2003 Zamfara State gubernatorial election, Results
The total number of registered voters in the state was 1,515,622, total votes cast was 1,099,050, valid votes was 1,047,734 and rejected votes was 51,316.


2003 Zhaosu earthquake
The 2003 Zhaosu earthquake, also known as the Syumbinskoe earthquake, occurred on December 1 at 01:38 UTC. The epicenter was located in the Almaty Region, Kazakhstan, near the Sino–Kazakh border. The earthquake had a magnitude of Mw 6.0 and had a maximum observed intensity of VII (Very strong) on the Medvedev–Sponheuer–Karnik scale. The epicenter was close to the Zhaosu County, Xinjiang, where 10 people were reported dead, 73 people injured, and more than 800 buildings collapsed. Some people were evacuated in Zhaosu. The earthquake occurred in the cold winter, and the 30 cm ground snow covered the roads in the mountainous region and hindered the relief work.


2003 Znamenskoye suicide bombing
The Znamenskoye Grozny suicide bombing happened on May 12, 2003, in Znamenskoye in Chechnya, when three rebel suicide bombers, including two women, drove a truck bomb into a local government administration and the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) directorate complex, killing at least 59 people and injuring about 200, mostly civilians.


2003 Znamenskoye suicide bombing
The complex contained the republican headquarters of the FSB. The mainstream wing of the rebels led by Aslan Maskhadov denied involvement and condemned the attack.


2003 Znamenskoye suicide bombing
A Chechen warlord Khozh-Akhmed Dushayev was blamed for organizing the blast. No formal charges were ever brought and Dushayev was killed in Ingushetia in June 2003.


2003 Zona Rosa attacks
The 2003 Zona Rosa attacks was a terrorist attack that occurred in Bogotá, Colombia on November 15, 2003. Grenades were thrown in two bars in the wealthy Zona Rosa neighborhood, killing one person, injuring 73 and badly damaging the premises.


2003 Zona Rosa attacks
The authorities blamed Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerillas for the attack. The fatal victim was a young woman. Three Americans and a German were among the injured. It was believed the FARC targeted Americans in the attack. The U.S. government provided $2.5 billion to the Colombian government in its fight against rebels and drug traffickers. The attack was the sixth in Bogotá that year, and prompted security concerns to residents amid the rebels' increasing attacks in urban areas.


2003 Zona Rosa attacks
The national police managed to capture one of the men who threw the grenades.


2003 Züri-Metzgete
The 2003 Züri-Metzgete was the 88th edition of the Züri-Metzgete road cycling one day race. It was held on 17 August 2003 as part of the 2003 UCI Road World Cup. The race was won by Daniele Nardello of Italy.


2003 attack on Karbala
The 2003 attack on Karbala was an unsuccessful strike on the Iraqi Republican Guard Medina Division by the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The Medina Division was mostly deployed along the Karbala gap, west of the city of Karbala itself. The Iraqi Division was targeted as it was the best equipped Iraqi unit, and its destruction would negatively affect Iraqi military morale. The Medina Division sustained only limited damage during the engagement.


2003 attack on Karbala
The defeat for the Americans resulted in one AH-64 Apache being shot down intact. The two pilots were captured and shown on television along with the helicopter. Pentagon officials stated the captured Apache was destroyed via airstrike the following day, Iraqi officials claimed a farmer with a Brno rifle shot down the Apache. After the invasion, the farmer denied any involvement.


2003 attack on Karbala, Background
Iraqi morale was high after putting up stiff resistance at the Battle of Nasiriyah. The U.S. sought to continue its shock and awe campaign by crippling the elite Medina Republican Guard division, thus demoralizing the enemy.


2003 attack on Karbala, Background
In the aftermath of the Gulf War, the Iraqis learned from the no fly zones over their country. The threat of small arms fire from Iraqi soldiers was gravely underestimated by the U.S. attack helicopters participating in the attack.


2003 attack on Karbala, Difficulties
The AH-64 Apache helicopters of the U.S. Army's 11th Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, faced several problems before the operation. The terrain around Baghdad was not desert, but urban sprawl. Experience from the Battle of Mogadishu of 1993 showed that helicopters are vulnerable over urban areas. Intelligence was inadequate. The information on the enemy's disposition was sketchy, forcing the helicopters to search the target area themselves. Some targets, including 30 T-72 tanks, were not present on the battlefield.


2003 attack on Karbala, Difficulties
An accelerated timetable caused coordination issues. The Third Infantry Division moved ahead of schedule, causing the mission to be pulled in 24 hours. Suppression of enemy air defences occurred in accordance with the accelerated schedule even though the Apaches were behind schedule. The Apaches arrived only after a three-hour delay. The fighter-bombers had left the area by then and the helicopters were without support. The three hour interval allowed Iraqi air defences to recover.


2003 attack on Karbala, Engagement
The 31 AH-64 Apaches of the 11th Aviation Group took off from Tactical Assembly Area Vicksburg, which was inside Objective Rams. One Apache crashed immediately after takeoff when its pilot became disoriented. When the Apaches turned north toward Karbala, signals intelligence picked up over 50 Iraqi cell phone calls alerting the Iraqi forward units of their approach. As the helicopters came within range, the Iraqis signaled their troops to open fire by turning off the city's power grid for several seconds. Ground troops then opened up with a barrage of PKM, NSV, 23mm, and 57mm fire.


2003 attack on Karbala, Engagement
Lieutenant Jason King, gunner of Apache "Palerider 1-6", was hit by AKM fire in the neck and suffered a severe hemorrhage, but he never lost consciousness. He was later evacuated to Germany for surgery, but returned to his unit a few weeks later. The Apaches were reluctant to return fire as most enemy fire was coming from houses and the risk of collateral damage was high. The helicopters scattered in search of the Medina Division, but were hampered by poor intelligence.


2003 attack on Karbala, Engagement
Apache "Vampire 1-2", flown by Warrant Officers David S. Williams and Ronald D. Young Jr., was forced down into a marsh after gunfire severed its hydraulics. Its radio was also hit, preventing communication with the other helicopters. Attempting to flee the crash scene, both men swam down a canal, but were captured by armed civilians. The Iraqi government would later show the helicopter on TV and claim that it had been shot down by a farmer with a Brno rifle; however due to the high volume of anti-aircraft fire and the armor of the Apache, it is unlikely that a bolt-action rifle was responsible.


2003 attack on Karbala, Engagement
The Apaches turned back for Tactical Assembly Area Vicksburg after a half-hour of combat. Most were without functioning navigation equipment. At least two narrowly avoided a mid-air collision. Post-battle analysis indicated the American gunships were targeted in a deliberately planned ambush with cannon fire, RPGs, and small-arms all emanating from camouflaged fire teams.


2003 attack on Karbala, Aftermath
Of the 29 returning Apaches, all but one suffered serious damage. On average, each Apache had 15-20 bullet holes. One Apache took 29 hits. Sixteen main rotor blades, six tail blades, six engines, and five drive shafts were damaged beyond repair. In one squadron only a single helicopter was fit to fly. It took a month until the 11th Regiment was ready to fight again. The casualties sustained by the Apaches induced a change of tactics by placing significant restrictions on their use. Attack helicopters would henceforth be used to reveal the location of enemy troops, allowing them to be destroyed by artillery and air strikes.


2003 attack on Karbala, Aftermath
Thomas E. White, the U.S. Secretary of the Army, stated, "we were very fortunate we didn't lose more aircraft."


2003 attack on the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul
The 2003 attack on the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul occurred when up to 500 Afghan protesters overran the embassy of Pakistan on 9 July 2003. It was the second major attack since 1995, when the embassy was also assaulted by Afghan protesters.


2003 attack on the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul, Attack
The prior demonstration and protests against the alleged border incursions by Pakistan Armed Forces culminated in the attack and ransacking of the premises. The protesters shattered windows, broke down doors, and set the Pakistan flag on fire. No one was injured. The High Commissioner Rustam Mohmand of Pakistan accused the Afghan government of being unable to police its own capital, demanding compensation and announcing the embassy would remain closed. After the incident, Afghan President Hamid Karzai officially apologised for the rampage and made a personal apology during a 25-minute conversation, stating that no such incident would happen again.


2003 attack on the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul, Attack
At approximately 9:30 AM, 500 protesters chanting "Anti- Pakistan slogans" descended on the Pakistan High Commission building. Testimony of nearby Western diplomats and staff revealed that Afghan officials were aware of the protest, though they apparently assigned no extra security.


2003 electoral calendar
This electoral calendar for the year 2003 lists the national/federal direct elections to be held in 2003 in the de jure and de facto sovereign states. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.


2003 in Afghanistan
2003 in Afghanistan. A list of notable incidents in Afghanistan during 2003


2003 in Afghanistan, March
March 2: Germany pulled out its elite KSK anti-terror forces from Afghanistan. The German defense ministry refused to comment on the report.


2003 in Afghanistan, March
March 6: A preferential trade agreement was signed in a ceremony in New Delhi, India attended by President Karzai and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. The trade pact will enable free movement of goods specified by the two countries at lower tariffs. The volume of trade between the two countries in 2001-02 totaled $41.89 million. Vajpayee also announced a $70 million grant to rebuild a major road in Afghanistan. Included in the pledge was the third of three 232-seat Airbus 300-B4s to help rebuild Ariana Afghan Airlines.


2003 in Afghanistan, March
March 8: The first Afghan radio station programmed solely for women began broadcasting in Kabul. The first broadcast was called "The Voice of Afghan Women." Director Jamila Mujahed said one-hour radio programs would be broadcast every afternoon in the local Pashtu and Dari languages in Kabul on 91.6 FM.


2003 in Afghanistan, March
March 9: President Karzai said that he hoped war in Iraq could be avoided. But he also said the Iraqi people deserved to choose their own government.


2003 in Afghanistan, March
March 13: President Karzai called for increased aid to Afghanistan; he announced that the $4.5 billion estimated in 2002 would not be sufficient, and his government estimated that funds ranging from $15–$20 billion would be required to rebuild the Afghani economy.


2003 in Afghanistan, March
March 14: Six Afghan agencies signed an agreement with the U.N. Mine Action Program for Afghanistan to share US$7.5 million of U.S. aid to clear land mines along roads and at school construction sites. The project was to be completed by the end of 2003.


2003 in Afghanistan, March
March 16: Afghanistan granted the release of all Pakistani prisoners (almost 1,000) held in its jails. No date was given for the release of the prisoners, mainly held in Sherberghan. Less than a week later, the number of prisoners to be released was reduced to 72.


2003 in Afghanistan, March
March 27: On the dirt road to Kandahar, Ricardo Munguia, an International Committee of the Red Cross water engineer, was fatally shot by gunmen, prompting the humanitarian aid agency to suspend operations across Afghanistan. After intercepting two Red Cross vehicles, the gunmen shot Muguia in the head, burned one car and warned two Afghans accompanying him not to work for foreigners. Abdul Salaam, a witness, alleged that Taliban leader Mullah Dadullah gave the gunmen their orders via mobile phone.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 1: Speaking on Afghan television, the Information and Culture Minister, Makhdum Rahin, said that the country was making progress in encouraging an independent media. He also encouraged Afghanistan's young journalists to criticize the government and himself personally, when mistakes were made.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 2: A deminer from U.S. military contractor Ronco lost his right foot after stepping on a mine near the Bagram base.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 4: An Afghan agricultural department official Aibak announced that an international aid organization had sent experts to Samangan province to train hundreds of people in anti-locust measures and had supplied spraying equipment to eliminate the pest. Locusts were threatening the region's crops for a second year running.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 5: Kandahar Governor Gul Agha Sherzai gave Taliban loyalists in his province 48 hours to leave Afghanistan. The warning came hours after his soldiers killed two Taliban fighters and captured seven others with bombs and ammunition near the town of Spinboldak.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 6: Officials announced a U.N.-sponsored program to disarm, demobilize and reintegrate an estimated 100,000 fighters across Afghanistan over the next three years, starting in July. Former fighters would be provided with vocational training, employment opportunities and access to credit. Others would be given the chance to apply for positions in the national army. Funded by Japan, Canada, Britain and the U.S., the program has a three-year budget of $157 million.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 8: U.S. soldiers began a house-to-house for suspected Taliban in the Sangeen, Helmand province. The search focused on locating Mullah Dadullah and Mullah Akhtar Mohammed. Both had been reported in the area only a few weeks prior.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 9: Eleven Afghans were killed and one wounded when a stray U.S. laser-guided bomb hit a house on the outskirts of Shkin in Paktika province. The bomb was fired by U.S. Marine Corps AV-8 Harrier II air support that had been summoned by coalition forces in pursuit of two groups of five to 10 enemy personnel. The enemy attackers had attacked an Afghan military post checkpoint, wounding four government soldiers. Amnesty International promptly called for an investigation.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 11: On a one-day visit from Doha, Qatar, Head of the U.S. Central Command General Tommy Franks visited the U.S. military headquarters at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. Franks then traveled to Kabul to meet President Karzai and the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 12: A taxi packed with explosives exploded in Karwan Sarui, four miles east of Khost, killing four people who apparently were planning a terrorist attack. Two of the killed were unidentified Pakistani nationals a third was from Yemen. The fourth, the driver, was identified as Bacha Malkhui in one report and Zarat Khan in another report, a former intelligence officer for the deposed Taliban government. The blast destroyed a two-story home and injured a nearby woman.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 13: Mohammed Sharif Sherzai, a brother of Gul Agha Sherzai, the governor of Kandahar province, escaped unhurt from an assault by gunmen on motorcycles near the Pakistani border town of Chaman. However, a cousin and another relative, Qasim Khan, were killed and two Afghan guards were wounded. The gunmen escaped. Afghan border officials accused Pakistan of involvement.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 14: Pamphlets distributed in Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan urged Afghans to revolt against the U.S. and the government of President Karzai.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 15: While driving to Mazari Sharif, Afghan Commander Shahi and two of his bodyguards were killed in an ambush in the Char Bolak area. Shahi had served for more than 15 years as a commander for General Abdul Rashid Dostum. The assailants were not caught, but it was alleged that they were members of the  Jamiat-e-Islami group led by Ustad Atta Mohammad.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 16: NATO agreed to take command in August of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. The decision came at the request of Germany and the Netherlands, the two nations leading ISAF at the time of the agreement. It was approved unanimously by all 19 NATO ambassadors. This marked first time in NATO's history that it took charge of a mission outside the north Atlantic area. Canada had originally been slated to take over ISAF in August.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 17: Afghan border forces clashed with alleged Pakistan militiamen who intruded into border village of Gulam Khan, south of the town of Khost. However, Pakistani officials denied that any of their militia had crossed the border, saying Afghan soldiers had merely traded fire with tribesmen living in the border region.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 18: Dana Rohrabacher, a senior member of the U.S. Congress foreign relations committee, met with rival faction leaders Abdul Rashid Dostum and Ustad Atta Mohammad in Mazari Sharif. After the meeting, Rohrabacher told the media that, if bloody ethnic feuds were to be resolved in Afghanistan, regional autonomy was essential.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 19: The UN announced that it would not investigate two mass graves in Afghanistan containing hundreds of war victims unless international troops protect the operation. The graves may contain Taliban prisoners killed in the Dasht-i-Leili massacre of 2001 and victims of the Jaghalkani-i-Takhta Pul massacres of 1998.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 20: An emergency meeting was held in Kabul at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development with U.N.agencies and NGOs for the coordination of relief efforts for the 200 families displaced by flooding on April 18.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 21: The Rabia Balkhi Women's Hospital in Kabul reopened after the completion of a six-month renovation project supported by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Servicessecretary Tommy Thompson took part in the dedication.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 22: The highest ranking Afghan officials, including President Karzai arrived Islamabad, Pakistan to discuss border disputes, terrorism, trade, and exchanges of prisoners. Tensions between the two nations had recently flared up along the ill-defined Durand line, each side accusing the other of intrusion. Many in the Afghan government still viewed Pakistan, which nurtured and supported the Taliban regime, with suspicion. Accusations had been made that Pakistan was harboring Taliban fugitives. Pakistan had concerns about Afghanistan's failure to fulfil promises in March to release up to 800 Pakistani prisoners. In the course of the day, Karzai met separately with Pakistani Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali and President Pervez Musharraf.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 23: After a meeting in Islamabad, between Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah and Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, the two nations announced an agreement to hold political consultations twice a year in Islamabad and Kabul alternatively. The purpose of the meetings was to monitor progress in the promotion of bilateral cooperation and to take follow-up actions.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 24: A spokesman for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reported that they are investigating whether the unidentified illness killing off Afghanistan's sheep population was Foot and mouth disease, pasteurellosis or goat plague. The fatality rate of newborn lambs in the country was over 80%.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 25: At Shkin, in Paktika province, near the Pakistani border, two U.S. soldiers were killed and several other U.S. and Afghan soldiers were wounded in a clash with unknown attackers. The U.S. estimated that at least three of the attackers were killed. Two F-16 Fighting Falcons, two USAF A-10 Thunderbolt tankbusters and two AH-64 Apache attack helicopters responded. Two days later, two rebel corpses were discovered near the site. One of the U.S. soldiers killed was identified as Airman first class Raymond Losano and PFC Jerod Dennis Bco 3/504 PIR.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 26: In an operation launched April 24, U.S. and Afghan forces arrested several Taliban suspects near Spin Boldak.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 27: U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld postponed a scheduled visit to Afghanistan, where he was to meet with Afghan leaders and coalition troops.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 28: At least 15 rebel fighters and 15 Afghan soldiers were killed in battles in the Chopan district of Zabul province.


2003 in Afghanistan, April
April 30: Pakistani officials announced they had apprehended six al-Qaeda suspects in Karachi, Pakistan. One of the men, Waleed bin Attash (aka Khalid al-Attash), was a Yemeni national wanted in connection with the USS Cole bombing. The other five suspects were Pakistanis. The six suspects were allegedly planning to carry out a series of terrorist attacks in Karachi and other parts of Pakistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 1: The membership of Afghanistan in the International Criminal Court was scheduled to take effect. After this date, the ICC was to have the authority to investigate and prosecute serious war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanitycommitted on Afghan soil.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 2: The U.S. announced the resumption of the Fulbright Program for Afghanistan. The one-year, non-degree program would start in September and allow at least twenty Afghan students to go to the U.S. for study and training. The Program had been suspended in 1979 following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 5: Afghan police arrested eight militants for the May 3 murder of a driver in the Saydabad District of Wardak province


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 6: In Kabul, an estimated 300 Afghan government workers and university students demonstrated against the U.S., complaining that not enough had been done to rebuild the country or provide jobs and security. The protest was organized by the "Scientific Center" headed by Sediq Afghan.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 7: Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N. special representative for Afghanistan, told the United Nations Security Council that frequent attacks by rebels on aid workers and on Afghans as well as deadly factional clashes posed serious threats to the future of Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 8: Two Afghan factions fought a gunbattle in Helmand Province, injuring two Afghan soldiers. The clash prompted U.S.-led coalition forces to call in two A-10s from Bagram air base as air support. The two wounded soldiers were evacuated to the U.S. air base at Kandahar.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 9: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage met President Karzai and other senior officials in Kabul. Security concerns along the Afghan-Pakistan border were discussed. Armitage said the U.S. did not support a recent appeal by the United Nations for international peacekeepers to be deployed outside Kabul. He also handed a check to the Afghan government for US$100,000 to help refurbish Afghan National Museum.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 10: An Afghan soldier was killed and a U.S. special forces soldier wounded in firefights the Khost area of Afghanistan. A U.S. A-10 aircraft and AH-64 helicopters were called in to kill the remaining opposing fighters.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 11: Southeast of Mazari Sharif, Afghanistan, six people were killed in a clash between loyalists to Abdul Rashid Dostum and another faction.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 12: In Afghanistan, dozens of state truck drivers blocked a highway to protest against non-payment of wages.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 13: A second group of 13 medics from Hungary were scheduled to leave for Afghanistan. The first group left on March 8, 2003.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 14: Iran signed an agreement to train Afghan pilots and to help rebuild Afghan airports in Balkh Province and Herat Province.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 15: The World Trade Organization is expected to consider the application of Afghanistan to their body.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 16: The Asian Development Bank allocated $500 million for Afghanistan's reconstruction.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 17: After completing a physical training run, a U.S. soldier died at the Kabul Military Training Center in Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 18: The Afghan government launched a training program to create a 50,000-strong national police force and 12,000 border police by 2008.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 19: In a speech broadcast on Afghan television, President Karzai threatened to dissolve the government unless provincial leaders started paying their taxes. Karzai said he would call another Loya Jirga to form a new government in the coming two or three months if the situation did not improve.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 20: The twelve provincial governors of Afghanistan signed an agreement to deliver millions of dollars of customs revenue owed to the central government. The finance ministry said that customs revenues exceeded half a billion dollars in 2002, but only $80 million reached Kabul. Under the agreement, Uzbek leader, General Abdul Rashid Dostum, would no longer serve as President Karzai's special envoy for the northern regions and other officials would have to follow the suit.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 21: Outside the U.S. embassy In Kabul, U.S. troops shot dead three or four Afghan soldiers and wounded four others when they mistakenly thought they were about to come under attack. "The U.S. soldiers thought the Afghan soldiers were aiming guns at them", a U.S. intelligence official said. "They panicked and opened fire."


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 22: In a Belgian court, the trial opened of 23 alleged Islamic militants linked to the murder of Afghan rebel Ahmad Shah Masood and the planning of anti-U.S. attacks in Europe. The two main defendants were Nizar Trabelsi and Tarek Maaroufi.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 23: In collaboration with the Afghan Ministry of Health, the Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs launched child census and polio vaccination campaign.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 24: About 80 demonstrators marched through downtown Kabul for several hours to protest the accidental slaying of three or four Afghan soldiers by U.S. troops on May 21. Some demonstrators hurled rocks. Some chanted "Death to America" and "Death to Karzai." A demand was made that the U.S. soldiers involved in the incident be handed over to the local authorities. At least one ISAF soldier was hurt and two vehicles damaged.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 25: Afghan authorities arrested Mullah Janan, a suspected military commander of the former Taliban regime, and two of his aides. The authorities accused Janan of plotting attacks on Afghan government buildings.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 26: A Ukrainian plane crashed near the Black Sea city of Trabzon in northeast Turkey, killing all aboard. The plane carried 13 crew-members (12 Ukrainians and one Belarusian) and 62 Spanish soldiers returning from a six-month peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan. Initially, the cause of the accident was blamed on thick fog, however some witnesses stated that the aircraft was afire.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 27: Command of U.S. forces in Afghanistan were handed over from the U.S. Army's XVIII Airborne Corps to the U.S. 10th Mountain Division. Lt . Gen. Dan McNeill also ended his tour of duty. In a ceremony on the helicopter runway of Bagram Air Base, Maj. Gen. John Vines took over command.


2003 in Afghanistan, May
May 29: A team of U.S. investigators arrived in Kabul to investigate the deadly shooting on May 21 in which U.S. Marines guarding the American Embassy killed three Afghan soldiers.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 1: In Kandahar, attackers hurled a hand grenade at the office of the German Technical Cooperation, shattering three windows but causing no injuries.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 2: Governor Ismail Khan of Herat province, handed $20 million of customs revenues to Afghan coffers, the largest contribution in 18 months. Khan's payment allowed the Afghan government to pay about 100,000 Afghan soldiers their full salaries.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 3: Afghan General Abdul Rashid Dostum backed out of a deal to move from his province to Kabul.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 5: President Karzai met with British Prime Minister Tony Blair to discuss reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, then with British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon. Hoon promised that Britain would not abandon Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 6: President Karzai met with Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle, where he was awarded an honorary knighthood by the Queen. Karzai later gave a lecture on reconstruction in Afghanistan at St Antony's College, Oxford.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 7: In Kabul, a taxi packed with explosives rammed a bus carrying German ISAF personnel, killing four soldiers and wounding 29 others; one Afghan bystander was killed and 10 Afghan bystanders were wounded. The 33 peacekeepers, after months on duty in Kabul, were en route to the Kabul International Airport for their flight home to Germany.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 8: Bacha Khan Zadran, a regional Afghan warlord, said U.S. forces detained his son, Abdul Wali, in an operation in Paktia Province June 5 and called for his immediate release. Zadran said Wali had approached the U.S. forces to offer assistance. It was unclear why he was taken into custody.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 9: The UN urged the Afghan government to take drastic steps to make the Afghan National Army and the Afghan Defense Ministry reflect better the nation's ethnic make-up.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 10: Hundreds of ISAF personnel gathered in Kabul for a memorial service to honor the four German killed in the June 7 suicide bombing. The remains were then transported home to Germany.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 11: South of Mazari Sharif, in the Sholgara District, forces from the Jamiat-e-Islami party of Ustad Atta Mohammadclashed with those loyal to Uzbek warlord General Abdul Rashid Dostum, killing at least two civilians.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 12: The International Crisis Group (ICG) issued a report critiquing the constitutional process in Afghanistan. The report suggests that the process is hurried and covert. Public consultations, which started June 7, were due to last just under two months. Culminating in Loya Jirga in October, the process was to end with a general election in mid-2004. However, the ICG claimed that ordinary Afghans would be denied freedom of speech by local leaders and that the UN was ignoring public education on the issues.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 13: In the yard of an aid agency in Lashkarga, Helmand Province, a car exploded.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 14: Three rockets were fired at the U.S. base in Asadabad. There was no damage and no casualties.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 15: Seven Afghan governmental drug control officers were killed and three others wounded in Oruzgan province when they were on a mission to eradicate opium poppy cultivation.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 16: Women's Edge co-founder and executive director Ritu Sharma arrived in Afghanistan for a week's visit. She planned to observe and monitor the conditions of women. Sima Wali, the CEO of Refugee Women in Development, accompanied Sharma.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 17: The UN warned all UN personnel in Afghanistan of further suicide bombings in Kabul over the next few days.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 18: President Karzai left Kabul for a state visit to Iran, where he was expected to sign two trilateral agreements on transit road projects between Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Afghan Foreign MinisterAbdullah Abdullah, Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani and other cabinet member accompanied Karzai on the trip. Included in Karzai's agenda were meetings with Mohammad Khatami, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 19: In Uruzgan province, U.S. Special Operations Forces took 15 people into custody after the group attacked a compound on the Helmand River. There were no casualties during the assault or the arrests.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 20: In Islamabad, Pakistan during Refugee Day celebrations, UN High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman Jack Reddenreported that "some 156,000 Afghan refugees from Pakistan and about 100,000 from Iran [had] returned to Afghanistan since January." The UNHCR estimates that 1.8 million Afghans returned home in 2002.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 21: Chief of general staff of the French Army General Bernard Thorette arrived in Kabul on a three-day visit to hold talks with the International Security Assistance Force and to plan for the arrival of French special forces in the coming weeks.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 22: The U.N. envoy to Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, called for the immediate release of two journalists arrested June 18 on charges of defaming Islam. The Afghan Supreme Court planned to put the two journalists on trial.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 23: Officials in Kandahar Province arrested Mullah Nasim, a significant figure in the former Taliban intelligence service, whom they believed was planning an attack on a dwelling in Kandahar housing U.S. troops. He was allegedly near the former home of Mullah Omar. He was also allegedly on a motorbike with three missiles and other equipment.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 25: U.S.-led troops were attacked near Gardez, the capital of Paktia province, injuring two U.S. soldiers and killing U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas Retzer.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 26: Under a project funded by the French government, Afghanistan opened four public telekiosks to introduce a new Internet project to help Afghans learn computer skills and get online.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 27: Clashes erupted between a Tajik faction and an Uzbek faction in three villages in Samangan province, Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 28: A U.S. Army soldier died when his vehicle flipped over near a U.S. base in Orgun in Paktika province.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 29: In Prague, the International Olympic Committee lifted the competition suspension on Afghanistan, clearing the way for Afghanistan to compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics. Afghanistan was cleared to compete in amateur wrestling, boxing, taekwondo, and track and field.


2003 in Afghanistan, June
June 30: The United States Air Force announced that F-16 fighter pilot Maj. Harry Schmidt would face a court-martial for dereliction of duty for his part in bombing Canadian troops in Afghanistan on April 17, 2002.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 1: Phase one of the Afghan Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Program was scheduled to begin, but was delayed because Afghan authorities were slow to make crucial defense ministry reforms. The goal of phase one was to disarm 100,000 former combatants and integrate them into civilian live.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 2: About 700 Afghan government reinforcements were the Ata Ghar Mountains of Afghanistan where about 60 rebel fighters had been battling government forces for four days.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 3: In Mazar, four civilians and two fighters were killed in a battle between Uzbek and Tajikforces.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 4: Rockets were fired at a road construction crew in southern Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 5: The Japanese ambassador to Afghanistan, Kinichi Komano, announced that Japan would provide $150 million in aid for reconstruction purposes, such as roads, health centers, radio and TV.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 6: An advance team of NATO troops arrived in Kabul to prepare for its takeover of the International Security Assistance Force in August.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 7: The Afghan government announced that it had collected $56 million in revenue from provincial governors and warlords since the end of March.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 8: In a second day of demonstrations against reported Pakistani military incursions into Afghan territory, a group of nearly 500 people attacked Pakistan's embassy in Kabul. The windows of eight embassy cars were smashed while televisions, computers and windows were also smashed, including those in the ambassador's upstairs office.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 9: German Defense Minister Peter Struck told the Berliner Zeitung that Germany would extend its troops' mandate in Afghanistan until at least the end of 2004.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 10: Afghan authorities in Kandahar Province arrested a man and seized a large quantity of bomb-making material. The man was reported to be a brother and aide of former Taliban defense minister Mullah Obaidullah.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 11: Pakistan declined to accept a U.N. offer to mediate any differences between them and Afghanistan after their embassy was attacked by protesters earlier in the week. Security around the Afghan consulate in Peshawar was tightened.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 12: Four attackers ambushed a police patrol south of Kandahar.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 13: A blast damaged a building operated by a non-governmental organization (NGO) for the U.N..


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 14: Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah met with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington, D.C.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 15: The United Nations High Commission for Refugees reported that about 8,000 Afghans had been moved to other camps in Pakistan, while about 11,000 had been sent to a camp near Kandhar. The refugees had been living in a makeshift camp in the south-western Pakistani border town of Chaman since February 2002.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 16: In the Ghorak District of Kandahar, more than 400 Afghan soldiers and police searched houses for Taliban suspected of killing five policemen earlier in the week. Twelve villagers were picked up on suspicion of helping the Taliban.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 17: President Karzai issued a decree to convene a 500-member loya jirga on October 1, 2003, that would approve a draft of the country's new constitution. Karzai said that 450 members would be elected and 50 would be appointed.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 18: Eight Afghan government soldiers, in a car travelling about 25 kilometers east of Khost, were killed by a remote-control mine. The soldiers were part of a special unit working with the U.S.-led coalition forces to monitor the regions that border Pakistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 19: North of Orgun, Afghanistan, two soldiers from the U.S.-led coalition forces were wounded when their patrol was ambushed by automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 21: The Pakistani embassy in Kabul reopened after having been ransacked by angry crowds on July 8.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 22: A fire (which started in a timber shop after a wood-sawing machine overheated) in Jalalabad, destroyed more than a hundred shops and other buildings.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 23: In the Zormat Valley region of the southern Paktia Province in Afghanistan, about 1,000 soldiers of the Afghan National Army, together with U.S.-led coalition troops, were deployed in Operation Warrior Sweep. It marked first major combat operation for the Afghan troops.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 24: In Kabul, Afghanistan, U.S. General John Abizaid President Karzai.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 25: Six Afghan policemen were wounded, two seriously, when their vehicle hit a land mine about 50 km (31 mi) east of Kandahar.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 26: Under a pilot telekiosk project funded by France, the telekiosk.moc.gov.af website was launched in Afghanistan. In both Dari and English language, the site provided links to government and health information, job listings and business information. The site also provided community forums, information on local hotels and restaurants, and a Dari-English phrasebook.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 27: Telecom Development Company Afghanistan began offering wireless phone service to consumers in Afghanistan, breaking a year-long monopoly held by Afghan Wireless Communication.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 28: The United States State Department warned U.S. citizens in Afghanistan that the security environment in the country was "volatile and unpredictable."


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 29: The UNHCR announced that, with its support, more than 300,000 Afghan refugees had returned home in 2003.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 30: U.S. General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in an interview that the largest threat to Afghanistan's new government comes from across the border of Pakistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, July
July 31: The European Union announced that it would donate €79.5 million for reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. The money is meant to support de-mining, the building of a health system, and other public infrastructure projects.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 1: Afghan] Education Minister Yunis Qanooni and Herat province governor Ismail Khan in separate announcements denied Human Rights Watch allegations that they and other Afghan leaders were involved in human rights abuses.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 2: Afghan Deputy Defense Minister Abdul Rashid Dostam launched a drive to disarm thousands of his militiamen in Jawzjan province. Around 1,000 of his fighters were disarmed. The disarmed men were to be sent to Kabul to join the Afghan National Army.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 3: UN special envoy for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, met for the first time with the six-member Afghan electoral commission. Atop the goals of the commission is to register millions of potential voters. To date, free elections had never been held in Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 4: The Bakhtar News Agency reported that Zabihullah Zahid, a deputy education minister for the former Taliban regime, had recently been arrested in Balkh province.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 5: Alcatel, a French telecommunications equipment maker that was providing the GSM network for Kabul, won a contract to supply a complete GSM mobile network solution to Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 6: The first civilian passenger aircraft since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to fly non-stop from Europe to Afghanistan landed in Kabul. The German airline LTU thus began a regular schedule by which an Airbus 330-200 would leave Düsseldorf each Tuesday evening and arrive in Kabul Wednesday morning after a 6½-hour flight.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 7: Six Afghan soldiers and a driver for Mercy Corps were killed in a gunbattle as they were guarding the government center of Deshu district in southern Helmand province.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 8: Insurgents fired two rockets at a U.S. base in Asadabad, in eastern Kunar province, but there were no reports of casualties or damage.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 10: The United Nations suspended missions in parts of southern Afghanistan after a series of attacks on NGOs.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 11: In a ceremony at the recently refurbished Amani High School, NATO took charge of the International Security Assistance Force from Germany and the Netherlands.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 12: President Karzai vowed to execute Taliban guerillas involved in the murder of pro-Afghan-government clerics.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 13: President Karzai decreed that officials could no longer hold both military and civil posts. The move stripped Ismail Khan of his post as military commander of western Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 14: Southwest of Kabul, two aid workers from the Afghan Red Crescent Society were killed and three others injured when five armed men on two motorcycles fired on their convoy.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 15: The United Nations announced that it and the Afghan government approved a $7.6 million project to register voters for national elections in 2004. A board of six Afghans and five international members was to oversee the registration of an estimated 10.5 million people over 18.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 16: In a ceremony at the governor's residence in Kandahar, Gul Agha Sherzai handed gubernatorial power to Yusuf Pashtun. The change in power occurred in response to President Hamid Karzai's decree of August 13 that officials could no longer hold both military and civil posts. Sherzai became a federal minister of urban affairs.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 17: Over 200 insurgents crossed the border from Pakistan and overran the police station in Barmal District, Paktika province, killing eight officers. Afghan security forces killed 15 of the attackers, who later fled the area.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 18: Three Afghan government soldiers were killed in an attack in Paktika province.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 19: Armed men attacked a locally run landmine detection center in central Afghanistan, beating up Afghan staff and torching an ambulance.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 20: In Jalalabad, the first Afghan National Army recruitment center opened.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 21: In raids in Uruzgan province, Afghan security forces captured six Taliban fighters, including two local commanders. Rocket launchers, rifles and grenades were found during the raid.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 22: Pakistan released forty-one men who had fought for the Taliban. Authorities had determined the men did not have ties to terrorist groups.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 23: Five Afghan government soldiers were killed in an ambush in Zabul province. At least three rebel fighters were killed in the battle that followed.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 24: Antonio Maria Costa, the head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime arrived in Afghanistan to inspect the work of his Office.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 25: In the Dozi area of the Dai Chopan district, Zabul province, a joint Afghan-U.S. military operation, which involved F-16s and A-10s, killed over a dozen rebel fighters. The incident was part of Operation Warrior Sweep.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 26: In Zabul province, U.S. bombing raids killed an estimated 20 suspected Taliban fighters.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 27: A group of insurgents attacked U.S.-led coalition forces near the village of Shkin, Paktika province.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 28: In Zabul province, U.S. fighter jets and helicopters bombed suspected Taliban hideouts. One U.S. soldier was wounded in related clashes in the Tangi Chinaran area of Dai Chopan district that left up to 40 insurgents dead.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 29: Three Afghan government soldiers were killed and one Afghan commander, Haji Wali Shah, was kidnapped by rebels near the Spin Boldak. Four rebels were wounded, but escaped.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 30: Afghan soldiers swarmed over remote mountain peaks in an ongoing battle with suspected Taliban holdouts, killing and capturing several enemy fighters.


2003 in Afghanistan, August
August 31: Two U.S. troops were killed and three were wounded in a clash with rebel fighters in Paktia Province. Four insurgents were also killed in the 90-minute firefight.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 1: Four Afghan policemen were killed, four were wounded and four were missing after a raid on their checkpoint 115 miles northeast of Kandahar, Zabul province. Indian contractors working for the Louis Berger Group came under small-arms fire in nearby a guest house. Two of the company's security guards were shot dead when assailants opened fire on their vehicle.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 2: The Germany cabinet agreed to extending its peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan beyond Kabul, if the UN voted to expand the ISAF mandate there.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 3: In the Sar Murghab area of Uruzgan province, a remote-controlled bomb killed senior Afghan military commander Mullah Gul Akhund along with his bodyguard. A third person in their car was seriously wounded.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 4: The United Nations Commission on Human Rights criticized Kabul police for forcibly evicting 30 families in Shir Purvillage near the up-market Wazir Akbar Khan District of central Kabul by bulldozing their homes. Both the United Nations and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission appealed to authorities to suspend the operation until an alternative could be offered. The families had lived there for 30 years.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 5: In Kabul, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham met with President Karzai and Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah. Graham also opened the Canadian Embassy in Kabul (which had been closed since 1979) and signed an agreement lowering duties on textiles, such as Afghan rugs.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 7: In Washington, D.C., U.S., President George W. Bush announced he would ask the United States Congress for an additional $87 billion for U.S. efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Just $800 million was earmarked for Afghan reconstruction.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 8: U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visited Afghanistan and met with President Karzai.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 9: Over 10,000 Afghan citizens filled Kabul sports stadiums to honor the anniversary of the 2001 assassination of Ahmed Shah Massoud. President Karzai spoke to crowds.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 10: A joint meeting between officials of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the U.S. was held at the checkpost of Friendship Gate in the border town of Chaman, Afghanistan. It was decided that the neighboring nations would deploy more troops at their border.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 11: In east Kabul, a rocket exploded in the International Security Assistance Force base, Camp Warehouse, causing some damage but no casualties.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 12: Miloon Kothari, appointed by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to investigate housing rights in Afghanistan, announced that Defence Minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim and Education Minister Yunus Qanooni were illegally occupying land and should be removed from their posts. However, on September 15, Kothari sent a letter to Lakhdar Brahimi, the head of the U.N.in Afghanistan, saying he had gone too far in naming the ministers.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 13: Iran and Afghanistan signed a memorandum of understanding on customs cooperation. The Head of Iran's Custom AdministrationMasoud Karbasian and the Head of Afghanistan's Custom Administration Gholam Jilani Pupel signed the document.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 14: Afghan Commerce Minister Sayed Mustafa Kazemi announced the approval of 5,000 investment projects worth $4.5 billion, expecting to employ more than 400,000 people.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 15: In Paktia province, a dozen Taliban members stopped vehicles on the highway and threatened to cut off the noses and ears of men who shave their beards or anyone caught listening to music.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 19: Near the Bagram Air Base at least six people were killed in two blasts at the home of an explosives trader. A boy in was killed by shrapnel when a rocket exploded after the main blast. Six to 10 people were injured in the second explosion.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 20: President Karzai announced new political appointments to the defence ministry. Eight appointments were given to members of the Pashtun majority, including the deputy ministerial position to Major General Farooq Wardak who replaced General Bismullah Khan. Five Tajiks, four Hazaras, two Uzbeks, one Baluchi and one Nuristani were also named to new positions.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 23: President George W. Bush addressed the United Nations General Assembly regarding Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 24: In New York, President Karzai addressed the United Nations General Assembly. He called for a wider international military presence in Afghanistan and an extension of ISAF beyond Kabul. German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder told the General Assembly that, in order for Afghanistan's political reform effort to succeed, it needed sustained international support. Karzai later met privately with President George W. Bush.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 26: Near Gardez in Paktia province, rebels attacked with a bomb and small arm fire a U.S.-led convoy on an overnight patrol. There were no casualties on either side


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 27: In Ottawa, Canada, President Karzai met with Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. Reports surfaced that Canada would take over ISAF command in 2004, but Chrétien said Canada would not send any more troops to Afghanistan until its current 12-month peacekeeping mission was over.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 28: In Kapisa province, Kabul police found an 18-pound bomb, a radio filled with explosives and two remote-control detonation devices disguised as mobile phones. Two people arrested.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 29: In Shkin, Paktika province, a U.S. soldier was killed and two others wounded in a gun battle which also left two rebel fighters dead.


2003 in Afghanistan, September
September 30: Afghan Central Bank governor Anwar Ul-Haq Ahadi announced that Afghans should use their own Afghanicurrency in daily transactions rather than U.S. dollars or Pakistani rupees.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 1: President Karzai spoke as a guest at a Labour party conference in Bournemouth, England.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 2: In Kabul, two Canadian peacekeepers (Sgt. Robert Short and Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger) were killed and three were injured by a landmine.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 3: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage visited Kabuland Kandahar to discuss the U.S.-led War on Terrorism.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 4: Near the Bagram Air Base north of Kabul, at least six people were killed and seven others injured in a massive explosion caused by people dismantling a cluster bomb.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 5: President Karzai suggested publicly that he would seek the presidency in the June 2004 elections.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 7: ISAF peacekeepers and Afghan police arrested Abu Bakr on suspicions of planning terrorist attacks and killing two Canadian soldiers on October 2.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 8: Afghan Central Bank governor Anwar Ul-Haq Ahadi decreed that all prices in the Afghan marketplace would be specified in Afghanis.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 9: Afghan Interior Minister Ali Ahmed Jalali flew from Kabul to Mazari Sharif to oversee a truce signed between Abdul Rashid Dostum and Atta Mohammad.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 10: About 40 prisoners including Taliban members escaped through a tunnel at the jail in Kandahar. The escape led to the suspension of the prison superintendent a few days later. It was alleged that the prisoners paid bribes of $80,000. It was not immediately known to where the earth was removed to create the 30 metre tunnel.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 11: The governing council of Nangarhar province banned a Pashto language newspaper (named Khabrona) published in Peshawar, Pakistan because of its pro-Taliban stance.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 12: In Zabul province, eight policemen were killed when around 100 insurgents attacked government offices. District offices were torched and four vehicles destroyed.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 13: The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to expand the ISAF mission beyond Kabul.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 14: In the Bakwa district of Farah province, unknown gunmen wearing uniforms of government security forces opened fire on travelers along a highway, killing seven people and injuring two others. The gunmen robbed the travelers.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 15: Afghan forces fought suspected Taliban forces in central Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 16: U.S. Commerce Secretary Don Evans visited some sites in Kabul. While visiting a girls' school he relayed a message to the schoolgirls from President George W. Bush that "We care about you and we love you." Evans then put his arm around a female teacher, a faux pas in the conservative Muslim state.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 18: On a road linking Khost province with Gardez province, a group of 50 Taliban whipped drivers without beards, confiscated music cassettes from vehicles and passengers, and distributed pamphlets warning of harsh penalties.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 19: While visiting Kabul, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said that Canadian troops would not be sent beyond Kabul, despite United Nations Security Council plans to expand peacekeeping operations.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 20: Outside a UN office in Kabul, hundreds of dismissed Afghan military personnel and army officers protested, demanding back jobs and income lost during reforms of the Defense Ministry. The reforms were aimed at making the ministry more ethnically balanced, to encourage opposition factions to lay down their arms to bring peace to the nation. To date, 20,000 of 50,000 scheduled had already been dismissed since the beginning of 2003.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 21: The Afghan government confirmed that former Taliban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmad Mutawakil had been released from U.S. custody at Bagram Air Base. Taliban leadership promptly denounced Mutawakil.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 22: In the first three days of a demilitarization program in Kunduz, more than 600 Afghan militiamen surrendered their weapons to the government.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 23: Rebels fired rockets at a pickup truck ferrying passengers to Haibak in Samangan province, killing 10 people, including two children.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 24: Germany's Bundestag voted to send German troops to Kunduz, Afghanistan. The deployment marked the first time that ISAF soldiers operated outside of Kabul.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 25: In Khost province, two classrooms of a co-ed school were completely destroyed by an explosion.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 26: During a visit to Mazari Sharif, Balkh province, Afghan interior minister Ali Ahmad Jalali appointed a new provincial governor, deputy governor, mayor and police chief. The shake-up was an attempt to quell growing ethnic tensions in the area. In one of the more controversial appointments, the former police chief of Kandahar (Mohammed Akram, an ethnic Pashtun) was named the chief in Mazari Sharif.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 27: In attempts to prevent the movement of foreign terrorists into Pakistan, the Pakistan army established over 100 check-posts along the border with Afghanistan, and established a system of intelligence, patrols, and inspections in the tribal areas.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 28: In Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees announced that the number of Afghan refugees returning to Afghanistan from Iran has just passed 600,000 and the number returning from Pakistan had just topped 1.9 million.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 29: The Afghan Supreme Court condemned Vida Samadzai competing as Miss Afghanistan at the Miss Earth beauty pageant, saying such a display of the female body goes against Islamic law and Afghan culture.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 30: In a small hamlet near the village of Aranj in the Waygal district of Nuristan province, six people of the same family were killed when a house was bombarded by U.S. warplanes. The house belonged to a former provincial governor, Ghulam Rabbani, who was in Kabul at the time. The raid was aimed at Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and Mullah Faqirullah, both of whom had left the area just hours before. The victims (three children, an adolescent, a young man and an old woman) were all relatives of Mullah Rabbani.


2003 in Afghanistan, October
October 31: In Sar-i-Pul province, fighting broke out between forces of General Abdul Rashid Dostum and Ustad Atta Mohammed, killing at least ten.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 2: Beginning a week-long trip, a delegation of fifteen United Nations Security Council members arrived in Kabul from Islamabad on a German military plane equipped with anti-missile gear. The all-male delegation consisted of U.N. ambassadors from the U.S., Britain, France, Bulgaria, Mexico and Spain, of deputy ambassadors from Russia and Pakistan, and of other diplomats from Angola, Cameroon, Chile, People's Republic of China, Guinea and Syria.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 3: The United Nations Security Council delegation that arrived in Afghanistan on November 2 visited Herat but could not meet with governor Ismail Khan because he was out of town.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 5: The United Nations Security Council delegation visited Mazari Sharif and met with Tajik warlord Ustad Atta Mohammad and Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum. The Afghan leaders pledged to end their feud.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 6: In Kabul, unidentified gunmen murdered Shireen Agha Salangi, a former commander of the Afghan Northern Alliance who later switched sides to fight alongside the Taliban.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 7: The United Nations Security Council delegation that arrived in Afghanistan on November 2 returned to New York.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 8: A group of rebels fired rockets at U.S.-led coalition forces in Kunar province. Coalition soldiers responded with small arms and aerial fire.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 9: Miss Afghanistan Vida Samadzai won the Miss Earth pageant's first "beauty for a cause" award.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 10: U.S. soldiers killed one rebel in a clash in the Marzeh district of  Nuristan province. Two or three rebels also opened fire on other U.S. forces there, then fled the scene when close air support was called in.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 11: Five Afghan civilians were injured in a mine blast close to the Bagram Air Base.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 12: A new television station, Aina ("Mirror"), started test broadcasts from Sheberghan. On air for six hours a night and covering an area of 300 kilometers, the channel planned to broadcast cultural, social, entertainment, political and sports programs in the Dari, Pashtu, Uzbek and Turkmen languages.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 13: In Spin Boldak, unidentified men on a motorbike handed Reuters an audio cassette of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar. On it, Omar admonished commanders who have given up the jihad.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 14: Three U.N. employees in Paktia Province escaped injury after a remote-controlled bomb blew up near a vehicle they were travelling in.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 15: Six civilians died when a U.S. warplane dropped a bomb in the Barmal District of Paktika Province.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 16: In Ghazni Province, two men on a motorcycle opened fire on a UNHCR vehicle, killing Bettina Goislard, a French U.N. staff member, and injuring the driver. Local police fired at the motorcycle, injuring one of the two men and arresting both of them. The two men were beaten by an angry mob before they were arrested. Taliban officials claimed responsibility and stated Goislard was killed because she was Christian.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 17: The UN suspended operations in southern and eastern Afghanistan in response to the killing of one of their employees a day earlier.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 18: South Korea temporarily closed its embassy in Kabul amid warnings that al Qaeda might launch a suicide bomb attack. Three South Korean diplomats were evacuated to Pakistan. South Korea had 200 troops serving in Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 19: Two 107-millimetre rockets attached to a car battery were discovered by Canadians in a palace near Camp Julien. The rockets were pointed toward Camp Julien, allegedly in anticipation of Canadian Defence Minister John McCallum's visit the following day.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 20: Near Ghazni, on the Kabul to Kandahar road, gunmen kidnapped and later released an Afghan driver working with a U.N.-led de-mining operation, stealing his car, money and documents.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 21: In Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan defeated Afghanistan 11–0 in an Asian zone preliminary World Cup qualifier.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 22: Armed men rob four or five U.N. staff and other patrons at the Shang Hai restaurant in Kabul.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 23: Near the village of Shukhi in the Kapisa province, a U.S. Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low helicopter crashed shortly after leaving Bagram Air Base, killing five U.S. soldiers. Eight soldiers also were wounded. The troops were part of the 16th Special Operations Wing and were participating in Operation Mountain Resolve. It was later determined that the cause of the accident was engine failure.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 24: In Kabul, Turkmenistan defeated Afghanistan 2–0 in an Asian zone preliminary World Cup qualifier.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 25: DHL halted its five-day-per-week delivery services to Afghanistan to carry out a security review. Service resumed November 28.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 26: During maneuvres of Operation Mountain Resolve, U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan were attacked. OneAfghan National Army soldier and two U.S. soldiers were wounded.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 27: United States Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Jack Reed spent Thanksgiving in Afghanistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 28: NATO agreed to take command of PRTs in five Afghan towns that were currently protected by Operation Enduring Freedom. However, NATO added that the change of command would only take place if military resources were available. Such a move would necessitate 3,000 more troops and bases in Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan.


2003 in Afghanistan, November
November 29: President Karzai met John Abizaid, the head of the U.S. Central Command, in Kabul. Their agenda included the prevention of militants infiltrating from Pakistan.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 1: A Provincial Reconstruction Team composed of over 50 U.S. troops were deployed to Herat to foster security and carry out relief projects in Herat province, Farah province, Badghis province and Ghor province.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 2: Warlords in northern Afghanistan handed over tanks and cannons to the Afghan Army. Abdul Rashid Dostumgave up just three tanks in the disarmament drive, while Ustad Atta Mohammad gave up more than 50.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 3: An Afghan policeman, Khodai Rahim, threw a grenade at a U.S. military vehicle in a crowded market in Kandahar, injuring two U.S. soldiers, another policeman and a local bystander. One of the soldiers lost his leg. The attacker was arrested.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 4: In the Chakaw region of Farah province, at least one Afghan working for the U.N. Central Statistics Department was killed and 11 wounded when attackers opened fire on their convoy.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 5: Men burst into the office of a Turkish construction company southeast of Kabul, beat and tied up an Afghan staff member, then abducted two Turkish engineers and another Afghan. They were released December 8.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 6: A bomb wounded at least 18 people in the main market in the Chawk Shida district of Kandahar. One report suggested the bomb may have been rigged to a bicycle, while another report said the bomb had been hidden inside a pressure cooker. President Hamid Karzai laid blamed the Taliban, but Taliban spokesman Mullah Abdul Samad denied any involvement, saying: "Taliban do no attack civilian targets." A later controlled explosion by U.S. troops caused additional panic in the city.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 7: Two Turkish workers were kidnapped as they worked on a well-digging project just outside Kabul, Afghanistan. It was reported that the incident regarded a land dispute. The workers would be released in March 2004.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 8: Anwar Shah, a Pakistani engineer, was shot dead and another went missing, after gunmen attacked their vehicle near Muqur, Ghazni. Mullah Sabir Momin, the Taliban's deputy operations commander in southern Afghanistan, said the men were attacked because they were "American agents."


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 9: UNICEF launched its final round of polio immunization in Afghanistan for 2003. 25,000 volunteers in 19 provinces administered polio vaccine to 3.4 million children under the age of five.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 10: With no official explanation, the start of the constitutional loya jirga (scheduled to start December 10) was delayed until December 12. President Karzai stated during a press conference that he would not run in future elections if the loya jirga opted for a prime minister as well as a president.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 11: In an interview, Zabul province Deputy Governor Mulvi Mohammad Omar said that five of the area's eight districts were now under the indirect control of Taliban sympathizers.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 12: The UN's special representative to Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, stated that the U.N. would have to pull out of the nation if security did not improve.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 14: by a majority vote, Sabghatullah Mujadidi was elected as chairman of the loya jirga. Mujadidi stated to the press that he favored a strong president backed by a strong parliament, and that he sought a moderate form of Islam.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 16: Three rockets landed in populated areas of Kabul, but there were no casualties.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 17: During the fourth day of the Loya Jirga of 2003 a proposal made by President Karzai to confine debate to a draft constitution that would give the president sweeping powers was met with protests and interruptions from delegates, mainly supporters of the Northern Alliance. Also Malalai Juya denounced some of her colleagues as war criminals, prompting some delegates to demand her removal from the council and sparking some death threats. Juya was later placed under U.N. protection for her safety. Foreign journalists were barred from covering the session.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 18: Scores of Loya jirga delegates protested for a second day against sweeping powers sought by President Karzai. Foreign journalists were barred from covering the session. State-controlled television stopped its live coverage.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 20: Taliban officials offered to release two Indian engineers kidnapped December 6 in exchange for 50 militants. The engineers would not be released until March 2004.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 21: Two rockets were fired into Kabul. There were no casualties.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 22: A review of Afghanistan published by the International Monetary Fund stated that its economy remained threatened by lawlessness and inadequate public safety and urged the Afghan government to ask major creditors to cancel its debts. The review also suggested that opium accounted for half of Afghanistan's gross domestic product.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 23: U.S. and Afghan forces searched the home of Hamidullah Khan Tokhi, a former governor of Zabul province, and seized 60 AK-47 rifles.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 24: Loya jirga council chairman Sibghatullah Mujaddedi said the delegate groups were ready to present possible amendments.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 25: In Kabul, a bomb exploded outside a house used by U.N. staff, demolishing a wall and shattering windows. The blast occurred about 5 miles from the Kabul University, where the Loya jirga was taking place.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 26: In Deh Sabz, Afghan and ISAF troops arrested seven men suspected of carrying out recent rocket attacks on Kabul. The men were not armed but posters of Osama bin Laden and other documents were found.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 27: Near Khost, six militants ambushed a car, killing a senior Afghan intelligence officer and wounding two of his colleagues. U.S. troops operating nearby killed four of the attackers but two others got away.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 28: In Kabul, near the city's airport, five Afghan security officials detaining a suspect were killed when their vehicle exploded. The suspect was carrying an explosive device which was taken from him, but he then detonated other explosives strapped to his body. The dead included Abdul Jalal, the head of Afghan Defense Minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim's personal security. Several other people were critically injured in the blast. Mullah Abdul Samad, a Taliban spokesman, took responsibility for the blast and said the attack had been carried out by a 35-year-old from Chechnya, but later Taliban leaderHamid Agha stated that Samad was not their spokesman.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 29: The Afghan Ambassador to Australia, Mahmoud Saikal, called on the twenty four asylum seekers in Nauru to end their week long hunger strike.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 30: India donated 300 military vehicles, including military trucks, jeeps and ambulances, to the Afghan National Army.


2003 in Afghanistan, December
December 31: In Shkin a series of clashes between U.S. forces and rebels killed at least three militants and injured three U.S. soldiers. An unconfirmed number of militants also died there when U.S. helicopters bombed a position.


2003 in Albania
The following lists events that happened during 2003 in Republic of Albania.


2003 in American soccer
The 2003 season was the 91st year of competitive soccer in the United States.


2003 in American soccer, National team
The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.


2003 in American television
The following is a list of events affecting American television during 2003. Events listed include television series debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel initiations.


2003 in Australia
The following lists events that happened during 2003 in Australia.


2003 in Australian literature
This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 2003.


2003 in Australian literature, Awards and honours
Note: these awards were presented in the year in question.


2003 in Australian television, Debuts, Changes to network affiliation
This is a list of programs which made their premiere on an Australian television network that had previously premiered on another Australian television network. The networks involved in the switch of allegiances are predominantly both free-to-air networks or both subscription television networks. Programs that have their free-to-air/subscription television premiere, after previously premiering on the opposite platform (free-to air to subscription/subscription to free-to air) are not included. In some cases, programs may still air on the original television network. This occurs predominantly with programs shared between subscription television networks.


2003 in Australian television, Debuts, Free-to-air premieres
This is a list of programs which made their premiere on Australian free-to-air television that had previously premiered on Australian subscription television. Programs may still air on the original subscription television network.


2003 in Australian television, Debuts, Subscription premieres
This is a list of programs which made their premiere on Australian subscription television that had previously premiered on Australian free-to-air television. Programs may still air on the original free-to-air television network.


2003 in Bangladesh
2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2003rd year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 3rd  year of the 3rd millennium, the 3rd  year of the 21st century, and the  4th   year of the 2000s decade.


2003 in Bangladesh
The year 2003 was the 32nd year after the independence of Bangladesh. It was also the third year of the third term of the Government of Khaleda Zia.


2003 in Bangladesh, Economy
Note: For the year 2003 average official exchange rate for BDT was 58.15 per US$.


2003 in Belgian television
This is a list of Belgian television related events from 2003.


2003 in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The following lists events that happened during the year 2003 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.


2003 in Brazilian football
The following article presents a summary of the 2003 football (soccer) season in Brazil, which was the 102nd season of competitive football in the country.


2003 in Brazilian football, Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Relegation
The two worst placed teams, which are Fortaleza and Bahia, were relegated to the following year's second level.


2003 in Brazilian football, Campeonato Brasileiro Série B, Promotion
The two best placed teams in the final stage of the competition, which are Palmeiras and Botafogo, were promoted to the following year's first level.


2003 in Brazilian football, Campeonato Brasileiro Série B, Relegation
The two worst placed teams, which are Gama and União São João, were relegated to the following year's third level.


2003 in Brazilian football, Campeonato Brasileiro Série C, Promotion
The two best placed teams in the final stage of the competition, which are Ituano and Santo André, were promoted to the following year's second level.


2003 in Brazilian football, Copa do Brasil
The Copa do Brasil final was played between Cruzeiro and Flamengo.


2003 in Brazilian football, Copa do Brasil
Cruzeiro declared as the cup champions by aggregate score of 4-2.


2003 in Brazilian football, Brazil national team
The following table lists all the games played by the Brazil national football team in official competitions and friendly matches during 2003.


2003 in Brazilian football, Women's football, Brazil women's national football team
The following table lists all the games played by the Brazil women's national football team in official competitions and friendly matches during 2003.


2003 in Brazilian football, Women's football, Brazil women's national football team
The Brazil women's national football team competed in the following competitions in 2003:


2003 in Brazilian television
This is a list of Brazilian television related events from 2003.


2003 in British music
This is a summary of 2003 in music in the United Kingdom.


2003 in British music, Classical music
Both Andrew Glover and Peter Maxwell Davies produced several new orchestral/instrumental works. British film score composer Rachel Portman produced an opera, The Little Prince, commissioned by the Houston Opera and premièred in the USA.


2003 in British music, Classical music
Michael Nyman, during his period as Composer-in-Residence at Badisches Staatstheater in Karlsruhe, Germany, produced his Violin Concerto and an opera Man and Boy: Dada, with libretto by Michael Hastings. It was premièred at the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe in the following year.


2003 in British music, Music awards, Mercury Music Prize
The 2003 Mercury Music Prize was awarded to Dizzee Rascal – Boy in Da Corner.


2003 in British music, Music awards, Popjustice £20 Music Prize
The 2003 Popjustice £20 Music Prize was awarded to Girls Aloud for their song No Good Advice  from the album Sound of the Underground.


2003 in British music, Music awards, The Record of the Year
The Record of the Year was awarded to "Mandy" by Westlife.


2003 in British music charts
This article gives details of the official charts from 2003.


2003 in British music charts
Whilst weeks at number one began to increase with significant numbers achieving 4-week runs, single sales rapidly plummeted, decreasing by 34% since 2002. The year became the first in ten not to contain a million selling single. The year was particularly successful for Justin Timberlake, Busted, Avril Lavigne, Christina Aguilera, t.A.T.u. and Dido.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, January
Remaining at the top from 2002, new girl band, Girls Aloud spent the first 2 weeks of the year at the top of the charts with their debut single "Sound of the Underground", and would consolidate their success with a platinum selling debut album and 3 more top 3 hits in this year.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, January
One talent show winner was replaced by another, in the form of David Sneddon a young performer from Scotland, who'd had lead roles in musicals and sung with bands around the pub circuit, including the Martians, and won BBC's Fame Academy performing Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" beating 36,000 other applicants. His debut single "Stop Living The Lie", entered the UK charts at No. 1 and remained there for 2 weeks. To date he is the only artist from a reality TV show to reach No. 1 with a self-written song.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, January
He had a further two top twenty hit singles and a top ten album, Seven Years Ten Weeks, and signed a development publishing deal with Universal Music in October 2003. In the singles chart that same week, British rock band Feeder gained only their second top 10 hit with "Just the Way I'm Feeling", one week and two years to the day "Buck Rogers" made #5. The chart success of the former saw its parent album Comfort in Sound become a regular chart fixture throughout the course of the year, before winning the Kerrang! Award for "Best British Band" (which Grant Nicholas dedicated to their late drummer Jon Lee) and later headlining many of the nation's largest arenas in December, after many years of playing small clubs, university campus halls and standard sized theatres.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, January
After the release of her debut single, "Complicated", which made No. 3 in the singles charts, Avril Lavigne's début album, Let Go climbed to the top of the album charts for 3 weeks. Consequently, she became the youngest female solo artist to top the albums chart at only 17 years of age. The album spawned three other Top 40 hits, the upbeat "Sk8er Boi", the powerful "Losing Grip" and the loneliness ballad "I'm with You". None of these equalled the success of her début single, the highest peaking at #7.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, February
Hitting the Russian charts 3 years earlier, female duo t.A.T.u. released their début single, "All the Things She Said" in the UK and it topped the charts for a total of 4 weeks, taking all of February with it. The accompanying video ostensibly depicted the girls imprisoned but concluded by revealing that it was the audience who was imprisoned; it stirred controversy with its images of the two girls kissing. They became the first Russian act to hit number 1 in the UK.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, February
Their album, 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane peaked at No. 12 in the charts and spawned a No. 7 hit, "Not Gonna Get Us" in May. London duo Turin Brakes scored their first UK top ten hit when "Pain Killer" entered the chart at No. 5 on 23 February. Previous to this, they had only enjoyed average success outside of the top 20.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, February
After the massive success of his debut single as a solo artist, "Like I Love You" (#2), ex-*NSYNC member, Justin Timberlake released his solo album, Justified. Making No. 6 on its first chart run, it climbed back into the charts and this time made No. 1 for 2 weeks. Another solo star previously in a successful group took over from Justin. Previously in Destiny's Child, Kelly Rowland released her debut album, Simply Deep which topped the charts for one week. Her debut single "Stole", peaked at #2. Following their No. 1 album from 1999, alternative electronic band, Massive Attack hit the top again with their new album, 100th Window. The album spawned one single hit, "Special Cases" which made #15.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, March
Returning to the top of the UK charts for the 4th time, US superstar, Christina Aguilera hit the top with a second release from her second album, Stripped. "Beautiful" contrasted with the upbeat and raunchy "Dirrty", as "Beautiful" was a love ballad that seemed to be very personal to Christina. She received praise from GLAAD because of the positive presentation of homosexual people in the video to the song, which was edited by the BBC for showing on Top of the Pops.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, March
Despite the fact that Britney has received 1 more chart topper than Christina, as of January 2005, Christina has spent more weeks on top of the UK charts than Britney, with "Beautiful" adding another 2 to that list. With the official comic relief song of the year, Gareth Gates returned to the top of the UK charts for a 4th and final time with a cover of Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky".


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, March
Taking it to the top for a 3rd time, Gareth became the only act to get to the top with this single who was not a one-hit wonder (however he performed the song with The Kumars who themselves were a one hit wonder). Ringo Starr released his album Ringo Rama on the 24th.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, March
Returning to the top for a week was Justin Timberlake and his debut album, Justified. By this time, he had released a follow up single to "Like I Love You" from the album. "Cry Me A River", also peaked at No. 2 and was an emotional ballad creating controversy because many thought the song was about Britney, seeing as there was a Britney look-alike in the video. Taking the top of the albums chart for the following 4 weeks was jazz singer, Norah Jones with her debut album, Come Away With Me. No singles were released from the album, but despite this it was a hugely successful album.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, April
Becoming the second single of the year to have a 4-week run at number one, the next chart topper was a re-working of Oliver Cheatham's 1983 No. 38 hit, "Get Down Saturday Night". Featuring his vocals on the track, "Make Luv" was re-worked by Room 5 and was used in a TV advertisement for Lynx Deodorant. Consequently, it sold very well and topped the singles charts for almost the whole of April. The duo did another collaboration, "Music And You" in December as a Christmas release, but it only made #38.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, April
Nu Metal band, Linkin Park hit No. 1 for the first time with their third album, Meteora. The album spawned 4 single hits, the highest peaking at #10. After a week, rock and roll duo, The White Stripes took over for 2 weeks with their fourth album, Elephant, spanning the very popular single, "7 Nation Army", which peaked at #7. Returning to the top of the charts with A Rush of Blood to the Head were Coldplay. This album was previously at No. 1 in September 2002. It only remained at the top for a week this time.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, May
With their 3rd chart single, guitar playing pop trio, Busted scored their first UK chart topper when "You Said No" hit the top. This was their 3rd consecutive Top 3 hit, following their debut single, "That's What I Go To School For" which made No. 3 in September 2002 and their second single, "Year 3000" which hit No. 2 in January of this year. "You Said No" was a slightly more lyrics focused compared to their previous 2 singles which had been more tune based.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, May
Criticised for making a mockery of rock bands in the new millennium, Busted quickly gained a huge fanbase with young audiences. Taking over after 7 days was German producer, Thomas Bruckner, renamed Tomcraft for his one and only UK single, "Loneliness". It became the second of 9 to spend only a week at the top during the whole of 2003. This was a very good sign for the popularity of singles, however sales were at their all-time low.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, May
Back at the top for the first time in 6 years, was soul/RNB singer, R. Kelly with a track from his new album, Chocolate Factory. "Ignition Remix" was his first No. 1 single since "I Believe I Can Fly" hit the top in 1997. The single was successful, topping the charts for 4 weeks receiving hugely high levels of airplay across all radio stations. Other big hits included Lisa Maffia with her single All Over which managed to stay 3 weeks in the top 10 going on to sell over 90,000 copies.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, May
With her 8th UK No. 1 album, Madonna returns to the top of the album charts with her new release American Life. The album contained the hits "Love Profusion", "Hollywood", "American Life" and "Die Another Day". The latter was taken from the soundtrack to the James Bond film of the same name, which itself was also a success. Returning to the top yet again was Justin Timberlake and his debut album, Justified, but its stay was only for a week. By this time it had spawned a 3rd


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, May
No. 2 single, "Rock Your Body", which saw Justin turn towards dance music and show off his moves in the video. Despite the fact that Blur scored a 5th No. 1 album with their latest release, Think Tank, Justified was not kept from the top for long, returning to the top after a week, for what became its longest consecutive run at the top, ending at 3 weeks. In total, the album had spent 7 weeks at the top.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, June
Alternative metal band Evanescence made their mark on the music industry with their début single "Bring Me To Life", which topped the charts for 4 weeks. The band, a four piece from Little Rock, Arkansas, fronted by Amy Lee, went on to massive success with their début album, Fallen which topped the album chart for a week and spawned another 3 Top 10 hits during the year.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, June
Topping the charts for the third time since their career began in 1997, the Stereophonics were back at the top with You Gotta Go There to Come Back. The album spawned 2 Top 5 hits, following the pattern from their previous 2 chart topping albums. Back at the top for the first time since 2001 were Radiohead with their 4th UK No. 1 album, Hail to the Thief. Only at the top for a week, just like the Stereophonics, Evanescence reached the top of the charts with Fallen while "Bring Me To Life" was still at the top of the singles chart.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, July
Following in the footsteps of her former colleague, Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé Knowles managed to reach the top of the UK charts with a solo release. After making an appearance in the third Austin Powers movie, Austin Powers in Goldmember, Beyoncé put herself back in the public eye and then released her debut solo single from the movie, "Work It Out" which managed to make No. 7 on the UK singles chart.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, July
Her debut album, Dangerously in Love topped the charts a week before she received her first (third, including her career with Destiny's Child) number one single, and they both continued runs at the top simultaneously for 3 weeks when her second single was knocked off the top spot. "Crazy in Love" was an upbeat pop ballad, but was not as dance emphasised as "Work It Out". It featured the rapper Jay-Z who was already a very successful artist and whose career began 6 years ago in 1997.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, July
Featuring her four Top 10 hits; the club tune "Work It Out", the chart topping "Crazy in Love", the No. 2 hit "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" also with Jay-Z and the massive US No. 1, "Baby Boy" in a duet with Sean Paul. Beyoncé's debut album, "Dangerously in Love" topped the charts for five consecutive weeks, three of those weeks coinciding with when her second single, "Crazy in Love" was at the top of the charts. Her debut album sold 113,000 copies in its first week and was eventually certified two times (2x) platinum in October by the BPI. The album itself have the most consecutive weeks to reach the top position on the UK album chart for 2003.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, July
In 2004, Beyoncé released more singles from the album which fared well and then re-formed with her old girl group, Destiny's Child who proved to be much more successful than expected.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, August
Hitting the top of the UK charts for the third time with his 5th single was Daniel Bedingfield with another love ballad, "Never Gonna Leave Your Side" which he said was a twin of his previous chart topper, "If You're Not The One", being about the same girl. Not only was the theme similar, but so was the chart performance, only spending a week at the summit. Urban/R&B songstress, Blu Cantrell was next to top the charts with a single from her second album, Bittersweet.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, August
The single was "Breathe" and was a collaboration with Sean Paul, who was a Jamaican born Reggae performer. Although never airing enough on Radio 1 to make the play list, it still managed to enter the chart at No. 1 and stay there for 4 weeks and became the surprise smash hit of the year.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, August
With an original fusion of modern rock and country/folk, English rock band The Coral scored their 1st No . 1 album with their second release, Magic And Medicine. The album spawned 3 hit singles, one of which hit the top 5, becoming their highest peaking single ever. However, it only took a week before Robbie Williams hit the top of the charts again when Escapology returned to the top of the charts after its 6-week stay over the Christmas season of 2002. It contained the hits, "Feel", "Come Undone", "Something Beautiful" and "Sexed Up".


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, August
Taking over after a week for a 2-week run was Eva Cassidy with her 3rd UK No. 1 album, American Tune. She became the second female solo artist to have 3 consecutive UK No. 1 albums, after Madonna achieved this in 2000, however it could be said that Eva holds this record solo, because one of Madonna's albums was the soundtrack to Evita which featured other vocalists as well as her, whereas Cassidy holds the full credit for all three of her albums. Even more amazingly, Cassidy's run of consecutive No. 1 albums started after her death, so the entire record is posthumous.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, September
Hitting the top for only the 6th time since his massively successful career began in 1971, Elton John's No. 42 hit from 1979 "Are you ready for love" was shortened, put into use in by Sky TV for their football premiership ads and consequently re-released when it shot straight to the top of the charts for a week. It was only Elton's 3rd solo No. 1 single. Next was the second single and first Top 30 hit from The Black Eyed Peas.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, September
They are a 4 piece rap act from Los Angeles, California and scored a 6-week run at the top with this single, becoming the biggest selling single of the year (however, failing to sell a million copies, becoming the first year not to have a million selling single since 1993) and also the longest stay at the top of the UK charts since Cher's "Believe" in 1998. The song, "Where Is The Love?" featured an unaccredited Justin Timberlake's vocals on the chorus and was about society and the corruption that had engulfed it and that people should begin to spread love to bring the world to a better state.


2003 in British music charts, Summary of UK chart activity, September
Topping the charts for 4 weeks with their debut album were rock band, The Darkness. Modelling themselves on bands like Queen they had already scored one Top 40 hit from the album, with "Growing on Me", which peaked at #11. Their next hit from the album, in the following month was their biggest, peaking at No. 2 and becoming what was considered to be the first classic anthem of the 21st century. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" was very Queen-esque and marked them as a hugely popular band.