North Korea withdraws from treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Ariel Sharon elected prime minister of Israel.
Ariel Sharon
Nine-week general strike in Venezuela calling for President Chavez's resignation ends in defeat.
U.S. Secretary of State Powell unsuccessfully attempts to gain UN backing for military action against Iraq.
Global protests against Iraq war: More than 10 million people protest in over 600 cities worldwide, the largest war protest to take place before the war occurs.
Protests
Using various pretences, the US and United Kingdom go to war with Iraq in an attempt to secure its oil reserves.
Baghdad falls to US forces.
Iraq
First Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, sworn in.
Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is placed under house arrest by military regime.
Aung San Suu Kyi
Liberia's autocratic president Charles Taylor forced to leave.
Libya accepts blame for 1988 bombing of flight over Lockerbie, Scotland; agrees to pay settlement.
Paul Martin succeeds Jean Chretien as Canadian prime minister.
Saddam Hussein is captured by American troops.
Saddam Hussein captured
Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi announces he will give up weapons program.
Last signal is received from NASA's Pioneer 10 spacecraft when it is 7.5 billion miles from Earth.
Pioneer 10 spacecraft
SARS threats to spread worldwide, however it seems that through a combination of natural events as well as medical intervention it has been contained.