Timeline


 * JANUARY **

South Sudan holds a referendum to vote on independence. With an overwhelming majority, it separates from Sudan in July.
 * South Sudan Votes for Independence (January 9th-15th) **

Mohamed Bouazizi, a fruit seller from Tunesia, burns himself after an official confiscates his fruit cart because he doesn't have a license. It sparks a series of protests against president Zine el Abidine Ben Ali. Unable to stem the protests, he flees the country, and a constitutional emergency government was installed. This also sparks similar protests in Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria and many other Middle Eastern countries
 * Trigger of Tunisia Rallies (January 14th) **

Estonia adopts the Euro, becoming the seventeenth Euro country.
 * Estonia Adopts the Euro (January 1st) **

A mudslide in Rio de Janeiro kills 903 people.
 * Mudslide in Rio (January 11th) **

A bomb explodes at Domodedovo International airport, Moscow. On investigation, it was uncovered that the bomb was set off by a male suicide bomber from Ingushetia, a part of Russia in the Caucasus which wants to separate from the rest of the country. He was trained by Islamist militants in the area.
 * Bomb Explosion at Moscow Airport (January 24th) **


 * FEBRUARY **

Hosni Mubarak, the president of Egypt, resigns after protests demands him to leave. This leaves the country in the hands of the military, who announce that elections will be held soon.
 * Mubarak Resigns (February 11th) **

Because of the Arab Spring in Libya, oil prices soar by 20% in two weeks. It causes what is known as the 2011 energy crisis.
 * Oil Prices Soar (February 22nd-March 14th) **


 * MARCH **

An earthquake which measured 9.1 on the Richter scale hits Japan, also causing a tsunami. Fifty further countries are issued tsunami warnings. Its four nuclear powerplants are damaged, and cause widespread alarm as they try to shut the plants down. Close to 16 000 people die.
 * Japan Hit by Mega Earthquake (January 11th) **

A state of emergency and martial law is declared in Bahrain following protests similar to those in Egypt, Libya and Tunesia. The Shia majority protest against its Sunni rulers, demanding equal opportunities. The Bahraini king cracks down hard on the protesters. The military is rumoured to attack protesters after they've been brought to the hospital. Some hospital staff treating protesters are arrested.
 * Bahrain Rallies Worsen (March 15th) **

The UN Security Council votes to install a no-fly zone over Libya, after heavy crackdowns on protesters by Gaddafi. A plan for NATO to aid rebels in Libya is drawn up.
 * UN Calls No-fly Zone Above Libya (March 17th) **

After a continuance of attacks on protesters, France is the first country to send fighter jets on reconnaissance flights over Libya. It marks the start of long NATO intervention in Libya.
 * France Sends Fighter Jets over Libya (March 19th) **


 * APRIL **

An estimated two billion people watch the [|wedding] of [|Prince William, Duke of Cambridge] and [|Catherine Middleton] at [|Westminster Abbey] in [|London].
 * Royal Wedding in England (April 29th) **

France bans the wearing of full veils in public, becoming the first European nation to impose the restriction. The ban causes protests in Paris and several other cities.
 * France Bans Full Veils (April 11th) **

French military storm the residence of former president Laurent Gbagbo and capture him. The West African nation has been entrenched in civil war because Gbagbo refuses to accept the results of the presidential election last year, which he lost. Gbagbo's arrest ends a four-month standoff that has left hundreds dead.
 * Gbagbo is Captured (April 11th) **

The African Union presents a plan in Libya, which they call a road map for political settlement. The plan includes a suspension of NATO airstrikes and a cease-fire. Col. al-Qaddafi accepts the plan, but the rebels reject it, saying it does not meet their basic demand that Qaddafi leave power immediately.
 * Libyan Rebels Reject Truce Plan (April 12th) **

Al-Qaddafi survives an NATO airstrike that kills one of his sons and three grandchildren. It is the second airstrike within a week to hit a location close to the Libyan leader.
 * Qaddafi survives NATO airstrike (April 30th) **


 * MAY **

Osama bin Laden, the founder and leader of the militant group [|Al-Qaeda], is killed by CIA operatives in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
 * Osama bin Laden Killed (May 1st) **

Eighty people are killed and 120 are wounded in the first retaliation for the killing of bin Laden, by two suicide bombers. The Taliban immediately claims responsibility and blames the Pakistani military for failing to stop the U.S. raid.
 * Taliban Strikes Back (May 13th) **

Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb general responsible for the massacre of over 8,000 Muslims at Srebrenica in 1995, is found and arrested in Lazarevo, a farming town north of Belgrade.
 * Ratko Mladic Arrested (May 26th) **

Egypt Stops Enforcing Israel's Blockade of Gaza. Egypt lifts the Rafah border blockade, allowing Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip to pass through.
 * Egypt Lifts Rafah Blockade (May 29th) **


 * June **

Thousands of Syrians flee to Turkey as Syrian troops lay siege to Jisr ash-Shugur (the Syrian security forces in the city of Jisr ash-Shuguragainst what the government called terrorist groups, while the opposition called it a crackdown against pro-democracy protesters as part of the 2011 Syrian uprising.)
 * Syrians Flee to Turkey (June 12th) **


 * July **

The UN declares that there is famine in Somalia for the first time in over 30 years
 * UN Declares Famine in Somalia (July 20th) **

Thailand was affected by flooding over 12.8 million people were touched by it, 790 people were kill and some area still 6 feet underwater 58 of the country's 77 provinces affected.
 * Thailand Flooded (July 31st) **


 * August **

NASA announces that there is possible liquid water on Mars during warm seasons.
 * Water on Mars, NASA Says (August 5th) **


 * September **

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran told President Bashar al-Assad or Syria to end his crack down on the syrian people who started an uprising to end the presidents rule. This was unexpected because the two leaders had been allies for decades.
 * Iran President tells Syrian President to Back Down (September 8th) **

Thousands of protesters in Egypt attacked the Israeli embassy in Cairo. 24 protesters broke into the embassy threw documents in the street and ripped down the Israeli flag. When the police tried to restrain them they fought back. 2 protesters were killed (at least) and 1,200 were injured.
 * Egyptian Protesters Attack Israeli Embassy (September 9th) **

The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, officially requested a bid for statehood to the security council. They did this even though the U.S. said they would veto the bid.
 * Palestinian Request Statehood (September 23rd) **

The king of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah, gave women the right to vote and run in elections. This will not go into effect until the next election in 2015.
 * Women in Saudi Arabia Given Right to Vote (September 23rd) **


 * October **

Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps paid Mexican assassins to kill Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the U.S. while in Washington. American investigators believe that high-ranking Iran officials are behind the plot.
 * Alleged Assassination Plot is Exposed (October 11th) **

A twenty-five year old soldier is released after being held in a jail in Hamas for more than 5 years. He was exchange for one thousand Palestinians who have spent years in Israeli jails.
 * Prisoner Swap Between Israel and Hamas Begins (October 18th) **

Qaddafi is killed by rebel troops in his hometown. Libya now starts to elect and build a new government.
 * Qaddafi is Captured and Killed (October 20th) **

UNESCO approved Palestine’s bid for full membership to the UN with a 107 to 14 vote. Palestine is now the 195th member of UNESCO. But with the approval comes a cut off of American funding. The US gives $70 million to UNESCO per year.
 * Palestine Becomes Member of UNESCO (Octobr 31st) **


 * November **

Berlusconi steps down after months of not only economic crisis, but also personal rumors over affairs with a minor. Mario Monti, a former antitrust commissioner for the European Commission, takes over, leading a cabinet of technocrats to implement the austerity plan.
 * Berlusconi Steps Down (November 12th) **

Protesters of both Islamist and liberal opposition return to Tahrir Square in Egypt demanding that the ruling military council step down and implement a civilian-led government. The demonstrations turn violent, and the police end up using tear gas and rubber bullets to fend off protesters. Three days later, the cabinet steps down.
 * Protesters Return to Tahrir Square (November 18th) **

Iran openly criticizes the increase in sanctions by Western countries, and is particularly outraged with England. The parliament votes to downgrade the diplomatic ties with Britain. Several Iranian protesters rush to the British Embassy in Tehran yelling “Death to Britain”. Windows are broken, and flags are burnt. British Prime Minister David Cameron withdraws British diplomats.
 * Iran Downgrades Relations with Britain (November 28th) **


 * December **

The elections are said to be fraudulent, and spark massive protest from mainly middle-class Russians. Vladimir Putin wins the election with almost 50% of the votes, but losing 77 seats. Videos of policemen threatening voters at polling stations are leaked onto the internet, and the elections are deemed rigged.
 * Parliamentary Elections Spark Massive Protest in Russia (December 4th) **

Angela Merkel and Nicholas Sarkozy call for Europe’s governing treaties to be amended in order to provide better governance on the economic policies of the 17 countries in the Eurozone. January 2012
 * ‘Merkozy’ Calls for Changes to European Treaty (December 5th) **

On January 1. Pakistan and India give each other a list of they nuclear sites in a agreement 1988 that prohibit the neighborhoods country to attack each others.

On January 2. The Arab league call Syria for a temporary suspension of fighting and call them out for an emergency meeting stating that the government is still killing protestant in Syria.