Mood:
"Grief turns into global military response."
Events: "U.S. intensifies operations in Afghanistan."
Events: "U.S. intensifies operations in Afghanistan."
- Jan 1: Euro Banknotes and Coins Introduced – Physical euro coins and banknotes are officially introduced into daily cash circulation across twelve European Union member states, successfully replacing legacy national currencies.
- May 20: East Timor Gains Independence – The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste formally achieves full international independence, completing a lengthy transition overseen by the United Nations following Indonesian withdrawal.
- May 31: 2002 FIFA World Cup Opens – The FIFA World Cup opens in South Korea and Japan, marking the first time the prestigious football tournament is jointly hosted by two nations and held in Asia.
- Oct 12: Bali Bombings – Jemaah Islamiyah terrorists detonate powerful explosive devices in the Kuta tourist district on the Indonesian island of Bali, tragically killing 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.
- Nov 8: UN Resolution 1441 Passed – The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopts Resolution 1441, giving Iraq a "final opportunity" to comply with nuclear and chemical disarmament mandates or face severe consequences.
- Nov 20: Enron Scandal Investigation Deepens – Financial regulators and congressional investigators continue uncovering widespread corporate fraud and accounting malfeasance at Enron, leading to its bankruptcy and the collapse of Arthur Andersen.