The emergence of the digital age, artificial intelligence, rapid geopolitical realignment, and interconnected global networks.
Notable 21st Century Milestones
- 2006 Jan 01: Russia cuts natural gas to Ukraine over a price dispute.
- 2007 Jan 01: Adam Air Flight 574, a routine domestic flight in Indonesia, disappears; debris are are discovered 10 days later, but the aircraft remains missing.
- 2007 Jan 01: Angola joins OPEC.
- 2007 Jan 01: Bulgaria and Romania join the European Union.
- 2007 Jan 01: Hong Kong's new smoking law starts. From this day onwards, smoking is prohibited in clubs, karaoke bars, restaurants, and all public places.