A world record commercial railway train speed of 311 mph (500 kph) was achieved by Shanghai Transrapid Railway Systems.
A shark bit off an arm of professional surfer Bethany Hamilton in Hawaiian waters.
The Cedar Fire swept through San Diego County, California, destroying 2,232 homes and killing fifteen people.
The final commercial Concorde flight took place between New York and London Heathrow.
Arnold Schwarzenegger became Governor of California.
After 14 years in space, NASA's Galileo spacecraft was intentionally destroyed in Jupiter's atmosphere.
The people of Estonia voted to approve joining the European Union.
Half a million people in South East England were left without electricity.
A major blackout occurred in the Northeastern and Midwestern US along with Ontario, Canada.
The Anglican Church of America approved a gay bishop.
NASA's Opportunity Mars rover launched from the Florida Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The Cosmic Call 2 mission occurred at the Eupatoria Planetary Radar in western Crimea.
Tesla Motors was incorporated in Palo Alto, California, US.
The Wikimedia Foundation Inc. was founded in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The European Space Agency launched its 'Mars Express,' the first planetary mission in Europe.
The Human Genome Project was completed in London, England.
US forces pulled down a statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad to symbolize the end of the Iraqi president's brutal reign.
US forces circled the city of Baghdad, which led to the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime two days later.
Ground troops from the USA, UK, Australia, and Poland invaded Iraq.
The Second Iraq War began after an airstrike took place in the country by combined US and British forces.
The UK government recognized British Sign Language (BSL) as an official language.
The Station nightclub in Rhode Island burned down, killing 100 people.
The largest peace demonstration in history takes place.
The first reusable spacecraft called ''Space Shuttle Columbia" broke apart when returning to Earth, and all seven astronauts on board died.
The Columbia space shuttle took off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for its final time.
China's Shenzhou spacecraft launched on its fourth and final uncrewed flight.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, directed by Peter Jackson, premiered in New York.
Riots broke out between Muslims and Christians, in Nigeria, over the Miss World Competition, which killed around 250 and left over 10,000 people homeless.
President of France, Jacques Chirac narrowly escaped an assassination during the Bastille Day celebration.
North and South Vietnam were formally reunified after more than twenty years of war.
The USA's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration launched the NOAA-17 satellite.
The United States and Russia signed the Moscow Treaty, agreeing to limit their nuclear arsenals.
Coup d'état attempt on President Hugo Chávez failed in Venezuela.
Great Britain held The Queen Mother's funeral in London, England.
Spanish peseta lost its legal tender after fully adopting the Euro.
A Muslim mob set fire to a train carrying Hindu pilgrims.
The trial of Slobodan Milošević begins at The Hague.
President George W. Bush gave his State of Union Address.
The Sierra Leone Civil War ends.
The first prisoners arrive in Guantanamo Bay.
Rudy Giuliani was named 'Person of the Year' by Time Magazine.
Richard Reid, infamously known as the 'shoe bomber,' attempted to blow up an airplane with explosives in his shoes.
Winona Ryder was arrested.
The first Lord of the Rings film installment, 'The Fellowship of the Ring,' directed by Peter Jackson, premiered in London.
American Airlines Flight 587 from New York City to the Dominican Republic crashed during takeoff.
Australia, Canada, and Turkey announced they would send armed forces to Afghanistan.
NASA's Galileo spacecraft skimmed by Jupiter's moon, Lo, at just 112 miles (180 km).
143 people were killed in a Siberian Airlines plane crash that was shot down by Ukrainian Missiles over the Black Sea.
The New York Stock Exchange reopened for trading after the September 11 attacks.
Two planes crashed into the World Trade Towers in New York City.
