Portal:Current events/July 2003: Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Revision as of 18:10, 5 July 2014 edit 207.47.228.130 (talk) →‎July 20, 2003 ← Previous edit		Latest revision as of 03:40, 29 April 2023 edit undo JrandWP (talk \| contribs) Extended confirmed users 6,099 edits 10 years interval
(40 intermediate revisions by 23 users not shown)
Line 1: {{Events by month\|2003\|prefix=Portal:Current events/}} ~~__NOTOC__~~ '''[[July]]''' '''[[2003]]''' was the seventh month of that common year. The month, which began on a [[Tuesday]], ended on a [[Thursday]] after 31 days. == [[Portal:Current events]] == July 2003: [[January 2003\|January]] – [[February 2003\|February]] – [[March 2003\|March]] – [[April 2003\|April]] – [[May 2003\|May]] – [[June 2003\|June]] – '''July''' – [[August 2003\|August]] – [[September 2003\|September]] – [[October 2003\|October]] – [[November 2003\|November]] – [[December 2003\|December]] ''This is an [[Portal:Current events/How to archive the portal\|archived version]] of Wikipedia's [[Portal:Current events\|Current events Portal]] from July 2003.'' {\| style="background-color:transparent" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 ~~==Events==~~ \| style="vertical-align:top;" \| {{Portal:Current events/Month Inclusion\|2003 July}} ~~{\| align="right" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid #000000; margin-left: 8px"~~ \|style="vertical-align:top;width:250px"\| ~~\|-----~~ {{Portal:Current events/July 2003/Calendar}} ~~\| style="background-color: #fff5f5; padding-top: 0.4em; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px" \|~~ {{Portal:Current events/July 2003/Sidebar}} ~~'''See also:'''~~ [[Timeline of the War in Afghanistan (July 2003)]] [[Dodgy Dossier]] [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster\|''Columbia investigation'']] [[European Union\|''EU enlargement'']] [[Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23\|''Hong Kong Basic Law'']] [[Monkeypox]] [[North Korea nuclear weapons program\|''North Korea crisis'']] [[2003 invasion of Iraq\|''Occupation of Iraq'']]: [[2003 Iraq war timeline\|''Timeline'']] [[Road map for peace]] [[Same-sex marriage in Canada\|''Same-sex marriage'']] [[Severe acute respiratory syndrome\|''SARS'']]: [[Progress of the SARS outbreak\|''Timeline'']] [[SCO v. IBM Linux lawsuit]] [[Trade war over genetically modified food\|''US v. EU on GM food'']] [[War on Terrorism]] \|} ~~===July 1, 2003===~~ In [[Hong Kong]], 500,000 people march to protest the rush into [[legislation]] of [[Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23]], the [[anti-subversion]] law. Critics say the law is both too broad and too vague. After many years of controversy, the United Kingdom [[British House of Commons\|House of Commons]], the lower house of parliament, again votes in favour of legislation to ban [[fox hunting]]. * Italy [[Premier]] [[Silvio Berlusconi]]'s government assumed the rotating [[EU presidency]]. ~~===July 2, 2003===~~ * On taking up the [[EU presidency]], [[Italian Prime Minister]] [[Silvio Berlusconi]] makes an embarrassing remark, causing an uproar of criticism from the 626-seat European Parliament and the European media, by insulting the German [[Member of the European Parliament\|MEP]] [[Martin Schulz]] ([[Social Democratic Party of Germany\|SPD]]) with the words "Mr. Schulz, I know there is a producer in Italy who is making a film on the [[Nazism\|Nazi]] [[concentration camp]]s. I will suggest you for the role of [[kapo]]. You'd be perfect." * The [[European Parliament]] approves two laws that regulate the selling of [[genetically modified food]] in the [[European Union\|EU]] territory, requiring labelling of all GM products (products with more than 0.9% genetically modified parts) and allowing member states to separate GM food and non-GM food and crops. * The [[International Olympic Committee]] announced in [[Prague]], [[Czech Republic]], that [[Vancouver, British Columbia]] will host the [[2010 Winter Olympics]]. There are reports of the discovery of a possible new type of [[subatomic particle]], a [[pentaquark]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/sci/tech/3034754.stm] The results of a [[Royal Commission]] on renewing the relationship between Canada and the province of [[Newfoundland and Labrador]] is released. [http://www.gov.nf.ca/royalcomm/finalreport/default.html] ~~===July 3, 2003===~~ * The [[World Meteorological Organisation]] publishes a report stating that recent extreme weather conditions around the world may mark changes in global climate caused by [[global warming]]. [http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/story.jsp?story=421166] * [[George W. Bush\|President Bush]] continued to consider whether or not to contribute United States troops to a [[UN peacekeeping\|peacekeeping]] mission in [[Liberia]].[http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/03/international/africa/03CND-LIBE.html?hp] ~~===July 4, 2003===~~ * A [[Shia Muslim]] [[mosque]] in [[Quetta]], Pakistan, is stormed by armed attackers, killing at least 32 worshippers and wounding 52. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/pakistan/Story/0,2763,991878,00.html] * A tape, purporting to be of [[Saddam Hussein]] and to have been made on June 14, is broadcast on [[Al Jazeera]], the [[Arabic language]] satellite television station. If it is Saddam, it marks the first public communication from the former [[Iraq]]i leader since his disappearance early on in the [[2003 invasion of Iraq\|Invasion of Iraq]]. * [[Hood event]] ~~===July 5, 2003===~~ At least 16 people are killed and 40 injured by two female [[suicide bombing\|suicide bombers]] in an attack at ''Krylya'', a popular music festival, at the [[Tushino airfield]] near Moscow. The Russian authorities blame an on-going terrorism campaign by [[Chechnya\|Chechen]] rebels; the Chechen government denies any connection to the attacks. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3047386.stm] [[2003 invasion of Iraq\|2003 occupation of Iraq]]: 7 newly US-trained [[Iraq]]i [[police]]men are killed and at least 13 are wounded by an [[explosion]] while they are marching from training school in [[Ramadi]]. The American forces overseeing the rebuilding of Iraq's infrastructure, who gave their blessing to the march taking place, blames loyalists to [[Saddam Hussein]]; some people on the scene blame U.S. forces. It is the first attack on Iraqis collaborating with the invading coalition forces, as opposed to on the forces themselves. [http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/07/05/sprj.irq.main/index.html] In response to 500,000-strong protests earlier in the week, [[Tung Chee-hwa]], Chief Executive of [[Hong Kong]], announces that controversial provisions that are alleged capable of limiting civil liberties in [[Hong Kong Basic Law]] [[Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23\|Article 23]] will be rewritten. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3046894.stm] [[Taiwan]] is the last territory to be declared free of [[SARS]] by the [[World Health Organization]], after 20 days with no new cases reported. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3046984.stm] Premier [[John Hamm]] of [[Nova Scotia]], Canada, calls a provincial election for [[August 2003\|August 5]]. [[Wimbledon championships]]: [[Serena Williams]] repeats as women's champion by beating her sister [[Venus Williams\|Venus]], by scores of 4–6, 6–4, 6–2. ~~===July 6, 2003===~~ [[Wimbledon championships]]: ~~: [[Roger Federer]] makes history, becoming the first [[Switzerland\|Swiss]] male ever to win the Wimbledon final, defeating [[Mark Philippoussis]], 7–6 (7–5), 6–2, 7–6 (7–3)~~ :* [[Martina Navratilova]] equals her idol, [[Billie Jean King]]'s record of 20 Wimbledon titles after winning the mixed doubles final with [[Leander Paes]] against [[Andy Ram]] [[Anastassia Rodionova]], 6–3 6–3. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/wimbledon_2003/3049972.stm] :* [[Todd Woodbridge]] also equals a record, winning with [[Jonas Björkman]] his eighth men's doubles title by beating [[Mahesh Bhupathi]] and [[Max Mirnyi]], 3–6, 6–3, 7–6, 6–3. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/wimbledon_2003/3048206.stm] :* [[Kim Clijsters]] and [[Ai Sugiyama]] win the women's doubles final, and so their first Wimbledon title, 6–4, 6–4, against first seeds [[Virginia Ruano Pascual]] and [[Paola Suárez]], as they did in this year's [[French Open]] final. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/wimbledon_2003/3049862.stm] [[The Bijani Twins\|Laden and Laleh Bijani]], 29-year-old female [[Iran]]ian twins [[conjoined twins\|conjoined]] at the head, begin their two-to-four-day-long separation [[surgery]] in [[Singapore]]. [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,91164,00.html] ~~===July 7, 2003===~~ [[MSNBC]] fires [[conservatism\|conservative]] [[talk show]] host [[Michael Savage (commentator)\|Michael Savage]] for making several anti-gay remarks towards a prank caller posing as a [[homosexual]]. Savage, who was angered by aggressive personal attacks made by "East Coast Bob", the prank caller, stated that the caller "should only get [[AIDS]] and die". [[Gay rights]] group [[Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation\|GLAAD]] applauds the decision to fire Savage.[http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2003/07/07/savage/index.html] United States [[United States Armed Forces\|Central Command]] chief [[Tommy Franks\|Gen. Tommy Franks]] retires after 36 years in uniform. Newcomer [[United States Army\|Army]] [[General\|Gen.]] [[John Abizaid]] is appointed as his replacement. [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,91252,00.html] Thousands of people take part in the first [[running of the bulls\|bull run]] of the annual [[San Fermín]] festival in [[Pamplona]], Spain. No serious injuries or gorings were reported. [http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/07/07/pamplona/index.html] A [[United States district court]] approves a settlement between [[WorldCom]] and the [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]], in which WorldCom will pay {{Nowrap\|$750 million}} to investors for its [[accounting scandals\|accounting scandal]].[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3053068.stm] A rare political drama happens in [[Hong Kong]]. Chief Executive [[Tung Chee Hwa]] is forced to postpone the legislation of [[Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23]], just few hours after he insists the second reading will go on schedule despite the giant protest on July 1. ~~===July 8, 2003===~~ A worker at a [[Lockheed Martin]] [[aircraft]] parts factory in [[Meridian, Mississippi]], shoots 13 co-workers, killing five, before committing [[suicide]]. Investigators are unsure of the motive.[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29480-2003Jul8.html] [[Ladan and Laleh Bijani]] die during their unsuccessful separation operation in [[Singapore]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3055016.stm] During a visit to the former [[slavery\|slave]]-trading station on [[Goree Island]], off the coast of [[Dakar]], [[Senegal]], [[President of the United States of America\|U.S. President]] [[George W. Bush]] calls slavery "one of the greatest crimes of history", but stops short of an official apology. [http://asia.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=3054883] [[Same-sex marriage in Canada]]: A [[British Columbia]] court rules that [[gay\|same-sex]] couples may [[same-sex marriage\|get married]] in that province, effective immediately. BC becomes the second Canadian province, and second political division in the Western Hemisphere, to legalize same-sex marriage. This decision is similar to the [[Ontario]] decision on [[June 2003\|June 10, 2003]]. [http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2003/07/08/130210-cp.html] * A [[Sudan Airways]] [[Boeing 737]] [[Jet airliner\|jetliner]] crashes in [[Port Sudan]], killing 116 passengers. A toddler of two or three years is the sole survivor but dies later of his wounds. [http://asia.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3052818], [http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/ap07-10-122117.asp?reg=AFRICA] ~~===July 9, 2003===~~ * The ferry [[MV Nasrin-1]] capsizes and sinks near [[Chandpore]] in [[Bangladesh]]. The whereabouts of most of the approximately 700 passengers is unknown. [http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1384867,00.html] * The U.S. government announces that two more officials of the defeated Iraqi government on the [[U.S. list of most-wanted Iraqis]] were taken into custody on Tuesday. [[Mizban Khadr al-Hadi]] was a high-ranking member of Iraq's [[Baath Party]] Regional Command and Revolutionary Command Council, and [[Mahmud Dhiyab al-Ahmad]] was a former Interior Minister. * [[Nike, Inc.\|Nike]] announces an agreement to [[purchasing\|purchase]] [[Converse Shoes\|Converse]]; for US$305M. ~~===July 10, 2003===~~ * The [[Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund]] announces that on legal advice it has frozen its funds as it faces a demand for {{Nowrap\|£15 million}} ({{Nowrap\|$25 million}}) damages for alleged ''malicious prosecution'' from the ''[[Franklin Mint]]'' in the US. The Mint had won a courtcase over its right to manufacture a [[Diana, Princess of Wales]] lookalike doll. Hundreds of charities are expected face financial difficulties as a result of the freeze. Arc Charity Chief Executive James Churchill says "I hope that the Franklin Mint Corporation is aware of the damage that their action is causing to groups of vulnerable young people all over the world." * Former International Development Secretary [[Clare Short]] urges that British Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]] voluntarily leave the premiership. Blair, dining with [[Bill Clinton]] in London's Guildhall, makes no comment. * Gay rights campaigner [[Peter Tatchell]] claims the second most senior [[Church of England]] [[cleric]], Archbishop Hope of York, is gay. The Archbishop had previously described his sexuality as a "grey area". The claim follows the row over a nomination of an openly gay canon to a bishopric in England and his withdrawal after attacks from conservative groups within the Anglican communion. * [[NASA]] reports the discovery of [[PSR B1620-26 b]] (unofficially dubbed ''Methuselah''), the oldest [[extrasolar planet]] yet discovered. The planet, which is estimated to be {{Nowrap\|12.7 billion}} years old, is orbiting the pulsar [[PSR B1620-26]] in the core of the ancient globular star cluster [[NGC 6121\|M4]], located 5,600 light-years away in the summer constellation [[Scorpius]]. [http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/2003/19/] ~~===July 11, 2003===~~ [[Zahra Kazemi]], an [[Iran]]ian-born Canadian journalist, dies of injuries received from a beating while in Iranian custody. She had been arrested on June 23 while taking photographs outside an Iranian prison. Her death sparks a furor between Canada and Iran over the disposition of her body and the punishment of her killers, and among international free speech groups concerned with freedom of the press in Iran. ~~===July 12, 2003===~~ The intelligence service of the United States says that the [[CIA]]'s head, [[George Tenet]], accepted [[George W. Bush]]'s speech in [[January 2003\|January]], which included wrong information of [[Iraq]]'s plans to buy [[uranium]] from Africa. [http://www.helsinginsanomat.fi/tuoreet/artikkeli/1057922088385] The office of [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom\|Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]] responded that it stands by its belief that [[Saddam Hussein]] attempted to buy African uranium, claiming that it cannot share its information with the United States because it comes from "foreign intelligence sources." [http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&e=3&u=/ap/20030713/ap_on_re_mi_ea/britain_iraq] * [[Baseball]]: [[Barry Bonds]] ties the 63-year-old record of [[Jimmie Foxx]] by homering against the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]]' [[Curt Schilling]], becoming the second player in [[Major League Baseball]] to hit at least 30 [[home run]]s in 12 consecutive seasons. ~~===July 13, 2003===~~ * A national governing council meets for the first time in [[Baghdad]], as US troops launch a new assault on anti-coalition elements. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3062037.stm] [[Yahoo!]] announces that it will buy [[Internet]] search listing service [[Overture Services]] for {{Nowrap\|$1.63 billion}} in cash and stock. The United Kingdom media, following tip-offs from the [[Israel]]i and British Intelligence Services, state that [[Seán Ó Muireagáin]] of the [[Real IRA]] had been captured in Israel. ~~===July 14, 2003===~~ Mexico declares a [[state of emergency]] due to an outbreak of the [[West Nile virus]] [http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/21510/newsDate/15-Jul-2003/story.htm (Planetark.org)]. The United States [[Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight]] announces an investigation into the accounting of America's two largest mortgage firms [[Freddie Mac]] and [[Fannie Mae]] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3066573.stm (BBC)]. [[Pierce Brosnan]] is to be made an honorary [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire\|OBE]] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3065797.stm (BBC)]. [[Federal government of the United States\|The United States Government]] acknowledges the existence of [[Area 51]] ~~===July 15, 2003===~~ * [[Scott McClellan]] replaces [[Ari Fleischer]] as [[White House]] [[press secretary]]. [http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/07/20030715-2.html] ~~===July 16, 2003===~~ * [[Seán Ó Muireagáin]], a [[Northern Ireland\|Northern Irish]] [[journalist]], arrested by [[Israel]] and held for five days without legal representation in a case of mistaken identity, is released and leaves Israel. The affair causes considerable embarrassment to the Israeli and British secret services, the former having arrested Ó Mureagáin on the advice of the latter, who claimed incorrectly that he was a [[Real IRA]] man with the same name. In the confused aftermath, the Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman suggests that Ó Muireagáin may have been guilty, while Prime Minister [[Ariel Sharon\|Sharon]]'s spokesman states categorically that he was innocent and the entire affair an error. He claims that Ó Muireagáin is a former convicted [[Provisional IRA]] [[terrorism\|terrorist]]. * A [[coup d'état]] takes place in [[São Tomé and Príncipe]]; the [[prime minister]] [[Maria das Neves]] is arrested. [http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030716.wsaotome0716/BNStory/International/] * Following the 500,000-people protest on July 1, the government of [[Hong Kong]] is hit by two resignations of high-ranking officials in one day. One is the Financial Secretary [[Antony Leung]] and the other is the Security Secretary [[Regina Ip]], who was in charge of the controversial [[Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23\|Article 23]]. [http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000080&sid=ak0n4Kcq8NgM&refer=asia] * [[Phil Fontaine]] is elected Grand Chief of the [[Assembly of First Nations]] of Canada. An 86-year-old man accidentally hits the accelerator instead of the brake at a [[farmer's market]] in [[Santa Monica, California]], driving his car through a closed-off street and killing at least 10 people (including a 3-year-old girl and a 7-month-old boy) and injuring over 50 others. One of the dead is the daughter-in-law of actor [[Dennis Weaver]]. An Australian research team led by [[Graham Giles]] of [[The Cancer Council]] publishes a medical study which concludes that frequent [[masturbation]] by males may help prevent the development of [[prostate cancer]]. [[Celia Cruz]] dies of a cancerous brain tumor. Baby Named Arnez Gilchrist Was Born! ~~===July 17, 2003===~~ * [[Same-sex marriage in Canada]]: the federal government releases its draft bill to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples while protecting the rights of clergy not to perform marriages that run counter to their religious beliefs. The government will seek a reference from the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] to ensure the bill is constitutional. [http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/07/17/marriage_030717] * India declines a United States request to send an occupation force to [[Iraq]]. Their United States Envoy assures that Indo-US relations will not be hampered by the refusal. * In a press conference in [[Belfast]], [[journalist]] [[Seán Ó Muireagáin]] denies [[Israel]]i claims that suspected him of being a Real IRA activist. He states that he is not, and never has been, a member or supporter of the IRA. Israel repeats that the arrest of Ó Muireagáin was "unfortunate", but refuses to apologise. Israel's treatment of Ó Muireagáin is strongly criticised in Ireland. [[Social Democratic and Labour Party\|SDLP]] ex-minister [[Sean Farren]] states that Ó Muireagáin is "well known and respected" in [[Northern Ireland]]. * [[Evangelism\|Evangelist]] and former [[President of the United States\|United States Presidential]] candidate [[Pat Robertson]] announces his "massive prayer offensive" dubbed "Operation Supreme Court Freedom", asking Americans to pray that at least three [[United States Supreme Court]] justices retire so that the court can be filled with conservative justices who will overturn Supreme Court rulings on [[school prayer]], [[separation of church and state]] and [[sodomy]]. * The [[Uniting Church in Australia]] votes to officially recognise and approve of [[homosexuality\|homesexual]] [[clergy]] ([http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2003/07/18/904758.htm ABC (Australia)]). ~~===July 18, 2003===~~ * U.S. [[Basketball]]: [[Eagle County, Colorado]] District Attorney Mark Hurlbert announces that [[Los Angeles Lakers]] star [[Kobe Bryant]] has been charged with one count of felony sexual assault, stemming from a June 30 incident at a gated resort involving a 19-year-old woman. * The [[corpse]] of [[David Kelly (weapons expert)\|Dr. David Kelly]] is discovered, it appears that he committed [[suicide]]. Kelly was a British government advisor involved in the ''[[September Dossier]]'' investigation relating to the [[2003 invasion of Iraq\|2003 war on Iraq]]. Former Labour Junior Minister [[Glenda Jackson]] calls for [[Tony Blair\|Prime Minister Blair]]'s resignation and a [[The Mail on Sunday\|Mail on Sunday]] reporter asks, "Do you have blood on your hands. Prime Minister?" Blair refuses to comment, as does [[Alastair Campbell\|Communications Director Campbell]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3079787.stm] * The [[United States Senate]] passes a defense appropriations bill which explicitly forbids the [[United States Department of Defense\|Department of Defense]] from spending any money on [[Terrorist Information Awareness]] research, effectively putting an end to the [[Information Awareness Office]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3076849.stm] * [[Convention on the Future of Europe]] finished its work and proposed the first [[European constitution]]. ~~===July 19, 2003===~~ * The US [[Iraqi Governing Council]] announces that it has failed to select a new [[Iraq]]i [[President]]. [http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-07-19-iraq-council_x.htm] * Doctors in [[Vienna]] [[Organ transplant\|transplant]] a human [[tongue]] at [[Vienna General Hospital]]. [http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/07/21/transplant_tongue030721] ~~===July 20, 2003===~~ * 16 people are injured after two [[bomb]]s explode outside [[tax office]]s in [[Nice]], France. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3081025.stm] * [[Richard Sambrook]], the Director of [[BBC News]] reveals that [[David Kelly (weapons expert)\|Dr. David Kelly]] was the source of claims that [[Downing Street]] had "sexed up" the [[September Dossier]]. (see also: [[Dodgy Dossier]]) * Former [[Uganda]]n [[dictator]] [[Idi Amin]] is in a [[coma]] at a hospital in [[Jeddah]], [[Saudi Arabia]], and Uganda has refused permission for him to return. * [[British Open (golf)]]: Rookie [[Ben Curtis (golfer)\|Ben Curtis]], ranked 396th in the world, becomes the first golfer to win a major golf tournament in the first attempt in more than 90 years. * 14 people – a US family of 12 who had chartered the plane and the South African crew of 2 – die when a light plane crashes into [[Mount Kenya]] after taking off from [[Nairobi]] for [[Buffalo Springs National Reserve]] in northern [[Kenya]]. [http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en33126&F_catID=&f_type=source] ~~===July 21, 2003===~~ * [http://www.npr.org npr.org]'s ''[[All Things Considered]]'' program aired a humorous article on the [http://discover.npr.org/rundowns/rundown.jhtml?prgDate=07/21/2003&prgId=2 Wiki phenomenon], and on Wikipedia.org. * [[Jong-Wook Lee]] becomes the new Director-General of the [[World Health Organization]]. * ''[[SCO v. IBM Linux lawsuit]]:'' [[SCO Group]] announces that it intends to sell binary-only licences to use the free [[Linux]] operating system which will remove the threat of litigation from licence-holders. Linux advocates react by stating that SCO has no basis for this action, and that doing this may cause SCO to forfeit their rights under the [[GNU GPL]] to use or distribute Linux or Linux-derived code in any form. [http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030721/lam075_1.html SCO press release] [http://news.cnet.com/1601-2-1027557.html CNet story] * In [[Puerto Rico]], 25 people are seriously injured after a roof collapse in a [[Vega Alta, Puerto Rico]] mall.[http://vocero.com/noticia.asp?n=30873&d=7/22/2003] {{es icon}} ~~===July 22, 2003===~~ [[John Manley (politician)\|John Manley]], [[Deputy Prime Minister of Canada]], drops out of the race to succeed [[Jean Chrétien]] as leader of the [[Liberal Party of Canada]] and [[Prime Minister of Canada\|Prime Minister]] after conceding he cannot catch front-runner [[Paul Martin, Jr.]].<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/07/22/manley_quits030722 Manley quits Liberal leadership race]</ref> One of the top floors of the [[Eiffel Tower]] catches fire. No one is injured.<ref>[http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20030722/ap_on_re_eu/france_eiffel_tower&e=1&ncid= Eiffel Tower]</ref> Fighting continues and the death toll rises in [[Liberia]] as rebels move into [[Monrovia]] to depose President [[Charles G. Taylor\|Charles Taylor]]. [[2003 invasion of Iraq\|U.S.-led occupation of Iraq]]: In [[Iraq]], "four key figures" in the former Iraqi regime die in a large operation by US troops. The dead included [[Saddam Hussein]]'s sons [[Uday Hussein\|Uday]] and [[Qusay Hussein\|Qusay]].<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/07/22/sprj.irq.main/index.html Chalabi: Iraqis must draft constitution alone]</ref> A severe [[Memphis Summer Storm of 2003\|storm]] strikes [[Memphis, Tennessee]], leaving several dead and as many as 300,000 without power, including extremely severe damage to the power grid in some areas.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/South/07/24/severe.storms.ap/index.html CNN]</ref><ref>[http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/local_news/article/0,1426,MCA_437_2137266,00.html GoMemphis]</ref> ==References== {{~~Reflist~~reflist}} ~~===July 23, 2003===~~ ''[[Die Zeit]]'', a German newspaper, publishes an [[opinion poll]] which claims that almost one in three Germans under the age of 30 believe the United States government "could have ordered the [[September 11, 2001 attacks\|September 11 attacks]] [on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon] itself". 1000 people took part in the survey. * [[California]] officials announce that over 110% of the required signatures to force a recall election of Governor [[Gray Davis]] are in setting the stage for what will be the first gubernatorial recall election in the United States in 82 years.[http://apnews.excite.com/article/20030724/D7SFNDJ80.html] New York City [[New York City Council\|Councilman]] from [[Brooklyn, New York\|Brooklyn]], [[James E. Davis (councilman)\|James E. Davis]] is assassinated at [[New York City Hall\|City Hall]] by former political opponent [[Othniel Askew]]. [[Zahra Kazemi]] affair: [[Bill Graham (Canadian politician)\|Bill Graham]], the [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)\|Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs]], announces that Ms. Kazemi's body has been buried in Iran, contrary to her family's wishes. Consequently, Canada has recalled its ambassador to [[Iran]]. The Minister of Justice in Finland, [[Johannes Koskinen]], said that there could be legalized [[brothel]]s for example for [[Disability\|handicapped]] people. He got very angry response of organizations for handicapped. 66% of people in [[Ilta-Sanomat]] newspaper's readers said that prostitution must be under state control. ~~===July 24, 2003===~~ The United States' provisional authority in [[Iraq]] releases photos of what are presumably the dead bodies of [[Uday Hussein\|Uday]] and [[Qusay Hussein]] in an attempt to show the Iraqi people proof that the two were actually killed in a U.S. military operation.[http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/07/24/sprj.irq.sons/index.html] [[California]] lieutenant governor [[Cruz Bustamante]] announces that governor [[Gray Davis]] will face a recall election on October 7. This will be the second gubernatorial recall election in the United States history (the first occurred 82 years beforehand).[http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/7091491p-8039220c.html] Italian officials have decided to attempt a restoration of [[Michelangelo Buonarroti\|Michelangelo]]'s ''[[Michelangelo's David\|David]]'' using distilled water. [http://www.cbc.ca/artsCanada/stories/davidbath240703] * [[Colin R. McMillan]], President [[George W. Bush\|Bush]]'s nominee for the post of [[United States Secretary of the Navy]], dies of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. ''[[Jueves negro]]:'' Violent rioting follows on from political demonstrations in [[Guatemala City]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3094857.stm (BBC)] ~~===July 25, 2003===~~ United States [[swimmer]] [[Michael Phelps]] breaks [[world record]]s in the [[butterfly]] and [[individual medley]] at the [[2003 World Aquatics Championships\|World Swimming Championships]] in Barcelona to become the first man ever to break two world records for swimming on a single day. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/front_page/3097233.stm (BBC)] [[Palestinian Prime Minister]] [[Mahmoud Abbas]] meets with [[President of the United States\|US President]] [[George W. Bush]] at the [[White House]] [http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/07/20030725-6.html (White House press release)]. ~~===July 26, 2003===~~ [[2003 invasion of Iraq\|U.S.-led occupation of Iraq]]: Three US [[soldier]]s are killed while guarding a Baquouba children's hospital northeast of [[Baghdad]], [[Iraq]] bringing the number of US troops killed in combat to 161, 14 more than the 1991 [[Gulf War]] total. [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,92997,00.html] ~~===July 27, 2003===~~ * Comedian [[Bob Hope]] dies in his sleep [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/showbiz/3103751.stm] A group of approximately 50 rogue soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines seizes a portion of a shopping mall and the adjacent hotel in [[Makati City]], [[Metro Manila]] in the [[Philippines]] demanding President [[Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo]]'s resignation. They claim to have surrounded the occupied zones with explosives and have temporarily held several people in the hotel, including Australian [[Ambassador (diplomacy)\|Ambassador]] [[Ruth Pierce]]. The group is said by some officials to be connected to ousted President [[Joseph Estrada]] and oppositionist Senator [[Gregorio Honasan]], who staged several [[Coup d'état\|coup]] attempts in the late 1980s. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3099797.stm] [http://ruby.inq7.net/specialfeatures/coup/whats/?offset=0] The [[BBC]] reports that an extensive investigation of [[Loch Ness]] by a BBC team, using 600 separate sonar beams, found no trace of any "sea monster" in the loch. Loch Ness is a popular tourist attraction because of the rumors surrounding an alleged monster or [[plesiosaur]] populating the lake (see [[Loch Ness Monster]]). The BBC team stated that it is now conclusively proven that "Nessie" does not exist. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3096839.stm] [[2003 Tour de France]]: [[Lance Armstrong]] wins his fifth consecutive [[Tour de France]]. ~~===July 28, 2003===~~ The [[United Nations Security Council]] appoints [[Harri Holkeri]] to head the temporary civilian administration [[UNMIK]] in [[Kosovo]]. * Ambassador [[Ole Wøhlers Olsen]], the Muslim [[Denmark\|Danish]] coordinator for the U.S.-led provisional authority in southern [[Iraq]] resigns unexpectedly, to be replaced by Sir [[Hilary Synnott]], currently the British High Commissioner to Pakistan. Ambassador Olsen, who had been critical of the lack of support for his reconstruction efforts, declared the British and Danish foreign services had chosen to replace him at that time instead of in October, as earlier planned, stating that he himself had been prepared to continue his work in [[Basra]]. [http://www.berlingske.dk/forside/artikel:aid=343592:fid=100100020] {{commons category\|July 2003}} ~~{{Events by month links}}~~ {{events by month links\|year=2003\|prefix=Portal:Current events/}} [[Category:July\|2003]] [[Category:2003\|2003-07]] [[Category:Months in the 2000s\|2003-07]] [[Category:Current events archives]]