28 November 2002

LaMia Flight 2933 crashed near Medellín, Colombia, killing 71 people, many of whom were players from Chapecoense Football Club.

South African Airways Flight 295 suffered a catastrophic in-flight fire and crashed into the Indian Ocean east of Mauritius, killing all 159 people on board.

Air New Zealand Flight 901 crashed into Antarctica's Mount Erebus, killing all 257 people on board.

Jocelyn Bell Burnell noticed a "bit of scruff" in data from a radio telescope, which turned out to be from PSR B1919+21, the first discovered pulsar.

In a military coup, Michel Micombero abolished the Burundian monarchy and declared the country a republic with himself as president.

Grand Ole Opry, the longest-running radio broadcast in the United States, first aired on WSM in Nashville, Tennessee.

At the All-Albanian Congress, the Assembly of Vlorë was constituted, which declared the independence of the Albanian Vilayet from the Ottoman Empire.

The Chicago Times-Herald race, the first automobile race in the U.S., was held in Chicago.

Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 premiered at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig.

Natchez Indians revolted against French colonists near modern-day Natchez, Mississippi, killing approximately 230 people.

Robert Boyle, John Wilkins, Christopher Wren and other leading scientists met at Gresham College in London to found a learned society, now known as the Royal Society (coat of arms pictured).

Đại Việt emperor Lê Thánh Tông launched a military expedition against Champa, beginning the Champa–Đại Việt War.

Having deserted the Ottoman army, Skanderbeg (pictured) arrived in the Albanian city of Krujë and, using a forged letter from Sultan Murad II to the governor of Krujë, became lord of the city.

Over seven hundred civilians are massacred by the Ethiopian National Defense Force and Eritrean Army in Aksum, Ethiopia.

LaMia Flight 2933 crashes near Medellín, Colombia, killing 71 of 77 people on board, including members of the Brazilian football club Chapecoense

Gunmen set off three bombs at the central mosque in the northern Nigerian city of Kano killing at least 120 people.

South Ossetia declares independence from Georgia.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher resigns as leader of the Conservative Party and, therefore, as Prime Minister. She is succeeded in both positions by John Major.

Cold War: Velvet Revolution: In the face of protests, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia announces it will give up its monopoly on political power.

South African Airways Flight 295 crashes into the Indian Ocean, killing all 159 people on board.

Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on STS-9, the first mission to carry the European Space Agency's Spacelab module.

Iran–Iraq War: Operation Morvarid: The bulk of the Iraqi Navy is destroyed by the Iranian Navy in the Persian Gulf. (Commemorated in Iran as Navy Day.)

Air New Zealand Flight 901, a DC-10 sightseeing flight over Antarctica, crashes into Mount Erebus, killing all 257 people on board.

Timor-Leste declares its independence from Portugal.