Musically star Joseph Birlem

Events in 2002 and 29-5

Events in the world in the birth year of Joseph Birlem

• 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 Joseph Birlem (29-5) in history

• Day 29-5 year 1765: Attorney Patrick Henry bitterly denounced the Stamp Act at the Virginia House of Burgesses.
• Day 29-5 year 1790: Rhode Island became the 13th state in the United States, the last of the original colonies to ratify the Constitution.
• Day 29-5 year 1848: Wisconsin became the 30th state in the United States.
• Day 29-5 year 1917: John F. Kennedy was born in Brookline, Mass.
• Day 29-5 year 1942: Bing Crosby recorded his version of “White Christmas.” It would go on to sell over 30 million copies.
• Day 29-5 year 1953: Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
• Day 29-5 year 1990: Boris Yeltsin was elected president of the Russian republic by the parliament.