January

05 Wave of attacks kills 23 in Iraq. 06 Former chief of Turkish Army General Basbug held on charges of coup attempt. ** Suicide attack kills 25 in Damascus. 07 Kenyan jets kill 60 Islamist insurgents in Somalia. 11 Nuclear scientist killed in Tehran blast. 14 Suicide attack kills 53 in Iraq. 17 China, India sign pact to keep border peace. 19 Bangladesh army foiled coup plot. 21 Violence kills 162 in Nigeria. ** Egypt military pardons 1958 detainees. ** Muslim Brotherhood wins Egypt elections.

February

01 Egypt fans invade soccer pitch after match, killing 73. 02 Britain appointed first ambassador to Somalia for 21 years. 04 Russia, China veto UN resolution on Syria. ** Tens of thousand s Russian protest in Moscow demanding fair election. ** Syrian forces kill hundreds of people in Homs. 06 Syrian forces attack protesters, killing 50. ** Earthquake kills 43 in Philippines. 07 Maldives President Nasheed resigns after three weeks of opposition protest. 08 Maldives president says he was forced to quit. 10 Car bomb kills 28 in Syrian city of Homs. 13 Israeli embassy car catches fire in a bomb attack in New Delhi. 19 Suicide bomber kills 20 Iraqi policemen. 21 Violent protest erupts in Afghanistan over Quran burning. 22 Two Western journalists among 26 killed in Homs, Syria. 23 President Obama apologises over the burning of Quran in Afghanistan. 24 Violence in Syrian kills 39. 28 North Korea agrees to suspend nuclear activities as part of a deal with US.

March

04 Blast in Congo arms dump kills 200. ** Clashes between Yemeni soldiers and militants kill 30. 05 Suspected Al Qaeda men kills 27 policemen in Iraq. 07 Blast in Afghanistan kills six British soldiers. 09 US signs deal transferring the Bagram prison to Afghan control. 10 Air strikes in Yemen kill 45 Al Qaeda militants. 11 US soldiers kill 16 Afghan civilians in Kandahar. 13 President Assad calls parliamentary elections in May. 14 Swiss bus carrying a Belgium school party meets accident; 22 dead. 15 South Korean author Shin Kyung Sook wins Man Asia Literary Prize. 16 Isaf-operated helicopter crashes in Kabul; 14 dead. 17 Blasts kill 27 in Damascus. 21 Indian Maoists kidnap two Italians. 23 UN Human Rights Council passes resolution, ordering a first probe of Israeli settlements. ** Military coup in Mali topples President Toumani. 26 Nuclear Security Summit starts in Seoul. 27 Wrapping the nuclear security summit, world leaders agree to work on securing nuclear material by 2014.

April

02 Hungarian President Pal Schmitt resigns after uproar over plagiarism. ** Russian plane crash leaves 31 dead. 04 US charges Khalid Sheikh in 9/11 case. ** Suicide bomber kills 12 in Afghanistan. 07 Joyce Banda sworn in as Malawi’s president. 09 Al Qaeda militants kill 60 in Yemen. 10 Suicide attack kills 19 in Afghanistan. 19 India tests missile capable of hitting targets across China. 22 Air raids kill 20 Al Qaeda suspects in Yemen. 25 Religious parties banned in Libya.

May

01 US President Osama signs strategic pact with Afghan President Karzai in Kabul. 02 In Egypt, 20 killed in anti-military protest. 06 Francois Hollande elected French president. 07 Syria holds first election in 50 years. ** Vladimir Putin sworn in as Russian president 12 India signs howitzer guns deal with US. 13 Senior Afghan peace negotiator Arsal Rahmani shot dead in Kabul. 17 Washington police chief allows turbaned Sikhs to serve as police officers. 20 Nato Chicago summit on Afghanistan begins. 21 A Yemeni soldier blew himself up in the middle of army battalion, killing 96 troops. 23 Turkmenistan signs agreements with Pakistan and India to deliver gas through a new pipeline that will pass through Afghanistan. ** Egyptians cast their ballots in the first presidential vote since 2011 uprising. 26 Syrian troops kill 90 in Houla area.

June

02 Egyptian former president Hosni Mubarak gets life term. 03 Nigerian passenger plane crashes; 153 dead. 04 Rebels kill 80 Syrian soldiers. 05 Russia, China sign diplomatic and trade accords. 06 Nato air strike kills 18 in Afghanistan. 09 Taliban suicide bomber kills four French troops in Afghanistan. 13 US-based nuclear company signs deal with Indian firm. ** Bombing and shooting in Iraq kill 72 pilgrims. 14 US, India sign pact for holding regular trilateral talks with Afghanistan. ** Violence kills 52 in Syria. 16 Myanmar leader Suu Kyi accepts Nobel Peace Prize after 21 years. 18 In Nigeria, 21 killed in church blast. 23 Violence in Syria kills 100. 24 Mohammad Morsi declared Egyptian president. 27 Prime Minister David Cameron plans to replace Britain’s 700-year-old House of Lords with an elected body. 30 Morsi takes oath as Egyptian president. ** Al Qaeda-linked militants destroy ancient shrines in Mali.

July

01 Gunmen attack churches in Kenya, killing 17. ** Spain wins European Championship title. 04 European Centre for Nuclear Research (CERN) discovers sub-atomic particle. 07 Libya’s first free national elections held. ** US designates Afghanistan as major non-Nato ally. 08 Donors’ meeting for Afghanistan held in Tokyo. 09 Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi attends parliament session. 14 Suicide bomber blows himself in wedding hall in Afghanistan, killing 23. 18 UAE plans to start nuclear power plant. ** Syria defence minister dies in blast. 19 Russia, China veto UN resolution on Syria. 20 Gunman kills 12 inside a cinema hall in Colorado. 21 Syrian clashes kill 90. 23 Violence kills 100 in Iraq. 26 Iraqi forces kill 19 militants.

August

02 Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Kundi and his cabinet sworn in. 05 Gunman opens fire at a Sikh temple in US, killing seven. ** Suicide bomber kills 45 in Yemen. ** Philippine school bans Muslim hijab. 08 Egyptian army bombs militants in Sinai, killing 20. 09 Google fined $22.5 million for violation the privacy of people. 11 Two earthquakes strike Iran, killing 180. 15 Air raid kills 30 in Syria’s rebel-held town. 16 OIC agrees to suspend Syrian membership. 18 Al Qaeda attacks Yemeni intelligence headquarter, killing 19. 24 Norwegian anti-Islam warrior Brevik jailed for 21 years.

September

01 Iran, North Korea sign agreement to cooperate in science and technology. 02 Egyptian government retires 70 generals. 06 Explosion by an accidentally-dropped hand-grenade in Turkish ammunition department kills 15 soldiers. ** Migrant boat sinks near Turkey’s western Aegean coast; 60 dead. 07 US designates Haqqani network a foreign terrorist organisation. ** Canada suspends ties with Iran over support for Syria. 09 Terrorist attacks across Iraq kill 88. 12 US ambassador, three embassy staff killed in militant attack in Libya. 14 Demonstrations against anti-Islam film in Arab counties kill five. 16 Nato strike kills eight women in Afghanistan. 18 Afghan woman suicide bomber kills 12. 27 South Sudan and Sudan sign deals on security and cooperation. 30 Rioters torch Buddhist temples and homes in Bangladesh in protest over anti-Islam photo posted on Facebook by a Buddhist.

October

03 Suicide bombings kill 34 in Syrian city of Aleppo. 05 Jordan Islamists demonstrate for democratic reforms. 07 Kuwait’s ruler orders dissolution of parliament. ** Libyan parliament passes no-confidence vote to oust Prime Minister Mustafa Ambuhagur. ** West Indies wins World Twenty20 Cup. 14 Ali Zaidan elected Libya’s prime minister. 15 Moro Islamic Liberation Front signs peace deal with Philippine government. 18 Syrian jets blast rebel-led town, killing 44. 21 Russian army kills 49 militants in Caucasus. ** Dubai court sentences to life Austrian doctor in euthanasia case. 23 Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani visits Gaza. 26 Suicide bomber hits Eid congregation; kills 40 in Afghanistan. 29 Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh overhauls cabinet. 30 Storm Sandy kills 38 in US.

November

01 An Indian village bars girls from using mobile phones. ** Syrian rebels kill 28 soldiers. 05 Car bomb kills 50 in Syria. ** Voting begins in US presidential polls. 06 Sri Lankan parliament admits motion to impeach Chief Justice. 07 Barrack Obama wins presidential elections for a second term. 10 Suicide blast kills 20 in Syria. 14 Israeli air strikes on Gaza kill top Hamas military commander Ahmed Jaabari. 15 Communist Party of China appoints Xi Jinping as the new leader. 18 Israeli air strikes on Gaza kill 23. ** Sri Lankan army recruits 100 Tamil women. ** D-8 meeting begins in Islamabad. 21 Gaza ceasefire takes effect. ** Ajmal Kasab hanged in Pune’s jail in India. 22 Rebels seize key military base in eastern Syria. 22 D-8 Declaration stresses on energy security. 23 Proceedings to impeach Sri Lankan CJ begin. 26 Garment factory fire kills 112 in Bangladesh.

December

08 Hamas leader Khaled Meshal makes his first visit to Gaza. 09 Uganda begins peace talks with rebels. 10 Syrian rebels seize key army base in Aleppo. 14 Gunman kills 26 at a US school. 15 Egyptians vote on draft constitution. 17 Landmine kills 10 in Afghanistan. 20 US Federal Trade Commission updates online privacy laws. 21 John Kerry nominated as US secretary of state. 23 Constitution wins approval in Egypt referendum. ** Syrian army kills 60 rebels. 26 Shinzo Abe returns as Japanese PM.

Compiled by Sabahat Kalim