On this day
Revisit the music, news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
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David Edelstein discusses 1999 David O Russell movie Three Kings, which takes place just after end of first Gulf War; says 'brilliant' film is 'most caustic anti-war movie of this generation'; director Russell says when he made film he felt abandonment of Iraqi people; he points to hypocrisy of US intervention and calls Pres George W Bush's actions scandalous; photos (L)
Overview of day's events in Iraq war (S)
Members of armored battalion of Army's Third Infantry Division describe looping drive through center of Baghdad, blistering gantlet of death and destruction that they say engulfed civilians as well as Iraqi fighters; Maj Gen Buford C Blount III says there was no attempt at occupation, simply a show of force to answer reports on Iraqi television that Americans had become bogged down in fighting around city's international airport and farther south; photo; map (M)
Michael R Gordon analysis of US Army's audacious drive through streets of Baghdad; says it was intended to demonstrate to residents that American military is at gates of city and determined to operate inside, as well as to test mettle of Iraqi defenders and clear path for similar forays in future (M)
Information Min Muhammad Said al-Sahhaf and other senior Iraqi officials remain defiant in face of display of American military might in center of Baghdad, asserting that Iraqi soldiers and suicide bombers have 'crushed' American troops at Baghdad's international airport and broken American advance on capital into isolated pockets that were surrendering to relentless Iraqi attacks; seem unwilling, after years of unquestioning fealty, to provide any interpretation of military events that might prejudice Saddam Hussein's claim to be embodiment of Iraq's invincibility; bravado is reinforced by film shown for two days on television in which man identified as Hussein visits neighborhood in Western Baghdad and is cheered by ordinary citizens; photo (M)
Music on My Birthday
The Top 50 albums for the chart week of April 2, 2003, covering April 6, 2003.
50 Cent
Norah Jones
R. Kelly
Soundtrack
Evanescence
2003David Bloom, American journalist (born 1963)[†]
David Jerome Bloom was an American television journalist until his sudden death in 2003 after a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) became a pulmonary embolism at the age of 39.
2003Anita Borg, American computer scientist and educator; founded Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (born 1949)[†]
Anita Borg was an American computer scientist celebrated for advocating for women’s representation and professional advancement in technology. She founded the Institute for Women and Technology and the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing.
2003Gerald Emmett Carter, Canadian cardinal (born 1912)[†]
Gerald Emmett Cardinal Carter was a Canadian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Toronto from 1978 to 1990, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1979.
2003Babatunde Olatunji, Nigerian drummer, educator, and activist (born 1927)[†]
Michael Babatunde Olatunji was a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist, and recording artist.
2003Dino Yannopoulos, Greek stage director of the Metropolitan Opera (born 1919)[†]
Konstantinos "Dino" Yannopoulos was the principal stage director of the Metropolitan Opera between 1945 and 1977. One of his major works was a production of Giacomo Puccini's Tosca with Maria Callas on the title role. He founded the Athens Music Festival.
In 2003, the world population was approximately 6,420,361,634 people[†]