21st century

====2002====
* [[January 1]]
** The [[Treaty on Open Skies|Open Skies]] mutual [[surveillance]] treaty, initially signed in [[1992]], officially enters into force.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/russia-conduct-observation-flight-over-us-under-open-skies-treaty-1742081|title=Russia To Conduct Observation Flight Over US Under Open Skies Treaty|last=Bora|first=Kukil|date=2014-12-08|newspaper=International Business Times|access-date=2017-01-27}}</ref>
** The [[Euro]] is the official currency introduced in the [[Eurozone]] countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/1/newsid_4044000/4044891.stm|title=Celebrations as euro hits the streets|date=2002-01-01|website=BBC News|access-date=2017-01-27}}</ref> The former currencies of all the countries that use the Euro ceased to be legal tender on February 28.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/pr/date/2002/html/pr020228.en.html|title=The euro becomes the sole legal tender in all euro area countries|date=2002-02-28|website=European Central Bank|language=en|access-date=2017-01-27}}</ref>
* [[January 6]] – ''[[The Boston Globe]]'' publishes results of an investigation leading to the [[Sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston|criminal prosecutions]] of five Roman Catholic priests and bringing widespread attention to the [[Catholic Church sexual abuse cases|sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Church allowed abuse by priest for years|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/special-reports/2002/01/06/church-allowed-abuse-priest-for-years/cSHfGkTIrAT25qKGvBuDNM/story.html |first1=Matt |last1=Carroll |first2=Sacha |last2=Pfeiffer |first3=Michael |last3=Rezendes |first4=Walter V. |last4=Robinson |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=2002-01-06 |access-date=2023-03-12}}</ref>
* [[January 17]] – [[Mount Nyiragongo]] erupts in the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], displacing an estimated 400,000 people.<ref>{{cite web |title=Case study – volcanic eruption in a developing country: Mt Nyiragongo – Volcanoes and volcanic eruptions – Edexcel – GCSE Geography Revision – Edexcel |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zpf9mnb/revision/7 |website=BBC Bitesize |access-date=22 March 2021}}</ref>
* [[January 18]] – The [[Sierra Leone Civil War]] comes to a conclusion with the defeat of the [[Revolutionary United Front]] by government forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.blackpast.org/gah/sierra-leone-civil-war-1991-2002|title=The Sierra Leone Civil War (1991–2002) {{!}} The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed|last=Momodu|first=Samuel|website=Black Past|date=January 16, 2017|language=en|access-date=2017-01-27}}</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}}</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}}</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}}</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}}</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}}</ref>
* [[February 20]] – [[2002 El Ayyat railway accident]]: A train fire in [[El Ayyat]], Egypt kills at least 370 people.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 20, 2002 |title=Horror on Egypt fire train |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/africa/02/20/egypt.train/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=CNN}}</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}}</ref>
** The government of Sri Lanka and the [[Tamil Tigers]] agree to a ceasefire, temporarily ending the [[Sri Lankan Civil War]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dugger |first=Celia W. |date=2002-02-22 |title=Sri Lanka and Rebels Sign Cease-Fire Agreement |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/22/international/sri-lanka-and-rebels-sign-ceasefire-agreement.html |access-date=2022-12-11 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> It would last until the resumption of hostilities in 2008.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sirilal |first=Ranga |date=2008-01-02 |title=Sri Lanka ends ceasefire with Tamil Tigers |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-31216020080102 |access-date=2022-12-11}}</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}}</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}}</ref>
* [[May 20]] – After a long period of [[Indonesian occupation of East Timor|occupation by Indonesia]], [[East Timor]]'s independence is recognized by [[Portugal]] and the [[United Nations|UN]].
* [[July 1]] – The [[International Criminal Court]] (ICC) is established.
* [[September 10]] – [[Switzerland]], a [[neutral country]], becomes a member of the [[United Nations]].
* [[October 12]] – [[Jemaah Islamiyah]], a violent Islamist group, claims responsibility for the [[2002 Bali bombings|detonation of three bombs]] in the tourist district of [[Kuta]] on the [[Indonesia]]n island of [[Bali]]. The attack killed 202 people and left 209 people injured.
* [[November 15]] – [[Hu Jintao]] becomes the [[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party]], making him the [[paramount leader]] of [[China]] after [[Jiang Zemin]].