On this day
Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
In 2002, the world population was approximately 6,337,730,342 people[†]
2002Robert Hanbury Brown, English astronomer and physicist (born 1916)[†]
Robert Hanbury Brown, AC FRS was a British astronomer and physicist born in Aruvankadu, India. He made notable contributions to the development of radar and later conducted pioneering work in the field of radio astronomy.
2002War in Afghanistan: The UN Security Council unanimously establishes an arms embargo and the freezing of assets of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda, and the remaining members of the Taliban.[†]
The war in Afghanistan was a prolonged armed conflict lasting from 2001 to 2021. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition under the name Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the September 11 attacks carried out by al-Qaeda. The Taliban and its allies were quickly expelled from major population centers by US-led forces supporting the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance, thus toppling the Taliban-ruled Islamic Emirate. Three years later the US-sponsored Islamic Republic was established, but by then the Taliban had reorganized under their founder, Mullah Omar, and began a widespread insurgency against the new Afghan government and coalition forces. The conflict finally ended decades later as the 2021 Taliban offensive reestablished the Islamic Emirate. It was the longest war in United States military history, surpassing the Vietnam War by six months.
Citigroup names Robert B Willumstad president, position unfilled since departure of James Dimon in November 1998; move comes amid talk that chief executive Sanford I Weill is preparing to make more acquisitions; analysts say appointment appears to place Willumstad as leading candidate to succeed Weill and reinforces importance of consumer operation, which accounts for half of Citigroup's profits; FleetBoston Financial is seen as potential takeover target; Fleet spokesman James Mahoney denies that merge is in works; photo (Market Place column) (M)
Israeli Army officials say Palestinian gunmen kidnapped American Israeli Avi Boaz at Palestinian checkpoint, Beit Jala, West Bank and later shot him to death; two Palestinian gunmen fire at car outside Givat Zeev, part of northern Jerusalem Palestinians consider settlement, killing Yoela Chen and wounding her aunt; killings are first of civilians by Palestinian militants since Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat's Dec 16 call for halt to all attacks; his Palestinian Authority scores killings and affirms its commitment to cease-fire; detains Ahmed Saadat, leader of Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine, group that killed Israeli Min Rehavam Zeevi in Oct; militia whose leader, Raed al-Karmi, was recently killed by bomb in Tulkarm, West Bank, claims responsibility for killing Boaz; Israel tightens blockade of Tulkarm; map; photos (M)
NYC column observes that real objection to street vendors making money from Sept 11 attack is that they are doing business near World Trade Center site (M)
Former colleagues describe Sherron S Watkins, Enron vice president who wrote Aug letter to chairman Kenneth L Lay warning improper accounting practices threatened to destroy company, as tough, ethical and unafraid to deliver difficult news, even to superiors; she formerly worked at Arthur Andersen accounting firm; photo (M)
Two students are shot at Martin Luther King Jr High School, troubled school near Lincoln Center, in what may have been dispute over girl; gunman escapes; photos; map; wounded students are Andre Wilkins, 16, and Andrel Napper, 17; New York City Schools Chancellor Harold Levy acknowledges school's problems with security (M)
Gov George Pataki and New York legislative leaders reach agreement after two days of bargaining on health care bill that would provide $1.8 billion in salary increases for hospital workers over three years, and also pay to recruit more workers; measure, already approved by Senate, counts on about $4.5 billion in new revenues, mostly by requesting federal government to pay greater share of Medicaid costs; about $2.7 billion would be spent on health-care initiatives; hospital workers' union leader Dennis Rivera plays key role, and praises bill at rally, while saying he has not decided on endorsing Pataki's re-election; rally photo (M)
Former mayor Rudolph Giuliani introduces associates at his new venture, Giuliani Partners; photo; assembled are loyal mayoral aides Dennision Young Jr, Michael D Hess, Anthony V Carbonetti, Bruce J Teitelbaum, Sunny Mindel and former fire commissioner Thomas Von Essen; Giuliani says they are marketing government expertise to private corporate clients (M)
John Walker, American who fought with Taliban in Afghanistan, is charged with conspiring to kill Americans and supporting terrorist groups; will be tried in federal court; complaint, which holds he trained at Al Qaeda camp and fought with Taliban, ends sharp debate within Bush administration over whether to try him in military court; Atty Gen John Ashcroft says Walker told FBI that he met Osama bin Laden in small group and knew bin Laden ordered Sept 11 terrorist attacks; FBI holds Walker admitted he learned in June that bin Laden ordered suicide mission in United States and learned of attacks while serving on Taliban front line; his family issues statement supporting him; photos (M)
Oracle Corp Japan says net income totaled 9.5 billion yen ($73 million) in six months ended Nov 30, up from 7.8 billion yen in period year ago (S)
Andersen Fires the Partner In Charge of Auditing Enron Arthur Andersen fired its partner in charge of auditing Enron, saying he had ordered the destruction of thousands of documents and e-mail messages after learning that the Securities and Exchange Commission had begun an investigation of Enron's accounting. The fired partner, David B. Duncan, called a meeting of auditors at Enron's Houston office and ordered ''an expedited effort to destroy documents'' on Oct. 23, the day after Enron disclosed that the S.E.C. had initiated its inquiry, the firm said. [Page A1.]
United States and Philippines, in first major expansion of war on terrorism, prepare joint operations against Abu Sayyaf, Muslim extremist group in southern Philippines linked to Al Qaeda; US plans to send over 600 troops, including 160 Special Operations forces trained in counterterrorism, to Mindanao to train and advise 1,200 Philippine Army soldiers in how to destroy group, which is holding hostages; US forces will accompany patrols in rebel areas, authorized to fire only in self-defense; Sec Donald H Rumsfeld outlines plan (M)
Pfizer Inc will offer its drugs to low-income elderly people for flat fee of $15 a month for each prescription, fraction of average retail price of $65; says plan is intended to bridge gap in drug coverage until broader Medicare reform is adopted; estimates that seven million people qualify for its program, which will be available to individuals with gross incomes under $18,000 a year and couples with incomes below $24,000; several consumer groups support program, but say it is no substitute for Congressional action to add drug benefits to Medicare; Pfizer will issue cards to people in program, which will be honored by CVS Corp, which operates 4,100 drugstores in 33 states, and Wal-Mart Stores; photo (M)