September 11, 2003

• War on Terrorism : As the United States remembers the deadliest terrorist attack ever on its shores, the State Department warns that it is seeing "increasing indications that al-Qaida is preparing to strike United States interests abroad." The State Department issues a worldwide warning of possible al-Qaida attacks against United States interests. The United States State Department urges U.S. citizens and employees overseas to take special caution on the second anniversary of the September 11 Terrorist Attacks amid growing indications that al-Qaida is planning bigger attacks, "possibly involving nonconventional weapons such as chemical or biological agents." [1] [2] [3]
• Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh has died in hospital from stab wounds inflicted while she was shopping in a department store in the centre of Stockholm. In the wake of the incident, both the Yes and No Euro campaigns suspended their activities. [4]
• Israeli-Palestinian conflict: The Israeli Security Cabinet votes in principle to expel Yasser Arafat, the chairman of the Palestinian Authority, from the West Bank. According to one source, the cabinet decided to ask the Israeli Defense Force to draw up a plan to expel Arafat. No timeline was specified, and Israeli government sources say that the decision was not to expel him immediately. The United States State Department criticises such a move as "unhelpful". Thousands of Palestinians travel to the presidential compound in Ramallah to protest at the Israeli decision. The Palestinian prime minister-designate, Ahmed Qurei, announces in response to the Israeli decision that he is halting efforts to form a government. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov states an international force may be needed to end spiraling violence in the Palestinian territories. [5] [6] [7]
• Scientists at MIT achieved the lowest temperature ever recorded, half a billionth of a kelvin (0.5 nanokelvin) above absolute zero, in sodium gas. At that speed, atoms move about 12 cm/second.[8]
• Dave Matthews Band played a live concert in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

• John Ritter died from aortic dissection in the hospital where he was born. He died days before his 55th birthday. The date of his death was the same as his daughter's fifth birthday, the day before his wife's 41st birthday and six days before his wedding anniversary.