Some major events and highlights of 2013 include:

• The inauguration of Barack Obama for his second term as President of the United States.
• The Boston Marathon bombing on April 15, which resulted in three fatalities and over 260 people injured.
• The death of former South African President Nelson Mandela on December 5.
• The revelation of widespread government surveillance by former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden.
• The opening of the new One World Trade Center in New York City, replacing the towers destroyed in the 9/11 attacks.
• The rise of the #MeToo movement, which aimed to bring attention to the widespread issue of sexual harassment and assault.
• The Syrian Civil War continued to escalate, leading to a significant increase in the number of refugees fleeing the country.
• The beginning of the roll-out of the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, in the United States.