Today in History for December 2002

Months in 2002: January February March April May June July August September October November

Historical Events

Events 1 - 8 of 8

8th - The Caribbean Community Heads of Government meet with the Government of Cuba and declare the date to be "CARICOM-Cuba Day" - To celebrate diplomatic ties between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba.
13th - Enlargement of the European Union: The European Union announces that Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia will become members from May 1, 2004.
17th - Second Congo War: The Congolese parties of the Inter Congolese Dialogue sign a peace accord which makes provision for transitional governance and legislative and presidential elections within two years.
18th - 2003 California recall: Then Governor of California Gray Davis announces that the state would face a record budget deficit of $35 billion, roughly double the figure reported during his reelection campaign one month earlier.
20th - US Senator Trent Lott resigns as majority leader.
22nd - Joe Strummer, lead singer of the British punk band The Clash, dies at age 50
23rd - A MQ-1 Predator is shot down by an Iraqi MiG-25, making it the first time in history that an aircraft and an unmanned drone had engaged in combat.
27th - Two truck bombs kill 72 and wound 200 at the pro-Moscow headquarters of the Chechen government in Grozny, Chechnya.

Famous Weddings

Weddings 1 - 4 of 3

26th - Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal (30) weds Shaunie Nelson at The Beverly Hills Hotel's Crystal Garden
31st - Actress Rachel Griffiths (34) weds Australian artist Andrew Taylor (35) at Star of the Sea Chapel in Gardenvale, Australia
31st - Black Sabbath lead singer Ozzy Osbourne (54) weds TV host Sharon Osbourne (50) at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California
31st - Black Sabbath lead singer Ozzy Osbourne (54) weds TV host Sharon Osbourne (50) at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California

Famous Deaths

Deaths 1 - 29 of 29

1st - Dave McNally, American baseball player (b. 1942)
2nd - Ivan Illich, Austrian priest and philosopher (b. 1926)
2nd - Arno Peters, German historian (b. 1916)
3rd - Glenn Quinn, Irish actor (b. 1970)
5th - Roone Arledge, American sports broadcasting pioneer (b. 1931)
5th - Ne Win, Burmese leader (b. 1911)
6th - Philip Berrigan, American civil rights activist (b. 1923)
9th - Mary Hansen, Australian guitarist and singer (Stereolab) (b. 1966)
9th - Ian Hornak, American Painter, Draughtsman and Sculptor (b. 1944)
9th - Stan Rice, American painter, educator, and poet (b. 1942)
10th - Andres Küng, Swedish-Estonian politician, journalist (b. 1945)
12th - Dee Brown, American author (b. 1908)
12th - Brad Dexter, American actor (b. 1917)
12th - Jay Wesley Neill, American convicted murderer (b. 1965)
13th - Zal Yanovsky, Canadian musician (The Lovin' Spoonful) (b. 1945)
17th - James Hazeldine, English actor (b. 1947)
18th - Ray Hnatyshyn, Governor-General of Canada (b. 1934)
18th - Wayne Owens, former U.S. Congressman (D-Utah) (b. 1937)
19th - Arthur Rowley, English footballer. (b. 1926)
22nd - Desmond Hoyte, President of Guyana (b. 1929)
24th - Kjell Aukrust, Norwegian author (b. 1920)
24th - Laci Peterson, American murder victim (b. 1975)
25th - William T. Orr, American television producer (b. 1917)
26th - Herb Ritts, American photographer (b. 1952)
26th - Armand Zildjian, American cymbal manufacturer (b. 1921)
27th - George Roy Hill, American film director (b. 1922)
30th - Mary Brian, American actress (b. 1906)
30th - Mary Wesley, English novelist (b. 1912)
31st - Kevin MacMichael, American guitarist (Cutting Crew) (b. 1951)