2003 History
What Events Happened in 2003
- The new United
States Department of Homeland Security officially begins operation
- United States plans for an invasion of
Iraq due to an imminent threat from weapons of mass destruction
- The United States and the United Kingdom start
with their shock and awe campaign with a massive air strikes on military
targets in Baghdad before the invasion of Iraq by Land Forces.
- Saddam Hussein, former President of
Iraq, is captured in Tikrit by the U.S. 4th Infantry Division.
- A major severe weather outbreak spawned more
tornadoes than any week in U.S. history. 393 tornadoes were reported
in 19 states
- Earthquake in Boumerdès region
of northern Algeria - 2,200 killed
- Lance Armstrong wins his fifth Tour
De France
- Do Not Call List starts providing consumers
with an opportunity to limit telemarketing calls.
- Armed undercover "sky marshals"
are used on Aircraft to prevent terrorist attacks following 9/11
- Americans rename "French Fries"
to "Freedom Fries" in protest to France's stand on
Iraq
- The last old-style Volkswagen Beetle
rolls off its production line in Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
- The highest temperature ever recorded in the
UK - 38.5°C (101.3°F) at Brogdale near Faversham in Kent
- Voters recall Governor Gray Davis from office
and elect Arnold Schwarzenegger to succeed him.
- The wanted terrorist Abul Abbas is
captured in Baghdad
- Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch is amongst
those captured US Troops free her 9 days later
- A massive earthquake devastates southeastern
Iran. Over 40,000 killed
- Dafur Rebels begin attacking Sudanese government
targets, bringing a swift military and police campaign to Darfur
causing millions to flee their homes.
- President George W. Bush on the aircraft
carrier USS Abraham Lincoln announces major combat in Iraq is
over
Popular Culture 2003
- The ABC's 20/20 airs the controversial Granada
Television documentary Living with Michael Jackson
- Michael Jackson is booked on suspicion of
multiple counts of child molestation ( later acquitted )
- JK Rowling's fifth Harry Potter book "Harry
Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is released
Popular Films
- The Lord of
the Rings: The Return of the King
- Finding Nemo
- The Matrix Reloaded
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the
Black Pearl
- Bruce Almighty
- The Last Samurai
- Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
- The Matrix Revolutions
- X2: X-Men United
- Bad Boys II
- Lost in Translation
Popular Musicians
- Amanda Perez
- Elton John
- Beyoncé
- Christina Aguilera
- Travis
- David Gray
- Limp Bizkit
- Evanescence
- Coldplay
- Sheryl Crow
- Hilary Duff
- Norah Jones
- blink-182
- Pink
- Shania Twain
- Madonna
- Avril Lavigne
- 50 Cent
- Clay Aiken
- Kylie Minogue
- Stereophonics
- Kelly Clarkson
- Blur
- Ashanti
- Justin Timberlake
- Fleetwood Mac
- Eminem
- Nelly
- P. Diddy
Technology 2003
- The Space Shuttle
Columbia disintegrates over Texas upon reentry, killing all seven astronauts
onboard.
- The highly infectious disease SARS ( Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome ) spreads from China, Singapore and Vietnam,
Worldwide nearly 9,000 People are effected in 15 countries and over
800 die from the effects.
- Human Genome Project successfully completed
with 99% of the human genome sequenced to 99.99% accuracy.
- Secretary of State Colin Powell urges the
U.N. Security Council to move against Iraq due to possession of weapons
of mass destruction
- In the biggest blackout in the history of
the north America some 50 million people in the northeastern states
of US and southern Canada lose power.
- The birth of Prometea, the first cloned horse
by Italian scientists.
- The space probe Galileo makes a fiery dive
into Jupiter's atmosphere it was launched in 1989 and is one of the
most successful NASA Projects.
- Justice Roy Moore, is suspended when he refused
to take down the Ten Commandments from an Alabama state justice building.
- Concorde makes its last commercial flight,
bringing the era of airliner supersonic travel to a close, at least
for the time being
- Arnold Schwarzenegger is elected Governor
of California
- Libya agrees to give Up Chemical Weapons
- Saddam Hussein is captured by U.S. forces
- Concerns continue to grow over possible Asian
bird flu outbreak also known as avian influenza.
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