Contemporary
Killing of Osama bin Laden (2011): The Abbottabad Raid
Bin Laden was killed with four others in a 40-minute raid; his body was buried at sea and US-Pakistani relations were badly strained.
Region
Asia
Contemporary
Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami (2011): Japan's Great Disaster
About 15,900 people were confirmed dead and some 2,500 remain missing; hundreds of kilometres of coast were devastated and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident followed.
Contemporary
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster (2011): Meltdowns in Japan
Three reactors melted down and released radioactive material; about 150,000-165,000 people were evacuated and the accident was rated INES level 7.
Contemporary
Rana Plaza Collapse (2013): Bangladesh's Garment Factory Disaster
The collapse killed 1,134 people and injured about 2,500, leading to the legally binding Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and new scrutiny of global clothing supply chains.
Contemporary
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (2014): Aviation's Greatest Mystery
The Boeing 777 is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean; despite the largest search in aviation history and debris found in Africa, the main wreckage and the cause remain unknown.
Contemporary
2015 Nepal Earthquake: The Gorkha Quake and Everest Avalanche
The earthquake and its aftershocks killed nearly 9,000 people in Nepal, destroyed about half a million homes and badly damaged UNESCO-listed monuments, causing losses of about 7 billion US dollars.
Contemporary
Tham Luang Cave Rescue (2018): Saving Thailand's Wild Boars
All twelve boys and their assistant coach were brought out alive between 8 and 10 July 2018; one Thai volunteer diver died during the operation.
Contemporary
Chang'e 4 (2019): First Landing on the Moon's Far Side
Chang'e 4 made the first soft landing on the lunar far side, and its Yutu-2 rover went on to operate for years, far beyond its planned lifetime.