General Knowledge 2012

Important Events of The World in 2012

Arab Awakening 

• The revolutionary wave of demonstrations that began in Tunisia in December 2010, spread across the region during the year and led to collapse of some decades old authoritarian regimes.

Brazil 

• Dilma Rousseff sworn in as country’s first woman president, Jan 1.

Cuba

• Fidel Castro, 84, announced his resignation from the leadership the communist party, a position he held since 1965, April 19.

Egypt 

• President Hosni Mubarak resigned after 18 days to mass protests, ending his 30 year presidency, February 11.

France

• Strauss Kahn, considered a leading candidate for the 2012 presidency, resigned as the head of IMF after being arrest over allegations of sexual assault in US, May 18.

Greece

• Lucas Papademos became PM after George Papandreou was forced to step down due to the country’s debt crisis, November 11.

India 

• Corruption emerged the biggest issue to catch the imagination of the common man. Anna Hazare-led crusade forced the government to introduce the Lokpal Bill in Parliament. The draft legislation got mired in contradictions and could not become law.

Italy 

• Silvio Berlusconi resigned as PM after losing majority amid an acute economic crisis faced by the nation, November 13.

Iraq 

• US formally declares end of war, nearly nine years after the invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein, December 15.

Japan 

• Massive earthquake and resulting tsunami killed about 16,000 people while triggering the world’s worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl 25 years ago, March 11.

Libya 

• Dictator for 42 years, Muammar Gaddafi killed by rebels after being overthrown an eight month uprising backed by NATO, October 20.

Myanmar 

• Military junta gave up power after almost 50 years, but army retained its grip, March 30.

Nepal 

• Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai elected new Prime Minister, August 28.

New Zealand 

• Christchurch earthquake left 181 dead, February 22.
• John Key won second term in office as PM, November 26.

North Korea 

• Supreme leader Kim Jong- un named successor December 29.

Norway 

• A deadly shooting spree and bomb attack left over 92 dead, July 23.

Pakistan 

• Osama bin Laden, the world’s most dreaded terrorist, killed by US Special Forces at a secret compound in Abbottabad, May 1.
• Relations with US took a collision course after 24 Pak soldiers got killed in a NATO attack, November 26.

Philippines 

• Close to 1,250 people died in tropical storm ‘Washi’ December 16.

Russia 

• Vladimir Putin’s party suffers poll setback; faces allegations frauds, December 5.

South Sudan 

• Became the world’s newest nation following decdess of conflict with the north in which some 1.5 million people died, July 9.

Thailand 

• Yingluck Shinawatra became the country’s first woman PM, August 5.
• Devastating floods cripple economy and leave millions affected.

Tunisia 

• President Zine el- Abidine Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia after weeks of mass protests.

Turkey 

• Earthquake in the eastern part of the country left close to 600 dead, October 23.

United Kingdom 

• Prince William, second in line to the British throne, married ‘commoner’ Kate Middleton in a fairytale ceremony watched by millions, April 29.
• Rupert Murdoch owned newspaper ‘News of the World’ forced to shut down following allegations of phone hacking, July 7.
• Fatal police shooting of a young man in London sparked riots across several cities in England, August 4.

United Nations 

• Ban Ki Moon re- elected U.N. Secretary General for a second five year term, June 21.

USA

• Legendary Hollywood actress ElizabethTaylor died at age 79, March 23.
• Standard & Poor’s downgraded the country’s credit rating from top tier AAA to AA-plus for the first time in history, August 5.
• Iconic information technology visionary and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, 56, passed away, October 5.

Key Dates in Iraq War

2003	March 20: US Force attack Baghdad in failed attempt to kill Saddam Hussein.
	April 9: US troops storm Baghdad. Saddam statue toppled.
	December 13: Saddam captured in an underground hideout near Tikrit.
2004	April 4: Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s followers strike in south.
	April 18: Probe into detainee abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison.
	June 28: US transfers sovereignty to Iraq but retain real power.
	July 1: Trial of Saddam begins.
	November 7: US soldiers and Marines launch biggest attack of war to seize insurgent held Fallujah.
2005	October 15: New constitution approved in referendum.
	December 15: Iraqis choose new Parliament under new constitution.
2006	December 30: Saddam is executed.
2007	January 10: President Bush orders 30,000 rein- forcements to Iraq.
	August 29: Muqtada al-Sadr announces a cease-fire.
	September 16: Blackwater guards kill 17 civilians in Baghdad.
2008	January 8: US, Iraqi forces launch operations to secure capital.
2009	May 27: Last British combat troops leave Iraq.
2010	March 7: Iraqi polls fail to give power to a single bloc. Power sharing deal in November.
	August 18: US combat mission ends.
2011	October 21: Obama says all troops to leave Iraq by year end.
	December 15: US military officially ends mission.