20 George W. Bush is inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States.
21 Al Gore is inaugurated as the 46th Vice President of the United States.
January 23: The first commercial flight of the Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger airliner, takes place in France. January 24: The first meeting of the G8, a group of the world's eight leading industrialized nations, is held in Okinawa, Japan. 31: Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crashes off the California coast into the Pacific Ocean; all 88 passengers and crew are killed. February 1: The United States Senate confirms Madeleine Albright as the first female Secretary of State. February 2: The United States Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the case of Al Gore v. George W. Bush, which challenges the Florida Supreme Court's decision to recount votes in the 2000 presidential election.