The year 2002 was designated the:International Year of Ecotourism and MountainsYear of the Outback in AustraliaNational Science Year in the United KingdomAutism Awareness Year in the United KingdomSee also: the almanac of events for this year.The year number was a palindrome (next palindrome year will be 2112). Events of 2002 JanuaryJanuary 1 - The Open Skies mutual surveillance treaty, initially signed in 1992, officially enters into force.January 1 - Euro notes and coins issued in France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Finland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Austria, Ireland and in the Netherlands.January 3 - The University of Miami defeats Nebraska 37-14 in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to win college football's national championship.January 5 - Charles Bishop, a 15 year-old student pilot, crashes a light aircraft into a Tampa, Florida building, evoking fear of a copycat 9/11 terrorist attack.January 9 - The United States Department of Justice announces it will pursue a criminal investigation of Enron.January 10 - Enrique Bolaños begins his 5-year term as President of the Republic of Nicaragua.January 12 - The X (roller coaster) opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Santa Clarita, CaliforniaJanuary 19 - In the AFC Divisional Playoffs the New England Patriots defeated the Oakland Raiders 16-13 in overtime playoff game played in a driving snow storm. The game was remembered as The Snow Bowl when Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson stripped the ball from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.January 14 - The asylum case of Adelaide Abankwah is heard in New York.January 16 - Appalachian School of Law shooting: A student shoots 6 people at the Appalachian School of Law in Grundy, Virginia, killing 3.January 16 - U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft announces that American Taliban member John Walker Lindh will be tried in the United States.January 16 - The UN Security Council unanimously establishes an arms embargo and freezes the assets of Osama bin Laden, Al-Qaida, and the Taliban.January 17 - The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo displaces an estimated 400,000 people.January 18 - A Canadian Pacific Railway train carrying anhydrous ammonia derails outside of Minot, North Dakota, killing 1.January 23 - Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl is kidnapped in Pakistan, accused of being a CIA agent by his captors.January 24 - Terrorist suspect John Walker Lindh's hearing begins.Confirmation neededJanuary 25 - Thomas Junta kills junior coach Michael Costin during a fight at a junior hockey game in MassachusettsJanuary 27 - Several explosions at a military dump in Lagos, Nigeria kill more than 1,000.Confirmation neededJanuary 31 - A large section of the Antarctic Larsen Ice Shelf begins disintegrating, eventually consuming about 3,250 km² (1,254 miles²) over a 35-day period FebruaryApril 1 - Maryland defeats Indiana 64-52 to win the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia.April 2 - Israeli forces besiege the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, when militants take shelter there.April 9 - The funeral of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother takes place in Westminster Abbey, London.April 11 - April 14 - Failed military coup d'état against the leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.April 15 - An Air China Boeing 767-200 crashes into a hillside during heavy rain and fog near Pusan, South Korea, killing 128.April 15 - The Alameda Corridor transportation project in Los Angeles, California opens to rail traffic, ceasing operations of through freight trains on the 120-year-old BNSF Harbor Subdivision.April 16 - Dr. Bernd Pischetsrieder becomes the seventh CEO of the Volkswagen automobile company, succeeding Dr. Ferdinand Piech.April 17 - Four Canadian infantrymen are killed in Afghanistan by friendly fire from 2 US F-16s.April 18 - A new insect order, Mantophasmatodea, is announced.April 21 - French presidential election, 2002: The first round results in a runoff between Jacques Chirac and the leader of the main French far-right party, Jean-Marie Le Pen.April 22 - At a special session of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Director-General Jose Bustani is fired.April 25 - Soyuz TM-34: South African Mark Shuttleworth blasts off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome; he had paid £15 million for the trip.April 26 - Robert Steinhäuser opens fire on his former teachers and other students in Erfurt, Germany and then kills himself; 16 are dead.April 27 - The Laughlin, Nevada River Run Riot leaves 3 dead.April 30 - Pakistan: Pakistani voters approve a referendum granting a 5-year term for Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf. MayJuly 1 - The International Criminal Court is established to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. Crimes committed on or after this date may be prosecuted by the court.July 1 - A Russian passenger jet and a cargo plane collide over the town of Uberlingen in Southern Germany; 72 are dead (see Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937).July 9 - The Organization of African Unity is officially disbanded and replaced by the African Union.July 10 - At a Sotheby's auction, Peter Paul Rubens' painting "The Massacre of the Innocents" is sold for £49.5million (US$76.2 million) to Lord Thomson.July 13 - A lighting strike sets off the Sour Biscuit Fire in Oregon and northern California, which is left to burn 499,570 acres (2,022 km²).July 14 - During Bastille Day celebrations, Jacques Chirac escapes an assassination attempt unscathed.July 15 - In Washington, DC, "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh pleads guilty to aiding the enemy and possession of explosives during the commission of a felony. Lindh agrees to serve 10 years in prison for each charge.July 19 - Henan Province, the People's Republic of China, 25 dead and hundreds injured due to hail.July 21 - Telecommunications giant WorldCom files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection (the largest such filing in United States history).July 25 - Queen Elizabeth II opens the XVII Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England. The Games run until August 4.July 27 - New Zealand general election 2002: Helen Clark, leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, is re-elected in a historic landslide victory over the Right Wing.July 27 - A Sukhoi Su-27 fighter crashes at an air show in Ukraine, killing 78 and injuring more than 100 others (the largest air show disaster in history). AugustOctober 2 - Iraq disarmament crisis: The Congress of the United States passes a joint resolution, which explicitly authorizes the President to use the United States Armed Forces as he deems necessary and appropriate, against Iraq.October 2 - The Beltway sniper attacks begin with 5 shootings in Montgomery County, Maryland.October 7 - The discovery of Quaoar is announced.October 8 - A judge decides that Ian Huntley is fit to stand trial for the Soham Murders, and he is set to be transferred from Rampton Hospital to a mainstream prison later this week.October 11 - Myyrmanni bombing: A lone bomber explodes a home-made bomb in the Myyrmanni shopping mall north of Helsinki, Finland; the casualties include himself.October 12 - 2002 Bali terrorist bombing: Terrorists detonate massive bombs in 2 nightclubs in Kuta, Bali, killing 202 and injuring over 300.October 13 - Kenny Pile and family imigrate to New ZealandOctober 16 - Iraq disarmament crisis: George W. Bush signs the Iraq War Resolution.October 23 - Kanye West is involved in a car crash after falling asleep behind the wheel leaving the recording studio.October 24 - The Beltway snipers, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo, are arrested.October 25 - U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, his family and staff, are killed by a plane accident at Eveleth, Minnesota.October 27 - The Anaheim Angels defeat the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series to win the title.October 27 - * Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, popularly known as Lula was elected the President of Brazil. As a founding member of the Workers' Party ("Partido dos Trabalhadores"), Lula was elected to the post in October 27, 2002 with 61% of the votes (run-off). November BirthsApril 21 - Carl and Clarence Aguirre, combined twins from Philadelphia, PAApril 30 - Miguel Urdangarín y de Borbón, grandson of Juan Carlos I of Spain.May 14 - Margarita Armstrong-Jones, daughter of Viscount Linley and his wife, Viscountess LinleyJune 8 - Countess Eloise of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouwe van AmsbergJuly 22 - Prince Felix of Denmark, Prince of DenmarkJuly 30 - Young Crown Prince Hridayendra of Nepal, second in line to the Nepalese throneAugust 2 - Kara and Shelby Hoffman, American actresses Deaths JanuaryJanuary 3 - Freddy Heineken, Dutch-born beer magnate (b. 1923)January 8 - Alexander Prochorow, Russian physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1916)January 8 - Dave Thomas, American fast food entrepreneur (b. 1932)January 12 - Stanley Unwin, South African comedian (b. 1911)January 12 - Cyrus Vance, United States Secretary of State (b. 1917)January 13 - Frank Shuster of the Canadian comic duo Wayne and Shuster (b. 1916)January 13 - Ted Demme, American film and television director (b. 1963)January 16 - Michael Bilandic, Mayor of Chicago (b. 1923)January 16 - Bobo Olson, American boxer (b. 1928)January 16 - Ron Taylor, American actor (b. 1952)January 17 - Camilo José Cela, Spanish writer (b. 1916)January 20 - Carrie Hamilton, American actress (b. 1963)January 22 - Peggy Lee, American singer and actress (b. 1920)January 23 - Pierre Bourdieu, French sociologist (b. 1930)January 23 - Robert Nozick, American philosopher (b. 1938)January 28 - Dick "Night Train" Lane, American football player (b. 1928)January 28 - Astrid Lindgren, Swedish children's book author (b. 1907)January 29 - Harold Russell, Canadian-born actor (b. 1914) FebruaryFebruary 1 - Irish McCalla, American actress (b. 1928)February 2 - Danielle Van Dam, American murder victim (b. 1994)February 6 - Max Perutz, Austrian-born molecular biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (b. 1914)February 8 - Joachim Hoffmann, German historian (b. 1930)February 9 - Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom (b. 1930)February 10 - Traudl Junge, German private secretary of Adolf Hitler (b. 1920)February 13 - Waylon Jennings, country music singer (b. 1937)February 14 - Nándor Hidegkuti, Hungarian footballer (b. 1922)February 15 - Howard K. Smith, Ame