Wikileaks publishes another batch of US government documents, this time diplomatic cables of which about 100,000 are maked 'secret' or 'confidential'

Anti-gpovernment protests begin in Jordan, soon causing King Abdullah to form a new cabinet with the brief to introduce reform

The results are published of the Southern Sudan referendum on independence, with more than 98% voting in favour of the break from Sudan

After nearly three weeks of escalating violence in Egypt, President Mubarak announces his resignation

A demonstration in Rabat demands that the king of Morocco relinquish some of his powers is followed by King Mohammed VI announcing on television plans for reform

Benghazi, by now firmly in the control of rebels, becomes the temporary headquarters of Libya's newly formed National Transitional Council

A court in Cairo finds Hosni Mubarak guilty of damaging the national economy by severing internet connections on January 26 and fines him about US $34 million

Following the referendum result earlier in the year, South Sudan secedes from the Sudan to become the independent Republic of South Sudan

President Obama announces a last-minute deal with congressional leaders on the debt limit, temporarily calming the fears of the financial markets

With no sign of a deal between Obama and Republicans on raising the debt limit, fears grow that the USA might default on its debts on August 2

Hosni Mubarak appears in court on a hospital bed on the first day of his trial on the capital charge of premeditated killing of peaceful protesters

In a relaxation of military rule in Burma Thein Sein is sworn in as the first civilian president

Aung San Suu Kyi and her party win almost all the 45 available seats in Burma's nation-wide by-elections

François Hollande defeats Nicolas Sarkozy and becomes president of France

Mohamed Morsi, a leading figure in the Muslim Brotherhood, becomes Egypt's first democratically elected president

In Libya's first democratic election the National Forces Alliance, led by Mahmoud Jibril, wins the largest number of seats

Mitt Romney selects Paul Ryan, a more hardline Republican, as his vice-presidential candidate

Mitt Romney is formally nominated, at the Republican convention in Tampa, as the party's presidential candidate

Burma's president Thein Sein says that he would accept Aung San Suu Kyi as his successor

Barack Obama wins a second term, defeating Republican Mitt Romney in the US presidential election

A cleric with moderate views, Hassan Rouhani, wins Iran's presidential election, raising international hopes for dialogue

Julia Gillard, Australia's first female prime minister, is rejected in a Labour party vote and is replaced by Kevin Rudd

Violent clashes erupt again throughout Egypt between Muslim Brotherhood supporters of President Morsi and those objecting to his Islamist policies

After increasng chaos in Egypt the army arrests President Morsi, legitimately elected, and takes control

Egyptian troops begin using live ammunition against Muslim Brotherhood demonstrators