Editing 2002 (section)

===February===
[[File:2002 Winter Olympics flame.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[Olympic flame]] during the [[2002 Winter Olympics]]]]
* [[February 3]] – [[2002 Afyon earthquake]]: A 6.0 magnitude earthquake strikes [[Afyonkarahisar Province]], Turkey, killing 41 people and damaging thousands of buildings.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-10-06 |title=Turkey: Afyon earthquake - Final report |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/turkey/turkey-afyon-earthquake-final-report |access-date=2022-12-11 |website=Reliefweb |publisher=United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |language=en |archive-date=August 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813065711/https://reliefweb.int/report/turkey/turkey-afyon-earthquake-final-report |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[February 5]] – NASA launches the [[Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager]] as part of the [[Explorers Program]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lin |first1=R.P. |last2=Dennis |first2=B.R. |last3=Hurford |first3=G.J. |last4=Smith |first4=D.M. |last5=Zehnder |first5=A. |last6=Harvey |first6=P.R. |last7=Curtis |first7=D.W. |last8=Pankow |first8=D. |last9=Turin |first9=P. |last10=Bester |first10=M. |last11=Csillaghy |first11=A. |last12=Lewis |first12=M. |last13=Madden |first13=N. |last14=Van Beek |first14=H.F. |last15=Appleby |first15=M. |date=2002 |title=The Reuven Ramaty High-Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1023/A:1022428818870 |journal=Solar Physics |volume=210 |issue=1/2 |pages=3–32 |doi=10.1023/A:1022428818870|bibcode=2002SoPh..210....3L }}</ref>
* [[February 6]] – [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]] of the [[Commonwealth realms]] celebrates her [[Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II|Golden Jubilee]], marking 50 years since her accession to the thrones of the [[United Kingdom]], [[Canada]], [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/queen-helps-cbc-tv-mark-50th-anniversary-1.323865|title=Queen helps CBC TV mark 50th anniversary|date=2002-10-11|website=CBC|access-date=2016-06-04|archive-date=January 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127085229/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/queen-helps-cbc-tv-mark-50th-anniversary-1.323865|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[February 8]]–[[February 24|24]] – The [[2002 Winter Olympics]] are held in [[Salt Lake City, Utah]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympic.org/salt-lake-city-2002|title=Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympics - results & video highlights|date=2016-10-13|website=International Olympic Committee|access-date=2016-12-10|archive-date=June 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602104222/https://www.olympic.org/salt-lake-city-2002|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[February 11]]
** Several Muslim-majority nations ban an issue of [[Newsweek International]] when it [[Depictions of Muhammad|depicts Muhammad]].<ref name=":52" />{{Rp|page=275}}
** The Catholic Church establishes four new dioceses in Russia, prompting backlash from the [[Russian Orthodox Church]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-02-12 |title=Vatican move irks Russian church |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2002/02/12/vatican-move-irks-russian-church/ |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref>
* [[February 12]] 
** The [[trial of Slobodan Milošević]], the former president of [[Serbia and Montenegro|Yugoslavia]], begins at the [[International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia]] in [[The Hague]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/11/opinion/the-trial-of-slobodan-milosevic.html|title=The Trial of Slobodan Milosevic|date=2002-02-11|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2017-01-27|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108030603/https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/11/opinion/the-trial-of-slobodan-milosevic.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
** The [[Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict]] comes into effect, establishing an international agreement against the use of [[child soldiers]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict |url=https://treaties.un.org/pages/showDetails.aspx?objid=0800000280001282&clang=_en |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=United Nations Treaty Collection}}</ref>
* [[February 14]]
** The [[State of Bahrain]] is declared a [[constitutional monarchy]] and becomes the [[Kingdom of Bahrain]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-02-15 |title=Bahrain now a monarchy |url=https://www.deseret.com/2002/2/15/19637636/bahrain-now-a-monarchy |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=Deseret News |language=en |archive-date=December 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212003209/https://www.deseret.com/2002/2/15/19637636/bahrain-now-a-monarchy |url-status=live }}</ref>
** The [[International Court of Justice]] rules in favor of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the ''[[Arrest Warrant of 11 April 2000 case]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Judgment of 14 February 2002 |url=https://www.icj-cij.org/node/103177 |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=International Court of Justice}}</ref>
* [[February 19]] – [[NASA]]'s ''[[2001 Mars Odyssey]]'' [[space probe]] begins to map the surface of [[Mars]] using its thermal emission imaging system.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/2009/02/feb-19-2002-odyssey-turns-its-cameras-on-mars/|title=Odyssey Turns Its Cameras on Mars|last=Long|first=Tony|date=2002-01-19|newspaper=Wired|language=en-US|access-date=2017-01-27|archive-date=September 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901201922/https://www.wired.com/2009/02/feb-19-2002-odyssey-turns-its-cameras-on-mars/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[February 22]] – [[UNITA]] guerrilla leader [[Jonas Savimbi]] is killed in clashes against government troops led by [[President of Angola|Angolan President]] [[José Eduardo dos Santos]] in [[Moxico Province]], [[Angola]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1839252.stm|title=Savimbi 'died with gun in hand'|date=2002-02-25|newspaper=BBC News|access-date=2016-06-04|archive-date=June 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614151458/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1839252.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[February 23]]
** The [[Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia]] kidnap the presidential candidate [[Íngrid Betancourt]], holding her captive for the next six years.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brockes |first=Emma |date=2010-09-17 |title=Ingrid Betancourt: I still have nightmares |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/18/ingrid-betancourt-i-still-have-nightmares |access-date=2024-10-07 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
** A ceasefire ends [[Eelam War III]] in Sri Lanka. It stays in effect until January 2008.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2008-01-06 |title=Sri Lanka tears up 2002 ceasefire |url=https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/sri-lanka-tears-2002-ceasefire |work=Tamil Guardian}}</ref> 
* [[February 25]] – ''Good Morning Afghanistan'' begins broadcasting over radio in Dari and Pashto, establishing a national news source for Afghanistan.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lobjakas |first=Ahto |date=2002-02-25 |title=Afghanistan: EU Begins Daily Radio Broadcasts Of 'Good Morning Afghanistan' |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/1098915.html |access-date=2024-10-07 |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |language=en}}</ref>
* [[February 27]] – A mob [[Godhra train burning|attacks]] a train near [[Godhra]], India, killing approximately 59 people.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2021-02-16 |title=Godhra train burning case accused held after 19 years |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/godhra-train-burning-case-accused-held-after-19-years/article33853611.ece |access-date=2022-12-11 |issn=0971-751X |archive-date=December 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221211204011/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/godhra-train-burning-case-accused-held-after-19-years/article33853611.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> The state of Gujarat breaks out into [[2002 Gujarat riots|riots]], including the [[Gulbarg Society massacre]] on February 28 that kills approximately 69 people.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ghosh |first=Sohini |date=2022-07-01 |title=Gulberg Society case: 69 dead, 30 missing, all those convicted out on bail |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/gulberg-society-case-69-dead-30-missing-all-those-convicted-out-on-bail-8003685/ |access-date=2022-12-11 |website=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=December 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221211205500/https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/gulberg-society-case-69-dead-30-missing-all-those-convicted-out-on-bail-8003685/ |url-status=live }}</ref>