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[†]
2002Renaude Lapointe, Canadian journalist and politician (born 1912)[†]
Louise Marguerite Renaude Lapointe, was a Canadian journalist and a Senator. She was among the first Canadian women to work as a professional journalist and the first French-Canadian woman to preside over the Senate.
2002Bill Peet, American animator and screenwriter (born 1915)[†]
William Bartlett Peet was an American children's book illustrator and a story writer and animator for Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Turmoil worsens in deregulated electricity industry after Reliant Resources, big independent power producer and trader, cancels $500 million bond sale amid questions about whether all of its trades are real; Reliant discloses it bought power from another company while simultaneously selling same amount back to that company, move that increased its reported trading volume, key measure of company's health; shares in big independent power producers and traders skid after announcement, worsening year-long slump; photo (M)
Chief Judge Claude M Hilton sentences former FBI agent Robert Hanssen to life in prison for spying for Russia during and after cold war; Hanssen apologizes for betraying his country and family; many of government's top counterintelligence experts still believe he has not told them whole truth (M)
US Airways says it will seek federal loan guarantee and may file for bankruptcy protection if it does not get one; carrier, nation's sixth-largest, would be biggest test case to date of how government handles loan guarantee process and how airlines will try to use leverage from such applications to bring down labor costs; chief executive David N Siegel cites need for workers and vendors to quickly agree to new business plan to win guarantee, letter to employees; stock-price graph; photos (M)
William C Rhoden Sports of The Times column holds that performance of Detroit Pistons player Ben Wallace is proof that hard work and persistence can lead to success in sports; photo (M)
Individuals who symbolized bravery and heroism during September 11 terrorist attacks are in high demand as college commencement speakers; include former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, former police commissioner, Bernard B Kerik and former fire commissioner Thomas Von Essen (M)
Barak Bassam helps former nanny, Louise Brown, win running battle in New York City courts to adopt two great-nephews; Bassam's parents say son, who was emotionally disturbed and learning disabled, was saved by Brown's undaunting love, which in turn allowewd him to help her save own family; photos (M)
Colorado Rockies defeat New York Mets, 9-5; photos (M)
Political rebellion against soaring cost of prescription drugs now brewing around nation may be at its peak in Maine, where easy access to Canada's regulated drug market makes price differences achingly apparent; groups from state periodically organize buying trips across border; Chellie Pingree, Democratic candidate for United States Senate, is building her campaign on issue; was instrumental in passing state law that tries to force companies to negotiate with state to lower drug costs for uninsured; photo (M)
New Jersey Nets head into Game 4 of Eastern Conference semifinals against Charlotte Hornets facing prospect of star guard Jason Kidd sitting out, injured after colliding with Hornets player David Wesley and needing 15 stitches above right eye; photos (M)
Accounting firm BDO Seidman sends mass e-mail memo seeking to woo Arthur Andersen partners; competes with Grant Thornton and RSM McGladrey for Andersen's practice that serves midsize clients; move is sign of increasing pressures on all sides to complete any deals for pieces of Andersen's business before criminal trial against firm in Enron case goes to jury (M)
Church of Nativity, Bethlehem, is dirty but apparently undamaged after withdrawal of over 130 Palestinian gunmen, civilians and clergy members following 39-day seige by Israeli army; Israeli troops leave Manger Square; area residents, freed from nearly constant curfew, come to gape at church; some from area's dwindling Christian population come to pray and rejoice in tumult that breaks jealously guarded protocols that divide church's administration between Orthodox and Roman Catholic denominations; photos (M)
Kmart's probe into internal accounting problems draws attention to so-called vendor allowances, part of thicket of payments between manufacturers and retailers; suppliers pay retailers huge amounts of money to cover cost of promotions and win advantageous shelf space and other privileges; not all of these arrangements are clearly accounted for, or even acknowledged in accounts; experts estimate 10 to 20 percent of $856 billion in annual retail sales is tied up in vendor allowances and their close cousins, chargebacks and deductions; vendors say allowances can be easily manipulated by retailers in need of cash; photo (M)