The first quarter of the twenty-first century (2001–2024) witnessed radical transformations across various parts of the world, as political, economic, and social crises escalated, leaving lasting impacts on societies and states. This period began with the attacks of September 11, 2001 and its subsequent wars, leading up to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which transformed the entire world.

These crises coincided with pivotal events such as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Arab Spring, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and natural disasters driven by the challenges of climate change. This period also witnessed tremendous technological progress, with the internet and artificial intelligence becoming major engines of the economy and society. Together, these events—from wars and conflicts to health crises and economic shifts—drew a complex and ever-shifting picture of this century, reflecting ongoing global tensions and the search for new solutions in the face of shared challenges.

2011

September 11 Attacks

●     Al-Qaeda targeted the World Trade Center towers in New York and the Pentagon building in Virginia, killing approximately 3,000 people.

●    Afghanistan War: The United States launched a military campaign to eliminate the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

2003

Iraq War:

●     The invasion of Iraq by US forces in March 2003, which led to the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime.

2004

Indian Ocean Tsunami:

• A massive earthquake off the coast of Indonesia in December triggered devastating tsunami waves that killed more than 230,000 people across 14 countries.

2005

Assassination of Rafic Hariri:

●     The assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister sparked widespread demonstrations that led to the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon.

London Bombings:

●    London experienced a series of bombings targeting public transportation as part of a wave of global terrorism.

The Orange Revolution in Ukraine: 

• Massive protests against electoral fraud led to a rerun of the elections and the inauguration of Viktor Yushchenko as president.

2006

July War:

• War between Israel and Hezbollah shook Lebanon in the summer of 2006.

“Hamas” Elections:

●     Hamas experienced significant electoral victory in the Palestinian legislative elections.

2007

iPhone Revolution:

●     Apple launched its first smartphone, ushering in the era of modern phones.

2008

The Global Financial Crisis:

The collapse of markets due to the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers upended the global economy.

Barack Obama's Election:

●     The first African American became president in the United States.

2010

The Tunisian Revolution:

• The outbreak of protests against the regime of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali marked the beginning of the ‘Arab Spring.’

2011

The ‘Arab Spring’:

●     Revolutions and protests in Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, and Syria led to major political changes.

The killing of Osama bin Laden:

●     US forces killed the al-Qaeda leader in Pakistan.

2012

The Syrian Crisis:

●     Armed conflict in Syria began, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and a major refugee crisis.

The Artificial Intelligence:

●     Artificial intelligence witnessed a year of major shift towards practical applications in its field.

2014

The Declaration of the ‘Caliphate’’:

●    ISIS gained control over large areas of Iraq and Syria.

The Annexation of Crimea:

●     Russia annexed the peninsula, sparking an international crisis.

2015

The Nuclear Agreement:

●     Iran and the major powers signed a critical nuclear agreement.

Yemen War:

●    An Arab coalition went to war against the Houthis.

2016

Brexit:

●     The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union.

The Election of Donald Trump:

●     The controversial Republican victory prompted the rise of populism worldwide.

2018

●    The US withdrew from the nuclear agreement with Iran.

2019

Arab Protests:

●     In Algeria and Sudan, the Arab Protests led to the fall of the Bouteflika and Bashir regimes.

Hong Kong Protests:

●     Massive demonstrations occurred in Hong Kong against the law on extradition to China.

2020

Covid-19:

●     The virus spread globally, killing millions of people.

The Election of Joe Biden:

●     The Democrat won the US presidential election.

2021

The Invasion of Capitol:

● Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol building.

The Return of Taliban:

After the American withdrawal, the movement regained control of Kabul.

2022

Russia's invasion of Ukraine:

●     Russia’s invasion resulted in the outbreak of its war against Ukraine, which continues to this day.

The death of Queen Elizabeth II:

●     King Charles III assumed the British throne.

World Cup in Qatar:

●     Qatar hosted the first tournament in an Arab country, which was won by Argentina and led by Messi.

2023

Natural Disasters:

●     Floods occurred in Libya and earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Sudan War:

●     Fighting broke out between the army and the Rapid Support Forces.

Operation ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’:

●     Hamas attacked Israel, leading to the subsequent war in Gaza.

2024

Trump’s Comeback:

●    Trump is re-elected  as President of the United States.

The Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

The Assassination of Hassan Nasrallah:

● During the Israeli war on Lebanon and Hezbollah, Nasrallah is assassinated in Beirut.

The Assassination of Yehya Sinwar:

●     Hamas leader is killed in Gazal

The Fall of Assad Regime:

●     The Syrian president fled to Russia and the opposition, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa (Abu Muhammad al-Julani), took control of the government.