2002

2002

2002 (MMII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2002nd year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 2nd year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the 3rd year of the 2000s decade.

After the September 11 attacks of the previous year, foreign policy and international relations were generally united in combatting al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations. The United States especially was a leading force in combatting terrorist groups. 2002 also saw the signing and establishment of many international agreements and institutions, most notably the International Criminal Court, the African Union, the Russian-American Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, and the Eurozone.

The global economy, partly due to the September 11 attacks, generally stagnated or declined. Stock indices, such as the American Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Japanese Nikkei 225 both ended the year lower than they had started. In the later parts of 2002, the world saw the beginning of a SARS epidemic, which would go on to affect mostly China, Europe, and North America

2002

Events:

In Film

Top Grossing Films of the Year

Other Movies Released

Changes of Network Affiliation

Events:

January 1 - Introduction of Euro banknotes and coins in the European Union.
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 is going to pursue a criminal investigation of Enron.
January 10 - Enrique Bolaños Geyer assumes the position President of the Republic of Nicaragua for the time (2002-2007).
January 13 - President George W Bush faints after choking on a pretzel.
January 16 - A student shoots 6 people at the Appalachian School of Law. Three of those shot die.
January 16 - John Ashcroft announces that American Taliban member John Walker Lindh would be tried in the United States.
January 16 - The UN Security Council unanimously establishes an arms embargo and the freezing of assets of Osama bin Laden, Al-Qaida, and the remaining Taliban.
January 17 - Eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, displacing an estimated 400,000 people
January 20 - Inauguration of Churches Uniting in Christ
January 22 - AOL Time Warner brings a federal suit against Microsoft seeking damages. The suit alleges that the market for AOL's Netscape Navigator Internet browser was harmed when Microsoft started to give away a competing browser.
January 22 - Kmart Corp becomes the largest retailer in American history to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
January 24 - Enron hearings begin and terrorist suspect John Walker Lindh's hearing begins.
January 27 - Several explosions at a military dump in Lagos, Nigeria kills more than 1,000.
January 30 - Slobodan Milosevic accuses the United Nations war crimes tribunal of an "evil and hostile attack" against him.
February 3 - Costa Rica: elections for President and Congress
February 8 through February 24 - 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah
February 12 - The trial of former President of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic begins at the United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague
February 13 - Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom gives former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani an honorary knighthood.
February 19 - NASA's Mars Odyssey space probe begins to map the surface of using its thermal emission imaging system.
February 20 - In Reqa Al-Gharbiya, Egypt, a fire on a train injures over 65 and kills at least 370.
February 22 - A MH-47E Chinook helicopter crashes into the ocean near the Philippines killing all 10 aboard.
February 28 - Ethnic conflict in India: At least 55 are killed in Ahmadabad, India when Hindus burn Muslim homes.
March 1 - U.S. Attack on Afghanistan: In eastern Afghanistan, Operation Anaconda begins.
March 3 - Sao Tome and Principe: elections for the legislature
March 10 - Colombia: elections for the legislature; Togo: elections for the Parliament
March 17 - Portugal: elections for the Parliament
March 19 - US Attack on Afghanistan: Operation Anaconda ends (started on March 1) after killing 500 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters with 11 allied troop fatalities.
March 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.
March 28 - The exhibit "The Italians: Three Centuries of Italian Art" opens at the National Gallery of Australia.
March 31 - Ukraine: elections for the Parliament
April 2 - Israeli forces surrounded the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem which has around 200 Palestinians inside. A siege ensues.
April 18 - New order of insects, Mantophasmatodea, announced.
April 30 - Pakistan: referendum on continuation of military government
May 15 - The Netherlands: elections for the Lower House
May 20 - restoration of East Timor independence
May 23 - first Eurovision Song Contest in a former soviet country, Estonia
May 31 through June 30 - 17th Football World Cup in Japan and South Korea
June 4 - Quaoar is discovered
June 5 - Elizabeth Smart kidnapped from her Salt Lake City home.
June 10 - Annular solar eclipse
June 18 - Arizona experiences its worst forest fire ever when a local sets off the Rodeo-Chediski fire burning 462,606 acres near the Mogollon Rim.
July 5 - Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraq once again rejects new U.N. weapons inspections proposals
July 13 - A lighting strike sets off the Sour Biscuit Fire in Oregon and northern California, which is left to burn 499,570 acres when finally contained on September 5.
July 20 - The Disinfopedia is launched. It is an encyclopedia of propaganda based on the Wikipedia.
August 2 - Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraq invites chief weapons inspector Hans Blix to Iraq for discussions on remaining disarmament issues.
August 19 - Iraq disarmament crisis: The U.N. Secretary General rejects Iraq's August 2 proposal as the "wrong work program", and instead recommends that Iraq allow weapons inspectors to return to the country, in accordance with previous U.N. resolutions.
September 12 - Iraq disarmament crisis: U.S. President George W. Bush, addresses the U.N. and challenges its members to confront the "grave and gathering danger" of Iraq or stand aside as the United States and likeminded nations act.
October 2 - Iraq disarmament crisis: The United States Congress passes a joint resolution which explicitly authorizes the President to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate.
October 7 - Discovery of Quaoar is announced
October 11 - Bali: Terrorists detonate massive bomb in two nightclubs in Kuta, killing hundreds
October 11 - Lone bomber explodes a home-made bomb in the Myyrmanni shopping mall north of Helsinki, Finland - casualties include himself.
October 16 - Iraq disarmament crisis: George W. Bush signs the Iraq war resolution
November 8 - Iraq disarmament crisis: UN Security Council unanimously approves Iraq resolution, demanding Saddam Hussein disarm or face "serious consequences"
November 13 - Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraq agrees to the UN Security Council resolution on Iraq
November 18 - Iraq disarmament crisis: UN inspectors arrive in Iraq
November 29 - Brian Henderson retires from reading the news at Sydney, Australia television station TCN-9. At his retirement he held the record for the longest serving television newsreader ever, having hosted the weekend evening bulletins on the station from 1957 until 1964 and the weeknight evening news bulletins on the station from 1964 until he retired in 2002.
December 4 - Total solar eclipse
December 7 - Iraq disarmament crisis: As required by the recently passed U.N. resolution, Iraq files a 12,000 page weapons declaration with the U.N. Security Council. Although it is supposed to be a complete declaration, it is seen as incomplete by the Security Council and weapons inspectors.

In Film

Top Grossing Films of the Year

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (Fox)
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (New Line)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Warner Bros)
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (IFC)
Signs (Disney)
Austin Powers in Goldmember (New Line)
Men in Black II (Sony)
Ice Age (Fox)
Die Another Day (MGM)

Other Movies Released

Orange County (1/11)
Snow Dogs (1/18)
The Count of Monte Cristo (1/25)
The Mothman Prophecies (1/25)
A Walk To Remember (1/25)
Collateral Damage (2/08)
Crossroads (2/15)
John Q. (2/15)
Return to Never Land (2/15)
Dragonfly (2/22)
Queen of the Damned (2/22)
40 Days and 40 Nights (3/01)
We Were Soldiers (3/01)
All About the Benjamins (3/08)
The Time Machine (3/08)
Resident Evil (3/15)
Showtime (3/15)
Blade II (3/22)
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (20th anniversary re-release) 3/22
Clockstoppers (3/29)
Panic Room (3/29)
The Rookie (3/29)
High Crimes (4/05)
National Lampoon’s Van Wilder (4/05)
Big Fat Liar (4/11)
Changing Lanes (4/12)
The Sweetest Thing (4/12)
Space Station 3-D (IMAX) 4/19
Murder by Numbers (4/19)
The Scorpion King (4/19)
The New Guy (5/10)
Unfaithful (5/10)
About a Boy (5/17)
Enough (5/24)
Insomnia (5/24)
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (5/24)
The Sum of All Fears (5/31)
Undercover Brother (5/31)
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (6/07)
Bad Company (6/07)
Scooby-Doo (6/14)
The Bourne Identity (6/14)
Windtalkers (6/14)
Lilo & Stitch (6/21)
Minority Report (6/21)
Mr. Deeds (6/28)
Like Mike (7/03)
The Crocodile Hunter: Colission Course (7/12)
Reign of Fire (7/12)
Halloween: Resurrection (7/12)
Road to Perdition (7/12)
K-19: The Widowmaker (7/19)
Stuart Little 2 (7/19)
Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat (8/02)
The Master of Disguise (8/02)
Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (8/07)
Blood Work (8/09)
XXX (8/09)
Blue Crush (8/16)
One Hour Photo (8/21)
City by the Sea (9/06)
SwimFan (9/06)
Barbershop (9/13)
The Banger Sisters (9/20)
Sweet Home Alabama (9/27)
The Tuxedo (9/27)
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (10/04)
Red Dragon (10/04)
Brown Sugar (10/11)
The Transporter (10/11)
The Ring (10/18)
Frida (10/25)
Ghost Ship (10/25)
Jackass: The Movie (10/25)
I Spy (11/01)
The Santa Clause 2 (11/01)
8 Mile (11/08)
Friday After Next (11/22)
Eight Crazy Nights (11/27)
Treasure Planet (11/27)
Analyze That (12/06)
Drumline (12/13)
The Hot Chick (12/13)
Maid in Manhattan (12/13)
Star Trek: Nemesis (12/13)
Two Weeks Notice (12/20)
The Wild Thornberrys (12/20)
Gangs of New York (12/20)
Catch Me If You Can (12/25)

In Television

Events

April 17 - General Hospital airs its milestone 10,000th episode.
May - One Life to Live airs a full week of episodes broadcast live from the ABC New York studios.
July 6 - Totally Spies premieres on TV Tokyo.
September 5 - The flagship couple on soap opera The Young and the Restless, Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and Nikki Reed (Melody Thomas Scott), marry for the third time.
October 30 - Warren Zevon is featured on the Late Show with David Letterman as the only guest for the entire hour. Zevon performs several songs and talks in length about being diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer.
October - Longtime castmember Hunter Tylo's character, Dr. Taylor Hamilton Forrester, is killed off the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, which is seen worldwide.
December - Talk show host David Letterman, Paul Shaffer and a stage hand from the Late Show with David Letterman, Biff Henderson, spend Christmas in Afghanistan with United States and international military forces stationed in the country.
Discovery Kids introduces to NBC.
Fox News Channel overtakes CNN as the #1 cable TV news service in the US.
Fox Kids changes its name to the Fox Box.
Alter and Tempo, the Greek speaking channels switches much of family/children's programming.
Kirby: Right Back at Ya, Ultimate M.U.S.C.L.E., and Ultraman Tiga debut on Fox Box.

Debuts

January - The Jamie Kennedy Experiment premieres (2002-2004)
June 18 - American Idol: The Search for a Superstar premieres. The show is based on the 2001 British ITV program, Pop Idol
June - Kim Possible premieres (2002-present)
August - Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius premieres on Nickelodeon (2002-present)
September 15 - ABC Kids debuts as a replacement of Disney's One Saturday Morning (2002-present)
September 15 - Stargate: Infinity premieres on the Fox Box (2002-2003)
September 29 - American Dreams premieres (2002-present)
September - Hack premieres on CBS (2002-2004)
September - Life with Bonnie premieres (2002-2004)
September - Without a Trace premieres (2002-present)
October - Less Than Perfect premieres on ABC (2002-present)
December 6 - Codename: Kids Next Door premieres on Cartoon Network (2002-present)
8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter premieres (2002-present)
CSI: Miami premieres (2002-present)
I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! premieres in the UK (2002-present)
Spy drama Spooks, a Kudos production for the BBC, debuts on BBC One (2002-present)
The Bachelor premieres (2002-present)
The George Lopez Show (2002-present)
The Osbournes reality show premieres on cable television (2002-present)

Television Shows

Meet the Press (1947-present)
Candid Camera (1948-present)
Guiding Light (1952-present)
The Today Show (1952-present)
Panorama (UK) (1953-present)
Face the Nation (1954-present)
The Tonight Show (1954-present)
This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003)
As the World Turns (1956-present)
What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present)
The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present)
Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present)
Grandstand (UK) (1958-present)
Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present)
The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present)
General Hospital (1963-present)
Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present)
Days of Our Lives (1965-present)
Play School (1966-present)
60 Minutes (1968-present)
One Life to Live (1968-present)
Sesame Street (1969-present)
All My Children (1970-present)
Monday Night Football (1970-present)
Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present)
Emmerdale (UK) (1972-present)
Newsround (UK) (1972-present)
The Price Is Right (1972-present)
Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present)
The Young and the Restless (1973-present)
Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present)
Fawlty Towers (UK) (1975-present)
Good Morning America (1975-present)
Saturday Night Live (1975-present)
the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present)
Wheel of Fortune (1975-present)
20/20 (1978-present)
Grange Hill (UK) (1978-present)
Entertainment Tonight (1981-present)
Jeopardy! (1964-1975, 1984-present)
The Bill (UK) (1984-present)
EastEnders (UK) (1985-present)
Neighbours (Australia) (1985-present)
The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-present)
The Bold and the Beautiful (1987-present)
Cops (1989-present)
The Simpsons (1989-present)
Law & Order (1990-present)
Rugrats (1991-2004)
The Jerry Springer Show (1991-present)
Dateline NBC (1992-present)
The Real World (1992-present)
Frasier (1993-2004)
Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993-present)
NYPD Blue (1993-present)
The Late Show with David Letterman (1993-present)
ER (1994-present)
Friends (1994-2004)
Touched by an Angel (1994-2003)
JAG (1995-present)
The Drew Carey Show (1995-2004)
7th Heaven (1996-present)
Dexter's Laboratory (1996-present)
Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-present)
Hey Arnold! (1996-present)
The Daily Show (1996-present)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
Johnny Bravo (1997-present)
Just Shoot Me (1997-2003)
King of the Hill (1997-present)
South Park (1997-present)
The Practice (1997-2004)
The Wonderful World of Disney (1997-present)
Toonami (1997-present)
Becker (1998-2004)
Dawson's Creek (1998-2003)
Sex and the City (1998-2004)
That '70s Show (1998-present)
The King of Queens (1998-present)
The Powerpuff Girls (1998-2004)
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (UK) (1998-present)
Will & Grace (1998-present)
Angel (1999-2004)
Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present)
Farscape (1999-2003)
Futurama (1999-2003)
Judging Amy (1999-present)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-present)
Rocket Power (1999-present)
Shocking Behavior: Caught on Tape (1999-present)
SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-present)
Tenacious D (1999-present)
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilbourn (1999-2004)
The Sopranos (1999-present)
The West Wing (1999-present)
Third Watch (1999-present)
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (US) (1999-present)
As Told by Ginger (2000-present)
Boston Public (2000-2004)
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000-present)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000-present)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-present)
Ed (2000-2004)
Malcolm in the Middle (2000-present)
Survivor (2000-present)
The District (2000-2004)
The Weakest Link (2000-present)
Yes, Dear (2000-present)
24 (2001-present)
Absolutely Fabulous (UK) (1992-1996, 2001-2003)
According to Jim (2001-present)
Adult Swim (2001-present)
Alias (2001-present)
Braceface (2001-present)
Enterprise (2001-present)
Fear Factor (2001-present)
Home Movies (1999, 2001-present)
JR Digs (Canada) (2001-present)
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001-present)
My Wife and Kids (2001-present)
Pop Idol (UK) (2001-present)
Scrubs (2001-present)
Smallville (2001-present)
The Bernie Mac Show (2001-present)
The Fairly OddParents (2001-present)
The Guardian (2001-2004)

Ending this year

The Twilight Zone (1959-1964, 1985-1988, 2002)
Barney & Friends (1992-2002)
The X-Files (1993-2002)
Sesame Park, a Canadian spin-off of the American show Sesame Street, is cancelled due to low ratings, after more than three decades of airing on the CBC (1995-2002, the show was run as Sesame Street prior to 1995)
Spin City (1996-2002)
Dharma & Greg (1997-2002)
Family Guy (1999-2002) (the show is scheduled to return in 2005)
The Gavin Crawford Show (2000-2002)

Changes of Network Affiliation

Power Rangers: Ninja Storm moves to ABC Kids from Fox Kids.