Dashed left edge = started before January 2001 ·
Dashed right edge = ongoing beyond January 2001
Events in January 2001 16
1939 – 2001Laurent-Désiré Kabila (1939-2001)Died 16 January 2001, aged 61Kabila seized power in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1997 after ousting Mobutu Sese Seko, then fought a war against his former Rwandan and Ugandan backers. He was shot dead by one of his bodyguards in the presidential palace in Kinshasa. His son Joseph Kabila succeeded him.
1993 – 2001Clinton presidency42nd President — 1993 to 2001Bill Clinton served as the 42nd President from January 20, 1993 to January 20, 2001. He presided over budget surpluses and the dot-com boom, brokered peace in Northern Ireland and the Balkans, but was impeached over the Lewinsky scandal.
2001Australian Open 2001Men: Andre Agassi · Women: Jennifer Capriati
20012001: Michael SchumacherFerrariSchumacher won his fourth title and second with Ferrari, clinching the championship with four races to spare.
2001 – 2002Embracing Latina HeritagePlayed Latina roles in Tortilla Soup and the PBS series American Family, openly embracing her Bolivian heritage and identity as a Latina actress in Hollywood.
2001Gosford ParkAppeared in Robert Altman's Gosford Park, sharing the screen with an ensemble cast including Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren and Kristin Scott Thomas.
2001Stage Debut in The Rocky Horror ShowMade his professional stage debut in the musical The Rocky Horror Show, marking the beginning of his acting career.
2001 – 2007Stony Brook and Later NovelsJoined the MFA programme at Stony Brook Southampton as an instructor. Published The Worst Thing I've Done (2007), her final novel set in the Burgdorf cycle.
2001 – 2004Veganism and Animal RightsBecame a prominent campaigner for veganism and animal rights, linking these causes to his broader philosophy of non-violence and social justice.
2001AOL Time Warner merger completedInternet provider absorbs a media giantThe merger of America Online and Time Warner, announced in 2000, formally closed on 11 January 2001 in a deal valued at around 165 billion dollars. Promoted as the union of old and new media, it lost most of its value as the dot-com bubble burst. It is often cited as one of the worst corporate mergers in history.
2001El Salvador earthquakesTwo major quakes a month apart kill over a thousandA magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of El Salvador on 13 January 2001, followed by a magnitude 6.6 quake on 13 February. Landslides buried neighbourhoods, notably in Santa Tecla. More than 1,100 people died and hundreds of thousands were left homeless.
2001Wikipedia launchedA free online encyclopedia anyone could editJimmy Wales and Larry Sanger launched Wikipedia on 15 January 2001 as an offshoot of the earlier Nupedia project. It grew rapidly through open collaboration, reaching tens of thousands of articles within its first year. It went on to become one of the most visited websites in the world.
2001 – 2009G.W. Bush presidency43rd President — 2001 to 2009George W. Bush served as the 43rd President from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009. He led the War on Terror following 9/11, invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, and responded to Hurricane Katrina.
2001George W. Bush inaugurated43rd US President takes officeGeorge W. Bush was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States on January 20, 2001.
2001Joseph Estrada ousted in the PhilippinesEDSA II protests install Gloria Macapagal ArroyoDays of mass protests in Manila, triggered by a stalled impeachment trial over corruption, forced President Joseph Estrada from office on 20 January 2001. Vice-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was sworn in as his successor. The Supreme Court later affirmed the transfer of power.
2001Gujarat earthquake20,000 killed in IndiaA magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the Bhuj district of Gujarat, India on January 26, 2001, killing approximately 20,000 people and leaving 600,000 homeless.