21st century

===[[2010s]]===
[[File:Julia Gillard 2010.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Julia Gillard]] was sworn in as the first female [[Prime Minister of Australia]] in 2010.]]
[[File:White House celebrations, May 2 2011.jpg|thumb|Americans celebrating the [[death of Osama bin Laden]] in front of the [[White House]]]]
[[File:Światowe Dni Młodzieży - 28559360556.jpg|thumb|[[Pope Francis]] in Poland]]
[[File:Euromaidan Kiev 2014-01-23 11-04.JPG|thumb|[[Ukraine]], [[Euromaidan]], people protesting in favor of [[Ukraine–European Union relations|Ukraine's European way]].]] [[File:2016-05-09. День Победы в Донецке 093.jpg|thumb|Pro-Russian separatists in [[Donetsk]], Ukraine]]
[[File:Slovenska vojska pri reševanju migrantske situacije z več zmogljivostmi 01.jpg|thumb|[[2015 European migrant crisis]]]]
[[File:After coup nightly demonstartion of president Erdogan supporters. Istanbul, Turkey, Eastern Europe and Western Asia. 22 July,2016.jpg|thumb|Turkish anti-[[2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt|coup]] rally in support of President [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]], 22 July 2016]]
[[File:Donald Trump swearing in ceremony.jpg|thumb|[[Inauguration of Donald Trump]]]]
[[File:Xi_Jinping_2019.jpg|thumb|upright|China's [[Xi Jinping]] has been the [[Paramount leader]] since 2018]]
[[File:March For Our Lives Parkland 2018.jpg|thumb|Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, parents, and others march in the [[March for Our Lives]] protest in [[Parkland, Florida]], in 2018]]
[[File:Whiteguard Volunteers HELP KERALA FLOOD 2018.jpg|thumb|[[2018 Kerala floods]], [[India]]]]
[[File:NotreDame20190415QuaideMontebello (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Notre-Dame fire]]]]

==== 2010 ====
* [[February 25]] – [[Kamla Persad-Bissessar]] becomes the first female Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
* [[April 10]] – [[President of Poland|Polish President]] [[Lech Kaczyński]] dies in an [[2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash|airplane crash]] near the city of [[Smolensk]], Russia, along with his wife and 94 other people on board.
* [[June 11]] – [[July 11]] – [[South Africa]] becomes the first country in [[Africa]] to host the [[2010 FIFA World Cup|FIFA World Cup]].
* [[June 24]] – [[Julia Gillard]] becomes the first female [[Prime Minister of Australia]].
* [[October 3]] – [[Dilma Rousseff]] is [[2010 Brazilian presidential election|elected]] as the first female [[president of Brazil]]. She serves as the president until [[Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff|her impeachment]] and removal from office on [[August 31]], 2016.
* [[November 13]] – [[Burma|Burmese]] opposition leader and [[Nobel Peace Prize|1991 Nobel Peace Prize]] laureate [[Aung San Suu Kyi]] is released from house arrest, after being incarcerated since 1989.
* [[December 17]] – The [[Arab Spring]], a [[revolutionary wave]], begins [[Tunisian Revolution|in Tunisia]], and eventually spreads across the [[Middle East]] and the [[Arab world]], with widespread [[protest]]s, [[Demonstration (protest)|demonstration]]s, [[riot]]s and [[civil war]]s for [[free elections]] and [[human rights]].

==== 2011 ====
* [[March 11]] – The [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami]] and subsequent [[Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster]] in [[Japan]] leave 15,899 dead.
* [[April 29]] – An estimated two billion people watch the [[Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton|wedding]] of [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]] and [[Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge|Catherine Middleton]] at [[Westminster Abbey]] in London.
* [[May 2]] – [[Al-Qaeda]] leader [[Osama bin Laden]], the mastermind behind the [[Planning of the September 11 attacks|9/11 attacks]], is [[Death of Osama bin Laden|killed in a raid]] at [[Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad|his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan]] by the U.S. Navy's SEAL Team 6 (DEVGRU).
* [[July 10]] – Britain's largest [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid newspaper]], the ''[[News of the World]]'', shuts down after 168 years in print due to the [[News International phone hacking scandal|2009 phone hacking scandal]].
* [[July 14]] – [[South Sudan]], following the [[2011 South Sudanese independence referendum|January 2011 independence referendum]], becomes a member of the [[United Nations]].
* [[July 22]] – [[Anders Behring Breivik]] perpetrates two [[2011 Norway attacks|terrorist attacks]] in [[Norway]], the first being a bombing targeting government buildings in central [[Oslo]], the second being a mass shooting at a youth camp on the island of [[Utøya]]. It was the deadliest attack in Norway since the [[World War II|Second World War]], with 77 people killed and 319 injuries.
* [[September 17]] – The [[Occupy movement]], an international protest movement against [[Social inequality|social]] and [[economic inequality]], takes shape. It is partially inspired by the Arab Spring and is one of the first significant global protest movements to occur in the age of [[social media]].
* [[October 20]] – Deposed dictator [[Muammar Gaddafi]] is [[Death of Muammar Gaddafi|captured and killed]] by the [[National Liberation Army (Libya)|National Liberation Army of Libya]], during the [[Libyan Civil War (2011)|Libyan Civil War]].
* [[November 16]] – Italy's long-term Prime Minister [[Silvio Berlusconi]] [[Resignation of Silvio Berlusconi|resigns]] amid public protests, financial crisis and [[Silvio Berlusconi prostitution trial|sexual scandals]].
* [[December 15]] – The [[Iraq War]] is formally declared over.
* [[December 17]] – [[Kim Jong-il]], [[Supreme Leader (North Korean title)|supreme leader of North Korea]], [[Death and state funeral of Kim Jong-il|dies]]. He is succeeded by his son [[Kim Jong-un]].

====2012====
* [[September 11]] – [[September 12|12]] – In [[Benghazi]], Libya, [[2012 Benghazi attack|an attack]] is coordinated against two United States government facilities, by members of the Islamic militant group [[Ansar al-Sharia]].
* [[November 15]] – [[Xi Jinping]] becomes the [[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party]], making him the [[paramount leader]] of [[China]] after [[Hu Jintao]].
* [[December 10]] – [[Séléka]] rebels seize power in the [[Central African Republic]], ousting the President and government and beginning a [[Central African Republic Civil War (2012–present)|civil war]].
* [[December 19]] – [[Park Geun-hye]] is [[2012 South Korean presidential election|elected]] [[President of South Korea]], the first woman to hold the position.

====2013====
* [[January 11]] – [[France]] [[Operation Serval|intervenes with its army]] in the [[Northern Mali conflict]], defeating the Islamists who had taken control of the country.
* [[February 28]] – [[Pope Benedict XVI]] resigns, becoming the first pope to do so since 1415. Benedict takes the title [[pope emeritus]]. At the subsequent [[Papal conclave, 2013|papal conclave]], Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina is elected pope on [[March 13]], becoming the first Latin American pope. Bergoglio takes the name of [[Pope Francis]].
* [[March 5]] – President of Venezuela [[Hugo Chávez]] dies due to prostate cancer and is succeeded by [[Nicolás Maduro]].
* [[March 21]] – Convicted Kurdish leader [[Abdullah Ocalan]] puts an end to the armed revolt against [[Turkey]].
* [[April 8]] – [[United Kingdom|British]] politician and first female [[Prime Minister of the UK]] [[Margaret Thatcher]] [[Death and funeral of Margaret Thatcher|dies]] at the age of 87, from a stroke.
* [[July 1]] – [[Croatia]] becomes the [[2013 enlargement of the European Union|28th]] [[Member state of the European Union|member]] of the [[European Union]].
* [[September 14]] – [[Syria]] avoids an American intervention on its soil during the [[Syrian Civil War]], accepting to [[Destruction of Syria's chemical weapons|destroy]] all [[Syria and weapons of mass destruction|chemical weapons stocks owned]].
* [[November]] – [[China]] declares an "[[Air Defense Identification Zone (East China Sea)|Air Defense Identification Zone]]" in the [[East China Sea]], including over the [[Senkaku Islands]], a group of islands [[Senkaku Islands dispute|held by Japan, but claimed by both Japan and China]], and the [[Socotra Rock]], claimed by both China and South Korea.
* [[December 5]] – [[South Africa]]n political and civil leader [[Nelson Mandela]] dies at the age of 95, from natural causes.
* [[December 15]] – The [[South Sudanese Civil War]] breaks out.
* [[Iran]] allows international inspections on its nuclear policy in exchange of the removal of the sanctions and the right to produce a small amount of low-grade enriched uranium, thus marking an apparent new policy towards the [[United Nations]] under [[Hassan Rohani]]'s presidency.
* 2013–2014 – A [[2013–2014 Thai political crisis|political crisis in Thailand]] breaks out and the government declares [[martial law]].

====2014====
* [[February 22]] – Pro-Russian [[President of Ukraine]] [[Viktor Yanukovich]] is ousted amidst the [[Euromaidan]] revolution. The [[Russian Federation]] [[Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|annexes]] [[Crimea]] in response, and a "low intensity" [[War in Donbas (2014–2022)|war in Donbas]] breaks out between the Ukrainian government and Russian-backed separatists.
* [[May 26]] – [[Narendra Modi]] becomes 14th Prime Minister of [[India]], winning a clear majority in the election.
* [[July 8]] – [[August 26]] – In [[Israel]], [[2014 Israel–Gaza conflict|tensions]] rise again between [[Hamas]] in the [[Gaza Strip]] and the State of Israel. Hamas fire hundreds of missiles into civilian cities in Israel, and the IDF retaliates and conducts airstrikes on the Gaza Strip for more than a month, with high casualties on both sides.
* [[July 17]] – [[Malaysia Airlines Flight 17]], a civilian commercial aircraft, is shot down in pro-Russian separatist-controlled territory in Eastern Ukraine.
* [[September 18]] – [[Scotland]] votes to remain [[Countries of the United Kingdom|part]] of the [[United Kingdom]] during the [[2014 Scottish independence referendum]].
* [[September]]–[[October]] – During the [[Syrian civil war]], the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] rises and seizes territories in northern [[Iraq]] and Syria, near the border with Turkey. The [[United States]] [[Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve|lead a coalition]] of more than 30 countries [[Military intervention against ISIL|to destroy ISIL]]. Meanwhile, [[Russia]] [[Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition|leads its own coalition]], along with Syria, Iraq and Iran, and [[Russian military intervention in Syria|Russia's military action begins]] on [[September 30]], 2015.
* [[October 31]] – In [[Burkina Faso]], President [[Blaise Compaoré]] resigns amidst widespread protests, ending 27 years of leadership.
* [[December 17]] – United States President [[Barack Obama]] and Cuban President [[Raúl Castro]] announce the beginning of [[United States–Cuban Thaw|a process of normalizing relations]] between Cuba and the United States, ending a 54-year stretch of hostility between the two nations. Meanwhile, on [[July 20]], 2015, with [[Cuba–United States relations|full diplomatic relations]], the embassies of both countries are opened after five decades.

==== 2015 ====
* [[January 7]] – Two gunmen, brothers Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, commit [[Charlie Hebdo shooting|a mass murder]] at the offices of ''[[Charlie Hebdo]]'' in [[Paris]], killing 12 people. Following the attack, about two million people, including more than 40 world leaders, met in Paris for a [[Republican marches|rally of national unity]], and 3.7 million people joined demonstrations across the country. The phrase ''[[Je suis Charlie]]'' became a common slogan of support at the rallies and in social media.
* [[March 6]] – [[NASA]]'s ''[[Dawn (spacecraft)|Dawn]]'' probe enters orbit around [[Ceres (dwarf planet)|Ceres]], becoming the first spacecraft to visit a [[dwarf planet]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nasa.gov/press/2015/march/nasa-spacecraft-becomes-first-to-orbit-a-dwarf-planet/index.html |title=NASA Spacecraft Becomes First to Orbit a Dwarf Planet |work=NASA |date=March 6, 2015 |access-date=2 August 2023 |archive-date=17 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417141458/http://www.nasa.gov/press/2015/march/nasa-spacecraft-becomes-first-to-orbit-a-dwarf-planet/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31754586 |title=Nasa's Dawn probe achieves orbit around Ceres |work=BBC |date=March 6, 2015}}</ref>
* [[March 23]] – [[Singapore]]an politician and the 1st [[Prime Minister of Singapore]] [[Lee Kuan Yew]] [[Death and state funeral of Lee Kuan Yew|dies]] at the age of 91.
* [[April 2]] – 148 people are killed, the majority students, in a [[Garissa University College attack|mass shooting]] at the [[Garissa University College]] in [[Kenya]], perpetrated by the militant terrorist organization [[Al-Shabaab (militant group)|al-Shabaab]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/04/world/africa/kenyan-students-describe-shabab-attack-on-garissa-university-college.html |work=The New York Times |first=Jeffrey |last=Gettleman |title=Come Out and Live, Shabab Told Kenya Students. It Was a Lie |date=April 3, 2015 |access-date=March 1, 2017 |archive-date=June 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220613221407/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/04/world/africa/kenyan-students-describe-shabab-attack-on-garissa-university-college.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[April 25]] – [[April 2015 Nepal earthquake|A magnitude 7.8 earthquake]] strikes [[Nepal]] and causes 8,857 deaths<ref>{{cite news |title=Nepal earthquake: Hundreds die, many feared trapped |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-32461019 |date=April 25, 2015 |work=BBC News |access-date=June 21, 2018 |archive-date=June 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629132532/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-32461019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2015-04-26|url=https://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-nepal-quake-aftershock-20150426-story.html|title=Nepal earthquake death toll tops 3,200|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=2015-04-26|first=Bhrikuti|last=Rai|archive-date=March 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327103019/https://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-nepal-quake-aftershock-20150426-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> in Nepal, 130 in [[India]],<ref name="ht52">{{cite news |work=Hindustan Times |date=April 25, 2015 |access-date=April 25, 2015 |title=Nepal earthquake: 52 dead, hundreds injured in India, huge damage in bordering areas |url=http://m.hindustantimes.com/india-news/earthquake-spells-destruction-in-india-20-feared-dead-houses-damaged/article1-1340918.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150426005807/http://m.hindustantimes.com/india-news/earthquake-spells-destruction-in-india-20-feared-dead-houses-damaged/article1-1340918.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 26, 2015}}</ref> 27 in [[China]]<ref name="KSL">{{cite web |agency=Associated Press |publisher=KSL |date=April 25, 2015 |access-date=April 25, 2015 |title=Nepal quake: Hundreds dead, history crumbles, Everest shaken |url=http://www.ksl.com/?nid=157&sid=34379730 |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612163904/https://www.ksl.com/?nid=157&sid=34379730 |url-status=live }}</ref> and 4 in [[Bangladesh]]<ref name=USAToday>{{cite news|last1=Stanglin|first1=Doug|title=Hundreds dead as 7.8 magnitude quake rocks Nepal|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/04/25/nepal-earthquake/26354073|access-date=April 25, 2015|agency=USA Today|archive-date=April 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150425133937/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/04/25/nepal-earthquake/26354073/|url-status=live}}</ref> with a total of 9,018 deaths.
* [[April 29]] – The [[World Health Organization]] (WHO) declares that [[rubella]] has been eradicated from the [[Americas]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-32523300 |title=Rubella (German measles) eradicated from Americas |work=BBC |date=April 29, 2015 |access-date=June 21, 2018 |archive-date=June 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623233030/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-32523300 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[June 26]] – The [[Supreme Court of the United States]] determines that [[same-sex marriage in the United States|same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry]] in a landmark case ''[[Obergefell v. Hodges]]''.
* [[July 14]] – [[Iran]] and the [[P5+1]] (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US + Germany) agree on final provisions of [[Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action]] in regards to the latter's [[Nuclear program of Iran|nuclear program]].
* [[October]] – The [[Chinese Communist Party]] announces the end of the [[one-child policy]] after 35 years.
* [[November 13]] – [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|ISIL]] claims responsibility of the [[November 2015 Paris attacks]], which killed 137 and left 416 injured.
* [[November 24]] – [[Turkey]] [[2015 Russian Sukhoi Su-24 shootdown|shoots down]] a Russian [[Sukhoi Su-24M]] attack aircraft. This is the first case of a [[Member states of NATO|NATO member]] destroying a Russian aircraft since the [[attack on the Sui-ho Dam]] (during the [[Korean War]]).
* [[November 30]] – [[December 12]] – During the [[2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference|UN summit on Climate Change]], 193 nations [[Paris Agreement|agree]] to reduce carbon emissions starting in 2020.
* During the [[2015 European migrant crisis]], around 1.3 million people, most notably [[refugees]] of the wars in [[Syrian civil war|Syria]], [[War in Iraq (2013–2017)|Iraq]] and [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|Afghanistan]], flee to Europe to claim [[Right of asylum|asylum]], leading to considerable political upheaval in the [[European Union]]. [[Germany]] ultimately takes in the majority of the asylum seekers.

====2016====
* [[June 5]] – [[Hillary Clinton]] becomes the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]'s nominee for president of the United States, making her the first woman to be nominated for president by a major party.
* [[June 12]] – In [[Orlando, Florida]], [[Omar Mateen]], a 29-year-old security guard, kills 49 people and wounds 53 others in a [[Orlando nightclub shooting|terrorist attack]] inside [[Pulse (nightclub)|Pulse]], a gay nightclub.
* [[June 23]] – The [[United Kingdom]] votes to [[Brexit|leave the European Union]] in the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|June 2016 membership referendum]].
* [[July 15]] – [[July 16|16]] – A [[2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt|coup d'état]] is attempted in Turkey against state institutions, including but not limited to the government and President [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]]. The attempt is carried out by a faction within the [[Turkish Armed Forces]] that organized themselves as the [[Peace at Home Council]].
* [[September 2]] – 1st President of Uzbekistan [[Islam Karimov]] dies at age of 78, after 25 years in office.
* [[November 8]] – [[Donald Trump]] is [[2016 United States presidential election|elected]] as the 45th president of the United States, defeating [[Hillary Clinton]].
* [[December 19]]: [[Andrei Karlov]], the [[List of ambassadors of Russia to Turkey|Russian Ambassador to Turkey]], is [[Assassination of Andrei Karlov|killed]] by Turkish police officer Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş.
* [[Cuba]]n political and revolutionary leader [[Fidel Castro]] [[Death and state funeral of Fidel Castro|dies]] at the age of 90.
* Former [[President of Israel]] and [[Nobel Peace Prize|1994 Nobel Peace Prize]] laureate [[Shimon Peres]] dies at the age of 93, from a massive stroke.
* [[Bhumibol Adulyadej]], the [[List of longest-reigning monarchs|longest-reigning]] [[Thailand|Thai]] monarch dies at the age of 88, from a long illness.

====2017====
* [[January 21]] – [[January 22|22]] – In opposition to [[Inauguration of Donald Trump|Donald Trump's inauguration]], millions of people in the US and worldwide join the [[2017 Women's March|Women's March]].
* [[January 27]] – U.S. President [[Donald Trump]] signs an [[Executive Order 13769|executive order]] restricting travel and immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. This order was blocked by the [[U.S. federal courts]]; a second, related order issued by Trump was also blocked by the federal courts. The block of second order was partially removed, by the Supreme Court, in June. The Supreme Court stated they would reconsider the order in October.
* [[April 6]] – In response to a suspected [[Khan Shaykhun chemical attack|chemical weapons attack]] on a rebel-held town, the U.S. military launches [[2017 Shayrat missile strike|59 Tomahawk cruise missiles]] at [[Shayrat Airbase]] in Syria.
* [[May 23]] – Philippine President [[Rodrigo Duterte]] declares [[Proclamation No. 216|martial law]] in [[Mindanao]], following an [[Siege of Marawi|attack in Marawi]] by the [[Maute group]]. This would last until [[October 23]].
* [[August 17]] – [[August 18|18]] – In the [[2017 Barcelona attacks]], a terrorist drives into more than 100 people in [[Barcelona]], [[Spain]], killing 13 and injuring many.
* [[October 27]] – [[Catalan declaration of independence|Catalonia declares independence]] from [[Spain]],<ref>{{cite news |date=27 October 2017 |title=Catalonia declares independence from Spain as political crisis deepens |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2017/10/27/europe/catalonia-independence-spain/index.html |work=CNN |access-date=27 October 2017 |archive-date=6 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106105733/http://edition.cnn.com/2017/10/27/europe/catalonia-independence-spain/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> but the declaration is not recognized by the Spanish government or any other sovereign nation.<ref>{{cite news |date=27 October 2017 |title=Catalans declare independence as Madrid imposes direct rule |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-41780116 |work=BBC |access-date=27 October 2017 |archive-date=4 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204112602/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-41780116 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== 2018 ====
* [[February 6]] – [[SpaceX]] successfully conducts its maiden flight of its most powerful rocket to date, the [[Falcon Heavy]], from [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39|LC39A]] at [[John F. Kennedy Space Center]] in [[Florida]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-42969020|title=Elon Musk's Falcon Heavy rocket launches successfully|work=BBC News |date=February 6, 2018 |access-date=February 6, 2018}}</ref>
* [[February 9]] – [[February 25|25]] – The [[2018 Winter Olympics]] are held in [[Pyeongchang County|Pyeongchang]], [[South Korea]].<ref name="olympic1">{{cite web|title=Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics – Next Winter Olympic Games in Korea|url=http://www.olympic.org/pyeongchang-2018-winter-olympics|publisher=Olympic.org|access-date=February 28, 2015}}</ref>
* [[February 10]] – [[Kay Goldsworthy]] becomes the first female [[archbishop]] in the [[Anglican Communion]] on her installation in the [[Anglican Diocese of Perth]], [[Western Australia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2017/08/first-female-archbishop-elected-in-australia.aspx|title=First female Archbishop elected in Australia|website=Anglicannews.org|date=2017-08-30|access-date=2017-09-05}}</ref>
* [[March 19]] – [[Paula-Mae Weekes]] becomes the first female [[President of Trinidad and Tobago|President]] of Trinidad and Tobago.
* [[March 24]] – In over 900 cities internationally, people participate in demonstrations against gun violence and mass shootings, calling for stronger gun control in the [[March for Our Lives]], which was a student-led demonstration in response to the [[Stoneman Douglas High School shooting]] in [[Parkland, Florida]], that took place in [[February 14]].
* [[May 9]] – The opposition-led [[Pakatan Harapan]] coalition, led by former [[Prime Minister of Malaysia|Prime Minister]] [[Mahathir Mohamad]], secures a [[2018 Malaysian general election|parliamentary majority]] in the [[Parliament of Malaysia|Malaysian Parliament]], ending the 61-year rule of the [[Barisan Nasional]] coalition in [[Malaysia]] since [[Independence Day (Malaysia)|independence]] in 1957.
* [[May 19]] – The [[Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle|wedding]] of [[Prince Harry]] and [[Meghan Markle]] is held at [[St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle|St George's Chapel]], [[England]], with an estimated global audience of 1.9 billion.
* [[June 12]] – President [[Donald Trump]] and [[North Korea]]n leader [[Kim Jong-un]] attend a [[2018 North Korea–United States Singapore Summit|summit]] in [[Singapore]], the first meeting between the leaders of the two countries.
* [[October 28]] – [[Jair Bolsonaro]] is [[2018 Brazilian general election|elected]] as the 38th president of [[Brazil]], after having been stabbed during the election campaign and undergone three surgeries.
* The [[National People's Congress]] of [[China]] approves a [[Constitution of the People's Republic of China|constitutional change]] removing [[term limits]] for its [[List of national leaders of the People's Republic of China|leaders]], granting [[Xi Jinping]] the status of "[[President for life|leader for life]]". Xi is the [[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party]] ([[paramount leader|de facto leader]]).

====2019====
* [[January 10]] – [[Venezuela]] enters a [[2019 Venezuelan presidential crisis|presidential crisis]] after the disputed results of the [[2018 Venezuelan presidential election]] leads to [[Juan Guaidó]] being declared the acting president, disputing [[Nicolás Maduro]].
* [[February 27]] – [[February 28|28]] – President [[Donald Trump]] and North Korean leader [[Kim Jong-un]] meet for the [[2019 North Korea–United States Hanoi Summit]] in [[Vietnam]].
* [[March 15]]:
** The [[Christchurch mosque shootings]]: Australian terrorist Brenton Harrison Tarrant kills 51 people and injures 40 at two mosques in New Zealand.
** Over 2 million people in [[Hong Kong]] [[2019–2020 Hong Kong protests|protest]] against [[Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019|proposed legislation]] regarding [[extradition]] to China.
* [[March 23]] – Most of the territory formerly held by the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|Islamic State]] in Syria [[Battle of Baghuz Fawqani|collapses]] amidst the [[Syrian Civil War]]. After years of global [[International military intervention against ISIL|push back]], the extremist group transitions from a [[proto-state]] into an [[Eastern Syria insurgency (2017–present)|insurgency]] as it retains offshoots and influence in regions across the globe.
* [[April 11]]:
** [[WikiLeaks]] co-founder [[Julian Assange]] is [[Indictment and arrest of Julian Assange|arrested]] after seven years in [[Embassy of Ecuador, London|Ecuador's embassy]] in London.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47891737|title=Julian Assange: Wikileaks co-founder arrested in London|date=April 11, 2019|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=April 11, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/apr/11/julian-assange-arrested-at-ecuadorian-embassy-wikileaks|title=Julian Assange arrested at Ecuadorian embassy|date=April 11, 2019|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=April 11, 2019}}</ref>
** Amid [[2018–19 Sudanese protests|mass protests]], [[Omar al-Bashir]] is deposed as [[President of Sudan]] in [[2019 Sudanese coup d'état|a coup d'état]], after nearly 30 years in office.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-47891470|title=Sudan military says it has seized power|date=April 11, 2019|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=April 11, 2019}}</ref>
* [[April 15]] – During [[Holy Week]], a major [[Notre-Dame fire|fire]] engulfs [[Notre-Dame de Paris|Notre-Dame Cathedral]] in Paris, resulting in the roof and main spire collapsing.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/15/notre-dame-fire-paris-france-cathedral|title=Notre Dame fire: major incident at historic Paris landmark|date=April 15, 2019|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=April 15, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47941794|title=Notre-Dame cathedral: Firefighters tackle blaze in Paris|date=April 15, 2019|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=April 15, 2019}}</ref>
* [[April 21]] – [[2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings|A series of Islamist bomb attacks]] occur at eight locations in [[Sri Lanka]], including three churches, four hotels and one housing complex in [[Colombo]], on [[Easter|Easter Sunday]], leaving 259 people dead and over 500 injured. It is the deadliest terrorist attack in the country since the [[Sri Lankan Civil War]] ended in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/scores-hurt-in-sri-lanka-easter-church-bombings-20190421-p51fyn.html |title=Hundreds killed, 450 injured as explosions rock Catholic churches during Easter mass |date= April 22, 2019|website=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date= April 22, 2019}}</ref>
* [[April 28]] – [[Victor Vescovo]] achieves the deepest dive of any human in history, as he reaches [[Challenger Deep]] within the [[Mariana Trench]], at a depth of 10,928&nbsp;m (35,853&nbsp;ft).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fivedeeps.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/FDE-Challenger-Release-FINAL-5132019.pdf|title=Deepest Submarine Dive in History, Five Deeps Expedition Conquers Challenger Deep|date=May 13, 2019|access-date=May 13, 2019|publisher=Five Deeps}}</ref>
* [[April 30]] – [[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]] [[Akihito]] of [[Japan]] [[2019 Japanese imperial transition|abdicates]] from his [[Chrysanthemum Throne|throne]], the first abdication by a Japanese monarch in almost two centuries. The abdication ends the [[Heisei]] [[Japanese era names|era of Japan]] and ushers in the [[Reiwa|Reiwa era]] with new emperor [[Naruhito]] ascending to the throne on [[May 1]].
* [[July 16]] – The [[European Parliament]] elects [[Ursula von der Leyen]] as the new [[president of the European Commission]].
* [[December 10]] – [[Sanna Marin]], at the age of 34, becomes the world's youngest serving prime minister after being selected to lead [[Finland]]'s [[Social Democratic Party of Finland|Social Democratic Party]].
* [[December 18]] – President [[Donald Trump]] is [[First impeachment of Donald Trump|impeached]] by the [[United States House of Representatives]].
* [[December 31]] – The first known case of [[COVID-19]] is reported in [[Wuhan]], [[China]]; the disease would rapidly proliferate into a [[COVID-19 pandemic|global pandemic]] throughout the next three months.<ref name="Novel Coronavirus—China">{{cite web |title=WHO {{!}} Novel Coronavirus—China |url=https://www.who.int/csr/don/12-january-2020-novel-coronavirus-china/en/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114185815/https://www.who.int/csr/don/12-january-2020-novel-coronavirus-china/en/ |archive-date=14 January 2020 |website=WHO |access-date=9 April 2020}}</ref><ref name="5days">{{cite web|title=Covid-19: Five days that shaped the outbreak|first=Jane|last=McMullen|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-55756452|date=25 January 2021|access-date=25 January 2021|archive-date=26 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126021655/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-55756452|url-status=live}}</ref>