On this day
Revisit the music, news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
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New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza is told after examination that he severly strained his groin and that he will be out at least six weeks; photo (M)
U.S. Bans Canadian Beef Because of Case of Mad Cow Mad cow disease was diagnosed in a cow in Canada, and American health authorities immediately placed a ban on imports of beef, cattle and animal feed from Canada. The report stunned ranchers through much of western Canada, where trading in livestock was halted because of plummeting cattle prices. Shock waves spread through the financial markets in Canada and the United States. [Page A1.]
A O Scott article reports that first part of Cannes Film Festival has been generally lackluster; says Dogville, Lars von Triers film starring Nicole Kidman, has generated the most debate and Les Triplettes de Belleville, Sylvain Chomet's animated film, has been the sensation of festival for local public if not for critics; photos (M)
New York moves to allow adoption of 5,000 'legal orphans' this year by cutting courthouse backlogs that leave children in foster care for years after biological parents lose legal rights; more than 3,500 live in New York City; Chief Judge Judith Kaye pushes effort (M)
US intelligence agencies conclude that two mysterious trailers found in Iraq were mobile units to produce germs for weapons, but have not found biological agents or evidence of such use; trailers were thoroughly decontaminated with unidentified caustic agent but experts can come up with no other plausible explanation; US reportedly will invite international experts to examine mobile units; photos; diagram; Iraqi scientists claim 2,000-liter vessel in each unit was used to mix chemicals to produce hydrogen gas, but evidence suggests vessels, made in 2002 and 2003, are fermenters used to multiply seed germs into deadly swarms (M)
Music on My Birthday
The Top 50 albums for the chart week of May 21, 2003, covering May 21, 2003.
The Isley Brothers Featuring Ronald Isley
Norah Jones
Jack Johnson
Cher
50 Cent
2003Alejandro de Tomaso, Argentinian-Italian race car driver and businessman, founded De Tomaso (born 1928)[†]
Alejandro de Tomaso was an Argentine racing driver and businessman. His name is sometimes seen in an Italianised form as Alessandro de Tomaso. He participated in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 13 January 1957. He scored no championship points. He later founded the Italian sports car company De Tomaso Automobili in 1959.
2003Frank D. White, American captain, banker, and politician, 41st Governor of Arkansas (born 1933)[†]
Frank Durward White was an American banker and politician who served as the 41st governor of Arkansas. He served a single two-year term from 1981 to 1983.
2003The 6.8 Mw Boumerdès earthquake shakes northern Algeria with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). More than 2,200 people were killed and a moderate tsunami sank boats at the Balearic Islands.[†]
The 2003 Boumerdès earthquake occurred on May 21 at 19:44:21 local time in northern Algeria. The shock had a moment magnitude of 6.8 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). The epicentre of the earthquake was located near the town of Thénia in Boumerdès Province, approximately 60 km east of the capital Algiers. The quake was the strongest to hit Algeria in more than twenty years – since 1980, when a magnitude 7.1 earthquake resulted in at least 2,633 deaths.
In 2003, the world population was approximately 6,420,361,634 people[†]