Former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic's trial on charges of crimes against humanity opens at The Hague.
US and Afghan forces begin operations in Afghanistan.
Troops in Afghanistan
Israeli / Palestinian conflict escalates.
International Criminal Court wins UN ratification; U.S. refuses to ratify.
Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is temporarily ousted in a failed CIA sponsored coup.
Hugo Chavez
U.S. and Russia reach landmark arms agreement to cut both countries' nuclear arsenals by up to two-thirds over the next 10 years.
East Timor gains independence.
Hundreds are killed in a terrorist attack in Bali.
Aftermath of Bombing
Constitutional rule in the US begins to collapse as Bush assumes kingly powers.
Bush expressing his opinion on the constitutional limits to presidential power
Northern Ireland shaken by IRA Spy ring.
Chechen rebels take 763 hostages in Moscow theatre. Russian authorities release a gas into theatre, killing 116 hostages and freeing remainder
China's Jiang Zemin officially retires as general secretary; Hu Jintao named as his successor.
UN Security Council passes unanimous resolution calling on Iraq to disarm.
Arms inspectors return to Iraq. They find no evidence of WMDs.
North Korea admits to having a nuclear weapons program.
The Eastern Mediterranean Event occurs : An object with an estimated diameter of 10 metres collides with Earth. It explodes in mid-air with the force of an atomic explosion. However, it exploded in an uninhabited area causing no damage.
US concentration camp in Guantanamo Bay opens amid international criticism.
Guantanamo
Tamil Tigers and Sri Lankan government sign a cease-fire agreement. But this turns out to be only a temporary lull in the fighting
India's worst Hindu-Muslim violence in a decade rocked the state of Gujarat after a Muslim mob fire-bombed a train, killing Hindu activists. Hindus retaliated, and more than 1,000 died in the bloodshed.
Communal riots in Gujarat
Kidnapped Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl is murdered in Karachi, Pakistan. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and three others are charged.
Daniel Pearl just before being killed
In Islamabad, Pakistan, the International Protestant Church attack occurs.
In Karachi, Pakistan, a car bomb in front of the U.S. Consulate kills 12 Pakistanis and injures 50.
The government announces that it is laying land-mines along the entire length of its 2,800-km border with Pakistan.
Direct flights to China are set to resume for the first time in 40 years after diplomatic talks between the two countries.
Archaeologists announce the discovery of ancient man-made structures off the Gujarati coast which could be as many as 9,500 years old - 5,500 years older than the ancient Harappan civilisation whose remains are found around the same region.
The Cellular Operators Association announces that the ownership of mobile phones in India rocketed by 75% in the previous year. Almost 6 million Indians now own mobile phones.
Cell Phones in India
The New Delhi High Court overturns the October 2000 corruption conviction of former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao.
Ex-PM, P.V. Narasimha Rao
India signs a deal to buy a $146 million weapon-seeking radar system built by the U.S. company Raytheon. It is the first significant U.S. arms sale to India for a decade.
Pakistani voters approve a referendum granting a 5-year term for Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf.
Neha Dhupia is awarded the title "Miss India", in the Femina Miss India Pageant.
Neha Dhupia
The tabla player Zakir Hussain is awarded Padma Bhushan
Hindustani vocalist Gangubai Hangal and Tabla Player Kishen Maharaj are awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour
"Lagaan" wins Filmfare Award for "Best Picture".
Scene from Lagaan
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Devdas" becomes the first commercial Indian film to debut at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London host an exhibition entitled "Cinema India: The Art of Bollywood". This exhibit highlights the history of India's Cinema posters.
The British Film Institute organises "ImaginAsia". This is an eight month festival of South Asian cinema.
Yash Chopra (director/producer) is the recipient of the "Dadasaheb Phalke Award" for lifetime achievement.
The film-maker Ismail Merchant is awarded Padma Bhushan
Film actor Salman Khan is involved in a car accident resulting in the death of one person and the injury of three others. He is originally charged with culpable homicide. These charges are later dropped but other charges relating to reckless driving remain.
Actor Akshay Kumar and his wife Twinkle have a son, Aarav
Aamir Khan wins the "Filmfare Best Actor Award" for his performance of Bhuvan in "Lagaan"
Kajol wins the "Filmfare Best Actress Award" for her performance of Anjali Sharma in "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham"
Gulzar & Asha Parekh win the "Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award".
Raveena Tandon wins the National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in "Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence"