The UK's repealed anti-gay amendment, Section 28, came to a complete end in the UK.
A world record commercial railway train speed of 311 mph (500 kph) was achieved by Shanghai Transrapid Railway Systems.
The popular Christmas comedy movie, Elf, was released in the USA.
The comedy series 'Arrested Development' premiered on FOX.
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.
The European Space Agency integrated its SMART-1 spacecraft with its dedicated launching rocket.
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.
Mars made its closest approach to Earth in nearly 60,000 years.
A major blackout occurred in the Northeastern and Midwestern US along with Ontario, Canada.
The Anglican Church of America approved a gay bishop.
Volkswagen stopped production of the old VW Beetle.
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.
The World Health Organization announced that the SARS outbreak was now contained.
Tesla Motors was incorporated in Palo Alto, California, US.
