2002 - What happened in 2002 ?

January 2002

Wednesday 09:

The United States Department of Justice announces it is going to pursue a criminal investigation of Enron.

Sunday 13:

US President George W. Bush faints after choking on a pretzel.

Tuesday 22:

Kmart Corp becomes the largest retailer in American history to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Friday 25:

2002 - Wikipedia switches to the new version of its software ("Phase II") aka

Monday 28:

An Ecuadoran airline Boeing 727-100 crashes in the Andes mountains in southern Colombia killing 92.

February 2002

Sunday 03:

Super Bowl XXXVI: The New England Patriots defeat the St. Louis Rams, 20-17, to win their first Super Bowl championship.

Tuesday 12:

An Iran Air Tupolev Tu-154 crashes prior to landing in Khorramabad, Iran, killing 119

Friday 15:

At the Tri-State Crematory in La Fayette, Georgia, investigators find that bodies that were supposed to have been cremated were in fact disposed of in the woods and buildings on the crematorium's property. The discovery reveals one of the worst incidents of abuse in the funeral service industry.

Friday 22:

A MH-47E Chinook helicopter crashes into the ocean near the Philippines, killing all 10 aboard.

Wednesday 27:

2002 Gujarat violence: a train catches fire a few minutes after it leaves the Godhra railway station, killing an estimated 58 Hindu pilgrims returning from Ayodhya and triggering riots that lead to the death of 1000 people, mostly Muslims.

March 2002

Sunday 03:

Citizens of Switzerland narrowly vote in favour of their country becoming a member of the United Nations.

Tuesday 05:

MTV begins airing The Osbournes.

Saturday 16:

Closing ceremonies of the Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Tuesday 19:

U.S. invasion of Afghanistan: Operation Anaconda ends (started on March 2) after killing 500 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters with 11 allied troop fatalities.

Thursday 21:

In Pakistan, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh along with three other suspects are charged with murder for their part in the kidnapping and killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.

April 2002

Tuesday 02:

Israeli forces surrounded the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem which has around 200 Palestinians inside. A siege ensues.

Wednesday 17:

Four Canadian Forces soldiers are killed in Afghanistan by friendly fire from two U.S. Air Force F-16s, the first deaths in a combat zone for Canada since the Korean War.

Saturday 20:

The Darwin-based Network Against Prohibition holds its first Community Smoke-In for Human Rights in Darwin, Australia. Police arrest five activists.

Monday 29:

The United States is re-elected to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, one year after losing the seat it had held for 50 years.

Tuesday 30:

2002 - The law N26-?? "On the National Flag of the Udmurt Republic" has appeared.

May 2002

Saturday 04:

An EAS Airlines BAC 1-11-500 crashes in a suburb of Kano, Nigeria shortly after takeoff killing more than 148 people.

Tuesday 07:

A China Southern Airlines MD-82 plunges into the Yellow Sea killing 112 people.

Friday 10:

Lynda Lyon Block is executed in Yellow Mama, the electric chair of Alabama.

Monday 20:

East Timor becomes independent from Indonesian rule.

Sunday 26:

Álvaro Uribe becomes President of Colombia.

June 2002

Monday 03:

The peak day of Golden Jubilee celebrations occurs in the United Kingdom.

Wednesday 05:

2002 - Mozilla 1.0, the first 'official' version, is released.

Sunday 16:

Politically Incorrect is cancelled (from sponsors dropping the show) after host Bill Maher makes controversial comments on air regarding the integrity of President George W. Bush.

Saturday 22:

An earthquake in western Iran measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale kills more than 261 people

Sunday 30:

Brazil defeats Germany 2-0 in Yokohama, Japan, to earn a record fifth title in the 17th Football World Cup.

July 2002

Tuesday 09:

The African Union was established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The first chairman was Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa.

Monday 15:

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and three other suspects convicted of murdering Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.

Saturday 20:

Human Rights Watch releases a report stating that Sudanese government documents confirm support for the Arab Janjaweed militia in their campaign of ethnic cleansing against African Muslims in Darfur.

Monday 22:

Israel assasinates Salah Shahade, the Commander-in-Chief of Hamas's military arm, Ezzedeen-al-qassam Brigades, along with 14 civilians.

Sunday 28:

2002 - nine coal miners trapped in the flooded Quecreek Mine in Somerset, Pennsylvania, were rescued after 77 hours underground.

August 2002

Tuesday 06:

Manindra Agrawal et al prove the long standing number theory conjecture in the article entitled "Primes in P".

Saturday 17:

In Santa Rosa, California, the Charles M. Schulz Museum opens to the public.

Wednesday 21:

Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister of Canada, announces that he will not seek re-election and would resign within eighteen months.

Monday 26:

Earth Summit 2002 begins in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Friday 30:

The Tandy Center Subway in Fort Worth, Texas, ceases to operate.

September 2002

Saturday 21:

International Day of Peace recognized by the United Nations as a full day of ceasefire and nonviolence.

Monday 23:

Mozilla Firefox (Phoenix) web browser is born: version 0.1.

Wednesday 25:

The Vitim event, a possible bolide impact in Siberia, Russia.

Thursday 26:

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Friday 27:

Timor-Leste (East Timor) joins the United Nations.

October 2002

Wednesday 09:

After losing a massive amount of ground during the summer of 2002, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closes at 7,286.27, its lowest level in five years. The NASDAQ also hit a six-year low of 1,114.11.

Saturday 12:

Bali bombing: In Bali, terrorists detonate bombs in two nightclubs in Kuta, killing 202 and wounding over 300

Wednesday 16:

Bibliotheca Alexandrina in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, a commemoration of the Library of Alexandria that was lost in antiquity, is officially inaugurated.

Sunday 27:

Running back Emmitt Smith becomes the current leader in career rushing yards in the National Football League, breaking the record then held by Walter Payton.

Wednesday 30:

British Digital terrestrial television (DTT) Service Freeview starts transmitting throughout parts of the United Kingdom

November 2002

Wednesday 06:

Winona Ryder is found guilty of shoplifting after stealing items worth $5,500 from a New York boutique.

Wednesday 13:

The oil tanker Prestige sinks off the Galician coast and causes a huge oil spill.

Friday 15:

Hu Jintao becomes general secretary of the Communist Party of China.

Friday 22:

In Nigeria, more than 100 people are killed at an attack aimed at the contestants of the Miss World contest.

Monday 25:

Reported assassination attempt on Turkmen president Saparmurat Niyazov

December 2002

Tuesday 10:

High Court of Australia handed down its judgement in the Internet defamation dispute in the case of Gutnick v Dow Jones.

Friday 13:

The European Union announces the addition of ten new members, effective May 1, 2004.

Sunday 15:

BBC 7, digital radio station is launched in UK

Tuesday 17:

A peace accord is signed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Wednesday 25:

The New Delhi Metro opens.