21st century

====2001====
* [[January 20]]: [[George W. Bush]] is [[First inauguration of George W. Bush|inaugurated]] as the 43rd president of the United States. He is the second president from the [[Bush family]], after [[George H. W. Bush|his father]].
* [[April 1]] – The [[Netherlands]] becomes the first country in the world to legalize [[same-sex marriage]].
* [[May 13]] – Conservative media magnate [[Silvio Berlusconi]] wins the [[2001 Italian general election|general election]] in Italy, becoming the country's [[Prime Minister of Italy|Prime Minister]]. Berlusconi would go on to dominate Italian politics for the rest of the decade.
* [[June 1]] – The [[Nepalese royal massacre]] occurs at a house on the grounds of the [[Narayanhity Palace|Narayanhity Royal Palace]], the residence of the Nepalese monarchy. Ten members of the family were killed during a party or monthly reunion dinner of the royal family in the house. The dead included [[Birendra of Nepal|King Birendra of Nepal]] and [[Queen Aishwarya of Nepal|Queen Aishwarya]].
* [[July 20]] – [[July 22|22]] – More than 200,000 [[Anti-globalization movement|anti-globalization protesters]] march in [[Genoa]], during the [[27th G8 summit]]. Two demonstrators are killed by the [[Italian police]]. On [[July 21]], a group of [[Carabinieri]] [[2001 Raid on Armando Diaz|attacked the school Armando Diaz]], critically injuring many peaceful protesters. 
* [[September 11]] – [[September 11 attacks]] – Nineteen [[al-Qaeda]] terrorists [[Hijackers in the September 11 attacks|hijack]] four [[commercial airliner]]s and [[September 11 attacks|crash two of them]] into the [[World Trade Center (1973-2001)|World Trade Center]], one into [[the Pentagon]] and one into a field in [[Shanksville, Pennsylvania]], of the United States on 11 September, killing nearly 3,000 people. The president [[George W. Bush]] subsequently declares the [[War on Terror]].
* [[December 11]] – After 15 years of negotiations, the [[People's Republic of China]] becomes a member of the [[World Trade Organization]] (WTO).
* 2001–2014 – The [[Northern Alliance]] and [[NATO]]-led [[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]] [[United States invasion of Afghanistan|invades]] [[Afghanistan]] on [[Operation Enduring Freedom|October 7, 2001]], and overthrows the Al-Qaeda-supportive [[Taliban]] government. Troops remained to install a democratic government, fight a slowly escalating insurgency, and to hunt for Al-Qaeda leader [[Osama bin Laden]] who would be [[Death of Osama bin Laden|killed]] by [[SEAL Team Six|American troops]] nearly 10 years later, on [[May 2]], 2011. On [[December 24]], 2014, NATO forces officially ended combat operations in Afghanistan, but forces remained until [[August 30]], 2021, followed by a quick withdrawal of all troops.