Actor Leo Belmonte

Events in 2002 and 25-4

Events in the world in the birth year of Leo Belmonte

• Former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic’s trial on charges of crimes against humanity opens at The Hague (Feb. 12).
• Tamil Tigers and Sri Lankan government sign a cease-fire agreement, ending 19 years of civil war (Feb. 22). Background: World in Review
• India's worst Hindu-Muslim violence in a decade rocked the state of Gujarat after a Muslim mob fire-bombed a train, killing Hindu activists. Hindus retaliated, and more than 1,000 died in the bloodshed (Feb. 27 et seq.). Background: World in Review
• U.S. and Afghan troops launch Operation Anaconda against remaining al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters in Afghanistan (March 2). Background: Taliban Timeline and Afghanistan
• Israeli tanks and warplanes attack West Bank towns of Nablus, Jenin, Bethlehem, and others in response to string of Palestinian suicide attacks (March 29–April 21). In the first three months of 2002, 14 suicide bombers kill dozens of Israeli civilians, and wounded hundreds. Background: World in Review
• International Criminal Court wins UN ratification; U.S. refuses to ratify (April 11).
• Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez ousted in coup, then reinstated (April 12, 14).
• U.S. and Russia reach landmark arms agreement to cut both countries' nuclear arsenals by up to two-thirds over the next 10 years (May 13).
• East Timor becomes a new nation (May 20).
• Terrorist bomb in Bali kills hundreds (Oct. 12).
• Government suspended in Northern Ireland in protest of suspected IRA spy ring (Oct. 14).
• North Korea admits to developing nuclear arms in defiance of treaty (Oct. 16).
• Chechen rebels take 763 hostages in Moscow theater (Oct. 23). Russian authorities release a gas into theater, killing 116 hostages and freeing remainder (Oct. 26). Background: Chechnya Timeline
• China's Jiang Zemin officially retires as general secretary; Hu Jintao named as his successor (Nov. 14).
• UN Security Council passes unanimous resolution calling on Iraq to disarm or else face "serious consequences." (Nov. 8).
• UN arms inspectors return to Iraq (Nov. 18).

Birthday Leo Belmonte (25-4) in history

• Day 25-4 year 1901: New York became the first state to require license plates on cars.
• Day 25-4 year 1915: British, Australian, and New Zealand forces landed at Gallipoli.
• Day 25-4 year 1928: The first seeing eye dog was presented to Morris S. Frank.
• Day 25-4 year 1945: Delegates met in San Francisco to organize the United Nations.
• Day 25-4 year 1953: The Francis Crick and James Watson article describing the double helix of DNA is published in the magazine Nature.
• Day 25-4 year 1959: The St. Lawrence Seaway opened to shipping.
• Day 25-4 year 1990: Violeta Barrios de Chamorro was inaugurated as president of Nicaragua.
• Day 25-4 year 1992: Islamic forces took over most of Kabul, Afghanistan after the Soviet-controlled government collapsed.
• Day 25-4 year 2003: The Georgia legislature voted to scrap the "Confederate flag" design from its state flag.