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[†]
2002Ben Shelton, American tennis player[†]
Benjamin Todd Shelton is an American professional tennis player. Shelton has a career-high singles ranking of world No. 10 by the ATP, achieved on 16 June 2025. He has a career-high ATP doubles ranking of No. 68 achieved on 20 May 2024. Shelton has won two singles titles on the ATP Tour, and reached two major semifinals at the 2023 US Open and at the 2025 Australian Open.
2002Sopubek Begaliev, Kyrgyzstani economist and politician (born 1931)[†]
Sopubek Begaliev was a Soviet-era economist and politician. He was the founder of the Assembly of People of the Kyrgyz Republic, an organization that promotes inter-ethnic harmony, civil peace, and unanimity. Through his efforts, Begaliev worked to lay the foundation for a strong and peaceful society in the country.
2002Charles Guggenheim, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1924)[†]
Charles Eli Guggenheim was an American documentary film director, producer, and screenwriter. He was the most honored documentary filmmaker in the academy history, winning four Oscars from twelve nominations.
MyTravel Group chief executive Tim Byrne resigns; chairman David Crossland, scheduled to retire next month, plans to stay on for as long as 12 months to help oversee search for Byrne's replacement; photo (S)
World Trade Center Business Recovery Grant Program provides compensation for lost revenue to companies with up to 500 employees that are situated in district that runs from 14th Street to Battery; agency denies highest level of aid to Alex Ferkov's takeout eatery Cafe Exchange because it is outside demarcation line by 75 feet; agency says line has to be drawn somewhere and says it is giving highest level of assistance to businesses most economically hurt by terrorist attack; distinction is painful for Ferkov, whose establishment is in building where other businesses are in top tier of grants, but because his doorway is around corner, he does not qualify; photos; map (M)
HSBC Holdings acquires 10 percent stake in Ping An Insurance Co of China for $600 million (S)
George Vecsey Sports of The Times column contends that hiring new coaches does not always improve sports team; cites as examples New York Rangers hiring of new coach Bryan Trottier and whomever is hired to replace manager Bobby Valentine of New York Mets; photo (M)
Securities and Exchange Commission says ACLN Ltd's revenue from its auto business did not exist, company did not own major asset it showed on its books, and its bank account documents were forged; contends auditor BDO International of Cyprus did not bother to check anything before giving company its approval; says ACLN insiders made at least $80 million selling shares, which were listing on New York Stock Exchange during part of period that SEC says fraud existed; ACLN was Cyprus corporation operating from Belgium that said it was growing rapidly in two businesses: exporting used cars from Europe to Africa and selling new cars in Africa; SEC says it never sold any new cars, and that it is unclear if company received any revenue from used-car business; SEC files suit that include accusations of civil fraud and insider sales of stock by chairman Joseph J H Bisschops, president Abderrazak Labiad and chief operating officer Alex de Ridder; SEC says total of $45 million has been frozen in various financial institutions, with help of regulatory authorities in Denmark, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Monaco (Market Place column) (M)
European Central Bank president Wim Duisenberg tells European Union's economic and monetary affairs committee that interest rates are appropriate; reiterates central bank's focus on maintaining price stability and reminds member governments to embark on ambitious structural reform programs in response to slow growth in euro zone (S)
Novartis sells its food and beverage unit to Associated British Foods for 272.5 million euros ($267.2 million) (S)
South Korea's stock index, until recently star of Asian markets, has gone so sharply downhill that coporations and firms that invest in them wonder if another bubble is bursting; volatile mix of America's shipping shutdown and stock slide and what is perceived as excessive consumer spending in South Korea has sent Korea Stock Exchange index from more than 900 in April to low 600's this week; government says foreign interests invested only $589 million in Korea in September, down 44 percent in year; most analysts cite America's economic troubles as major problem; photo (M)
New Jersey Democratic senatorial candidate Frank Lautenberg accuses his opponent Douglas Forrester of character assassination and legal obfuscation to distract voters from his conservative positions; Forrester rejects characterization and hammers at Lautenberg's record in Senate; photos (M)
Newark, NJ, police arrest Eddie Figueroa Sr and his son Eddie Figueroa Jr after finding human skulls in their home that may have been taken during spate of recent grave and mausoleum robberies; say men are adherents of Palo Mayombe, offshoot of mainstream West African religions; forensic anthropologist is testing other bones found in home; both men plead not guilty in arraignment; photo (M)
Marks & Spencer says second-quarter sales rose 10 percent, twice rate forecast by analysts; graph (S)
Shopping, not gambling, has become fastest-growing game in Las Vegas; developers are in process of adding million square feet of shopping space along the Strip; developer Rouse Co is spending $1 billion to renovate aging Fashion Show Mall; will open first phase of mall's expansion on Nov 1, more than doubling number of square feet; Forum Shops at Caesars is increasing its boutique space by more than 40 percent by end of 2003; Le Reve, new project by Stephen A Wynn, will add even more space; Mandalay Bay, another resort, is more than tripling its shopping space; developers plan to add 1.5 million square feet, about about 50 percent more, to existing retail space on Strip; Mandalay Resort Group president Glenn Schaeffer comments; photos (M)