Timeline Wednesday 31 December 2003

Events on Wednesday 31 December 2003 9

• 1999 – 2003 The Vision of Emma Blau and Sacred Time Published The Vision of Emma Blau (1999) and Sacred Time (2003), continuing to explore themes of immigration, family and the weight of history.
• 2003 2003: Michael Schumacher Ferrari Schumacher won his sixth title, surpassing Fangio's long-standing record of five championships.
• 2003 Birth of Son Jonah Had her son Jonah and began stepping back from full-time modelling to focus on raising him on a ranch in California.
• 2003 Finding Nemo Voiced Bruce the shark in Pixar's Finding Nemo, introducing his talents to a new generation.
• 2003 Jerry Springer: The Opera The British musical Jerry Springer: The Opera premiered in London, later transferring to the West End and winning four Olivier Awards.
• 2003 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Gibbons and Hill, recognising ZZ Top's enduring contribution to American rock music.
• 2003 Retirement Stepped down as Premier, succeeded by Wen Jiabao. Under his leadership, China had sustained annual economic growth above 8% and had joined the WTO. He largely withdrew from public life after retirement.
• 2003 Declined OBE Publicly declined an OBE, writing in The Guardian that the honour reminded him of 'thousands of years of brutality' associated with the British Empire.
• 2003 iTunes Store transforms music 99 cent songs change the industry Apple's iTunes Store, launched in April 2003, sold 70 million songs in its first year at 99 cents each, fundamentally changing how people buy and listen to music.