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[†]
2002Mildred Benson, American journalist and author (born 1905)[†]
Mildred Augustine Wirt Benson was an American journalist and writer of children's books. She wrote some of the earliest Nancy Drew mysteries and created the detective's adventurous personality. Benson wrote under the Stratemeyer Syndicate pen name, Carolyn Keene, from 1929 to 1953 and contributed to 23 of the first 30 Nancy Drew mysteries, which were bestsellers.
2002The last steel girder is removed from the original World Trade Center site. Cleanup duties officially end with closing ceremonies at Ground Zero in Manhattan, New York City.[†]
The World Trade Center site, often referred to as "Ground Zero" or "the Pile" immediately after the September 11 attacks, is a 14.6-acre (5.9 ha) area in Lower Manhattan in New York City. The site is bounded by Vesey Street to the north, the West Side Highway to the west, Liberty Street to the south, and Church Street to the east. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) owns the site's land. The original World Trade Center complex stood on the site until it was destroyed in the September 11 attacks.
Restaurant business in New York is feeling pinch of tighter economy since Sept 11; diners still come, but spend less; restaurants outside Manhattan are suffering most and are not eligible for aid given to those closer to ground zero; photo (M)
Bridge Toll Reaches 7 Despite strong currents and bad weather, Oklahoma officals recovered four more bodies from the Arkansas River, where a barge took down part of a bridge. Three bodies were found on Sunday. PAGE A12 Stealing Homes From Elderly Federal prosecutors in Detroit say con artists are stealing the identities of elderly homeowners and then stealing their paid-off homes. One brick home was sold; another mortgaged. PAGE A12
Pres Pervez Musharraf says in nationwide address that Pakistan does not want conflict with India but will 'respond with full might' if war breaks out; urges India to open dialogue and to move toward normalization of relations; lays full blame for standoff on India; repeats he will not allow Pakistan to be used as staging ground for terror attacks, India's chief complaint against him; denies Islamic militants are crossing into India's side of Kashmir to carry out raids; pledges support for those resisting Indian rule in mostly Muslim region; Indian officials react with anger to address, finding little by way of conciliation; maps; photo (M)
First Memorial Day since September 11 terrorist attacks is commemorated across New York metropolitan region with cheering crowds and quiet prayer; parades and other events in New York City described; Mayor Michael R Bloomberg attends ceremony honoring war dead with hundreds of veterans aboard aircraft carrier Intrepid; photos (M)
Stephen Kinzer Arts in America column on Chicago, which has become America's second most important theater center; focuses on current Tony-nominated plays that began life in Chicago, including Thoroughly Modern Millie, Urinetown and Sweet Smell of Success; photos (M)
Footlights column: Absolut Sounds of the City free outdoor entertainment series is set to open at Theater Square in Newark; Landscapes of the Brandywine Valley is set to open at Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, Pa; jazz guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli, his father, Bucky Pizzarelli, and singer Jessica Molaskey will open at Feinstein's and Mary Cleere Haran will open at the Oak Room; American Museum of Natural History's main auditorium is set to open after 10-month, $8 million renovation; photos (M)
WHAT Jason Kidd began with 3-point jabs, he saved by absorbing punishing blows to his point guard's body. In this spring run, his longest, the man best known for perfect, pretty passes has grasped the essence of the N.B.A. playoffs: games, series and championships are won and lost inside the paint. So the notion of Kidd's opening salvo serving as the Nets' Game 3-purging statement, two jumpers from beyond the arc, was forgotten by the time the Celtics were bearing down on the Nets last night, threatening to overtake them after a long, uphill climb, as opposed to Saturday's record-setting rush. Just the same, a gamelong Nets lead was in jeopardy again, along with their plans for extending their season well into June. This time, Kidd would not give it up.
Article on controversy over graphs used by Bell Labs scientist Dr J Hendrik Schon, author of more than 70 scientific papers in last two and half years; Schon and collaborators developed revolutionary technique to study buckyballs, molecules that could be turned into superconductors; Bell Labs, part of Lucent Technologies, has convened independent panel to investigate possible scientific misconduct (M)
Article profiles New Jersey State Sen Diane Allen, who is running in Republican primary against Sen John Matheussen and businessman Douglas Forrester for opportunity to face incumbent Sen Robert Torricelli in general election; photo (M)
Neil Strauss reviews new album by rapper Eminem; photo (M)
Article on embattled Vivendi Universal chief executive Jean-Marie Messier, who moved to New York from Paris eight months ago and has become increasingly involved in city's cultural philanthropy; photo (M)
Some former directors of Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corp are raising some questions on role of Farmer Mac's board; they say board serves management, not other way around; Edward C Williamson Jr was director on board but says he opposed company's chief executive Henry D Edelman and was shortly thereafter removed by Pres Clinton; former directors say others were purged as Edelman systematically cleared board of those who stood up to him, questioned his figures or threatened his hold on Farmer Mac; Williamson says Edelman 'got rid of the ones who were asking the questions and all the independent thinkers'; former directors say Edelman pressed to create subcommittee of board to nominate 10 in-house, which he then advised heavily; chairman Charles Eugene Branstool says it was Edelman's idea to unify what had been fractious nominating process; Edelman circulated allegations against former director C G Holthus after Holthus supported Williamson in attempt to remove Edelman; Holthus was not renominated in 1996; photos (M)