2003 CE

The year 2003 was marked by the United States invasion of Iraq and the subsequent period of occupation and insurgency. The Kashmir conflict also saw a period of escalation, and the Second Intifada continued in Israel and Palestine. The global economy recovered from the early 2000s recession, especially in China, Japan, and the United States, and Argentina recovered from its years-long economic crisis. A conference of World Trade Organization members caused diplomatic conflict between developing and developed nations, with the former creating their own trade bloc, the G20 developing nations. The Catholic Church celebrated the 25th anniversary of the election of Pope John Paul II, while disputes about gay rights emerged within several Christian denominations in 2003. The Islamic world faced crisis as the war on terror and Islamic terrorism prompted religious leaders to define Islam's identity. Elsewhere in the world, ten nations were approved for membership to the European Union, North Korea restarted its nuclear weapons program, and several political leaders were convicted in the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and for the former Yugoslavia. The International Criminal Court also began operation in 2003.