International Relations Timeline, Lecture notes of International Relations

Download International Relations Timeline and more Lecture notes International Relations in PDF only on Docsity! © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Timeline of key international relations events 1945 January USSR requests American loan. February Yalta conference of Big Three leaders. Ceasefire in Greek Civil War. March British Foreign Office discusses value of a tougher stance against and showdown with the Soviets. Some Anglo-American concern over Soviet installation of puppet Romanian government (27 Feb.) and failure to broaden Lublin governments in Poland in breach of Yalta agreement. Soviets denounce Turkish treaty and refuse to sign another one unless Turkey returns provinces of Kars and Ardahan. April President Roosevelt dies. Truman confronts Molotov over Soviet failure to stick to all the Yalta agreements. May German surrender ends the war in Europe. May–June Hopkins mission to Moscow succeeds in securing agreement on Poland with Stalin broadening the Polish government. June Soviets inform Turkey of their desire for bases in the Straits of the Dardanelles. State Department report on international communism concludes it poses a serious challenge to the US. UN Charter agreed at San Francisco. Soviet request for say in the international administration of Tangier. James Byrnes becomes US Secretary of State. George Kennan reports that the end of the Comintern has not weakened Moscow’s control over international communism. July Potsdam conference of Big Three leaders. British Foreign Office debating value of concentrating on protecting vital interests in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Germany at the expense of endeavouring to retain a say in areas such as Poland and Romania where no interests were at stake. 6 August Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. 8 August USSR declares war on Japan. 9 August Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki. 14 August Japanese cease fighting. September 54 per cent of US public opinion trusts Soviets to cooperate. September–October London Council of Foreign Ministers (UK, US, China, France, and USSR attend). November Communists are defeated in Hungarian elections. Marshall leaves for China to mediate between communists and Nationalists. 44 per cent of US public opinion trusts Soviets to cooperate. December Ethridge report on Soviet policy in Romania and Bulgaria concludes that to concede Soviet sphere of influence in Eastern Europe would be to invite its extension. 16–26 December Moscow Council of Foreign Ministers. 1946 January UN meeting where Iran complains about alleged Soviet interference in its internal affairs. Truman tells Byrnes he is tired of babying the Soviets. Secret Yalta agreement on Soviet acquisition of South Sakhalin and the Kurile Islands made public in the United States. February US warship sent to Istanbul to signal support for Turkey. 9 February Stalin speech calling for new 5-year plan to prepare for the inevitable conflict between communism and capitalism. February 35 per cent of US public opinion trusts the Soviets to cooperate. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Reports on Soviet spy ring providing information on US atomic bomb. 22 February Kennan’s Long Telegram from Moscow. March Soviets fail to withdraw troops from Iran in accordance with agreement. 5 March Churchill’s Fulton speech describing an Iron Curtain across Europe from Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic. March US send a note complaining of the Soviet troops present in Iran which violated the Soviet–Iranian treaty. 70 per cent of Americans disapprove of Soviet actions. April Soviets agree to withdraw troops from Iran in May. Fighting begins again in Manchuria between Chinese Nationalists and communists. April–May First Paris Council of Foreign Ministers takes place. June–July Second Paris Council of Foreign Ministers. July–October Paris Peace Conference (all Allied nations attend). November–December New York Council of Foreign Ministers takes place. December The Bi-Zone agreement fuses US and British occupation zones in Germany. 1947 January Polish elections are rigged. 12 March Truman makes his Doctrine speech. March–April Moscow Council of Foreign Ministers on Germany. June The Marshall Plan is launched. July Kennan’s Mr X article in Foreign Affairs. August Elections in Hungary are rigged. September Rio Treaty of Latin American states signed. November UN partition plan for Palestine. 1948 February Communist coup in Czechoslovakia. March Brussels Treaty signed. May British leave Palestine and Israel established. June The Berlin blockade begins as the Soviets block the surface access to West Berlin. Yugoslavia is expelled from Cominform. 1949 April The North Atlantic Treaty is signed. May Berlin blockade is ended. August Soviets explode their first atomic bomb. September The Chinese People’s Republic is proclaimed by Mao Tse-tung. 1950 January Acheson speech withdraws Korea from US defensive perimeter. Stalin decides to authorize N. Korean plan to attack S. Korea. February The Sino–Soviet Alliance is signed. April The National Security Council memorandum number 68 (NSC 68) proposes a large arms build up. May Schuman Plan launched for a European Coal and Steel Community. June North Korean forces invade South Korea. October Pleven plan for a European army launched. November The Chinese intervene by using force in Korea. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. 1962 January Cuba is excluded from the Organisation of American States (OAS). June Laos becomes neutral. October Cuban Missile Crisis. December Kennedy–Macmillan Nassau meeting takes place. 1963 20 January Indonesia begins opposition campaign to creation of ‘Malaysia’. 5 August Test Ban Treaty signed in Moscow. 16 September Formal launch of Malaysia leads Sukarno of Indonesia to intensify ‘confrontation’ with it. 1 November Overthrow of President Diem of South Vietnam following months of instability. 22 November President Kennedy assassinated in Texas. 1964 February–March Fighting between Greek–Cypriot and Turkish–Cypriot communities, leads to deployment of UN peacekeeping force. 2–4 August Gulf of Tonkin incident: supposed attacks on US ships by North Vietnam. 14 October Khruschev replaced by Brezhnev and Kosygin. 16 October First Chinese atom bomb exploded. 3 November Johnson wins US election. 1965 24 February US begins ‘Rolling Thunder’ bombing of North Vietnam. 8 March Marines are first US ground troops deployed in Vietnam War. 25 April Attempt to overthrow Cabral government in Dominican Republic. 28–29 April Johnson sends Marines to forestall leftist drift in Dominican Republic. August Indo–Pakistani tension mounts in disputed Kashmir. 22 September Cease-fire in Indo–Pakistani War. 30 September Coup in Indonesia followed by army crackdown on Communist party. 1966 January Violent overthrow of Abubakar’s government in Nigeria. 10 March De Gaulle quits NATO military structure. March General Suharto effectively becomes Indonesian leader. 20 June–1 July De Gaulle visits USSR. July Warsaw Pact calls for Pan-European security system. August Indonesia ends ‘Confrontation’ with Malaysia. September Violence in Northern Nigeria, directed against Ibos from the Eastern Region. 1967 7 April Israelis shoot down several Syrian aircraft in latest border tension. 5–10 June Six day Arab–Israeli war. 23–25 June Glassboro’ meeting of Johnson and Kosygin. 5 July Civil war begins between Nigerian government and secessionist ‘Biafra’. 22 November UN resolution 242, on Middle East, passed. 14 December NATO adopts Harmel Report, opening way for talks with Warsaw Pact. 1968 © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. 23 January North Korea seizes USS Pueblo: not released until December. 30 January Start of ‘Tet’ offensive in Vietnam. 31 March Johnson starts partial ‘bombing halt’ in Vietnam and leaves US presidential race. April Czechoslovakian Communist Party, under Dubček, begins to liberalize. 1 July Non-Proliferation Treaty signed. Late August USSR leads invasion of Czechoslovakia to end liberalization. 5 November Nixon wins US Presidency. 1969 2 March Major Soviet–Chinese border clash on Damyansky island. 25 July Nixon’s ‘Guam Doctrine’ on Vietnam: will hand fighting over to South Vietnamese. 17 November SALT talks open between US and USSR. 1970 January Nigerian forces overrun what remains of ‘Biafra’; major international aid programme to relieve famine there. 18 March Prince Sihanouk of Cambodia overthrown by Lon Nol. April–June US and South Vietnamese launch incursion into Cambodia. 7 August Cease-fire agreed in Arab–Israeli ‘war of attrition’, which followed the 1967 war. 12 August Soviet–West German Treaty signed. September Civil war in Jordan between royal government and Palestinians. 1971 February/March South Vietnamese incursion into Laos. 15 July Forthcoming visit of Nixon to China announced. 15 August US introduces trade restrictions and ends convertibility of dollars into gold. 3 September Four-power agreement on Berlin signed. 20 October Brandt of West Germany wins Nobel Peace Prize for Ostpolitik. 25 October UN votes for Communist Chinese membership. November Rising Indo–Pakistani tension over East Pakistan. 10 December NATO agrees to Warsaw Pact proposal for a European Security Conference. 16 December Cease-fire in Indo–Pakistani War over ‘Bangladeshi’ independence. 1972 21–28 February Nixon’s visit to China includes meetings with Mao Zedong. 30 March North Vietnam launches offensive in Vietnam. 15–16 April Breakthrough on SALT in ‘tundra talks’ between US and Soviets in Finland. 17–19 May West German Bundestag ratifies ‘Ostpolitik’ treaties with USSR and Poland (signed in 1970). 22–26 May Nixon–Brezhnev summit in Moscow. 17 June Watergate break-in: Democratic Party HQ in Washington entered by a group linked to Nixon. 18 July President Sadat of Egypt expels thousands of Soviet advisers. 1 August US–North Vietnamese peace talks reopen. 3 September US–Soviet–British–French agreement on future of Berlin. 18 October US–Soviet trade deal finalized. 7 November Nixon defeats George McGovern in landslide election win. 18–30 December ‘Christmas bombing’ campaign by US against North Vietnam. 21 December ‘Basic Treaty’ on bilateral relations between East and West Germany. 1973 © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. 1 January Britain, Ireland and Denmark join the EEC, in its first enlargement. 27 January In Paris a Vietnam peace settlement is signed. 22 February US and China agree to open ‘liaison offices’ in the other’s capital. 23 April Kissinger, speaking in New York, proposes a ‘New Atlantic Charter’. 30 April Watergate crisis begins to intensity, with resignations of key White House staff. 18–24 June Nixon–Brezhnev summit in Washington. 3 July Thirty-five countries begin talks on European security in Helsinki. 15 August US ends all military involvement in Cambodia. 12 September President Allende of Chile toppled in a military coup. 6–29 October Middle East War. 18 October Arab oil producers raise prices and introduce oil embargo against US. 30 October ‘Mutual Balanced Force Reduction’ talks open in Vienna between NATO and Warsaw Pact. 7 November US Congress passes War Powers Act. 11 December West German–Czechoslovakian Treaty signed. 1974 1 January New price rises, introduced by Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, take effect. 25 April Portuguese dictatorship overthrown by the military, leading to Leftist-dominated governments. 18 May India explodes its first atomic bomb. 27 June–3 July Nixon–Brezhnev summit in USSR. 16 July Coup against President Makarios of Cyprus. 20 July–16 August Turkish military intervention in Cyprus. 8 August Nixon resigns over Watergate scandal. 12 September Emperor Haile Selassie overthrown by Marxist army officers. 23–24 November Ford–Brezhnev summit in Vladivostok. 1975 14 January US–Soviet trade deal collapses over Jackson–Vanik amendment. Late March Major communist advances in South Vietnam. 16 April Fall of Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, to Khmer Rouge 25 April Communists fare badly in Portuguese elections. 30 April Fall of Saigon to communists. 12 May Cambodians seize US ship, the Mayaguez. 15 May US attacks on Cambodia; crew of Mayaguez released. 10 June Rockefeller Commission (sitting since January) reports that the CIA had spied on US citizens. 30 July–1 August Helsinki summit of US, Canada and European states; signs Helsinki Accords. 23 August Vientiane, capital of Laos, falls to communist Pathet Lao. 11 November Angolan independence from Portugal; rival governments established by three independence movements. 1–5 December Ford–Mao summit in Beijing. 1976 11 February Organization of African Unity accepts pro-Soviet MPLA as government of Angola. 15 March Egypt ends its 1971 treaty with USSR. 13 April Kissinger opposes a communist role in Italian government 21 June Christian Democrats only narrowly ahead of communists in Italian elections. 9 September Death of Mao Zedong. 2 November Democrat Jimmy Carter wins US Presidential election. 1977 © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. 1984 9 February Death of Andropov; succeeded on 13th by Konstantin Chernenko. 26 April–2 May Reagan visits China. 8 May USSR says it will boycott forthcoming Los Angeles Olympics. 28 September Reagan meets Soviet foreign minister, Andrei Gromyko, for the first time. 22 November Reagan re-elected President. 1985 4 February New Zealand refuses to let nuclear-capable US ships into its ports; leads to virtual breakdown of ANZUS Pact (US suspends obligations to New Zealand in August 1986). 11 March Mikhail Gorbachev succeeds Chernenko as leader of the Soviet Union. 12 March INF and START talks reopen. 7 April Gorbachev suspends new deployments of nuclear missiles and urges NATO to do the same. 26 April Warsaw Pact renewed for twenty years. 1 May US launches trade embargo against Nicaragua. 6 August Gorbachev initiates a moratorium on nuclear tests (lasts until April 1986). 19–21 November First summit meeting between Gorbachev and Reagan, in Geneva. 1986 15 January Gorbachev accepts ‘zero option’ for destruction of INF systems. 25 February In the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos, after an election defeat, finally surrenders the Presidency to Corazon Aquino. 15 April US air forces strike targets in Libya. 26 April Chernobyl nuclear reactor melts down, near Kiev, USSR. 28 July Gorbachev’s Vladivostok speech urges improved relations with China. 23 August Gennady Zakharov, a Soviet embassy official, is arrested for spying in US; on 30 August Soviets arrest Nicholas Daniloff, an American journalist. 30 September Release of Zakharov and Daniloff. 11–12 October Gorbachev and Reagan summit in Reykjavik breaks down over SDI. 3 November The ‘Irangate’ scandal breaks: a Lebanese newspaper reveals that a high level US official visited Iran in May. 1987 10 April Gorbachev’s Prague speech advocates a ‘common European home’. 20 July UN passes Resolution 598 on an Iran–Iraq cease-fire and return to border as it was in 1980. 7 August ‘Arias Plan’, for peace in Nicaragua, put forward by Central American governments. 29 November In Poland, the Communist government holds a referendum on economic reform but fails to get 50 per cent support. 7–10 December Third Gorbachev–Reagan summit, in Washington. INF treaty signed on 8th. 1988 8 February Gorbachev announces Red Army will evacuate Afghanistan in March 1989 if a peace settlement is made. 3 March US Congress effectively cuts financial support to Contras in Nicaragua. 23 March Cease-fire in Nicaragua between the Contras and the government. 14 April Geneva peace agreement on a settlement in Afghanistan. 29 May–2 June Gorbachev–Reagan summit in Moscow. 30 June Vietnam begins withdrawing its troops from neighbouring Kampuchea (Cambodia). 20 July Ayatollah Khomeini reluctantly agrees to end the war with Iraq. 31 August Lech Walesa meets a Polish government minister to discuss mounting internal unrest. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. 8 November George Bush wins Presidential election. 22 December UN agreements on independence of Namibia and Cuban withdrawal from Angola. 1989 11 January Non-communist parties legalized in Hungary. 15 February Last Red Army troops leave Afghanistan. 6 March Talks on reducing ‘Conventional Forces in Europe’ open between Eastern and Western representatives in Vienna. 26 March and 9 April First elections for a ‘Soviet Congress of People’s Deputies’. 5 April In Poland, the government agrees to recognize Solidarity and elect an assembly. 25 April Soviets begin to pull troops out of Hungary. 7 May In Panama, President Noriega annuls recent election results. 12 May Bush’s Texas A&M University speech effectively ends the policy of containment. 15–18 May Gorbachev–Deng Xiaoping summit held in Beijing. First Sino–Soviet summit for thirty years. 21 May Egypt rejoins the Arab League after ten years. 4 June Chinese Red Army forcibly ends the occupation of Tienenmen Square, Beijing, by over 100,000 demonstrators (who had been there since 22 April). 4 and 18 June Solidarity scores major successes in Polish elections. 23 August Demonstrations in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, in favour of independence from USSR. 26 September Last Vietnamese troops leave Cambodia. 9–10 November Opening of the Berlin Wall. 2–3 December First Bush–Gorbachev summit in Malta. 20 December US forces invade Panama, to overthrow Noriega. 29 December Czechoslovakia chooses the dissident Vaclav Havel as its President. 1990 10 February In Moscow, Gorbachev and Kohl agree to principle of German reunification. 26 February Nicaraguan elections won by ‘Uno’ coalition of Violetta Chamorra, defeating the Sandinistas. 2 March Nationalists win elections in Lithuania, the first free elections ever in the USSR; Lithuania declares independence on 11 March. 11 March President Augusto Pinochet of Chile hands over to a civilian successor, Patricio Aylwin. 18 March Christian Democratic ‘Alliance for Germany’ triumphs in East German elections. 30 May–4 June Bush and Gorbachev meet in Washington. 29 June Lithuania suspends its declaration of independence, following an economic blockade (since 17 April) by Moscow. 1 July Economic and monetary union takes effect between the two Germanies. 5–6 July London summit of NATO leaders redefines the alliance’s role in the post-Cold War world. 2 August Iraqi invasion of Kuwait takes place. 9 September Bush and Gorbachev meet in Helsinki. 12 September US, USSR, Britain, France, and the two Germanies sign Moscow Treaty on a reunified Germany, which takes effect on 3 October. 19 November Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe signed in Paris. 2 December Helmut Kohl elected the first Chancellor of a reunified Germany. 1991 2 January Lithuania revives its claim to independence. 13 January Thirteen die in clashes with the Red Army in the Lithuanian capital. 17 January US-led alliance begins airstrikes in Iraq. 24–28 February Allied forces liberate Kuwait. 15–19 May Jiang Zemin becomes first general Secretary of Chinese Communists to visit Moscow since 1957. 21 May Collapse of the Marxist regime of Colonel Mengistu in Somalia, which slips into anarchy. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. 12 June A popular vote in the Russian Federation (the largest republic in the USSR) elects Boris Yeltsin President. 13 June End of communist domination of Albania, as a coalition government is formed. 23 June Ceasefire agreed in Cambodia between Hun Sen government and Prince Sihanouk. 25–26 June Yugoslav army attacks Croatia and Slovenia when they declare their independence. 1 July Warsaw Pact is wound up. 29 July–1 August Bush and Gorbachev finalize and sign START I treaty in Moscow. 18–21 August A coup of hardliners against Gorbachev is opposed in Moscow by Yeltsin and rapidly collapses. 9–11 December Maastricht summit of European Community leaders signs a Treaty on European Union and plans a single currency. 25 December Gorbachev resigns as President of the USSR, which breaks up into its fifteen constituent republics. 1992 1 March Bosnia-Herzegovina votes for independence from Yugoslavia. 27 March Bosnian Serbs set up a separate government in Bosnia and fighting begins. 16 April Fall of Marxist regime of Mohamed Najibullah in Afghanistan. 30 May UN Security Council agrees first sanctions against Serbia over Bosnian conflict. 14 August UN Human Rights Commission condemns Serb policy of ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Bosnia. 4 October Treaty ends conflict between Mozambique government and RENAMO guerrillas. 9 October UN Security Council introduces a ‘no-fly’ zone over Bosnia. 20 November Macedonia declares its independence from Yugoslavia. 4 December American forces land in Somalia to guarantee food supplies. 8 December Serb siege of Sarajevo begins. 1993 1 January ‘Velvet divorce’ separates Czech Republic and Slovakia. 3 January Bush and Yeltsin sign START II treaty in Geneva. 15 January Chemical Weapons Treaty signed by numerous UN members, banning manufacture of such weapons. 12 April NATO starts to enforce Bosnia ‘no-fly’ zone. 13 September Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Premier Yitzhak Rabin sign a peace declaration in Washington. 24 September Sihanouk returns as King of Cambodia. 3–4 October Hundreds killed in clashes in Somalia between US forces and militia of General Aidid. 4 October Russian forces storm the Congress of Peoples Deputies in Moscow. 7 November US President Clinton threatens force against North Korea if it obtains nuclear weapons. 17 December US begin to withdraw forces from Somalia. 1994 11 January NATO launches ‘Partnership for Peace’ programme with ex-Eastern bloc States. 14 January Ukraine agrees to destroy its nuclear arsenal (the third largest in the world). 28 February In NATO’s first military action, Yugoslav aircraft are shot down over Bosnia. 29 April African National Congress under Nelson Mandela wins first free elections in South Africa. 17 June North Korea agrees to end its nuclear programme. 19 September US forces land unopposed in Haiti to restore its elected President Aristide. 5–6 December Summit of Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe agrees to turn itself into a permanent Organization. 1995 © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. The July 1999 peace agreement between the government and the main rebel movement, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) collapsed in May (2000) when the RUF abducted 500 peacekeepers belonging to the 8,500-strong UN Mission to Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). The abductions were followed by a full-scale resumption of fighting between the RUF and the Sierra Leone Army (SLA) and its militia allies. United Kingdom - Election of Livingstone as mayor of London Independent left-wing MP Ken Livingstone, who had been expelled from the Labour Party in the previous month, became London’s first directly-elected mayor in elections held on 4 May. June Historical meeting in Pyongyang Presidents Kim Dae Jung of South Korea and Kim Jong II of North Korea met in Pyongyang between 13 and 15 June. July Russian-Chinese summit From 17 to 19 July, a Russian-Chinese (Putin-Jiang) summit took place in China. The summit condemned US plans for a ‘National Missile Defence’ system based on Star Wars research. September Denmark - Rejection of euro In a referendum on 28 September the Danish electorate voted by a narrow but decisive majority against participating in the euro, the single currency to which 12 of the 15 EU member states were currently admitted. The result was a major defeat for the pro-euro centre-left government of Poul Nyrup Rasmusen, which had called the referendum in March. Ariel Sharon’s visit to the Dome at the Rock A visit by the right-wing Israel politician, Ariel Sharon, to the Dome at the Rock in Jerusalem sparked serious Palestinian unrest, which became known as the ‘second intifada’. October Sierra Leone - Deployment of additional UN forces Additional British troops were deployed in Sierra Leone at the end of October as the UN Mission to Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) came under increasing strain because of the impending withdrawal of its Indian contingent. Yugoslavia - Overthrow of Milošević The 13 year regime of President Slobodan Milošević ended in October after a dramatic and powerful people’s uprising. Milošević had clung on whilst the results of the September presidential, federal and legislative elections were disputed, but pressure to drive him from office had begun to gain momentum by the beginning of the month. Palestine - New Palestinian intifada Violent clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian police and civilians throughout October effectively destroyed the Middle east peace process, and led Palestinian leaders to describe it as a new intifada (uprising). As many as 2,500 people were injured in the violence and 144, the overwhelming majority of whom were Palestinians, were killed. November United States - Disputed presidential election The result of the presidential election held on 7 November between Vice President Al Gore, the Democratic candidate, and his Republican rival, Texas governor George W. Bush, remained unresolved at the end of November. Gore secured a majority of 0.3 percent of the 102 million votes cast (the smallest majority of the nationwide popular vote won by a presidential candidate since 1960). With the result in Florida undecided and subject to legal challenges, Gore had 267 electoral college votes compared with 246 for Bush. Since both candidates had failed to secure the 270 votes needed for a majority in the 538-member electoral college, the result of the Florida election, in which 25 electoral college votes were at stake, would effectively decide the result of the entire election. Vietnam - Visit by US President © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. US President Bill Clinton visited Vietnam on 16-19 November, the first US President to visit the country since Richard Nixon in 1969 and the first ever to set foot in a unified Vietnam. Clinton’s administration had consistently attempted to foster improved relations with Vietnam, notably with the lifting of the US trade embargo in 1994 and the conclusion of a bilateral trade agreement in July (2000). A number of US officials had recently visited Vietnam, the most senior being Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in September 1999. Sweden - Proposal to end commitment to neutrality During November 2000 Prime Minister Göran Person proposed that Sweden end its century long commitment to neutrality. He said that following the end of the Cold War the concept was no longer relevant. Some military experts, however, claimed that the change could confuse the defense policy and endanger Sweden’s role as an independent arbiter of international conflicts. December United States - Bush victory in disputed presidential elections Vice President Al Gore, the Democratic presidential candidate conceded the disputed November presidential election to the Republican candidate George W. Bush on 13 December, a day after the US Supreme Court had declined to overturn its earlier say on state-wide manual recounts ordered by the Florida Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruling was arguably the most important since US vs. Nixon, the 1974 ruling which had forced President Richard Nixon to surrender incriminating White House tape recording to congressional investigators in the Watergate affair. The Supreme Court’s action meant that, despite the fact that he had won a majority of the national popular vote, Vice President Gore had not secured a majority in the Electoral College. 2001 January United States – Inauguration of President George W. Bush George W. Bush was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States on 20 January, the first son of a former President to be inaugurated since John Quincy Adams in 1825. February Israel – Election of Sharon as Prime Minister Likud candidate Ariel Sharon easily defeated incumbent Labour Prime Minister Ehud Barak in a special premiership election held on 6 February. Sharon, a former Defence Minister and the architect of Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982, had replaced Binyamin Netanyahu as Likud leader in 1999. March Macedonia – Serious clashes with ethnic Albanian guerrillas Fighting between ethnic Albanian guerrillas and Macedonian police and troops during March raised fears that the unrest might spark ethnic conflict across Macedonia, thereby igniting a new Balkan war. Ethnic Albanians comprised at least a quarter of the population of Macedonia. June United Kingdom – Labour election victory The ruling Labour Party on 7 June swept to a predicted victory in general elections to the House of Commons (the lower house of the bicameral UK legislature), winning a second successive overall majority only slightly smaller than the commanding margin achieved in May 1997. July Yugoslavia – Appearance of Milosevic before war crimes tribunal Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic made his first appearance before the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (the war crimes tribunal) in The Hague, the Netherlands, on 3 July. Milosevic had been handed over to the tribunal by the Yugoslav authorities on 28 June. He had been indicted on charges of crimes against humanity in May 1999. September United States – Terrorist attacks on Washington DC and New York In a series of suicide attacks on the morning of 11 September the US suffered the most devastating loss of life and property in peacetime since the attack on the Pearl Harbour naval base in 1941. Four passenger airliners were hijacked and two of those aircraft were deliberately flown by the hijackers into the twin towers of the 110-storey World Trade Centre in the financial © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. district of New York city, resulting in huge explosions which ultimately led to the complete collapse of the towers in less than two hours. A third hijacked passenger aircraft struck the Pentagon, the headquarters of the Department of Defence, just outside the capital, Washington DC, and a fourth hijacked aircraft, apparently heading for another target in the Washington area, crashed in Pennsylvania. October United Nations – Elections to Security Council The General Assembly on 8 October elected five new non-permanent members of the 15- member Security Council to serve a two-year term from 1 January 2002. The most controversial new member was Syria, which in March had been chosen unopposed as the representative of the 50-state Asian group of the Assembly. 2001 Centenary Peace Prize The Nobel Committee of the Storting (the Norwegian legislature) on 12 October awarded the 2001 Centenary Nobel Peace Prize jointly to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and to the UN itself. November Uganda – Peace Agreement with Rwanda Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Paul Kagame of Rwanda signed a peace agreement in London on 6 November aimed at pre-empting a fresh outbreak of hostilities in central Africa. The agreement was signed after the two leaders held talks chaired by UK International Development Secretary Clare Short and attended by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Uganda and Rwanda were former close allies that had fallen out over their involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Fighting had broken out between Ugandan and Rwandan troops, and their proxy militias, in and around the northern DRC city of Kisangani on numerous occasions. 2002 February Indonesia – Signing of peace agreement in Moluccas Christian and Muslim leaders from the eastern Molucca islands (the provinces of Maluku and North Maluku) on Feb. 12 signed a peace accord to end three years of sectarian fighting in which 5,000 people had been killed since January 1999 and 750,000 were rendered refugees. Yugoslavia – Opening of Milosevic trial The landmark trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic opened at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in the Hague, the Netherlands, on Feb 13. Milosevic was the first former head of state to stand trial for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. March Yugoslavia – Agreement between Serbia and Montenegro on joint state The leaders of Serbia, Montenegro, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) government signed an ‘agreement in principle’ in Belgrade, the capital of the FRY and Serbia, on March 14, to maintain a joint state under the name of Serbia and Montenegro. The deal, which effectively kept Montenegro within the Serb-dominated federation of the ‘rump Yugoslavia’ but with equal powers to Serbia, was designed to prevent further fragmentation of the western Balkans. July Democratic Republic of Kongo – DRC-Rwanda peace agreement The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed a peace agreement in Pretoria (South Africa) on July 30. The agreement was widely regarded as a major step towards ending the four-year war that had engulfed the DRC. Rwanda was one of a number of African states that had maintained a military presence in the DRC during its civil war. September East Timor – UN membership © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. At least 34 people died in three separate, coordinated suicide bomb attacks on expatriate residential compounds in the capital, Riyadh, on May 12. The attackers were immediately linked to Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network and more specifically to a group of 19 al-Qaeda suspects who had been under police observation, but had escaped a raid in Riyadh shortly before the attacks had taken place. The Saudi government’s failed attempt to foil the attacks followed warnings of an impeding terrorist act issued by the US State Department in early May. Morocco – Suicide bomb attacks in Casablanca A team of 12 suicide bombers attacked five targets in Morocco’s commercial capital, Casablanca, on May 16, killing 43 people (including the bombers) and injuring around 100 others. The Moroccan government declared that the attacks had been the work of a local Islamist fundamentalist group, al-Assirat al-Moustaquim (the Righteous Path), part of a fringe movement of ultra-conservative Islamists, the Salafiya Jihadiya. The attacks, however, bore the hallmarks of operations carried out by the al-Qaeda network. The Economist of May 25 said that there was a possibility that al-Qaeda had ‘subcontracted’ a local Moroccan group prepared to accept high suicide casualties. June Finland – Resignation of Prime Minister over ‘Iraqgate’ scandal Centre Party (KESK) Prime Minister Anneli Jaatteenmaki resigned on June 18 after being accused of lying about the use of classified Foreign Ministry documents concerning the US-led war on Iraq, of publishing confidential information on the Internet, and leaking documents to the press. Jaatteenmaki rejected the allegations but announced that they had made her position untenable. The scandal, referred to as ‘Iraqgate’, severely damaged public confidence in the government. August Liberia – Departure of President Taylor Charles Taylor announced on August 2 that he would step down as president of Liberia on August 11. Pressure for Taylor to resign had increased markedly in July as rebel forces surrounded the capital, Monrovia. Afghanistan – NATO assumption of control of ISAF In the first peacekeeping operation outside Europe’s borders in its history, NATO assumed formal control of the 5,500-strong International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan on August 11. November Georgia – Overthrow of Sheverdnadze Eduard Sheverdnadze, the former Soviet Foreign Minister who had served as President of Georgia since 1992, was forced to resign in late November after weeks of peaceful mass protests by opposition parties culminated in the storming of Parliament. The drive to remove Sheverdnadze, led by former Justice Minister Mikhail Saakashvili, began at the start of the month in the form of protests at the results of elections to Parliament, which were widely believed to have been rigged in favour of the President. December Macedonia – Ending of EU military mission The mandate of the EU-led military mission to Macedonia, Operation Concordia, ended on December 15. Concordia, the EU’s inaugural military mission, was replaced by an EU-led police mission, Operation Proxima. Iraq – Capture of Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi President overthrown by US-led forces in April was captured by US soldiers near his home town of Tikrit on December 13. In July, US forces had killed his two sons during a fierce gun battle in Mosul in northern Iraq. Saddam’s capture, alone, dishevelled and hiding in a small hole in the ground, appeared to undermine the idea that he had been co- ordinating the guerrilla attacks against US forces and, instead, reinforced the view that the insurgency was being driven by hostility to the US-led occupation and Sunni Muslim resistance to the possibility of Shi’ite Muslim dominance in the post-Saddam era. 2004 © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. January Somalia – Peace agreement The leaders of Somalia’s warring factions signed a peace agreement in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, on January 29. The peace initiative brought the factionalist leaders the closest to forming a central administration since the Somali state had effectively dissolved at the outbreak of civil war in 1991. May European Union – Admission of new member countries The biggest single enlargement in the history of the EU and its precursors, increasing membership from 15 to 25 states and aggregate population from 380 to 445 million, took place on May 1 with the formal admission of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The main enlargement ceremonies were held in Ireland, the current holder of the EU’s six-monthly rotating presidency, and were attended by heads of government of the 10 new and 15 existing members. June Sudan – Humanitarian crisis in Darfur The UN organised a meeting of donor countries and aid agencies in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 3 to discuss the growing humanitarian crisis in the western region of Darfur. … US Secretary of State Colin Powell and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan both visited Sudan in late June to discuss the crisis in Darfur. Powell, the most senior US official to visit Sudan for 25 years, visited the Abu Shouk refugee camp in northern Darfur, where some 40,000 black African villagers were sheltering after being driven from their homes by Arab janjawiet militiamen, reportedly backed by the government. Iraq – Transfer of sovereignty The transfer of sovereignty from the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), the occupying power in Iraq since May 2003 to an interim Iraqi government was carried out on June 28. The head of the CPA, L. Paul Bremer, handed over power to Ayad Allawi, who had recently been appointed as Prime Minister at the head of a new interim government. July Iraq – Court appearance by Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi President overthrown by US-led forces in April 2003 and captured by US troops in December 2003 appeared before an Iraqi court in the capital, Baghdad, on July 1. It was the first time that Saddam had appeared in public since his capture. September Russia – Siege of school by Chechen separatists A school in the town of Beslan in Russia’s republic of North Ossetia was the scene at the beginning of September of a terrorist attack… The three-day siege of the school where over 1,000 children, parents and teachers were held hostage by around 30 heavily armed men and women, ended on September 3 in confusion and disaster when the roof of the booby-trapped school hall caved in after bombs planted in the room exploded and the hostage-takers exchanged gunfire with troops and armed civilians outside as children and adults tried to flee in the chaos. The final death was officially put at 338, although relatives queried the figure and many individuals remained unaccounted for. Libya – Lifting of US trade embargo US President George W. Bush on September 20 issued executive orders lifting all restrictions on air travel, allowing for free movement of commercial and charter flights between the US and Libya. In addition, the US lifted measures dating back to 1986 that had resulted in the freezing of US$ 1.3 billion in Libyan assets in the US after Libya had been implicated in various terrorist attacks in Europe. The US move cleared the way for the payment in late September of more than US$1 billion to the 270 families of those killed when Pan Am Flight 103 was blown up over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. November United States – Victory for Bush in presidential elections Republican President George W. Bush defeated his Democratic rival, Senator John Kerry, in the presidential election held on November 2. The result of the election was especially significant for the President since, in the disputed presidential election of 2000, he had failed to secure a majority of the popular vote. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Israel – Developments concerning Gaza disengagement plan The Knesset voted on November 3 to approve a bill to compensate Jewish settlers who would be uprooted from the Gaza strip and the West Bank under the terms of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s controversial Gaza disengagement plan, which had been approved by the Knesset in late October. Afghanistan – Confirmation of Karzai’s election victory Hamid Karzai was formally declared the winner of the October 9 presidential election by Afghanistan’s electoral board on November 3, following the announcement by an international panel of observers that its three-week investigation into voting irregularities had not produced evidence significant enough to alter the overall result. Palestine – Death of Arafat President Yasser Arafat died in a hospital near Paris, on November 11, aged 75. Arafat had been flown from the West Bank to France for treatment for an unknown illness on October 29. According to press reports, many Palestinians believed that Arafat had been poisoned. Mahmoud Abbas, who had served as Prime Minister for 6 months in October 2003, was announced to be the successor of Arafat, the first new chairman of the PLO executive in 35 years. United Nations – US criticism of Annan The US Senate permanent subcommittee on investigations on November 9 sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan accusing him and a UN panel established in April by the UN Security Council to investigate widespread allegations of bribery and illicit payments made during the UN-administered ‘oil-for-food programme’ in Iraq, of obstructing the Senators’ access to documentation, including internal audit reports, and preventing UN officials from being interviewed by the Senate committee. 2005 January Sudan – Comprehensive southern peace agreement Following some 30 months of intense diplomatic negotiations that had begun in July 2002, a comprehensive peace agreement was reached on January 9 between the representatives of the Sudanese government (led by the First Vice President Ali Osman Muhammad Taha) and those of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) (led by John Garang, leader of the SPLM’s military wing, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army – SPLA). The agreement ended the 21-year- long war in southern Sudan that had caused an estimated 2 million deaths and displaced a further 4 million people. United States – Inauguration of President Bush for second term President George W. Bush was inaugurated for a second successive term of office on January 20 following his victory in the 2004 presidential election. Ukraine – Inauguration of new president Victor Yushchenko, the winner of the presidential election that had been re-run on December 26 after allegations of fraud, was inaugurated as independent Ukraine’s third President on January 23. February Lebanon – Assassination of al-Hariri Rafiq al-Hariri, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon and architect of the country’s reconstruction, was killed on February 14 in a massive car bomb explosion in Beirut. Another 16 people were killed and 135 injured. Lebanese opposition politicians said that they held both pro-Syrian administration and the Syrian government responsible for al-Hariri’s death. Since his resignation as Prime Minister in October 2004 al-Hariri was reported to have become increasingly critical of the Syrian military presence in Lebanon. March South Africa – New name for the capital city © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Denmark – 12 Prophet Mohammad cartoons are published On 30 September 12 cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad are published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. October Bali – Bali Bombings On 1 October Bali was attacked by a series of coordinated bombings which killed more than 20 people and injured over 100. Iraq – Draft constitution referendum On 15 October a referendum was held to decide whether or not Iraq’s draft constitution should be ratified – the constitution was subsequently passed. November Somalia – Pirates attack cruise ship On 5 November the luxury cruise ship Seabourn Spirit was attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia but managed to fend off the pirates and sail to safety. Israel – Prime Minister quits the Likud Party On 21 November Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced to the Knesset his intention to leave the Likud Party, dissolve parliament, and form the Kadima Party. Germany – Federal election result announced On 22 November Angela Merkel was appointed the first female Chancellor of Germany. Chile – Pinochet is indicted On 24 November General Augusto Pinochet was indicted by the Chilean Supreme Court over human rights abuses in 1974 and was placed under house arrest. December Lebanon – Report about the killing of Rafik Hariri is given to the UN On 11 December the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan received a report linking Syria with the killing of Rafik Hariri, the former Lebanese Prime Minister. Iraq – Parliamentary elections take place On 15 December Iraq’s parliamentary elections took place and Nouri al-Maliki was declared leader of the new coalition government. Israel – New leader of the Likud Party On 20 December Benjamin Netanyahu was elected leader of the Likud Party. 2006 January Israel – Ariel Sharon has a stroke On 4 January Ariel Sharon suffered a major stroke. Saudi Arabia – Stampede in Mecca On 12 January hundreds were killed and thousands were injured when a stampede broke out at the Hajj (a pilgrimage) in Mecca. Chile – New President elected On 15 January Michelle Bachelet was elected President of Chile. Gaza – Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) election On 25 January Hamas won the PLC election. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Saudi Arabia – Saudi Ambassador recalled from Denmark On 26 January Saudi Arabia recalled its Ambassador from Denmark and called for an immediate boycott of all Danish products. This was a response to the publication in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, on 30 September 2005, of 12 cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad. February Denmark – Danish Prime Minister appears on the Al-Arabiya news channel On 2 February the Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen appeared on the Saudi Arabian news channel Al-Arabiya in an attempt to calm the Prophet Mohammad cartoon crisis. Jordan – Al-Shihan newspaper reprints the Prophet Mohammad cartoons On 2 February the Jordanian newspaper Al-Shihan reprinted the 12 Prophet Mohammad cartoons and its editor was promptly sacked. Syria – Norwegian and Danish Embassies in Damascus are attacked On 4 February both the Norwegian and Danish Embassies in Damascus were attacked as protests about the publication of the 12 Prophet Mohammad cartoons turned violent. March India – United States and India agree new nuclear pact On 2 March the United States and India agreed to a new nuclear pact, a significant break with existing US nuclear policy. Netherlands - Slobodan Milošević is found dead On 11 March the former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević was found dead in his cell at a detention centre in The Hague. Israel – Kadima Party wins Israel’s General Election On 28 March the Kadima Party under the leadership of Ehud Olmert won Israel’s General Election. April Iran – Success claimed in producing enriched uranium On 11 April Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that his scientists had successfully produced enriched uranium. Nepal – Direct rule is ended On 24 April King Gyanedra ended his direct rule of Nepal and agreed to reinstate parliament. United States – UN nuclear watchdog on Iran On 28 April the UN’s nuclear watchdog reported that Iran was defying UN Security Council resolutions by continuing its programme to produce enriched uranium. May Iraq – New cabinet approved On 20 May Iraq’s parliament approved a new cabinet made up of Shia, Kurd, and Sunni Party members. June Iraq – Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is killed On 7 June the insurgent leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in a US airstrike. July North Korea – Long-range and short-range missiles test fired On 4 July the North Korean leader Kim Jon-il ordered the test firing of both long-range and short- range missiles. India – Mumbai train bombings On 11 July the Suburban Railway in Mumbai was attacked by a series of seven coordinated bombings in which 209 people were killed and hundreds were injured. Responsibility for the attacks was claimed by both Laskar-e-Toiba and the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Lebanon – 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah War starts On 12 July the 2006 Israeli-Lebanon War started when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel and simultaneously crossed the Israeli-Lebanon border and kidnapped two Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldiers. Lebanon – Israeli airstrikes begin On 15 July Israel launched its first series of airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Lebanon – Israeli land troops are deployed On 23 July Israel deployed ground troops in Lebanon. Cuba – Raul Castro in charge while President Fidel Castro undergoes surgery On 31 July President Fidel Castro transferred his responsibilities to his brother Raul Castro whilst he underwent surgery. August United Kingdom – Transatlantic bomb plot foiled On 9 August police made a number of arrests in connection with a plot to blow up a number of Transatlantic flights. Lebanon – UN brokers a ceasefire On 14 August the UN announced that it had successfully brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. September United Kingdom – Prime Minister Tony Blair announces his ‘long goodbye’ On 7 September Prime Minister Tony Blair announced his intention to stand down as leader within 12 months. October North Korea – Nuclear test carried out On 9 October North Korea carried out a nuclear test. United States – New UN Secretary-General is elected On 13 October the UN elected Ban Ki-moon as its new Secretary-General. November Iraq – Saddam Hussein is sentenced to death by hanging On 5 November Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death by the Iraqi Special Tribunal for Crimes Against Humanity. United States – Democrats take control of the House of Representatives On 7 November the Democratic Party took back control of the House of Representatives from the Republican Party. United States – A new Secretary of Defense is appointed On 8 November President George W. Bush announced that Robert Gates would be replacing Donald Rumsfeld as Defense Secretary. United Kingdom – Former KGB spy dies On 23 November the former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko died in a London hospital after being poisoned with polonium-210. Gaza – Ceasefire agreed in the Gaza Strip On 26 November both Israel and the Palestinians agreed to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. December Chile – Pinochet dies On 10 December General Augusto Pinochet died at the age of 91. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Cuba – New Cuban President announced On 24 February Raul Castro was declared the new President of Cuba. Kenya – Power-sharing agreement is reached On 28 February President Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga agreed to a power-sharing agreement. March Russia – New Russian President is elected On 2 March Dmitry Medvedev won the election to become the next Russian President. Greece – Pro-Tibet activists disrupt Olympic torch lighting ceremony On 24 March Pro-Tibet activists tried to disrupt the lighting of the Olympic torch at a ceremony in Olympia. April France – Protestors temporarily extinguish the Olympic torch On 7 April Protestors successfully managed to momentarily extinguish the flame of the Olympic torch as it passed through the streets of Paris. Italy – New Italian Prime Minister is elected On 14 April Silvio Berlusconi was elected Prime Minister of Italy. May Russia – New Russian President assumes office On 7 May Russian President Dmitry Medvedev assumed office. Nepal – Monarchy is abolished On 28 May Nepal abolished its monarchy. June United States – Democratic Party Presidential nominee is announced On 3 June the Democratic Party nominated Senator Barack Obama as their nominee for President, beating Senator Hillary Clinton. Gaza – Ceasefire begins On 19 June a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began. July Serbia – War Crimes fugitive Radovan Karadzic is arrested On 21 July the former President of Republika Srpska and war crimes fugitive Radovan Karadzic was arrested in Serbia. August Georgia – The 2008 South Ossetia War begins On 7 August Russian troops entered Georgia thus beginning the 2008 South Ossetia War. China – 2008 Olympic Games ceremony On 8 August the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony took place. Georgia – Ceasefire agreed On 12 August a ceasefire between Russia and Georgia was agreed. Georgia – Ceasefire signed On 16 August the ceasefire between Russia and Georgia was officially signed, thus ending the 2008 South Ossetia War. Pakistan – Pakistan’s President resigns On 18 August Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf resigned. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. United States – Senator John McCain announces Vice-President nomination On 29 August Senator John McCain, the Republican Party nominee for President, announced Senator Sarah Palin as his nominee for Vice-President. September United States – US government takes over two major mortgage firms On 7 September the US government took over the mortgage firms Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Pakistan – New President of Pakistan is inaugurated On 9 September Asif Ali Zardar (the window of Benazir Bhutto – the assassinated former Prime Minister of Pakistan) became Pakistan’s new President. United States – Major investment bank in trouble On 15 September the investment bank Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. South Africa – President resigns On 21 September the South African President Thabo Mbeki resigned. Somalia – Pirates seize a Ukrainian ship On 25 September Somali pirates seized a Ukrainian ship carrying tanks and other weapons. China – First spacewalk completed On 27 September the Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang completed China’s first spacewalk. October United States – President Bush signs a US$700 billion bailout bill On 3 October President George W. Bush signed the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) – a US$700 billion bailout bill to buy back assets and equity from struggling financial institutions. November United States – Senator Barack Obama wins American Presidency On 4 November the Democratic Senator Barack Obama won the US election and became the first black President of the United States of America. Somalia – Pirates seize an oil tanker On 16 November Somali Pirates seized an oil tanker in the Indian Ocean. India – Mumbai Terror Attacks begin On 26 November the city of Mumbai was hit by a series of ten coordinated attacks, including bombings, shootings and sieges against The Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (a railway station), The Oberoi Trident (a complex of two hotels), The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower (another hotel), The Leopold Café, The Cama & Albless Hospital, Nariman House (an Orthodox Jewish Centre), The Metro Cinema, an alley near The Times of India building and St. Xavier’s College, The Mazagaoen Docks and finally a taxi in the Vile Parle suburb of Mumbai. Laskar-e-Toiba later claimed responsibility for the attacks. India – Mumbai Terror Attacks end On 29 November the sieges at The Oberoi Trident and The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotels were finally brought to an end. December Iraq – Shoes thrown at President George W. Bush On 14 December – at a press conference in Iraq, with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki – President George W. Bush had shoes thrown at him by the Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi. Gaza – Israel begins airstrikes On 27 December Israel began airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. 2009 January Gaza – Israel enters the Gaza Strip On 3 January Israeli ground troops entered the Gaza Strip. Gaza – A unilateral ceasefire is announced On 17 January Israel announced a unilateral ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. United States – President–elect Barack Obama is sworn in On 21 January President-elect Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America. February Iran – First satellite launched On 2 February Iran launched its first satellite into space. March Cameroon – The Pope restates the Catholic Church’s position on contraception On 17 January Pope Benedict XVI on a visit to Cameroon restated the Catholic Church’s position on contraception – an ‘absolute ban’ on the use of condoms and other contraceptives. April North Korea – North Korea launches a rocket On 4 April North Korea launched a rocket and was quickly condemned by the international community for doing so. Mexico – Swine Flu or Influenza A (H1N1) is confirmed in Mexico On 29 April, after cases of Swine Flu or Influenza A (H1N1) were confirmed in Mexico, Mexican President Felipe Caldreron made a television address announcing that all major services in Mexico would be immediately shut down and he also strongly discouraged travel to and from Mexico. An attempt to prevent the spread of Swine Flu. May North Korea – A second nuclear test is carried out On 24 May North Korea announced that it had successfully conducted a second nuclear test. North Korea – 2 short-range missiles are test fired On 25 May North Korea test fired 2 short-range missiles. June United States – General Motors in trouble On 1 June General Motors filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Egypt – President Obama announces a new beginning in the Middle East On 4 June President Barack Obama attempted to build bridges with the Muslim World in a keynote speech at Cairo University, entitled ‘On a New Beginning’. Global – Swine Flu or Influenza A (H1N1) is declared a pandemic On 11 June The World Health Organization declared Swine Flu or Influenza A (H1N1) a pandemic. Iran – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is re-elected On 12 June President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won Iran’s Presidential election, however, the international community were quick to express their concerns over the validity of his election victory and thousands in Iran also took to the streets in violent protest against President Ahmadinejad’s re-election. Honduras – President overthrown in coup d’état On 28 June Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was overthrown by a coup d’état. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Global – The Afghanistan War Logs are leaked by Wikileaks On 25 July Wikileaks leaked some 92,000 documents (The Afghanistan War Logs) to The Guardian, The New York Times, and Der Spiegel newspapers. Pakistan – Floods hit Pakistan On 26 July unprecedented flooding hit Pakistan and ended up directly affecting the lives of 20 million people. August Iran – Fuelling begins at Iran’s first nuclear reactor On 21 August fuelling began at the Bushehr nuclear reactor (Iran’s first nuclear power plant). Iraq – US combat operations in Iraq cease On 31 August President Barack Obama announced the end of the US combat mission in Iraq. September West Bank – Freeze on new settlement construction expires On 26 September Israel’s agreement to freeze new settlement construction in the West Bank expired. October Norway – 2010 Nobel Peace Prize is announced On 8 October the imprisoned Chinese pro-democracy activist Liu Xiaobo was announced as the recipient of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. Global – The Iraq War Logs are leaked by Wikileaks On 22 October Wikileaks leaked some 400,000 documents (The Iraq War Logs) to The Guardian, The New York Times, and Der Spiegel newspapers. November United States – Republicans win back the House of Representatives On 2 November the Republican Party took back control of the House of Representatives. Burma – Aung San Suu Kyi is released from house arrest On 13 November the pro-democracy leader and recipient of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest after being detained for 15 of the past 21 years. Vatican – The Catholic Church amends its ‘absolute ban’ on condoms On 20 November Pope Benedict XVI announced a slight change to the Catholic Church’s position on the use of condoms: from an ‘absolute ban’ to instead recognizing that in some instances the use of condoms is necessary to help stop the spread of Aids. South Korea – North Korea fires artillery shells at South Korean border island On 23 November North Korea fired a dozen artillery shells at Yeonpyeong island, a South Korean island, killing 2 soldiers and injuring a number of civilians. Global - The US Embassy Cables are leaked by Wikileaks On 28 November Wikileaks leaked some US Embassy Cables to El País, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, The Guardian, and The New York Times newspapers. December United Kingdom – Wikileaks founder is arrested On 7 December Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was arrested in London after allegations of rape were made against him in Sweden and a European arrest warrant was issued. Norway - 2010 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony takes place On 10 December the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony took place, however, the recipient (the imprisoned Chinese pro-democracy activist Liu Xiaobo) and his family were prevented from attending the ceremony by the Chinese government. Instead the award was placed symbolically on an empty seat at the ceremony. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Sweden – A car bomb and a suicide bombing in Stockholm On 11 December a car bomb and a suicide bomber (Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly) struck Stockholm. Tunisia – Mohamed Bouazizi sets fire to himself On 17 December Mohamed Bouazizi (a street vendor in Tunisia) committed self-immolation after having his stock confiscated. Tunisia – Mass protests against Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali On 18 December, inspired by the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi on the previous day, protests started against the Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and the corruption, unemployment, poor living conditions and erosion of free speech in Tunisia. Australia – Floods hit Queensland In December major destruction was caused by the floods in Queensland. Algeria – Anti-government protestors and the police clash On 29 December anti-government protestors and the police clashed on the streets in Algeria. 2011 January Russia – Russia-China oil pipeline opens On 1 January the first Russia-China oil pipeline opened. North Korea – US envoy visit North Korea On 4 January a US envoy arrived in North Korea in an attempt to begin a new round of diplomacy with North Korea. United States – Republican Party takes control of US Congress On 6 January the Republican Party took control of the United States Congress. United States – US defense budget cuts On 7 January it was announced that the US defense budget would be cut by US$78b. Sudan – Referendum on the independence of Southern Sudan begins On 9 January a referendum about whether Southern Sudan should become independent began. Tunisia – Tunisian President dissolves parliament On 14 January Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was forced to dissolve parliament, declare a state of emergency and then flee to Saudi Arabia. Israel – Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barack leaves the Labour Party On 17 January the Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barack resigned from the Labour Party in order to form a new party. Tunisia – Tunisian Prime Minister defends new Cabinet On 18 January Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi defended his new Cabinet. United States – President Obama hosts the Chinese President On 18 January the US President Barack Obama hosted the Chinese President Hu Jintao at the White House. Albania – Anti-government protests start On 21 January anti-government protests started in Tirana. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Russia – Moscow’s Domodedovo airport is bombed On 24 January a suicide bomber attacked Moscow’s Domodedovo airport killing 35 and injuring 113 people. Global – The Palestinian Papers are leaked On 24 January the Palestinian Papers were leaked by al-Jazeera. Egypt – Egyptian protests begin On 25 January, and inspired by the Tunisian protests, Egyptians took to the streets in protest against President Hosni Mubarak and his government. United States – First Guantanamo Bay detainee is sentenced On 26 January Ahmed Ghailani was the first Guantanamo Bay detainee to be sentenced by an American civilian court. He was given a life sentence for conspiracy to damage and destroy US property during the 1998 US Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. Yemen – Anti-government protests start On 27 January anti-government protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his government started in Sana’a. Jordan – Anti-government protests start On 28 January protestors took to the streets in protest against Prime Minister Samir Rifai. Egypt – President Mubarak announces a new Egyptian Cabinet On 29 January President Hosni Mubarak announced a new Egyptian Cabinet after having sacked his former Cabinet. Sudan – Result of the Southern Sudan referendum is announced On 30 January it was announced that Southern Sudan had voted overwhelmingly for independence in the referendum. Egypt – Further changes to the new Egyptian Cabinet are announced On 31 January, and amid growing protests, President Hosni Mubarak announced that he would be making further changes to the new Egyptian Cabinet (replacing Interior Minister Habib al-Adly and also the Culture and Finance Ministers). February Jordan – Jordanian government are sacked On 1 February King Abdullah II announced that he had sacked the Jordanian government. Yemen – President announces he will not be standing for re-election in 2013 On 2 February President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced that he would not be standing for re- election in 2013 and he would also not be passing over power to his son. Egypt – President Mubarak announces that he will not be stepping down On 2 February President Hosni Mubarak announced that he would not be stepping down. Yemen – ‘Day of Rage’ takes place On 3 February a ‘Day of Rage’ took place in protest against the Yemeni government. Bahrain – Anti-government protestors gather in front of the Egyptian Embassy On 4 February anti-government protestors gathered in front of the Egyptian Embassy in Manama, Bahrain. Jordan – New Prime Minister is appointed © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Russia – Government releases ambitious military plan On 24 February government planned a $650bn defence spend up to 2020. This means that spending on defence development would triple. Israel – Rocket reaches Be’er Sheva in Southern Israel On 24 February a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip struck the Nargev’s largest city for the first time since Israeli Operation Cast Lead was launched 2 years ago. Egypt – New Protests in Cairo On 25 February thousands protesters gathered in Tahrir Square to push for the fulfilment of the revolution and for new Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq’s dismissal. Libya – USA imposes sanctions on the Lybian Government On 26 February Barack Obama signed an executive order freezing the assets of Gaddafi, his family, central bank and government’s members. Tunisia – Protests lead to Prime Minister’s resignation On 28 February security forces clashed with protesters in Tunis demanding the removal of some ministers of Ghannouchi's interim government before the premier announced his resignation. March Ivory Coast – Fire on UN sanctions experts On 1 March forces loyal to Gbagbo opened fire on UN experts who were investigating on a suspected breach of international arms embargo of the country. Libya – Rebels take Eastern part of the country On 2 March Gaddafi’s troops withdrew from Eastern Libya, thousands of rebels celebrate in Benghazi. Libya – UN urges refugees’ mass evacuation On 2 March UN refugee agency issued an urgent appeal for the evacuation of thousands of people fleeing into Tunisia. Sudan – Government to organise Darfur referendum On 3 March government announced that Sudan will hold a referendum on whether to unify the three states of its Darfur territory into one region. Yemen – Police opens fire on protesters On 9 March Yemeni police forces opened fire against protesters in an effort to prevent the protesters against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's three-decade rule expanding the camp they have set up in a square near Sanaa university. Morocco – King announces constitutional reform On 9 March King Mohammed VI announced broad revision of Morocco's constitution: the overall project would be put to Moroccan voters in a referendum. Egypt – Killings during protests On 10 March thirteen Egyptians were killed during riots between Christians and Muslims in Cairo, while new government met for the first time. Tibet – Dalai Lama will give up his political role On 11 March Dalai Lama announced that he will give up his political role in Tibet's government-in- exile, shifting that power to an elected representative. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Japan – Tsunami follows massive earthquake On 11 March a magnitude 8.9 earthquake slammed Japan's north-eastern coast, unleashing a four-meter tsunami that swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland. Official estimations number the civilian deaths at 20000. Israel – New Housing in West Bank On 11 March Israeli government authorized the construction of hundreds of new homes in West Bank. Bahrain – Protests continue On 12 March thousands of anti-government protesters blocked the access to the financial district in Manama. Japan – Government fears a nuclear disaster On 12 March, following multiple explosions at the Fukushima nuclear plant, Japanese authorities warned of health risks, telling people in a 20-mile area to stay indoors. Libya – Gaddafi’s troops push into Benghazi On 16 March, Gaddafi’s forces pushed into the rebel-held city of Benghazi, defying world demands for an immediate ceasefire and forcing rebels to retreat. Libya – UNSC passes resolution On 17 March UN Security Council passed a resolution authorizing its member states "to take all necessary measures (...) to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamhariya, including Benghazi”. Libya – International forces start air strikes On 19 March the first air strikes contributed to halt the advance of Gaddafi’s troops on Benghazi. The initial international coalition includes Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Norway, Qatar, Spain, UK and US. Gaza – Israel launches air strikes On 23 March, Israeli forces launched air strikes in the Gaza Strip killing eight civilians. Syria – Anti-government protests continue, 15 killed On 23 March, security forces raided a mosque in the city of Dara where protesters had sought shelter. Portugal – Prime Minister resigns After parliamentary rejection of government’s austerity plan, Prime Minister Jose Socrates resigned on 23 March. Libya – Foreign Minister resigns On 30 April Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa resigned. April Israel/Gaza Strip – Hamas fighting continue On 9 April, Israeli warplanes killed five militants as response to the launch of more than 30 rockets towards Southern Israel Egypt – Protesters in Tahrir Square On 10 April, thousands protesters gathered again in Tahrir Square to demand the removal of the military council ruling the country Ivory Coast – Former President Gbagbo is arrested On 11 April new government’s forces, with support of French officials, arrested Gbagbo in Abidjan, ending de facto the Ivorian civil war. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Japan – Nuclear alarm On 12 April, Japanese authorities have raised the crisis level to a severity on par with Chernobyl disaster after new assessments of radiation leaks from the Fukishima nuclear plant. Cuba – Fidel Castro leaves Communist Party’s leadership On 19 April it became official that Fidel Castro was removed from the leadership of the party, while other senior stalwarts were appointed to the top positions. In his speech, Fidel Castro announced that “the revolution will go on”. Yemen – President agrees to quit On 23 April Yemeni President Saleh agreed on a proposal of Arab Gulf mediators to quit within 30 days. Seven opposition parties welcomed this decision with reservation. Tibet – Harvard scholar elected PM of the Tibetan exile government On 27 April Lobsang Sangay has been appointed to head the Central Tibetan Administration based in the Indian town of Dharamasala. He will inherit much of the political powers relinquished by the Dalai Lama in March. Palestine – Fatah and Hamas reach agreement On 27 April, and after several days of secret meetings in Cairo, Fatah and Hamas have reached an historical agreement on planning to form a transitional government and holding new elections in West Bank and Gaza Strip next year. May USA – President Obama announces Osama bin Laden’s death On 1 May Osama bin Laden was slain in his luxury hideout in Pakistan in a fire-fight with U.S. forces. Vatican City – John Paul II is beatified On 1 May Pope Benedict XVI beatified John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square. 1.5 million pilgrims attended the event. Pakistan – Government criticizes American raid On 3 May Pakistani authorities manifested their concern on what they considered “an unauthorized raid that violated the country’s sovereignty”. Pakistan – Talibans’ terror attack kills 80 military recruits On 13 May twin suicide bombings killed 80 recruits in Shabqadar; Talibans said attack had carried out to avenge bin Laden’s death. USA – Government imposes sanctions on Syrian President Assad In response to the bloody crackdown perpetrated by Syrian government on protesters since mid- March, on 18 May, US government has frozen any financial asset that Assad has in the US. USA – Strauss-Kahn resigns as IMF director On 18 May Strauss-Kahn resigned saying he wanted to devote all his energy to battle the sexual assault allegations he faced in New York from a 32-year-old hotel maid that lead to his arrest on 15 May. Ivory Coast – Alassane Ouattara inaugurated as president On 21 May Ouattara was proclaimed Ivory Coast’s president in a ceremony he should have enjoyed six months ago when, after being elected, he faced the opposition of former president Gbagbo who refused to accept his election defeat and dragged the country into civil war. Bosnia – Commander Mladic extradited to ICC in The Hague © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Palestine – Violent protest against U.S. On 22 September, thousands Palestinians gathered outside the residence of PA president Abbas to protest against United States’ pledge to veto any request for U.N. membership for a Palestinian state. Yemen – President Ali Abdullah Saleh returned home On 24 September, Yemenite president moved back to Yemen after more than three months of being treated in Saudi Arabia for wounds from an assassination attempt. October Norway – Nobel Peace Prize to three women On 7 October, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian women’s rights activist Leymah Gbowee and democracy activist Tawakkul Karman of Yemen. Ukraine – Tymoshenko sentenced to 7 years On 11 October, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was found guilty of abuse of office and sentenced to 7 years in jail. Libya – Gadhafi’s son captured in Sirte On 12 October, Libyan rebels captured Mo’tassim Gadhafi in Sirte after he tried to escape the battle-torn city in a car with his family. Worldwide – “Occupy” protests expand On 16 October, hundreds of thousands people nicknamed “the indignant” marched in cities across the world to protest against governments’ cost-cutting and failed financial policies. Israel/Palestine – Prisoners’swap On 18 October, Hamas released Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit after 5 years of imprisonment. At the same time, Israeli government released 477 Palestinian prisoners. They are the first of 1027 that will be released in the coming months. Libya – Gadhafi captured and killed On 20 October, Libyan fighters captured and killed 69-years-old Moammar Gadhafi as last loyal town Sirte fell. Spain – ETA ends armed independence campaign On 20 October, after killing more than 800 people across Spain, the ETA Basque separatists announced they would lay down their arms. Libya – Liberation Ceremony On 23 October, Libya’s interim rulers declared the country liberated after an 8-month civil war. Palestine – UNESCO admits Palestine as member state On 31 October, UNESCO’s General Conference voted to admit Palestine as a Member of the Organization. The vote was carried by 107 votes in favour of admission and 14 votes against, with 52 abstentions. November Greece – New Government Coalition On 6 November, Greek Prime Minister Papandreou and opposition leader Samaras have agreed on a new coalition government to approve a euro zone bailout deal before elections. Papademos, former vice president of the European Central Bank, was named new prime minister. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. Italy – Berlusconi resigns On 12 November, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi resigned after the Parliament’s lower chamber passed austerity reforms. Italy – Monti named to head government On 14 November, Italy’s president appointed former European Commissioner Mario Monti to head a new government charged with implementing urgent structural reforms. Yemen – President Saleh steps down On 23 November, Yemenite autocratic leader agreed to step down after months of demonstrations against his 33-year rule. He was the fourth leader to lose power in the wave of Arab Spring uprisings during 2011. Syria - Arab League agrees to sanctions on Syria On 26 November, Arab League economy ministers agreed to impose a list of sanctions after Damascus ignored a deadline to end a violent crackdown on opposition. December Iraq – U.S. formally ends Iraqi war On the 15 December, US military officially declared an end to its mission in Iraq, no senior Iraqi political figures attended the ceremony. North Korea – Kim Jong Il has died On the 17 December, North Korea’s leader died. His third son, Kim Jong Un, was unveiled as his successor. Iraq – Bombings kill 60 civilians On 21 December, a wave of at least 14 bombings ripped across Baghdad killing at least 60 people in the worst violence in Iraq for months. 2012 January Syria – Arab League halts observer mission On 28 January, the Arab League halted its observer mission because of escalating violence that killed nearly 100 people in three days. Israel – Netanyahu wins primary On 31 January, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won the leadership race of his Likud Party over his ultranationalist rival, hours after his government approved new incentives to entice people to move to West Bank settlements. February Syria – Governmental forces killed 200 activists On 4 February, Syrian forces killed 200 people in an offensive that appeared to be the bloodiest episode in the 11-month-old uprising. Iran – U.N. nuclear inspectors On 20 February, the International Atomic Energy Agency met Iranian nuclear scientists and visited the Parchin military complex for inspections. Greece – Extra bailout loans On 21 February, the Eurozone countries reached an agreement to hand Greece 130 billion in extra bailout loans to save it from a potential disastrous default. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. March Russia – Putin declares victory On 4 March, Putin gained over 64% votes, enough to give him a first round victory. Opposition groups reported widespread fraud and called for mass protests. Greece – Debt swap unblocks second bailout On 9 March, Greek government approved the largest restructuring of government debt in history. Eurozone finance ministers said the conditions for a new 130bn-euro were now in place. Afghanistan – US soldier kills 16 Afghan civilians On 11 March, a US soldier killed 16 civilians, entering their homes in the province of Kandahar. He handed himself over to the US military authorities after carrying out the killings. Egypt- Pope Shenouda III dies On 17 March, Coptic Christian Pope Shenouda III died at the age of 88. He was reported to suffer from cancer. Mali – Soldiers in revolt On 21 March, a group of Army mutineers appeared on Mali’s national television station to declare they had ended President Amadou Toumani Toure’s regime and put in place the “National Committee for the Return of Democracy and the Restoration of State” (CNRDR). April Myanmar – Suu Kyi wins election On 1 April, opposition leader and Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won the presidential elections. Syria – Civilians targeted On 7 April, the Local Coordination Committees of Syria reported that the regime targeted civilians and killed 127 in the eastern city of Rastan. Syria – UN Security Council plans monitors’ deployment On 14 April, the UNSC has passed a resolution authorising the deployment of a team of monitors to Syria to oversee the agreed ceasefire. Sierra Leone – Charles Taylor found guilty On 26 April, after a five-year-long trial at the Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague, former Liberian leader Charles Taylor has been found guilty of aiding and abetting civil war crimes during the Sierra Leone civil war. May France – Francois Holland wins the elections On 7 May, the socialist Francois Hollande defeated French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the presidential runoff. Serbia- Tomislav Nikolic elected new president On 21 May, nationalist Tomislav Nikolic has been elected president of Serbia with liberal incumbent Boris Tadic admitting defeat soon after polls closed. Yemen – Suicide blast kills over 100 troops On 21 May, a suicide bomber set off a blast that killed more than 100 Yemenite soldiers in what appeared to be the deadliest attack ever on troops in Yemen. USA – NATO accept Obama’s timetable on Afghanistan © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. On 23 March, On Thursday, Scotland's First Minister and Scottish National Party (SNP) leader, Alex Salmond, set the date September 18, 2014, for the country's referendum on political independence from the rest of the United Kingdom April Palestine – Fayyad Resigns On 13 April, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad resigned in Palestine amid infighting among the leaders of the Palestinian Authority and popular discontent. Venezuela – Maduro replaces Chavez On 14 April, Nicolas Maduro won special presidential elections to pick Hugo Chavez’s successor. He received the 50.8% of votes, while Henrique Capriles Radonski reached 49%. Maduro’s opposition questioned the constitutionality of his election. May Syria- Israeli Airstrikes hits Damascus On 3-5 May, Israeli air forces struck Damascus. Israeli officials maintained that actions were not to be considered as Israel’s direct involvement in the Syrian’s ongoing civil war. Rather, the strikes targeted military warehouses in an effort to prevent Hezbollah from getting more weapons. Syria – War spills over into Lebanon On 25-26 May, Hezbollah and Syrian forces bombed the rebel-controlled town of Al-Qusayr. In response, several rockets hit Shiite suburbs of Beirut, considered to be strongholds of Hezbollah. USA/Syria – McCain meets Syrian rebels On 28 May, US Senator John McCain travelled to Syria to meet rebels in a show of support. On the table: the possible future involvement of the US in the Syrian civil war. Turkey – Protests spread from Gezi Park On 31 May, a sit-in protesting government’s plans to demolish Istanbul’s Gezi Park in Taksim Square to build a shopping-center turned into enormous anti-government demonstrations in several cities throughout Turkey. June Iran – Rowhani wins election On 15 June, Hassan Rowhani – a moderate cleric and Iran’s former negotiator on nuclear issues- won presidential elections with just under 51% votes. Australia – Gillard resigns On 26 June, Prime Minister Julia Gillard resigned after being ousted as Labor Party leader in a party vote. Former PM Kevin Rudd substituted her as party leader and, the following day, replaced her as PM. Egypt – Massive protests erupt On 30 June, first anniversary of Morsi’s presidency, one million people took to the streets to protest in organized demonstrations calling for the president to step down. July Egypt – Morsi deposed by Military On 4 July, the Egyptian military deposed Morsi and suspended the constitution in what they defined an act aimed at “national reconciliation”. Mohammed Morsi was taken into custody and numerous of his inner circle were placed under house arrest. Adli Mansour, chief of the Supreme Constitutional Court, was sworn in as interim president. Palestine/Israel- New Peace Talks On 30 July, Palestinian and Israeli negotiators adhered to the initiative of the US Secretary of State John Kerry to resume peace talks on all final status issues. August Russia- Asylum to Snowden © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. On 1 August, Russia granted a one-year asylum to Edward Snowden, the American who leaked info about US surveillance. The asylum allowed him to leave the Moscow airport where he had been since June. In response, Obama cancelled a planned summit with Russian President Putin which was to be held in Moscow in September. Egypt – State of Emergency declared On 19 August, while the crackdown and protests continued with casualties mounting and more than 1000 fatalities, a court ordered that former president Hosni Mubarak be released from prison. Syria – Obama considers a limited strike On 27 August, US President Obama declared to be considering a limited strike on the Syrian Military bases believed to be responsible for the chemical attack that killed as many as 1000 people on the 21 August. September Egypt – Army hits Sinai militants On 7 September, the Egyptian army mounted a major operation against Islamist militants in North Sinai on Saturday, killing or wounding at least 30 people. Syria- USA and Russia reach deal over chemical weapons On 14 September, United States and Russia reached a deal to compel Syria to account for and eventually destroy its chemical weapons arsenal, leaving open the possibility that the UN could authorize sanctions or military action for future violations. Japan – Government switches off last nuclear reactor On 15 September, Japan concluded the process of switching off its last working nuclear reactor, for a scheduled inspection, with no restart in sight due to public hostility towards atomic power. Iran/USA- Diplomatic Relations are re-established On 27 September, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry during P5+1 and Iran talks, the highest-level direct contact between the United States and Iran in six years. USA and Iran cut diplomatic relations in 1980, after students and Islamic militants stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took American diplomats hostage. October Norway- OPCW wins the Nobel Peace Price On 11 October, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons won Nobel Peace Prize. China/India- China-India reach border defense pact On 22 October, China and India signed a deal aimed at soothing tension on their contested border, as the two countries tried to break a decades-old stalemate on overlapping claims to remote stretches of the Himalayas. Afghanistan- Australia declares its war to be over On 28 October, Australian PM Tony Abbott visited Afghanistan and declares war over. November DR Congo- Army defeats M23 rebels On 5 November, the M23 rebel group announced it was ending its rebellion after one year and a half of armed violence. Iran – Agreement on nuclear weapons On 23 November, Iran reached an interim agreement with the P5+1 countries over limiting its nuclear programs in exchange for reduced sanctions. Italy – Berlusconi expelled from parliament On 26 November, the Italian Senate expelled former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi over tax fraud conviction. © Oxford University Press, 2015. All rights reserved. December Central African Republic- UN creates MISCA On 5 December, the UNSC resolution 2127 established the “African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic” to stabilize the country as a result of the Central African Republic conflict under the Djotodia administration and following the 2013 Central African Republic coup d'état. South Africa – Mandela dies On 5 December, Nelson Mandela died aged 95. 2014 January Tunisia – Government steps down On 9 January, Prime Minister Ali Larayedh stepped down following renewed protests, paving the way for new elections, in accordance with an agreement between his Islamist Ennahda party and secular opposition parties. Egypt – New Constitution On 14 and 15 January, Egyptians approved a new constitution that bans political parties based on religion, gives women equal rights and protects the status of minority Coptic Christians. February Ukraine – Agreement for unity government On 20 February, and after more than two months of violent pro-European protests, opposition forces agreed on forming a unity government leaded by interim President Oleksandr Turchynov. March Egypt – Court bans Hamas On 4 March, an Egyptian bans the Palestinian group Hamas and order its offices in the country to be shut down and brands the organization as a “terrorist organization”. USA- Internet control to be relinquished On 14 March, and following revelations on NSA’s surveillance, the US government announces plans to relinquish remaining controls of the internet. Ukraine/Russia – Referendum on Crimea On 16 March, voters in Crimea vote overwhelming to leave Ukraine and rejoin Russia. April Ukraine/Russia- NATO suspends cooperation with Russia On 1 April, NATO suspends "all practical civilian and military cooperation" with Russia as a result of the annexation of Crimea, and no sign that Russian troops have withdrawn from the Ukrainian border. Central African Republic- UN to send peacekeepers On 11 April, the United Nations vote to send 12000 peacekeepers in the CAR to help protect citizens as Christians and Muslims continue fighting in the country. Palestine – The PA signs 15 Un/Geneva treaties On 12 April, the Palestinian Authority signs 15 UN/Geneva human rights treaties including the Fourth Geneva Convention. May Thailand – Army declares martial law On 20 May, the Royal Thai Army declares martial law after six months of political unrest. China/Russia – Massive gas export contract On 21 May, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin sign a massive 30-year natural gas export contract worth $400 billion.