4 September: A magnitude 7.1 earthquake strikes the Canterbury Region causing widespread damage to Christchurch and surrounding areas. 19 November: Pike River mine explosion traps and kills 29 miners. 2011 22 February: A magnitude 6.3 earthquake strikes Christchurch causing widespread damage and 184 deaths. 8 March: 2011 New Zealand census scheduled for this date is cancelled due to the Christchurch earthquake. 23 October: All Blacks win Rugby World Cup against France, 8–7 in Eden Park, New Zealand. 26 November: 2011 general election: Fifth National Government re-elected to second term with reduced majority. 2012 5 November: Royal Commission into the Pike River mine disaster reports. 2013 19 August: Same-sex marriage is legalised. 12 October: 2013 local government elections held. 1 December: Analogue television is switched off. 2014 20 January: Eketahuna earthquake causes moderate damage in the lower North Island. 20 September: 2014 general election is held. The National Party wins a third term in office. October: New Zealand wins a seat on the United Nations Security Council, starting from 2015. New Zealand last held a seat in 1993–1994. 2015 February: New Zealand joins the fight against ISIS by sending troops to Iraq to train Iraqi Soldiers against the Islamic Terror Group. 25 October: The All Blacks Win the Rugby World Cup, the only team to ever win the tournament twice in a row. 2016 14 November: A magnitude 7.8 earthquake strikes near the town of Kaikoura in the South Island. 5 December: John Key announces he will stand down as prime minister and leader of the National Party on 12 December. 12 December: Bill English becomes the 39th Prime Minister of New Zealand. 2017 26 June: Emirates Team New Zealand wins the 35th America's Cup. 2 July: Waterview Tunnels open; at 2.4 km long each, they overtake the Lyttelton Road Tunnel to become the country's longest road tunnels. 23 September: 2017 general election is held. The National Party wins a plurality, while the Labour Party significantly increases its number of seats. 26 October: Labour and New Zealand First form a coalition government. Labour leader Jacinda Ardern becomes the 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand. 2019 15 March: Christchurch mosque shootings, 51 people are killed during an attack on two mosques. December 2019: Whakaari / White Island eruption. 47 people were on the island at the time. Twenty-two people died, either in the explosion or from injuries sustained, including two whose bodies