President George W. Bush publicly pledge for the first time that the United States will not torture terrorism suspects.[29]
Current events of June 27, 2003 (2003-06-27) (Friday) :
The United States Federal Trade Commission opens the National Do Not Call Registry.  This registry gives consumers an opportunity to limit the telemarketing calls they receive. On October 1, 2003, when the National Do Not Call Registry became enforced, most telemarketers were required to remove the numbers on the registry from their call lists.  See http://donotcall.gov/ or call 1-888 382-1222 for registration.,[30][31]The Boston Red Sox establish a new Major League Baseball record by scoring 10 runs before recording their first out of the game against the Florida Marlins in Boston. Marlins pitcher Kevin Olsen was injured by a line-drive hit and taken to a local hospital, where he was admitted in good condition. The Red Sox beat the Marlins, 25–8.
Current events of June 28, 2003 (2003-06-28) (Saturday) :
The FBI finishes its investigation of a pond in Frederick, Maryland, for clues in the 2001 anthrax attacks.  Items found in the pond include a bicycle, some logs, a street sign, coins, fishing lures, and a handgun.  The FBI took soil samples from the bottom of the pond for testing.
Current events of June 29, 2003 (2003-06-29) (Sunday) :
Actress Katharine Hepburn dies of natural causes at the age of 96 at her family home in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.
Current events of June 30, 2003 (2003-06-30) (Monday) :
Comedian and actor Buddy Hackett dies at his home in Malibu at the age of 78.
Current events of April 1, 2003 (2003-04-01) (Tuesday) :
Hong Kong movie and Cantopop star Leslie Cheung commits suicide at the age of 46.In Japan, The Postal Services Agency becomes Japan Post, a public corporation.[1]In Japan, Hyosuke Kujiraoka, a former vice speaker of the House of Representatives, dies in Adachi, Tokyo. He was 87.Air Canada, the main airline company of Canada asks for  bankruptcy protection.The US Supreme Court hears oral arguments for Grutter v. Bollinger, (regarding the University of Michigan Law Schools' affirmative action admissions policy), and Gratz and Hamacher v. Bollinger, (examining the university's undergraduate admissions policy.)Cubana de Aviación AN-24 airplane on a flight from the Isle of Youth in Cuba to Havana with 46 passengers on board is hijacked and directed towards the United States.  After refueling in Havana the plane flew to Key West, under escort by two US jet fighters.  The plane landed safely in Key West.[2]Prisoner of war United States Army Private Jessica Lynch is rescued by U.S. forces from Nasiriya, Iraq (BBC News).Square and Enix, two Japanese video game companies, announce their merger into Square Enix. Because of the timing, many people thought this was a mutually planned hoax.The award-winning machinima series Red vs. Blue makes its online premiere, alongside the founding of Rooster Teeth ProductionsThe Campus Security Department at Queen's University in Kingston, ON Canada reported Computer bugs had infected systems throughout the Campus. Reading the report eventually reveals a different twist to the story ...Alex McLeish, manager of Scottish football club Rangers announced the signing of seventeen-year-old Turkish player Yardis Alpolfo in a £5 million deal. The name is in fact an anagram of "April Fool's Day" but many news sources, including Reuters, reported the story.[3]Locus Online carries a fake news story about Baen Books signing deals with Microsoft and Coca-Cola for product placement deals in Baen novels.
Current events of April 2, 2003 (2003-04-02) (Wednesday) :
Iraqi military forces light oil wells on fire while retreating in the face of overwhelming US military might.  This was considered an act of environmental terrorism.U.S. Brigadier General Vincent K. Brooks claims the Baghdad division of the Iraqi Republican Guard was "destroyed". Iraq information minister Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf responded that this was another American "lie".[4]The Iraqi Information Ministry bans Qatar-based Al Jazeera satellite television from Baghdad.[5]
Current events of April 3, 2003 (2003-04-03) (Thursday) :
Dr. Julie Gerberding, a director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, states her concern that SARS threatens to become a global pandemic.[6]Jean-Pierre Serre is announced as the winner of the first Abel Prize.ArabNews reports that United States forces have captured the Saddam International Airport in Baghdad.[7]
Current events of April 4, 2003 (2003-04-04) (Friday) :
Video footage of Saddam Hussein is shown on Iraqi television, and mentions the shooting down of an Apache helicopter, reducing speculation on the possible death of Saddam Hussein.
Current events of April 5, 2003 (2003-04-05) (Saturday) :
The Senate of Belgium approves a change in the nation's war crimes law so that it will no longer apply to citizens of nations with sufficient human rights laws. The House of Representatives had already approved the change. The law had been used in the past to charge such people as George H. W. Bush, Colin Powell and Ariel Sharon with war crimes, and had interfered with Belgium's international relations.[8]Monty's Pass wins the Grand National
Current events of April 6, 2003 (2003-04-06) (Sunday) :
British forces step up their presence in the southern Iraq city of Basra. According to embedded journalists, the citizens of Basra braved gunfire to dance in the streets and cheer for the British troops. UPI's Chief International Correspondent Martin Walker claimed that he had witnessed at least one Basra citizen kiss a British tank.[9]In a friendly fire incident, U.S. warplanes struck a convoy of allied Kurdish fighters and U.S. Special Forces during a battle in northern Afghanistan. At least 18 people are killed and more than 45 wounded, including senior Kurdish commanders.
Current events of April 7, 2003 (2003-04-07) (Monday) :
As part of a plea bargain, alleged Mafia boss Vincent "Chin" Gigante admits in court that he has been feigning insanity for more than 30 years.[10]In Oakland, California, police fired rubber bullets and beanbags at anti-war protesters and dockworkers outside the Port, injuring at least a dozen demonstrators and six longshoremen standing nearby. Most of the 500 demonstrators were dispersed peacefully, but a crowd of demonstrators was blocking traffic on private property near the port and fail to disperse after police warnings. Oakland Police Chief said demonstrators also threw objects and bolts at them, and said the use of  weapons was necessary to disperse the crowd. He indicated non-lethal projectiles were used to respond to direct illegal action. The longshoremen were caught in the crossfire. A dockworker spokesman reported Police gave two minutes to disperse, then did not move to arrest people, instead they opened fire. Demonstrators also claim though the rubber bullets were supposed to be shot at the ground, the Police took direct aim at them. Oakland police said 31 people were arrested at the port.U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says that war in Iraq is "drawing to a close".[11]Embedded NPR journalists relay reports from a top official with the first Marine Division that U.S. forces near Baghdad have discovered 20 medium range BM-21 missiles armed with warheads containing deadly sarin and mustard gas that are  "ready to fire.",[12][13]More than a dozen Coalition soldiers, a Knight Ridder reporter, a CNN cameraman and two Iraqi prisoners of war are sent for chemical weapons decontamination after exhibiting symptoms of possible exposure to tabun and sarin nerve agents and lewisite blistering agents while searching an Iraqi agricultural warehouse and a nearby military compound on the Euphrates river between the cities of Kerbala and Hilla. U.S. soldiers found eleven 25–gallon barrels and three 55-gallon chemical drums, hundreds of gas masks and chemical suits, along with large numbers of mortar and artillery rounds. Initial tests of the chemicals were positive, then a second test was done which came back negative. A third test, conducted by a mobile testing unit provided by Germany confirmed the existence of sarin. Some reports indicate that the chemicals found at the agricultural warehouse may turn out to be pesticides. Further tests are planned in the United States. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said later in a Pentagon briefing that "almost all first reports we get, turn out to be wrong. We don't do first reports and we don't speculate.",[14][15]Syracuse University defeats the University of Kansas to win the NCAA's college basketball championship
Current events of April 8, 2003 (2003-04-08) (Tuesday) :
U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei reiterates a statement he made on March 31, to which the United States has yet to respond, that only the UN IAEA has a mandate to search out and destroy any nuclear weapons or parts of a nuclear weapons program found in Iraq.[16]Hong Kong health officials say that spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome may mean it is going to be around for a while. World Health Organization officials are cautiously optimistic that it can be contained.,[17][18]The Iraqi ambassador to the Arab League, Mohsen Khalil, announces that "Iraq has now already achieved victory – apart from some technicalities."[19]Deaths of three journalists in Baghdad: Two American air to surface missiles hit the Qatar satellite station Al Jazeera's office in Baghdad and kill a reporter and wound a cameraman. U.S. Officials said that the offices were not targeted, but were right next to the Iraqi Ministry of Information building which was a target. The nearby office of Arab satellite channel Abu Dhabi is also hit by air strikes. Al Jazeera accuses the U.S. of attacking Arab media to hide facts. On the same day a U.S. tank fires into the 15th floor of the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad, where almost all remaining foreign journalists are based, and kills two cameramen and wounds three. In the Abu Dhabi case the station airs the picture of Iraqi fire from beneath of the camera. In the hotel case, however, other journalists on the scene deny any fire from or around the hotel.,[20][21][22]Baseball Hall of Fame president Dale Petroskey cancels a planned celebration for the 15th anniversary of "Bull Durham." Petroskey cites recent comments made by film co-stars Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon as potential dangers to U.S. troops in Iraq. The celebration was to take place April 26 and 27.[23]
Current events of April 9, 2003 (2003-04-09) (Wednesday) :
At the International Science Festival at Edinburgh's Royal Museum, the stuffed remains of Dolly the sheep are for the first time displayed.[24]Baghdad falls to coalition forces. American infantrymen seize deserted Ba'ath Party ministries and pull down a huge iron statue of Saddam Hussein at the Firdos Square in front of the Palestine Hotel, as a symbolic ending his autocratic rule of Iraq. Baghdad citizens then dragged the severed head of the statue through the streets of the city. Dozens of people there cheer U.S. soldiers, according to BBC. Much looting of cars and buildings is seen in Baghdad and other cities as the government and police lost control.[25][26][27][28][29]The fate of Saddam Hussein remains unknown after a U.S. B-1B bomber dropped four 2,000-pound bunker-busting bombs on a building where Hussein was thought to be meeting with his sons and senior aides on April 7. The bombs blew a 60-foot-deep crater in a residential neighborhood that is not under coalition control, refueling speculation about the possible death of Saddam Hussein.  British intelligence officials said that they believed Hussein left the targeted building just minutes before it was destroyed, and that he probably survived the attack.[30][31][32][33]Iraq's ambassador to the U.N. Muhammad Ali al-Douri tells reporters that "the game is over."[34]U.S. Undersecretary of State, John R. Bolton, warns Iran, Syria, and North Korea that they should "draw the appropriate lesson from Iraq".[35]
Current events of April 10, 2003 (2003-04-10) (Thursday) :
United States Green Berets and Kurdish fighters enter the city of Kirkuk in Iraq with little resistance. Turkey and U.S., in separate statements, say they will not allow the Kurds to occupy the city.,[36][37]British Airways and Air France simultaneously announce that they will retire the supersonic Concorde aircraft. Passenger numbers had never recovered following a crash that killed 113 in 2000.[38] In response, Sir Richard Branson offers to buy British Airways' Concordes for £1 for the use of his Virgin Atlantic Airlines. BA dismisses the offer as a stunt and indicates that the planes will go to air museums.[39]A fire destroys a boarding school for the deaf in Makhachkala, Russia, killing 28 children, aged eight to 14. About 100 other children suffer burns and smoke inhalation, 39 of which are in serious condition.[40]
Current events of April 11, 2003 (2003-04-11) (Friday) :
The northern Iraqi city of Mosul falls to coalition forces as the Iraqi army's fifth Corps offers a letter of surrender. The only remaining major city left to fall is Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, where some expect the remaining regime loyalists to make their final stand.[41]Europe's largest civil engineering project, and the world's largest single metro expansion project, is officially opened in Madrid. MetroSur, a 40-kilometre loop of the Madrid Metro in the southern suburbs of the city, took under three years to complete.Cuba executes three men charged with terrorism for hijacking a passenger ferry on April 2. Another four men receive life sentences.[42]In response to Baseball Hall of Fame president Dale Petroskey's April 8 decision to cancel a 15th anniversary celebration of "Bull Durham, sportswriter Roger Kahn cancels a planned appearance at the baseball museum.[43]Tom Hurndall, a British photojournalist is shot in the head by an Israeli sniper in Rafah, Gaza Strip.
Current events of April 12, 2003 (2003-04-12) (Saturday) :
Looting and lawlessness plague Baghdad.  Hospitals looted, humanitarian aid hindered by unsafe conditions.,,[44][45][46]Prince Laurent of Belgium marries British-born 'commoner' Claire Coombs at the St. Michael and Gudula Cathedral in Brussels.[47]Poet Linda Gregerson receives the $100,000 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award for her collection Waterborne.  The award is presented annually by the Claremont Graduate University for a "mid-career poet".  Joanie Mackowski receives the $10,000 Kate Tufts Discovery Award.Canadian scientists announce that they have sequenced the genome of the virus which is thought to cause Severe acute respiratory syndrome. The sequence is published on their website: http://www.bcgsc.ca/bioinfo/SARS/. (News item:[48])14th annual Thunder Over Louisville is held in Louisville, Kentucky.
Current events of April 13, 2003 (2003-04-13) (Sunday) :
Ari Fleischer, press secretary to U.S. President George W. Bush, gives credit to The Pentagon for the apparent victory in the 2003 Iraq war.[49]According to the Washington Times, the objectives of Operation Iraqi Freedom have shifted from victory in Iraq to "destroying remnants of Fedayeen Saddam and other paramilitaries, and rebuilding Iraq to nurture a new democracy." The Times also suggests that the Operation is hunting for evidence of weapons of mass destruction and for members of the former regime.[49]Seven U.S. Prisoners of War are released to Coalition troops approaching Tikrit in Northern Iraq. The POWs included two Apache helicopter pilots, Chief Warrant Officer Ronald D. Young, Jr. and Chief Warrant Officer David S. Williams, and five members of the Army's 507th Maintenance Company; Spc. Shoshana Johnson, Sgt. James Riley, Spc. Joseph Hudson, Pfc. Patrick Miller and Spc. Edgar Hernandez. All seven POWs had previously been shown held captive by Iraqi state television and Al Jazeera.[50]
Current events of April 14, 2003 (2003-04-14) (Monday) :
Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former United Nations Secretary General, reports that the United Nations is increasingly "being marginalised" and that preparation is needed for a new organisation to succeed the UN.U.S. President George W. Bush says that U.S.-led coalition victory in the 2003 Iraq war is "certain, but not complete."[51]In Quebec, Canada, the governing sovereigntist Parti Québécois is defeated in the 2003 general election. The Liberals are returned to power after nine years, and Jean Charest becomes the new premier.The Congregation for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican, in the presence of Pope John Paul II, promulgates a decree declaring that Emperor-King Karl of Austria-Hungary (r: 1916–1918) possessed "heroic virtues". This decree marks a significant step towards canonisation in the Roman Catholic Church for the last Austrian emperor and king of Hungary.The bodies of a headless woman and a newborn fetus with the umbilical cord still attached washed up separately on the shore of San Francisco Bay near Richmond, California.  DNA testing determined the body is that of Laci Peterson, who had been missing from her home in Modesto since December 24, 2002.
Current events of April 15, 2003 (2003-04-15) (Tuesday) :
Abu Abbas captured by United States forces in Iraq.[52]Parliament of Finland elects Anneli Jäätteenmäki as the nation's first woman Prime Minister.[53]In New York, Omar Portee, founder and leader of the United Blood Nation, receives a sentence of 50 years in jail. He had been convicted in August of racketeering, murder conspiracy, credit card fraud and drug selling.[54]10 Iraqis are reported killed and 16 injured in the city of Mosul. Marines insist they were fired at, survivors say demonstrators only threw stones.[55]
Current events of April 16, 2003 (2003-04-16) (Wednesday) :
A Bush administration official announces that the United States, People's Republic of China, and North Korea will meet in Beijing from April 23 to April 24 to discuss North Korea's suspected nuclear weapons program. The United States had refused bilateral discussions with North Korea since October 2002, insisting on multinational talks. The United States will be represented by Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly.[56]The Helsingin Sanomat reports that in late March, a RITEG-beacon was disassembled by thieves in Kurgolovo, Russia, who dumped the highly radioactive nuclear material into the Gulf of Finland, 100 km south of Finland.[57]
Current events of April 17, 2003 (2003-04-17) (Thursday) :
2003 invasion of Iraq
Australian Prime Minister John Howard announces that Australian forces in Operation Falconer will completely pull out by June.
The Bechtel Corporation is awarded a $680 million contract for the rebuilding of parts of Iraq's electricity system, water supplies and other key infrastructures.
Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti, top advisor and half-brother of Saddam Hussein is captured by U.S. forces (the second of Hussein's half brothers captured this week).[58]
Save the Children announces that U.S. forces continue to prevent their airplane from landing in Arbil, Iraq to deliver medical supplies and emergency feeding kits. U.S. officials contend that the area is not yet safe, while the United Nations has already declared Arbil a "safe and secure" area.[59]
Martin Sullivan and Gary Vikan, of the U.S. Presidential Advisory Committee on Cultural Property, announced their resignations in protest of the US failure to prevent looting of the Iraqi National Museum.[60]Sir John Stevens releases the Stevens Report, which states that the police and other security services in Northern Ireland colluded in the murders of many innocent people, including Pat Finucane and Francisco Notarantonio, in the 1970s and 1980s.Michael Jordan retired from professional basketball while playing for the Washington Wizards.
Current events of April 18, 2003 (2003-04-18) (Friday) :
Iraqi Police arrest Saddam Hussein's former finance minister, Hikmat Mizban Ibrahim al-Azzawi in Baghdad, and turn him over to U.S. Marines.United States forces announce that a "disease control" plant in Baghdad has been raided by unknown persons, and strains of cholera, black fever, HIV, polio and hepatitis may have been lost.[61]DNA testing proved that the bodies found on the shores of San Francisco Bay were those of the missing Laci Peterson and her unborn son.  Peterson's husband, Scott, was arrested in La Jolla, California, and returned to their home town of Modesto, California, for trial.United States Army troops found over $656 million dollars in United States and Iraqi currency in sealed metal boxes in several bricked up cottages on the grounds of the homes of members of the Iraqi elite in Baghdad.  Preliminary indications were that the money was real uncirculated bills, and not counterfeit.
Current events of April 19, 2003 (2003-04-19) (Saturday) :

Current events of April 20, 2003 (2003-04-20) (Sunday) :
A bench clearing brawl happens in a baseball game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the St. Louis Cardinals. Tino Martinez was hit by a 1–0 pitch from Miguel Batista, and took first base. He was then forced out at second base during the next batter's at-bat. When heading back to the dugout, Martinez charged Batista from behind. Batista turned and threw the ball at him, and players from both teams joined the altercation. The Diamondbacks ultimately won the game, 1–0, and the MLB suspends Martinez for four games, and Batista for ten.
Current events of April 21, 2003 (2003-04-21) (Monday) :
Boston Marathon: Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot wins in 2:10:11, Svetlana Zakharova in 2:25:20 (legally blind American Marla Runyan finishes fifth), Ernst Van Dyk and Christina Ripp win the wheelchair races in 1:28:32 and 1:54:57 respectively.Vote counting in Nigeria heavily favors Olusegun Obasanjo; opposition makes accusations of electoral fraud.[62]The International Criminal Court elects its first prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo.[63]British pop group S Club announce that they are splitting up after four years. The announcement was made in the London Arena by the six remaining members of the group.
Current events of April 22, 2003 (2003-04-22) (Tuesday) :
The International Criminal Court elects its first prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo.The world's first native 64-bit x86 processor, the AMD Opteron processor, is launched.
Current events of April 23, 2003 (2003-04-23) (Wednesday) :
A U.S. commanding officer in Baghdad announces that five U.S. soldiers are under investigation for the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars from caches of money found in Iraq.[64]The British and Irish governments publicly ask three questions of the IRA. Depending on clarification offered, the Northern Ireland Executive may be reinstated or the Assembly elections postponed.New Jersey re-ratifies the 14th Amendment, having ratified and subsequently rescinded support for the amendment in the late 19th century.[65]
Current events of April 24, 2003 (2003-04-24) (Thursday) :
2003 Iraq war: Iraqi former Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz surrenders himself to U.S. forces[66]The Dixie Chicks pose nude on the cover of Entertainment Weekly, with political slogans on their bodies, in response to their critics' reaction to lead singer Natalie Maines' derogatory remark against U.S. President George W. Bush.[67]In the Red Lion Area Junior High School cafeteria (Red Lion, Pennsylvania), eighth-grader James Sheets, carrying multiple weapons, fatally shoots the principal, Eugene Segro, and then fatally shoots himself. Two years earlier, the same school district was the site of a machete attack that injured another principal, two teachers and 11 pupils.Winnie Mandela is found guilty of theft and fraud involving funds of the African National Congress and faces up to fifteen years in prison.[68]The Canadian federal fisheries minister, Robert Thibault, announces the complete closure of the Atlantic cod fishery, in order to prevent the commercial extinction of cod.[69]An article in Nature states that the chemical pyrroloquinoline quinone should be classed as one of the B vitamins.A massive intrusion of fish occurs at the water inlet of the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Generating Station, causing a plant shutdown for approximately 25 hours.Microsoft releases Windows Server 2003.
Current events of April 25, 2003 (2003-04-25) (Friday) :
United States Army secretary Thomas E. White resigns amidst tensions with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld over the direction future Army weapons development programs should take, and controversy surrounding White's previous employer, Enron. The Pentagon declines to provide specifics on the circumstances of his resignation.[70]
Current events of April 26, 2003 (2003-04-26) (Saturday) :
Unknown assailants fire incendiary devices on an ammunition dump in suburban Baghdad, triggering hours of explosions. American sources put the casualties at six dead and four wounded; Iraqi sources state 25 wounded. U.S Army 3rd Infantry Division the 11th Engineer Battalion Charlie Co. ASP(Ammo Security Point)89 tons of confiscated munitions exploded after an enemy attack.[71]Winnie Mandela is sentenced to four years in prison (five years, less one-year suspended) for theft and fraud.[72]Hiker and mountain climber Aron Ralston is stuck for five days in Blue John Canyon after an 800-pound rock falls on his right arm, pinning it to the canyon wall.
Current events of April 27, 2003 (2003-04-27) (Sunday) :
Argentinians go to the polls to elect a president for the first time since the December 2001 economic collapse provoked street riots that unseated four presidents in two weeks. Carlos Menem beats fellow Peronist Néstor Kirchner in the first round of voting, but the closeness of the vote necessitates a runoff vote scheduled for May 18. Other candidates included former economy minister Ricardo López Murphy, former caretaker president Adolfo Rodríguez Saá, and lawmaker Elisa Carrio.A Soyuz spacecraft blasts off from Baikonur Cosmodrome towards the International Space Station, the first launch since the Columbia disaster.Pitcher Kevin Millwood of baseball team the Philadelphia Phillies, throws a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants. The Phillies' Ricky Ledée hits a home run for the game's only run. It is only the ninth time in Phillies history a pitcher throws a no-hitter, and the first time for them since Tommy Greene did it in 1991.
Current events of April 28, 2003 (2003-04-28) (Monday) :
At Falluja, 50 km from Baghdad, American soldiers from the 82nd Airborne opened fire on a group of protesters, killing between six and 17 and leaving others injured. The incident occurred during a demonstration outside a local school were American forces were stationed. The day before two soldiers were wounded in Ramadi when a hand grenade was thrown from a crowd. Different variasions of the incident exist. two days later on April 30, 2003, another shooting incident occurred in which three people died. After the incidents relations with the populus of Falluja soured, and tensions would continue to build until the November  2004 Battle of Falluja.The World Health Organization announces that SARS has peaked in all affected countries except the People's Republic of China. These countries include Canada, Singapore, and Vietnam, as well as Hong Kong.[73][74]SARS is made only the fourth disease, after plague, yellow fever, and cholera, that countries are required to report to the World Health Organization.[74]Apple Computer revealed a new online music store, entitled the iTunes Music Store, for its iTunes and iPod products. Each song can be downloaded for 99 cents and there is no subscription fee.A Mexicana de Aviación jet is forced to land at San Francisco International Airport in California after the pilot accidentally sets off the anti-terror alarm.
Current events of April 29, 2003 (2003-04-29) (Tuesday) :
The World Health Organization lifts the SARS travel warning for Toronto.Leaders of member countries of ASEAN and the Premier of the People's Republic of China held an emergency summit in Bangkok, Thailand in order to address the SARS problem. Among the decisions made were the setting-up of a ministerial-level task force and uniform pre-departure health screening in airports.Israeli forces assassinate three Palestinian militants in Gaza, including Nidal Salamah, a leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.  The action prompts accusations that Israel is trying to sabotage the Palestinian government's attempts to transform itself.Mahmoud Abbas is confirmed as the first Palestinian Authority prime minister after winning a vote of confidence from the Palestinian legislature.The United States announces that it will be reducing its military presence in Saudi Arabia to a handful of advisors.Lynn Htun, suspected of being the head of the Fluffi Bunni computer cracker ring, is arrested in London.[75]Quebec premier-elect Jean Charest is sworn in and names his cabinet.[76]
Current events of April 30, 2003 (2003-04-30) (Wednesday) :
The World Health Organization holds a meeting in Toronto regarding SARS.A suicide bomber kills three in a bar in Tel Aviv.A road map for peace sponsored by the US, UN, EU, and Russia is delivered to the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority.
Current events of May 1, 2003 (2003-05-01) (Thursday) :
The Labour Party under the leadership of Rhodri Morgan win a landslide victory in the Welsh Assembly elections.President Bush safely lands in an S-3B Viking jet on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln returning from operations in Iraq while 100 miles off the coast of San Diego, California. It is the first time a sitting president has arrived on the deck of an aircraft carrier by plane. Bush makes a primetime address, surrounded by hundreds of sailors, in which he declares major combat operations in Iraq over while standing in front of a banner reading "Mission Accomplished".A magnitude 6.4 earthquake hits Bingöl, Turkey, killing at least 177 people and injuring 520.United States Navy forces start moving out of Vieques. A big celebration erupts on Vieques' streets at 12:01 am EST, to celebrate the military's move out of the island.The British Columbia Supreme Court becomes the third provincial supreme court to rule that the Canadian government must legally recognize same-sex marriage.The Canadian dollar exceeds 70 cents US for the first time in five years, reaching $0.7044 US.Aron Ralston ends his 6-day entrapment in Blue John Canyon by severing his right arm with a pocket-knife.
Current events of May 2, 2003 (2003-05-02) (Friday) :
U.S. economic indicators: The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics announces that the unemployment rate rose to 6% in April as employers cut 48,000 jobs, smaller than the consensus estimate of 75,000. This followed a revised decline of 124,000 jobs in March.
Current events of May 3, 2003 (2003-05-03) (Saturday) :
New Hampshire's famous landmark rock formation, the Old Man of the Mountain, collapses overnight.Funny Cide, a gelding, wins the Kentucky Derby.Titular Archbishop of Glendalough and Vatican representative in the United Nations in Geneva, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin is named Coadjutor Archbishop of Dublin by Pope John Paul II. His appointment is announced to worshippers at St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin by the Archbishop of Dublin Cardinal Desmond Connell. No date is given for Connell's retirement but Martin's appointment takes immediate effect.Dar Heatherington, Lethbridge alderman, disappears in Great Falls, Montana, and is found three days later, alleging that she had been abducted and raped. A series of legal battles later stated that Heatherington had made these charges up, though she maintains her innocence.
Current events of May 4, 2003 (2003-05-04) (Sunday) :
At least 19 people are killed in a series of tornadoes in the states of Colorado, Kansas and Missouri.
Current events of May 5, 2003 (2003-05-05) (Monday) :
Boeing unveils a drawing of a proposed airplane of the future and launches a public contest to name the aircraft.Professional social networking site LinkedIn launches.
Current events of May 6, 2003 (2003-05-06) (Tuesday) :
Buckingham Palace announces that Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and his wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex are expecting their first child. The child will be the seventh grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.The United States signs a Free Trade Agreement with Singapore, the first with an Asian country.Brian Duchow, a Milwaukee bus driver, is charged with child abuse of a passenger with Down syndrome, allegedly hitting him and threatening more abuse. The abuse was recorded on an audio tape using a recorder that the parents had put in the child's backpack.[1][2][3]
Current events of May 7, 2003 (2003-05-07) (Wednesday) :
Nearly 40,000 manuscripts and 700 artifacts belonging to the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad are recovered by U.S. Customs agents working with museum experts in Iraq.  Some looters had returned items after promises of rewards and amnesty, and many items previously reported missing had actually been hidden in secret storage vaults at the museum prior to the outbreak of war.A five-hour transit of Mercury takes place, an event that occurs only 13 times per century on average.
Current events of May 8, 2003 (2003-05-08) (Thursday) :
30 German passengers and the driver of a tourist bus are killed by a train collision at a railroad crossing near Siofok, Hungary. 12 people are injured. Most of the passengers came from Lower Saxony or Schleswig-Holstein.A vulnerability in the Microsoft Passport Internet authentication system is announced which allows an attacker to change a victim's password and thereby hijack their account. This affects Hotmail and other Passport-enabled systems, allowing an attacker to use a victim's email account and obtain other personal data such as credit card numbers.,[4][5]The Russian mathematician Dr Grigori Perelman claims to have resolved the Poincaré conjecture.[6]In New York City, the World Boxing Council declares itself bankrupt, to avoid paying a former world champion 30 million dollars after the former boxer wins a lawsuit against the organization.King Mohammed VI of Morocco releases 9459 prisoners from Morocco's prisons in celebration of the birth of his first son and heir, who was named Prince Hassan.An F4 tornado hits metro area of Oklahoma City, and became the 10th costliest tornado in United States history. No one was killed but many were injured. The tornado followed a path similar to that of the F5 tornado of May 3, 1999.
Current events of May 9, 2003 (2003-05-09) (Friday) :
As many as 129 are feared dead after a door opens on a plane flying from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The victims were sucked from the plane, which returned to Kinshasa after the incident. Although the airline to which the plane belongs to is unknown, the plane involved in the tragedy has a logo of Ukrainian Cargo Airlines.The United States Senate Armed Services Committee votes to lift a 10-year-old ban on the research and development of low-yield nuclear weapons as part of its 2004 defense-spending bill. The majority of the committee and the Bush administration argue that such weapons may in the future become necessary to deal with terrorist threats, and to effectively incinerate biological or chemical weapons installations. The move is criticized by Democrats who fear that it will increase the risks of nuclear proliferation and nuclear escalation in warfare.,[7][8]The National Association of Evangelicals, a group of evangelical Christians, condemns Franklin Graham, Jerry Falwell, Jerry Vines, Pat Robertson and other evangelical ministers for anti-Islamic statements.The United States House of Representatives approves a tax-cut measure for $550 billion over 10 years. This is $176 billion less than President George W. Bush originally proposed, but $200 billion more than the Senate's version of the same measure. One highly controversial aspect of the President's initial proposal that the House removed is the repeal of the tax on dividends paid by corporations to shareholders. There are also important differences between the House and Senate bills, and great difficulty is foreseen in reconciling them before they may be sent to the President for approval.
Current events of May 10, 2003 (2003-05-10) (Saturday) :
The first confirmed SARS case is reported in Finland. A man who had been visiting Toronto is now being treated at Turku University Hospital.
Current events of May 11, 2003 (2003-05-11) (Sunday) :
Ponds on the north side of Catoctin Mountain, near Gambrill Park Road and Tower Road in Frederick, Maryland, are under investigation by the FBI, in connection with the 2001 anthrax attacks. FBI investigators found anthrax spores and other evidence in their search of ponds in the area during December and January 2002.  Divers retrieved a "clear box" with holes that could accommodate protective biological safety gloves, as well as vials wrapped in plastic from a pond in the Frederick Municipal Forest.  A new theory has been developed suggesting how a criminal could have packed anthrax spores into envelopes without harming (him/her) self.  Officials from Fort Detrick have stated that the water is safe because once in water anthrax spores cluster together and descend to the bottom.  The water in the pond has been tested several times over the course of the investigation, and all indications are that the water is safe.A number of newspapers have published the alleged identity of the British Force Research Unit's most senior informer within the Provisional IRA, code-named Stakeknife, who is thought to have been head of the Provisional IRA's internal security force, charged with routing out informers like himself.  The person named has fled.The Governor-General of Australia Peter Hollingworth has stood down from his post while investigations into his past are proceeding. Tasmanian Governor Sir Guy Green is appointed as Commonwealth Administrator.Filip Vujanovic, a former Prime Minister who favors independence, was elected President of Montenegro.  This was the third attempt at electing a President in five months; the first two votes did not attract enough voters to make the vote valid.  This time the legislature had eliminated the turnout requirement.Voters in Lithuania vote to join the European Union.Manchester City F.C. close the curtains, at their stadium, Maine Road after 80 years.Texas Rangers slugger Rafael Palmeiro became the 20th member of the 500 home run club in a game against the Cleveland Indians.
Current events of May 12, 2003 (2003-05-12) (Monday) :
Riyadh Compound Bombings: Four simultaneous car bombs detonate in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at various Western enclaves there, killing at least 35 people.  U.S. and Saudi officials speculate that the bombs are the work of al Qaeda.A truck bomb explodes at FSB headquarters in Znamenskoye, Chechnya, killing 59 and wounding some 200 more, in an apparent suicide attack. Official Russian sources blame the incident on Chechen separatist rebels. [9][10]Rihab Rashid Taha, the alleged Iraqi biological weapons chief known as "Dr Germ", is taken into custody. She is not on the U.S. list of most-wanted Iraqis because she has been out of power for several years.[11]Clare Short resigns from the UK cabinet, saying that Tony Blair had reneged on promises about the role of the United Nations in the future of Iraq. Her successor as International Development Secretary, the Baroness Amos, is the UK's first black woman cabinet minister.The Today Show co-host Katie Couric replaces Jay Leno as a substitute host on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Leno replaced Couric on The Today Show, hosting alongside Matt Lauer.
Current events of May 13, 2003 (2003-05-13) (Tuesday) :
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing of the Treasury Department of the United States releases a new 20 dollar note, aimed at defeating the technological advances of counterfeiters.  The note is expected to begin circulating in the fall of 2003; which is five years since the last $20 note was released in 1998.  New designs for the $50 and $100 notes will follow in 2004 and 2005.  The most distinctive change in the new currency design is in color.  It is the first U.S. currency since 1905 to include colors other than green and black.  Different colors for different denominations will make it easier to tell one note from another, and more difficult to counterfeit.  The New Color of Money Web site (includes images)Much of France comes to a standstill in a general strike of the public and private sectors.[12]Russian officials identify Arab militant Abu Walib as the mastermind behind the May 12 bombing in Znamenskoye, Chechnya, and claim links between that incident and the bombings in Riyadh 14 hours later.[13]A suicide bombing occurs at a religious festival in the town of Iliskhan-Yurt, in southeastern Chechnya. At least 14 people are killed by the bombing. The attack is apparently an attempt to assassinate Akhmad Kadyrov, the Moscow-appointed chief administrator of Chechnya. Kadryov escaped injury.,[14][15]
Current events of May 14, 2003 (2003-05-14) (Wednesday) :
DARPA's Information Processing Technology Office solicits bids for the LifeLog project, an extremely ambitious effort to create a massive searchable computer database, "an ontology-based (sub)system that captures, stores, and makes accessible the flow of one person's experience in and interactions with the world ...  The objective ... is to be able to trace the 'threads' of an individual's life in terms of events, states, and relationships".,[16][17]SCO v. IBM Linux lawsuit: Apparently noticing the incongruity of their selling a Linux distribution while suing IBM for stealing their intellectual property and giving it to the developers of that operating system, the SCO Group (formerly Caldera International and Caldera Systems) announces they will no longer distribute Linux. According to their press release, "SCO will continue to support existing SCO Linux and Caldera OpenLinux customers and hold them harmless from any SCO intellectual property issues regarding SCO Linux and Caldera OpenLinux products."Carlos Menem quits the Argentinian presidential race; fellow Peronist Néstor Kirchner is consequently expected to win.The bodies of 17 Hispanics, suspected Mexican illegal immigrants, were found by police in Victoria, Texas. One more person, a man, died in a hospital, raising the death total to 18. 13 of the bodies were found inside a locked truck, and four of them outside it. A man was later arrested in Houston on suspicion of being the smuggler who led the 18 persons to their deaths.
Current events of May 15, 2003 (2003-05-15) (Thursday) :
The journal Nature reports that all species of large fish in the world's oceans have been so thoroughly overfished that just 10% of the population that there was in 1950 remains. The scientists who authored the report conclude that the world's oceans are no longer even close to their natural state. Sharks, Atlantic cod, and Pacific sardines are tapped as particularly imperilled with extinction. The scientists recommend drastic measures to reduce ocean fishing. Nature, Environment News, BBCThe United States Senate approves a tax-cut bill designed to cut revenues by a total of $350 billion over ten years.  The Senate takes a compromise position on the controversial issue of taxing stock dividends; the dividend tax is temporarily reduced, then eliminated, and reinstated for 2007.  The bill will now go to a conference committee to resolve differences with a $550 billion tax cut passed by the House on May 10.China announces a new series of measures to combat SARS.  Foreign adoptions of Chinese babies are now suspended.  The penalties for knowingly spreading the disease have been increased, and now include execution.United States federal prosecutors indict Jamal Ahmad Mohammad Al Badawi and Fahd al-Quso, in absentia, in connection with the USS Cole bombing in Yemen on October 12, 2000.
Current events of May 16, 2003 (2003-05-16) (Friday) :
2003 occupation of Iraq: United States and United Kingdom officials announce a change of policy concerning the redevelopment of Iraq.  The establishment of an Iraq-led national assembly will be put off indefinitely, and Allied commanders will remain in charge, reportedly because no new government would have the necessary amount of real power.Terrorist incidents: A series of explosions occurs in Casablanca.  At least 41 people are believed to be dead including 12 suicide bombers, and 100 are reported injured. See: Casablanca Attacks.[18]Astronomy: A total lunar eclipse is visible from Europe, the Americas and most of Africa from 01:46 to 05:34 GMT Nasa 1, Nasa 2.The Guardian reports that the Republican Party of Texas had the help of the United States Department of Homeland Security to track down several Democratic Party state legislators who had fled the state to prevent the state's House of Representatives from meeting with a quorum.[19]Three time defending NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers get eliminated from the 2002–2003 playoffs, losing 110–82 to the San Antonio Spurs in Los Angeles in Game 6 of their series.
Current events of May 17, 2003 (2003-05-17) (Saturday) :
Horse-racing: Funny Cide, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, wins the Preakness Stakes by 9​3⁄4 lengths.Flooding begins in Sri Lanka; it left 500 missing and 350,000 homeless.
Current events of May 18, 2003 (2003-05-18) (Sunday) :
The Guardian reporter Andrew Meldrum, the last foreign journalist in Zimbabwe, is forcibly deported after covering the country for the last 23 years.In Belgium federal elections take place. The main winners are the social-democratic cartel Different Socialist Party–Spirit and the extreme right wing Vlaams Blok. The biggest losses are for the green party Agalev.A nationwide referendum on record nine issues takes place in Switzerland. Abolition of nuclear power is rejected. Reduction and modernization of army is approved. It ends requirement of nuclear bunker in every home and famous bicycle brigade.[20][21][22]Indonesian president Megawati Sukarnoputri declares martial law in the breakaway republic of Aceh.In Slovakia, voters approve a referendum on joining the European Union.  The referendum is only advisory, the decision is in the hands of the national legislature, but it is expected to be approved.
Current events of May 19, 2003 (2003-05-19) (Monday) :
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer announces he will resign from his job in the summer, citing his desire to see his new wife more and to work in the private sector as reasons for his decision.Boobs! The Musical, the World According to Ruth Wallis, by Ruth Wallis, opens at the Triad Theater in New York City. Gennifer Flowers is an eventual understudy in this play.
Current events of May 20, 2003 (2003-05-20) (Tuesday) :
Christine Todd-Whitman announces that on June 27 she will resign her position as Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency[23]The Chelsea Flower Show opensA case of BSE ("mad cow disease") in a single cow in Alberta is confirmed by Canadian federal and provincial officials. The animal had been destroyed and declared unfit for consumption prior to being diagnosed. The US issues a temporary ban on all Canadian beef. This is the first North American case of BSE since one in 1993 involving an animal born in Britain.DARPA's Congressional report announces that the controversial Total Information Awareness program will be known as the Terrorist Information Awareness program from now on, to emphasize that its purpose is to compile data on terrorists, and not to compile dossiers on US citizens.[24]Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired its series finale, concluding the seven year series.The massively-multiplayer online first-person-shooter video game Planetside released in North America.
Current events of May 21, 2003 (2003-05-21) (Wednesday) :
An earthquake in northern Algeria measures 6.7 on the Richter scale; at least 1,600 are feared dead and 7,000 injured.An explosion occurs inside the Yale University's Sterling Law School Building in New Haven, Connecticut, damaging two rooms.  Investigators from the Joint Terrorism Task Force respond.  No injuries reported.  Authorities strongly believe the explosion was caused by a pipe bomb.In Britain, the convicted child-killer Mary Bell, now living under a new name and assumed identity, wins her High Court battle for anonymity.In a close vote, Ruben Studdard beat out Clay Aiken to become the next American Idol.
Current events of May 22, 2003 (2003-05-22) (Thursday) :
2003 occupation of Iraq: The United Nations Security Council votes to lift its sanctions on Iraq and to give the United States and United Kingdom control over the country indefinitely until a democratic government is formed.U.S. General Tommy Franks, who commanded American-led forces in the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, announces his retirement.
Current events of May 23, 2003 (2003-05-23) (Friday) :
US Congress passes a $350 billion tax cut plan. The plan is less than half the size of President Bush's original proposal. Vice President Dick Cheney casts the deciding vote, breaking the 50–50 tie in the Senate[25]The Euro breaks through its 1999 launch exchange rate of USD 1.1747 for the first time.[26]
Current events of May 24, 2003 (2003-05-24) (Saturday) :
Police in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, release information on a new suspect in the Baton Rouge Serial Killer case.[27]After a 40-year wait, Russian fans of The Beatles finally get to see former Beatle Paul McCartney perform on their soil, on the Red Square in Moscow.Sertab Erener wins the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest for Turkey, held in Riga, Latvia.Swedish singer Carola releases her album Guld, Platina och Passion.
Current events of May 25, 2003 (2003-05-25) (Sunday) :
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon wins cabinet approval for a peace plan that includes the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005.Gus Van Sant is awarded the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his film ElephantCardiff City F.C. defeat Queens Park Rangers F.C. in the Football League Second Division play-off final held at The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
Current events of May 26, 2003 (2003-05-26) (Monday) :
A Ukrainian YAk-42 plane crashes in northeast Turkey, near the city of Trabzon, killing all aboard. The plane carried 12 crew-members and 62 Spanish soldiers returning from a six-month peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan.[28]A draft of the proposed European constitution is unveiled.[29]In the city of Munich (Germany), the SPD and Greens, who have a city hall majority, decide in separate meetings to migrate 14,000 city-owned Windows NT PC workstations to the SUSE Linux operating system. In spite of personal meetings with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and substantial rebates offered on a Microsoft solution, Munich now becomes the largest German city to migrate all of its client PCs to Linux. As an office suite, OpenOffice.org will be used.[30]Peter Hollingworth resigns as Governor-General of Australia.
Current events of May 27, 2003 (2003-05-27) (Tuesday) :
Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon states that the "occupation" of Palestinian territories is "a terrible thing for Israel and for the Palestinians" and "can't continue endlessly." Sharon's phraseology prompts shock from many in Israel, leading to a clarification that by "occupation," Sharon meant control of millions of Palestinian lives rather than actual physical occupation of land.[31]SCO v. IBM Linux lawsuit: Novell enters the lawsuit between the SCO Group and IBM with a press release concerning the SCO Group's ownership of UNIX. "To Novell's knowledge, the 1995 agreement governing SCO's purchase of UNIX from Novell does not convey to SCO the associated copyrights," a letter to the SCO Group's CEO Darl McBride said in part. "We believe it unlikely that SCO can demonstrate that it has any ownership interest whatsoever in those copyrights. Apparently you share this view, since over the last few months you have repeatedly asked Novell to transfer the copyrights to SCO, requests that Novell has rejected."The first version of the free and open-source blogging tool WordPress was released. It was labelled as Version 0.7, a continuation of the last release of its predecessor, b2/cafelog.[32]
Current events of May 28, 2003 (2003-05-28) (Wednesday) :
Belgian researchers report a link between trichloramine and rising numbers of childhood asthma cases.  Trichloramine is a byproduct of reactions between several organic substances and chlorine, a chemical used in large quantities to disinfect swimming pools.[33]CBS Evening News reports that the bunker the United States bombed in Baghdad on March 20 never existed.[34]In an interview held in Miami, Mike Tyson tells interviewer Greta Van Susteren that, because of his being labeled as a rapist, nowadays, he would like to rape Desiree Washington.[35]A.C. Milan win the 2002/2003 final of the UEFA Champions League by beating Juventus 3:2 (penalty shootout) at Old Trafford in Manchester. The game had ended 0–0 before the shootout.EU countries will get more financial power. A convent which thinks about the future of EU is giving member countries more authority to decide of their own finance politics. Countries not belonging to EMU couldn't take part in these decisions.
Current events of May 29, 2003 (2003-05-29) (Thursday) :
Space Shuttle Columbia disaster: NASA officials release experimental findings proving that the insulation known to have hit the leading edge of Columbia's left wing could have created a gap in between protective heat panels.[36]A Russian nuclear energy company founded a branch to promote its bid for Finland's new nuclear power plant. Competing bids have been submitted by French-German company Framatome and General Electric[37]. Finnish power company TVO will make its selection in the autumn at the earliest, but by the end of the year at the latest.The Indian Ministry of Defence announced its purchase of Phalcon early warning radar systems from Israel.  The contract is worth U.S. $1.2 billion.Legendary entertainer Bob Hope celebrates his 100th birthday, quipping "I'm so old, they've canceled my blood type." [38]
Current events of May 30, 2003 (2003-05-30) (Friday) :
The contest for leader of Britain's largest general trade union, the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G), is won convincingly by Tony Woodley, a left-winger.Iraqi Airways' management announces the airline plans to resume international services soon.Finding Nemo was released into theaters.
Current events of May 31, 2003 (2003-05-31) (Saturday) :
Eric Robert Rudolph, a suspect in the Centennial Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics and other bombings in the Atlanta, Georgia area, is arrested behind a grocery store in North Carolina[39]United States President George W. Bush visits the location of the former death camp at Auschwitz. He is only the second president to do so, after Gerald Ford toured the camp in 1975.The final flight of an Air France Concorde takes place, landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport. British Airways plans to retire its Concorde fleet at the end of October.[40]Peter MacKay is elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, replacing retiring leader Joe Clark.
Current events of March 1, 2003 (2003-03-01) (Saturday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: The Turkish speaker of Parliament voids the vote accepting U.S. troops involved in the planned invasion of Iraq into Turkey on constitutional grounds. Due to 19 abstentions, 264 votes for and 250 against accepting 62,000 U.S. military personnel do not constitute the necessary majority under the Turkish constitution.[1]Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack and of other al-Qaeda attacks, is reported to have been arrested in Pakistan and turned over to US authorities for questioning.Under U.N. supervision, Iraq begins destroying four of its Al Samoud missiles.The United Arab Emirates calls for Iraqi president Saddam Hussein to step down to avoid war. The sentiment is later echoed by Kuwait and Bahrain.
Current events of March 2, 2003 (2003-03-02) (Sunday) :
Four North Korean fighter jets intercept a United States reconnaissance plane over international waters in the Sea of JapanIraq disarmament crisis: Iraq destroys six more Al-Samoud 2 missiles, bringing the total destroyed to 10 out of an estimated 100 missiles ordered eliminated by the U.N. The U.S. continues to dismiss Iraq's actions as "part of its game of deception." Iraq indicates that it may halt destruction of the missiles if the U.S. indicates it will go to war anyway.The British newspaper Observer publishes what it claims to be a leaked memo[2] from a high-ranking NSA official dated January 31, 2003. In it are orders to spy on the domestic and official communications of the United Nations Security Council members other than the U.S. and the United Kingdom. The memo names "... members Angola, Cameroon, Chile, Bulgaria and Guinea, ..." as candidates for special attention.[3]French president Jacques Chirac starts a three-day visit to the former French colony Algeria. It is the first visit of a French president to Algeria at the highest ceremonial level.
Current events of March 3, 2003 (2003-03-03) (Monday) :
Under intense American pressure, Turkey indicates that its Parliament will consider a second vote on whether to allow U.S. troops to use Turkish bases for a military attack on Iraq.
Current events of March 4, 2003 (2003-03-04) (Tuesday) :
Reports of a new security vulnerability in sendmail have been circulating, together with proof-of-concept exploit code. This raises fears of an imminent new Internet worm problem, unless existing vulnerable implementations are patched in time.First performance of MarchFourth Marching Band in Portland, Oregon.
Current events of March 5, 2003 (2003-03-05) (Wednesday) :
An appeals court in Norway ruled that Jon Johansen, the teenager who developed the DeCSS software that allows DVDs to be copied, will have to be retried on charges that he violated copyright and anti-hacking laws.Iraq disarmament crisis: The foreign ministers of France, Germany and Russia indicate that they will oppose any UN Security Council proposals that would authorize war with Iraq.[4]Iraq disarmament crisis: UK newspaper The Times reports that the United Nations secretly drawn up a plan to establish a post-war government in Iraq. Although no consensus have reached among UN Security Council members in regard to military action, the document indicates that UN leaders may now consider war all but inevitable.[5]A bomb explosion at an airport in Davao City, Philippines, killed at least 19 people.Meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Qatar fails to produce a statement opposing war in Iraq.Saudi Arabia deploys 3,300 troops to Kuwait in preparation for a potential Iraq conflict.A man exploded a bomb in a bus in Haifa, Israel, killing at least ten people.A car bomb exploded in Cúcuta, Colombia killing at least seven people.The chairman of the United States Senate subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific affairs said United Nation Security Council should debate the issue about abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea as a question of human rights.Protests against the 2003 Iraq war: Students protest and go on strike in a number of countries around the world.Crossgates Mall in Guilderland, New York, dropped charges of trespassing against a man who had been arrested for refusing to remove his "Give Peace a Chance" T-shirt. The change of heart occurred after over 100 anti-war demonstraters marched through the mall and threatened to stay until the mall backed down.Belize's People's United Party returned to office, 22–7, in 2003 legislative elections.
Current events of March 6, 2003 (2003-03-06) (Thursday) :
Britain: Abdullah el-Faisal is jailed for nine years for urging Islamists to kill non-believers, Americans, Hindus and Jews.[6]Cuban President Fidel Castro is elected unopposed to a sixth term. He has served as the head of Cuba's government for 44 years—longer than any other living head of government.New Scientist magazine reports a paper by Robert R. Caldwell, Marc Kamionkowski and Nevin N. Weinberg which puts forward the hypothesis that the end of the Universe may possibly occur as a "Big Rip", which will shred the physical structure of the Universe.[7]The SCO Group, formerly Caldera, the current owner of the rights to the Unix operating system, sues IBM for $1 billion for "devaluing" Unix, claiming that IBM employees who signed Non-disclosure agreements worked on the Linux operating system.The European Central Bank cut its reference rate by 0.25%Vivendi reported a corporate loss of 23.3 billion euros, the largest loss ever for a French company.Koei's Dynasty Warriors 3 receives Animation Magazine's "Best Overall Game Animation" award.
Current events of March 7, 2003 (2003-03-07) (Friday) :
Pravda reports that Georgia intends to seek UN Security Council approval to use military force against Abkhazia.[8]The United States declared a national emergency and joined the European Union in imposing economic sanctions on Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and members of his government for "systematically undermin[ing] democratic institutions" in Zimbabwe.[9]War on Terrorism: Two of Osama bin Laden's sons are rumored to have been arrested in a skirmish in southern Afghanistan.[10] This report was denied by both United States and Pakistani officials.[11]Iraq disarmament crisis: Hans Blix reports to the UN Security Council citing Iraq's increased but qualified cooperation.Revising the draft resolution put forth by the United States, United Kingdom and Spain a week ago, Britain proposes setting March 17 as the date for Iraq to voluntarily disarm or face the prospect of war.The Nikkei benchmark hit a 20-year low record as war in Iraq appears closer, alleged stock manipulation by Nikko Salomon Smith Barney came to light, North Korea is preparing to test fire a mid-range missile, and a new political scandal in the party of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi came to light.[12]Broadway musicians union members went on strike in protest over producers' proposals to cut the number of musicians at live performances, and the possibility of using taped or computer based music.  All but one of Broadway's musicals (Cabaret) closed as a result.Canadian Dot com company Zucotto Wireless ceases operations.
Current events of March 8, 2003 (2003-03-08) (Saturday) :
In a referendum, Malta votes in favor of joining the European Union in 2004.An oil refinery and an oil pipeline are attacked in the northeastern Indian province of Assam. The United Liberation Front of Asom separatist group claims responsibility and according to regional newspapers threatens more such attacks.[13]Iraq disarmament crisis: Kuwaiti workers have been instructed to make 35 holes in the fence between Iraq and Kuwait, and that the Kuwaiti army is positioning tanks at these openings.[14] The Pakistan Daily Times reported that UNIKOM had found armed US Marines in the demilitarized zone along the fence last month.[15] CBC reported that 230 UN support workers have been ordered out of the demilitarized zone.[16]The Japanese government expressed support for a revised draft resolution submitted jointly by the United States, United Kingdom and Spain to the United Nations Security Council that sets March 17 as the deadline for Iraq. Japanese media opinion polls taken last week indicate that 84% of Japanese people oppose an Iraq war.[17]An Air Algérie Boeing 737 crashes after take off from Tamanrasset, Algeria. A total of 96 passengers and 6 crew were killed, while 1 passenger survived.
Current events of March 9, 2003 (2003-03-09) (Sunday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: In an interview on BBC Radio 4, Clare Short, a member of Tony Blair's cabinet, describes his stance on Iraq as "deeply reckless", and says she would resign if he committed the UK to war without an unambiguous mandate from the United Nations.ArabNews reports that Saddam Hussein demanded that the UN Security Council lift the "embargo against Iraq", denounce the United States and the United Kingdom as "liars", strip Israel of weapons of mass destruction and force Israel to withdraw from "Palestine and occupied Arab land".[18]Albania says it will send troops to join any war against Iraq, largely a symbolic measure thanking the United States and NATO for intervening in Kosovo in the 1999 Kosovo War.The largest synagogue in Europe was opened in Baku.
Current events of March 10, 2003 (2003-03-10) (Monday) :
Iraq disarmament crisis: The White House press secretary, paraphrasing the President, stated "If the United Nations fails to act, that means the United Nations will not be the international body that disarms Saddam Hussein. Another international body will disarm Saddam Hussein."[19]Iraq disarmament crisis: *Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, stated "If the US and others were to go outside the [Security] Council and take military action it would not be in conformity with the [UN] Charter".French president Jacques Chirac declares that France will veto a UN resolution sponsored by Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  The resolution would authorise use of force against Iraq unless that country proves its disarmament by March 17.North Korea test-fires a short-range missile into the Sea of Japan.  This is North Korea's second recent such launch.[20]Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines said to a crowd in London: "We do not want this war, we do not want this violence, and we are ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov announced that Russia would veto a UN resolution by the US and the UK authorising the use of force against Iraq.[21]Recep Tayyip Erdogan is elected to the Turkish parliament and is expected to become prime minister shortly.  Erdogan supports deployment of US troops in Turkey and is expected to call for a new vote on the issue as one of his first official acts.[22]Deutsche Telekom discloses an annual loss of 24.6 billion euros.U.S. diplomat John Brown, who joined the State Department in 1981, resigned. He said that the Bush administration's Iraq policy was fomenting a massive rise in anti-US sentiment around the world and he could not support it.
Current events of March 11, 2003 (2003-03-11) (Tuesday) :
After 20 years of delay, the Brazilian government fulfilled its legal commitment to demarcate the lands of the Awá tribe.Jonathan Ben-Artzi, nephew of Benjamin Netanyahu (former prime minister of Israel), is court martialed for refusing to serve in the Israeli Defence Force on pacifist grounds.The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes at 7524, a five-month low.The 18 judges of the International Criminal Court are sworn in at The Hague.Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, announces that UN-sponsored talks on the reunification of Cyprus have failed. Cyprus remains a candidate for EU membership and the Greek Cypriot government intends to sign on behalf of the whole island. Analysts suggested that Turkish opposition to unification may hurt Turkey's chances of joining the EU.
Current events of March 12, 2003 (2003-03-12) (Wednesday) :
Zoran Ðindic, Prime Minister of Serbia, is assassinated.Vicente Fox, president of Mexico, undergoes emergency back surgery for a herniated disc.An Indonesian court convicts Brig.-Gen. Noer Moeis of crimes against humanity and sentences him to five years in prison for failing to prevent massacres in East Timor.[23]The European Court of Human Rights rules that the Turkish trial of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan was not fair.The World Health Organization issued a rare  Global Alert about a mysterious severe respiratory disease spreading in several countries.
Current events of March 13, 2003 (2003-03-13) (Thursday) :
The United States Food and Drug Administration approves Enfuvirtide (trade name Fuzeon), a new AIDS drug that acts as an entry inhibitor.
Current events of March 14, 2003 (2003-03-14) (Friday) :
Osiel Cárdenas,  suspected leader of a Mexican drug cartel, is arrested in Matamoros, Tamaulipas.U.S. Representative James P. Moran, Democrat from Virginia, is forced out of a party leadership post after furor over his remarks that were interpreted as saying that American Jews are responsible for a possible war with Iraq.Carlos Ortega, labor union leader and opponent of President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, is granted political asylum at the Costa Rican Embassy in Caracas.  Ortega had eluded arrest for three weeks on charges of treason, civil rebellion and "incitement".Norwegian firefighter Robert Sørlie becomes the first non-American, and second non-Alaskan to win the 1,049 mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which runs from Anchorage to Nome in the U.S. state of Alaska.Iraq disarmament crisis: Key documents presented as evidence that the US should invade Iraq are revealed as forgeries. The documents stated that Niger was selling 500 tons of uranium to Iraq. One, dated 2000, was on stationery from the military government of the 1980s and referred to a foreign minister who had not been in power for 14 years; another bore a signature of the president of Niger that was an obvious fake. Iraq's supposed acquisition of African uranium was a feature in Colin Powell's speech to the UN Security Council in February and in George W. Bush's State of the Union Address.[24] Senator John Rockefeller asked the FBI to investigate the origin of the documents. Rockefeller expressed concern that the forgeries "may be part of a larger deception campaign aimed at manipulating public opinion and foreign policy regarding Iraq."
Current events of March 15, 2003 (2003-03-15) (Saturday) :
Hu Jintao is elected President of the People's Republic of China by the National People's Congress by a vote of 2,937 to 4 with three abstentions. His predecessor, Jiang Zemin, steps down after serving the maximum of two five-year terms.The World Health Organization issues warnings about an atypical pneumonia of unknown cause, dubbed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).  It was first found in Asia and appears to have originated in Hong Kong. There are fears that unless measures are taken to control SARS, it may become epidemic.[25]Iraq disarmament crisis: A round of protests takes place in cities across the world.[26]War on Terrorism: Suspected al-Qaida terrorist Yassir al-Jaziri, is arrested in eastern Pakistan. He is believed to be among the leading al-Qaida members wanted by the United States.
Current events of March 16, 2003 (2003-03-16) (Sunday) :
The United States Department of State ordered non-essential diplomats and embassy dependents out of Kuwait, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Damascus.[27]U.S. President George W. Bush, U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar meet in the Azores, Portugal for a summit on the Iraq disarmament crisis. One British official describes the meeting as the "last chance for diplomacy." In a press conference at the end of the meeting, President Bush states that "We concluded that tomorrow is a moment of truth for the world".Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Rachel Corrie, a college student from Olympia, Washington and member of the Palestinian International Solidarity Movement, is killed by an Israeli bulldozer when she tries to prevent it as a human shield from demolishing the house of the Palestinian Dr. Samir Masri.Zoran Živkovic, a former Interior Minister, was elected by the Democratic Party to succeed the assassinated Prime Minister of Serbia, Zoran Ðindic. He is expected to be elected for Prime Minister in few days at parliament.[28]Wen Jiabao was elected Premier of the People's Republic of China by the National People's Congress. He replaced Zhu Rongji.Sponsored by the World Water Council, a Water forum began in Kyoto, Japan.[29]64% of voters in Liechtenstein approved a measure to give Prince Hans-Adam II the power to dismiss governments, approve judicial nominees and veto laws.  It is the most power of any monarch in Europe.  Hans-Adam had threatened to leave the country if the measure was not approved.General François Bozizé dissolved the national legislature of the Central African Republic and declared himself President, one day after his rebel forces took Bangui, the capital.
Current events of March 17, 2003 (2003-03-17) (Monday) :
US invasion of Iraq: President George W. Bush announces in a televised speech that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his sons have 48 hours to leave Iraq, or the United States will initiate preemptive military action against Iraq.France announces that it had deployed 300 soldiers to seize the Bangui, Central African Republic airport.Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, orders all UN personnel to leave Iraq.[30]Peter Goldsmith, Attorney General of the UK set out the legal justification for an invasion of Iraq;[31]Robin Cook, Leader of the British House of Commons, resigned from the UK cabinet over the plan to invade Iraq;,[32][33]The UK and the US have withdrawn a proposed UN Security Council resolution on Iraq;[34]The United States advised UNMOVIC and the International Atomic Energy Agency to withdraw all weapon inspectors out of Iraq;[35]Iraq disarmament crisis: Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi said that he supports the U.S., U.K., and Spain for ending diplomatic efforts against Iraq. He also indicates no further UN resolution is necessary to invade Iraq.[36]Accounting scandals: Merrill Lynch, its four former executives and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission agree to settle the Enron security fraud case for $80 million. It is one of the five largest penalties imposed on security-related civil cases.[37]
Current events of March 18, 2003 (2003-03-18) (Tuesday) :
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says that thirty nations have joined with the United States in a "coalition of the willing" to remove Saddam Hussein from power, with another 15 quietly promising their support.  See Worldwide government positions on war on Iraq.Naji Sabri, the Iraqi foreign minister, calls U.S. President George W. Bush "a war criminal", "tyrant", "despot" and "idiot". He also claims that evacuation of UNIKOM from the demilitarized zone violates the UN resolution of 1991.[38]Approximately US$1 billion is stolen from the Central Bank of Iraq, just hours after the United States began bombing Baghdad.The United Kingdom Parliament votes in to grant Parliamentary Approval for the invasion of Iraq.
Current events of March 19, 2003 (2003-03-19) (Wednesday) :
U.S. begins military strikes in Iraq, which many consider the beginning of the Iraq War.Jørn Siljeholm, a weapons inspector recently in Iraq, accused the U.S. of lying about evidence for weapons of mass destruction. English, NorwegianTelephone tapping of EU headquarters uncovered. According to EU officials the taps targeted six EU states including Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.  The taps appear to have been installed when the building was constructed in 1994.[39]A group of doctors in Hong Kong claims to have identified the agent causing severe acute respiratory syndrome as belonging to the paramyxoviridae family of viruses.[40]European Union Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner, David Byrne, said "cases like SARS demonstrate only too clearly that contagious diseases require a high level of preparedness across borders. Imagine if it had been an influenza pandemic which, in the past, had a devastating impact on humans. In order to meet the contemporary public health threat of communicable diseases, we must strengthen coordination and surveillance at Community level. The most effective way to do so is by setting up a European Union Centre for Disease Control."Paul Twomey is chosen for being the next president of ICANN.[41]Dwight Watson, who had driven a tractor into the Constitution Gardens pond on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., surrendered to federal authorities.  The 48 hour standoff severely disrupted the business and traffic of downtown D.C., as a large section of streets were blocked due to Watson's claim that he had explosives.[42]
Current events of March 20, 2003 (2003-03-20) (Thursday) :
Space shuttle Columbia's data recorder ("black box") was found near Hemphill, Texas.[43][44]Mary Ann Wright, a U.S. diplomat in Mongolia, resigned out of disagreement with George W. Bush's Mideast policy, his approach to North Korea and the domestic consequences of the War on Terrorism.2003 Iraq war: The 2003 invasion of Iraq begins as land troops from United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Poland attack.2003 First Mayoral election: first mayoral election held for the Sylhet city corporation.March 20, 2003 anti-war protest
Current events of March 21, 2003 (2003-03-21) (Friday) :
An Illinois court ordered the tobacco company Philip Morris to pay $10.1 billion for misleading consumers with the word "light." The company appeals.18 Afghan prisoners of Guantanamo base were liberated by the United States. These 18 persons were released in Kabul, Afghanistan without compensation or any assistance to return to their homes.[45]
Current events of March 22, 2003 (2003-03-22) (Saturday) :
Estimates of between 125,000 and 250,000 people march for peace in New York City.  The march was organized by the group United for Peace and Justice.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.
Current events of March 23, 2003 (2003-03-23) (Sunday) :
Hasan Akbar, a Muslim soldier with the 101st Airborne, kills two fellow soldiers in a grenade attack at Camp Pennsylvania, Kuwait.A 2000-pound (900 kg) meteorite explodes over Chicago shortly before midnight, raining fragments over the city.[46]
Current events of March 24, 2003 (2003-03-24) (Monday) :
Hilltop 26, an illegal Israeli settlement in the West Bank, was dismantled by the Israel Defense Forces.[47]
Current events of March 25, 2003 (2003-03-25) (Tuesday) :
SARS: Ontario declares a public health emergency. Anyone who was at Scarborough Grace Hospital in the past 10 days is to be isolated at home.[48]
Current events of March 26, 2003 (2003-03-26) (Wednesday) :
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan says that American and allied troops in Iraq must be used to provide humanitarian aid to Iraqis whilst the security situation is so unstable (BBC)At least 14 people are killed in Baghdad after a missile hits a marketplace (BBC).Al Jazeera television broadcasts images of two dead soldiers and two prisoners of war, whom it says are British (BBC).Scientists at the Rovira i Virgili University claim to have a 350,000-year-old axe, the oldest evidence of human creativity yet uncovered (BBC)A meteor exploded over the midwest, showering Park Forest, Illinois, with dozens of meteorite fragments. APOD: 2003 May 6 – A Chicago Meteorite Fall954 paratroopers of the US Army's 173rd Airborne made a combat jump into the Bashur Drop Zone as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom
Current events of March 27, 2003 (2003-03-27) (Thursday) :
Richard Perle resigned as chairman of the U.S. Defense Policy Board, but agreed to remain a board member.[49]Afghan deputy defense minister general Abdul Rashid Dostum created an office for the North Zone of Afghanistan and appointed officials to it, defying interim president Hamid Karzai's orders that there be no zones in Afghanistan.[50]SARS: The World Health Organization recommended that passengers flying from places where SARS outbreaks have occurred should be screened before being allowed on flights. These places included China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, and the city of Toronto.[51]
Current events of March 28, 2003 (2003-03-28) (Friday) :
SARS: The Hong Kong government imposes a quarantine on a group of over 1000 people, and closes schools for nine days in an attempt to stop the spread of SARS.Fujitsu releases the HOAP-2, a humanoid robot product running the open standard Linux operating system.Turkish Airlines' Airbus A310 was hijacked shortly after leaving Istanbul. At least three Turkish parliamentarians are among 196 passengers and eight aircrew members on the Flight TK 160 landed in Athens, Greece. The hijacker surrendered later in the day.[52]190th Fighter Squadron, Blues and Royals friendly fire incident: During the Coalition invasion of Iraq, two A-10 Thunderbolts from the USAF 190th Fighter Squadron fired on and destroyed two armored vehicles from the United Kingdom's D-Squadron, killing one British soldier, and injuring five others.
Current events of March 29, 2003 (2003-03-29) (Saturday) :
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome: Dr. Carlo Urbani, a WHO expert on communicable diseases and the physician who first identified the outbreak, dies of the disease in Thailand. He had been infected in Vietnam.SARS cases in Toronto exceed 100.
Current events of March 31, 2003 (2003-03-31) (Monday) :
In Japan, farm minister Tadamori Oshima resigns.[53]
Current events of January 1, 2003 (2003-01-01) (Wednesday) :
The first day of the year in the Gregorian calendar  Luíz Inácio Lula da SilvaLuíz Inácio Lula da Silva ("Lula") becomes the 37th president of the Federative Republic of Brazil for the period (2003–2007).  Da Silva was elected representing the Worker's Party with 61% percent of the vote.  His inaugural speech includes vows to wipe out poverty, hunger, and corruption, but da Silva promised during the campaign to abide by an agreement with the International Monetary Fund to maintain a budget surplus of 3.75% and filled key economic posts with men considered friendly to foreign investment. Among guests at the inauguration were Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, Cuban President Fidel Castro, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick.The Turkish-registered tanker Vicky, with 70,000 tonnes of diesel cargo, struck the wreck of the sunken auto carrier Tricolor off the coast of Dunkirk, France.  The double-hulled tanker freed itself from the wreck with the rising tide and sailed a mile off to check for leakage.  The Vicky is the second ship to strike the wreck of the Tricolor since the carrier sank on December 14, 2002.A Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules overflew the islands of Tikopia and Anuta in the Solomon Islands to inspect damage by Cyclone Zoe.  The overflight carried officials of the Australian government agency AusAID.  Reports show that there was damage to crops and traditional homes, but there may be no casualties among the islands' 1,600 inhabitants.
Current events of January 2, 2003 (2003-01-02) (Thursday) :
The first 49 of a promised 1,264 West African peacekeepers arrive at Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to help supervise the cease-fire between the government of President Laurent Gbagbo and the main rebel group, the Patriotic Movement of the Ivory Coast. Rebellion against the Gbagbo government began September 19, 2002. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) agreed to send peacekeepers on September 29.  The EECOWAS peacekeepers will join 2,500 French forces.  Rebel groups occupy the northern half of Ivory Coast.French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin arrives in Ivory Coast to help mediate the conflict.Oil leakage from the sunken tanker Prestige threatens the southwestern coast of France.  The prefect of Aquitaine reported a slick from the tanker is 50 kilometers (30 standard miles) from the coast. French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin promised 50 million euros for the cleanup. The Prestige, which carried 77,000 tonnes of crude oil, sunk in late November 2002, off the coast of the Galician region of Spain.The People's Republic of China Foreign Ministry reacted to a report in the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz which stated that Israel had complied with a U.S. request to suspend all contracts on the exports of arms and security equipment from the PRC to Israel. Israeli Defence Ministry Director-General Amos Yaron stated that Israel intends to "track down" all security ties with the PRC.  An unnamed senior Israeli official stated that the Americans were using the pretext of protecting Taiwan to cover a proposed shift of American policy to allow direct arms sales to the PRC.United States Army division commanders are beginning a war game at US V Corps headquarters at Heidelberg, Germany, called VICTORY SCRIMMAGE.  The exercise is under the command of Lieutenant General William S. Wallace, who is expected to command American ground forces in a planned U.S. war against Iraq.Clonaid Chief Executive Brigitte Boisselier told the French television station France 2 that the American parents of the supposed clone that Clonaid created are balking at providing DNA evidence to prove that their new-born baby "Eve" is really a clone.  The claim is that the parents are afraid that Florida will try to take the baby away from them.
Current events of January 3, 2003 (2003-01-03) (Friday) :
The Immigration and Naturalization Service of the United States proposes rules that will require all Americans traveling abroad to disclose detailed personal information both before leaving the country and before being permitted to re-enter the country.[1]In Bouaké, Ivory Coast, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin met with political leaders of the Patriotic Movement of the Ivory Coast, who agreed to participate in negotiations to be held in Paris, France, the week of January 15, 2003.  However, two independent rebel groups in the west of the country, assisted by fighters from Liberia, have seized villages and the cocoa crops inside those villages, forcing residents to flee to the port of San Pédro with no possessions.  One-fifth of the world's cocoa crop passes through San Pédro.  A French unit is guarding the port.U.S. plan to invade Iraq: United Nations arms inspectors from UNMOVIC have established a base of operations in Mosul, Iraq, 375 kilometers or 200 miles north of Baghdad, to speed the inspection process.College football: At the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, the Ohio State University Buckeyes defeated the University of Miami (Florida) Hurricanes, 31–24, to win the national championship. Willis McGahee blows up his knee in his eventual final game as a Miami Hurricane and Maurice Clarett concludes his Buckeyes career as a National Bowl Champion before challenging the NFL on entering the 2003 NFL Draft.Journalist Geoff Mackley[2] reports after a helicopter mission that the Cyclone Zoe led to no casualties on the island of Tikopia, even though devastation was enormous. The 1,000 inhabitants of the island survived in caves. Reports that they had already resumed their daily occupations like fishing are misleading: they were "fishing" for their possessions that were blown out to sea. The situation on the island of Anuta with 600 inhabitants is not known yet.
Current events of January 5, 2003 (2003-01-05) (Sunday) :
The flood in Germany turns out to be less severe than expected in the last few days. Exception is Wertheim am Main, where a 100-year-high is expected.Terrorist incident: A double suicide bombing shatters a busy area of Tel Aviv, Israel. 23 people are killed and about 100 are wounded. Both the Islamic Jihad and Hamas claim to be responsible for the double bombing.Roy Jenkins dies.
Current events of January 7, 2003 (2003-01-07) (Tuesday) :
Jon Johansen was acquitted of all charges in the Norwegian DeCSS trial, in an important test case for copyright law.Kobe Bryant breaks NBA record for most 3-point field goals in a single game.War on Terrorism: British police announced details of the discovery of traces of the toxin ricin in a flat in Wood Green in North London in the wake of the arrest of six terrorist suspects. The timing of this news coincided with a major speech by Prime Minister Tony Blair dealing with the threat of terrorism and Britain's relationship with the U.S.A.British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announced details of the call-up of reservists in the military build-up calculated to increase pressure on Iraq.French President Jacques Chirac, in a New Year's message to French forces, stated that French forces should be prepare to be activated if the United Nations decides on military action in Iraq.Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee told an educational conference in Mumbai: "Our scientists are now talking of going to the Moon."Astronomers at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton have found the most distant extrasolar planet, OGLE-TR-56b, by a new technique of observing the intensity of light as a planet transits its sun, rather than by gravitational perturbation.
Current events of January 8, 2003 (2003-01-08) (Wednesday) :
North Korea threatens war if the United Nations applies economic sanctions.Air Midwest airplane crashes during take off from Charlotte, North Carolina's international airport, killing all 21 people aboard. The plane, headed to Greer, South Carolina, was not able to maintain altitude after take-off, crashing onto a US Airways plane hangar. In another crash, in Turkey, at least 74 of the 77 people on board died when a plane of the Turkish Airlines company, crashed while attempting an emergency landing at the Diyarbakir airport.
Current events of January 9, 2003 (2003-01-09) (Thursday) :
UN Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix and International Atomic Energy Agency head Mohammed El Baradei give a report to the United Nations Security Council. They say that progress on the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is "inching forward" but that a more "pro-active" stance is required from the Iraqi government.[3]Astronomers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center obtain the most detail view yet of a black hole "feeding" at the centre of a quasar.[4]
Current events of January 10, 2003 (2003-01-10) (Friday) :
North Korea formally withdraws from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.[5]The INS registration deadline for males in the United States aged 16 and older from Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea, Lebanon, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. A controversial Bush administration policy designed to capture terrorists requires all such men to submit to "special registration" procedures consisting of fingerprinting, photographing, and lengthy interviews concerning their whereabouts, associations, and activities.[6]The Pentagon orders 62,000 US troops to the Persian GulfGordon Campbell, premier of British Columbia, is arrested for drunk driving on vacation in Maui. He is the first sitting Canadian premier to be arrested. A scandal ensues.
Current events of January 11, 2003 (2003-01-11) (Saturday) :
George H. Ryan, Governor of Illinois, announced that he commuted the sentences of all 157 people on the state of Illinois' Death Row to life in prison.  "Our capital system is haunted by the demon of error: error in determining guilt and error in determining who among the guilty deserves to die. What effect was race having? What effect was poverty having?  Because of all these reasons, today I am commuting the sentences of all death row inmates", Ryan said.  Ryan's term of office expires on January 13.A U.S. court ordered the controversial organization Clonaid, which claims that it produced a human clone, to reveal the identity and whereabouts of the alleged cloned baby.Idina Menzel married fellow broadway actor and Rent (musical) costar, Taye Diggs.
Current events of January 12, 2003 (2003-01-12) (Sunday) :
North Korea threatens that the US will vanish in a "sea of fire" if it continues to challenge North Korea.Maurice Gibb of the band the Bee Gees passes away.Ariel Sharon and his Likud party are the target of continued accusations of political corruption.Steve Case announces his resignation as chairman of AOL after 18 years at the head of the company.Groundbreaking begins on Hong Kong Disneyland, scheduled to open in 2006.According to the Peruvian media, a Fokker F-28 is found which crashed near Chachapoyas. The 42 passengers and 4 crew members were all killed in the accident.
Current events of January 13, 2003 (2003-01-13) (Monday) :
War on Terrorism: Six more suspects were arrested in Bournemouth in England in connection with the investigation into ricin found in London. This brings the total of those arrested to eleven.Senator Joseph Lieberman from Connecticut announced he will run in the 2004 U.S. presidential electionThe Indian government had to shamefully withdraw its case against Iftikhar Gilani to prevent itself from a rather piquant situation where two of its ministries would have given contradictory opinions. Gilani had been arrested under the Official Secrets Act 1923.
Current events of January 14, 2003 (2003-01-14) (Tuesday) :
War on Terrorism: Three more suspects have been arrested in Manchester in England in connection with the investigation into ricin found in London, although it now appears as though the raid was initially carried out as the pursuance of an investigation into immigration issues. A Special Branch police officer, Stephen Oake, was fatally stabbed during the arrests, and three other officers were also injured, one seriously. This brings the total of those arrested to fourteen.British humanitarian agency Care International warns that the security situation in Afghanistan is "urgent" and warns that coalition troops should not redirect resources from security to nation-building efforts, as this could enable factional forces to overthrow the internationally backed government in Kabul.[7]20,000 workers at US industrial giant General Electric go on strike in 23 states over a GE plan to require workers to pay more for health insurance benefits.[8]
Current events of January 15, 2003 (2003-01-15) (Wednesday) :
Belgian plant pathologist, Emile Frison, of the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain states that the commercial banana variety may become extinct within 10 years.In a 7–2 decision in the case Eldred v. Ashcroft, the Supreme Court of the United States rules the 1998 Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act constitutional, preventing the expiration of any U.S. copyrights for 20 years from the date the law went into effect.A statement, issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and signed by Pope John Paul II, declared that all Roman Catholic politicians must adhere to church teachings, and that they cannot be faithful to the Church if they vote against Church positions on such issues as abortion.Robert L. Ehrlich, (born November 25, 1957), an American politician, becomes the 60th Governor of the State of Maryland.Borland Software Corporation (Nasdaq NM: BORL) announced the completion of its acquisition of TogetherSoft Corporation. Borland acquired the privately held TogetherSoft for approximately $82.5 million (cash) plus 9,050,000 shares of Borland common stock (reported as a total of $185 million) [news on Borland website].
Current events of January 16, 2003 (2003-01-16) (Thursday) :
President Bush visits the University of Scranton in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, to give a speech on medical liability reform amidst major medical malpractice in northeastern Pennsylvania. Bush criticized state attorneys for "frivolous lawsuits", vowing to decrease excessive jury awards and propose a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages. The president later paid a visit to Scranton's Mercy Hospital.US Senator Russ Feingold introduces a bill to halt the Information Awareness Office and Total Information Awareness pending a review of privacy issues involved. The US Congress attempting to suspend an internal Department of Defense project is a highly unusual step.[9]UN weapons inspectors in Iraq stated that they found empty rocket warheads, designed to carry chemical warfare agents, at the Ukhaider Ammunition Storage Area.The Space Shuttle Columbia launches on its last mission STS-107. It disintegrated on re-entry 16 days later.
Current events of January 17, 2003 (2003-01-17) (Friday) :
Tom Ridge is unanimously recommended by a United States Senate subcommittee to be confirmed by the full Senate as head of the new United States Department of Homeland Security which is scheduled to begin operation on January 24.[10]A 1.3-mile tunnel, representing the latest major piece of Boston, Massachusetts' Big Dig, opened, connecting the Massachusetts Turnpike to Logan International Airport.  The tunnel reduced the trip from downtown Boston from 45 minutes in traffic to 8 minutes.  The next phase, taking the elevated Interstate 93 and putting it underground, should be finished by early 2004.Gertrude Janeway, the last widow of a Union veteran from the American Civil War, died at the age of 93, in Blaine, Tennessee.  Gertrude married John Janeway in 1927, when she was 18 and he was 81.  He died in 1937.  Still alive is Confederate widow Alberta Martin, of Elba, Alabama.
Current events of January 18, 2003 (2003-01-18) (Saturday) :
A mass mobilization pulls together global protests against the Iraq war in cities around the world, including Tokyo, Moscow, Paris, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Cologne, Bonn, Gothenburg, Istanbul and Cairo. NION and ANSWER hold protests in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, California.The Swiss yacht Allinghi, captained by New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts, defeated Oracle, a San Francisco, California-based yacht, to win the challenger final of the America's Cup.  Allinghi will now face the New Zealand defender, yet to be determined.In Australia, the most devastating bushfire since the Ash Wednesday fires in 1983 hits Canberra and the Australian Capital Territory.  Four people are to die, 520 homes and thousands of hectares of national park will be destroyed, 259 people will be admitted to The Canberra Hospital with burns and A$250 million will be paid by insurance companies.
Current events of January 19, 2003 (2003-01-19) (Sunday) :
The Golden Globe awards are held in Beverley Hills. Martin Scorsese wins Best Director for Gangs of New York. Chicago wins three awards.[11]The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Yuzhengong Palace is burnt to the ground[12]
Current events of January 20, 2003 (2003-01-20) (Monday) :
Finsbury Park mosque in Finsbury Park, London, England, often associated with Islamic extremism, was raided by British police in an investigation related to the hunt for the poison ricin.  Seven men who were apparently living at the mosque were arrested, and a replica firearm, tear gas and a stun gun were reported as having been found on the premises.[13]As part of the plan to invade Iraq, British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announces that 26,000 British troops and equipment including 120 tanks will be sent to Kuwait, joining the 5,000 troops already on their way there.[14]
Current events of January 21, 2003 (2003-01-21) (Tuesday) :
An earthquake hits Mexico that is 7.6 on the Richter scale. The center of the earthquake was on located on the Pacific coast, in the State of Colima. The earthquake was felt as far as in Mexico City.Convicted cracker Kevin Mitnick is allowed to use a computer again.
Current events of January 22, 2003 (2003-01-22) (Wednesday) :
The RIAA, a music industry lobbying group, announces that Hilary Rosen will step down as head of the organization at the end of 2003. Rosen achieved notoriety on the Internet for her prolific efforts to halt the spread of copyrighted MP3 recordings on peer-to-peer file sharing networks such as Napster and Kazaa. Reports indicate that the members of the RIAA are unhappy with Rosen's nearly total failure to achieve this goal.[15]Elections for the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament of the Netherlands. The Dutch Labour Party wins, but Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) remains the largest party in parliament. Pim Fortuyn List loses. CDA and People's Party for Freedom and Democracy do not get a majority.A large Arctic air mass over much of central North America brings severe cold and wind chill over much of southern Canada and northern United States for several days.Germany and France celebrate the 40th anniversary of their friendship in Versailles (Elysée Treaty).Pie and Bovril (P&B) Scottish Football forum launched.
Current events of January 23, 2003 (2003-01-23) (Thursday) :
350 Australian troops begin their journey towards Iraq, joining the US and UK troops already assembled there. Prime Minister John Howard said that "pre-positioning troops increased the likelihood of (the crisis) being resolved peacefully". Around 150 people protested as the troop ship left Sydney, some shouting "Go yourself!" to Mr. Howard.[16]Fast food restaurant chain McDonald's reports a quarterly loss for the first time. The loss amounted to US$344 million. Shares in the company fell around 3% on the news.[17]The last signal from Pioneer 10 was detected before losing signal with it completely.Hulk Hogan returns to WWE.The msy Wind Song was  towed into the Sea of the Moon between Tahiti and Moorea and sunk in 9,843 feet of water.
Current events of January 24, 2003 (2003-01-24) (Friday) :
War on Terrorism: The United States Department of Homeland Security officially began operation, and former governor Tom Ridge took command. Reorganization of other departments affected by its creation in the United States Government would continue for some time. This represented the largest reorganization of the United States Government since the creation of the United States Department of Defense during World War II.
Current events of January 25, 2003 (2003-01-25) (Saturday) :
The Internet was attacked by very high traffic caused by a self-replicating software worm program called "SQL Slammer". This attacked Microsoft SQL servers, causing them to spray the Internet with more copies of the worm program. This was made possible by a security vulnerability in Microsoft SQL Server. The worm attack had the side effect of causing a distributed denial-of-service attack on the rest of the Internet.The New Democratic Party in Canada picks Toronto city councillor Jack Layton as its new leader, replacing Alexa McDonough, at its convention in Toronto. Layton wins on the first ballot, beating veteran MP Bill Blaikie.
Current events of January 26, 2003 (2003-01-26) (Sunday) :
American football Super Bowl XXXVII: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Oakland Raiders, 48–21.
Current events of January 27, 2003 (2003-01-27) (Monday) :
Speaking to the United Nations Security Council, Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said that the United States and its allies are "unjustifiably aggressive" and that Iraq is complying fully  with requests made by the UN weapons inspectors. Speaking to the same forum, Hans Blix, the chief inspector, later said that Iraq had not been fully co-operative with the United Nations inspection teams.[18]
Current events of January 28, 2003 (2003-01-28) (Tuesday) :
An election in the state of Oregon to pass a temporary three-year income tax failed with 54% of the votes voting against and 44% voting for. This forced the first layoffs in the Oregon State Police since its creation in 1931, and other actions including cutbacks in many of the local school districts.
Current events of January 29, 2003 (2003-01-29) (Wednesday) :
A false rumor that Thai actress Suvanant Kongying had told a reporter that the temple ruins at Angkor really belong to Thailand led to a riot in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This caused the destruction of the Thai Embassy and dozens of Thai-owned businesses, hotels and factories.
Current events of January 30, 2003 (2003-01-30) (Thursday) :
Would-be shoe-bomber Richard Reid is sentenced to life in prison for trying to down American Airlines Flight 63 from Paris to Miami. Reid had previously pleaded guilty.
Current events of January 31, 2003 (2003-01-31) (Friday) :
France strongly advises its citizens to leave the Ivory Coast. 1,500 French nationals remain trapped in the airport of the commercial capital Abidjan, which is surrounded by a crowd of around 5,000 supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo. Last week, the French brokered a power-sharing deal between the Government and the Northern rebels.[19]
Current events of July 1, 2003 (2003-07-01) (Tuesday) :
In Hong Kong, 500,000 people march to protest the rush into legislation of Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23, the anti-subversion law.  Critics say the law is both too broad and too vague.After many years of controversy, the United Kingdom House of Commons, the lower house of parliament, again votes in favour of legislation to ban fox hunting.Italy Premier Silvio Berlusconi's government assumed the rotating EU presidency.
Current events of July 2, 2003 (2003-07-02) (Wednesday) :
The European Parliament approves two laws that regulate the selling of genetically modified food in the EU territory, requiring labelling of all GM products (products with more than 0.9% genetically modified parts) and allowing member states to separate GM food and non-GM food and crops.On taking up the EU presidency, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi makes an embarrassing remark, causing an uproar of criticism from the 626-seat European Parliament and the European media, by insulting the German MEP Martin Schulz (SPD) with the words "Mr. Schulz, I know there is a producer in Italy who is making a film on the Nazi concentration camps. I will suggest you for the role of kapo. You'd be perfect."The results of a Royal Commission on renewing the relationship between Canada and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador is released. (Canadian Government)There are reports of the discovery of a possible new type of subatomic particle, a pentaquark. (BBC)The International Olympic Committee announced in Prague, Czech Republic, that Vancouver, British Columbia will host the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Current events of July 3, 2003 (2003-07-03) (Thursday) :
The World Meteorological Organisation publishes a report stating that recent extreme weather conditions around the world may mark changes in global climate caused by global warming. (News.independent.co.uk)President Bush continued to consider whether or not to contribute United States troops to a peacekeeping mission in Liberia. (New York Times)
Current events of July 4, 2003 (2003-07-04) (Friday) :
A Shia Muslim mosque in Quetta, Pakistan, is stormed by armed attackers, killing at least 32 worshippers and wounding 52. (The Guardian)Iraq War
A tape, purporting to be of Saddam Hussein and to have been made on June 14, is broadcast on Al Jazeera, the Arabic language satellite television station. If it is Saddam, it marks the first public communication from the former Iraqi leader since his disappearance early on in the Invasion of Iraq.
The United States military captures Turkish military personnel and lead them away with hoods over their heads.
Current events of July 5, 2003 (2003-07-05) (Saturday) :
Second Chechen War: At least 16 people are killed and 40 injured by two female suicide bombers in an attack at Krylya, a popular music festival, at the Tushino airfield near Moscow. The Russian authorities blame an on-going terrorism campaign by Chechen rebels; the Chechen government denies any connection to the attacks. (BBC)2003 occupation of Iraq: 7 newly US-trained Iraqi policemen are killed and at least 13 are wounded by an explosion while they are marching from training school in Ramadi. The American forces overseeing the rebuilding of Iraq's infrastructure, who gave their blessing to the march taking place, blames loyalists to Saddam Hussein; some people on the scene blame U.S. forces. It is the first attack on Iraqis collaborating with the invading coalition forces, as opposed to on the forces themselves. (CNN)Taiwan is the last territory to be declared free of SARS by the World Health Organization, after 20 days with no new cases reported. (BBC)In response to 500,000-strong protests earlier in the week, Tung Chee-hwa, Chief Executive of Hong Kong, announces that controversial provisions that are alleged capable of limiting civil liberties in Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23 will be rewritten. (BBC)Premier John Hamm of Nova Scotia, Canada, calls a provincial election for August 5.Wimbledon championships: Serena Williams repeats as women's champion by beating her sister Venus, by scores of 4–6, 6–4, 6–2.
Current events of July 6, 2003 (2003-07-06) (Sunday) :
Laden and Laleh Bijani, 29-year-old female Iranian twins conjoined at the head, begin their two-to-four-day-long separation surgery in Singapore. (Fox News)Wimbledon championships
Roger Federer makes history, becoming the first Swiss male ever to win the Wimbledon final, defeating Mark Philippoussis, 7–6 (7–5), 6–2, 7–6 (7–3).
Martina Navratilova equals her idol, Billie Jean King's record of 20 Wimbledon titles after winning the mixed doubles final with Leander Paes against Andy Ram Anastassia Rodionova, 6–3 6–3. (BBC)
Todd Woodbridge also equals a record, winning with Jonas Björkman his eighth men's doubles title by beating Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi, 3–6, 6–3, 7–6, 6–3. (BBC)
Kim Clijsters and Ai Sugiyama win the women's doubles final, and so their first Wimbledon title, 6–4, 6–4, against first seeds Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suárez, as they did in this year's French Open final. (BBC)
Current events of July 7, 2003 (2003-07-07) (Monday) :
MSNBC fires conservative talk show host Michael Savage for making several anti-gay remarks towards a prank caller posing as a homosexual. Savage, who was angered by aggressive personal attacks made by "East Coast Bob", the prank caller, stated that the caller "should only get AIDS and die". Gay rights group GLAAD applauds the decision to fire Savage. (Salon)Thousands of people take part in the first bull run of the annual San Fermín festival in Pamplona, Spain. No serious injuries or gorings were reported. (CNN)A United States district court approves a settlement between WorldCom and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in which WorldCom will pay $750 million to investors for its accounting scandal. (BBC)United States Central Command chief Gen. Tommy Franks retires after 36 years in uniform. Newcomer Army Gen. John Abizaid is appointed as his replacement. (Fox News)A rare political drama happens in Hong Kong. Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa is forced to postpone the legislation of Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23, just few hours after he insists the second reading will go on schedule despite the giant protest on July 1.
Current events of July 8, 2003 (2003-07-08) (Tuesday) :
Sudan Airways Flight 139 crashes in Port Sudan, killing 116 passengers. A toddler of two or three years is the sole survivor but dies later of his wounds. (Reuters) (MSNBC)Ladan and Laleh Bijani die during their unsuccessful separation operation in Singapore. (BBC)A worker at a Lockheed Martin aircraft parts factory in Meridian, Mississippi, shoots 13 co-workers, killing five, before committing suicide. Investigators are unsure of the motive. (Washington Post)During a visit to the former slave-trading station on Goree Island, off the coast of Dakar, Senegal, U.S. President George W. Bush calls slavery "one of the greatest crimes of history", but stops short of an official apology. (Reuters)Same-sex marriage in Canada: A British Columbia court rules that same-sex couples may get married in that province, effective immediately. BC becomes the second Canadian province, and second political division in the Western Hemisphere, to legalize same-sex marriage. This decision is similar to the Ontario decision on June 10, 2003. (Canada News)
Current events of July 9, 2003 (2003-07-09) (Wednesday) :
The ferry MV Nasrin-1 capsizes and sinks near Chandpore in Bangladesh. The whereabouts of most of the approximately 700 passengers is unknown.[1]The U.S. government announces that two more officials of the defeated Iraqi government on the U.S. list of most-wanted Iraqis were taken into custody on Tuesday. Mizban Khadr al-Hadi was a high-ranking member of Iraq's Baath Party Regional Command and Revolutionary Command Council, and Mahmud Dhiyab al-Ahmad was a former Interior Minister.Nike announces an agreement to purchase Converse; for US$305M.
Current events of July 10, 2003 (2003-07-10) (Thursday) :
The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund announces that on legal advice it has frozen its funds as it faces a demand for £15 million ($25 million) damages for alleged malicious prosecution from the Franklin Mint in the US. The Mint had won a courtcase over its right to manufacture a Diana, Princess of Wales lookalike doll. Hundreds of charities are expected face financial difficulties as a result of the freeze. Arc Charity Chief Executive James Churchill says "I hope that the Franklin Mint Corporation is aware of the damage that their action is causing to groups of vulnerable young people all over the world."Former International Development Secretary Clare Short urges that British Prime Minister Tony Blair voluntarily leave the premiership. Blair, dining with Bill Clinton in London's Guildhall, makes no comment.Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell claims the second most senior Church of England cleric, Archbishop Hope of York, is gay. The Archbishop had previously described his sexuality as a "grey area". The claim follows the row over a nomination of an openly gay canon to a bishopric in England and his withdrawal after attacks from conservative groups within the Anglican communion.NASA reports the discovery of PSR B1620-26 b (unofficially dubbed Methuselah), the oldest extrasolar planet yet discovered. The planet, which is estimated to be 12.7 billion years old, is orbiting the pulsar PSR B1620-26 in the core of the ancient globular star cluster M4, located 5,600 light-years away in the summer constellation Scorpius.[2]
Current events of July 11, 2003 (2003-07-11) (Friday) :
Zahra Kazemi, an Iranian-born Canadian journalist, dies of injuries received from a beating while in Iranian custody. She had been arrested on June 23 while taking photographs outside an Iranian prison. Her death sparks a furor between Canada and Iran over the disposition of her body and the punishment of her killers, and among international free speech groups concerned with freedom of the press in Iran.
Current events of July 12, 2003 (2003-07-12) (Saturday) :
The intelligence service of the United States says that the CIA's head, George Tenet, accepted President George W. Bush's speech in January, which included wrong information of Iraq's plans to buy uranium from Africa.[3] The office of Prime Minister Tony Blair responded that it stands by its belief that Saddam Hussein attempted to buy African uranium, claiming that it cannot share its information with the United States because it comes from "foreign intelligence sources."[4]Baseball: Barry Bonds ties the 63-year-old record of Jimmie Foxx by homering against the Arizona Diamondbacks' Curt Schilling, becoming the second player in Major League Baseball to hit at least 30 home runs in 12 consecutive seasons.
Current events of July 13, 2003 (2003-07-13) (Sunday) :
A national governing council meets for the first time in Baghdad, as US troops launch a new assault on anti-coalition elements.[5]Yahoo! announces that it will buy Internet search listing service Overture Services for $1.63 billion in cash and stock.The United Kingdom media, following tip-offs from the Israeli and British Intelligence Services, state that Seán Ó Muireagáin of the Real IRA had been captured in Israel.
Current events of July 14, 2003 (2003-07-14) (Monday) :
Mexico declares a state of emergency due to an outbreak of the West Nile virus (Planetark.org).The United States Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight announces an investigation into the accounting of America's two largest mortgage firms Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae (BBC).Pierce Brosnan is to be made an honorary OBE (BBC).The United States Government acknowledges the existence of Area 51
Current events of July 15, 2003 (2003-07-15) (Tuesday) :
Scott McClellan replaces Ari Fleischer as White House press secretary.[6]
Current events of July 16, 2003 (2003-07-16) (Wednesday) :
Seán Ó Muireagáin, a Northern Irish journalist, arrested by Israel and held for five days without legal representation in a case of mistaken identity, is released and leaves Israel. The affair causes considerable embarrassment to the Israeli and British secret services, the former having arrested Ó Mureagáin on the advice of the latter, who claimed incorrectly that he was a Real IRA man with the same name. In the confused aftermath, the Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman suggests that Ó Muireagáin may have been guilty, while Prime Minister Sharon's spokesman states categorically that he was innocent and the entire affair an error. He claims that Ó Muireagáin is a former convicted Provisional IRA terrorist.A coup d'état takes place in São Tomé and Príncipe; the prime minister Maria das Neves is arrested.[7]Following the 500,000-people protest on July 1, the government of Hong Kong is hit by two resignations of high-ranking officials in one day. One is the Financial Secretary Antony Leung and the other is the Security Secretary Regina Ip, who was in charge of the controversial Article 23.[8]Phil Fontaine is elected Grand Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Canada.An 86-year-old man accidentally hits the accelerator instead of the brake at a farmer's market in Santa Monica, California, driving his car through a closed-off street and killing at least 10 people (including a 3-year-old girl and a 7-month-old boy) and injuring over 50 others. One of the dead is the daughter-in-law of actor Dennis Weaver.An Australian research team led by Graham Giles of The Cancer Council publishes a medical study which concludes that frequent masturbation by males may help prevent the development of prostate cancer.Celia Cruz dies of a cancerous brain tumor.
Current events of July 17, 2003 (2003-07-17) (Thursday) :
Same-sex marriage in Canada: the federal government releases its draft bill to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples while protecting the rights of clergy not to perform marriages that run counter to their religious beliefs. The government will seek a reference from the Supreme Court of Canada to ensure the bill is constitutional.[9]India declines a United States request to send an occupation force to Iraq. Their United States Envoy assures that Indo-US relations will not be hampered by the refusal.In a press conference in Belfast, journalist Seán Ó Muireagáin denies Israeli claims that suspected him of being a Real IRA activist. He states that he is not, and never has been, a member or supporter of the IRA. Israel repeats that the arrest of Ó Muireagáin was "unfortunate", but refuses to apologise. Israel's treatment of Ó Muireagáin is strongly criticised in Ireland. SDLP ex-minister Sean Farren states that Ó Muireagáin is "well known and respected" in Northern Ireland.Evangelist and former United States Presidential candidate Pat Robertson announces his "massive prayer offensive" dubbed "Operation Supreme Court Freedom", asking Americans to pray that at least three United States Supreme Court justices retire so that the court can be filled with conservative justices who will overturn Supreme Court rulings on school prayer, separation of church and state and sodomy.The Uniting Church in Australia votes to officially recognise and approve of homesexual clergy  (ABC (Australia)).
Current events of July 18, 2003 (2003-07-18) (Friday) :
U.S. Basketball:  Eagle County, Colorado District Attorney Mark Hurlbert announces that Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has been charged with one count of felony sexual assault, stemming from a June 30 incident at a gated resort involving a 19-year-old woman.The corpse of Dr. David Kelly is discovered, it appears that he committed suicide. Kelly was a British government advisor involved in the September Dossier investigation relating to the 2003 war on Iraq. Former Labour Junior Minister Glenda Jackson calls for Prime Minister Blair's resignation and a Mail on Sunday reporter asks, "Do you have blood on your hands. Prime Minister?" Blair refuses to comment, as does Communications Director Campbell.[10]The United States Senate passes a defense appropriations bill which explicitly forbids the Department of Defense from spending any money on Terrorist Information Awareness research, effectively putting an end to the Information Awareness Office.[11]Convention on the Future of Europe finished its work and proposed the first European constitution.
Current events of July 19, 2003 (2003-07-19) (Saturday) :
The US Iraqi Governing Council announces that it has failed to select a new Iraqi President.[12]Doctors in Vienna transplant a human tongue at Vienna General Hospital.[13]
Current events of July 20, 2003 (2003-07-20) (Sunday) :
16 people are injured after two bombs explode outside tax offices in Nice, France.[14]Richard Sambrook, the Director of BBC News reveals that Dr. David Kelly was the source of claims that Downing Street had "sexed up" the September Dossier. (see also: Dodgy Dossier)Former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin is in a coma at a hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Uganda has refused permission for him to return.British Open (golf): Rookie Ben Curtis, ranked 396th in the world, becomes the first golfer to win a major golf tournament in the first attempt in more than 90 years.14 people – a US family of 12 who had chartered the plane and the South African crew of 2 – die when a light plane crashes into Mount Kenya after taking off from Nairobi for Buffalo Springs National Reserve in northern Kenya.[15]
Current events of July 21, 2003 (2003-07-21) (Monday) :
npr.org's All Things Considered program aired a humorous article on the Wiki phenomenon, and on Wikipedia.org.Jong-Wook Lee becomes the new Director-General of the World Health Organization.SCO v. IBM Linux lawsuit: SCO Group announces that it intends to sell binary-only licences to use the free Linux operating system which will remove the threat of litigation from licence-holders. Linux advocates react by stating that SCO has no basis for this action, and that doing this may cause SCO to forfeit their rights under the GNU GPL to use or distribute Linux or Linux-derived code in any form. SCO press release CNet storyIn Puerto Rico, 25 people are seriously injured after a roof collapse in a Vega Alta, Puerto Rico mall.[16] (in Spanish)
Current events of July 22, 2003 (2003-07-22) (Tuesday) :
John Manley, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, drops out of the race to succeed Jean Chrétien as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Prime Minister after conceding he cannot catch front-runner Paul Martin, Jr..[17]One of the top floors of the Eiffel Tower catches fire. No one is injured.[18]Fighting continues and the death toll rises in Liberia as rebels move into Monrovia to depose President Charles Taylor.U.S.-led occupation of Iraq: In Iraq, "four key figures" in the former Iraqi regime die in a large operation by US troops. The dead included Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay.[19]A severe storm strikes Memphis, Tennessee, leaving several dead and as many as 300,000 without power, including extremely severe damage to the power grid in some areas.[20][21]
Current events of July 23, 2003 (2003-07-23) (Wednesday) :
Die Zeit, a German newspaper, publishes an opinion poll which claims that almost one in three Germans under the age of 30 believe the United States government "could have ordered the September 11 attacks [on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon] itself". 1000 people took part in the survey.California officials announce that over 110% of the required signatures to force a recall election of Governor Gray Davis are in setting the stage for what will be the first gubernatorial recall election in the United States in 82 years.[22]New York City Councilman from Brooklyn, James E. Davis is assassinated at City Hall by former political opponent Othniel Askew.Zahra Kazemi affair: Bill Graham, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, announces that Ms. Kazemi's body has been buried in Iran, contrary to her family's wishes. Consequently, Canada has recalled its ambassador to Iran.The Minister of Justice in Finland, Johannes Koskinen, said that there could be legalized brothels for example for handicapped people. He got very angry response of organizations for handicapped. 66% of people in Ilta-Sanomat newspaper's readers said that prostitution must be under state control.
Current events of July 24, 2003 (2003-07-24) (Thursday) :
The United States' provisional authority in Iraq releases photos of what are presumably the dead bodies of Uday and Qusay Hussein in an attempt to show the Iraqi people proof that the two were actually killed in a U.S. military operation.[23]California lieutenant governor Cruz Bustamante announces that governor Gray Davis will face a recall election on October 7. This will be the second gubernatorial recall election in the United States history (the first occurred 82 years beforehand).[24]Italian officials have decided to attempt a restoration of Michelangelo's David using distilled water.[25]Colin R. McMillan, President Bush's nominee for the post of United States Secretary of the Navy, dies of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.Jueves negro: Violent rioting follows on from political demonstrations in Guatemala City. (BBC)
Current events of July 25, 2003 (2003-07-25) (Friday) :
United States swimmer Michael Phelps breaks world records in the butterfly and individual medley at the World Swimming Championships in Barcelona to become the first man ever to break two world records for swimming on a single day. (BBC)Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas meets with US President George W. Bush at the White House (White House press release).
Current events of July 26, 2003 (2003-07-26) (Saturday) :
U.S.-led occupation of Iraq: Three US soldiers are killed while guarding a Baquouba children's hospital northeast of Baghdad, Iraq bringing the number of US troops killed in combat to 161, 14 more than the 1991 Gulf War total.[26]
Current events of July 27, 2003 (2003-07-27) (Sunday) :
Comedian Bob Hope dies in his sleep[27]A group of approximately 50 rogue soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines seizes a portion of a shopping mall and the adjacent hotel in Makati City, Metro Manila in the Philippines demanding President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's resignation. They claim to have surrounded the occupied zones with explosives and have temporarily held several people in the hotel, including Australian Ambassador Ruth Pierce. The group is said by some officials to be connected to ousted President Joseph Estrada and oppositionist Senator Gregorio Honasan, who staged several coup attempts in the late 1980s.[28][29]The BBC reports that an extensive investigation of Loch Ness by a BBC team, using 600 separate sonar beams, found no trace of any "sea monster" in the loch. Loch Ness is a popular tourist attraction because of the rumors surrounding an alleged monster or plesiosaur populating the lake (see Loch Ness Monster). The BBC team stated that it is now conclusively proven that "Nessie" does not exist.[30]2003 Tour de France: Lance Armstrong wins his fifth consecutive Tour de France.
Current events of July 28, 2003 (2003-07-28) (Monday) :
The United Nations Security Council appoints Harri Holkeri to head the temporary civilian administration UNMIK in Kosovo.Ambassador Ole Wøhlers Olsen, the Muslim Danish coordinator for the U.S.-led provisional authority in southern Iraq resigns unexpectedly, to be replaced by Sir Hilary Synnott, currently the British High Commissioner to Pakistan. Ambassador Olsen, who had been critical of the lack of support for his reconstruction efforts, declared the British and Danish foreign services had chosen to replace him at that time instead of in October, as earlier planned, stating that he himself had been prepared to continue his work in Basra.[31]
Current events of July 29, 2003 (2003-07-29) (Tuesday) :

Current events of July 30, 2003 (2003-07-30) (Wednesday) :

Current events of July 31, 2003 (2003-07-31) (Thursday) :

Current events of December 1, 2003 (2003-12-01) (Monday) :
Occupation of Iraq:
The firefight in which more than 50 Iraqis are reported killed is now thought to have been an attempted currency heist. [1]
One GI is killed Monday in fighting west of Baghdad. [2]World AIDS Day:
US Health Secretary Tommy Thompson warns that the world is losing the war against AIDS. Thompson said, "We need America, the European Union and everybody. Nobody is going to be spared unless we all come together in the fight against this disease." [3]
UK Secretary of State for International Development Hilary Benn announces that the UK's funding for UNAids will rise to GBP £6 million in 2004; this figure compares to the UK's projected Iraq War-related costs of approximately GBP £3 billion. [4]
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan reportedly tells the BBC that the world is losing the war against AIDS because governments remain indifferent to the threat. [5]
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao marks World AIDS Day by visiting AIDS victims in a Beijing hospital. [6]The UN's International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda hands down a life sentence to Juvenal Kajelijeli, a former mayor of Mukingo, Nyanza District, for his role in the 1994 genocide in which more than 500,000 Rwandans were killed. [7]King Harald V of Norway is announced to be suffering from cancer of the bladder; he will be operated on next Monday, December 8. During the King's illness and two to three month convalescence, Crown Prince Haakon will be acting regent. [8]President Chen Shui-bian says that the hundreds of missiles the People's Republic of China has aimed at Taiwan justifies holding a referendum on independence. The referendum bill recently passed by the Legislative Yuan only allows votes on sovereignty if the country is attacked by a foreign power. [9]Boeing Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Phil Condit resigns, a week after the aviation giant fires its Chief Financial Officer in an ethics scandal. The move comes as the company faces scrutiny by the Defense Department for a government plan to acquire Boeing 767 planes for use as refueling tankers and answers questions about the ousters of two executives for ethical misconduct during the period it was being negotiated. Former McDonnell Douglas CEO Harry Stonecipher will succeed Condit as CEO, while former Hewlett-Packard chairman and CEO Lewis Platt takes over as chairman. [10]In Flandreau, South Dakota, jury selection begins in the manslaughter trial of former South Dakota Governor and current US Congressman Bill Janklow. [11]The cross country cycling organization "LOCO" was founded in Shreveport / Bossier City.The Xbox Music Mixer was released.
Current events of December 2, 2003 (2003-12-02) (Tuesday) :
Venezuelan opposition leaders claim to have gathered enough petition signatures to force a referendum to recall President Hugo Chávez; in response, the government alleges the four-day signature drive was tainted by "massive fraud". [12] [13]The second trial of DeCSS releaser Jon Johansen begins. [14]The US dollar continues to decline, hitting a new low of 1.2 against the euro; the dollar is suffering from deteriorating support against the background of a large current account deficit and fears of growing protectionism. [15]Andrei Illarionov, economic advisor to President Vladimir Putin, indicates Russia will not ratify the Kyoto Protocol in its current form, a decision that would kill the accord. Some observers speculate that this is purely domestic posturing for forthcoming elections. [16]Mark Latham is elected to succeed Simon Crean as the new leader of the opposition Australian Labor Party, defeating former leader Kim Beazley by 47 votes to 45. In 2004 Latham will face Liberal Prime Minister John Howard at a general election. [17]The Israeli government has called on U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell not to meet with former ministers of Israel and the Palestinian Authority who have drawn up the unofficial Geneva plan. [18]US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld wins the annual "Foot in Mouth Prize" awarded by the UK's Plain English Campaign for the most nonsensical remark made by a public figure. Among the runners-up are Arnold Schwarzenegger and Chris Patten. [19]Hospitals around Paris struggle to cope with an outbreak of influenza and gastro-enteritis. [20]The European Union threatens retaliatory sanctions unless the United States lifts its threat of restrictions on imports of steel; the US measures have been declared illegal by the WTO. [21]Pirate copies of a pre-alpha version of Microsoft's Windows "Longhorn" operating system go on sale in Malaysia more than a year ahead of its expected release date. [22]GIMPS has confirmed that 220996011-1 is prime. At 6320430 decimal digits, it is easily the largest known prime number. 220996011-1 is the 40th known Mersenne prime and the 6th Mersenne prime discovered by GIMPS. [23]The Pentagon announces that U.S.-born illegal combatant and Taliban fighter Yaser Esam Hamdi will be allowed access to a lawyer after having been denied such counsel for two years. [24]
Current events of December 3, 2003 (2003-12-03) (Wednesday) :
Deng Pufang, Sérgio Vieira de Mello, the Plaza de Mayo Grandmothers and others are announced as the winners of the UN human rights prizes, which are awarded every 5 years. [25] [26]Up to 50 employees of Australia's national postal service have been caught sending pornographic emails, including some involving children in sex acts, according to an investigation published by the Sydney-based Daily Telegraph. Two have been sacked, at least four have resigned, and dozens have been suspended pending further investigations. [27]In Kassel, Germany, the trial of Armin Meiwes begins. He is charged with killing and eating Bernd-Jürgen Brandes who was one of 200 people who replied to an Internet advertisement for "a well-built male prepared to be slaughtered and then consumed". The whole episode was videotaped. The case is legally difficult as cannibalism is not explicitly prohibited by the German penal code, and the defence argues that as the victim was willing, no murder took place. [28]The Russian government backtracks on statements made the previous day on the Kyoto Protocol, saying it is still considering ratification. [29]Two media figures are sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda for fueling the 1994 Rwanda genocide; a third receives a 35-year prison term. [30] [31]Politics of Canada: Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal, Canada's first Indo-Canadian cabinet minister, announces he is leaving politics. Dhaliwal intends to quit his ministerial post when incoming Prime Minister Paul Martin swears in a new cabinet on December 12, and has indicated he will not seek re-election in the anticipated 2004 election. [32]In Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, police fire tear gas at hundreds of protesters who want France to withdraw its 3,800 peacekeepers so that the Christian and animist government of President Laurent Gbagbo in the south can march against Muslim rebel-held areas in the north. [33][34]The Parliament of New Zealand voted 68-52 to pass the Smokefree Environments Amendment Bill, introducing a progressive ban on smoking in all workplaces including offices, clubs, pubs, restaurants, airports, schools etc.
Current events of December 4, 2003 (2003-12-04) (Thursday) :
Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller is injured in a helicopter crash outside Warsaw. [35]Facing the threat of a trade war, U.S. President George W. Bush lifts 20-month-old tariffs on foreign steel. Within minutes of the announcement, the European Union announces that it is lifting its threat of sanctions on $2.2 billion of U.S. products that would have taken effect in mid-December based on a ruling from the World Trade Organization that the tariffs were in violation of global trade rules. [36]Hourly productivity of U.S. employees increased in the 3rd quarter of 2003 at an annual rate of 9.2%, the highest since the Reagan years (Q2 of 1983). [37]Interpol issues a red notice for the arrest of former President of Liberia Charles Taylor. [38] [39]Australia's population was expected to hit 20 Million on this day.
Current events of December 5, 2003 (2003-12-05) (Friday) :
Suicide bombers blow up a morning rush-hour commuter train in Russia's Northern Caucasus, on the border with Chechnya; at least 40 people are killed. [40] [41]As part of a spending bill passed by the United States Congress this week, the University of California will have to compete for the management contract of all three of its national laboratories: Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore, and Los Alamos. Previously, it was expected that only Los Alamos would be up for bidding. [42]The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is opened in Abuja, Nigeria, by Queen Elizabeth II. The future of Zimbabwe's membership is threatening to dominate the gathering. The debate has been marked by bitter personal polemics between Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and Australian Prime Minister John Howard, whom Mugabe accuses of leading an "Anglo-Saxon conspiracy" against Zimbabwe. Mugabe himself is barred from entering the European Union. Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth last year on charges that Mugabe had rigged his re-election in 2002. [43][44]Members of the Canadian Alliance vote 96% to 4% in favour of forming a union with the Progressive Conservative Party, called the Conservative Party of Canada. The Progressive Conservatives will vote tomorrow. [45] [46]SCO v. IBM: in the opening discovery stages of the SCO v. IBM conflict, a judge grants IBM's two motions to compel against SCO, and defers consideration of SCO's motions until later.The 22nd SEA Games open in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This is the first time Vietnam has hosted the regional athletic event and the first time East Timor has sent a delegation. Indonesia and Vietnam are expected to top the medal tallies. [47] [48]The draw for the qualifying stages of the 2006 Football World Cup is made. England, Wales and Northern Ireland are drawn together in group 6 of the Europe (UEFA) section, making the group three-quarters of a home nations championship - Scotland missed out by being drawn (amongst others) against Italy and Norway.
Current events of December 6, 2003 (2003-12-06) (Saturday) :
Australian Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett stands aside after allegedly assaulting Liberal Jeannie Ferris on the floor of Parliament. [49]Occupation of Iraq:
George W. Bush asks James Baker to oversee the reconstruction of Iraq's USD $125 billion foreign debt. [50]
US soldiers in and returning from Iraq are affected by "Baghdad Boil" (Leishmaniasis) that can cause disfiguring skin lesions. [51]
Japan mourns the two Japanese diplomats killed in Iraq. [52]The USA admits that at least nine children have been mistakenly killed in a bombing attack near Ghazni, Afghanistan. [53][54]Delegates representing the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada vote 90% to 10% in favour of forming a union with the Canadian Alliance. The Alliance approved the measure even more overwhelmingly yesterday, with 96% support. The new party is to style itself the Conservative Party of Canada. [55]The first major winter storm strikes the North East United States. [56]Experts say that the US flu season will be worse than average, but they are not yet ready to say how bad it will be. [57] The USA is running out of the injectable version of the vaccine and is encouraging people to use the nasal spray. [58]Zimbabwe fails to find supporters at the Commonwealth Prime Minister's Conference in Nigeria. [59]George Clinton, founder of P-Funk, is arrested for cocaine possession in Tallahassee, Florida. [60]
Current events of December 7, 2003 (2003-12-07) (Sunday) :
Former Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Alemán receives a 20-year prison sentence for money laundering, embezzlement, electoral crime, etc. [61] [62]Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe announces that he is withdrawing his country from the Commonwealth of Nations. The Commonwealth had earlier decided to maintain Zimbabwe's suspension until human rights and democratic reforms had taken place. [63]President Putin's United Russia Party wins a resounding victory in the 2003 Russian election, with 37% of the vote. Second place and 12.5% of the vote goes to the Communist Party, with Zhirinovsky's LDPR nationalists close behind with 11.5%. However, electoral monitors say the democratic process was "overwhelmingly distorted" in the government's favour. [64] [65]Afghan villagers have disputed United States claims that a bombing by the US that killed nine children had killed the intended target, Taliban militant, Mullah Wazir. They say Wazir had left the village ten days earlier. [66] [67]Currency analysts remain negative on the US dollar. [68]One US soldier is killed and two are injured Sunday in Mosul when a convoy is attacked. [69]
Current events of December 8, 2003 (2003-12-08) (Monday) :
The European Commission refuse to approve a controversial genetically modified sweet corn, thus de facto refusing to lift the moratorium on GMOs. See also Trade war over genetically modified food.The United States Congress passes the Can Spam Act of 2003. [70]King Harald V of Norway successfully undergoes a 5½-hour cancer operation in which his bladder is removed and a new one constructed, at Rikshospitalet University Hospital in Oslo. [71]German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries unveils a draft bill aimed at policing company accounts following the Enron and WorldCom scandals in the USA. [72]South Dakota Congressman Bill Janklow is convicted of a series of criminal charges including second-degree manslaughter, which can carry a prison term of up to 10 years. He says he will resign his congressional seat. [73]The new Conservative Party of Canada, resulting from the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, is officially registered with Elections Canada. The party's first interim leader is John Lynch-Staunton, with a leadership race scheduled for March 2004. [74]In San Juan, Puerto Rico, four men are killed and a woman critically injured during a massacre in a discotheque. It is the largest massacre in Puerto Rico since 1988. [75] (in Spanish)British musician Ozzy Osbourne is seriously injured in an ATV accident. [76]750,000 people crowd the streets of London to see the victory parade of the England rugby team following their victory in the Rugby Union World Cup. [77]Rubén González, the successful Cuban pianist, dies at home in Havana, at the age of 84. [78]Greek electronic game ban: The Greek government in an attempt to fight illegal gambling passes an old decision (1107414/1491/T. & E. F.) regarding the 3037/2002 law.
Current events of December 9, 2003 (2003-12-09) (Tuesday) :
A suicide bombing in central Moscow at 11 a.m. local time (0800 UTC) kills six people and wounds 13 others. The police reports that one of the dead bombers has been identified as a woman. [79]Doctors at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control are worried that the 2003-2004 influenza season will be the worst in years. Early signs indicate that a particularly virulent strain of the flu virus that is not well-covered by this year's vaccine is hitting hard in some states. Young children and the elderly have been urged to receive the vaccine, doses of which are running low. [80]Former U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey is appointed to the 9/11 Commission to replace Max Cleland, who is stepping down to become president of the U.S. Export-Import Bank.Al Gore endorses Howard Dean's candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination for the 2004 U.S. presidential election. [81]The M6 Toll road, the United Kingdom's first toll motorway, partially opens in the West Midlands. It is due to open fully on December 13. [82]Occupation of Iraq:
Some 60 U.S. soldiers and a handful of Iraqis are injured in Tal Afar, west of Mosul, when a pre-dawn car bomb explodes at an entrance to an army base. [83] [84]
A U.S. Kiowa helicopter makes a controlled landing after being struck by an RPG near Fallujah; the two-man crew is uninjured. [85]
An early-morning car bomb kills three people at a Sunni mosque in a predominantly Shi'ite district of Baghdad. [86]
Japan cabinet approves troops to Iraq. [87]Political status of Taiwan: Standing next to visiting Premier Wen Jiabao, George W. Bush reiterates U.S. support for the one China policy and states that he opposes holding a referendum on Taiwan. [88] [89]Democrat Gavin Newsom defeats Green Party challenger Matt Gonzalez in run-off election for San Francisco mayor, succeeding term-limit blocked Willie Brown. [90]United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel Martinez resigns, effective Friday at noon. [91]Shanghai announces plans to ban bicycles from main roads in the city centre [92]
Current events of December 10, 2003 (2003-12-10) (Wednesday) :
Western leaders are criticised at the World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva. [93]2004 Taiwan Presidential Election: President Chen Shui-bian is officially nominated by his Democratic Progressive Party and picks Vice President Annette Lu as his running mate. [94]Campaign finance reform, passed as the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, is upheld by a slim majority of the U.S. Supreme Court. [95], [96]Canada's BC Ferry system experiences a total shutdown due to job action by its union, after an 80-day cooling-off period, imposed by the provincial government, was not rescinded. [97]The Barron Report into the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings in 1974 concludes that the Ulster Volunteer Force was responsible for the largest terrorist attack in the history of the Irish Troubles, which killed 33 people. It also concludes that some members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and British military intelligence may have been involved in the attacks. The report strongly criticises the Irish National Coalition government (1973-77) for its handling of the crisis and criticises the United Kingdom for failures to offer assistance and information to track down the murderers. [98]Shirin Ebadi of Iran receives the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway. In her acceptance speech she delivers heavy criticism against the War on Terrorism as an excuse for human rights violations. She also repeats her argument that discrimination against women in Muslim countries has no foundation in religion, but rather in culture. [99] [100]Occupation of Iraq:
The Iraq Interim Governing Council announces the creation of a war crimes tribunal, to prosecute crimes against humanity committed under the Ba'ath Party régime (14 July 1968 to 1 May 2003). [101] [102]
The European Commission announces it will investigate whether exclusion of Iraq war opponents from industrial contracts to rebuild the country constitutes a violation of WTO rules by the U.S. [103] UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan condemns the "divisive" exclusion. [104]
The People's Republic of China urges Japan not to send Japan Self-Defense Forces to Iraq.[105]Following electoral success in the Northwest Territories general election, 2003 Joe Handley is unopposed for election as premier of the Northwest Territories by the legislature. Two prospective opponents had chosen not to run against him. [106]Scott Brison becomes the fourth caucus member of the former Progressive Conservative Party of Canada to leave the new Conservative Party of Canada, crossing the floor to the Liberals. [107]Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, issues a proclamation officially acknowledging the deportation of the Acadians, 248 years after it took place. The proclamation is delivered by Heritage Minister Sheila Copps, who is of Acadian descent. [108]
Current events of December 11, 2003 (2003-12-11) (Thursday) :
Spamming: Virginia indicts two men (one arrested) on felony charges for violating state laws on bulk e-mail solicitations. [109] [110]Electronic voting comes under scrutiny at a conference in Maryland. [111] [112]According to Pentagon investigations, Halliburton overcharged the US Army for fuel in Iraq. Dick Cheney was chairman of Halliburton prior to becoming Vice President of the United States. [113] [114]In Israel, an explosion at a money exchange office in a shopping district near the city center of Tel Aviv at 1230 local time (1030 UTC) kills three and injures at least eighteen people. Police say the cause of the explosion was probably criminal rather than terrorist. [115]A general strike in Quebec interrupts road and port traffic as well as non-essential surgeries and day-care service in Montreal, Quebec City, and Trois-Rivières. The strike was called in opposition to the Charest government's policies. [116]US Economy: The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 10,000 for the first time since May 24, 2002. [117] [118]The Inuit Circumpolar Conference says it hopes to petition the inter-American human rights system to rule that Inuit basic rights are being violated by global warming. They claim that the greenhouse effect, exacerbated by the failure of Russia and the USA to sign the Kyoto Protocol, will lead to the destruction of their way of life. [119] [120]
Current events of December 12, 2003 (2003-12-12) (Friday) :
A plot by militants linked to Al Qaeda to blow up the United Kingdom embassy in Yemen is foiled. [121]Germany announces plans to commemorate gay victims of the Nazi Holocaust, with a monument to be erected in central Berlin. [122]Queen Elizabeth II has a benign non-cancerous growth removed from her face. Buckingham Palace confirms the removed growths will be subject to further tests but denies there are any cancer fears surrounding the 77-year-old sovereign. She also underwent a knee operation. [123]Canada's BC Ferry system returns to normal operations after the company and its union agree to commit to binding arbitration. [124]A European Union defence policy is agreed upon by Britain, France and Germany at the beginning of an EU summit in Brussels where the member countries will discuss a forthcoming constitution for the EU. Defence policy: [125]; EU constitution: [126].Paul Martin, Jr. is appointed Canada's 21st Prime Minister, and takes his oath of office along with his cabinet. Notable Ministers include Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan in Domestic Security, Ralph Goodale in Finance, Pierre Pettigrew in Health and Intergovernmental Affairs, Lucienne Robillard in Industry, Irwin Cotler in Justice, Bill Graham in Foreign Affairs and David Pratt in Defence. [127]Keiko (whale) from Warner Brothers movie's Free Willy dies at age 27, at Norway's bayIn Haiti the biggest anti-government demonstrations in a decade take place, calling for the removal of President Aristide; after nightfall, squadrons of armed Aristide supporters take to the streets in response. [128] [129]Mick Jagger is knighted. [130]According to a poll published in the Israeli daily Maariv, half of Israelis distrust their Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. [131]Spanish filmmaker's Belén Funes and Marçal Cebrian felt in love.In the central province Bie, Angola, a land mine explodes and kills 6 Angolan staff of the international humanitarian organization, CARE. [132]The documentary Anatomy of t.A.T.u., aired on STS, reveals that the two women of the Russian band t.A.T.u. are not lesbians, among other revelations.Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq, was captured in Tikrit by the U.S. 4th Infantry Division
Current events of December 13, 2003 (2003-12-13) (Saturday) :
Saddam Hussein is captured and arrested by U.S. forces in Tikrit, Iraq.Spain has announced an agreement with Morocco to proceed with plans to build a rail tunnel beneath the Strait of Gibraltar, linking Europe and Africa. Assuming the project is technically and financially feasible, digging would start in 2008. [133], [134]At the EU summit, EU Commissioner Chris Patten describes the United States' method of awarding contracts for the rebuilding of Iraq as politically maladroit. [135]The European Union fails to reach agreement on a new constitution. [136]Operatic singer (tenor) Luciano Pavarotti marries his partner and producer Nicoletta Mantovani at a ceremony in Northern Italy. [137][138]California legislators approve Arnold Schwarzenegger's $15 billion bond issue.[139]Chad's government signs a cease-fire with the rebel Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad (MDJT) in Burkina Faso. [140][141]Wanderley Carlos Stringhini, retired partner of Ernst Young, dies at age 51, of suicide. During his life, he was partly responsible for the founding of Ernst Young offices in Curitiba, Blumenau, and Porto Alegre.
Current events of December 14, 2003 (2003-12-14) (Sunday) :
Occupation of Iraq:
Iraq's Civil Administrator L. Paul Bremer announces that Saddam Hussein was captured by US forces. Saddam was found approximately 15 km south of his home town of Tikrit at 2030 local time on December 13. Hussein was captured without resistance in a so-called "spider-hole" at a farmhouse in the town of ad-Dawr. He is in Coalition custody at an undisclosed location. At a press conference, Bremer presents video of Saddam in custody with a full beard, which is later shown removed. Bremer says that Saddam is in good health and is being "co-operative and talkative". He says that Saddam will "face justice" before an Iraqi court and under Iraqi law. [142] [143] [144] [145]
In an address to his nation, US president George W. Bush comments on the capture of Saddam, "Now the former dictator of Iraq will face the justice he denied to millions." [146]
British Prime Minister Tony Blair welcomes the capture of Saddam, urging the Iraqi people "to reach out and to reconcile." Other world leaders offer similar sentiments: Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov says that the arrest "will contribute to the strengthening of security in Iraq and to the process of political regulation in the country," while UN Secretary General Kofi Annan comments that Saddam's capture provides a chance "to give fresh impetus to the search for peace and stability in Iraq". [147] [148]
A car bomb explodes at a police station in Khaldiyah, 60 km west of Baghdad, killing at least 17 and wounding 30. [149]Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf narrowly escapes a bombing. "The president's motorcade passed a minute before the blast", according to officials. [150]In an interview with The Washington Post newspaper, a 78-year-old African-American Los Angeles woman claims to be the illegitimate daughter of the late U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond. [151]The famous Italian opera house La Fenice in Venice reopens after being destroyed by fire in 1996. It was rebuilt at the cost of €90mn.[152]Jason White, quarterback of the University of Oklahoma Sooners, wins the Heisman Trophy, awarded to the best player in college football. [153]
Current events of December 15, 2003 (2003-12-15) (Monday) :
Wesley Clark concludes his first day of closed-door testimony against Slobodan Milošević at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. [154]US Secretary of State Colin Powell successfully undergoes two hours of prostate cancer surgery at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. [155]Capture of Saddam Hussein:
US President George W. Bush promises a "fair trial" for Saddam, refusing demands to hand him over to an international court. [156]
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says, about Saddam, "... as secretary-general ... I am not going to now turn around and support a death penalty". [157]The results of parliamentary elections in the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are announced: pro-European Union parties won a narrow victory over the ruling nationalist coalition, with the opposition Republican Turkish Party becoming the largest party. However, the republic's complicated electoral system means that the two sides will each have 25 seats in the 50-seat assembly. [158]Safeway, a British grocery store chain, is the subject of a £3bn ($5.2bn USD) takeover bid from rival supermarket chain Morrisons. [159]Two toddlers are badly burnt when a car crashes into a Sydney child care centre.Liberian Crisis: the United Nations announces the suspension of its disarmament campaign for a month. [160]
Current events of December 16, 2003 (2003-12-16) (Tuesday) :
Space Adventures, a space tourist company, announces that two American customers have paid to board a Soyuz spacecraft on its journey to the International Space Station and back in 2004 and 2005. [161]Capture of Saddam Hussein:
Congressman Jim McDermott suggests that George W. Bush timed the capture of Saddam Hussein for political gain. [162]
The Israeli military reveals it developed a secret plan to assassinate Saddam Hussein in retaliation for Scud missile attacks on that country during the Gulf War. The plan was called off after five commandos were accidentally killed while training for the mission. [163]
Saddam Hussein's daughter, Raghad Saddam Hussein, tells the Dubai-based Al Arabiya television network, Saddam "should not be tried by the Iraqi governing council which was put in place by occupiers ... we want an international, fair and legal trial". [164]Occupation of Iraq:
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, speaking in a UN Security Council debate, urges member states to define a clearer role for the UN in Iraq. [165]Prosecutors in Santa Barbara, California, announce that they will file charges against the singer Michael Jackson on December 18 or 19. [166]A major expansion of British airports is announced by the UK government, with Stansted, Heathrow and Birmingham set to gain extra runways. [167]An advisory committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that the morning-after pill (for emergency contraception) be made available without a prescription. [168]Somalia: 31 people die in the course of fighting between rival militias.[169]
Current events of December 17, 2003 (2003-12-17) (Wednesday) :
Linux kernel 2.6.0 is released by Linus Torvalds.Capture of Saddam Hussein:
Mowaffaq al-Rubaie says that Saddam Hussein will be tried in Iraq by an Iraqi court. Mowaffaq, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council, denies reports that the prisoner has been taken out of Baghdad. [170]
United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld confirms that Saddam Hussein will not be treated as a prisoner of war subject to the Geneva Conventions. [171]Stephen Kenny, the first civilian lawyer to visit any of the former Afghan war suspects in Guantanamo Bay, describes it as a physical and moral black hole. He says prisoners are not treated equally and that there is a pecking order with Americans being treated best. (In fact there are no Americans being held at Guantanamo Bay.) [172] [173]Occupation of Iraq: A fuel tanker explodes in downtown Baghdad, killing 10 and wounding 15. Initially believed to be caused by a bomb, officials later conclude that a traffic accident was responsible. [174]Terrorism:
The head of the Greek terrorist group Revolutionary Organization 17 November and their chief hitman are jailed for life, along with four other members of the organisation. [175]
Thomas Kean, chairman of the independent commission investigating the September 11, 2001 attacks, says that the attacks could have been prevented and that public officials were to blame for not anticipating and pre-empting the threat. The commission's report is due in May, 2004. [176] [177]Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr are convicted for their roles in the August 2002 murders of 10-year-old Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in the English village of Soham. [178]Taiwan reports the first confirmed SARS case in 5 months, a medical researcher who had studied the virus. [179]The United States National Weather Service warns of "excessive heat" after the Earth reportedly breaks out of its orbit and begins falling into the sun. Fortunately, it turns out to be a mistakenly published test message. [180]The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the final part of Peter Jackson's film adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, goes on broad public release in the United States and much of Europe. Industry pundits predicted that it could have become the second film, after Titanic, to earn over US$1 billion at the box office. [181]Republic of Congo: A gunbattle breaks out in Brazzaville.[182]Health: The UK government says that a case of variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease may have occurred through blood transfusion. [183]Former Governor of Illinois George H. Ryan is indicted on corruption charges for receiving payoffs, gifts and vacations in return for government contracts and leases while he served as the Governor and Secretary of State of Illinois. [184]Governor of Connecticut John G. Rowland announces that he will not resign, despite allegations of corruption involving the receipt of free modifications to a vacation cottage, and the indictments of several of his top aides. [185]Islam in France: the hidjab issue: President of France Jacques Chirac announces that he will support a ban on the wearing of Muslim headscarves, Jewish yarmulkes and large Christian crosses in schools and government offices. If passed, the law will come into effect in September 2004. Muslim clerics counter that the ban is an attack on their religion. [186] [187]Space exploration:
Space tourism magnates celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first flight by demonstrating SpaceShipOne, a privately-funded passenger-ferrying suborbital space plane, flying at supersonic speeds to an altitude of 68,000 feet. [188]
Space Adventures announces the availability of two more tickets to fly to the International Space Station at a cost of US$20 million each. [189] [190]
Current events of December 18, 2003 (2003-12-18) (Thursday) :
NASA announces that the new name for the "Space Infrared Telescope Facility" will be the Spitzer Space Telescope (after the late Dr. Lyman Spitzer, Jr.). This coincides with the release of the telescope's first images, which show the glowing stars of the Elephant's Trunk nebula, the dusty arms of the Messier 81 spiral galaxy, a disc of planet-forming debris, and organic material 3.25 billion light years away. [191] [192] [193]Legal status of suspected terrorists:
A committee of the UK Parliament recommends that the power to hold terrorist suspects without trial be repealed. [194]
A United States federal appeals court rules that José Padilla, accused by the U.S. Government of taking part in a terrorist "dirty bomb" plot with possible links to al-Qaida, cannot be designated an illegal combatant and must be released from military custody within 30 days. [195] [196] The Bush administration announces that it will seek a stay of the Padilla decision. [197]
A United States federal appeals court rules that the "illegal combatants" being held at Camp X-Ray in Cuba should have access to lawyers and to US courts. [198]
It is alleged that, in cases where their treatment of a detainee may never come under public scrutiny, The Pentagon and CIA are using a number of controversial techniques to extract information. [199]Capture of Saddam Hussein: a Jordanian news source claims that Saddam Hussein was drugged and betrayed by his personal bodyguard, General Mohammed Ibrahim Omar al-Muslit, a member of his own family. [200]The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rules to disqualify Spanish athlete Johann Mühlegg and Russian athlete Olga Danilova from all the cross-country skiing races they participated in during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and thus withdraw their medals, due to doping by darbepoetin. [201]Prosecutors in California charge singer Michael Jackson with seven counts of child molestation and schedule hearings for January 16, 2004. [202]Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon warns the Palestinian Authority that Israel will take unilateral steps to separate from the Palestinians unless there is progress on the road map peace plan and sets a deadline of "a few months" for Palestinian compliance. The speech is strongly criticised by the United States, the Israeli left, the Jewish settler movement and the Palestinians. [203]Red Hat, in its third quarter, buys Sistina Software. Red Hat expects that it will close the deal by early January for $31 million dollars. [204]Sudanese authorities close the Khartoum office of the Arab satellite channel Al Jazeera and detain its bureau chief for questioning. [205]
Current events of December 19, 2003 (2003-12-19) (Friday) :
Italian dairy company Parmalat declared a 3.96 billion euro hole in its accounts when the amount held by Cayman Islands-based unit, Bonlat Financing Corporation, was declared false by Bank of America. [206]Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi acknowledges that his country was pursuing a development program for weapons of mass destruction but now agrees to its dismantling. [207]A revised plan is unveiled for the new Freedom Tower which will be erected on the site of the World Trade Center in New York City. At a symbolic height of 1,776 feet (541 m) (1776 is significant as the year of the United States Declaration of Independence) the projected edifice will be among the tallest buildings in the world. [208] [209]Occupation of Iraq:
U.S.-appointed civil administrator of Iraq, L. Paul Bremer reveals that he survived an attack on his convoy on December 6. [210]
Prime Minister of Japan Junichiro Koizumi orders the deployment of Japanese forces for non-combat duties in Southern Iraq; polls show that most Japanese voters are opposed to the mission. [211]Flights from Vancouver International Airport bound for the U.S. are delayed following the discovery of an envelope containing suspicious white powder and a threatening note at one of the terminals. [212]SARS quarantine orders are lifted on up to 75 people in Singapore but concerns remain that the deadly virus could yet make a comeback across Asia. [213]Australia sends AU$1.2m to Nauru so that the Pacific island-state can pay its public servants before Christmas in a move that Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says illustrates the need for long-term solutions to the island's deep-seated problems. [214]In a major blow to the recording industry's efforts to stamp out online file sharing, a United States federal appeals court invalidates subpoenas issued against Verizon to identify individual P2P users. [215]The British spacecraft Beagle 2 successfully separates from the ESA's Mars Express orbiter and is now less than 10 days away from its scheduled landing on the surface of Mars; it will attempt to parachute onto the surface on Christmas morning. [216] [217] [218]Police seal off the printing plant and offices of Zimbabwe's last remaining independent daily newspaper, Daily News. [219]Same-sex marriage in Canada: an Ontario court rules that Canadians whose same-sex partners died after 1985 are entitled to survivors' benefits. It is believed to be the first class-action lawsuit awarding compensation to gays and lesbians anywhere in the world. [220]The University of Delaware's Blue Hens shut out Colgate University to win the NCAA Division I-AA football national championship. [221]
Current events of December 20, 2003 (2003-12-20) (Saturday) :
The Holy See announces plans to beatify the last Austro-Hungarian emperor Karl. Karl, who was overthrown in 1918 and died in exile in 1922, is expected to be beatified, a step to sainthood, in the next year. Karl's widow, Zita of Bourbon-Parma died in 1989. His son, former Crown Prince Otto von Habsburg was until recently a German MEP. [222] [223]CCTV footage at Hampton Court Palace near London, once home of King Henry VIII of England, is released, and claimed to show a "ghost". The footage, taken in October 2003, shows a man in 16th century clothes closing a firedoor that had blown open. The palace markets itself as one of Britain's most haunted locations. [224] [225]Celebrations marking the Bicentennial of the Louisiana Purchase culminate in New Orleans, Louisiana. [226]Irish charity fundraiser John O'Shea attacks Manchester United football manager Sir Alex Ferguson as "greedy" for demanding £90,000 to attend a cancer charity function in Ireland in 1999. According to O'Shea, a sports celebrity demanding 'appearance money' from a charity is unheard of in his experience. Ferguson's appearance fee amounted to half the money raised. The fundraisers, until now unaware that Ferguson had taken half the proceeds, denounce his behaviour and say if they had known about it at the time they would have cancelled the event.Former Argentinian president Carlos Menem is charged with tax fraud for failing to declare a Swiss bank account containing $600,000. If convicted he could be debarred from public office. [227]The World Court says it will hear legal arguments about Israel's construction of a controversial barrier in the West Bank to separate Israeli and Palestinian areas. The hearings will begin on 23 February 2004. [228]Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar pays a surprise visit to Spanish troops in Iraq. [229]Massive landslides in the Philippines caused by heavy rain result in the deaths of up to 90 people. [230]A Malaysian opposition website is shut down by its British web-hosting company amid claims of "political censorship" from the opposition. [231]Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai tells his supporters to "fight fear" as they campaign against President Robert Mugabe. His comments follow the decision of Zimbabwe's police to occupy the offices of Zimbabwe's only privately owned newspaper in defiance of a court order that the newspaper could resume publication. [232]Eleven people, mainly young people from Germany, die in a bus crash in Belgium. [233]In Comoros, leaders signed an agreement clearing the way for legislative elections in April. [234]
Current events of December 21, 2003 (2003-12-21) (Sunday) :
"The American Soldier" is named as TIME magazine's "Person of the Year". The periodical's editors chose the anonymous soldier to represent the 1.4 million men and women serving in the United States Armed Forces. [235] [236] [237] [238] [239] [240] [241]Citing increased "chatter" regarding potential terrorist attacks over the holiday period, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security raises its terrorism alert level from "elevated" (yellow) to "high" (orange). [242]A senior French police source claims Diana, Princess of Wales was pregnant when she was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997. A Clarence House spokesperson for The Prince of Wales refuses to comment on the issue. Mohamed Al-Fayed, the father of Diana's partner Dodi Al-Fayed had long insisted that Diana was pregnant with Dodi's baby and that she was murdered to stop her from giving birth. [243] [244]Quoting an unnamed senior British military intelligence officer, a report in the Sunday Express (Britain) claims that before Saddam Hussein was captured by US troops, he had already been discovered by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Kurdish forces had been alerted to his location by a member of the al-Jabour tribe whose daughter had been raped by Saddam's son Uday Hussein. [245]Retired Gen. Wesley Clark presented 4,000 petition signatures to qualify for South Carolina's Democratic presidential primary ballot today. He's the second of the nine candidates for the Democratic nomination to file for the February 3 ballot. Campaign workers for Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts gave the state Democratic Party a check for $2,500 last week to qualify.
Current events of December 22, 2003 (2003-12-22) (Monday) :
After getting FCC approval on December 19, News Corporation Ltd. completed a US$7.6 billion cash and stock deal to buy control of Hughes Electronics and its DirecTV satellite television division from General Motors. [246]The People's Republic of China plans to peg its currency, the yuan, to a basket of ten currencies instead of only the U.S. dollar, according to its state press. [247]Parmalat is likely to declare "controlled administration" as Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said the government would intervene and "above all save the industrial part of the company and jobs". [248]Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher is assaulted by Palestinians during prayer at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Mr. Maher was taken to an Israeli hospital for observation as a result of the incident after being treated at the scene by the Magen David Adom. After several hours care in the hospital, he was escorted to his airplane by an Israeli cardiologist and paramedic. [249] [250]A list of people who have declined a British honour was leaked to The Sunday Times. The list includes David Bowie, David Hockney, Aldous Huxley, Nigella Lawson, and Harold Pinter. [251], [252], [253]The Gulf Cooperation Council announces that they will revise school textbooks and remove from them material describing followers of other religions as infidels and enemies of Islam. [254]SCO v. IBM:
SCO claims in a press release to be sending DMCA notification letters alleging copyright infringement [255][256]
Linus Torvalds says, in a post to the Linux kernel mailing list, "... I think we can totally _demolish_ the SCO claim that these 65 files were somehow "copied". They clearly are not." [257]
Novell has also registered their claim to the copyright of original UNIX source code, effectively challenging SCO's registration of the same code [258] [259]An earthquake strikes near San Simeon, California, at 19:15 UTC (11:15 PST). The quake registers a 6.5 magnitude on the Richter magnitude scale, and causes two deaths from the collapse of a building in the town of Paso Robles. [260],[261]The Philippines declares a calamity in a southern province after floods killed up to 209 people. [262]Drive-By Truckers' bassist, Earl Hicks, leaves the band and is replaced by Shonna Tucker.Brett Favre played one of the most memorable games of his career, leading the Green Bay Packers to a win over the Oakland Raiders, 41-7, the day after the death of his father, Irvin.
Current events of December 23, 2003 (2003-12-23) (Tuesday) :
The Supreme Court of Canada announces (in a 6-3 decision) that the criminalization of marijuana was not unconstitutional. [263]The United States Department of Agriculture confirms the first case of BSE (mad cow disease) in the United States, detected at a small slaughter house. The USDA has found no evidence that the infected materials made it into the food supply. Specimens have been sent to the United Kingdom for further analysis. Authorities quarantined a ranch near Yakima where the animal was raised. [264] [265]California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declares a state of emergency in San Luis Obispo County, following an earthquake in that county on the previous day. [266]Beltway sniper attacks: A Virginia jury recommends a life sentence without possibility of parole for Lee Boyd Malvo, who was earlier convicted of capital murder, among other charges, in connection with the shootings. Malvo had faced the possibility of execution.[267]
Current events of December 24, 2003 (2003-12-24) (Wednesday) :
An explosion occurs at Baghdad's Sheraton Ishtar hotel, probably caused by a rocket-propelled grenade. [268]Following the detection of BSE in a Mabton, Washington cow, several countries (including Japan, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong) announce a ban on the importation of U.S. beef. [269] [270]Three Air France flights from Paris to Los Angeles are canceled due to security concerns expressed by the U.S. embassy in France. [271]Bolivian President Carlos Mesa declares a state of emergency because of flooding in central Bolivia, which killed at least 19 people and collapsed a bridge crucial to Bolivian exports. [272]
Current events of December 25, 2003 (2003-12-25) (Thursday) :
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf survives a suicide bomber attack on his motorcade, the second attempt to assassinate him in two weeks. [273]Following Beagle 2's expected landing, US probe Mars Odyssey (already in Martian orbit) listens for the lander's distinctive musical callsign. A further scan for the lander is conducted using the Jodrell Bank radio telescope. No signal is detected. [274][275]Israeli-Palestinian Conflict:
An Israeli helicopter gunship attacks a car in Gaza City, killing Islamic Jihad commander Mekled Hameid and two fellow militants, together with two bystanders. [276]
A suicide-bomber strikes a bus stop Tel Aviv, killing four civilians and himself. [277]
Israel announces closure of the West Bank and Gaza. [278]A UK lab confirms the presence of BSE in samples taken from a cow in Washington [279]. Mexico joins the list of countries which have banned imports of US beef.Reports emerge of a major leak of natural gas in a gas field near the south-western Chinese city of Chongqing. Over 100 people are believed dead and up to 40,000 people have been evacuated from the area surrounding the leak. [280]A Boeing 727 of United Transit Airlines originating in the Guinean capital, Conakry, stopping in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and bound for Beirut, clips a building during takeoff and crashes into the Atlantic Ocean off Benin. Over 100 people die, most of them Lebanese. [281]
Current events of December 26, 2003 (2003-12-26) (Friday) :
A powerful earthquake occurs near the southern Iranian city of Bam at 0156 GMT (5.26am local time). The USGS estimates its magnitude as 6.7 on the Richter scale. The BBC reports that "70% of the modern city of Bam" is destroyed. Iranian government officials estimate the death toll at over 20,000 with a further 50,000 injured. Bam Citadel the largest adobe structure of the world is destroyed. The area of the citadel is about 180,000 square meters and the construction date of parts of it goes back for about 2500 years. [282][283][284]The death toll in the Chinese gas-leak rises to 191. [285]Fearing the state's BSE outbreak may extend beyond a single farm, the U.S. Department of Agriculture quarantines a second cattle farm in Washington state. [286]
Current events of December 27, 2003 (2003-12-27) (Saturday) :
The estimate of the number of dead in the Bam earthquake increases to 40,000, according to the provincial governor. Iran has refused earthquake aid from Israel.[287]The U.S. Department of Agriculture announces that it believes the BSE infected cow detected in Washington state was imported from Canada in 2001. The location of the other 73 cows imported with it is unknown. [288]Romano Prodi, the President of the European Commission, survives a letter bomb attack. [289] [290]British scientists are continuing their efforts to make contact with the Mars probe Beagle 2, which was designed to perform advanced studies of the Martian soil in an effort to find microbial life. [291]
Current events of December 28, 2003 (2003-12-28) (Sunday) :
Serbian parliamentary election, 2003: Serbia holds a parliamentary election. The Serbian Radical Party wins 81 seats in the 250-seat parliament. [292]Guatemala election, 2003. Óscar Berger wins the second round of the presidential election with a 54% share of the vote.Shane Filan marries Gillian Walsh in Ballintubber Abbey, Ireland.
Current events of December 29, 2003 (2003-12-29) (Monday) :
Papal Nuncio to Burundi, Irish-born Archbishop Michael Courtney, is killed in an ambush. [293]The United States Department of Homeland Security announces that it will require armed security personnel on all airline flights, whether US or foreign carriers, when the department has intelligence that there is a threat to a flight. [294]Cuban officials are investigating who is responsible for altering a photograph of Fidel Castro on the front page of the official government newspaper, Granma, to make him look like Adolf Hitler. [295]The Federal Bureau of Investigation issues a memo instructing police to be alert of people carrying almanacs, stating that information in these reference works could be used to aid in the planning of terrorist attacks. [296]
Current events of December 30, 2003 (2003-12-30) (Tuesday) :
The European Union is investigating a series of parcel bombs targeting the European Central Bank in Frankfurt and Europol headquarters at The Hague. Investigators state that it is too early to draw any connections between these bombs and the letter bomb sent two days ago to the Bologna home of Romano Prodi, the head of the European Commission. [297]The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announces a ban on the sale of dietary supplement ephedra, citing "an unreasonable risk of illness or injury" from the use of the drug. [298]U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft recuses himself and his office from the CIA leak scandal, in which the identity of Valerie Plame, a CIA operative, was leaked by Washington insiders. Democratic political leaders had been calling for Ashcroft's recusal. [299]The man who was convicted of breaking into mainland China cable television networks and broadcasting footage of the banned Falun Gong, an alleged cult, reportedly dies in prison. Pro-Falun Gong groups and the Hong Kong-based Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy claim he was beaten to death.[300]
Current events of December 31, 2003 (2003-12-31) (Wednesday) :
In Taiwan, President Chen Shui-bian signs a law that allows referendums to be held. The People's Republic of China condemns this. [301]Occupation of Iraq: A car bomb detonates outside an upmarket Baghdad restaurant much favoured by foreign journalists, killing five New Year revelers. [302]The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences mails nomination ballots in which it qualifies 254 films released in 2003 as eligible for Oscar consideration. [303]
Current events of September 1, 2003 (2003-09-01) (Monday) :
Dutch dispensaries become the first in the world to offer cannabis as a prescription drug. (BBC)
Current events of September 2, 2003 (2003-09-02) (Tuesday) :
Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden says that his organization is working on "serious projects", and that his priority is to use biological weapons against the United States. Al Qaeda may already have such weapons, and be seeking means to transport and launch them.Indonesia: An Indonesian court sentences Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir to four years in prison for treason against the Indonesian government. However, the court found insufficient proof that Bashir was the leader of the militant Islamic organization Jemaah Islamiyah.[1]Iraq: A car bomb explodes near the headquarters of Coalition trained police in Baghdad, killing an Iraqi police officer and wounding up to 10 bystanders.[2][3][4][5][6][7] Observers saw the incident as an attempt to destabilize the new Iraqi governing body. (See 2003 occupation of Iraq timeline)The Iraqi police handling the investigation say they have arrested 19 men in connection with the blast, many of them foreigners and all with admitted links to al-Qaeda.[5]Astronomy: Astronomers announce the discovery of an asteroid (2003 QQ47) whose orbit has a remote chance of striking earth.SCO v. IBM: SCO Germany is ordered to pay fine of 10,000 Euro because they were ordered to cease their allegations that Linux contains stolen intellectual property of SCO.[8]Road map for peace: Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz states he favors expelling Palestinian President Yasser Arafat by the end of the year, because Arafat is obstructing the United States led peace plan.  Arafat denies the statement and says he backs the peace plan (though he refuses to release control of Palestinian security services to reformer Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas to stop militant group attacks as mandated by the plan). Palestinian leaders call Defense Minister's remarks inflammatory.[9]Premier of Ontario Ernie Eves calls a provincial election for October 2. Eves' incumbent Tories, Dalton McGuinty's Liberals, and Howard Hampton's NDP are in the race.[10]Premier of Prince Edward Island Pat Binns calls a provincial election for September 29. The incumbent Tories, Robert Ghiz's Liberals, and Gary Robichaud's NDP are in the race.[11]A forest fire erupts in the Gorge of the Columbia River to the east of Cascade Locks, Oregon, forcing the closure of a 47-mile section of Interstate 84 and the evacuation of Cascade Locks for at least one full day.
Current events of September 3, 2003 (2003-09-03) (Wednesday) :
Occupation of Iraq: Poland assumes a position in postwar Iraq. The coalition in Iraq hands over the south-central part of the country to a force led by Poland. The force of Polish troops leads a multinational peacekeeping brigade that will relieve Coalition forces (in particular the United States Marine expeditionary force). This is Poland's biggest military operation since World War II. This is also the first sign of the global community's commitment to a postwar Iraq.[12][13] Secretary of State Colin Powell seeks support from Britain, France, Germany, and Russia on a proposed United Nations resolution that would give the United Nations a role in Iraq's economic and political future.[14][15]  Coalition soldiers strongly desire to see more troops from other nations share the work of occupation.[16]Palestinian Authority: Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas threatens to quit if the Palestinian legislature does not endorse his government and its policies at a session scheduled for Thursday.[17]Iraq: Iraqi Governing Council swears in the first ministerial cabinet since Saddam Hussein's removal. They urge the cabinet to help restore stability to the country.[18]Iran: Iranian Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi states that President Mohammad Khatami rejects compromise with hard-line opponents over key reform bills. The bills seek to curb the conservatives' power.[19]Diplomacy: British Embassy in Tehran closes temporarily after shots are fired at it from the street.[20]United States: Former Presbyterian minister Paul J. Hill is executed for his 1994 murder in Pensacola, Florida, of an abortion doctor and his bodyguard.[21][22]Irish minister Frank Fahy accuses US Immigration authorities at Shannon Airport of acting 'disgracefully' in turning back a group of 13 Irish musicians travelling to attend New York benefit concert to raise money for an Irish cancer victim in the United States for treatment. Ireland's 2003 Eurovision Song Contest singer Mickey Joe Harte, one of the singers refused entry, said they were told they needed no visas in their case. However, at Shannon, the musicians were suddenly told they needed work visas, though the event was for charity and they were providing their services 'free of charge'. Irish people travelling to the United States do not normally need visas except to get paid employment. The concert is scheduled for Friday.[23]Miss Justice Mary Laffoy dramatically resigns as chairperson of the Laffoy Commission on Child Abuse, which is investigating evidence of child sex abuse in schools, orphanages and Catholic Church-run institutions over decades in Ireland. Her resignation followed one day after the Minister for Education, Noel Dempsey told RTÉ Radio that the Irish Government, worried by suggestions that the investigation would last more than a decade and cost hundreds of millions of euro, wanted to restructure the investigation to examine only a sample of the 1800 cases being investigated. The government has delayed publishing Justice Laffoy's resignation letter. Abuse victim and crusader against abuse Christine Buckey calls for Dempsey's resignation. Colm O'Gorman, of the child abuse charity One in Four, and himself a prominent survivor of abuse, calls on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to publish all correspondence relating to the resignation.[24]California recall: Five candidates (Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante, California state senator Tom McClintock, Peter Camejo, Peter Ueberroth and Arianna Huffington) attended the first debate held for the recall election. Arnold Schwarzenegger was criticized for not turning up at the debate. Issues such as tax and campaign finance were brought up.[25]
Current events of September 4, 2003 (2003-09-04) (Thursday) :
North Korea announces re-election of dictator Kim Jong-il as chairman of the National Defense Commission by a unanimous vote of the Supreme People's Assembly, a move dismissed as a propaganda stunt by Western observers, who nearly all regard the Supreme People's Assembly as a rubber stamp body.[26]California legislature passes expanded domestic partnership bill. The state assembly approved a measure to extend nearly all the legal rights of married couples to people in same-sex partnerships. If signed by the governor, the bill will become law in 2005.[27]The right wing British National Party (BNP) candidate Nicholas Geri, who is of Italian descent, wins a surprise victory in a local government by-election to Thurrock Borough Council in Essex. The Labour Party, which has a 21-seat majority on the Council, sees its candidate pushed into third place, behind the BNP and the Conservative Party. Turnout in the by-election was 22%.[28]Singapore drops its 21-year ban on Cosmopolitan magazine and slightly relaxes its film censorship policy. Despite this move, the censorship board's surveyors found the Singaporean public largely does not want the country's tough censorship rules liberalized.[29]Natural disaster: The Booth and Bear Butte forest fires in the Cascade Mountains, which had been 45% contained, explodes to burn an additional 20,000 acres (80 km2). Estimates of the size of this fire vary between 62,000 and 80,000 acres (250 and 320 km2). The resort community of Camp Sherman, where authorities allowed residents to return, is once again evacuated.[30]A Dutch court rules that Karin Spaink's publication of the Fishman Affidavit on her website is legal in the Netherlands.[31]The Israeli Air Force flew three F-15 fighter planes over the Auschwitz death camp in Poland.
Current events of September 5, 2003 (2003-09-05) (Friday) :
Hong Kong's leader Tung Chee-hwa announces that he will indefinitely postpone plans for an extremely unpopular security bill which sparked massive public protests and would have granted the government broad powers to prosecute vaguely defined threats to national security.[32]Palestinian Authority: Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas tells the Palestinian parliament to either support him or fire him, a move seen as making public for the first time his quarrel with Yasser Arafat.[33] VOA characterizes Mr. Abbas' ultimatum as the latest twist in a power struggle between him and Arafat, who is the President of the Palestinian Authority.[17]David Blaine begins a new stunt. He will stay in a small transparent capsule suspended 30 feet above the ground near Tower Bridge on London's River Thames without food for 44 days.[34]A train goes off the rails at a roller coaster at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, killing one.[35]
Current events of September 6, 2003 (2003-09-06) (Saturday) :
Johns Hopkins researchers retract all results of a frequently cited study which claimed that extensive and permanent brain damage occurred after just a single dose of Ecstasy. Due to a labelling mistake on the experimental drug vials, all but one of the animals involved in the study were not actually given Ecstasy at all, but were instead given the drug d-methamphetamine.[36]War on Terrorism: European Union foreign ministers denounce the political wing of Hamas as a terrorist organization following the group's claim of responsibility for a truce-shattering bomb attack in Jerusalem.[37]War on Terrorism: An Israeli warplane drops a relatively small bomb on a house in Gaza City (in an effort to avoid killing innocents, according to military sources who spoke to AP), lightly wounding Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin and 15 other people in an airstrike that Israeli officials confirm was an attempt to wipe out the Islamic group's top leaders as they assemble for a meeting.[38]Natural disaster: Hurricane Fabian lashes Bermuda, causing heavy damage. It is the most powerful storm to hit the island in fifty years.[39]Palestinian Authority: Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas submits his resignation to the President of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Arafat. According to Palestinian sources, he will play a "caretaker" role of the position until a new prime minister is sworn in.[40]Tennis: Justine Henin-Hardenne defeated fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters 7–5, 6–1 to win her first U.S. Open title.  She had defeated Clijsters earlier that year to take the French Open as well.
Current events of September 7, 2003 (2003-09-07) (Sunday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declares that Hamas leaders are "marked for death" and will not have a moment's rest, after Israel failed in an attempt to kill the top-ranking members of Hamas with a 550-pound bomb dropped on a Gaza City apartment.Violence surges sharply in Indian-controlled Kashmir with a series of separatist attacks across the Himalayan region. This follows a bomb explosion on Saturday in the main wholesale market for fruit in the region, which killed six people and wounded 25.Tennis: Andy Roddick defeated Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero in straight sets (6–3, 7–6, 6–3) in the Men's Singles Final at the U.S. Open.  This marks the first Grand Slam victory for the 21-year-old American.Warren Zevon dies in Los Angeles
Current events of September 8, 2003 (2003-09-08) (Monday) :
Occupation of Iraq: Declaring Iraq to be the "central front" in the war against terrorism, President Bush asks Congress for $87 billion to help pay for the reconstruction of Iraq as well as Afghanistan.[41]Road map for peace: Ahmed Qurei, who was nominated as Palestinian prime minister by the head of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Arafat, accepts the position (pending the approval of the parliament).  He had originally said there was no reason to form a new government unless "Israel wants to change its hostile attitude."[42]The Ellen DeGeneres Show premiered on NBC. Hosted by comedian and entertainer Ellen DeGeneres and originally filmed in Studio 11 at NBC Studios in Burbank, California, The successful television program has won 31 day-time Emmy Awards and is scheduled to remain on air to at least the 2013-2014 season.Jaclyn Linetsky, the voice of Caillou, died in a car accident.
Current events of September 9, 2003 (2003-09-09) (Tuesday) :
Governor Frank O'Bannon of Indiana lapses into a coma following an operation after the governor suffered a stroke in a Chicago hotel room. Lieutenant Governor Joe Kernan becomes acting governor.[43]Iraq: The Iraqi Governing Council gains the seat at the Arab League left open since Saddam Hussein's ouster by the US-led coalition earlier that year. The council, which was formed under US auspices, seems to have taken a step toward sovereign legitimacy in the eyes of the international community.[44]Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Palestinian suicide bomber kills at least 8 Israelis and seriously wounds 15 others at a bus stop near Rishon LeZion.[45][46][47]  Several hours later this is followed by a second suicide bombing at a Jerusalem café, in which 7 more people are killed and dozens are wounded.[48][49]SARS: A Singaporean man is confirmed to have SARS, which is the first case of the illness since June 2003. Home quarantine have been imposed on those who had direct contact with the 27-year-old man, who is a post-doctoral student working with the West Nile virus.[50][51][52][53][54][55][56]2004 U.S. presidential election: The nine Democrats competing for the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States clashed in a live televised debate, which was co-sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus and the Fox News Channel. The debate was held at the historic Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.[57]The United States Department of the Treasury revamps its $20 bill as part of its never-ending quest to foil counterfeiters, including the addition of a peach-hued background to the denomination. (Many non-US citizens regard the US dollar as "hard currency" and keep much of their wealth in it as a hedge against inflation.)[58]The name of Montreal Dorval International Airport is officially changed to Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. The Montreal airport becomes the first major Canadian site to be renamed in honour of Prime Minister Trudeau. The move sparks controversy among many in Quebec owing to Trudeau's political history, such as his decision to invoke the War Measures Act and send troops into Montreal during the October Crisis in 1970, and his construction of Montréal-Mirabel International Airport, which they regard as a white elephant. The renaming will take effect on January 1, 2004.[59]
Current events of September 10, 2003 (2003-09-10) (Wednesday) :
The Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh is stabbed while shopping for clothes at a mall without bodyguards.[60]Terrorism: Al-Qaida sued over September 11 attacks. Major insurance companies are suing al-Qaida and Middle Eastern governments in a bid to recover billions of dollars in losses related to the September 11 attacks.[61]Terrorism: On the eve of the second anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Arabic-language television channel Al Jazeera airs a videotape, purportedly from Osama bin Laden. The videotape shows two men, including one meant to be bin Laden, walking down an (unidentified) rocky hillside. Al Jazeera said the other man seen on the tape, carrying an automatic rifle, was Ayman al-Zawahri, the Egyptian physician who merged his Islamic Jihad organization with Al Qaeda. The tape was claimed to have been made in late April or early May. An accompanying audiotape, attributed to the deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, called on Iraqis to "bury" American troops in Iraq.[62][63][64][65][66][67]Japan is to freeze and confiscate assets linked to the removed Iraqi regime based on a United Nations resolution. The assets belong to former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, his two sons, and 52 other former top officials of the removed regime.[68]Terrorism: Imam Samudra became the second Bali bomber to be sentenced to death by firing squad for his role in the October 12 atrocity which killed 202 people. Samudra greeted the sentence with chants of "Allahu Akbar" (God is great).[69][70]War on Terrorism: An Israeli warplane targeted the apartment building which is home of the senior Hamas leader, Mahmoud al-Zahar, in Gaza. Al-Zahar is lightly wounded; his adult son and a bodyguard are killed in the attack. A half-ton bomb destroys the building, marking the first time a Hamas leader has been attacked in his home, an escalation of Israel's campaign against the group. Twenty-five people were wounded, including Zahar's wife and a daughter.[71][72]Terrorism: The leader of Hamas, says that its jihad will continue, and that the group may now attack Israeli homes. The military wing of the group has threatened to change tactics by attacking Israeli houses and buildings after Israel tried to kill Hamas political leader.[73][74]War on Terrorism: Israel states that an "unwritten and abstract" axis with India and the United States has been created to combat international terrorism and make the world a more secure place for all.[75]War on Terrorism: APEC: Indonesia and Malaysia have submitted lists of 20 suspected terrorists with links to two militant groups, asking for Thailand to help monitor their movements on the southern border.[76]War on Terrorism: Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia will amend its Penal Code to punish not just terrorists but also those who provide financial services or facilities to them. Changes will penalize those who help terrorists.[77]Dewey Decimal Classification: The Online Computer Library Center sues the Library Hotel for trademark infringement.
Current events of September 11, 2003 (2003-09-11) (Thursday) :
As the United States remembers the deadliest terrorist attack ever on its shores, the United States Department of State warns it is seeing "increasing indications that al-Qaeda is preparing to strike United States interests abroad" and urges citizens overseas to take special caution on the second anniversary of the September 11 attacks amid growing indications that al-Qaeda is planning bigger attacks, "possibly involving unconventional weapons such as chemical or biological agents."[78][79][80]Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh dies in the hospital from stab wounds inflicted while she was shopping in a department store in the centre of Stockholm. In the wake of the incident, both the Yes and No Euro campaigns suspended their activities.[81]The Security Cabinet of Israel votes in principle to expel President of the Palestinian National Authority Yasser Arafat from the West Bank. According to one source, the cabinet decided to ask the Israeli Defense Force to draw up a plan to expel Arafat. No timeline was specified, and Israeli government sources say that the decision was not to expel him immediately. The U.S. Department of States criticises such a move as "unhelpful". Thousands of Palestinians travel to the presidential compound in Ramallah to protest at the Israeli decision. Ahmed Qurei, Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority-designate, announces in response that he is halting efforts to form a government. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov states an international force may be needed to end spiraling violence in the Palestinian territories.[82][83][84]Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists achieve the lowest temperature ever recorded, half a billionth of a Kelvin (0.5 nanokelvin) above absolute zero, in sodium gas. At that speed, atoms move about 12 cm/second.[85]The 6-10 Office, an arm of the National Security Bureau and Public Security Bureau of the People's Republic of China responsible for the measures against Falun Gong, changes its name to the "Leading Bureau for the Prevention and Procession of Evil Cults."Actor John Ritter dies just shy of his 55th birthday after an unsuccessful surgery for an undisclosed heart condition.
Current events of September 12, 2003 (2003-09-12) (Friday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Arab and Non-Aligned nations call on the United Nations Security Council to stop Israel carrying out its threat to expel the head of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Arafat, from the West Bank. Elsewhere the European Union and Russia describe the Israeli proposal as a 'terrible mistake'. UN General Secretary Kofi Annan calls the Israel's proposed action "dangerous" and "unwise". The Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, who takes over as President of the European Council in January, tells journalists after a summit meeting with French President Jacques Chirac in Paris that he is "shocked" by the Israeli plan and said his government is "totally opposed" to the Israeli plan. The United States Ambassador to Israel meets the Israeli Defence Minister to outline American hostility to the plan.[86][87][88]Zimbabwe's only opposition newspaper, the Daily News ceases publication following a court order that it breached the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act introduced by President Robert Mugabe in 2002. The closure follows an armed raid on the paper's offices by police. One reporter told Reuters that the action was an "unprecedented attack on press freedom".[89]Libya: The United Nations today ends 15-year-old sanctions against Libya. The sanctions were imposed following the Lockerbie disaster. The sanctions are lifted following payment by Libya (following an admission of responsibility) of $2.7 billion to the families of those who died in the bombing.Johnny Cash died at the age of 71 due to complications from diabetes, which resulted in respiratory failure, while hospitalized at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. He was interred next to his wife in Hendersonville Memory Gardens near his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee.Steam, a digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications platform developed by Valve Corporation was initially released
Current events of September 13, 2003 (2003-09-13) (Saturday) :
A typhoon hits South Korea, reportedly killing 42 people and leaving 24 missing.
Current events of September 14, 2003 (2003-09-14) (Sunday) :
Sweden and the euro: Swedish voters reject joining the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union and adopting the Euro, with 56.1 percent of voters voting no.A military coup d'état is reported in Guinea-Bissau.[90]Estonian European Union membership referendum, 2003: Estonians vote, 66.8 percent to 33.2 percent, to join the European Union.World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 2003: World Trade Organization talks collapse in Cancún, Mexico. Rich and poor countries are unable to find common ground. The meetings have been the subject of anti-globalization protests.[91]Some of the severe wildfires in British Columbia have been contained, including the one threatening Kelowna. The one near Kamloops is still threatening structures. This has been the worst wildfire season in BC in fifty years.[91]Yetunde Price, sister of Venus Williams and Serena Williams was shot down during a gang shootout in Compton.
Current events of September 15, 2003 (2003-09-15) (Monday) :
China formally acknowledges that it has transferred guard duties along the China – North Korea border from the police to the army.  The government does not formally report the number of troops deployed, however independent media estimate place it at 150,000.The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco rules unanimously that the California gubernatorial recall election be postponed because several large counties, including Los Angeles County, have not upgraded their voting machines to replace the punched card systems which have consistently resulted in a significant number of uncountable votes (and thus unrepresented citizens).[92]German Interior Minister Otto Schily warns of a rise in the threat of neo-Nazis in Germany.  The discovery of a suspected plot to bomb a Munich Jewish centre during a visit by the German president has "dramatically confirmed" the danger to society.[93]Chechen suicide attacks: A powerful truck bomb explodes near the branch office of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation in Magas, the capital of Ingushetia, which borders separatist Chechnya. Reports say three people were killed and more than 20 injured.
Current events of September 16, 2003 (2003-09-16) (Tuesday) :
WNBA Finals: The Detroit Shock defeat the Los Angeles Sparks, 83–78 in Game three, to win the series two games to one, and the WNBA's world championship.Swedish police arrest Per-Olof Svensson in connection with the assassination of Anna Lindh.Same-sex marriage in Canada: A House of Commons motion brought by the Canadian Alliance reiterating the heterosexual definition of marriage is narrowly defeated. This motion is preparatory to the government's introduction of a bill to extend the Federal marriage law to include same-sex couples, expected within the next few months.[94]
Current events of September 17, 2003 (2003-09-17) (Wednesday) :
NASA says that capsules similar to those used in the Apollo program are among the options considered as replacements to the Space Shuttle.26-year-old gunman Harold Kilpatrick, Jr. of Dyersburg, Tennessee, takes a classroom of 12–16 students at Dyersburg State Community College hostage. Kilpatrick, who was mentally ill, was shot dead by police after firing a pistol, ending a nine-hour standoff. Two hostages were slightly wounded.[95]Richard Grasso, chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, resigns amid criticism of his $140 million compensation package and the fact that the compensation was approved without input from the exchange's board of directors.Retired United States Army General Wesley Clark announces that he is seeking the nomination of the Democratic Party for the 2004 presidential election, making him the tenth candidate to enter the race. Howard Dean had earlier expressed hopes that Clark would join him as a vice-presidential running mate.The Arab League submits a draft resolution to the annual General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency which calls on Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to open up its nuclear program to inspections by the United Nations. Israel's nuclear weapons program is believed have developed 100 to 200 nuclear warheads, but officially maintains a policy of "nuclear ambiguity" with support from the United States. The move by Arab nations comes in response to a Friday IAEA resolution submitted by Australia, Canada and Japan and lobbied for by the United States which asked Iran for "accelerated cooperation" and set an October 31 deadline for the country to disclose any attempts to acquire nuclear weapons.LGBT rights in Canada: The Canadian House of Commons passes a private member's bill brought by NDP MP Svend Robinson, including protection for sexual orientation in the existing law on hate propaganda.
Current events of September 18, 2003 (2003-09-18) (Thursday) :
International Atomic Energy Agency: Iranian officials give signals that they do not intend to comply with a resolution passed by the United Nations's nuclear watchdog giving Tehran until the end of next month to come clean on its atomic programme. Parliamentary speaker Mehdi Karrubi, a close ally of President Mohammad Khatami, said the IAEA resolution was "political" and that "the Iranian people will not accept giving in to the logic of force."[96]Hurricane Isabel makes landfall on the east coast of the United States near Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.A passenger aboard a South African Airways jet tries to break into the cockpit during a flight from Cape Town to Atlanta. The passenger, James Drake, is arrested upon arrival. He had also been arrested in 1987 after trying to break into another airplane's cockpit.
Current events of September 19, 2003 (2003-09-19) (Friday) :
Peace: United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan rings the Japanese Peace Bell, marking International Day of Peace at United Nations Headquarters in New York, cautioning that for some, the direst threat to peace was terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, while for others it was poverty, disease, deprivation, and civil war.[97]Occupation of Iraq: Iraq's former defense minister, Sultan Hashim Ahmed, surrenders to Coalition troops.  He was seen at Saddam Hussein's side in what is thought to have been the ousted dictator's last public appearance as Baghdad fell. He is number 27 on the most-wanted list of former top officials under Saddam Hussein (also eight of hearts). The ex-minister surrendered at a house in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul and was being taken to Baghdad.[98][99]Hurricane Isabel: Isabel, now a tropical storm, moves through western Pennsylvania before heading to Ontario, Canada.  The storm leaves more than 4.3 million residents along the East Coast of the United States without power.Canadian Liberal Leadership Race: Balloting begins in delegate-selection meetings across Canada which will determine the outcome of the Liberal leadership convention this November.  Paul Martin is expected to easily secure enough votes to beat opponent Sheila Copps.  This all-but guarantees Martin will replace his longtime rival Jean Chrétien as the next Prime Minister of Canada.[100]Email virus: Email users are swamped by a new fast-spreading computer virus circulating through email that purports to be security software from Microsoft, but actually tries to disable security programs that are already running.  The worm, dubbed "Swen" or "Gibe", takes advantage of a two-year-old hole in Internet Explorer and affects systems that have not installed a patch for that security hole.Nuclear Weapons: Secretary of the Guardian Council Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, a leading hardline Iranian cleric, calls for Iran to withdrawal from Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty because of the compliance protocols referred to by the International Atomic Energy Agency and not consent to unfettered inspections of its nuclear facilities. "The treaty has been denounced by a number of countries. Although Iran has inked the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it is free to withdraw from it anytime". "North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Many countries have not even signed it. It would have been better if Iran had not signed it."[101][102]
Current events of September 20, 2003 (2003-09-20) (Saturday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israel says that the United Nations resolution on Yasser Arafat (passed 133–4 with 15 abstentions) "is meaningless. It is only a declaration and not legally binding." Yasser Arafat states it is of the "utmost importance" as a sign of international support for the Palestinians. Israel states Palestinians should focus their energy on fighting terrorism. Israel also insists that a new government being formed by incoming Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia cut links to Arafat. Israel says Arafat is tainted by terrorism. Qureia's criticism of United States policy is the strongest sign yet he does not plan to challenge Arafat.[103][104][105][106]'War on Terrorism': Seventeen people are killed by United States airstrikes in southeast Afghanistan's Zabul province (in particular the Shinkay district). Eight nomad women and children, two Taliban fighters, several collaborating nomads, and a Taliban commander (Mohammad Gul Niazai) are among the dead.[107][108]Occupation of Iraq: Two American soldiers are killed and 13 wounded in a mortar attack in Abu Ghraib, and another soldier dies in a roadside attack in Ramadi, bringing the number of U.S. deaths since the war began to 304, of which 165 occurred after President Bush's "mission accomplished" statement of May 1.[109] A member of the Governing Council, Dr. Aquila al-Hashimi, is shot in an assassination attempt (she dies five days later). United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan strongly condemns the attack and warns that it only undermines the country's political progress.[110]European Union enlargement: Latvians vote overwhelmingly in favor of the Baltic country joining the European Union.[111]Canadian Liberal Leadership Race: Early numbers from delegate-selection elections within the Liberal Party confirm Paul Martin will win an automatic first-round victory at the forthcoming leadership convention.  Barring unforeseen circumstances, Martin can now be expected to become Canada's 21st Prime Minister in February 2004.[112]
Current events of September 21, 2003 (2003-09-21) (Sunday) :
Galileo probe: After 14 years of flight time and 8 years of service in the Jovian system, Galileo's mission was terminated by sending the probe into Jupiter's crushing atmosphere at a speed of nearly 50 kilometres per second to avoid any chance of it contaminating local moons.Espionage: The Washington Times reveals the arrest of U.S. Army Captain James Yee, an Islamic chaplain at the Guantanamo Bay naval base, for officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, state that FBI agents discovered classified documents carried by Yee and were questioning him before handing him over to the military.[113][114]Terrorism – 9/11: Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, mastermind of the September 11 attacks, tells interrogators he first discussed the plot with Osama bin Laden in 1996. The original plan, and its evolution, are told to an interrogator, along with the answers to several questions over the attacks.[115][116]United Nations: Leaders of the United Nations are concerned if change can give it the freedom it needs to survive. Kofi Annan will outline plans for reform at the United Nations General Assembly next week. Annan states that only "radical" revisions will likely preserve it.[117]Iraq: To open up its economy, the Iraq leadership council unveils sweeping free market reforms permitting foreign investment and imposes income taxes – but keeps oil under government control.[118]Embargo: China voices opposition to United States sanctions over the alleged sale of advanced missile technology to an unnamed country.[119]Germany: State elections in the state of Bavaria show a great success for the governing CSU of Edmund Stoiber, scoring over 60%. The nationally governing SPD is down to 19%, a historic low point.
Current events of September 22, 2003 (2003-09-22) (Monday) :
A suicide attacker detonates a car bomb near United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, killing himself and an Iraqi guard and injuring at least 11 others. The attack came a month after a massive truck bomb devastated the complex and as the UN considers expanding its role in Iraq. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan states that personnel are assessing the situation following the attack.[120][121]90% of the delegates elected to the November 15 convention of the Liberal Party of Canada support Paul Martin, thereby assuring that he will win the leadership of the party and thereby become Prime Minister of Canada after Jean Chrétien retires in February 2004.The journal Science publishes an article on a jawbone of an early modern human found in 2002 near the entrance of the Pestera cu Oase (cave with bones) in the southwestern Carpathian Mountains in Romania. Radiocarbon dating places its age at between 34,000 and 36,000 years, making it the oldest fossil from an early modern human. The jawbone suggests interbreeding between modern humans and Neanderthals.[122]
Current events of September 23, 2003 (2003-09-23) (Tuesday) :
California recall: An 11-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit overturns the earlier ruling of a three-judge panel and reinstates  October 7 as the date of the California gubernatorial recall election. The American Civil Liberties Union, whose suit was responsible for the original decision, will not appeal to the Supreme Court.[123]United Nations: World heads of state and government convene at United Nations Headquarters in New York City for the start of the annual General Assembly high-level summit. President of the United States George W. Bush urges the international community to help Iraq rebuild itself into a democracy with the "great power to inspire the Middle East." President Bush states a transformed Middle East would also benefit the entire world "by undermining the ideologies that export violence to other lands." President Bush also calls on the Security Council to adopt new anti-proliferation resolution "calling on all members of the UN to criminalize the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction", enacting strict export controls, and securing all sensitive material.[124]Iraq: A new Gallup poll shows majority of Iraqis expect a better life in five years. After foreign occupation and the removal of Saddam Hussein, around two-thirds of Baghdad residents state the Iraqi dictator removal was worth the hardships they've been forced to endure.[125]Iraq: A U.S.-led coalition-backed Iraqi Governing Council member, Ayad Allawi, announces restrictions of the operations of TV networks al Jazeera and al-Arabiya. The networks are barred from reporting on official activities and news conferences and from entering ministries and office buildings for the next two weeks. The council claims they incited anti-occupation violence (by airing statements from resistance leaders; specifically broadcasting a video of "terrorists terrorizing Iraqis"), increased ethnic and sectarian tensions and were supportive of the lawless resistance. Allawi hopes the ban sends a "very clear message" to other stations. Al Jazeera responds that it is trying to give a balanced view of the current situation in Iraq and that it considers its ethical standards to be similar to western ones. The Coalition Provisional Authority has not responded to inquiries about the announcement.[126][127][128][129]The Methuselah Foundation launches the Methuselah mouse contest, offering a prize to the team which can extend mouse lifespan the longest. The aim is to promote research which can offer insights into human longevity.Blackout: A power shortcut lays the southern part of Sweden and the eastern part of Denmark dead from midday, creating traffic problems and other disruptions throughout the area. About 2–3 million people are affected. From 4 p.m. Copenhagen has power again. A Swedish nuclear power plant abruptly stopped producing power.
Current events of September 24, 2003 (2003-09-24) (Wednesday) :
Swedish police arrests a new suspect in the murder of Anna Lindh. Per-Olof Svensson is no longer a suspect and has been released.Belgium's highest court, the Court of Cassation, throws out case against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Israeli General Amos Yaron. Also, a case against former U.S. President George H. W. Bush (for war crimes in Iraq) and Secretary of State Colin Powell is dismissed.[130][131]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A protest letter by a group of 27 Israeli pilots to  the Israeli air force is publicized. In the letter, the pilots announce their refusal to fly further missions to bomb leaders of Palestinian terrorist groups in civilian areas. The pilots' letter calls the attacks "illegal and immoral". It draws quick condemnation from commentators, from politicians and from military leaders, with calls for severe punishment including jail, although a dismissal is considered the most likely result. The pilots' protest is a reaction to attacks like the one on Hamas leader Salah Shehade in July 2002, which killed Shehade, his bodyguard and 15 civilians, among them nine children.,[132][133][134]Computer and Communications Industry Association report, written by a handful of security experts, Microsoft's dominance in key technologies poses security risk and threatens the national infrastructure. Computer and Communications Industry Association states reliance on a single technology, such as the Windows operating system, threatens economic security and critical infrastructure. The paper warns that many security improvements planned by Microsoft are likely designed to deter customers from switching to another operating system.[135]After several postponements the European Parliament finally passes a directive concerning the "patentability of computer-implemented inventions". The final text differs substantially from the original proposal and is seen as going a long way in addressing the concerns that it would legalize patents on software and business methods. The directive should now be under review by the Council of the European Union.[136][137]Judge Lee Roy West of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma rules that the Federal Trade Commission lacks the authority to create the National Do Not Call Registry. The ruling came in response to a suit filed by the telemarketing industry.[138]
Current events of September 25, 2003 (2003-09-25) (Thursday) :
Terrorism: FBI probes Hamas-linked 'criminal enterprises' associated with the radical Islamic group Hamas that has taken responsibility for a string of bombings in Israel. Hamas also declares the organization would not participate with other Palestinian groups in a proposed cease-fire nor join the next Palestinian government. Sheik Ahmed Yassin states "the enemy is continuing his aggression, killing, and settlement activities."[139][140]Shariah: An Islamic appeals court in northern Nigeria has acquitted single mother Amina Lawal. A Shariah court had sentenced her to death by stoning for adultery, but a five-judge panel rejected her March 2002 conviction under Shariah saying she was not given "ample opportunity to defend herself".[141][142]Business: Kodak has said that it will no longer make major investments in conventional photographic film.[143]WMD: An early draft of an interim report by the inspectors for banned weapons in Iraq says his team has not found any of the unconventional weapons cited by President George W. Bush as a principal reason for going to war. CIA stresses report is not final and inspectors are still getting data.[144]Natural disaster: An earthquake of magnitude 8.0 struck near the island of Hokkaido in Japan at 19:50:07 (UTC). A 7-foot-tall (2.1 m) tsunami was generated off the coast of Hokkaido as a result of the quake and tsunami warnings have been issued for most of the Pacific Rim, including Japan, Russia's eastern coast, Alaska, and Hawaii.[145]Technology: Electronic paper reaches video speed. Paper capable of playing videos has been invented at the Philips Research laboratory in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The ink can be rearranged electronically fast enough to show video movies.[146]Science – Space: Europe gets set for Moon mission. Rocket operators clear the Smart 1 probe to begin its lunar adventure on an Ariane 5 rocket from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana. Smart 1 will test a novel type of propulsion system on its mission and map lunar surface features.[147]Occupation of Iraq: Nine rebels in north Iraq are killed. Coalition troops kill nine guerrillas, the biggest toll for more than a month, in scattered action over northern Iraq in the past 24 hours. Major Josslyn Aberle states "The enemy are becoming more desperate as we pursue them."[148]The U.S. District Court in Denver rules that the National Do Not Call Registry would violate the First Amendment since it contains exceptions for certain unsolicited calls.  Thus, the Federal Trade Commission is currently prohibited from implementing the registry.
Current events of September 26, 2003 (2003-09-26) (Friday) :
Medicine: An experimental treatment given to a British man has halted the progress of brain damage caused by Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.[149]SCO vs IBM: International Business Machines Corp. files new counterclaims against SCO Group Inc. involving the Linux operating system according to a memo sent to the IBM sales force.[150]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A Palestinian gunman enters a home in Negohot (an Israeli settlement in the West Bank, near Hebron), murders 7-month-old Shaked Avraham and 27-year-old Eyal Yeberbaum, and injures both of the baby girl's parents as they were celebrating the Jewish New Year. The shooter was later killed by Israeli security forces. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack.[151]Road map for peace: 'Quartet' urges Israel and Palestinians to do more to revive Middle East peace plan. Voicing "great concern" at recent Israeli and Palestinian attacks that have stalled the Middle East peace process, a high-level meeting of the diplomatic Quartet of the United Nations, United States, Russian Federation and European Union call on both sides to take immediate action to revive the Road map for peace.[152][153]Iraq – Constitution:  Secretary of State Colin Powell, responding to a rapid timetable self-rule demands from France (and others), states the United States would set a deadline of six months for Iraqi leaders working under the coalition occupation to produce a new constitution. The constitution would clear the way for elections and the installation of a new leadership next year.[154][155]Iraq – Terrorism: Mortar rounds hit killing at least seven civilian Iraqis in the town square of Baquba. At least 20 civilian were wounded. Also, Akila al-Hashemi, a member of Iraq's Governing Council, was buried in Najaf a day after she died from wounds inflicted by an unidentified gunmen.[156]
Current events of September 27, 2003 (2003-09-27) (Saturday) :

Current events of September 28, 2003 (2003-09-28) (Sunday) :
Nuclear Weapons: Iran remains defiant about nuclear program. Iran states it will not give up its nuclear program (including uranium enrichment). The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have given Iran until October 31 to prove it has no secret nuclear arms program and told it to halt enrichment activities. Iran states international pressure will not deter its nuclear plans.[157][158]Blackout: In Italy and a small part of Switzerland 57 million people were without power from late Saturday night until Sunday noon.  The power outage was more extensive than the North American blackout in August.[159][160]Natural disaster: Hurricane Juan is expected to make landfall near Halifax, Nova Scotia.Space: Europe has launched its first mission to the moon, using SMART-1, an unmanned probe.[161]Pope John Paul II names 30 new cardinals, including Marc Ouellet, Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada. The Pope also created a 31st Cardinal in pectore, which means his identity is kept secret and he will not be made a Cardinal if the Pope dies before revealing his name.[162]
Current events of September 29, 2003 (2003-09-29) (Monday) :
Abdalla Yones, who was convicted of murder for killing his daughter, Heshu Yones, for dating a Christian, is sentenced to life in prison after becoming the first person in Britain to admit an "honour killing".[163]Terrorism: Pakistan dismisses and condemns al-Qaida terrorist network threat against President Pervez Musharraf, saying the war against terrorism will continue. Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Masood Khan states (in Islamabad) Pakistan will not be deterred by such threats. The identity of the speaker on the audio tape or the authenticity of the tape has not been verified. The message was attributed to al-Qaida's second-ranking leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, and was aired on Al Jazeera and Al-Arabiya.[164][165][166]Space – Technology: NASA outlines plans for the Space Shuttle's Replacement, a "Space Taxi". The next-generation space vehicle is on the drawing boards now and NASA has just issued newly defined requirements.[167]Occupation of Iraq: Iraqi security forces and United States military police in Tikrit launch a hunt for guerrillas behind a series of deadly attacks on coalition troops—the largest-ever joint military operation to date. During the raids, dozens of soldiers from the United States Army's 720th Military Police Battalion backed up over 200 Iraqi police. The raids netted 92 people and weapons that included Kalashnikov rifles, mortars, firing tubes, 155 mm artillery shells and rocket launchers.[168]Nuclear weapons: Iranian official confirm traces of highly enriched uranium found in the country at the Kalaye Electric Company near Tehran (this was the second time such a discovery was made by United Nations inspectors). Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Ali Akbar Salehi, attributes the find to the contamination of imported equipment on state television. Iranians have allegedly used Kalaye Electric Company to test centrifuges used to make highly enriched uranium that can be used to make atomic bombs.[169]International relations: European Union increases pressure on Tehran to cooperate with international nuclear weapons inspectors. Britain states Iran must declare "unequivocally" that it harbours no ambitions to develop nuclear arms. European Union, in a draft joint statement, warns of economic fallout if Tehran does not make progress on key areas including non-proliferation, fighting terrorism, human rights and the Middle East peace process.[170]International relations: Former US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright (commenting on European Union relations to the United States), says that current transatlantic relations are in a dangerous "vicious circle". She states that the European Union is not a counterweight to American power in the world. She also states that there is an American "catch-22", and that America is criticized no matter which foreign policy it adopts.[171]United Kingdom: The British Labour Party is holding its annual conference in Bournemouth on the English south coast.  For the party and especially Tony Blair it is a tough conference as his policies (especially over Iraq) are under heavy attack.European Union: Member states clash over the issue of how many MEPs should represent the European Parliament on the approaching Intergovernmental Conference on October 4. The developing consensus seems to be that at least one representative from the two major parties in the European Parliament will attend the conference, but this procedure is highly controversial—normally parliamentarians do not attend high level meetings among EU leaders.[172]Elections: Despite the blackout and other damage caused by Hurricane Juan, Prince Edward Islanders go to the polls during the Prince Edward Island general election, 2003, re-electing the Tories under Premier Pat Binns. The Liberals receive four seats.[11]Elections: Newfoundland and Labrador premier Roger Grimes calls a general election for October 21. Grimes' Liberals are seeking reelection against the Tories, NDP, and the Labrador Party.[173]
Current events of September 30, 2003 (2003-09-30) (Tuesday) :
Air France and KLM are completing their merger.[174]EU Agriculture Commissioner, Franz Fischler urged EU ministers to lift the ban on GMO food, as the EU risks facing legal challenges by the US and other countries at the World Trade Organization.[175]Russia stalls on signing the Kyoto Protocol, the international treaty to reduce global warming. Kyoto Protocol supporters in the EU react with consternation to Russia's decision.[176]EU foreign ministers have approved a controversial pension reform for EU civil servants, which is set to increase their pension age and make the new entrants work more years to receive the maximum level of pension.[177]European Union: Poland and Spain are about to launch their battle to keep the current system of voting in the European Council, introduced by the Nice Treaty.[178]Euro-parliamentarians urge EU governments to form a united front and protest against US President George W. Bush over the lack of rights of detainees in the US base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.[179]The European Commission will not shy away from imposing fines on France if it continues to break Euro-rules, according to Economics Commissioner Pedro Solbes.[180]
Current events of October 1, 2003 (2003-10-01) (Wednesday) :
South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun reiterates offer to the United States to consider a request for South Korean participation in Multi-National Force – Iraq in exchange for "positive" movement to resolve the standoff over North Korea's nuclear weapons program.Anti-Americanism: A panel chosen by the administration of President George W. Bush concludes that the United States must drastically increase and overhaul its public relations efforts to recast its image among Muslims and Arabs abroad. "Hostility toward America has reached shocking levels ... What is required is not merely tactical adaptation but strategic, and radical, transformation."President of the European Commission Romano Prodi unveils a proposal to boost flagging economic growth in Europe. The plan has two main parts: increasing spending on European transport networks and promoting research and development.Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe: Following talks with Prime Minister Vladimír Špidla on the draft European Union constitution and the Czech Republic's position on the document, the Czech President Václav Klaus decides not to travel to Rome and attend the forthcoming intergovernmental conference.Canada: Premier of the Northwest Territories Stephen Kakfwi announces he will not seek re-election in the November election.The website 4chan.org is created.
Current events of October 2, 2003 (2003-10-02) (Thursday) :
North Korea claims to "have already processed" 8,000 fuel rods from its Yongbyon nuclear reactor north of Pyongyang and is using the plutonium extracted during the process to make atomic bombs to boost its nuclear capabilities for nuclear deterrent force. Citing a "hostile policy" by the United States, Vice Foreign Minister Choe Su Hon states this is a means to safeguard the country's territory.[1]Occupation of Iraq: The United Nations Security Council discusses a new United States draft resolution on Iraq, which would enhance the United Nations' role in Iraq. Secretary General Kofi Annan states draft did not go in the direction he recommended.  A quicker transfer of sovereignty "may change the dynamics on the ground, in terms of the security situation, and send a message".[2]Technology – Genome: The genome chip arrived with several companies rushing to sell the known human genes.  The products will allow scientists to scan all genes in a human tissue sample at once to determine which are active, with lower cost and increased speed.[3]Sino-American relations: The United States Navy blames China for the 2001 Hainan Island incident.  A report released to Jane's Defense Weekly under the Freedom of Information Act said that the pilot of the Chinese jet fighter made three passes at the U.S. propeller-driven reconnaissance plane over international waters. On the third pass, the Chinese fighter hit a propeller on the American plane.[4]Ontario general election, 2003: Dalton McGuinty becomes the new premier of Ontario when his party defeats Ernie Eves's incumbent Tories and Howard Hampton's NDP.J. M. Coetzee wins Nobel Prize for literature.[5]European Union: United States draft legislation which urges The Pentagon to buy defence parts from American manufacturers has turned heads in Brussels, with some warning of yet another trade dispute at the WTO.[6]European Union: The first bilateral meeting between France and Austria since 1998 is marked by disagreements over the European Constitution.  Austria heads the group of small countries seeking to make changes to the text, but France wants to leave the draft by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing broadly untouched.[7]Media: A Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) study conducted with California-based Knowledge Networks, titled "Misperceptions, the Media, and the Iraq War," is released.  According to this study, misperceptions about the 2003 invasion of Iraq are most common among consumers of Fox News Channel and supporters of President George W. Bush and least common among consumers of PBS and NPR and supporters of Democratic presidential candidates.  The study also found that frequent viewers of Fox News are more likely to believe in the misconceptions than less frequent ones. One example misconception is the belief that weapons of mass destruction have already been found in Iraq.[8]
Current events of October 3, 2003 (2003-10-03) (Friday) :
Near-Earth asteroid: Confirmation on the closest near-miss of a natural object ever recorded. The asteroid (designated 2003 SQ222), about the size of a small house, flew past Earth at a distance of around 88,000 kilometres. It would have made a fireball had it entered the atmosphere.[9]Iraq and weapons of mass destruction: The world continues to digest David Kay's report that finds very little evidence of Weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, although the regime did intend to develop more weapons with additional capabilities. Such plans and programs appear to have been dormant, the existence of these were also concealed from the United Nations during the inspections that began in 2002. Weapons inspectors in Iraq do find clandestine "network of biological laboratories" and a deadly strain of botulinum. The US-sponsored search for WMD has so far cost $300 million and is projected to cost around $600 million more.[10][11]California recall: Arnold Schwarzenegger denies admiring Hitler. Arnold Schwarzenegger's denial comes days before the vote for the next governor of California.[12]General Wesley Clark suggests that members of the Bush administration may be liable to criminal charges in connection with the Iraq war.  Clark alleges that the plans for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and other interventions in the Middle East (possibly including Lebanon and Syria), pre-dated the inauguration of the President and that the reasons for the war were misleadingly presented to the US people.Evo Morales said that Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, president of Bolivia, may be preparing a coup.[13] (in Spanish)Polish soldiers of the United States-led Coalition discovered four advanced missiles around central Iraq in the Hilla region near a highway. The Roland-type French-made missiles (which are fired from a mobile launcher vehicle against low flying aircraft) were initially believed to have been manufactured earlier in 2003. Arms exports to Iraq had been barred by the United Nations after the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. France says it last shipped Roland missiles to Iraq in 1986. The Polish soldiers were later found to have misinterpreted markings that read 07-01-KND 2003 as a date on the missiles.[14][15][16]
Current events of October 4, 2003 (2003-10-04) (Saturday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A Palestinian suicide bomber blows herself up in a crowded beach restaurant in the northern Israeli port city of Haifa, killing at least 19 people and wounding about two dozen, at least six seriously.[17]  Hours later Israeli helicopter gunships retaliate by attacking targets in Gaza City and Central Gaza.Robin Cook, former United Kingdom Foreign Secretary who resigned from the British Government in protest prior the Iraq war, publishes his personal diaries. In them he alleges inter alia that Tony Blair knew before the Iraq war began that the 45 minutes to launch claim was false.Poland apologizes to France for its claims that it had found newly produced Roland surface-to-air missiles in Iraq. It is believed that the Polish soldiers misinterpreted a "use-by" date or installation date marked on the missiles as a date of production.[16]
Current events of October 5, 2003 (2003-10-05) (Sunday) :
Maher Arar is reported to have been freed from a Syrian jail. The Canadian engineer was deported to Syria by the United States as he changed planes in New York, over a year ago.[18] He will arrive in Montreal the following afternoon.[19]Ain es Saheb airstrike: Israeli warplanes attack an alleged Islamic Jihad training base deep in Syria in retaliation for a suicide bombing at a Haifa restaurant that killed 19 people, the army said Sunday. Israeli media state this is the first Israeli attack on Syrian soil in more than two decades. An emergency session of the UN Security Council is scheduled to debate the action.  France and Germany condemn the attack. The international community calls for restraint by all parties involved.[20]Pope John Paul II canonizes Daniele Comboni (1831–1881), Arnold Janssen (1837–1909) and Josef Freinademetz (1852–1908).Ireland on Sunday claims that Pope John Paul II is suffering from terminal stomach cancer which has spread to his colon. The newspaper reports that the Pope has dictated a living will which gives instructions as to how the Roman Catholic Church is to be administered when the medical treatment he is receiving makes it impossible for him to function as pope. According to the paper, Cardinals have been told to be ready at a moment's notice to fly to Rome for a Papal funeral and Papal conclave.
Current events of October 6, 2003 (2003-10-06) (Monday) :
2004 U.S. Democratic Primaries: Senator Bob Graham announces on Larry King Live that he is ending his 2004 presidential campaign.[21]Chechen Election: Moscow's choice, the Kremlin-backed Akhmad Kadyrov swept presidential election in the Russian republic of Chechnya, winning 81 percent of the votes.[22]SCO v. IBM: In an open letter to the Linux community published by Silicon Graphics (SGI), SGI states it conducted a comprehensive comparison of the Linux kernel and the UNIX System V source code owned by The SCO Group. According to the letter (authored by SGI Vice President of Software Rich Altmaier), SGI's "exhaustive comparison" of the source codes turned up only "trivial" code segments that "may arguably be related" to SCO's software. The letter also disputed SCO's claims that SGI inappropriately contributed its XFS (eXtensible File System).[23]Middle East:  Facing renewed threats from Israel, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, declares a state of emergency in Palestinian areas and installs a new government by decree. Ahmed Qurei is appointed prime minister and head of the eight-member emergency cabinet.[24]Israel: In his first public comments since the Israeli attack on Syria, President Bush says that Israel has the right to defend its homeland; at the same time Mr. Bush asks Prime Minister Sharon to avoid any further actions that might destabilize the region.Paul Lauterbur and Sir Peter Mansfield are jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries concerning Magnetic Resonance Imaging.[25]Occupation of Iraq: Some in the international community have rejected a revised United States draft United Nations Security Council resolution  concerning Iraq (calling for a multinational force of peacekeeping troops in Iraq under American command; transferring power gradually to elected civilian rule [though there is no handover timetable for sovereignty]). The resolution is being supported by the United Kingdom. France, Germany, and Russia (which opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq) have joined Kofi Annan in opposing the resolution. Annan states that the United Nations itself will not become heavily involved unless there are early moves toward passing sovereignty to the Iraqi people. Annan's stance is similar to that of Pope John Paul II and some members of the European Union.[26][27][28][29][30]Attempts by the Republic of Ireland's government to ban smoking in pubs, restaurants and hotels run into more trouble as a government minister who will have responsibility for enforcing the ban, Frank Fahey, refuses to deny that he is critical of the plan and wants a compromise that would allow smoking in some areas to continue. A former Mayor of Galway and Fianna Fáil councillor who has links with the pub industry resigns from a health authority in protest at the refusal of the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrat government to compromise on the proposed ban. This follows an earlier announcement that publicans in County Kerry will refuse to obey the new law and indications of growing popular opposition to the ban.[31]Former Sky News correspondent James Furlong, who resigned over allegations that he had faked a report during the Iraq War, is found dead. Furlong, aged 44, had served as Sky News' Defence and Royal Correspondent. He had previously worked for ITN.[32]A United Nations report says that almost 1 billion people worldwide are living in slums. By 2050 3 billion, out of a world urban population of 6 billion, may be living in slums, unless radical policies are implemented, according to the UN. Dr Anna Tibaijuka of the UN says the persistence of the slums should shame the whole world.[33]
Current events of October 7, 2003 (2003-10-07) (Tuesday) :
California recall:  The state of California held a special election to decide whether to recall Governor Gray Davis, and, if so, who to replace him with.  Also on the ballot: Proposition 53, the "California Twenty-First Century Infrastructure Investment Fund," and Proposition 54, the "Racial Privacy Initiative."The Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded jointly to Alexei Abrikosov, Vitaly Ginzburg and Anthony Leggett for their work on the theory of superconductors and superfluids.[34]United Nations envoy and Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Terje Roed-Larsen, condemns attack from Lebanese territory that killed an Israeli soldier across the southern withdrawal line and urges Beirut to control the use of force everywhere in its jurisdiction. Roed-Larsen, states the attack "constitutes a clear violation of the Blue Line and Security Council resolutions and could escalate tension between Israel and its northern neighbours" and he calls on all sides to use diplomacy and take no action that "could increase the already high level of tension in the region".[35]UN spokesman states that a peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has discovered 65 bodies, mostly children, apparently massacred.[36]Occupation of Iraq: The Turkish Parliament votes (358-to-183) to approve the dispatch of peacekeepers to Iraq, in a major victory for United States efforts to broaden foreign involvement in Iraq. In Baghdad, Iraqi Governing Council officials state that they would oppose any new foreign troop deployment to Iraq. No formal decision had been made by the Council and leaders of the council have stated they would support this if the United States requested this.[37]The South African government announce they would not prosecute the five policemen accused of killing Steve Biko in 1977, citing insufficient evidence to support a murder charge.[38]The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) announces its intention to form a single-market "Asian Community" by 2020.
Current events of October 8, 2003 (2003-10-08) (Wednesday) :
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded jointly to Peter Agre and Roderick MacKinnon for discoveries concerning aquaporins and ion channels in cell membranes.[39]California recall: Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger wins the election with 48.6% after voters decide to recall California Governor Gray Davis. Schwarzenegger's closest rival was the Democratic Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante, with 31.7%.[40][41]The FBI admits that hidden listening devices planted in the office of the Mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were placed there by FBI agents. It is currently not known if the Mayor of Philadelphia is a target of an investigation nor is there any details provided about the nature of the probe that the device was part of. A law enforcement official cautions that the presence of the listening devices does not necessarily mean that the mayor, himself, is under investigation.[42][43]Yasser Arafat has suffered a mild heart attack. Palestinian leadership officials tried to hide condition of the president. "Although he has had a slight heart attack, the doctors say he will make a full recovery. He is in full control. There is nothing to worry about," states close aide to Arafat. Officials state that it would "have created panic at a critical time when the Israelis are threatening Arafat's life".[44][45]
Current events of October 9, 2003 (2003-10-09) (Thursday) :
Time magazine reports that Yassir Arafat, whose health has led to confused reporting over the past days, with him variously reported as having had flu and having had a heart attack, in actuality has stomach cancer.[46]Pakistan successfully test fires a medium-range, nuclear-capable missile, the second such test in less than a week, the Pakistan army states. The Hatf-4 missile, also known as the Shaheen 1, was fired off, according to the army. The missile has a range of 435 miles, meaning it can hit most major targets in India. The test followed a similar launching on Friday of the short-range Hatf-2 Ghaznavi after which Pakistan said it was in the middle of a series of such tests. Pakistani army spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan said India had been told of each of the launches beforehand and he states the tests should not affect the international relations between the two neighbors.[47]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz ordered dispatches of Israeli troop reinforcements to the Palestinian Areas, West Bank and Gaza Strip, and weighed a call-up of reserves, citing new warnings about planned attacks by Palestinian militants. The Israeli military also extended a two-week lockdown on Palestinians' travel within the West Bank and Gaza in what it states as a bid to prevent further attacks.[48] Meanwhile, prime minister Ahmed Qurei is reported to have declined to form a government and told President Yasser Arafat he wants to quit his post.[49]Occupation of Iraq: Twin attacks in Baghdad killed a Spanish diplomat (by gunshot) and, in the other, at least ten people following an attack on a police station in Baghdad's main Shi'ite neighbourhood, exactly half a year since Coalition troops occupied the Iraqi city.[50][51]
Current events of October 10, 2003 (2003-10-10) (Friday) :
Shirin Ebadi, Iranian human rights lawyer, is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.[52]In Iraq two more soldiers are killed and four wounded in an ambush in the Sadr district of Baghdad.  The troops are lured into the ambush by civilians in what could be a new tactic by hostile forces in Iraq.[53]Camp X-ray: The United States' policy of detaining up to 600 people in Guantanamo Bay comes under fierce attack from the Red Cross and a group of American former judges, diplomats and military officers who are asking the Supreme Court of the United States to review the situation. The Red Cross criticises the policy of holding detainees without legal representation and in contravention of legal conventions; it reports a worrying deterioration in the mental health of detainees.[54]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israeli military officer states Palestinian militants are feared to be using a tunnel to smuggle anti-tank missiles and portable anti-aircraft missiles, though no tunnels had been found yet. The army states it is encountering strong resistance from Palestinians using dozens of homemade bombs, rocket-propelled grenades and other grenades and automatic weapons. One Palestinian child and four adults killed in overnight attack on Rafah refugee camp in Gaza.[55]Rugby union: The 2003 Rugby World Cup, with 20 countries competing for the William Webb Ellis Trophy over a seven-week period, starts after a spectacular opening ceremony at the Telstra Stadium, Sydney, Australia, with Australia defeating Argentina 24–8 in the opening match.[56]Prince Johan-Friso of the Netherlands, second son of Queen Beatrix and second in line of succession to the throne will lose his succession rights when he marries Mabel Wisse Smit without the Dutch Parliament's permission. Government assent was refused because the couple had been less than candid about the bride's interactions with gangster Klaas Bruisma in the late 1980s.[57]
Current events of October 11, 2003 (2003-10-11) (Saturday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israeli troops pull back in Gaza. Israel will continue to demolish tunnels. The Israeli army states it discovers three tunnels in the camp, but no weapons have been found. A Palestinian teenager is shot dead and up to 10 homes were demolished and [ater and electricity facilities were hit. Palestinian militants were seeking to smuggle from Egypt shoulder-fired missiles that could be used against tanks, helicopters, and fighter jets.[58]President George W. Bush proposes a change in United States Fish and Wildlife Service regulations which would allow American citizens to travel abroad to capture, kill, and import endangered species. The regulation would not allow Americans to do the same to endangered species inside the United States.[59]German magazine Der Spiegel reports that Israel is preparing an attack on Iranian atomic plants.[60]Syria says that it will retaliate if attacked by Israel again. A week after Israel's attack the two countries continue to exchange insults; the United Nations Security Council is unable to agree on a resolution condemning Israel's attack.[61]Occupation of Iraq: The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), a grouping of Muslim nations meeting in Malaysia, calls on the US to quit Iraq as soon as possible and to hand over to the UN; the OIC also pledges support to Syria.[62]The House of Representatives of the Diet of Japan is dissolved by the Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro and the election will take place on November 9, 2003. See Japan general election, 2003 for more.[63]The Spanish rail company RENFE opens its second AVE high-speed line, serving Madrid, Guadalajara, Calatayud, Zaragoza, and Lleida. It is expected to reach Barcelona by 2005. (Another line is being built from Madrid to Valladolid, and others to Valencia and Lisbon are planned.)[64]
Current events of October 12, 2003 (2003-10-12) (Sunday) :
Cricket: New Zealand prevents India from snatching victory in the first Test cricket at Ahmedabad.[65]Relations between Syria and the United States fall to a low point as Syria criticizes the US for its failure to censure Israel.[66]China confirms that it will launch its first manned space mission between October 15 and 17.  The spacecraft plans to orbit Earth 14 times before landing in an undisclosed location. (See Shenzhou 5)[67][68]The operation to separate two-year-old Egyptian twins joined at the head is going well in Dallas; the two boys have been separated and no troublesome complications have arisen. The next steps are to reconstruct the boys' skulls including the skin.[69]India, Thailand, and China press ahead with efforts and a study group aimed at creating a Free Trade Area.[70]2003 occupation of Iraq: A huge explosion occurs in the center of Baghdad, possibly caused by car bomb. A number of fatalities are reported. The blast takes place in Baghdad Hotel.[71][Researchers announced that they have discovered the detailed relationship between the Ras v12 gene, polarity genes, and metastasis of cancer in fruit flies.[72]Liberia drops diplomatic relations with the Taiwan and re-establishes ties with China. This move was seen largely as a result of China's lobbying in the United Nations, which is planning to deploy a peacekeeping force to Liberia. Taiwanese Foreign Minister Eugene Chien offers to resign as a result.[73]
Current events of October 13, 2003 (2003-10-13) (Monday) :
2003 occupation of Iraq: New draft resolution being circulated at the United Nations aims at getting international aid. The resolution sets a deadline for initial steps, if only for a transitional step, toward restoring Iraqi sovereignty, giving the Iraqi Governing Council until December 15 to develop a timetable for writing a constitution and holding elections. The Bush administration proposes that the United Nations recognize the Iraqi Governing Council as a unit that "will embody the sovereignty" of Iraq until the country returns to self-rule.[74][75]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israeli incursion leaves 1,240 Palestinians homeless, UN agency finds. The Israeli demolition of refugee shelters in Rafah camp on the southern Gaza Strip last week has left 1,240 people homeless, United Nations relief workers state.[76]The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, have begun talks in Downing Street on a possible restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland.[77]2003 occupation of Iraq: Three more US soldiers have been killed in separate incidents.[78]The Public Library of Science commences publication of an open-access scientific journal, PLoS Biology and its website is immediately overwhelmed by traffic.[79]
Current events of October 14, 2003 (2003-10-14) (Tuesday) :
RTÉ's Prime Time current affairs programme reports that Cahal Daly, Bishop of Down and Conor, refused to accept allegations passed on to him by students of improper sexual conduct by Monsignor Micheal Ledwith, then head of St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Ireland's major seminary. According to the programme Daly became aggressive, telling students "go back and say your prayers". The TV programme confirms that Daly, and his predecessor, Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich, were centrally involved in efforts to silence critics of Ledwith, including forcing the resignation of one dean of students who informed them of allegations that Ledwith was making sexual advances against student priests. Ledwith subsequently left the college after paying damages to an under-age teenager to whom he allegedly made sexual advances.   Ledwith, once an internationally famous Roman Catholic theologian tipped to become Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, is now associated with an American New Age organization. Having been tracked down by the programme, Ledwith refuses to comment 'for legal reasons'.Liberia: The Inauguration of a new government takes place. The rebels are expected to disarm.Sniper – Terrorism: Trial of John Allen Muhammad, who is suspected of being the Washington DC serial sniper, begins. He pleads not guilty.[80]The BBC reports that dissident IRA groups are supplying the weapons that have led to a recent surge in UK gun crime.[81]Microsoft chatrooms close today. Free unmoderated chatrooms outside the US are closed in what Microsoft claim is an attempt to safeguard children.[82]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israel orders the expulsion of 15 Palestinian detainees from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip.[83]British Conservative Party leader, Iain Duncan Smith, is being investigated by Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Sir Philip Mawer over allegations that he paid a secretarial salary to his wife without her doing sufficient work to warrant the payments.[84]A British HIV carrier is found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm after infecting two lovers.[85]
Current events of October 15, 2003 (2003-10-15) (Wednesday) :
2003 occupation of Iraq: U.S. concessions to proposals from Russia, the China and Pakistan ensure their support for a United Nations Security Council resolution to provide greater international legitimacy to the occupation force and the Iraq Interim Governing Council. The resolution draft, legitimizing US military and political control over Iraq's political future, was already supported by United Kingdom, Spain, Cameroon, Bulgaria, Angola, Mexico, Chile and Guinea. Russia agrees to act as a mediator to achieve support for the compromise also from Germany and France.[86][87]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Four people die in a bomb attack on a convoy of US diplomatic vehicles in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian Authority head Yasser Arafat calls the bombing "dirty and shameful" in an exclusive interview on BBC News. Secretary of State Colin Powell urges Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei in a telephone call "to take action to put an end to violence and terrorism," according to a Palestinian official.[88][89]China launches its first astronaut, Yang Liwei into orbit aboard a Shenzhou spacecraft, Shenzhou 5. The 21-hour trip is planned to circle the planet 14 times.[90][91]2003 occupation of Iraq: Japan offers $1.5 billion aid to Iraq in what could be the first tranche of a total of $5 billion.[92]The Supreme Court of the United States agreed to hear Elk Grove Unified School District v. NewdowThe Irish-based Australian novelist D.B.C. Pierre (real name Peter Finlay) wins the 2003 Booker prize with his first novel, Vernon God Little, a satire on a Texas high-school massacre.[93]Anglican leaders from around the world meet in Lambeth Palace in an attempt to avoid a schism on the issue of homosexuality in the clergy. The Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, Robin Eames says that the Anglican Communion is moving towards a "consensus situation" on the issue of homosexuality and the clergy at its meeting in Lambeth Palace.[94][94]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: The United States vetoes a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning the Israeli West Bank barrier.[95]The Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative Party of Canada strike a deal to merge. The deal creating the Conservative Party of Canada must be ratified by each party's membership before December 12.[96]Azerbaijan: Presidential elections.[97]Steven Gerrard becomes captain of Liverpool Football Club.
Current events of October 16, 2003 (2003-10-16) (Thursday) :
Occupation of Iraq: The UN Security Council unanimously approves a new US resolution on Iraq. Russia, Germany and France back the resolution but will not provide troops or money.[98]  A survey indicates poor morale amongst the US troops serving in Iraq.[99]President Bush re-affirms his intention to pressure China and Japan into fair policies re their exchange rates.[100] China's trade surplus is shrinking as imports surge.[101] At the same time India is wrestling with the implications of the sustained appreciation of the rupee against the dollar.[102]Tens of thousands of Catholics attend Mass celebrating the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II in Rome.  The Pope will beatify Mother Teresa on Sunday, October 19, and install 30 new Cardinals on Tuesday, October 21.[103]In a surprise move, Monsanto Company announce their intention to quit the European cereal business. Citing lack of success, the company has decided to cut costs.[104]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: European Commissioner for External Relations, Chris Patten has questioned Israel's commitment to a two-states resolution to the conflict with the Palestinians.[105]China's first astronaut, Yang Liwei returns to earth safely aboard a Shenzhou spacecraft, Shenzhou 5. During the 21-hour trip, he circled the planet 14 times.[106]Apple launches its iTunes Music Store, an online download music store, for the Microsoft Windows platform. The iTunes software can be downloaded from apple.com for free.
Current events of October 17, 2003 (2003-10-17) (Friday) :
Carlos Mesa is sworn in as the President of Bolivia, after former president Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada was forced to resign as protests and strikes escalated in the Bolivian Gas War.Occupation of Iraq: Four US troops and at least two police officers are killed in an ambush in Karbala and another incident in Iraq.[107]China's economy grows at 9% in the latest period, on course to become the largest economy in the world by 2050.[108]A 197 ft (60 m) spire is inserted on Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan, unseating Malaysia's Petronas Towers as the world's tallest building.[109]
Current events of October 18, 2003 (2003-10-18) (Saturday) :
Leaders of Pacific-rim nations gather in Bangkok ahead of the 11th Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference.[110][111][112] President George W. Bush arrives in Thailand ahead of an APEC summit of 21 Asia-Pacific government leaders which is likely to be dominated by discussions of the War on Terrorism and trade friction between rich and poor nations (trade and currency).New audio tapes, allegedly from Osama bin Laden, air on the Al Jazeera network.[113]occupation of Iraq: Spain's government, one of the staunchest supporters of the attack on Iraq, has pledged $300 million over several years toward Iraqi reconstruction.[114]Zimbabwe's state oil corporation is reported to have run out of fuel, aggravating the continuing acute fuel crisis.[115]Officials declare a state of emergency due to severe flooding in Squamish, British Columbia. Parts of the town are evacuated.[116]Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, visiting Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai, is whisked out of Kabul owing to reports of a rocket attack. The reports turn out to be unfounded.[117]
Current events of October 19, 2003 (2003-10-19) (Sunday) :
A new biography, reported in The Sunday Times, claims that the prosecution of Oscar Wilde for sodomy was ordered by the then Liberal government, in a deal with the Marquess of Queensberry, the father of Lord Alfred Douglas, to prevent his exposure of a homosexual relationship between another of his sons, Viscount Drumlanrig, and British Prime Minister Lord Rosebery. According to reports, future prime minister H. H. Asquith played a key role in negotiating the deal, which led to the imprisonment of the Irish writer.[citation needed]British Prime Minister Tony Blair is rushed to hospital with heart problems. An irregular heart-beat is diagnosed. Blair is given a cardioversion in hospital, where he stays for four or five hours before going back to Number 10 Downing Street, and is ordered by his doctors to take 24 hours complete rest.[118]Pope John Paul II beatifies Mother Teresa. Hundreds of thousands attend the ceremony in St. Peter's Square. Mother Teresa, who founded the Missionaries of Charity, is now one step from sainthood.[119]South Korea and the United States are reported to be discussing the possible withdrawal of thousands of US troops.[120]North Korea crisis: The United States says it is willing to give North Korea security assurances in exchange for a nuclear standdown. U.S. President Bush rules out a non-aggression treaty demanded by Pyongyang.[121]Bomb blows up a pickup truck on a dirt road in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar Province, killing four people, and two Afghan soldiers are killed in a separate land mine explosion in the country's south. The explosions come two days after the Taliban allegedly distributed pamphlets warning against working with the post-Taliban government of President Hamid Karzai.[122]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Palestinian gunmen attack an Israeli army foot patrol near a West Bank village, kills three soldiers and wounds a fourth, rescue services and security sources state. Gunfire attacks near the Palestinian village of Ein Yabrud, east of the town of Ramallah, not far from the Israeli settlement of Ofra.[123]Occupation of Iraq: A Fallujah roadside attack on a military convoy leaves an American armored car and munitions truck burning wrecks. No one was reported killed. Iraqis nearby were reportedly cheering. Emerging series of threats.[124]
Current events of October 20, 2003 (2003-10-20) (Monday) :
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien indicates that during an informal meeting between him and Vladimir Putin, the Russian president indicated that he was tentatively in favour of signing the Kyoto Protocol. Russia's signature is absolutely necessary for the protocol to acquire the force of law.[125]United States deficit: The United States posts a record budget deficit of $374.2 billion in the fiscal year ending September 30. The figure broke the previous record of $290 billion, set in 1992. The number was actually better than the U.S. government's own forecast of $455 billion.[126]United States: The publicist of Robert De Niro announces that the actor has prostate cancer.[127]Early results in Swiss elections show larger-than-predicted gains for the right-wing Swiss People's Party.[128]An Italian archaeologist claims to have found a carved two-faced head over 200,000 years old. The carving is possible the work of Homo erectus.[129][The Soyuz TMA-3 spacecraft docked with the International Space Station bringing a new crew of three from Russia, the United States, and Spain.[130]
Current events of October 21, 2003 (2003-10-21) (Tuesday) :
War on Terrorism: US officials state that they believe Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was killed by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.[131]Scientists call for a total ban on fishing for cod in the North Sea to allow stocks to recover from near extinction.[132]The commander of United Nations forces in Afghanistan warns that the security of Kabul is at risk if security is not achieved in the Afghan countryside.[133]Occupation of Iraq: Human Rights Watch (HRW) accuses US troops of using excessive force against civilians in Iraq.[134]Iran's Supreme Council agrees to comply with the International Atomic Energy Agency, allow inspections of its nuclear facilities, and suspend its uranium enrichment program.[135][136][137]Outbreaks of locusts are reported in Mauritania, Niger and Sudan and might spread to other areas of north Africa.[138]In a series of moves designed to bring about final implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, the British Government confirms that elections to the region's devolved administration will be held on November 26. The Provisional IRA announces a further act of weapons decommissioning. Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams declares "the end to physical force republicanism". Statements from all the major parties involved are expected over the course of the day.[139][140][141]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: The UN General Assembly approves a resolution demanding that Israel remove a security fence in the West Bank.  The resolution passes by an overwhelming majority of 144 to 4 with the US voting against the motion.[142][143]Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2003: The Tories of Danny Williams defeat the incumbent Liberals under Premier Roger Grimes, taking more than two-thirds of the seats in the House of Assembly.[144]Ecuador – A trial opens in Lago Agrio in which US oil company ChevronTexaco is charged with polluting a once-pristine swath of the Amazon rainforest. The plaintiffs' lawyers have put a US$1 billion price tag on clean up and medical care for the region's inhabitants. [145]
Current events of October 22, 2003 (2003-10-22) (Wednesday) :
India launches a peace initiative to normalise relations with Pakistan.  Formal talks are conditional on Islamabad ending Kashmiri cross-border terrorism initiatives.[146]Mahathir bin Mohamad, outgoing prime minister of Malaysia, accuses leading democratic nations of terrorising the world.  He seemed to be referring to the US, Israel, and Australia.[147]Occupation of Iraq: The commander of US ground forces in Iraq says that Al-Qaeda is now operating in Iraq as witnessed by increasingly sophisticated attacks on US troops.[148]European Union and Guantanamo Bay: Leaders of the European Union parliament urge the EU to take action over 26 Europeans being held indefinitely by the US without charges, without trial, without legal representation at Guantanamo Bay. The detainees are experiencing increasing psychological problems.[149]Human Rights Watch (HRW) releases a report about mentally ill inmates of United States prisons. It concludes that mentally ill offenders are frequently physically abused, punished by staff for self-destructive behavior and not given the treatment they need.[150]Top British runner Dwain Chambers tests positive for the drug tetrahydrogestrinone (THG). The steroid was previously believed to be undetectable but an anonymous source provided a used syringe containing traces last week.[151]
Current events of October 23, 2003 (2003-10-23) (Thursday) :
Luis A. Ferré, the third Democratically Elected Governor of Puerto Rico, dies at age 99.Canada: Dalton McGuinty is sworn in as the 24th premier of Ontario.[152]Occupation of Iraq: There is every sign that the international conference in Madrid at which pledges to re-build Iraq are hoped for will disappoint and e.g. Paul Bremer seeks to lower expectations.[153][154]United States Supreme Court:  Before a conservative legal organization, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia ridicules the recent Supreme Court decision overturning anti-sodomy laws in Texas, saying that the Court had  "held to be a constitutional right what had been a criminal offense at the time of the founding and for nearly 200 years thereafter."  According to news reports, Scalia adopted a mocking tone to read from the court's ruling.[155]Kuwait AL Arabi football club beat Qadsia in the Kuwait derby 2–0.
Current events of October 24, 2003 (2003-10-24) (Friday) :
49 miners are trapped in a Russian mine as water began seeping into the mine, disabling electrical systems.[156]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: The body of the Hamas militant killed in the attack on an Israeli military camp (that killed three Israeli soldiers) is returned to his family in their refugee camp.[157]2003 invasion of Iraq: The US Senate Committee on Intelligence finalizes its report on pre-war intelligence and is highly critical of George Tenet and the quality of US intelligence about Iraq's weapons.[158]Earth is hit by the Halloween Solar Storm, disrupting some satellite communications but not electric power transmission grids as was predicted. Canada, the northern US northern Europe were treated to an exceptional display of aurora borealis.[159][160][161]The final flights of Concorde, from New York, Edinburgh, and a loop around the Bay of Biscay, touch down at Heathrow International Airport around 1600 BST, marking the end of 27 years of commercial supersonic flight.[162]Three same-sex couples in Spain, including a Madrid city councilman, apply for marriage licenses. They state that if the registry judge does not grant them the licenses, they will appeal to Spain's constitutional court, and as far as the European Court of Human Rights if necessary. They describe their actions as inspired by the recent rulings on same-sex marriage in Canada.[163]
Current events of October 25, 2003 (2003-10-25) (Saturday) :
The Indian philosopher and Hindu revivalist Pandurang Shastri Athavale dies at the age of 83.Israel publishes map of fence.[164]World Series: Baseball: The Florida Marlins defeat the New York Yankees, four games to two, to win the 2003 World Series.[165]Occupation of Iraq: A US Blackhawk helicopter is brought down near Tikrit by Iraqi militants. The Daily Star Lebanon reports that the US is effectively plundering Iraq following the occupation.[166] The daily average of attacks on US troops rises and reaches about 25–26 per day.[167] 100,000 march against the occupation of Iraq in Washington DC.[168]Tony Blair announces that the UK will press ahead with GM technology.[169]Many countries in the Northern Hemisphere will end daylight saving time in the night from October 25 to October 26. In the Southern Hemisphere daylight saving time will start only in the Australian states of New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria.
Current events of October 26, 2003 (2003-10-26) (Sunday) :
Wildfires start to rage in Southern California. The scheduled NFL Monday Night Football game between the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins is relocated from San Diego, California, to Tempe, Arizona, as a consequence of the fires.[170]Occupation of Iraq: The Al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad where US deputy defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz was staying has been evacuated after several rockets were fired at it in the morning. one US Colonel was killed and fifteen individuals wounded (three seriously) in the attack.[171][172]  Two more explosions occurred near Al Rashid hotel later towards the evening. Further investigations confirm that Iraq had no active nuclear program, but did not relinquish nuclear ambitions or technical records.[173][174]The President of Syria says that Iran and Syria, which are increasingly close allies, are capable of neutralizing conspiracies of foreign powers (implicitly referring to the US and Israel).[175]Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Russia's wealthiest businessman, has been arrested and is being held in Moscow facing charges of fraud and tax evasion.[176]
Current events of October 27, 2003 (2003-10-27) (Monday) :
Occupation of Iraq: More than 40 people are killed and over 200 are injured in a wave of coordinated bomb attacks on the Red Cross compound and several local police stations in Baghdad.[177] George W. Bush states that the bombings are a sign of desperation by the insurgents.[178]U.S. fund group Putnam Investments fires four fund managers as scandals about improper and/or fraudulent dealings reach the mutual fund industry.[179]Former Japanese Prime Ministers Miyazawa Kiichi and Nakasone Yasuhiro announce that they are going to retire.Northwest Territories general election, 2003: The writ is dropped for the 19 electoral districts of the Northwest Territories to elect members to the 15th session of the consensus government.
Current events of October 28, 2003 (2003-10-28) (Tuesday) :
The United States Federal Reserve leaves its key interest rate unchanged at today's meeting, saying that rates will be kept low for a considerable period.[180]Halloween solar storms, 2003. The sun emits another coronal mass ejection directly toward the Earth, the third largest solar flare on record.  The effects are projected to affect Earth on the 29th.[181][182]Wildfires are largest in California history; 1,500 homes are destroyed, 16 people killed and 600,000 acres (2,400 km2) burned. Evacuations are ordered from parts of cities in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.[183] The conflagration also spreads across the border into the Mexican state of Baja California, where two deaths are reported.The UK Conservative Party's 1922 Committee announces that leader Iain Duncan Smith will face an immediate vote of confidence in his leadership on the following day, after at least 25 backbenchers formally request it.[184]The campaign for Japan general election, 2003 starts, lasting until a voting date, Nov 9.[185]
Current events of October 29, 2003 (2003-10-29) (Wednesday) :
The US FDA approves Risperdal Consta (Risperidone long-acting injection) for the treatment of schizophrenia. Although already approved in several other countries, it is the first long-acting, atypical antipsychotic medication to be approved by the FDA.British Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith loses a vote of confidence in his parliamentary party by 90 votes to 75 and, in accordance with party rules, resigns from the leadership. A new leadership election is called. Shadow Deputy Prime Minister David Davis, previously tipped as a future leader, surprises Westminster by announcing that he will not seek the leadership and endorses former Home Secretary Michael Howard, who is now seen as the frontrunner to assume the leadership. Other leading politicians endorse Howard, once famously described by a colleague as having "something of the night about him."[186][187]Occupation of Iraq: The International Red Cross announces that it is to scale back its commitments to Iraq.[188]  Two more GIs are killed, bringing the total killed since May 1 to 115.[189]Halloween Solar Storms. The Earth's magnetosphere is hit by the recent solar flare causing a brief but intense geomagnetic storm, provoking unusual displays of Northern Lights.[190]
Current events of October 30, 2003 (2003-10-30) (Thursday) :
A plastic toy gun, used as part of a Halloween costume, sparks a two-hour-long terrorism scare at the Capitol in Washington, D.C.[191]The United States Department of Commerce reports that U.S. gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 7.2% in the third quarter, the fastest growth rate since 1984.[192]Vladimir Putin removes his Chief of Staff as the political battle with the "Russian oligarchs" and between hard-liners and liberals, continues.[193][194] Russian judicial authorities have seized control of Yukos, the giant oil company.[195]Iraq War: Officials postpone awarding two contracts to repair Iraq's oil refineries and pipelines (primarily because of sabotage and dilapidated conditions).[196] An investigation has been started on the high price that the United States is paying to Kellogg Brown & Root for oil imported from Kuwait.[197] The Center for Public Integrity says that firms awarded contracts in Iraq have tended to be big donors (in the past) to the Republican Party.[198] The UN announces that it is withdrawing its remaining international staff from Baghdad, perhaps temporarily.[199]After 22 years in power, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad retires. He is succeeded by Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi[200]
Current events of October 31, 2003 (2003-10-31) (Friday) :
The trial of Shoko Asahara, accused of involvement in the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, ends in Japan with final statements from lawyers.  The next court session is to be held in mid-February 2004.[201]The furor surrounding Yukos deepens with an outspoken statement from the Russian Prime Minister expressing deep concern about the freezing of Yukos shares.[202]Kenneth Clarke has ruled himself out of the contest to lead the UK Conservative Party and the field is left potentially clear for Michael Howard to be elected unopposed.[203]
Current events of February 1, 2004 (2004-02-01) (Sunday) :
A team composed of Russian scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna and American scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory report on the discovery of two new transuranium (superheavy) chemical elements with very high atomic masses. From the international convention governing the periodic table, element 113 is given the temporary name Ununtrium (atomic symbol Uut) and element 115 is  designated Ununpentium (Uup). The discovery is later confirmed.[1]Over one hundred members of the Majlis of Iran resign in protest after the Guardian Council disqualifies thousands of  reformist and independent candidates for parliament, including sitting MPs seeking reelection.[2]Abdul Qadeer Khan, founder of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program, is removed from his post as a special science and technology adviser to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf after Khan, three other scientists and three low-level Pakistan Army officers are investigated in connection with the sharing of Pakistani nuclear technology with Iran, Libya and other countries in the late 1980s and early 1990s.Incidents during the Hajj: 244 Muslim pilgrims are trampled to death during the ritual of the stoning of the devil at the Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca).Kurdistan: At least 56 are maytred and over 200 injured when two suicide bombers hit the offices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (PDK) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in Erbil, 200 miles (320 km) north of Baghdad. Hundreds had gathered at the party offices for the start of Eid al-Adha.The European Union and the United States file documents with the International Court of Justice opposing the court's decision to deliberate on the Israeli West Bank barrier.The new Minatomirai Line subway opens in Yokohama, Japan.The first Ghan passenger train across Australia from Adelaide to Darwin sets off on its three-day journey.[3]Super Bowl XXXVIII: The New England Patriots defeat the Carolina Panthers 32–29 after Adam Vinatieri kicks a game-winning field goal with seconds remaining.
Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy: During the halftime show performance by Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, one of Jackson's breasts is  exposed and broadcast on the CBS broadcast of the show in what is later described as a "wardrobe malfunction." CBS is fined a record $550,000 by the Federal Communications Commission later in the year and the incident precipitates an increase of the FCC fine per indecency violation from $27,500 to $325,000. See also fleeting expletive.The e-mail worm W32/Mydoom launches a denial-of-service (DoS) attack on the Web site www.sco.com at 16:09:18 (UTC).[4]
Current events of February 2, 2004 (2004-02-02) (Monday) :
U.S. President George W. Bush announces the formation of the Iraq Intelligence Commission, an independent, bipartisan inquiry presidential commission to probe into prewar intelligence regarding weapons of mass destruction leading up to the decision to invade Iraq. Former Iraq Survey Group chief David Kay, who searched for weapons in Iraq, meets with Bush at the White House and maintains that Bush was right to go to war in Iraq and characterizes the Saddam Hussein regime as "far more dangerous than even we anticipated" when it was thought he had WMDs ready to deploy.[5] (See rationale for the Iraq War and Senate Report on Pre-war Intelligence on Iraq)Traces of ricin are found in the mailroom of a Dirksen Senate Office Building.[6]Prime Minister of Israel Ariel Sharon announces to the Ha'aretz newspaper that he plans to dismantle 17 Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip and says that he foresees a time when there are no Jews in Gaza at all.Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan confesses to smuggling nuclear hardware on chartered planes, sharing secret designs for the centrifuges that produce the enriched uranium necessary to develop a nuclear weapon, and giving personal briefings to nuclear scientists from Iran, North Korea and Libya, believing that nuclear proliferation would "ease Western attention on Pakistan" and "help the Muslim cause"[7]The leader of Conservative Party of Norway (Høyre), Jan Petersen, announces his resignation as party leader after 10 years at the helm. He continues as Foreign Minister in the coalition government.Roger Federer becomes the ATP number-one ranked player.
Current events of February 3, 2004 (2004-02-03) (Tuesday) :
Israeli Army Chief of Personnel Major-General Gil Regev tells a Knesset committee that the number of soldiers refusing to serve in the territories had dramatically decreased in 2003.  He said that 26 persons had been imprisoned for refusal in 2003 compared to 129 in 2002, a decrease of 80%. The refusers' organization Yesh G'vul claimed that Regev's figures were "ridiculous" since 76 persons had been imprisoned for refusal in 2003.[8][9][10]British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw announces an independent inquiry, to be chaired by Lord Butler of Brockwell, to examine the reliability of intelligence on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. His report, the Butler Review, is published on July 14.[11]An apartment block collapses in the Turkish city of Konya, killing at least 14 people.[12]Simon Blitz and two partners purchased Oldham Athletic A.F.C., rescuing the Football League One club from possible liquidation.Astronomers detect the presence of oxygen and carbon in the atmosphere of the extrasolar planet HD 209458 b (Osiris), known to be venting  gas into space.[13][14]Political status of Taiwan: President Chen Shui-bian proposes to set up a demilitarized zone between Taiwan and mainland China.[15]Mini-Tuesday: Five states hold primaries and two states hold caucuses for the Democratic presidential nomination. U.S. Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts wins primary elections in Arizona, Delaware, New Mexico, Missouri and North Dakota, which a best result is 51 percent in Missouri. Senator John Edwards of North Carolina wins in South Carolina. Retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark narrowly wins in Oklahoma. Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, who opted to focus on the Michigan and Washington primaries the following Saturday, polls poorly in all these primaries, with a best result is third with 18% in New Mexico. For the first time, Kerry obtains a majority of elected delegates to the 2004 Democratic National Convention, with 244 delegates to Dean's 121, Edwards' 102 and Clark's 79. Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, having earlier announced "Joementum", comes in second in Delaware and announces his withdrawal from the race.Nine Cuban migrants attempt to reach Florida in a modified 1959 Buick that was converted to a boat.  They are intercepted by the United States Coast Guard.  The same group had made a similar attempt the summer before in a modified 1951 Chevrolet truck.The e-mail worm W32/Mydoom.B performs a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack against www.microsoft.com at 13:09:18 (UTC).[16]
Current events of February 4, 2004 (2004-02-04) (Wednesday) :
A three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco upholds an August 2003 decision by U.S. Magistrate Judge John Jelderks in Portland that the remains of the Kennewick Man can be studied. In a decision was written by Judge Ronald M. Gould, the court denies the request of the Nez Perce, Umatilla, Colville, and Yakama Indian tribes, which wanted the bones to be turned over to them for burial, holding that the remains do not fall under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and can be studied under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act.[17]The European Space Agency announces plans to send humans and robot probes to the Moon and Mars over the next three decades.[18]Same-sex marriage in Massachusetts: The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the state supreme court of Massachusetts, issues a response to a Massachusetts Senate question about instituting civil unions, such as the civil unions on Vermont, would meet the requirements of the 4–3 decision in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health issued in November 2003. The Court responds that such civil unions would not be sufficient to comply with Goodridge, in which the Court held that not allowing same-sex couples to marry violated the Massachusetts Constitution. White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan states that the Bush administration is reviewing the decision, that the Court's ruling is "deeply troubling", and that President Bush is "firmly committed to protecting and defending" marriage.The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission held an open meeting in what may be the longest-running SEC fraud case. At issue are the trades that resulted in the firing of Orlando (Joseph) Jett from Kidder, Peabody & Co. in 1994. An administrative law judge held that Jett was responsible for record keeping violations, but rejected the claim of SEC lawyers that he was guilty of securities fraud. Both the staff and Jett appealed to the full commission.Social networking website Facebook is launched.Magical Girl Anime Pretty Cure debuts on japan television
Current events of February 5, 2004 (2004-02-05) (Thursday) :
Saudi Arabia's religious authority endorses plan by King Fahd to modernize the holy sites of Mecca.[19]SCO v. IBM: SCO Group widens Unix and Linux lawsuit against IBM. They add a copyright infringement claim to case.[20]The United Nations releases a science and technology strategy report, "Inventing a Better Future: A Strategy for Building Worldwide Capacities in Science and Technology", produced by the InterAcademy Council (IAC).[21]Carmine Caridi is expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the "Academy" in the Academy Awards) by vote after having been found to have leaked hundreds of screeners over the past five years to Russell Sprague in Chicago.[22]Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan publicly admits illegally transferring nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea. Following a written apology from Khan, President Pervez Musharraf issues a formal pardon.[23][24]2003 invasion of Iraq: Responding to criticism that pre-war intelligence gathering was faulty, CIA director George Tenet states that analysts had never presented Saddam Hussein's Iraq as an "imminent threat" in the years immediately preceding the coalition invasion. Tenet states that an overall "objective assessment" for policymakers of a "brutal dictator who was continuing his efforts to deceive and build programs" that might "surprise" and "threaten" US interests was outlined in the 2002 National Intelligence Estimate.[25][26][27][28]U.S. Army Sergeant Jerry Onken of Onamia, Minnesota, is sentenced to five years in prison by a South Korean court for killing a Korean woman in a hit-and-run crash involving alcohol.  The U.S. established a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with South Korea in 2001 that allowed such prosecutions, and this case marked the first time that an off-duty member of the U.S. military had been charged under that agreement.[29]The United States Department of Interior states that the survival of sea otters in southwest Alaska is threatened. The department proposes adding the sea otter, Enhydra lutris, to the government's endangered species list.[30]The coalition government of Latvia, headed by PM Einars Repše, resigns, but will continue to work until the president appoints a new cabinet.[31]
Current events of February 6, 2004 (2004-02-06) (Friday) :
U.S. and Iraqi forces capture more than 100 suspected guerrillas in raids across Iraq.[32]Ministers of Finance from Europe, North America, and Asia meet in Florida. They are focusing on the strength and stability of the U.S. dollar.[33]Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg purchases a huge private collection of Fabergé art pieces, including nine Fabergé eggs, from the Forbes family.  The collection had been expected to go up for auction in April.[34]Gerhard Schröder announces his intention to resign from his post as chairman of the Social Democratic Party but to continue as Chancellor of Germany.[35]An earthquake, measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale, occurs in the Papua province of Indonesia and kills at least 23 people.[36]At least 39 people are killed and around 120 injured in an explosion aboard a train on the Moscow Metro (subway) during the morning rush hour. The authorities are investigating the apparent bombing, which may be connected to a series of attacks in the Russian capital. President Vladimir Putin publicly blames the blast on Chechen militants and their leader, Aslan Maskhadov. The Chechen rebel leadership issues a statement denying responsibility.[37][38][39]A party of cockle pickers—believed to be Chinese immigrants – is caught by tides in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire, England, drowning at least 19 people.[40]The UK Home Office confirms that Maxine Carr, convicted with Ian Huntley concerning the Soham murders of 2001, could be released from prison in the next few days.[41]Parliamentarians in Iran end their sit-in of the country's parliament but vow to continue fighting the mass disqualification of reformist candidates by the conservative Council of Guardians.[42]In Australia, the Music Industry Piracy Investigations organization uses an Anton Piller order to raid offices of P2P companies Sharman Networks and Brilliant Digital Entertainment, the homes of their key executives, as well as several internet service providers and universities.[43]Democratic Presidential Primaries: Howard Dean tells his supporters that he must win the Wisconsin Democratic primary in order to stay in the Democratic presidential race.[44]Electronic voting: The U.S. military abandons plans for a trial of Internet voting (Secure Electronic Registration and Voting Experiment) in the upcoming presidential election.[45]American and British study reports that the 1918 flu virus may have had a unique bird-like protein. The past outbreak, which killed 20 million people, has hallmarks of the current outbreak of bird flu in east Asia.[46]The body of Carlie Brucia, a girl reported missing on Sunday, February 1, 2004 is discovered. Suspect Joseph P. Smith is charged with the murder.U.S. President George W. Bush appoints an Iraq Intelligence Commission to investigate United States intelligence capabilities, specifically regarding the 2003 invasion of Iraq and Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.  The commission is headed by  Governor, and former Senator, Chuck Robb and Judge Laurence Silberman.[47]
Current events of February 7, 2004 (2004-02-07) (Saturday) :
Nearly 400 members of Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization resign in protest over corruption, mismanagement and a lack of direction with Fatah.[48]U.S. Presidential Election, 2004: In the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, Senator John Kerry wins the caucuses in Michigan and Washington.[49]Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga dissolves parliament.[50][51]Carnival: The Krewe du Vieux parades through the Faubourg Marigny and French Quarter neighborhoods of New Orleans, Louisiana, starting that city's  "Mardi Gras" season of parades.In a Gaza military court, four suspects, without legal representation, are charged with possession of explosives and planting bombs in the same area as a bombing attack on a United States diplomatic convoy. The suspects are not charged with the bombing. The United States last week announced a $5 million reward for information leading to the apprehension of the attackers.[48]Chechnya's spiritual leader, Chief Mufti Akhmad Shamayev, condemns the Moscow subway car bombing. Investigators question hospitalized rush hour commuters and examine documents retrieved from the blast site.[52]Israeli Airforce helicopter gunship fires a missile and destroys a car carrying Islamic Jihad members in Gaza City, killing a leading Islamic Jihad militant and an 11-year-old boy.[53]Up to 4000 protesters in Albania threw rocks and tried to storm the offices of Prime Minister Fatos Nano whom they have accused of creating policies that impoverish Albanians.[54]Ivan Rybkin, candidate in the Russian presidential election, is reported missing.
Current events of February 8, 2004 (2004-02-08) (Sunday) :
2004 Democratic presidential primaries: John Kerry wins the Democratic caucus in Maine with 45 percent of the vote. Howard Dean comes in second place with 27 percent, with Dennis Kucinich (16 percent), John Edwards (8 percent), and Wesley Clark (4 percent) trailing.The investigation into nuclear proliferation by the Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan expands to include seven nations. Among the countries known to be involved are Malaysia, South Africa, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Germany and Pakistan. Nuclear technology and parts were supplied to Libya, Iran, North Korea.The London Iraqi exiles admits that information supplied as a key piece of intelligence might have been false (but provided in good faith). The CX report information was one of the items of intelligence on Saddam Hussein's possible use of WMD.In a BBC interview, Dr. Hans Blix accuses the U.S. and British governments of dramatising the threat of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in order to strengthen the case for the 2003 invasion.
Current events of February 9, 2004 (2004-02-09) (Monday) :
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden angers some Swedes by his praise of Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Brunai Hassanal Bolkiah.Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf admits that he had suspected for at least three years that Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistan's top nuclear scientist, was sharing nuclear technology with other countries, blaming the United States for not giving him convincing proof of the activities of his own scientist.[55]Russian federal prosecutors close a murder investigation, one hour after it had been opened by Moscow's prosecutor office, in the case of missing presidential candidate, Ivan Rybkin.  Rybkin was last seen five days ago.[56]In Haiti, an armed uprising spreads to nearly a dozen towns in the western and northern areas of the island nation. The uprising is the strongest challenge yet to President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. At least 41 people have been killed.[57]Judge Robert E. Jones of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon sentenced Ahmed Bilal to 10 years in prison, his brother Muhammad Bilal to eight years in prison, and Mike Hawash to seven years in prison. The three are the last of the Portland Seven to be sentenced; the group of Muslim men from the Portland, Oregon area were convicted of attempting to enter Afghanistan to join the Taliban – are sentenced to prison. The Bilal brothers had pled guilty to conspiracy to aid the Taliban and to federal weapons charges on September 18, 2003, and Hawash has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges on August 6. The three has entered into a plea agreement with the Justice Department and has cooperated with the government in its investigation.[58]Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov announces that Russia is considering withdrawing from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, a cornerstones of European security, citing the enlargement of NATO and the end of the Cold War.
Current events of February 10, 2004 (2004-02-10) (Tuesday) :
Same-sex marriage in the United States: A majority of Americans (two to one margin) respond they do not want laws in their states that would legalize same-sex marriages. The poll is taken after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling.[59]A group of 200 AIDS doctors in the United States calls for a boycott of pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories to protest the company's recent 401% price hike on its anti-HIV drug Norvir.[60]An Italian intelligence report states that Italy is a departure point, as well as focus of logistic and financial support, for suicide bombers linked to al-Qaida and active against United States-led forces in Iraq. The suicide bombers were drawn from Muslim youths living on the fringes of society in Western Europe.[61]The French National Assembly votes (494 to 36) to ban hijab and all other conspicuous religious symbols from state schools.[62]The White House rebuts Democrats' accusations that Bush shirked his military responsibilities, releasing pay records for the President's National Guard service between May 1972 and May 1973.[63]The oil cartel OPEC announces further limits on the output of crude by one million barrels a day beginning April 1, 2004. If all member states stick to the agreement, OPEC's daily output will be cut by about 10 percent.[64]Recent violence in Haiti has spread as anti-government forces take control of eight towns in Western Haiti. 46 people are dead thus far. Government forces in Cap-Haïtien (second largest city in Haiti) built flaming barricades to keep the rebel forces out of the city. The United Nations urges Haitians on both sides to stop the violence.[65][66]Hundreds of militants and their supporters staged a protest against the Palestinian Authority in the Gaza Strip for putting on trial four men charged in the bombing of a United States diplomatic convoy which killed three Americans. The closed military trial began on February 7.[67]Occupation of Iraq: A large car bomb explodes in the central Iraqi town of Iskandariya, 25 miles (40 km) south of Baghdad, killing at least 50 people.[68]An Iranian airliner crashes on arrival at Sharjah airport in the United Arab Emirates, killing at least 35 people. A few people are thought to have survived.[69]2004 Philippine elections: The 90-day campaigning period for the president, vice-president, and senators starts this day with no less than six qualified candidates, half of which have no previous political experience. The current president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is seeking a full six-year term. The elections will be held on May 10.[70]The missing Russian politician Ivan Rybkin unexpectedly reappears in Kiev, the capital of neighboring Ukraine, and is said to be on his way back to Moscow. According to his own words he  "was entitled to two or three days of private life".[71]Canada's auditor-general, Sheila Fraser, releases a scathing report on a CA$250-million sponsorship fund that had a major portion of its funds directed to firms friendly to the ruling Liberal party; the resulting scandal and inquiry is quite likely to affect the coming election. Alfonso Gagliano, a former cabinet minister involved in the scandal, is removed from his post as ambassador to Denmark and recalled to Canada.[72]
Current events of February 11, 2004 (2004-02-11) (Wednesday) :
A Black Hawk helicopter has reportedly crashed near Amberley air force base, Mount Walker, Australia, with at least five seriously injured.[73]Scientists find a fossilised head and identify it as part of a 400 million-year-old fly, making it the oldest known insect.[74]The United States Army in Iraq announces a $10 million dollar reward for the capture of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a leader of the terrorist organization Ansar al-Islam, blamed for the deaths of unknown numbers of Iraqi citizens and U.S. military during the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq.[75]Scientists in South Korea report that they have created human embryos by cloning and extracted embryonic stem cells.[76]Intel scientists say that they have made silicon chips that can switch light like electricity.[77][78]Comcast Corp. makes an uninvited bid for The Walt Disney Company. The US$50 billion to $66 billion deal would create the world's largest media company.U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission adopts enhanced mutual fund expense and portfolio disclosure, part of the continuing fall-out from the mutual fund late-trading scandal of 2003.[79]U.S. Presidential Election, 2004: Retired General Wesley Clark officially announces his departure from the race.[80][81]The Sudanese government cancels plans to attend scheduled peace talks in Geneva with western rebels just days after the Sudanese president proclaimed military victory in the insurgency.  The talks were scheduled to begin February 14, 2004.  At this time, the Sudanese government is contending with a southern rebellion as well.[82]French prosecutors reveal that a money-laundering probe into the transfers of millions of dollars to accounts held by the wife of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was opened in October 2003.  The probe was opened after discovering that nearly $1.27 million is transferred with some regularity from Switzerland to Mrs. Arafat's accounts in Paris. Tracfin, an organization that collates information about money laundering, detected the movements of funds.[83]Occupation of Iraq: At least 47 people, mostly Iraqi army recruits, are killed by a car bomb in Baghdad in the second major bomb attack in two days.[84]Richard Desmond, the owner of Britain's Daily Express and Daily Star newspapers, confirms that he has made a bid for the troubled Daily Telegraph.[85]Josh, a Newfoundland, wins Best in Show at the 129th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York.[86][87]Mayer Mofeid Hawash is sentenced to seven years in jail for attempting to enter Afghanistan and aid the Taliban after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.[88]
Current events of February 12, 2004 (2004-02-12) (Thursday) :
South Korean scientists announce the world's first successfully cloned human embryo.[89][90]South Korea's parliament on Friday approves sending 3,000 troops to Iraq, responding to a call from the United States for military help in restoring stability to Iraq.[91]Part of the source code for Microsoft's Windows NT 4 and Windows 2000 products has been leaked to the internet. It is thought that the leak constitutes only a part of the source, and may have originated from Mainsoft. Copies of something purporting to be the Windows source have been reported to be available on various file sharing networks.[92][93][94][95]Occupation of Iraq: General John Abizaid, commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, escapes injury when his convoy is attacked in Fallujah.Same-sex marriage in the United States:
City officials in San Francisco, California, start issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, performing the first known civil marriage of a same-sex couple in the U.S. by marrying a lesbian couple, gay rights activists Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. Over 80 couples whisked through quick ceremonies.[96]
Various conservative and other family groups, including the Campaign for California Families, plan to sue the mayor of San Francisco for violating California's marriage laws.[97] The Family Research Council (FRC) states that "It could not be clearer that the institution of marriage is under a direct assault by homosexual activists".[98]
Virginia House of Delegates give preliminary approval to legislation that would ban the recognition of same-sex civil unions and domestic partnerships.[99]Controversy erupts in Canada over a segment of Conan O'Brien's NBC television talk show, filmed in Quebec City and shown to a studio audience in Toronto, featuring his character Triumph the Insult Dog making ethnic insults against French-Canadians, including telling them to speak English. The Canadian government condemns the comments. The Government of Ontario, which had paid $1 million to sponsor the taping of four episodes of the show in Toronto to promote the city, also distances itself from the comments.A major blizzard hits Athens, stranding thousands of drivers in main avenues of the city and forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights in Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport.[100]
Current events of February 13, 2004 (2004-02-13) (Friday) :
Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Mars surface temperatures appear to vary more frequently and dramatically than on Earth, preliminary data from NASA's Opportunity rover shows.[101]Logging, conducted illegally, is destroying the equatorial rain forests of Indonesian Borneo.[102]Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announces alleged al-Qaida and Taliban fighters, who are being held at Guantanamo Bay detention camp, Cuba, may apply annually for release.[103]Scientists announce the possible discovery of a 10 billion trillion trillion (1×1034) carat diamond, 2,500 miles (4,000 km) across and 50 light-years away from Earth in the core of the decayed star BPM 37093 in the constellation of Centaurus.[104]Ivan Rybkin, a Russian presidential candidate and fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, holds a press conference in London, stating that during his recent disappearance for several days he was drugged and made the subject of a compromising videotape.[105]U.S. President George W. Bush opens his National Guard file for resolving questions about Vietnam era military service. Reportedly, released papers do not document Bush's Alabama service. Roswell businessman John Calhoun, 69, remembers Lt. George W. Bush worked weekends at an Air Force base in Montgomery.[106][107][108][109][110][111][112][113][114][115][116]Democratic presidential nomination: Former Democratic candidate for the U.S. presidency Gen. Wesley K. Clark endorses current Democratic favorite Senator John Kerry.[117]Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders accept United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan for ending the partition of the island of Cyprus. The two sides will work under a tight timetable to agree by March 22 on reunification language that can be put to simultaneous islandwide referendums on April 21. Unless reunification is achieved, only the Greek Cypriot government will be entitled to enter the European Union on May 1.[118]Iran admits it possesses a design for a far more advanced high-speed centrifuge to enrich uranium than it previously revealed to the International Atomic Energy Agency after being confronted with evidence obtained from the secret network of nuclear suppliers surrounding Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan.[119]The United States, in a major shift of policy on the Middle East, says it may support an Israeli proposal for a unilateral partial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage says that a pullout from Gaza would be "a step in the right direction."  Administration official state "... negotiations were impossible because of Palestinian recalcitrance."[120]Occupation of Iraq: South Korea's parliament on Friday approves sending 3,000 troops to Iraq, responding to a call from the United States for military help in restoring stability to Iraq.[91]The European Union anti-fraud office (OLAF) is studying documents suggesting that Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority diverted tens of millions of dollars in EU funds to organizations involved in terrorism. "... some of the money reportedly went to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which has been involved in terror strikes."  Their final report is expected in two months.[121]A United States National Guardsman stands accused of attempting to provide military data to Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network.[122]The former Chechen President Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev is killed in an apparent car bomb explosion in Doha, the capital of Qatar.[123]
Current events of February 14, 2004 (2004-02-14) (Saturday) :
A new U.S.-sponsored satellite TV channel called Al Hurra (The Free One) begins broadcasting in the Middle East and pledges to provide accurate and balanced news, but faces a skeptical Arab audience.[124]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.[125]Same-sex marriage in the United States: Staff advisors for U.S. President George W. Bush say he will support the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which would outlaw same-sex marriage and federalize marriage law, which has been set by individual states since the founding of the country.[126][127]U.S. President hopeful John Kerry scores two more Democratic primary victories in  the State of Nevada and the federally controlled District of Columbia.[128]In Moscow, a roof collapses killing about 25 and injuring at least 110.[129]Approximately 550 qualified candidates suddenly drop out of Iran's parliamentary election.[130]Occupation of Iraq: At least 20 people are killed in the town of Falluja as up to 50 gunmen attack government buildings, in one of the largest guerrilla attacks so far seen in Iraq.[131]ROC presidential election, 2004: Candidates Lien Chan of the Pan-Blue Coalition and President Chen Shui-bian of the Pan-Green Coalition participate in a televised debate.[132]Disney Channel airs the last episode of Lizzie McGuire called "Magic Train".
Current events of February 15, 2004 (2004-02-15) (Sunday) :
Iraqi lawyers say Saddam Hussein is unlikely to stand trial for at least another two years. (Hi Pakistan)United Nations Afghanistan envoy voices disdain at the "brutal and cold-blooded" murder of four deminers working to eradicate landmines in Afghanistan. (UN)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. (365Gay) (AP) (Washington Post) (USA Today) (SF Chronicle)Thousands of protestors in Madrid and other Spanish cities march in opposition to the U.S. occupation of Iraq.  The protests mark the one-year anniversary of the large protests against the U.S. invasion of Iraq. (Newsday)Scientists at the California Institute of Technology announce the discovery of a galaxy which is the farthest known object in the universe.  The galaxy was found with the help of the magnification effect from the Abell 2218 galaxy cluster. (AP)Russian rescue workers are digging through what remains of an indoor water park in Moscow after the roof collapsed yesterday. At least 25 people have been killed, more than 100 people are injured, and at least 17 people are missing. (AP) (CNN)Two fires sweep through China, one in a shopping center and the other in a temple, killing at least 90 and injuring 71. (AP)The British government draws up plans to break up the BBC in the wake of the Hutton inquiry. (Times) (AFP)Iraqi police arrest Mohammed Zimam Abdul-Razaq, a member of the Baath Party and number 41 on the U.S. military's list of most wanted Iraqis. (AP)Iran offers to sell nuclear reactor fuel on the international market under the supervision of the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. (NYT)Eddie Guerrero becomes the first Hispanic-American to win the WWE Championship by defeating Brock Lesnar at WWE No Way Out.
Current events of February 16, 2004 (2004-02-16) (Monday) :
Temple in Jerusalem: An 800-year-old wall holding back part of the hill jutting out from the Western Wall leading up to the Mughrabim Gate partially collapses. Authorities believe a recent earthquake may be responsible. (BBC) (Sydney Morning Herald)India and Pakistan begin formal peace negotiations, with Kashmir on the agenda. (BBC)L. Paul Bremer, the United States administrator of Iraq states he will veto any interim constitution that would make Islam "the chief source of law", as opposed to "a source of inspiration for the law." Many Iraqi women express fears that the rights they hold under Iraq's longtime secular system may be denied them in the interim constitution based upon Islam as "the chief source of law." (NYT)The United States states that Afghanistan's elections scheduled for this June may have to be postponed because of security problems and the failure to register enough voters. Only 8% of eligible Afghan voters have been enrolled to date. (NYT)The Taiwan (ROC)'s pro-independence president, Chen Shui-bian, states that Taiwan may eventually reunify with Mainland China. Nonetheless, Chen rejects the People's Republic of China's one country, two systems formula which was applied to Hong Kong and Macau.  This is a new step for Chen who, shortly after taking office in 2000, had said unification was just one option—comments widely seen as a push for independence for the island. (NYT)Same-sex marriage in the United States:
Officials at the city and county of San Francisco, California, estimate by the end of the day that they will have issued 2,000 licenses for same-sex marriages in the four days since they started granting legal recognition to gay and lesbian unions. (Mercury News)
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the decision of San Francisco's mayor, Gavin Newsom, to express his opinion on same-sex marriage was because of George W. Bush's stance on the issue. (Miami Herald)The territory of Nunavut, Canada, holds its second general election since its creation. Of the 19 members, one is chosen by acclamation. Eight members of the previous government are returned to office, and five are defeated. The members will elect a premier on March 5.
Current events of February 17, 2004 (2004-02-17) (Tuesday) :
Bishop Thomas O'Brien, the former head of Arizona's largest Roman Catholic diocese, is convicted of a hit and run making him the first Catholic bishop in the United States to be convicted of a felony. (Washington Post)Democratic presidential nomination: Wisconsin held its primary election.  John Kerry got 40% of the vote, followed by John Edwards with 34%, and Howard Dean with 18%.The US FAA announces it will attempt to require a fuel tank inerting system in most large airliners in an effort to prevent fuel tank explosions such as the one which apparently destroyed TWA Flight 800 in 1996.  The order could take two years to complete and then would require a retrofit of about 3,800 large Boeing and Airbus jets over the next seven years. (Newsday) (NYT)A CNN survey finds that children made more than 11,000 allegations of sexual abuse by Catholic priests. The 4,450 accused priests represent about 4% of the 110,000 priests who served during the 52 years covered by the study. Nearly 3%, or 133 of the priests, had 10 or more allegations. (CNN)Cardinal Walter Kasper, head of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, a top Vatican official arrives in Moscow for sensitive talks with the Russian Orthodox hierarchy, which accuses the Catholic Church of aggressive proselytizing in traditionally Orthodox lands. (NYT) (Russian Orthodox Church)An outbreak of dengue fever kills 91 people in Indonesia and infects thousands more. Health officials report that 4,500 people have been hospitalized for the mosquito-borne disease, mostly in the capital and other parts of East Java, including the city of Yogyakarta.  The number hospitalized is double that of last year. (BBC) (NYT)A study published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests breast cancer is linked to the use of antibiotics. (Tucson Citizen) (NYT)As expected, the board of directors of the Walt Disney Company unanimously rejects a hostile buyout offer by Comcast, saying the cable television giant's $66 billion bid is too low, but does not rule out accepting a higher bid in the future. (AP)Cingular wins the auction for AT&T Wireless by offering to pay $40.7 billion to become the United States' largest wireless telephone company. (Forbes)Same-sex marriage in the United States: San Francisco Superior court Judge James L. Warner postpones any decision to block the city and county of San Francisco, California, from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples and to void the 2,464 same-sex marriages that were performed in the city since February 12. This was on the grounds that the Proposition 22 Legal Defense and Education Fund's order for San Francisco to "cease and desist issuing marriage licenses to and/or solemnizing marriages of same-sex couples; to show cause before this court ..." had an improper semicolon; to do both, rather than one or the other, would have exceeded the judge's jurisdiction. (MSNBC)
Current events of February 18, 2004 (2004-02-18) (Wednesday) :
The California state agency that records marriages states that forms that have been altered, which San Francisco has done slightly on its same-sex marriage licenses, will not be registered. (Washington Times)An internal memo suggests that Apple Computer has paid off its remaining 3 million dollars debts and is now debt-free with 4.8 billion dollars in cash.At least 200 people are reported to have been killed in Iran after rail wagons carrying sulfur, petrol and fertiliser derailed and exploded. The accident happened near the town of Nishapur in Khorasan province. (BBC)Occupation of Iraq: Suicide bombers in two vehicles killed 11 Iraqis and wounded 58 foreign troops and 44 Iraqis near the entrance to a Polish-manned coalition logistics base near the town of Hilla in central Iraq south of Baghdad. (BBC)Howard Dean officially ends his campaign for President of the United States, after placing a distant third in the Wisconsin primary elections of February 17, 2004.  "I am no longer actively pursuing the presidency," he announced.Opinion poll results indicate either of the two main Democratic presidential candidates would beat President Bush by at least 10 points. (VOA)Israel is condemned by the International Committee of the Red Cross for the location of the Israeli West Bank barrier. The aid agency declared that the barrier at its current position was contrary to international humanitarian law and had caused extensive damage to Palestinian land and property and deprived thousands of Palestinians access to water, health care and education. (ICRC)A federal appeals court in the United States ruled that district court judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum, presiding judge in the much-watched Martha Stewart trial, was in the wrong in barring the media from the voir dire process at the beginning of that trial. (AP)Scientists at NASA and the ESA witness a supermassive black hole in galaxy RXJ1242-11 graze, partially consume, and tear apart a star. This is the first time such a phenomenon has been observed. (NASA)
Current events of February 19, 2004 (2004-02-19) (Thursday) :
One Dane and five of the nine Britons held without trial as terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay are to be released, probably within the next two weeks, according to British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. The soon-to-be-released captives have been amongst the 660 detainees at the US base in Cuba, held for the past two years as suspected Al-Qaida or Taliban 'combatants'. (BBC) (BBC)Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling surrenders to the FBI in Houston and is arraigned on charges of fraud and insider trading.  Skilling pleads not guilty and the judge sets bail at $5 million and confiscates Skilling's passport. (CNN)Lt. Gurgen Markarian, an Armenian military officer attending a NATO Partnership for Peace program, is hacked to death with an axe and a knife by Lt. Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani participant. The officers were attending an English language course at the Hungarian Military University within the framework of the Partnership for Peace program, which is aimed at increasing cooperation between neutral and former Soviet bloc nations and NATO in peacekeeping and other areas. (NYT)European Commission President Romano Prodi vows stronger action to combat anti-Semitism in Europe. Prodi states that some criticism of Israel was inspired by "what amounts to anti-Semitic sentiments and prejudice." Youths from the large Arab immigrant communities in France, Belgium and other European countries are blamed for the rise in attacks against Jews in Europe. The European Union's European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia in Vienna, Austria, found the increase of anti-Semitic attacks was "committed above all either by right-wing extremists or radical Islamists or young Muslims mostly of Arab descent." (Haaretz)Reformist newspapers Shargh and Yas-e-no are shut down by the Iranian judiciary, only one day before the parliament elections.(BBC)The Kuwaiti newspaper A-Siasa reports that Palestinian and international terrorist organizations have decided at a recent Beirut conference to launch a wave of terror attacks against Israeli and Jewish interests worldwide. According to the report, there will also be similar attacks against coalition troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The conference, which took place at the start of February, was also said to have been attended by senior members of the Syrian, Lebanese and Iranian intelligence services who presented a list of Israeli intelligence officials to be assassinated. Organizations in attendance included: Al-Qaeda, Ansar al-Islam, Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad. (Haaretz) (Al Bawaba)The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations nuclear agency, finds undeclared components in Iran compatible with advanced uranium centrifuge designs, increasing Western concerns that it may be developing nuclear weapons. (Haaretz)The United Kingdom decides to award an honorary knighthood to Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal in recognition of a "lifetime of service to humanity". The knighthood also recognized the work of the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center, which was founded in 1977 to promote remembrance of the Holocaust and the defense of human rights. (Haaretz)ROC presidential election, 2004: Lagging behind his rival Lien Chan in opinion polls, President Chen Shui-bian promises not to declare Taiwan independence if he is re-elected. (BBC)Same-sex marriage in the United States:
The White House reserves judgement on the Federal Marriage Amendment, a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage as a "union of a man and a woman", until Massachusetts legislature and San Francisco courts take further action. Media reports speculate that the White House will probably also keep their opinion quiet until Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry takes a stand on the issue. (Washington Times)
San Francisco sues California to force the state to accept marriage licenses it altered to remove reference to bride and groom and recognize same-sex marriage. (Kansas City Star)
Laura Bush states that same-sex marriage is "a very, very shocking issue" for some people. She hopes the subject can be debated by Americans together, rather than it be settled by a Massachusetts court or the mayor of San Francisco. (USA Today)States of emergency are declared in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Canada, after a prolonged blizzard dumps 90 centimetres of snow on the provinces. This doubles the previous record, set in the 1950s. Roads are completely impassable, blocked with drifts of up to 3 to 4 metres. (CBC)It is reported that billionaire Philip Anschutz is purchasing the San Francisco Examiner for an estimated $20 million.
Current events of February 20, 2004 (2004-02-20) (Friday) :
Stanislaw Ryniak (88), the first person imprisoned at the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz, is buried in Wroclaw, Poland. (AP)Latvia's president Vaira Vike-Freiberga has appointed Indulis Emsis, a Green party legislator, as the new Prime Minister, after the resignation of Einars Repše's cabinet on 5 February. (BCC) (Greens-EFA)Hubble Space Telescope measurements show that "Dark energy" is pushing apart the universe; this appears to be the constant, repulsive force that Albert Einstein once predicted. Astronomers announce this as evidence that the theory of the cosmological constant proposed, but later discarded, by Einstein may have been right after all. (Mercury News) (MSNBC) (Washington Post)Microsoft denies that it illegally uses its desktop computer operating system monopoly to hurt digital media rivals. (CNet)During the past month and a half, the total number of hits to NASA's homepage was 6.5 billion, a record for the agency. (CNet)The insecticide Regent (fipronil), from BASF, is banned in France for its implication in Pollinator decline, The firm itself will be sued. (Le Monde)Lithuania's parliament starts impeachment proceedings against President Rolandas Paksas, who is charged with violating the constitution by leaking state secrets, rewarding a financial supporter with citizenship and illegally influencing companies. (Bloomberg)Linda Schade, spokeswoman for Ralph Nader's presidential exploratory committee, states Nader will appear on NBC's "Meet the Press" to announce whether he will make another run for the White House. (Kansas City Star)Louise Arbour is nominated by Kofi Annan to serve as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Arbour, currently a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, will replace the late Sérgio Vieira de Mello, pending ratification by the General Assembly. (CBC) (UN)5,500 workers for CN Rail, members of the Canadian Auto Workers, go on strike. (CBC)90482 Orcus, a huge planetoid, is discovered by the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking survey team. (BBC)Former Alabama attorney general Bill Pryor is appointed by U.S. President George W. Bush to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals during the U.S. Congress's recess period, avoiding U.S. Senate confirmation. Pryor was first nominated in April 2003. (ABC US)Same-sex marriage:
San Francisco judge denies request to immediately stop same-sex weddings. (Reuters) Homosexual couples win reprieve when the judge declines to stop San Francisco from granting them marriage licenses. (ABC US)
Victoria Dunlap, the Republican county clerk of rural Sandoval County, New Mexico, starts issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, citing lack of legal grounds for denial. (AP) Republican state Senator Steve Komadina, criticizes the decision and urges state Attorney General Patricia Madrid to issue a prompt opinion. (WorldNetDaily)
California Democratic leaders try to withdraw from the divisive political issue of same-sex marriage. A Public Policy Institute of California poll indicates that half of Californians oppose same-sex marriage. Some California Democratic officeholders were discontented over the matter becoming a national political issue. (SF Chronicle)
Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger writes to California Attorney General Bill Lockyer telling him to take legal action to stop the city from granting marriage licences to homosexual couples, saying the practice presents "an imminent risk to civil order". (Al Jazeera)
King Norodom Sihanouk, the constitutional monarch of Cambodia, states that he believes his country ought to allow same-sex marriage. He says he decided this upon seeing footage of same-sex couples marrying in San Francisco. He also says that transvestites ought to be well-treated in Cambodia. (Advocate)
A proposed amendment to the state constitution of Oklahoma to outlaw same-sex marriage dies in Senate Human Resources Committee; the Republican leader of the Oklahoma Senate criticizes the Democratic Senate leadership for killing the proposed ban. (Oklahoman)
Current events of February 21, 2004 (2004-02-21) (Saturday) :
Taiwan presidential election 2004: the official campaigning period starts at 07:00 local time.Prime Minister Tony Blair is under pressure from British human rights groups and MPs because of the government's sweeping powers under the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act, which have allowed the detention of 14 foreign terrorist suspects in the UK at what has been described as 'Britain's Guantanamo Bay'. (The Independent)2004 European Parliament election: The first pan-European political party organization, the European Greens, is established in Rome. (Reuters) (BBC)Early results from Iran's parliamentary elections show conservative candidates get victory over reformists. (VOA)Two International Red Cross staff members visit Saddam Hussein in United States custody. (ABC US) (ABC)
Current events of February 22, 2004 (2004-02-22) (Sunday) :
Zvi Mazel, the ambassador of Israel in Sweden, calls former foreign minister Sten Andersson and Sweden's UN ambassador Pierre Schori "professional anti-Israelis". (Aftonbladet) (TV4.se) (Aftonbladet) (dn.se) (SVD)Rebels capture Haiti's second-largest city, Cap-Haïtien, after just a few hours of fighting Sunday. (Washington Post)Israeli-Palestinian conflict: 8 Israelis are killed and 60 wounded, among them children on their way to school, in a suicide bombing of a city bus in Jerusalem, Israel. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades branch of Fatah claimed responsibility. The attack occurs one day before the start of hearings at the International Court of Justice regarding the Israeli West Bank barrier. "This attack proves just how urgent it is to build the fence", Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said. "It is a clear preventive measure … We will continue building it because it saves lives."  The suicide bomber came from Husan, a populated area near Bethlehem. (NYT) (Haaretz)2004 U.S. Presidential Election: Ralph Nader declares his candidacy for the position of President of the United States as an independent candidate. (Guardian) (BBC)Same-sex marriage in the United States: Saying he will defend California's laws limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples, state attorney general Bill Lockyer dismisses California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's "order" in the San Francisco marriage licenses debate, saying his office is independent of gubernatorial power. (Mercury News)A Pentagon report is leaked predicting global doom from climate change.  The report was reportedly suppressed by the Bush administration. (Guardian)The death toll from an outbreak of dengue fever on Java has risen to 224. (ChannelNewsAsia)In Tirana, Albania, a crowd of up to 20,000 protesters, led by ex-president and opposition party leader Sali Berisha, demanded once again that Prime Minister Fatos Nano resign for failing to improve the economy. This protest, though a peaceful one, comes on the heels of a more violent protest two weeks ago in which protesters threw rocks at police and tried to storm the Prime Minister's office. (BBC) (ChannelNewsAsia)The Lord's Resistance Army kills more than 190 people in an attack on a camp for displaced persons near Lira, Uganda. (BBC)
Current events of February 23, 2004 (2004-02-23) (Monday) :
United States Secretary of Education Rod Paige calls the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers' union, a "terrorist organization."  He later apologizes, calling his comments "an inappropriate choice of words to describe the obstructionist scare tactics the NEA's Washington lobbyists have employed against No Child Left Behind's historic education reforms." (CNSNews)The Iranian parliament starts processing the resignation of more than 120 members, starting with Fatemeh Haghighatjou who is among the few female members.k[133]The United States Army cancels the RAH-66 Comanche helicopter program with US$8 billion already invested in the project and an additional US$450–680 million in contract cancellation fees to pay.  The reconnaissance helicopter project is being phased out in favor of unmanned aerial vehicles.  (Forbes) (Reuters)Palestinian representatives put their case to the International Court of Justice against the Israeli West Bank barrier. (BBC)A fire kills six people at the Dhawan Space Centre, the launch facility of the Indian Space Research Organisation. (CNN)2003 in film: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King becomes the second film in history to gross more than $1 billion in worldwide box office receipts.(CNN) (BCC)
Current events of February 24, 2004 (2004-02-24) (Tuesday) :
The British Olympic Association bans European 100 meter champion Dwain Chambers from competing in the Olympic Games for life for a positive test for the designer steroid THG.Same-sex marriage in the United States: U.S. President George W. Bush announces his support for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. Bush did not explicitly endorse the Federal Marriage Amendment, proposed by Representative Marilyn Musgrave (R–Colorado), which has been criticised for potentially also denying states the ability to recognise same-sex civil unions and domestic partnerships. However, he said that the FMA "meets his principles" in protecting the "sanctity of marriage" between men and women.(CNN) (USA Today)Russian president Vladimir Putin dismisses Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov and implicitly the entire Russian cabinet less than a month prior to presidential elections. (CNN) (BBC)At least 564 people are killed in Morocco, in an earthquake of 6.1–6.5 Richter magnitude, occurring outside the tourist resort Al Hoceima in the middle of the night (0227 UTC). (BBC)In protest of EMI's attempts to stop the distribution of DJ Danger Mouse's The Grey Album, several hundred websites post the album for download in a coordinated act of civil disobedience known as Grey Tuesday. (TheRegister) (P2PNet)2004 Haitian coup d'état: in the lead-up to the coup, rebels in Haiti have wrested large parts of the island from government control. The capital, Port-au-Prince is still held by supporters of the president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Supporters of the president vowed to defend the city and fight to the death.
Current events of February 25, 2004 (2004-02-25) (Wednesday) :
Libya's Foreign Minister, Abdulrahman Shalgam, issues a statement reaffirming its acceptance of culpability for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, after the Prime Minister Shukri Ghanem, in an interview for the BBC, claimed Libya had "bought peace" with the $2.7bn compensation payments, but had not accepted guilt. (BBC) (Mercury News)A wolverine, the state animal of Michigan, has been spotted in that state for the first time in 200 years.The California Public Employees' Retirement System, CalPERS, a major shareholder in The Walt Disney Company, indicated that it will withhold its votes from Disney chief executive Michael Eisner at next week's shareholders' meeting, a new sign of a growing rebellion against Eisner's leadership, (TheStreet)The controversial film, The Passion of the Christ opens in theaters in the United States. Jewish leaders fear the film will stoke antisemitism, while some Christians laud the realistic depiction of the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus. (Washington Post) A woman in Wichita, Kansas, collapses and dies of a massive heart attack while viewing the harrowing Crucifixion scene. (KAKE)Pakistani leaders pressure Muslim militants in Kashmir to declare a ceasefire with India. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee tries to gain Muslim votes for his Bharatiya Janata Party with the prospect of peace with Pakistan. (Reuters) (Reuters)In the northern Uganda city of Lira, protests and riots cause at least nine deaths after the Ugandan army announces it killed 21 members of the Lord's Resistance Army, a rebel group, in retaliation for an attack on a refugee camp at Barlonyo. (CNN)King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, who recently made a statement in support of same-sex marriage, responded to an "insulting" e-mail by announcing he is not gay. The king is 81 years old and has 14 children. (Telegraph)Guantanamo Bay: The Pentagon announces that the first charges are to be filed against two of the six hundred detainees of the detention camp, but human rights groups have had their request to observe the military tribunals turned down. The defendants are named as Ali Hamza Ahmad Sulayman al-Bahlul and Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al Qosi, both alleged to be Al-Qaeda members and charged with "conspiracy to commit war crimes". (BBC) The Pentagon also confirms that even if cleared by the tribunals, the defendants may still not be released. (BBC)
Current events of February 26, 2004 (2004-02-26) (Thursday) :
IDF soldiers fire against protesters against the Israeli West Bank barrier killing two and injuring 20, several of them seriously. (CNN)The United States lifts a ban on travel to Libya, ending travel restrictions to the nation that had lasted for 23 years. (Reuters)Expressions by Disney shareholders of a lack of confidence in its management continue. Five more state pension funds announced that they will not vote for the re-election of chairman (and chief executive) Michael Eisner at next week's meeting.  These pension funds – New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Virginia – are following the lead of California – CalPERS made its announcement to the same effect Wednesday. (TheStreet)Russian President Vladimir Putin opens the 2,165 km (1,345 mi) Chita-to-Khabarovsk Amur Highway connecting the Russian Far East alongside the Pacific to the rest of the country. Construction of the highway was begun in 1978. (Guardian) (Tri-Valley Herald)The President of the Republic of Macedonia Boris Trajkovski died in an airplane accident.Swiss police are investigating a man in the killing of an air traffic controller. The suspect apparently lost his family in a midair collision in 2002; the murder victim was on duty at the time of the crash.Microsoft's Japan headquarters are raided on suspicion of violating anti-monopoly laws by the fair trade watchdog. (BBC) (Mainichi)Israel raids four banks in the West Bank seizing currency amounting to over 6 million dollars from accounts which it alleged had been used to fund terrorism. Israel claims it will use the funds for humanitarian projects in Palestinian areas. The U.S. State Department criticized the Israeli raid, and Palestinian Arabs condemned it utterly.  (VOA) (SVT)Clare Short, former British Cabinet Minister, alleges on the BBC Today radio programme that British spies regularly intercept UN communications, including those of Kofi Annan, its Secretary-General. (BBC) (Scotsman) The claim comes the day after Katharine Gun, formerly an employee of British spy agency GCHQ, had a charge of breaching the Official Secrets Act 1989 dropped after prosecutors offered no evidence, apparently on the advice of the Attorney General for England and Wales. Gun had admitted leaking American plans to bug UN delegates to a newspaper. (BBC)Same-sex marriage in the United States:
The mayor of New Paltz, a village in New York State, announces that the town will start performing civil marriages for same-sex couples. It will not attempt to issue marriage certificates, but married couples in New York State have six months from the date of their wedding to seek a certificate. (365Gay)
Rosie O'Donnell marries her partner Kelli Carpenter at San Francisco City Hall. (AP)
Current events of February 27, 2004 (2004-02-27) (Friday) :
Same-sex marriage in the United States: The California Supreme Court refuses a petition by California Attorney General Bill Lockyer asking for an immediate ruling on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage laws and a cease and desist order against San Francisco's granting of marriage licenses to same-sex couples. (365Gay)In an angry public exchange, Yasser Arafat calls Fatah official Nasser Yousef a "traitor" and hurls a microphone at him. (Al Bawaba) (Maariv)International Space Station crew Michael Foale and Aleksandr Kaleri perform the first ever spacewalk involving the station's entire crew; the spacewalk is cut short by a malfunction in Kaleri's spacesuit. (BBC) (ABC)Shoko Asahara, the leader of a Japanese cult that gassed the Tokyo subway in 1995, is sentenced to death by hanging. (BBC)The U.S. Justice Department says it will move to block Oracle Corporation's hostile $9.4 billion takeover bid for larger rival PeopleSoft, saying a merger of the two largest accounting and human resources software companies in the U.S. would hurt competition. (SF Chronicle) (Toronto Star)Iranian state radio reports Osama bin Laden captured. United States officials discount the reports. (ORF) (AP)A bombing of a Superferry by Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines.
Current events of February 28, 2004 (2004-02-28) (Saturday) :
2004 in film: The 2004 Golden Raspberries are handed out in commemoration of the low points struck last year by the motion picture industry. (Yahoo) ('The Age)Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Ronnie Kasrils, the South African minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, calls the Israeli West Bank barrier a "wall of shame" and states that the wall is meant to dispossess Palestinians of their land and water resources. (palestine-info.co.uk) (iafrica)
Current events of February 29, 2004 (2004-02-29) (Sunday) :
Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigns as president of Haiti and flees the country for the Central African Republic. The chief justice of the Haitian supreme court, Boniface Alexandre, is sworn in as interim president. (Sydney Morning Herald) (Reuters) (Globe and Mail)Occupation of Iraq
Iraq's leaders meet deadline for drafting interim constitution. (CNN)
Saddam Hussein's government systematically extorted billions of dollars in illegal payments from companies doing business with Iraq. (Seattle Times)
Kurdistan activists bring petition to the authorities in Baghdad asking for a referendum on whether Kurds will stay within a united Iraq or to form an independent Kurdistan. (BBC)76th Academy Awards: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King wins Best Picture and Director awards and nine others for a total of 11 Academy Awards, a tie for the most ever won by a single film, and the largest sweep ever for a single film, having received 11 nominations. Acting honors were as follows: Best Actor: Sean Penn for Mystic River, Best Actress: Charlize Theron for Monster, Best Supporting Actor: Tim Robbins for Mystic River, Best Supporting Actress: Renée Zellweger for Cold Mountain. (Newsday) (Box Office Mojo) (IMDB)This day falls within a leap year.Middlesbrough win the League Cup 2–1 against Bolton at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.
Current events of August 1, 2003 (2003-08-01) (Friday) :
A truck bomb destroys a military hospital in Mozdok in Southern Russia, near Chechnya, killing 41 and wounding at least 76. The Russian government blames the attack on Chechen separatists. A media spokesman for rebel political leader, Aslan Maskhadov, denied any connection with the incident.[1]North Korea agrees to multilateral talks in its nuclear standoff with Japan, South Korea, Russia, The United States, and the People's Republic of China.[2]The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health plans to propose an amendment to Finnish tobacco legislation which would make retail sales of tobacco products subject to a license.[3]
Current events of August 2, 2003 (2003-08-02) (Saturday) :
The Daily Telegraph in the United Kingdom claims attempts by the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) to destroy allegedly important documents about its treatment of BBC source Dr. David Kelly in the weeks before his suicide were foiled by a security guard, who found the documents scheduled for destruction and called the police. The MoD insists the documents were not that important but will now be preserved and supplied to the Hutton Inquiry into the Kelly case.The United Nations authorizes an international peacekeeping force for Liberia.  The United States is criticized by members of the Security Council for insisting that UN peacekeepers serving in Liberia be granted immunity from war crimes prosecution. The U.S. demand is described by its critics as a breach of international law.A huge condominium complex under construction in San Diego, California, is destroyed, supposedly by the Earth Liberation Front.[4]José Bové, a radical French activist against genetically modified food, is released from prison after serving only five weeks of a 10-month jail sentence.Israeli Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein publicly rebukes Ariel Sharon's son Gilad for refusing to cooperate with an investigation into graft and influence peddling.[5]Scientists announce that the ozone layer may be showing signs of recovery due to an international ban on chlorofluorocarbons.[6]
Current events of August 3, 2003 (2003-08-03) (Sunday) :
At least 52 people have died in a series of explosions in northern Pakistan (BBC).Sir Richard Dearlove announces his retirement from MI6 amid speculation about differences of opinion over the war in Iraq (BBC).
Current events of August 4, 2003 (2003-08-04) (Monday) :
Construction workers of Qiqihar, Heilongjiang Province, People's Republic of China accidentally dig out five Japanese mustard gas bombs from the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). Two of the bombs are damaged, and the gas poisons 43 (one died 19 days later). Japan a week later accepts responsibility and sends doctors and compensation to China.[7]The clergy and lay people of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, by a comfortable margin, vote in favor of the appointment of an openly gay bishop. The vote is thought likely to get confirmation from the bishops' collegium, which however is delayed due to last minute independent allegations of misconduct and intense conservative opposition.[8][9]SCO v. IBM Linux lawsuit: Reuters have reported that Red Hat intends to start legal action against SCO to establish that SCO's claims against the Linux operating system are invalid.
Current events of August 5, 2003 (2003-08-05) (Tuesday) :
A powerful car bomb explodes outside the Marriott Hotel,[10] killing at least fourteen people and injuring about 150 in downtown Jakarta, a popular district for foreigners. It is believed to be a suicide bombing. The blast comes two days before a Bali court was due to deliver the verdict of the first suspect of the 2002 Bali terrorist bombing and four days after President Megawati Sukarnoputri vowed to wipe out terrorist networks in Indonesia. Jemaah Islamiyah claimed responsibility for the attack through a Singapore newspaper.[11][12]A planned meeting between Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas is cancelled by Abbas. He accuses Israel of not doing enough in a US-backed road map for peace. Israel had said that 540 Palestinian prisoners would be freed but only released 342 names in a prisoner list. Israel accuses the Palestinians of not curbing terrorist attacks on Israel.A further twist to the British David Kelly scandal occurs, as Tony Blair's official spokesman, Tom Kelly, apologizes to David Kelly's family for having compared the late and still un-buried Dr. Kelly to a "Walter Mitty" character in a "private" conversation with a journalist.[13][14]Election in Nova Scotia, Canada: the Progressive Conservative Party of Premier John Hamm is reelected with a minority government. They receive 25 seats, the New Democratic Party 15, and the Liberals 12.The Episcopal Church, the U.S. branch of the Anglican Communion, approves its first openly gay bishop as the final vote was cast to confirm Gene Robinson as the Diocese of New Hampshire. Robinson was cleared of allegations of misconduct before the vote. The action incites protests, a declaration of a "pastoral emergency", and calls for intervention by the Anglican Communion chief bishops.[15][16][17]
Current events of August 6, 2003 (2003-08-06) (Wednesday) :
2003 California recall: Arnold Schwarzenegger announces he will run for Governor of California in the recall election of Gray Davis.[18][19][20]Florida is set to begin paying $1.6 million in fees to pilot/database guru and alleged former drug smuggler turned government informant Hank Asher in payment for his MATRIX system, a rapidly searchable database combining existing police records and several large commercially available computer databases. Civil libertarians are outraged at the system, claiming it is Orwellian and reminiscent of the Federal Total Information Awareness program. The United States Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security are providing funds to expand Matrix coverage to the entire country.[21][22][23]An Italian laboratory announces the birth of the world's first cloned horse, Prometea.[24]The United States Pentagon establishes that a unit of military personnel has arrived in Liberia, coordinating support for the West African peacekeepers in the country.[25][26]North Korea and Iran are planning to form an alliance to develop long-range ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. Under the plan, North Korea will transport missile parts to Iran for assembly at a plant near Tehran, Iran.[27][28]Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt is convicted in the Republic of Ireland's Special Criminal Court of two terrorist offences, "directing terrorism" and "membership of an illegal organisation". One of the key witnesses was David Rupert, an FBI agent who posed as a member of the Real IRA to get close to McKevitt. The three judges of the SCC will sentence McKevitt later.[29]
Current events of August 7, 2003 (2003-08-07) (Thursday) :
2003 California recall: Republican Darrell Issa, the person behind the effort of recall election of Gray Davis, quickly and without warning dropped out of the gubernatorial race.[30][31]Convicted terrorist, Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt, found guilty yesterday by the Republic of Ireland's Special Criminal Court of "membership of an illegal organisation" and "directing terrorism", is sentenced to twenty years in prison.[32]An Indonesian court sentences Amrozi bin Nurhasyim to death for his role in the 2002 Bali terrorist bombing. The court found Amrozi guilty of planning and carrying out the attack. The verdict comes two days after another attack outside Marriott Hotel in Jakarta. Jemaah Islamiyah is linked with both of the attacks.[33]Occupation of Iraq: A car bomb explodes near the Jordanian Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. At least 10 people are killed and more than 30 are injured. The bomb, hidden in a minibus, is believed to be detonated remotely.[34]Liberian crisis: President Charles Taylor resigns as Nigerian peacekeepers entered Liberia. Taylor names his vice president, Moses Blah, as his successor. Peacekeepers intercepted an arms shipment to Liberia from Libya. Taylor, who is indicted for war crimes, indicates that he will seek political asylum in Nigeria.[35]
Current events of August 8, 2003 (2003-08-08) (Friday) :
Hezbollah, a militant Lebanese group backed by Syria and Iran, fires artillery toward Israeli border posts, drawing return fire. It was the first such exchange in eight months. AP storyA Ma'ariv opinion poll shows 37% of his supporters think Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is involved in corruption, with 52% saving he will have to resign if he behaved illegally. The controversy is over a $1.5 million loan given in January 2002 to Sharon's son, Gilad that was the loan originated from Cyril Kern, a friend of Ariel Sharon.[36]Occupation of Iraq: At his ranch in Crawford, Texas, President Bush noted the 100th day since overt military action in Iraq ended, saying that the United States has made "good progress" in helping Iraq's democratic processes, overall national security, and economy.[37][38][39]US v. EU on GM food: The European Union expresses their disapproval over the American, Canadian and Argentinian effort to launch a World Trade Organization formal challenge against its decision to keep the policy of banning genetically modified crops.[40][41][42]SCO v. IBM Linux lawsuit: IBM furnishes more information on their SCO countersuit and states that they have Novell support.[43][44][45]War on Terrorism: According to the latest disclosed analysis of the cockpit recordings by the United States investigators, the September 11 terrorist-pilot Ziad Jarrah got instructions to crash the United Airlines flight 93 into the Pennsylvania farmland because of the passenger uprising in the cabin trying to seize the plane's controls.[46][47][48][49]It is reported that the Canadian Grand Prix is dropped from the 2004 Formula One calendar as a result of its anti-tobacco laws. The Montreal race was given a grace of seven years before the introduction of the new law, announced in 1997. This comes a week after it was announced that the Belgian GP will be re-introduced in the 2004 season.[50] However, Formula One director general Bernie Ecclestone says that no such decision has been made.[51]The draft EU constitution could lead to the establishment of foreign-owned private health care and educational services.[52]
Current events of August 9, 2003 (2003-08-09) (Saturday) :
A historic heat wave continues to afflict Europe and is expected to continue for another week. Spain and Portugal are particularly hard hit; forest fires in Portugal are declared a national disaster, with damages estimated at €1 billion. Other fires are reported on Majorca and in the Canary Islands. Temperatures of 49 °C are recorded in Andalusia. Scotland records its highest temperature in history, 32.9 °C (91.2 °F) at Greycrook, near Newtown St. Boswells, Borders, the previous record had stood since 1908. The cause of the heat wave is believed to be a stagnant air mass over the Sahara sending hot air as far north as Sweden.[53]Occupation of Iraq: United States Central Command military officials confirm that Mahmoud Diyab al-Ahmed, the Iraqi Minister of Interior was in its custody. He occupies the number 29 position on the U.S. list of most-wanted Iraqis. The Iraqi Minister of Interior surrendered to coalition forces yesterday. He was the seven of spades on the deck of cards distributed to U.S. troops.[54][55][56]SCO v. IBM Linux lawsuit: Aduva, Inc., a Linux developing company, releases this week a tool to allow companies to replace any offending Linux code, if it exists, with code that does not infringe on SCO's intellectual property rights.[57][58][59] It is unknown how this tool will work, as SCO has not disclosed which code it considers infringing.The city of Vyborg commence the 600-years anniversary of King Eric of Pomerania establishing the town's trading privileges in a Royal Charter.[60]
Current events of August 10, 2003 (2003-08-10) (Sunday) :
One hundred thousand people attend a rally in the French countryside to condemn next month's round of trade liberalisation talks being held under auspices of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Cancún in Mexico.[61]Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens gives British police in London  "shoot-on-sight" orders to deal with possible suicide bombers as expectations rise of an Al-Qaeda attack on the British capital.[62]War on Terrorism: The Sunday Times reports that Al-Qaeda terrorists have infiltrated Iraq from surrounding Arab countries and have aligned themselves with former intelligence agents of Saddam Hussein to fight the Coalition forces. Their attacks have killed Coalition soldiers and Iraqi police officers, among others.[63]Pope John Paul II urges Catholics to pray for rain in Europe as the heat wave continues. The heat wave in Britain reaches 100 Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius) at Heathrow, for the first time in history.[64] Warnings of avalanches are issued in the Alps, as mountain glaciers melt.Liberian President and convicted war criminal Charles Taylor, who is to step down tomorrow, has appealed to rebels to "submit to the democratic process'". He also accuses the United States of funding the rebels who have besieged the capital, Monrovia, for a week.[65]The British Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith demands that Prime Minister Tony Blair apologise for the comments of his press secretary, Tom Kelly, in which Kelly compared Dr. David Kelly, the BBC source who took his own life after his identity was revealed by the Ministry of Defence, to the fictional Walter Mitty character.[66]A 16-year-old Israeli was killed and five people were injured in Hezbollah shelling of the northern Israeli town of Shlomi. Israeli planes attacked Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in response. Some sources claim Hezbollah's attack was a response to Israel's car-bomb assassination of Hezbollah member Ali Hussein Saleh in Beirut on August 3 in which two passersby were injured.[67]While retired South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his successor, Archbishop Njongonkulu Winston Ndungane, fail to see what "all the fuss" is over the ordination of a gay bishop, other African Anglicans suggest that their churches may sever relations with the American dioceses that supported the election of a gay priest as bishop if what they called the "path of deviation" is not changed.[68][69]The highest temperature ever recorded in the UK – 38.5 °C (101.3 °F) at Brogdale near Faversham in Kent.[70] It is the first time the UK has recorded a temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Current events of August 11, 2003 (2003-08-11) (Monday) :
Liberian president Charles Taylor resigns. He is replaced by vice-president Moses Blah.[71]2003 California recall: New California voter survey finds nearly two-thirds of the state's voters want a new governor.[72][73][74][75]Herb Brooks, the coach of the 1980 US gold medal ice hockey team that beat the Soviet Union in a game that was called The Miracle on Ice, dies in a car accident.[76]African church leader, Archbishop Bernard Malango, states that the leaders of 600,000 Anglicans in Malawi, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe informed him they would could cut ties with the United States organization unless the appointment of an openly gay  bishop is overturned. The Anglican Church in Kenya also demanded a reversal.[77][78][79]European heat wave: Parisian health authorities charge that fifty people have died in Paris owing to the heat wave, particularly elderly people,  and that the government is ignoring the crisis.[80] In Catalonia, five people from one family are killed by a wildfire that encircles their home. Four villages are evacuated in the Algarve.[81]Doctors in Montreal successfully deliver by Caesarean section a healthy baby who grew in an ectopic pregnancy. Such a pregnancy, which begins outside the uterus, is all but invariably fatal to the fetus and is extremely dangerous to the mother. The woman and her doctors were unaware of the ectopic pregnancy until she went into labour.[82]Lord Hutton's inquiry into the death of British scientist Dr. David Kelly begins in London.[83]The Spirit of Butts Farm becomes the first radio-controlled model aeroplane to cross the Atlantic.NATO takes over command of the peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, marking its first major operation outside Europe in its 54-year history.Jemaah Islamiah leader Riduan Isamuddin, better known as Hambali, is arrested in Bangkok, Thailand.
Current events of August 12, 2003 (2003-08-12) (Tuesday) :
War on Terrorism: An exclusive BBC report says a joint United States, Russia and United Kingdom "sting" halted a plot to shoot down Air Force One using an Igla surface-to-air missile. According to the BBC, the plot, initially unearthed by the Russians, led President Vladimir Putin to request that an FBI agent go to Saint Petersburg, where the agent posed as an Islamic extremist and met the British arms dealer supplying the missile. The missile was shipped from Saint Petersburg to Baltimore in the United States. The British arms dealer "arranging" the deal was arrested when he arrived in Newark, New Jersey, in the United States today. The White House has publicly denied that Air Force One was to be the target of the missile. However Tom Mangold, the BBC veteran investigative reporter who broke the story, claims the British dealer supplying the missile recommended to the undercover FBI agent that the President's jet, rather than a commercial jet, be the target, saying that he could get another 60 Ingla missiles which could then be used to launch a co-ordinated attack on Air Force One.[84]Occupation of Iraq: The Associated Press is reporting that troops in Iraq should expect to serve for at least a year according to the commander of United States forces.[85][86][87][88][89][90]George W. Bush nominates former NGA chairman and current governor of Utah, Michael O. Leavitt for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.[91]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Two Israelis killed and about a dozen wounded in two separate suicide bombings by Palestinian terrorists in the towns of Rosh-Ha'ayin and Ariel. Hamas and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility for the attacks. The IDF retaliated on Wednesday by demolishing the house in Nablus where the bomber in the Rosh Ha-Ayin attack lived with his family.[92]The Serbian government has indicated that it wants to retake control of the province of Kosovo, arguing that the United Nations, which currently has control, has failed to reestablish the rule of law.[93][94]Sir Jocelyn Gore-Booth announces the sale of the historic Lissadell estate in County Sligo in Ireland, the childhood home of early 20th-century Irish republican Constance Gore-Booth (Constance Markievicz) and which had major associations with the poet W.B. Yeats. Critics condemn the Irish government for failing to buy the estate; Sir Jocelyn had offered it first refusal. The identity of the buyer has not yet been revealed but rock singer Bono had shown major interest in the property.[95]The remains of a viking warrior are found at a building site in Dublin. The warrior had been stabbed to death during a 9th-century Viking raid on Dubhlinn monastery. The dagger was still attached to his body when his remains were found. The archaeological dig is expected to continue at the site for six months.The Rev. Peter Short is elected Moderator of the United Church of Canada, the country's largest Protestant denomination, in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.[96]Microsoft has decided to appeal a verdict to pay $520.6 million from a Chicago federal jury that affirms the Internet Explorer web browser violated Intellectual Property rights of Eolas Technologies (concerning Patent US 5838906).[97][98]
Current events of August 13, 2003 (2003-08-13) (Wednesday) :
Ivan Jovovic and Bogdan Bukomiric, both 16 years old, from Goraždevac near Pec die after two attackers fired AK-47s on a group of children from Goraždevac who were bathing in the river Bistrica. Four children were injured in the attack, two of which are in critical condition. UNMIK and KFOR claimed that they transferred one of them, Marko Bogicevic, to Belgrade, but he is actually in a German military hospital at Prizren, against his parents' wishes. An Italian KFOR patrol refused to lend fuel for the car which was transporting wounded children to hospital in Pec, when it ran out of fuel, and took no action when car was stoned by local Albanians. After finally arriving at Pec, doctors there refused to treat the children. KFOR claims that it is researching the location of the incident with 300 men.[citation needed]Discovery of a Saudi Arabia airplane plot. Intelligence agencies producing alerts and relaying them to Washington, D.C., and London of a specific threat to airlines flying around Riyadh international airport. The plan to shoot down a British Airways plane was discovered after a member of the plot drove his car through a checkpoint in Riyadh. In response to the threat BA cancels all flights to Saudi Arabia until further notice. The United States issues a travel alert for Saudi Arabia citing the threat of terrorism including potential attacks against civil aviation.[99][100][101]Iraq's northern oil fields resumes exports.[102]Arnold Schwarzenegger names Warren Buffett as his economic adviser on Wednesday. Mr Buffett will help the actor build a team to lead the state out of its fiscal crisis.[103]Disgraced  Irish former Taoiseach Charles Haughey sells his historic home and estate, Kinsealy, in north Dublin to a property developer for 35 million euro. The former taoiseach, whose financial dealings and tax-evasion is the subject of a judicial inquiry and which have largely destroyed his reputation, bought the palatial mansion for £120,000 in the 1960s. Haughey, who is suffering from terminal prostate cancer, will not be allowed to remain in the house as a sitting tenant for the rest of his life, a demand of his which scuppered past attempts to sell.Same-sex marriage in Canada: At its convention in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, the United Church of Canada votes overwhelmingly to ask the federal government to allow same-sex marriage.A National Geographic team releases the discovery of a new species of large dinosaur, Rajasaurus Narmadensis, native to the Indian subcontinent.  The research effort was made by a joint Indo-American group, including members from the University of Michigan, University of Chicago, and the Punjab University of Northern India.[104]
Current events of August 14, 2003 (2003-08-14) (Thursday) :
A major power outage due to a power grid failure affects more than 50 million people in the northeast of North America, including New York City, New Jersey, Cleveland, Ottawa, Toronto and Detroit[105][106][107] ABC BBC CNN.  According to U.S. authorities, the cause is still unclear; according to the Canadian Department of National Defense, the chain reaction was started by a lightning strike in the Niagara Falls region on the U.S. side of the border.[108] A press release with some technical details of the event is available at.[109] The NRC reports that all nine affected nuclear power plants have been safely shut down.[110]Heat wave: French health officials estimate that as many as 3,000 people may have died in France as a result of the heat wave. Fatalities and illnesses are swamping the French health system. The city of Paris launches its Plan blanc emergency response procedure. However, temperatures in Paris have now dropped from 40 °C to 30 °C.[111]SARS: Public health officials are investigating seven deaths and several infections in an outbreak that resembles, but is not believed to be, SARS in a nursing home in Surrey, British Columbia (a suburb of Vancouver). However, until more is known about the disease, the home will be treated as a SARS site for safety's sake.[112]A single-celled microbe, of the domain Archaea, is found to be able to survive at 121 °C (250 °F), making it the life form that can tolerate the highest temperature. The microbe, temporarily named Strain 121, which was found 200 miles (320 km) away from Puget Sound in a hydrothermal vent, may provide clues to when and where life first evolved on Earth. It metabolizes by reducing iron oxide.[113][114] August 030815075108.htm[115]Terrorism: Hambali, an important leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, is in U.S. custody after being captured in Thailand.[116]Liberian crisis: News services are reporting that Moses Blah met with Sekou Conneh of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) group and Thomas Nimley of a smaller faction known as Model. Meanwhile, the Pentagon expands the United States' military presence by adding a "quick reaction" force of 150 combat troops to back up Nigerian peacekeepers.[117][118]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israel frees another 76 prisoners, a week after releasing more than 300 people. Israel argues that it is a gesture of goodwill and in accordance with agreements. The Palestinian authority disagrees and says that most not arrested for terrorist activities, and that it was the people arrested for the latter that Israel originally agreed to release. Palestinian officials want the release of 6000 prisoners, many of whom it claims were wrongly arrested, to obtain public support for the US-backed road map for peace.[119]6.4 Richter scale earthquake near the Greek Ionian island of Lefkada – 24 injured
Current events of August 15, 2003 (2003-08-15) (Friday) :
Power is restored to many, but not all areas of the north-eastern United States and Canada affected by the previous day's blackout.[120] Investigations into the root cause of the grid collapse are currently focusing on transmission lines circling Lake Erie.[121]Libya formally accepts responsibility for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. It consists of general language that lacks expression of remorse for lives lost.[122] Although some claim the acceptance is just a business deal and not a true admission of guilt.[123]Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein announces that he will abdicate the throne in 2004, in favor of his son, Prince Alois.
Current events of August 16, 2003 (2003-08-16) (Saturday) :
Major blackout: Power is now restored in New York City, Toronto, and most of Ottawa. Authorities warn of possible future disruptions and advise conservation as work continues to restore power to the entire grid. Theories as to the cause of the event, meanwhile, are becoming more substantial and coherent.[124]West Virginia: Kanawha County Sheriff's office reports that a string of four fatal shootings over the past week were linked by ballistics testing to the same type of weapon.  The perpetrator(s) remain at large.[125][126]  The incident is reminiscent of the 2002 Beltway sniper attacks.Idi Amin, whose eight years as president of Uganda were characterized by bizarre and murderous behavior, died in Saudi Arabia.[127]Dr. Hitoshi Nikaidoh, a 35-year-old surgical resident, was decapitated in a freak elevator accident at a hospital in Houston, Texas.[128]A tourist visiting Las Vegas, Nevada, Rebecca Longhoffer, was electrocuted by an iron plate situated in the ground while crossing Las Vegas Boulevard.[129]Cristiano Ronaldo's debut in Manchester United F.C. against Bolton Wanderers F.C..
Current events of August 17, 2003 (2003-08-17) (Sunday) :
Major blackout: investigators now believe the blackout began in Ohio.  FirstEnergy Corporation, which services 1.4 million people in the state, released a statement Saturday that three of its transmission lines tripped off at Unit 5 of their Eastlake Plant hours before the blackout, and may have been its cause.[130]Terrorists again fired on children in Goraždevac, near Pec, this time while they were in the center of the village. No children were injured in this incident, just four days since the last.[131]Saboteurs cause a series of explosions that damaged oil and water pipelines in Iraq.[132][133]Iceland resumes whaling, 14 years after it stopped commercial whaling in 1989. It says that it will hunt 38 minke whales for research on the impact of the whales on fish stocks.[134][135][136]In Canada, Herménégilde Chiasson is appointed lieutenant governor of New Brunswick on the recommendation of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.A Palestinian cameraman working for Reuters, Mazen Dana, is shot dead by a Coalition tank crew in Iraq while trying to film around Abu Ghraib prison, after a mortar attack on the prison. The tank crew mistook the camera for a grenade launcher.[137]
Current events of August 18, 2003 (2003-08-18) (Monday) :
War on Terrorism: Arab television airs an audio tape allegedly from al Qaeda official Abdel Rahman al-Najdi saying Osama bin Laden and Taliban chief Mullah Omar are alive. The tape advocates Muslims to commit terroristic acts and fight the Coalition forces in Iraq.[138][139][140]Terrorists associated with al-Qaida releases a statement in which it claims responsibility for the blackout. The statement says that the group acted on Osama bin Laden's orders.[141][142][143]
Current events of August 19, 2003 (2003-08-19) (Tuesday) :
War on Terrorism – Canal Hotel: A truck bomb explosion at the Baghdad Canal Hotel that houses the United Nations mission kills at least 17 people and injures over 100. Among the casualties is Sérgio Vieira de Mello, U.N. special representative in Iraq. The bomb damages a hospital nearby, and the shock wave is felt a mile away.[144][145][146]20 killed, 136 wounded by an explosion on board an Israeli bus in Jerusalem. Among the victims are several children. The explosion was caused by a Palestinian suicide bomber. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Hebron claims responsibility for the attack. There are conflicting reports that Hamas is responsible for the bombing. Israeli government reportedly freezes road map for peace negotiations. In the following days, two additional victims died of their wounds, raising the death toll to 22.,[147][148][149][150] see also: Jerusalem bus 2 massacreWar on Terrorism: A Moroccan court sentences four men to death and jails 83 others for their involvement in a wave of terror attacks in Casablanca that killed 33 bystanders and a dozen suicide bombers in May 2003.   The trial involved dozens of defendants accused of belonging to a clandestine Moroccan group, the Salafia Jihadia. Moroccan authorities have linked the group to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network.Occupation of Iraq: Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan, disguised as an Arab Bedouin, has been captured. Ramadan served as Saddam's thug and a member of Iraq's Revolutionary Command Council. Kurdish group claims responsibility for the capture of Ramadan. He was handed over to Coalition forces in Mosul.[151][152][153]Afghanistan celebrates its Independence Day amid one of the bloodiest weeks in a year, with heavily armed guerrillas killing at least nine police officers in the latest in a string of ambushes.  In the last week, the country has been battered by an onslaught from insurgents, who are believed to be a mix of guerrillas from the ousted Taliban regime, al-Qaida fighters and supporters of renegade warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.[154]The International Survivors Action Committee releases a 152-page report on the controversial Tranquility Bay behavior correction facility.Natural disaster: Start of the Booth and Bear Butte forest fires in the Cascade Mountains, the worst fire in Oregon of this year. Within three days the resort community of Camp Sherman is evacuated, affecting 1,500 residents and campers, closure of US highway 20 over Santiam Pass, and burning at least 41,000 acres (170 km2).
Current events of August 20, 2003 (2003-08-20) (Wednesday) :
War on Terrorism – Canal Hotel: US officials comment terror group linked to al Qaeda, Ansar al-Islam, is emerging as a top suspect in the U.N. headquarters bombing in Baghdad. "It's part of a global war against terrorism that was officially declared on us on September 11. It's quite clear we do have terrorists inside Iraq now."[155]Natural disaster: French undertakers state that 10,000 more French people died during the early August summer heatwave than the first two weeks of August in 2002. It had previously been suggested that the number was 3,000. President Jacques Chirac demands reports from cabinet ministers on the crisis, while in Italy the newspaper La Repubblica suggests that Italy had 2000 more deaths than normal due to the heatwave.[156]One of the holiest sites in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif or the Noble Sanctuary, is re-opened to controversy. Jerusalem's police chief, Mickey Levey says the decision was taken before the most recent suicide bombing. However the decision is condemned by the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, who says the re-opening was done without the agreement of the Waqf, the Muslim authority that oversees the site. Palestinians from outside Jerusalem who are under the age of 40 are currently barred from entering. The compound includes the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.[157]A computer worm called W32.Welchia.Worm infects computers across the Internet.  The virus has been labeled "good" by some, because it attempts to remove W32.Blaster.Worm, and downloads the Windows security patch which prevents W32.Blaster.Worm infections before spreading to other computers.  It will also remove itself once the date hits 2004.[158][159][160][161][162]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, breaks negotiations with the Islamic militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad in response to the bombing in Jerusalem.[163] Israel notifies the public that it will retaliate with military strikes for bus bombing.[164] There are conflicting reports that Israel will hold off on the attacks to see if the Palestinian administration takes action against terrorist groups.[165]Fighting persists in Chechnya, with six Russian servicemen killed and 11 others wounded in the war-ravaged region.Pauline Hanson, former leader of the Australian anti-immigration One Nation Party, is sentenced in Queensland to three years in prison for electoral fraud.Afghanistan: Afghan President Hamid Karzai's spokesman comments that the issue of Taliban crossing into Afghanistan from Pakistan will be discussed during Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri's visit to Kabul. Afghanistan claims Pakistani based Taliban have killed many Afghan soldiers.[166]
Current events of August 21, 2003 (2003-08-21) (Thursday) :
Occupation of Iraq: General Ali Hassan al-Majid (Chemical Ali) is reportedly captured in Iraq. He had previously been reported dead.[167] August 21082003133538.asp[168]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israel kills senior Hamas official, Ismail Abu Shanab, by a missile strike in the Gaza Strip and sent tanks into the West Bank towns of Nablus, Jenin and Tulkarem in response to a deadly suicide bombing of a bus in Jerusalem. In Hebron, troops destroy the terrorist bomber's home.[169][170] Hamas and Islamic Jihad end their participation in the cease fire (in response to Israel's action from the two groups' bombing), declaring themselves as enemies to the peace plan, and vow further terrorist acts.[171][172][173][174][175]  The militants demand that Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, leave their area of control.Canadian transport minister David Collenette announces that Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport will be renamed in September for former prime minister Pierre Trudeau.[176]
Current events of August 22, 2003 (2003-08-22) (Friday) :
A Brazilian Space Agency VLS-1 space rocket explodes on its launch-pad at Alcântara space base, killing at least 21 people. It is thought that one of the rocket's four motors caught fire; the subsequent explosion destroyed the rocket, its cargo of two satellites, and the launch-pad, as well as the deaths of many of Brazil's space-specialists, causing an estimated US$12 million worth of damage. This ends Brazil's third attempt since 1997 at becoming a space power.[177][178]Natural disaster: Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano sends a column of smoke and ash three kilometres into the air.[179]Natural disaster: Wildfire forces around 10,000 people from their homes in Kelowna, British Columbia. This is Western Canada's worst fire season in decades.[180]Occupation of Iraq: United Nations Security council members are split on the issue of Iraq.  France, Russia, People's Republic of China, and Germany are proposing differing ways to expand the United Nations mandate in Iraq beyond humanitarian aid and reconstruction. Secretary of State of the United States Colin Powell states that there is no plan to cede authority to the United Nations from the Coalition forces.[181] Powell also sought a new Security Council resolution that would involve other nations to contribute troops and aid in securing and rebuilding Iraq.[182]War on Terrorism – Canal Hotel: Investigators focus on the possibility that former Iraqi intelligence agents working as security guards may have assisted the attack.[183]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Palestinian militants and the Israeli Government vow to continue attacks on each other after the terrorist attacks and bloodshed. Hamas and Islamic Jihad release an official joint statement on their participation ending in the peace plan.[184] They urge militant cells in Palestine to strike. Israeli security officials state this is "only the beginning" of responses to Palestinian attacks.[185][186]War on Terrorism: President of the United States George W. Bush announces a freeze on the assets of the Palestinian militant leaders of Hamas and organizations financially supporting the "terrorist organization". The action is taken because Hamas officially claims responsibility for the act of terror on August 19.[187][188]Separation of church and state: Alabama's Chief Justice Roy Moore is suspended by a Judicial Ethics Panel over his refusal to remove a monument listing the Ten Commandments which he had installed in the state Supreme Court building. Moore had been ordered to remove the controversial monument by U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson, who in a judgment in 2002 said the monument "violates the constitution's ban on government promotion of a religious doctrine". Thompson's judgment was upheld by eight Associate Justices. Their ruling was criticised by Moore and the Christian Defense Coalition, who have threatened to block the court building to prevent the monument's removal.[189][190]
Current events of August 23, 2003 (2003-08-23) (Saturday) :
In an unprecedented move, the British government submit thousands of official documents (many of which would not normally be seen by the public for 30 years) to the Hutton Inquiry, and publication on the Internet.[191][192]Natural disaster: Wildfires sweep into the southern suburbs of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, destroying more than 200 homes.  One-third of the city's population, or 30,000 people, have been evacuated.[193]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Palestinian leaders state they will try to negotiate a new ceasefire by extremist groups and urge Israel to stop their action against top militants.[194][195]Power outage happens all of Southern Finland for 30 to 60 minutes, because one underground line in Central Helsinki short circuits. The lack of electricity begins at 20:20 and causes radio broadcasts, public lights, elevators, trains, trams and metro traffic to stop. Also people have to be evacuated in Linnanmäki amusement park.[196] August 182357California recall: Republican Bill Simon drops out of the California gubernatorial recall race.[197]Iran makes protest and cuts diplomatic ties with Argentina over the arrest in Britain of its former ambassador with the United Kingdom and Argentina for the alleged bombing Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires in 1994 in which 85 people died.[198][199]John Geoghan, a defrocked Roman Catholic priest and convicted child molester, dies following an attack in prison. Initial reports say that he was strangled to death.[200][201][202]
Current events of August 24, 2003 (2003-08-24) (Sunday) :
NASA launches the Space Infrared Telescope Facility on a Delta 2 rocket.[203]Hurricane Ignacio approaches the coast of Baja California. Harbours and airports close and low-lying areas are evacuated.[204]Little League World Series: Tokyo, Japan, defeats Boynton Beach, Florida, 10–1.  The Tokyo team went undefeated in the tournament, defeating the Saudi Arabia team 17–0, with a perfect game pitched by four Japanese pitchers, and the mercy rule invoked after four innings.
Current events of August 25, 2003 (2003-08-25) (Monday) :
Two explosions, apparently caused by car bombs placed in taxis, kills at least 44 and injures a further 150 in Mumbai, India. It is the sixth bombing in Mumbai in a year.[205]In Australia's One Nation Party case, it has been revealed that Federal Cabinet Minister Tony Abbott controlled "slush funds" which were used to lay the groundwork for party leader Pauline Hanson's prosecution, and to guarantee a private lawsuit against the party.[206] Liberal ranks split as Abbot's colleague Bronwyn Bishop joined many Labor MPs in calling for disclosure of his role in the case, and described Hanson as a "political prisoner". Remarkably, the nearly defunct One Nation Party's support surged to 21% on news of Hanson's imprisonment.[207]The Tli Cho land claims agreement is signed in Canada's Northwest Territories. It grants the Dogrib people self-government in an area the size of Belgium.[208]Pete Sampras announces his retirement from competitive tennis.Two Iranian intelligence officers are charged in connection with the death of Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi.[209]
Current events of August 26, 2003 (2003-08-26) (Tuesday) :
War on Terrorism: President Bush, speaking to American Legion veterans convention, defends the Iraq policy, declaring the United States had hit terrorism in overthrowing the government of Saddam Hussein. President Bush vows "no retreat" from Iraq. President Bush also states that the United States may carry out other pre-emptive strikes.[210][211][212][213][214]Space Shuttle program: Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) releases 200 page final dossier over the space shuttle Columbia's destruction (and the death of its seven astronauts). It states the cause is from NASA's cultural traits, lack of funds, and insufficient safety program.[215][216][217][218]Technology: California Supreme Court rules that publishers could be barred from posting DVD descrambling code (DeCSS) online without infringing on free speech rights.[219][220]O.J. Simpson, giving an interview to Playboy, states that he is still innocent, but says "dream team" lawyers saved him. Without the money to pay for a "dream team" of lawyers, he says he would not have prevailed by being acquitted. In the interview, he also states that after his acquittal he smoked marijuana to get to sleep.[221][222][223][224]Former British Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath is flown home from his holiday in Salzburg, Austria, to receive treatment in London for pulmonary embolism.[225]
Current events of August 27, 2003 (2003-08-27) (Wednesday) :
Astronomy: Mars passes Earth at a distance of under 55.76 million kilometers, the closest it has been in approximately 60,000 years[226][227]Private Jessica Lynch, whose rescue from an Iraqi hospital has been surrounded by controversy, is honourably discharged from the United States Army National Guard.Occupation of Iraq: According to a  USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll, nearly two-thirds (63%) of Americans polled say the war in Iraq was worth fighting.[228]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat calls on militant groups to reinstate a ceasefire they formally ended last week after a Hamas leader was killed by Israeli gunships.[229]Separation of church and state: The controversial Ten Commandments monument in Alabama's Supreme Court building is removed from public view, following a court order stating that the monument's location in the court building breaches the separation of church and state. The monument, nicknamed Roy's Holy Rock, was installed two years ago by the conservative Christian Chief Justice Roy Moore.[230][231] Only one in five (20%) Americans approve of the federal court order under which workers removed the Ten Commandments monument from the rotunda of Alabama's state judicial building Wednesday, according to a new poll.[232]Seven people, including the gunman, are killed in a shooting in Chicago as a worker opens fire on his colleagues at a car parts store. The police shoot the gunman dead.[233]A painting by Leonardo da Vinci, the Madonna with the Yarnwinder is stolen from Drumlanrig Castle in Scotland, the home of the Duke of Buccleuch.A body of a woman is found in a shallow grave on a beach near Dundalk in the Republic of Ireland. It is suspected to be the body of Jean McConville, a young Belfast woman and mother of ten children kidnapped and murdered by the Provisional IRA in the mid-1970s. The IRA had  suggested two years ago that McConville was buried in the vicinity. Previous attempts to find her remains had failed.[234]Two bombs explode at the Emeryville, California, corporate offices of Chiron (corporation); electronic mail sent to reporters from Revolutionary Cells (RCALB) claims responsibility.
Current events of August 28, 2003 (2003-08-28) (Thursday) :
9/11: Nearly two years after the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center, transcripts of World Trade Center emergency calls are released.  Voices of victims are identified on emergency calls and radio transmissions.[235][236][237][238][239]United Kingdom – London blackout: A 34-minute power outage causes major disruptions in rail and Tube services in London and the South East when one of the National Grid circuits that feeds south London fails at about 6.15 pm.[240]Nuclear program: North Korea announces that it is in possession of nuclear weapons, has the means to deliver them, and will soon be carrying out a nuclear test to demonstrate this capability.[241][242][243][244]
Current events of August 29, 2003 (2003-08-29) (Friday) :
Najaf, Iraq: A car bomb explodes during prayers outside the holiest shrine for Shiites, Imam Ali Mosque (Tomb of Ali), just as main weekly prayers are ending. More than 125 people are killed, including the influential cleric Ayatollah Sayed Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, the Shiite leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI). Dozens are injured.[245][145][246][247][248][249]Israel is alleged to have contingency plans to bomb an Iranian nuclear power plant if it begins producing weapons grade material.[250]Tensions flare again over the main religious site in Jerusalem, the location of both the Temple Mount and the Noble Sanctuary. The holy site had been closed to non-Muslims since September 2000. Israeli officials say they are maintaining calm over a site sacred to three religions. But Muslim authorities say the Israeli government is risking a backlash here and throughout the Muslim world.[251]Occupation of Iraq: General in Iraq says more soldiers are not needed. The American Coalition commander encouraged Muslim allies like Turkey and Pakistan to send peacekeepers and said accelerating the training of a new Iraqi army should be considered.[252]Tony Blair's communications director, Alastair Campbell, resigns, leaving Blair with none of the three key players he has relied on for the last decade left.[253][254]The Inuit of Labrador sign an agreement with the Canadian federal government, giving them self-government in a 72,500 km2 region of northern Labrador called Nunatsiavut.[255]Surgeons in Baltimore, Maryland, remove a woman's heart, rebuild its upper chambers from bovine and human tissue, and reinstall it in her body.[256]Congressman William J. Janklow, the only Representative from the state of South Dakota, is charged with vehicular manslaughter for an accident on August 16 in which Janklow's speeding car ran a stop sign and hit and killed a motorcyclist.[257]
Current events of August 30, 2003 (2003-08-30) (Saturday) :
Software patents: After protests, the European Parliament has postponed its decision about legality of patents on software in the European Union from September 1 to September 22.[258]WTO deal to allow poor countries to bypass drug patents and import cheap copies to treat AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.[259]Natural disaster: French official first report from the Institut de Veille Sanitaire was presented to Jean-François Mattei (Health Minister). It reports 11,500 more deaths than the previous three years would be due to the heat wave of early August. It had previously been suggested that the number was 3,000.Russian nuclear submarine of K-159 November class sinks in the Barents Sea. The sub was decommissioned and it had 10 crew on board. The incident comes three years after Russia's worst peacetime naval disaster when all 118 crew of the nuclear submarine Kursk died when it sank in the Barents Sea on August 12, 2000. Environmental organizations say that the submarine could be dangerous for fishes, because radioactive material could leak to the sea from its two nuclear reactors.[260]Top fashion designer Stella McCartney, third daughter of former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney marries publisher Alasdhair Willis in a private Roman Catholic chapel at Mount Stuart House, the stately home of the Marquess of Bute.
Current events of August 31, 2003 (2003-08-31) (Sunday) :
Tens of thousands of people turn out in Baghdad for the funeral procession of the murdered Shia Muslim leader Ayatollah Sayed Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim.[261] The Iraqi police handling the investigation say they have arrested 19 men in connection with the blast, many of them foreigners and all with admitted links to al-Qaeda.[145]The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declassifies carbon dioxide as a pollutant, a move seen as leading to the elimination of restrictions on industrial emissions of the controversial gas. Climate scientists have debated carbon dioxide's role in global warming for over a decade, with most voices (though notably fewer within the US) calling it the biggest factor, while others call it negligible.[262]Occupation of Iraq: American and Iraqi officials are discussing the possibility of forming a large Iraqi militia or paramilitary force to help improve security in the country.[263]Terrorist: Terrorism group Jemaah Islamiyah has schemes, revealed in a 40-page manifesto (the Pupji book or General Guide to the Struggle of Jemaah Islamiyah), for a suicide bombing campaign designed to change Asia and the Pacific region into Islamic provinces. Jemaah Islamiyah is also shown to be a well-formed organization with a constitution, rules of operation, and leadership structure.[264]Afghanistan: Soldiers are killed in a remote region (near the town of Shkin) near the Pakistani border. Taliban reinforcements moved into mountainous region in southern Afghanistan where U.S. and Afghan forces have been attacking hideouts in a battle over the past week.[265]
Current events of March 1, 2004 (2004-03-01) (Monday) :
Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei blasted ongoing Israeli extrajudicial executions of Palestinian activists, which claimed two more lives on Sunday, and blamed Israel for the weekend of violence, whilst accusing his Israeli counterpart's government of trying "to kill any possibility for (achieving a) mutual cease-fire".[1]The People's Republic of China puts in place new rules for the trading of derivatives by financial institutions, part of a broader process by which China has in recent years sought to integrate its own economy with finance capitalism around the world. The China Banking Regulatory Commission receives praise from the New York-based International Swaps and Derivatives Association.[2]Jean-Bertrand Aristide claims that his resignation as President of Haiti was forced and that he was kidnapped by American forces and forced to leave the country against his will. United States Vice President Dick Cheney rejects the accusation.  (Democracy Now!) (Reuters) (CNN)The UK Conservative Party withdraws from the Butler Inquiry into intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, claiming the way its terms of reference have been interpreted is too narrow. The Liberal Democrats claim that this was obvious from the beginning. (BBC) (Guardian) (Independent, UK)President of Russia Vladimir Putin names Mikhail Fradkov as his new prime minister.  (BBC)Marc Dutroux, alleged Belgian child molester and murderer of four girls, goes on trial. (BBC)Same-sex marriage in the United States: President of the United States George W. Bush urges passage of a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman, as the only way to stop "municipal and judicial activists" from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. "If we are to prevent the meaning of marriage from being changed forever, our nation must enact a constitutional amendment." John Kerry denounces the amendment as "toying" or "tampering" with the Constitution of the United States for partisan advantage. (Washington Times)The winners of the BAFTA Games Awards are announced. The controversial and popular Grand Theft Auto: Vice City sweeps the pool, with five awards. (Digit Magazine)Several hundred United States, French, and Canadian troops are deployed to Haiti. (Age)Palau National Congress' debate about whether to propose several constitutional amendments to Palau voters or ask them to consider more changes at a Constitutional Convention ended without an accord. (Guam Pacific Daily News)
Current events of March 2, 2004 (2004-03-02) (Tuesday) :
Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
The Palestinian Authority's prisoners' affairs ministry states in its monthly statistical report that the number of Palestinian prisoners has risen to around 7,500. Of those 336 are children, 75 female and 943 in need of medical treatment. Of the 166 prisoners who died, 41% died as a result of medical negligence, while 18% died as a result of torture. (palestine-info.co.uk) (Jihad Unspun)
Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics reports 1,850 new housing units in the Jewish settlements Israel built in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2003, up by 35 percent from the previous year. (BBC)U.S. Democratic Presidential Nomination:
John Kerry wins the Super Tuesday primaries in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Rhode Island and caucus in Minnesota, effectively clinching the nomination. Howard Dean wins in his home state of Vermont even though he is no longer actively campaigning. John Edwards is reported to be withdrawing from the race three hours before polls close in California and just as the caucuses begin in Minnesota.(NC News & Observer)
Scattered problems crop up with electronic voting systems.(AP) (Tri-Valley Herald)Same-sex marriage in the United States:
Jason West, mayor of New Paltz, New York, is charged with 19 criminal counts of solemnizing marriages without a license. If convicted, he faces up to a $500 fine and a year in jail on each count.(Newsday)
Multnomah County, Oregon, prepares to begin solemnizing same-sex marriages, after its attorney issues a legal opinion deeming such marriages lawful. (SF Chronicle)Exploration of Mars: NASA announces that Mars rover Opportunity landed in an area where "liquid water once drenched the surface". (SF Chronicle)Bernard Ebbers, ex-CEO of Worldcom, is indicted on three counts of conspiracy for his alleged role in that company's $11 billion accounting scandal in 2002. Worldcom's CFO Scott Sullivan pleads guilty and is expected to cooperate with prosecutors against Ebbers. (CNN)Multiple explosions hit Shiite shrines in Baghdad and Karbala on the Shia festival of Ashura. Over 180 people are reported killed. A three-day-long period of national mourning is announced. (BBC)Iraq gets a Bill of Rights, including guarantees of freedom of religion and press, in the form of the Law of Administering the Iraqi State for the Transitional Period. (Washington Times)The U.S. declares its 2,000-man force to have leadership over all foreign military forces in Haiti. President Bush chose not to wait for the UN Security Council but, instead, to intervene immediately to "restore order" in the Western Hemisphere's poorest country. (Washington Times)The European Union imposes additional 5% tariffs on a wide range of goods imported from the United States, such as honey, paper, and nuclear reactors. The tariffs were sanctioned by the World Trade Organization in 2002 as punitive measures after a ruling declaring that United States tax law unfairly favors U.S.-based companies. (BBC)The European Space Agency's Rosetta space probe is successfully launched aboard an Ariane 5 rocket on a mission to investigate the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. (BBC)
Current events of March 3, 2004 (2004-03-03) (Wednesday) :
Abdurahman Khadr, a suspected terrorist, and his family confess on CBC national television that "We are an al-Qaeda family" and that they lived with Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan.(CBC)Serious controversy in Greece over a flyer with propaganda against George Papandreou, just some days before the elections of Sunday, March 7, 2004. The opposition party New Democracy (ND) is accused by Anna Diamantopoulou (member of the currently ruling Panhellenic Socialist Movement – PASOK) that printed and mailed the controversial flyer to members of the Greek Eastern Christian Church's clergy. The flyer is describing George Papandreou as an Atheist who is against the Church and the national and religious symbols. (MPA) (IN.gr) (IN.gr) (MPA)At the Walt Disney Company's Annual General Meeting, about 43% of Walt Disney stockholders, including several prominent pension funds, vote to oppose the re-election of Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner. The board of directors replaces him as Chairman with George J. Mitchell. (CNN) (TheStreet)Researchers at Harvard University announce that they will give scientists free access to 17 human embryonic stem cell lines created without U.S. federal funding. This move is expected to boost stem cell research in the face of federal funding restrictions announced in 2001 by the Bush administration. (CNN)A new government of Serbia, headed by Vojislav Koštunica, is approved by parliament. (BBC)Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
Israeli aircraft destroy a car in the Gaza strip with missile fire, killing three people acknowledged by Palestinian officials as members of the militant group Hamas. (BBC)
A group of Israelis join a court challenge against the Israeli West Bank barrier out of concern it could turn their good Palestinian neighbors into deadly enemies. (Reuters)In the trial of Martha Stewart and her broker, Judge Miriam Goldman gives the jury its instructions. (TheStreet)New claims of bubble fusion are made, claiming that the results of previous experiments have been replicated under more stringent experimental conditions. (RPI press release)  (NY Times)In an interview published today, former U.S. and U.N. weapons inspector David Kay says that President George W. Bush and his administration should admit the United States was wrong about the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.  "It's about confronting and coming clean with the American people," he said. (The Guardian)
Current events of March 4, 2004 (2004-03-04) (Thursday) :
The guilty verdict for Moroccan al-Qaeda suspect Mounir el Motassadeq's involvement in the September 11, 2001 attacks is overturned by the German appeals court, which orders a retrial. (Globe and Mail)Three American Muslims accused of using paintball games to train for a jihad (holy war) are found guilty of conspiracy charges. (Fox news)Horst Köhler resigns as the head of the International Monetary Fund in order to accept the nomination for Presidency of Germany.Michael Dell, head of Dell Computers announces that he will step down as CEO of the computer manufacturer. However, he will still retain his position as chairman of the board. Dell president and COO, Kevin Rollins will assume the role of CEO.  (CNN)A significant copyright ruling by Supreme Court of Canada discusses fair dealing. (text of ruling)Chinese authorities release Wang Youcai, a day after Rabiya Kadeer's release (BBC)U.S. presidential election, 2004:
Controversy erupts over the US Republican Party's use of imagery from the September 11, 2001 attacks in campaign advertising, with some supporting the President, like Republican ex-New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani, and some victims' families objecting strongly. (AP) (Guardian) (BBC) (Scotsman)
US Democratic Party labels the Bush campaign an "attack machine" which they vow to thwart at every turn. "Fund raising and the race to define your opponent before he defines you that's what it's all about," said one Democratic strategist yesterday. (Washington Times) The White House defends the use of images from the 2001 terror attacks in adverts for President Bush's re-election campaign. Karen Hughes states, "It's a reminder of our shared experience as a nation ... not just some distant tragedy from the past. It really defined our future". (BBC)Israeli tanks (around 15 armoured vehicles escorted by several bulldozers) enter the town of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, exchanging gunfire with resistance and later demolishing a four-storey building, claiming "anti-terrorist operations". (Australian)The Prime Minister of Malaysia dissolves the national parliament and all state assemblies except Sarawak's, paving the way for the general election to be held within 60 days as dictated by the constitution. (BBC)
Current events of March 5, 2004 (2004-03-05) (Friday) :
The U.S. Republican National Committee sends a letter to hundreds of television stations, warning the stations about airing anti-Bush advertisements sponsored by MoveOn.org. The letter warns that the ads may be financed with money raised in violation of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act. (CNN)U.S. Patent and Trademark Office invalidates patent claim to Web browser technology central to a case by Eolas against Microsoft. (CNet)The United States Department of Labor releases a report showing that job growth all but stalled in February. (PBS)Libya admits to having stockpiled 23 metric tons of mustard gas in its declaration to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague. (AP) (OPCW press release)SCO v. IBM: U.S. District Judge Brooke Wells orders the two involved companies to produce, within 45 days, lines of code and documentation supporting their cases. (USA Today)U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft is hospitalized for gallstone pancreatitis. (Drudge) (CNN)The National People's Congress convenes in Beijing. Premier Wen Jiabao makes his first state address, saying that "solving the problems of agriculture, villages and farmers is one of the most crucial parts of our entire work". (BBC)Civilian Russian engineers may have secretly aided Saddam Hussein's long-range ballistic missile program, providing technical assistance for prohibited Iraqi weapons projects. (IHT)Last minute disagreement delays signing of Iraq's interim constitution. (Radio Free Europe) (USA Today)The Russian polar station will be evacuated. Russia launches rescue operation to evacuate 12 of its scientists stranded on a research station (which partially sank) near the North Pole. (Pravda) (BBC)Tony Blair defends the war in Iraq, stating that "global threat we face in Britain and round the world is real and existential and it is the task of leadership to expose it and fight it, whatever the political cost." (ABC) (Scotsman)Same-sex marriage in the United States: The Wisconsin State Assembly approves state constitution amendment (voted 68-27) to ban same-sex marriages or civil unions, to counter efforts elsewhere to legalize such partnerships. The Kansas House passes, by 88 votes to 36, a proposed amendment. (Pittsburg KS Morning Sun) (USA Today)Police hold a Haifa man, Eliran Golan, and his 54-year-old father in custody on suspicion of involvement in making and planting bombs over the last three years. Haifa Magistrate court extends for five days the remand of Yivgeny Grossman. Grossman denies any connection. (Haaretz) (Jerusalem Post)Martha Stewart is found guilty by a jury on charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and two counts of making false statements regarding alleged insider trading in December 2001. She faces up to 20 years in prison, though it is considered unlikely that she would be sentenced to that maximum. Sentencing is set for June 17. (SF Chronicle)Nunavut general election, 2004: the new legislature returns Paul Okalik to office as premier of Nunavut, the largest territory of Canada. (CBC)Key Tokyo stock indexes (Nikkei 225 and Topix) hit 21-month highs.The trial of former Finnish Prime Minister Anneli Jäätteenmäki ends. She has been accused of leaking secret foreign ministry documents referring to her predecessor Paavo Lipponen's meetings with George W. Bush. (BBC)The Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators set a National Hockey League single-game record with 419 combined penalty minutes, due to a brawl involving all six players (including the goalies) on both teams. The Flyers also set a team record for most team penalty minutes in a game with 213.
Current events of March 6, 2004 (2004-03-06) (Saturday) :
Tens of thousands demonstrate in Caracas, Venezuela, against what they see as the government's fraud committed by the National Electoral Council related to the realization of a presidential referendum in mid-2004.The United States puts forth a UN Security Council resolution seeking to freeze the assets of Charles Taylor, the exiled former president of Liberia. The U.S. also announces that it is pledging $35 million to help rebuild Liberia's armed forces and that it supports the cancellation of Liberia's international debt, providing that economic reforms are implemented. (BBC)Singer David Crosby is arrested in New York City after marijuana and a handgun were found in a suitcase Crosby accidentally left behind at his hotel. (CNN)Palestinians are killed and wounded in attack on the main crossing point between the Gaza Strip and Israel. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claim responsibility. (BBC)Teenagers released from Guantanamo Bay's Camp X-Ray recall the place fondly. (Guardian)Turkish politicians claim that there is political consensus within Turkey to join the European Union, despite the EU's demands for changes before that can occur. (IHT)Up to 80,000 people march through the Turkish capital Ankara against plans to reform the country's civil service. The marchers fear that the reforms could lead to the civil service becoming politicised or losing its secular status. (BBC)Canadian federal election: Former deputy prime minister Sheila Copps loses the Liberal constituency nomination to current Transport Minister Tony Valeri by 311 votes. She will likely appeal; there is some speculation that if the loss remains, she will either run as an independent or for the New Democratic Party. (Toronto Star)The scientists of the Russian polar research station near the North Pole are evacuated from their shifting and cracking ice floe by two Russian helicopters via Norway's Spitzbergen island. (BBC)
Current events of March 7, 2004 (2004-03-07) (Sunday) :
The New York City medical examiner reveals that a body pulled from the East River is the actor and writer Spalding Gray, he was missing since January.  (NYT)Greek legislative election, 2004: New Democracy, led by Kostas Karamanlis, wins over the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, led by George Papandreou.(BBC) (BBC)An explosion rocks a Moscow apartment block. Initial reports from police suggest that the explosion was caused by a bomb, in spite of increased security in the run-up to the presidential election on March 14. Later reports state that the explosion was due to a gas leak. (BBC)The White House reports that all of Libya's remaining nuclear weapons-related equipment has been sent to the United States. (BBC)Palestinian sources say that 14 people died after an Israeli raid into the refugee camps of al-Bureij and Nusseirat. Israeli sources say it was a "pinpoint" operation against the "terrorist infrastructure". (BBC)The 2004 Formula One championship gets under way with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Michael Schumacher wins. (BBC)In Sweden some 15,500 skiers compete in the 80th installment of Vasaloppet, the oldest and longest cross-country ski race in the world. Norwegian Anders Aukland wins. (Sports Illustrated) (Vasaloppet press release)In Austria there are elections in the states of Salzburg and Carinthia. In Salzburg, the SPÖ earns a majority for the first time. In Carinthia, the election is an unexpected success for Jörg Haider (FPÖ).It is announced that Peter Maxwell Davies is to be the United Kingdom's next Master of the Queen's Music. (Scotsman)The headquarters of the US-led coalition in Baghdad come under rocket attack from Iraqi guerillas, the day before the new Iraqi temporary constitution is due to be signed. (BBC)Zimbabwean police in Harare airport impound a plane which flew in from South Africa with 67 alleged mercenaries on board. The mercenaries, funded by Sir Mark Thatcher (UK) were to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea.
Current events of March 8, 2004 (2004-03-08) (Monday) :
Todd Bertuzzi of the Vancouver Canucks ice hockey team hits rookie Steve Moore of the Colorado Avalanche in the middle of a game, fracturing vertebrae in Moore's neck and probably ending his career. In the same game, Trevor Linden passed Stan Smyl in career point scoring for the Vancouver Canucks. (National Post)Dr. Jiang Yanyong, who exposed the SARS coverup in the People's Republic of China, sends a letter to the National People's Congress calling the forceful suppression of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 a "mistake." (BBC)United States Marines shoot and kill a Haitian gunman in front of Port-au-Prince's presidential palace after the man fired rounds at the marines and protesters. Supporters of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide had shot and killed several anti-Aristide demonstrators.(NYT)Iraq's governing council unanimously approves the country's new constitution. (AP)On International Women's Day, Afghan President Hamid Karzai encourages men to allow their female relatives to vote in the upcoming election, but also suggests that they control those votes. (Toronto Star)On a visit to Ottawa, Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan addressed a dinner, saying that Canada is a pillar of the United Nations. (National Post)The United Kingdom's House of Lords votes to send the Constitutional Reform Bill, which will abolish the office of Lord Chancellor, create a new Supreme Court, and create a Judicial Appointments Commission, to a select committee for scrutiny, defeating the government. Government MPs claim this is a "wrecking" move, and threaten to use the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 to force the measure through.  (BBC)
Current events of March 9, 2004 (2004-03-09) (Tuesday) :
March 9, 2004 attack on Istanbul restaurant in Turkey by two Islamic suicide bombers killing one, injuring five. (Reuters) (ChannelNewsAsia)California electricity crisis: Federal prosecutors plan to indict a Reliant Energy subsidiary for its alleged role in the energy shortage of 2000 and 2001. These would be the first criminal proceedings related to the crisis. (Houston Business Journal)New Hubble Space Telescope images show deepest view of the universe yet. (NYT)Opposition members of South Korea's parliament undertake the first steps in impeachment proceedings against President Roh Moo-hyun. (Reuters)John Allen Muhammad is sentenced to death by a Virginia judge for his role in the Beltway sniper attacks. (Bloomberg) (CNN)A genetically modified crop, Bayer's Chardon LL maize, is approved for growing in England for animal feed from 2005 until October 2006. The Scottish Executive also approves the move, but asks Scottish farmers to hold off. MPs and farmers protest in anger as the science is questioned. The Welsh National Assembly's Environment Minister announces he is still opposed to approving the crop. (New Scientist) (BBC) (BBC) (BBC) (Evening Standard)Pakistan announces a successful first flight test of its Hatf VI / Shaheen II long-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile. The missile has a range of 2,000 km (1,200 mi) and can carry a payload of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). (BBC) (CNN)Five of the nine Britons held by American authorities at Guantanamo Bay under suspicion of having links to terrorist organisations are returned to Britain. They are to be questioned by British anti-terrorism police on arrival.(Reuters) (CNN)The FBI arrests William Cottrell, a Caltech student and alleged member of the Earth Liberation Front, in connection with last summer's spate of arson attacks at a car dealerships which destroyed or damaged over one hundred vehicles, including many Hummer H2 luxury SUVs. (AP) (Reuters)In the United States, EchoStar's Dish Network stops carrying channels owned by Viacom (CBS, MTV, Comedy Central, and others) in a dispute over the pricing of those channels. Both companies have used text crawls and other information to influence viewers to call the opposing company to negotiate price. (NYT) (Dow Jones) (Reuters) (Financial Times) (Motley Fool)
Current events of March 10, 2004 (2004-03-10) (Wednesday) :
ROC presidential election, 2004: Wei Chueh, one of four Buddhist masters in Taiwan, controversially endorses Lien Chan. (BBC)National Hockey League hockey player Todd Bertuzzi is suspended for the remainder of the season and for the entire Stanley Cup playoffs for his hit on Steve Moore, which left him with two broken vertebrae in his neck. The Vancouver police department is also looking into the incident.  (TSN)Girls Gone Wild videos of minors exposing their breasts are not child pornography, according to a Florida court. (FOX) (AP)U.S. officials tell of their plans to impose sanctions against Syria under the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act. The Bush administration accuses Syria of sponsoring terrorism and developing chemical and biological weapons. (CNN)Kodak sues Sony over alleged violations of Kodak's patents on digital camera technology.  (USA Today)U.S. presidential election: The Bush reelection campaign charges that an anti-Bush ad campaign funded with "soft money" from billionaire George Soros funding violates campaign finance laws. The Bush camp plans to file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission regarding a planned anti-Bush advertising campaign by The Media Fund.  (CNN)Canadian federal election: Monia Mazigh, the wife of former Syrian deportee Maher Arar, announces her run for candidacy with the NDP in the riding of Ottawa South. (Globe and Mail)Lee Boyd Malvo is sentenced to life in prison without parole by a Virginia judge for his role in the Beltway Sniper Attacks.(CNN)Tracy McGrady of the Orlando Magic scores 62 points against the Washington Wizards, setting the record for most points scored in one game for the Orlando Magic franchise.
Current events of March 11, 2004 (2004-03-11) (Thursday) :
March 11, 2004 Madrid attacks: 10 bombs on Madrid commuter trains kill at least 190 people and wound more than 1247, the largest toll in any bombing in Europe (the 1988 Lockerbie bombing killed more but wounded fewer). (Washington Post) (BBC) (La Vanguardia) (CincoDías) (El Semanal) (Renfe) (Le Monde) (CBC) (Reuters) (CNN) Purported al-Qaida statement: (Al-Jazeera)The Spirit rover takes the first picture ever of Earth from the surface of another planet which happens to be Mars. (Space.com)Four British prisoners who had been arrested on their return from Guantanamo Bay are released without charge. A fifth was not arrested on arrival. A further four remain in the Cuban camp. British newspapers vie for the rights to their stories, with offers in the range of £300,000. Compensation lawsuits from the returned five are expected against the US and UK governments. (Guardian) (BBC) (BBC)Same-sex marriage in the United States: The California Supreme Court issues an interim stay ordering San Francisco officials to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The court said it would hear oral arguments regarding the controversy in May or June. The state says it did not register any of the thousands of recent gay marriages. (FOX/AP) (365Gay) (Washington Times)A Maryland woman and former Democratic congressional aide, Susan Lindauer, is arrested on charges of conspiracy against the United States, acting as an Iraqi spy before and during last year's invasion. (CNN) (Smoking Gun)An Australian Senate report on poverty is immediately dismissed by Prime Minister John Howard. The report shows between 2 and 3.5 million Australians, or up to 19 per cent of the population, are living in poverty. (Age) (West Australian) (Australian) (Channelnewsasia)SCO v. IBM: BayStar Capital, an investment company, confirms tie between Microsoft and SCO. (Business Week) (CNet) (Newsforge) (Groklaw)Pop singer George Michael announces that he will stop selling his music. Instead, he plans to distribute it freely over the Internet and pass on any donations to charity. (E! Online)
Current events of March 12, 2004 (2004-03-12) (Friday) :
Same-sex marriage in the United States: Oregon's attorney general issues his opinion on same-sex marriage within Oregon. He concludes that current state law prohibits issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but that the Oregon Supreme Court is likely to conclude those statutes violate the state's constitution. The Wisconsin State Senate approves state constitution amendment to ban same-sex marriages or civil unions, to counter efforts elsewhere to legalize such partnerships. (Oregon Attorney General's opinion—PDF) (Wisconsin State Journal)A Utah woman is charged with murder when her child is stillborn, after allegedly refusing a Caesarean section. (Reuters) (SF Chronicle) (Toronto Star)March 11, 2004 Madrid attacks: Millions of people pack rainswept streets across Spain in protest against the recent Madrid bombings. (Reuters)The parliament of South Korea votes to impeach President Roh Moo-hyun, saying he "breached election rules" by calling for support for the Uri Party. Prime Minister Goh Kun will run the country until the Constitutional Court rules on the issue. Roh's supporters dismiss the move as a power play to influence the upcoming April elections. Thousands protest in support of Roh. (Reuters) (BBC) (BBC)Guantanamo Bay: Recently released British Camp X-Ray inmate Jamal al-Harith is interviewed by the Daily Mirror, alleging physical assaults and psychological torture. (Daily Mirror) (BBC)Iraqi insurgents kill two U.S. soldiers in a roadside bomb attack near the Sunni Triangle town of Habbaniyah. (AP)Iraqi police are responsible for killing two U.S. civilians, local investigators state. (UPI)The U.S. government announces its intention to stockpile as many as 25 million doses of an experimental anthrax vaccine. (AP)ROC presidential election, 2004: An ad comparing Chen Shui-bian to Adolf Hitler is withdrawn after protests by Jewish leaders.(CNN)
Current events of March 13, 2004 (2004-03-13) (Saturday) :
ROC presidential election, 2004: 2 million people march in 24 rallies across Taiwan in support of Lien Chan's bid for the presidency. (Reuters)The death toll in the Madrid bombings rises to 200; investigators continue search for perpetrators, with suspicions against ETA complemented by the apprehension of five foreign citizens connected to terror attacks in Morocco. (BBC) (AP)U.S. forces launch new offensive aimed at the Taliban and al-Qaeda and the capture of Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar in Afghanistan. (AP)Fifteen teams that qualified for the DARPA Grand Challenge start on a 150–200 mile robotic race to Las Vegas, Nevada, for a $1 million prize. All of the teams break down within seven miles of the start line; none collect the prize. (The Register) (The Register)Nine people, eight of whom are children, are found dead in Fresno, California, US. A man apparently related to the victims is arrested. The police speculate that the deaths may have been part of a ritual. (CNN) (AOL news)Malaysian general election, 2004: Nomination day. Barisan Nasional takes 15 Parliamentary seats uncontested and 7 state assembly seats. The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party captures one parliamentary seat in the state of Johor.
Current events of March 14, 2004 (2004-03-14) (Sunday) :
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) wins the Spanish Legislative elections. The outgoing government's support for the US-led invasion of Iraq was cited as a major factor leading to the Socialists' 43% plurality.  (El Mundo) (BBC) (CNN) (Ministry of Home Affairs)Two suicide bombers kill 10 people in Ashdod, Israel. (BBC) (CNN)Madrid bombings: Spanish police receives a videotape where a man identifying himself as an al-Qaeda spokesman says the organisation claims responsibility for the attack, according to an announcement from the country's interior minister. The authenticity of the video has not been verified. The al-Qaeda claim overshadows voting in the general election. (BBC) (BBC) (Toronto Star)Occupation of Iraq: Six United States soldiers are killed over the weekend in three separate insurgent roadside bomb attacks, two in Baghdad and one in Tikrit. This occurs amidst the largest U.S. troop rotation since World War II.The National People's Congress of China changes the constitution to protect private property, in order to stop state officials from requisitioning property and private possessions. (BBC) (Reuters) (Al Jazeera)Voting takes place in the Russian presidential election. Incumbent Vladimir Putin wins by a large majority. The election is widely criticised by external observers who said Russian state television was very biased towards Putin during the campaign. (BBC) (Reuters)Pope John Paul II becomes the third-longest reigning pope in history, the other two being Saint Peter and Pope Pius IX. (Detroit Free Press)Several Kurds storm the Syrian embassy in Brussels protesting about violence and deaths in north-east Syria over the weekend. (BBC)
Current events of March 15, 2004 (2004-03-15) (Monday) :
Four U.S. Baptist missionaries working on a water purification project are killed in a drive-by shooting in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. (CNN)Pavlo Lazarenko, former prime minister of Ukraine, stands trial in a U.S. federal court in San Francisco for money laundering. (AP)Same-sex marriage in the United States: Commissioners of Multnomah County, Oregon, dismiss state attorney general Hardy Myers' non-binding opinion that same-sex marriages are illegal and vow to continue issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. (Seattle Times)Newly elected Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero announces his government's opposition to the invasion and continued occupation of Iraq and his intention to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq by June 30, unless they are part of a U.N. force. (BBC)Astronomers announce the discovery of 90377 Sedna, a Pluto-like planetoid which is the most distant individual object known to orbit the Sun. (Caltech) (BBC) (The Australian)Iran will reallow the entry of UN nuclear inspectors after March 27, says International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei. (BBC) (AFP)Haiti recalls its ambassador of neighbouring Caribbean state Jamaica, where ousted president Jean-Bertrand Aristide is said to be making a personal visit. Haiti also threatens to boycott a 2-day Caricom meeting. (AP) (BBC) (Reuters)In the aftermath of nomination day for the Malaysian general election, Barisan Nasional wins four more seats in various state assemblies and another parliamentary seat, uncontested. (ChannelNewsAsia) (Toronto Star)Exiled Syrian Kurds storm the Syrian consulate in Geneva and other Kurds protest in Turkey and Germany at weekend violence in northeast Syria. (BBC)
Current events of March 16, 2004 (2004-03-16) (Tuesday) :
Rwandan President Paul Kagame accuses France of direct involvement in the 1994 genocide. (BBC)March 11, 2004 Madrid attacks: Spanish police identify six Moroccans suspected to have carried out the Madrid attacks. Five of the suspects are still at large but one is in custody. (BBC) (Washington Post)George W. Bush calls on his Iraq War allies to stick with the United States. (Reuters)An explosion at an apartment building in Arkhangelsk, Russia, kills 32. (Al-Jazeera)The Federal Reserve votes to keep interest rates unchanged, primarily since new hiring has continued to lag in the United States.  (Forbes)
Current events of March 17, 2004 (2004-03-17) (Wednesday) :
ROC presidential election, 2004: Nobel laureate Lee Yuan-tseh endorses Chen Shui-bian for the second time. (Seattle PI)Unrest in Kosovo: After two Albanian children are found drowned in the Ibar river in Kosovo, with a third still missing, riots erupt in the town of Kosovska Mitrovica and later spread to the entire province. Mitrovica Serbs are blamed by Albanian media for forcing the children into the river, but this is later denied by United Nations officials. At least 22 people are killed by the end of the day with hundreds injured in clashes between Serbs and Albanians; enclaves of Kosovo Serbs elsewhere in the province experience attacks by Kosovo Albanians as well as offices of UN officials which were abandoned. In reaction to the violence in Kosovo, demonstrators in Serbia march in Belgrade and set ablaze mosques in Belgrade and Nish. (B92) (B92) (SwissInfo) (NYT) (BBC) (CNN) (B92) (RTS, in Serbian)Occupation of Iraq: A car bomb flattens the Mount Lebanon Hotel in central Baghdad at 20:10 (UTC+3), killing at least 17 people and injuring 45 more. (BBC) (CNN) (Democracy Now!)Utah bans execution by firing squad. (BBC)Ohio highway sniper attacks: Suspect Charles A. McCoy Jr. is arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada. (MSNBC)
Current events of March 18, 2004 (2004-03-18) (Thursday) :
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf reports that his soldiers have surrounded a cadre of Al-Qaida men located in Waziristan, Pakistan, that was protecting Ayman al-Zawahiri, the second-in-command for the organization.Howard Dean announces plans to form Democracy for America, a political organization intended to help progressive candidates holding similar views. (CNN)Indian government officials warn that rebels from northeast India based in Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan are planning major attacks to disrupt upcoming national elections. (Reuters)Unrest in Kosovo: NATO announces that it will reinforce its Kosovo Force, following ethnic unrest there that has killed at least 31 people over the past two days. More Serbian Orthodox Churches have been set ablaze by Albanians and violence has continued in and around Kosovo Serb enclaves. Russia and Serbia and Montenegro call for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council. United Nations officials attempt to restore order in the province and blame the unrest on nationalist extremists on both sides. More demonstrations have taken place across Serbia, so far without the violence seen the previous day. (Washington Post) (BBC) (B92)Near-Earth asteroid 2004 FH made the second-closest approach of an asteroid ever recorded. At 22:08 UTC it passed 43,000 km above Earth's surface. (NASA-JPL)Cleanup work at Love Canal has been completed, federal officials said. The EPA says it should be taken off the Superfund list. Environmental activist Lois Gibbs said the Bush administration was seeking to deflect criticism from a March 11 Senate vote against reauthorizing an expired user fee on corporations to fund environmental cleanup. (NYT)US Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia refuses to recuse himself from a case – involving his friend Dick Cheney – considering whether the White House must release information about private meetings of Cheney's energy task force stating that duck hunting and fishing trip "was not an intimate setting" and that the energy case was never discussed. (SC)The United States House of Representatives votes unanimously to double the reward for Osama bin Laden's capture to US$50 million. (CNN)
Current events of March 19, 2004 (2004-03-19) (Friday) :
ICANN announces that a Toronto, Canada, organization, the International Foundation for Online Responsibility (IFFOR), has applied to sponsor the.xxx top-level domain. IFFOR claims that a special domain would help control the spread of pornography to children. However, in February the Internet Engineering Task Force released RFC 3675, ".sex Considered Dangerous", detailing technical and administrative concerns with such proposals. (Web Host Industry Review) (IETF announcement) (.xxx application)Pakistani soldiers seal off an area of South Waziristan where they suspect that the senior Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri is hiding. The Pakistanis have suffered many casualties.(CNN)The U.S. military drops all charges of alleged mishandling of classified information against Muslim Army chaplain Yousef Yee at Guantanamo Bay.(FOX)Same-sex marriage in Canada: The Quebec Court of Appeal upholds a Quebec superior court ruling that same-sex marriages are valid under Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. (CBC) It joins Ontario and British Columbia in permitting same-sex marriage. The couple which brought the suit is scheduled to be wed on April 10, after a required 20-day waiting period.Taiwan presidential election and referendum:
The People's Republic of China announces joint military exercises with France close to Taiwan, to coincide with the elections.(BBC)
President Chen Shui-bian and Vice-President Annette Lu are shot while campaigning in Tainan. A bullet hits Lu in the knee, before striking Chen in the stomach. The pair were travelling in the presidential motorcade. Both have left hospital after treatment. (Wash. Post) (ChannelNewsAsia) (BBC)Äänekoski bus disaster: At least 24 young people are killed and 15 injured, several of them seriously, in a collision on an icy road between a coach and a lorry carrying rolls of paper on Highway 4 near Äänekoski in Central Finland. The accident happened at around 2 a.m. local time (UTC +2). (Helsingin Sanomat) (BBC)The newspaper USA Today admits that a former reporter, Jack Kelley, invented or distorted important parts of at least eight major stories. He was, for example, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2001 on the basis of an eyewitness account of a suicide bombing that, the publication now acknowledges, could not have happened as described. (USA Today)
Current events of March 20, 2004 (2004-03-20) (Saturday) :
ROC presidential election: Chen Shui-bian is declared the winner over Lien Chan by fewer than 30,000 votes of nearly 13,000,000 cast (0.25%). Lien calls the result unfair and demands it be voided. A controversial referendum is invalidated by low turnout. (BBC) (CNN)Former Queen Juliana of the Netherlands dies aged 94. (BBC) (Royal Household)On the first anniversary of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, millions join protests in cities across the world to demonstrate against the war and the continued occupation. In London two Greenpeace protesters evade newly tightened security and scale the Houses of Parliament's Clock Tower to unfurl a banner calling for the truth to be told by the UK government. (Democracy Now!) (Reuters) (AFP) (BBC) (CNN)The BBC announces that actor Christopher Eccleston is to play Doctor Who when the show makes its eagerly awaited return to television in 2005. (BBC)Stephen Harper is elected as leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, winning 56% of the possible points on the first ballot. (Global TV) (CBC) (Globe and Mail)A Methodist church jury in Bothell, Washington acquits a lesbian minister of violation of church rules.  (AP)
Current events of March 21, 2004 (2004-03-21) (Sunday) :
Jimmy Carter, former US president and 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner, vehemently condemns George W. Bush and Tony Blair for waging an unnecessary war "based upon lies and misinterpretations" in order to oust Saddam Hussein. He claims that Blair had allowed his better judgment to be swayed by Bush's desire to finish a war that his father had started. (Independent)Malaysian general election: Secular ruling coalition Barisan Nasional wins a two-thirds majority and wrests back the state of Terengganu from Islamist party PAS. A recount is pending for the closely contested state of Kelantan. (Malaysiakini)The second race of the 2004 Formula One championship, in Malaysia, is won by Michael Schumacher. (BBC)Measurements taken at Mauna Loa Observatory show carbon dioxide readings of 379 parts per million, up by 3 ppm in one year; average increase for the past decade has been 1.8 ppm. The reason for this accelerated buildup in a greenhouse gas requires further analysis. (AP)Al-Qaeda claims to have purchased "smart briefcase bombs" with nuclear capabilities on the black market. (AP)Salvadoran presidential election: Voting takes place to elect a new president of El Salvador. (BBC)ROC presidential election: Taiwan's High Court has ordered all ballot boxes to be sealed, in order to preserve evidence. However, a recount of votes was not ordered. Various protests are held throughout the island. (AP)Malaysian general election: Voting gets underway all over Malaysia to decide the new holders of seats in Parliament and various state assemblies.
Current events of March 22, 2004 (2004-03-22) (Monday) :
Testimony begins in the state murder trial of convicted Oklahoma City bombing accomplice, Terry Nichols, in McAlester, Oklahoma. (AP)ROC presidential election, 2004: Chen Shui-bian's Democratic Progressive Party submits a bill to the Legislative Yuan to allow an immediate recount, per Lien Chan's demand, but the majority Pan-Blue Coalition dismisses it as unnecessary saying the President could just issue an executive order instead. (The Star) (Bloomberg)Microsoft is to be fined a record €497 million ($613 million) by the European Commission as punishment for abusing its Windows monopoly, according to reports ahead of a key meeting by EU Commissioners on Wednesday. (Financial Times)Salvadoran presidential election: Tony Saca of the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) declares victory over a former Communist Party guerrilla leader, with 60% of the votes. (Seattle Times) (CoLatino) (El Salvador) (Democracy Now!)Israel assassinates Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the spiritual head of Hamas, in the Gaza Strip. It then seals off both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. (Reuters) (BBC) Kofi Annan, and the British, French, and German governments, amongst others, condemn the killing. (BBC) (FOX)The former chief counter-terrorism aide to U.S. President Bush, Richard Clarke, claims that Bush diverted attention towards Iraq, ignoring the main threat of Al-Qaida. Clarke was the administration's senior counter-terrorism official when 9/11 took place. (Guardian) (Reuters) (FT) (BBC)The United Kingdom shuts its embassy in Algiers, Algeria, amid general security fears. (BBC) (CNN)Mijailo Mijailovic is sentenced to life imprisonment for the equivalent of First-degree murder, found guilty of assassination of Sweden's Foreign Minister Anna Lindh, September 10, 2003.Same-sex marriage in the U.S.: Benton County, Oregon, commissioners, after receiving a letter from state attorney general Hardy Myers, reverse their earlier vote to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples this Wednesday. But, stating they will observe the principle of equal treatment under the law, the commissioners decide that the county will stop issuing any marriage licenses until the Oregon Supreme Court has ruled on the constitutionality of the law. (Oregonian) (Register-Guard)
Current events of March 23, 2004 (2004-03-23) (Tuesday) :
Unrest in Kosovo: an UNMIK police patrol is attacked on the Pristina–Podujevo road. A UN police officer from Ghana is killed, a local police officer later dies of his wounds, and their translator is also wounded but in stable condition. (Kosovo.net)United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell defend their pre-September 11 actions, saying that even if Osama bin Laden had been killed, the attacks on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon would have still occurred. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Secretary of Defense William Cohen also testify before the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. (AP via SFGate)Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi is chosen to lead Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and the movement's exiled politburo chief Khaled Meshaal is chosen as its overall leader. (BBC) (Washington Post)
Current events of March 24, 2004 (2004-03-24) (Wednesday) :
The World Trade Organization makes a preliminary ruling that United States laws prohibiting Internet gambling violate international trade agreements, in response to a complaint by Antigua and Barbuda. The Bush administration vows to appeal, while some members of the United States Congress say they would rather allow a trade war or withdraw from future WTO talks than repeal laws against online gambling. (BBC) (Seattle PI)Danish artist Marco Evaristti paints an iceberg in Greenland red, using 780 gallons of paint. (USA Today)A bomb is discovered on a TGV railway between Paris and Geneva near Troyes, France. (ONE News)Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow: The United States Supreme Court hears oral arguments over the constitutionality of the "under God" clause of the Pledge of Allegiance. (WTHR) (CNN)The British explorer David Hempleman-Adams sets an altitude record for a flight in a wicker basket balloon. (Bloomberg)Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
The leader of Hamas states that the group has no plans to attack U.S. targets, retreating from earlier threats by its armed wing. However, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is announced as a new target, instead. (News Limited)
Sharon states that Israel has a "natural right" to pursue those who would destroy it. (Jewish Press)
Hussam Abdo, a 14-year-old Palestinian suicide bomber fails to detonate his bomb-vest at an Israeli checkpoint outside Nablus. The child was paid $23 and promised sex in heaven as his reward. An armed wing of Fatah takes responsibility for sending the boy.
Current events of March 25, 2004 (2004-03-25) (Thursday) :
The 2004 Abel Prize in mathematics is announced to be awarded to Michael F. Atiyah and Isadore M. Singer for their index theorem. (Aftenposten)The terrorist group AZF suspends its bombing campaign in France but continues to demand money from the government. News agencies report that the government placed notices in Libération newspaper to contact the terrorists. (BBC)The House of Representatives of US state of Georgia passes a ban on genital piercings for women, including consenting adults, as part of a bill to ban female genital mutilation as performed by some Muslim populations, among others. The ban does not apply to men. The provision is not included in the version passed by Georgia's Senate. (AP)Five planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) array across the evening sky in a night show that will not be back for another three decades. (AP)A prototype of a mechanized five-ton disaster-rescue robot, the T-52 Enryu, is unveiled in Japan. (AFP)
Current events of March 26, 2004 (2004-03-26) (Friday) :
The United States Congress prepares legislation against peer-to-peer technology on multiple fronts. (Wired News)United Nations electoral experts and security support arrive in Baghdad. (UN News Center)The first South Atlantic hurricane ever recorded forms 275 miles off the coast of Brazil. (Miami Herald)Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, says that Islam is authoritarian, inflexible and under-achieving; and that Muslim countries have contributed little of major significance to the world's culture for centuries, at the same time stating that most Muslims are peace loving people who should not be demonized. He, however, denounces moderates for not unequivocally denouncing the "evil" of suicide bombers. Critics said his critique of Islamic culture amounted to an "attack".  (Daily Telegraph)ROC presidential election, 2004: The controversial victory of Chen Shui-bian is confirmed by the state electoral commission, with a margin of only 29,518 votes – 0.2% of the total – separating the candidates. Pan-Blue protestors storm and hurl eggs at the Central Electoral Commission building. (BBC)Israeli-Palestinian conflict: The United States vetoes a United Nations Security Council resolution (sponsored by Algeria and Libya) condemning the killing by Israel of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin along with six other Palestinians outside a mosque in Gaza City and calling for a complete cessation of executions. The veto is publicly motivated by the resolution making no mention of suicide bombings committed by Hamas and attributed to Yassin. 11 votes are recorded in favour, with three (United Kingdom, Germany, and Romania) abstaining and one (the United States) against. (BBC) (KC Star)
Current events of March 27, 2004 (2004-03-27) (Saturday) :
John Kerry joins other Democrats calling for National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice to testify before the September 11 commission and states the White House should learn from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's openness during an inquiry after Pearl Harbor. (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)ROC presidential election, 2004: 500,000 Pan-Blue protesters take to the streets in Taipei to demand a recount. (Reuters)NASA succeeds in a second attempt to fly its X-43A experimental airplane from the Hyper-X project, attaining speeds in excess of Mach 7, the fastest ever air-breathing hypersonic flight. (CNN)In Brussels, European Union Leaders express a sense of unity in the aftermath of the Madrid train bombings, and state that there is a new impetus to reaching a deal on the Union's draft constitution. (IHT)A powerful cyclone hits the coast of southern Brazil. Brazilian and U.S. meteorologists disagree over whether Cyclone Catarina is a hurricane, the first ever recorded in the South Atlantic. (AP)Bell Witch Haunting premiered in Nashville, Tennessee.
Current events of March 28, 2004 (2004-03-28) (Sunday) :
Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, leader of Hamas, states that God has declared war on the United States. (NYTimes) (abs-cbnNEWS) (Reuters) (INDOlink)Cambridge University wins a controversial victory in the 150th Boat Race by six lengths, with a total time of 18:47 minutes. (BBC)The Arab League summit is postponed. The meeting was put off indefinitely because of differences of opinion regarding ways to encourage reform in the region, including democratization. (VOA) (BBC)UK Home Secretary David Blunkett prepares to publish a white paper on organized crime that will unveil new details of the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the proposed "British FBI". (Ananova)Israeli State Attorney Edna Arbel recommends that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon be indicted for taking bribes.  (AP)The French regional elections result in massive losses for the governing conservative parties and victories for socialist-green alliances in at least 20 of 22 regions. (BBC) (Spiegel) (Yahoo France)A coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo fails. (BBC)Tennis greats Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal played each other for the first of many times in their careers[3]The skeletal remains of Cecilia Zhang are found in a Toronto ravine after her high-publicity kidnapping. (Toronto Star)
Current events of March 29, 2004 (2004-03-29) (Monday) :
Foreign relations of Taiwan: Dominica switches diplomatic recognition from the Republic of China to the People's Republic of China. (Channel News Asia).ROC presidential election, 2004: The Pan-Blue Coalition drops its demand for another round of voting by members of the military and the police who were put on a heightened state of alert on election day. Chen Shui-bian and Annette Lu sign letters promising not to contest the Pan-Blue petition for a recount.(Miami Herald)(Bloomberg)An explosion occurs close to the main bazaar in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, killing two and injuring around twenty; preliminary reports point to two female suicide bombers. Also in the capital, three police officers are shot dead; and, in the city of Bukhara, another explosion at a suspected terrorist bomb factory claims ten fatalities. (Reuters) (BBC)The Republic of Ireland becomes the first country to ban tobacco smoking in all enclosed workplaces (including bars and restaurants); infringers risk a €3,000 (US$3,600) fine. (BBC)NATO welcomes seven new members, as Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia formally became members by depositing their instruments of accession with the United States' government, though the countries will join officially next month at a NATO meeting. All but Slovenia were formerly members of the Warsaw Pact. (BBC) (NATO)Nanoparticles allegedly cause brain damage in fish, according to a study of the toxicity of synthetic carbon molecules called "buckyballs". (NewScientist)Scientists discover methane in the Martian atmosphere and state it could mean there is life on the Red Planet. (Space.com)Spain is reported to be considering doubling her number of troops stationed in Afghanistan. (BBC) (CNN)
Current events of March 30, 2004 (2004-03-30) (Tuesday) :
A suicide bomber sets off a small explosion inside the Bolivian Congress. The bomber – a miner, protesting unpaid pensions – and the chief congressional security guard are killed; several bystanders are wounded.  (BBC) (USA Today)French President Jacques Chirac retains his prime minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, but asks Raffarin to reform the country's government.  (Washington Post)New Jersey physicist Greg Olsen pays $20 million to conduct environmental research for eight days aboard the International Space Station.  (Miami Herald)Police in Uzbekistan raid a militant's hideout south of the capital, Tashkent. Fighting has caused 23 deaths in the area.  (Reuters)The Philippines prevents a "Madrid-level attack" after arresting four members of the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group.  (SFGate)The White House allows Condoleezza Rice, the president's National Security Advisor, to publicly testify under oath on the investigation into the September 11, 2001 attacks.  (XINHUA) (CNN)Eight men are arrested after a series of raids in the UK under the Terrorism Act 2000. Half a ton of ammonium nitrate fertiliser was found during the raids. (Guardian)SCO v. IBM: IBM has applied for a declaratory judgment that it does not infringe the SCO Group's copyrights. (Groklaw) (ZDNET)
Current events of March 31, 2004 (2004-03-31) (Wednesday) :
Four U.S. civilian contractors are killed in a grenade attack by Iraqi guerrillas in Fallujah, Iraq. A violent mob pulls charred bodies from the burning vehicles and hang two bodies from a bridge over the Euphrates. In a separate incident, five U.S. soldiers are killed in a large roadside bomb attack 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Fallujah. (CNN) (BBC)The Korea Train Express high-speed rail line opens, connecting Seoul to Busan and Mokpo. (CNN)The Guardian newspaper quotes British security service sources as believing that yesterday's raids may have stopped a major terrorist bombing. The sources state that MI5 and MI6 worked with police during the investigation leading to the raids. (Guardian)The International Court of Justice rules that the US violated the rights of 51 Mexican citizens on death row for murder and orders a review of their cases. (AP) (BBC)The controversial Higher Education Bill, which will introduce variable tuition fees in England and Wales, passes its third reading in the House of Commons by 316 votes to 288, despite many MPs still vocally opposed. The Bill's second reading in January was passed with a majority of only 5 votes. (BBC) (Guardian) (Reuters)Politics of Austria: Jörg Haider, a leading figure in the Freedom Party who is widely viewed as neo-fascist, is re-elected governor of the state of Carinthia. (Scotsman) (Die Presse)A Canadian court rules that the Canadian Recording Industry Association did not prove that the downloading of music from the Internet is a copyright violation. The ruling is in line with a decision from the Copyright Board of Canada that downloading music is legal.  (Toronto Star) (Bell Globemedia)Air America Radio, a self-styled liberal alternative to conservative talk shows on the radio, is launched on six stations from New York City to Los Angeles.  (Kansas City Star)East African artifacts support evolution of symbolic thinking in Middle Stone Age. (National Geographic Society via EurekAlert)
Current events of January 1, 2004 (2004-01-01) (Thursday) :
Montréal/Dorval International Airport is renamed Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.MySpace has its official launch.A British Airways flight from London to Washington, D.C. is canceled one day after the same flight is delayed for three hours on the tarmac at Dulles International Airport for security screening. (Yahoo)State papers released under Britain's Thirty Year Rule suggest that the United States considered using force to seize oil fields in the Middle East during an oil embargo by Arab states in 1973. (BBC) State papers also released reveal that, contrary to what was believed at the time, Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom would not have lost her title and Civil List payments if she had married Group Captain Peter Townsend, a divorced War hero in the 1950s. (BBC) (Sky News)Comparing planned United States finger-printing and photographic security controls on travelers from Brazil and other nations to Nazi actions, a Brazilian judge orders the fingerprinting of all arriving United States citizens in response. (Yahoo)Haiti's bicentennial celebrations erupt in violence. (Jamaica Observer)The Republic of Ireland takes over the presidency of the European Union, succeeding Italy, whose presidency is widely criticised as having been a failure due to the collapse of efforts to adopt a European constitution. (RTE News)Ireland's Roman Catholic and Protestant Boy Scouts organisations merge after nearly a century of division, in spite of efforts by the Roman Catholic bishops to block the merger.No leap second is added this year. This is the fifth year in a row without a leap-second after 28 years of adding leap-seconds to compensate for the slowing of the Earth's rotation. (CNN)
Current events of January 2, 2004 (2004-01-02) (Friday) :
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, composed of foreign ministers from seven south Asian countries (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan) meeting in Islamabad agree to create the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) by 2006. (NDTV)U.S. Representative Ralph Hall from Texas files for reelection and switches parties from Democrat to Republican. (SFGate)It appears that Stardust has successfully flown past Comet Wild 2 collecting samples that it will return to Earth in two years time. This is the first sample return mission to a comet and the first time that samples have returned to Earth from any celestial body since 1974. The spacecraft also took detailed images of the comet's icy nucleus. (Stardust) (Space Flight Now) (Space.com)
Current events of January 3, 2004 (2004-01-03) (Saturday) :
A Boeing 737, Flight 604, flown by Egyptian charter company Flash Airlines headed for Cairo crashes into the Red Sea minutes after take-off from the holiday resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. All 148 people on board are killed, of whom more than 120 were French tourists. Though both United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak were in the area, neither were involved in the incident, contrary to initial reports.[1][2][3]The BBC cancels the appearance of Coca-Cola sponsorship credits in the music charts in its BBC One Top of the Pops show, after criticism from politicians and health campaigners that it would be promoting junk food and unhealthy drink products to teenagers.[4]Ricardo Palmera, better known as Simon Trinidad, one of top seven Colombian rebel group, FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) is arrested in Ecuador.[5]Exploration of Mars:  The first of the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit, has successfully landed on the Martian surface with a "very strong signal" being received from the lander. It was a tense few minutes as no signal was received from the lander during the minutes while it bounced over the surface. Mission Control is described as being a wild place with the mission scientists very happy. The first pictures are expected at the earliest around 0730 UTC[6][7][8][9]The People's Republic of China's fifth-largest brokerage is seized by China Securities Regulatory Commission and local authorities for "illegal and irregular management operations and disorderly management."  The unusual move to clamp down on China Southern Securities is a high-profile attempt to stem corruption.[10][11]
Current events of January 4, 2004 (2004-01-04) (Sunday) :
The Loya jirga adopts a new Constitution of Afghanistan[12]A military court in Israel sentences five Israelis to one year in jail for refusing to serve in the military because of Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.[13] (Compare conscientious objector)Exploration of Mars:  American Mars probe "Spirit" mission is successful and is sending back images.  Spirit is alive after rolling to a stop on the surface of Mars; confirmed by NASA's Deep Space Network (9:00 p.m. PST).[14]Mikhail Saakashvili becomes president-elect of Georgia, following the Presidential elections. He had been widely expected to win following the November 23, 2003, ousting of President Eduard Shevardnadze.[15]Bolivian Gas War: In a televised speech, Bolivian President Carlos Mesa announces that a national referendum will be held on 28 March to resolve the issue of how Bolivia's large natural gas reserves will be exploited.[16]Britney Spears abruptly marries a childhood friend, Jason Allen Alexander, in a Las Vegas wedding chapel at 5:30 a.m.; by afternoon, the couple have arranged an annulment, which is expected to be made official when the courts reopen on Monday.[17]
Current events of January 5, 2004 (2004-01-05) (Monday) :
A British and a German Member of the European Parliament both receive letter bombs in the post.  This follows an earlier letter bomb sent to the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi.[18]Ulster Unionist Party defector Jeffrey Donaldson and two other MLAs join Rev. Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party, pushing the DUP's numbers in the Northern Ireland Assembly to 33.[19]Jaap de Hoop Scheffer of the Netherlands became the new Secretary General of NATO, replacing Britain's Lord Robertson.[20]The United States begins tracking foreign arrivals according to the new United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) program.[21]Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee meet face-to-face to discuss improving relations between their two countries.[22]South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which comprises India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and the Maldives, signs the South Asia Free Trade Agreement, a draft agreement to eliminate tariffs by 2016.[23]Norwegian prosecutors announce that they have abandoned their attempts to prosecute Jon Johansen for his release of the DeCSS DVD decryption software.[24]Panhellenic Socialist Movement, the ruling political party of Greece, is about to change leadership. The official report is expected to be published on January 7, 2004. It is expected by many that the new leader will be George Papandreou, junior. See[25] and[26] (Greek)A potential local root vulnerability[27] has been found in Linux 2.2, 2.4, and 2.6, and Linux Kernel developers have corrected the issue in 2.4 and 2.6; distributors are expected to offer the patches soon, for the benefit of those users who do not compile their own kernels.
Current events of January 6, 2004 (2004-01-06) (Tuesday) :
The man charged for the murder of Sweden's FM Anna Lindh on September 10, Mijailo Mijailovic, through his defence lawyer requests an interrogation to give critical details on the stabbing. Seemingly Mijailovic thereby confesses the assault.The Daily Mirror, a British tabloid, publishes the blacked out portion of a letter wherein Diana, Princess of Wales alleged that someone was trying to kill her. The relevant portion reads: "[M]y husband is planning 'an accident' in my car, brake failure & serious head injury in order to make the path clear for him to marry." The part "my husband" (referring to Charles, Prince of Wales) had been previously blacked out, and the word "him" replaced with "Charles" in transcripts of the letter released by Diana's butler, Paul Burrell.[28] The revelation comes on the same day the inquest into the death of Diana and her lover Dodi Al-Fayed is officially opened.[29]Pakistan is cited as the source of nuclear weapon technology supplied to Libya, Iran and North Korea. The components intercepted at sea by Italy en route to Libya were fabricated in Malaysia. There is no evidence that the Pakistani government of President Pervez Musharraf knew about the transfer of technology of Libya.[30][31]Pakistan and India have agreed to a new round of talks to settle the Kashmir dispute.  The talks will be begin February 2004.[31]Exploration of Mars: The first color images have been released from the Spirit rover on Mars. They are the highest resolution images ever taken on the surface of another planet. It has also been announced by NASA that they plan to name the rover's landing site on Mars "Columbia Memorial Station" in honor of the crew of STS-107.[32][33][34][35]
Current events of January 7, 2004 (2004-01-07) (Wednesday) :
In the United States, the Bush administration proposes a major reform of immigration law, creating a temporary worker program and giving legal status to both illegal and foreign workers for renewable three-year periods.[36][37]The Supreme Court of Indonesia upholds the death sentence handed down to Bali bomber Amrozi. The 12 October 2002 attacks killed 202 mainly holiday makers on the resort island of Bali.[38] July 1073437329581.htmlCostas Simitis, the prime minister of Greece and president of the ruling PASOK, after informing the country's president Costis Stephanopoulos, announced his resignation. At the same time he announced national elections for March 7, 2004, when PASOK will have a new president, expected to be George Papandreou. PASOK will be challenged by the New Democracy opposition led by Kostas Karamanlis. See,[39][40][41][42] (Greek) and,[43][44][45][46][47] (English).Exploration of Mars: Mars Express failed to hear any signal from the Beagle 2 spacecraft during its first pass over the landing site. This is major blow, but scientists have once again not given up all hope. They will attempt again tomorrow using a different communication mode. The Beagle 2 mission manager, Colin Pillinger, set February 7 as the day to abandon contact efforts. By that time Beagle 2 would have switched into an autotransmit mode after having not received any signal for over a month if it was still alive.[48]A report from the International Monetary Fund expresses alarm regarding mounting budget deficits in the United States due to recession, tax cuts, and spending for the war on terrorism.  The report says that the unprecedented level of external debt incurred poses "significant risks" not just for the United States but for the rest of the world. However, many outside economists note that other countries are also running large deficits and that underlying economic conditions in the U.S. are still robust.[49][50]U.S.-led occupation of Iraq: Mortar attacks by Anti-American insurgents wound 35 U.S. soldiers at a military camp west of Baghdad.  Six mortar rounds exploded around 6:45 p.m. local time.[51]
Current events of January 8, 2004 (2004-01-08) (Thursday) :
The Queen Mary 2 is christened by Queen Elizabeth II.[52]An RTÉ Prime Time investigation accuses the Garda Síochána, the Republic of Ireland's police force, of violent abuse of people arrested. Irish Minister of State Dick Roche accuses Gardaí of "torture" of one student beaten up in a Dublin police station, while a former judge accuses police of committing perjury in his courts. The Gardaí deny all allegations.[53]The United States withdraws a group of 400 weapons inspectors from Iraq after finding nothing of substance. 1400 inspectors remain.[54][55]Occupation of Iraq: Nine United States soldiers are reported killed after a Black Hawk helicopter makes an emergency landing near the central Iraqi town of Falluja.[56]The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace publishes a report accusing the United States of "systematically misrepresenting" the threat posed by "Iraq's weapons of mass destruction".[57][58][59]The New Jersey legislature passes a bill creating a domestic partnership status for same-sex couples, with many of the same legal rights as marriage. It becomes the fifth U.S. state to offer such a status to same-sex couples.[60]
Current events of January 9, 2004 (2004-01-09) (Friday) :
Education in Greece: George Papandreou, junior talks about the possibility to allow private universities in Greece.[61] (Greek)Turkey fully abolishes the death penalty.[62]The US lowers the terrorism advisory level to yellow (elevated) from orange (high).[63]Bangladesh bans books published by the Ahmadiyya movement, an Islamic sect.[64]Exploration of Mars: Engineers at JPL decide to turn the Mars Spirit Rover around on its lander after it was found the airbags could not be retracted enough to allow it to move off in a forward direction. It is expected the rover will drive off sometime next week. The Rover has also stood up and deployed its front wheels.[65][6]Two volcanoes erupt: the Piton de la Fournaise on Réunion Island, and the Volcán de Fuego near Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala. The eruption in Guatemala is not thought to be serious enough to require evacuations.[66]In Guatemala City, fifteen people die and twenty are hurt when a public bus collides with a crane.[67][68]Enron Corporation: Former Assistant Treasurer Lea Fastow and wife of Andrew Fastow, failed to respond to a plea agreement by the deadline. The offer would have allowed her to plead guilty in federal court to lesser charges and serve five months in return for her testimony. Her trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion is scheduled to start February 10.[69]
Current events of January 10, 2004 (2004-01-10) (Saturday) :
Occupation of Iraq: Protests in the city of Amarah because of unemployment occur. Police officers and soldiers open fire on demonstrators. Five or six are killed and one or eleven wounded.[70]In publicity for a new book for which former U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill is the primary source, 60 Minutes reveals O'Neill's claims that the Bush administration was making plans for an invasion of Iraq within days of Bush's inauguration.  Bush officials note that regime change in Iraq had been official U.S. policy since 1998, three years before Bush took office.  O'Neill, fired for his opposition to tax cuts, also characterized Bush as so disengaged in cabinet meetings that he "was like a blind man in a roomful of deaf people". On the positive side, O'Neill also described Bush as such a good listener that he (O'Neill) was able to give a non-stop monologue for nearly an hour in a one-on-one meeting.[71]SCO v. IBM: SCO Group claims that it has "low-level talks" with Google about a possible license agreement related to Linux.[72]Iraq and weapons of mass destruction: On January 9, 2004, Danish troops discovered decade-old mortar rounds containing suspicious liquid buried in Southern Iraq. Initial tests now indicate that the rounds contain the banned chemical weapon blister gas.  Final tests should be available in two days.[73][74]A speed boat carrying illegal immigrants from Albania, bound for Italy broke down and capsized. There were 11 survivors, while as many as 21 died due to drowning and exposure. Two have been arrested by Albanian authorities for people smuggling, while other senior officials have been implicated in connection with the tragedy.[75][76][77]
Current events of January 11, 2004 (2004-01-11) (Sunday) :
Exploration of Mars: NASA's Spirit rover now has its arm and all six of its wheels free, and only a single cable must be cut before it can turn and roll off its lander onto the soil of Mars. As that milestone is completed, scientists are taking opportunities to take extra pictures and gather other data.[78]Occupation of Iraq:
U.S. military records show that attacks against coalition soldiers have decreased by 22% in the four weeks following the capture of Saddam Hussein.[79]
More protests in Amarah take place. Demonstrators, many of them related to the victims of January 10, requested compensation. No significant violence reported.[70]
Current events of January 12, 2004 (2004-01-12) (Monday) :
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announces the ten top United States patent recipients.  For the 11th year in a row, IBM tops the list; the next three in the list are headquartered in Japan.  Companies from the Netherlands (Philips) and Korea (Samsung) also make appearances.[80]The U.S. State Department concludes that the Israeli attack on USS Liberty in 1967, although probably accidental,  was an act of gross negligence and that Israel should be held responsible.[81][82]Canadian federal election, 2004: Stephen Harper announces his entry into the race to lead the new Conservative Party of Canada.  Earlier today, Jim Prentice drops out of the leadership contest, citing a lack of funds.[83]Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Over 100,000 people rally in Tel Aviv to protest Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plans to withdraw from parts of Gaza and the West Bank, which would involve abandoning some Israeli settlements in those areas.[84]The deadline for SCO Group to present evidence "with specificity" in the SCO v. IBM lawsuit expiresIBM and Intel Set Up $10m SCO Defense Fund.[85]Astronauts on board the International Space Station think that a leak in a hose used to stop the fogging of an Earth observation window was causing the slow loss of pressure in the station. Although it would have taken a couple of months for the crew to be in any danger, some equipment on the station was only rated to just below the normal pressure. Although the cause appears to have been located, ground controllers are still getting the crew to close the station into three sections to allow them to get baseline pressure readings and to make sure that there are no more leaks.[86]Iran's provincial governors are threatening to resign unless a decision by the conservative Guardian Council is reversed.[87]Mars Exploration Rover Mission: The Spirit's air bags that cushioned its landing on Mars have been obstructing the vehicle's path, and this complication has postponed its exit of the launch vehicle until Wednesday or Thursday.[88]The World Wildlife Fund-UK reports that the orangutan is in danger of becoming extinct within the next 20 years because of commercial logging and clearance for oil palm plantations.[89]Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, religious leader of Iran, announces that he will not intervene in a growing political confrontation between progressives and hardliners after the Guardian Council, which he controls, barred thousands of candidates from running in upcoming Parliamentary elections (including 80 current members of Parliament).[90]
Current events of January 13, 2004 (2004-01-13) (Tuesday) :
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Tom Hurndall, a British peace activist with the International Solidarity Movement, dies after being shot in the head by an Israeli soldier on April 11, 2003. The Israeli government say that they may consider bringing manslaughter charges against the soldier; the man's family claim that he should be tried for murder.[91]Education in Greece: Debate over the private universities issue and George Papandreou, junior's suggestions (see 9 January) between New Democracy and PASOK.[92] (Greek)The Constitutional Court of Italy strikes down a law enacted to give Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi immunity from prosecution while in office.[93]British serial killer Dr Harold Shipman is found dead in his cell.[94]The Bichard Inquiry into events preceding the Soham murders formally opens[95][96]Occupation of Iraq: A United States Army] AH-64 Apache attack helicopter is shot down near the central Iraqi town of Habbaniya, but is able to land without casualties.[97]A Yak-40 airliner en route from Termez in Uzbekistan crashes near the capital Tashkent, killing all 37 crew and passengers, including the U.N.'s top official in the country, Richard Conroy.[98]Robin Cook says that the British Museum's Parthenon Marbles must be returned to Greece.[99] (Greek),[100] (English),[101] (Background, English)
Current events of January 14, 2004 (2004-01-14) (Wednesday) :
J.P. Morgan Chase strikes a $58 billion merger deal to buy Bank One to create the second-largest bank in the United States.Iraq and weapons of mass destruction: Tests performed by American and Danish military experts indicate no chemical agents are present in the "suspicious" mortar shells discovered in Iraq on January 9.[102]Self-confessed killer of Swedish FM Anna Lindh, 25-year-old Mijailo Mijailovic, says during cross-examination in a Stockholm court that he heard voices in his head commanding him to attack Lindh when he encountered her in a Stockholm shopping mall 10 September last year. Lindh died the next day from the many stab wounds she received.[103]Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Alan Greenspan said, "It's just a matter of time before we begin to see employment start to pick up quite significantly, as it always has in the past." Greenspan is also not worried about the fall of the dollar or the half trillion dollar U.S. trade deficit.[104]Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
Reem El-Reyashi, a Palestinian suicide bomber, kills four border guards at the Erez Crossing. She is the first female suicide bomber used by Hamas. Four months before, Israel targeted Hamas leadership, including Ahmed Yassin, as a result Hamas halted all suicide bombing for four months.[105]
Jack Kelley, USA TODAY foreign correspondent and a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize just two years ago, was forced to resign after the newspaper determined he repeatedly misled editors during an internal investigation into stories he wrote. Among the stories that are being investigated is one published September 4, 2001, contains an account of an attack on Palestinians by 13 Jewish settlers in the West Bank. Mark Memmott, the reporter asked to investigate Kelley, said he could not find anyone with first-hand knowledge of the attack.[106]A secondary school student in the Netherlands kills a teacher in his school cafeteria.[107]Greek electronic game ban: Greek police raid Internet cafés in Larissa. 80 computers are taken by the police as evidence and three Internet café owners are arrested.[108] (in Greek).Education in Greece: 114 University professors sign a document against George Papandreou's positions on private universities and their recognition (anagnorisi).[109] (Greek)Jacques Delors referred to Prime Minister of Greece Costas Simitis, Prime Minister of Luxembourg Jean-Claude Juncker, and former Prime Minister of Belgium Jean Luc Dehaene as the top three candidates for the position of the President of the European Commission.[110]A 45-year-old Sudanese man travelling from Washington Dulles International Airport to airport Dubai is arrested en route at London's Heathrow Airport on suspicion of carrying five bullets in his coat pocket.[111][112]U.S. President George W. Bush, in a speech at NASA headquarters, announces a plan to develop a new space vehicle to return humans to the moon by 2015 and proposes the retirement of the space shuttle fleet by 2010 along with a $1 billion funding increase for NASA.[113]Enron Corporation: Former CFO Andrew Fastow and his wife Lea Fastow, former  Assistant Treasurer, accept a plea agreement. Andrew Fastow will serve a ten-year prison sentence and forfeit $23.8 million. Lea Fastow will serve a five-month prison sentence and a year of supervised release, including five months of house arrest. Both will provide testimony against other Enron corporate officers.[114]Turkey and Greece: 22 Turkish military aircraft entered into the Greek Athens FIR. Five of these aircraft were loaded with ammunition. Greek aircraft intercepted them. Source: Athens News Agency and in.gr.[115] (Greek)
Current events of January 15, 2004 (2004-01-15) (Thursday) :
The United Nations sides with the United States on voting in Iraq. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and other UN officials call direct elections in advance of July 2004 impractical, due to continuing disorder in Iraq and other factors.[116]30,000 Shiite protesters in Basra call for immediate country-wide elections in Iraq, a move that would give them more power than the UN-backed plan for regional caucuses mandated by the US-led coalition[117]South Korea's foreign minister Yoon Young-kwan resigns after a controversy in which his ministry was accused of diverging from the government's policy of increased independence from the United States.[118]The European Union asks the World Trade Organization for authorization to impose trade sanctions against the United States in response to the U.S.'s anti-dumping scheme, which has been ruled illegal by the WTO.[119]Canadian federal election, 2004: Former Ontario Health Minister Tony Clement declares his candidacy for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada.  Also confirmed is the candidacy of auto parts magnate Belinda Stronach, who will announce her entry into the leadership race next week.[120]Italy has indicted three Germans, all former members of an SS Panzergrenadier Division, on charges of massacring 560 people in 1944 in the Italian village of Sant'Anna di Stazzema.  The three Germans, Gerhard Sommer, 83; Alfred Schonenberg, 83; and Ludwig Sonntag, 80, are currently living in Germany. It is not clear whether Italy will request the three men's extradition from Germany.[121]U.S. presidential election, 2004: Carol Moseley Braun drops out of the race and endorses Dr. Howard Dean, confirming rumors circulating the night before as she taped an appearance on The Daily Show.[122]The date for the publication of the Hutton Inquiry's report into the death of British weapons scientist Dr David Kelly is announced as January 28, 2004.[123]The creditors of ailing Finnish low-cost carrier Flying Finn have threatened to confiscate the airline's planes.[124]Exploration of Mars: The Spirit Rover has rolled off its lander to start its exploration. The first journey was only three metres. It took the rover about 78 seconds, ending with the back of the rover being 0.7 metres from the lander.[125]The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) announces the release of the Composite Capability/Preference Profiles (CC/PP 1.0). W3C's new standard profiling language CC/PP provides a standardized format of the description of information that will allow Web-enabled devices to effectively communicate their capabilities to the desired server and aids in delivering Web content to broad range of devices.Popeye, like The Adventures of Tintin, turns 75 this month.[126]
Current events of January 16, 2004 (2004-01-16) (Friday) :
Chen Shui-bian makes a televised address reiterating the Four Noes and One Without pledge and announcing the two questions for a referendum to coincide with the ROC presidential election, 2004 on March 20.[127][128]U.S. President George W. Bush appoints Charles Pickering to the United States Court of Appeals. His nomination was filibustered in the U.S. Senate, so President Bush made a recess appointment.[129]Earthquake in Iran: Iran updates the death toll from the Bam earthquake to 41,000 people.  The final figure could be as high as 45,000.The People's Republic of China arrests a top Hong Kong official into custody over suspicion of espionage for the United Kingdom.[130]Nunavut general election, 2004: Premier Paul Okalik of Nunavut, Canada, requests a dissolution of the territory's legislature and an election call for February 16.[131]On or around this date, the United States national debt passes US$7 trillion.
Current events of January 17, 2004 (2004-01-17) (Saturday) :
Planned NASA servicing missions for the Hubble Space Telescope are cancelled. Safety concerns are cited as the main reason behind the decision.[132][133]Human cloning: Fertility expert Dr. Panos Zavos claims to have successfully transplanted a two-week-old embryo into a 35-year-old woman. He said he had not done the act anywhere where "the spirit of the law" was against such a procedure.[134]George Papandreou of Greece promised that he will suggest to sign a mutual agreement with Turkey for lowering their defense military expenses.[135] (Greek).Protesters call for resignation of German Federal Police chief Ulrich Kersten: about 6,000 people demonstrates against moving Germany's Federal Police (BKA) headquarters from Wiesbaden to Berlin.[136]
Current events of January 18, 2004 (2004-01-18) (Sunday) :
Occupation of Iraq: At around 8 am local time (5 am GMT) in Baghdad, Iraq, an insurgent suicide bomber driving a car filled with explosives blew himself up while attempting to enter "Assassin's Gate." Early reports said that about 18 people, including 16 Iraqi civilians and two United States Department of Defense workers were killed, while another 56 Iraqi civilians were wounded.[137]Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon praises the Israeli ambassador to Sweden, Zvi Mazel, for vandalising the artwork entitled "Snow White and The Madness of Truth" displayed at a Stockholm museum. The piece, created by an Israeli-born composer/musician, consists of a white float carrying a picture of a Palestinian suicide bomber in a pool of blood-coloured water. Mazel was caught on surveillance video disconnecting the electric power from the display and throwing a lamp into the water. Mazel says, "This exhibit was the culmination of dozens of anti-Israel and anti-Jewish events in Sweden."[138]
Current events of January 19, 2004 (2004-01-19) (Monday) :
Cargo ship MS Rocknes with a crew of 30 including the pilot capsizes near Bergen, Norway at 1630 local time (1530 UTC). Two people are reported dead and 24 still missing the morning after the accident. The ship was carrying a heavy load of rocks for use as shielding on top of a gas pipeline to Emden, Germany, from the Norwegian Ormen Lange offshore gas field.[139]The English Court of Appeal calls for an end to the prosecution of parents whose babies may have died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (cot death) in cases where the only evidence is contended expert testimony.[140]The European Space Agency releases detailed colour images of the surface of Mars, taken by its orbiting Mars Express probe.[141]NASA's Spirit rover arrives at its initial destination, a rock named "Adirondack", and prepares for analysis.[142][143]U.S. presidential election, 2004: The Iowa caucuses yield unexpectedly strong results for Democratic candidates John Kerry, who earns 38% of the state's delegates and John Edwards, who takes 32%. Former front-runner Howard Dean slips to 18%, and Richard A. "Dick" Gephardt's fourth-place (11%) finish[144][145] prompts him to end his presidential bid.[146]Yigal Amir, assassin of Yitzhak Rabin, plans to marry.[147]"Snow White and The Madness of Truth" displayed at a Stockholm museum is again vandalized. A Russian-Jewish artist floats another image in the pool, that of Mijailo Mijailovic, the murderer of Swedish foreign minister Anna Lindh.[148]José María Aznar's government in Spain is dissolved prior to March general elections. He has said he will not run for a third term of office.[149]
Current events of January 20, 2004 (2004-01-20) (Tuesday) :
2004 Canadian Federal Election: Belinda Stronach officially announces her run for leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada. [66]Martha Stewart pleads not guilty to five criminal counts that include conspiracy, obstruction of justice and securities fraud stemming from a sale of ImClone stock in 2001. Conviction on any of the charges against her could put Ms. Stewart in federal prison. The five counts carry a total prison term of 30 years and a $1.25 million fine.[67]Colonel Rashid Abu Shbak of the Palestinian Authority, said that information was still coming in and the investigating team had been upgraded, but he had no new leads on who was behind the bombing attack of an American diplomatic convoy on October 15, 2002. Three people died in the attack.  U.S. officials have been stopped from going to Gaza since the attack. No decision has been made yet on when they might be allowed to return. Col. Shbak blamed Israel for the lack of progress in the investigation.[68]
Current events of January 21, 2004 (2004-01-21) (Wednesday) :
The International Olympic Committee urges Athens to continue working round-the-clock for the 2004 Summer Olympics. The deadline is for August 13.[150]Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon Magnus's wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit gives birth to a daughter, at 0913 local time (0813 UTC), at Rikshospitalet University Hospital in Oslo. The newborn princess, named Ingrid Alexandra, weighs in at 3,686 grams and is 51 cm tall. She is second in succession to the Norwegian throne.[151][152]The latest World Economic Forum event opens in Davos, Switzerland, with a keynote address by Iranian President Mohammad Khatami.The Royal Canadian Mounted Police raid the residence of Ottawa Citizen reporter Juliet O'Neill  for the purposes of searching for evidence of leaked information in the Maher Arar deportation scandal.  It was widely denounced by media groups and civil libertarians
Current events of January 22, 2004 (2004-01-22) (Thursday) :
Mars Exploration Rover Mission: MER-A Spirit rover stops transmitting meaningful data and has thought to have gone into safe mode. The cause of this is unknown but the rover is still able to send back a simple acknowledgement tone.[153]Staff members of the United States Republican Party are accused of infiltrating Democratic Party computers and making copies of confidential files stored on the compromised computers. The infiltrations reportedly began in early 2002.[154]Maher Arar sues the United States government for having deported him to Syria and not Canada, his country of citizenship. He was reportedly tortured in Syria.[155]Enron Corporation: Richard Causey, former chief accounting officer was indicted in Houston, Texas, on federal charges of securities fraud and conspiracy for his role in masking Enron's faltering fiscal health in late 2001. He has pled not guilty.[156]Zimbabwe's only independent daily newspaper resumes publishing.[157]
Current events of January 23, 2004 (2004-01-23) (Friday) :
David Kay steps down from Iraq Survey Group. George Tenet names former UN weapons inspector Charles Duelfer to succeed Kay.[158]The International Monetary Fund has joined the World Bank in forgiving US$4 billion of the $6.5bn debt owed by Nicaragua, sharply reducing the nation's overall debt payments.[159]The European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter directly detects water ice in the southern polar region of the planet Mars.[160][161]NASA's Spirit rover communicated with Earth in a signal detected by NASA's Deep Space Network antenna complex near Madrid, Spain, at 12:34 Universal Time (4:34 am PST) this morning. The transmissions came during a communication window about 90 minutes after Spirit woke up for the morning on Mars. The signal lasted for 10 minutes at a data rate of 10 bits per second. Mission controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, plan to send commands to Spirit seeking additional data from the spacecraft during the subsequent few hours.[162] The flight team for NASA's Spirit received data from the rover in another communication session that began at 13:26 Universal Time (5:26 am PST) and lasted 20 minutes at a data rate of 120 bits per second.[163]A Thai man suspected of having bird flu died, according to the Public Health Ministry.[164]At least 51 people, including a bridegroom, were killed on Friday when a fire ripped through a makeshift wedding hall in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu during a marriage ceremony.[165]An explosion has killed two people at Zhengzhou railway station, one of the People's Republic of China's biggest transport hubs.[166]
Current events of January 24, 2004 (2004-01-24) (Saturday) :
Mars Exploration Rover Mission
NASA isolates the flash memory aboard Spirit as the most probable cause of communications problems; work continues on a method to operate the rover without it.[167]
MER-B Opportunity successfully lands on Mars and continues communications through all stages.
Current events of January 25, 2004 (2004-01-25) (Sunday) :
Georgia's new president, Mikhail Saakashvili, is sworn in.[168]Chess player Viswanathan Anand wins in group A of the Corus chess tournament. Thirteen-year-old Norwegian prodigy, Magnus Carlsen, wins in group C.[169]David Kay says, in his opinion, Iraq had no banned WMD stockpiles: "I don't think they existed", Kay said, "What everyone was talking about is stockpiles produced after the end of the last (1991) Gulf War, and I don't think there was a large-scale production program in the '90s."[170] David Kay also says that part of Saddam Hussein's secret weapons programme may have been hidden in Syria.[171][172] Syria denies receiving Iraq arms.[173]Indonesia announces that millions of birds have died from avian influenza in the last few months.[174]Golden Globe Awards: Major winners include The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Lost in Translation, and Angels in America.Hungarian footballer Miklós Fehér dies in a match between Benfica and Vitória Guimarães in Portugal.  Benfica will subsequently retire his number 29 shirt.
Current events of January 26, 2004 (2004-01-26) (Monday) :
President Hamid Karzai signs into law the new constitution of Afghanistan.[175]Avian influenza has now been detected in a total of nine countries, with Pakistan and Laos as the latest additions. Pakistan has detected less dangerous strains H7 and H9. A six-year-old Thai boy became the seventh victim in Asia, with another ten suspected cases in the country.  Around 19 million chickens have been slaughtered as a result of fighting the spread of the flu.  The World Health Organisation expresses concern about a serious human outbreak. (WHO)[176][177][178]In Fellers v. United States, the United States Supreme Court unanimously reaffirms the Miranda Warning.[179]A federal judge in Los Angeles, California, declares a portion of the USA Patriot Act, banning "expert advice and assistance" to suspected foreign terrorist groups, to be unconstitutional.[180]The House of Representatives of Connecticut votes unanimously to investigate the dealings of Governor John G. Rowland, a step which might lead to impeachment proceedings.  Rowland is accused of using state contractors for his personal gain.[181]The US Energy Department's Inspector General releases a report stating that guards at the Y-12 enriched uranium storage facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, have been cheating on security drills, possibly for 20 years.[182][183]Top Hamas official Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi offered a 10-year truce if Israel would withdraw from territory occupied since 1967 and acknowledge the creation of a Palestinian state. Israel dismissed the peace offer as "ridiculous".[184]
Current events of January 27, 2004 (2004-01-27) (Tuesday) :
The People's Republic of China announces an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza in the autonomous region of Guangxi, becoming the 10th country in Asia to do so.[185] There are suspected cases in Hunan and Hubei provinces.[186][187]British Prime Minister Tony Blair narrowly defeats a rebellion in his own party over the Higher Education Bill – a highly controversial bill to reform higher education funding, including the introduction of increased and variable tuition fees. It is approved in the House of Commons by 316 votes to 311.[188][189]U.S. presidential election, 2004: Senator John Kerry wins the New Hampshire primary. Howard Dean comes second.Academy Awards: nominations announced, leading films are The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (11), Master and Commander (10), Seabiscuit (7), Mystic River (6), and Cold Mountain (6).  Keisha Castle-Hughes, at 13, becomes the youngest nominee ever for the Academy Award for Best ActressA new e-mail worm, Novarg/Mydoom, is spreading rapidly to thousands of machines running Microsoft Windows. It rapidly becomes the fastest-spreading e-mail worm to date.[190][191][192][193][194][195]
Current events of January 28, 2004 (2004-01-28) (Wednesday) :
Milan Babic, the former leader of the breakaway Republic of Serbian Krajina (now re-incorporated into Croatia), pleads guilty to crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.David Kay testifies before a United States Senate committee stating that evidence of weapons of mass destruction was based on inaccurate intelligence. "I believe that the effort that has been directed to this point has been sufficiently intense that it is highly unlikely that there were large stockpiles of deployed, militarized chemical weapons there" and, even if Iraq did not have weapons stockpiles, this does not mean that nation was not dangerous. Kay urges for an inquiry into the intelligence failure and states that the United States needed better intelligence.[196][197][198][199]The Hutton Inquiry report is released, stating the suicide of Iraqi weapons expert David Kelly did not involve "dishonourable conduct" on the part of the United Kingdom's government and exonerates Prime Minist