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Major Events of November 2002: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from November 2002 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

history

Major Events of November 2002: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Nov 2002 Microsoft Antitrust Case Ruling: Judge Colleen Kollar Kotelly issued her findings in the landmark antitrust case 'United States v. Microsoft', a significant legal proceeding that examined the company's market practices and potential monopolistic behavior in the technology sector.
  • 02 Nov 2002 Tragic School Earthquake in Italy: A devastating earthquake struck San Giuliano di Puglia in the Molise region of Italy, resulting in 29 fatalities, including 26 children who were killed when the roof of their school collapsed. This tragic event highlighted critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and school safety concerns.
  • 03 Nov 2002 Significant Alaskan Earthquake of 2002: A powerful magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck central Alaska, causing extensive road damage and being felt as far away as Seattle, Washington. Despite its significant strength, the earthquake resulted in no fatalities or serious injuries.
  • 04 Nov 2002 US Drone Strike Eliminates Al-Qaeda Leader in Yemen: An American drone aircraft launched an AGM-114 Hellfire missile in Yemen, successfully targeting and destroying a vehicle carrying six al-Qaeda members, including Qaed Salim Sinan al-Harethi, the mastermind behind the USS 'Cole' terrorist attack. This precision strike was part of the United States' counter-terrorism efforts in the region.
  • 05 Nov 2002 2002 US Midterm Elections: The United States held midterm elections, with the Republican Party gaining control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This election represented a significant shift in the political landscape, strengthening the Republican Party's position in Congress.
  • 06 Nov 2002 Federal Reserve Economic Outlook: Federal Reserve Board of Governors reduces overnight bank-lending rates to 1.25%, signaling potential economic weakness and expressing concerns about potential impacts of Iraq war and terrorist threats on consumer and business spending.
  • 07 Nov 2002 Cali Cartel Leader Released: Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela, a prominent Colombian drug lord and key leader of the Cali drug cartel, was controversially released from prison on November 7, 2002, after serving less than half of his sentence. Both Colombian and American governments objected to his early release.
  • 08 Nov 2002 Communist Party of China's 16th National Congress: At the 16th National Congress, Jiang Zemin, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, announced significant policy shifts. While maintaining Marxism-Leninism as the official ideology, the party began to embrace entrepreneurs and professionals, signaling a gradual evolution towards 'socialism with Chinese characteristics'. Jiang also indicated his intention to step down as party leader.
  • 09 Nov 2002 World Freedom Day Proclamation: On World Freedom Day, the United States joined with nations dedicated to liberty and democratic values to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall. The proclamation renewed the commitment to advancing democracy, peace, and freedom worldwide, symbolizing the triumph of democratic ideals over totalitarian systems.
  • 10 Nov 2002 Earth's Magnetic Field Decline Discovery: According to the Guardian newspaper, Gauthier Hulot, a researcher from the Paris Geophysical Institute, has found compelling evidence of a gradual decrease in the Earth's magnetic field strength over the past two centuries. This scientific observation suggests the potential for a magnetic field polarity reversal within the next few hundred years, which could have significant implications for global communication, navigation systems, and planetary protection from solar radiation.
  • 11 Nov 2002 Perelman's PoincarĂ© Conjecture Proof: Mathematician Grigori Perelman uploaded a groundbreaking article to arxiv.org containing the proof of the famous PoincarĂ© conjecture, titled 'The entropy formula for the Ricci flow and its geometric applications'.
  • 12 Nov 2002 Ethiopian Famine Warning: Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zewi issued a dire warning about a potential famine that could surpass the devastating 1984 Ethiopian famine. He dramatically stated that if the 1984 famine was a 'nightmare', the current situation would be 'too ghastly to contemplate', urgently appealing for international famine relief.
  • 13 Nov 2002 Nancy Pelosi Becomes First Woman Party Leader: Nancy Pelosi, a Representative from California, is elected by the Democratic Caucus as their minority leader, making history as the first American woman to lead a major political party.
  • 14 Nov 2002 House Rejects 9/11 Commission: On November 14, 2002, the U.S. House of Representatives voted against creating an independent commission to investigate the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. This decision was controversial, as many believed a comprehensive, impartial investigation was crucial for understanding the events leading to the attacks.
  • 15 Nov 2002 Hu Jintao Becomes Communist Party Leader: Hu Jintao assumed the role of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, marking a significant leadership transition in one of the world's most powerful nations. This event represented a key moment in China's political evolution and succession planning.
  • 16 Nov 2002 First SARS Case Recorded in China: The first case of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was recorded in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China. Although not immediately identified at the time, this would later be recognized as the origin point of a significant global health crisis that would emerge in the following year.
  • 17 Nov 2002 First Recorded SARS Case: The first case of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was documented in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, China, marking the beginning of a global health crisis.
  • 18 Nov 2002 UN Weapons Inspectors Arrive in Iraq: United Nations weapons inspectors led by Hans Blix arrived in Iraq to investigate potential weapons of mass destruction, marking a critical moment in the escalating Iraq disarmament crisis.
  • 19 Nov 2002 Prestige Oil Tanker Environmental Disaster: On November 19, 2002, the Greek oil tanker Prestige catastrophically split in half and sank off the coast of Galicia, Spain, releasing over 76,000 cubic meters (20 million US gallons) of crude oil. This event became the largest environmental disaster in Spanish and Portuguese maritime history, causing extensive ecological damage to coastal ecosystems and marine life. The incident highlighted significant maritime safety and environmental protection challenges.
  • 20 Nov 2002 Michael Jackson Controversial Baby Incident: Pop icon Michael Jackson created a media sensation when he briefly held his infant son, Blanket, over the balcony of a Berlin hotel, shocking onlookers and drawing widespread criticism for potentially endangering the child's safety. The incident raised serious questions about Jackson's parental judgment.
  • 21 Nov 2002 NATO Prague Summit Expands Alliance: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) held a significant summit in Prague, Czech Republic, where seven Eastern European countries were invited to join the alliance. This marked a major geopolitical expansion following the end of the Cold War, symbolizing the integration of former Eastern Bloc countries into Western strategic frameworks.
  • 22 Nov 2002 Miss World Beauty Pageant Violence in Nigeria: On November 22, 2002, a tragic incident unfolded during the Miss World Beauty Pageant in Nigeria, where religious tensions erupted into violent conflict. At least 100 people were killed and approximately 200 others were reported missing. The event, which was highly anticipated internationally, was violently disrupted by Christian and Muslim mobs, ultimately forcing the organizers to relocate the pageant to London.
  • 23 Nov 2002 Murder of Pim Fortuyn: Confession by Volkert van den Graaf: Volkert van den Graaf, a Dutch environmental activist, confessed to the assassination of controversial Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn. He claimed his motivation was to protect vulnerable societal groups from what he perceived as Fortuyn's potentially harmful political rhetoric and policies.
  • 24 Nov 2002 Death of John Rawls: John Rawls, a prominent American political philosopher and influential theorist of justice, passed away. Rawls was known for his groundbreaking work 'A Theory of Justice' (1971), which significantly impacted modern political philosophy and discussions of social justice, equality, and liberal political theory.
  • 25 Nov 2002 Homeland Security Act Signed into Law: President George W. Bush signed the Homeland Security Act, establishing the Department of Homeland Security. This was the most significant U.S. government restructuring since the creation of the Department of Defense in 1947. The Senate passed the act with an overwhelming majority of 90-9 on November 19, 2002, marking a pivotal moment in national security organization following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
  • 26 Nov 2002 Terrorism Risk Insurance Act Signed into Law: President George W. Bush signed the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, establishing a federal backstop for insurance claims related to terrorist acts. This legislation aimed to provide financial stability and protection for insurance companies in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
  • 27 Nov 2002 Controversial Human Cloning Claims by Severino Antinori: On November 27, 2002, Dr. Severino Antinori, a highly controversial medical researcher, publicly claimed that a human cloning project had been successfully completed and that the first human clone was expected to be born in 2003. Simultaneously, Clonaid, a radical biotechnology organization, announced that five human clones were in various stages of development, with one purportedly scheduled to be born in December 2002. These claims were met with widespread scientific skepticism and ethical concerns about the potential implications of human reproductive cloning.
  • 28 Nov 2002 2002 Mombasa Terror Attacks: Coordinated terrorist attacks in Mombasa, Kenya, involving suicide bombers targeting an Israeli-owned hotel and an attempted missile attack on an Arkia Israel Airlines Flight. The attacks were sophisticated, involving both ground and potential aerial assault strategies.
  • 29 Nov 2002 Concert for George Harrison Memorial Concert: A tribute concert honoring the late George Harrison was held at London's Royal Albert Hall. The event celebrated the life and musical legacy of the former Beatles guitarist, who had passed away the previous year. Musicians and friends gathered to pay homage to Harrison through performances and remembrances.
  • 30 Nov 2002 Provisional IRA Peace Process Negotiations: According to reports, the Provisional IRA was considering making significant concessions to restart the stalled Northern Ireland peace process, potentially marking a crucial turning point in the long-standing conflict.