Egypt: New leader of Muslim Brotherhood - timeline
Searching more than 75 years of world history
- January 2010. The Muslim Brotherhood selects Mohammed Badie, a conservative, as its new leader.
- November 2009. Serious animosity between Egypt and Algeria rises in the aftermath of the Algerian football team's victory over Egypt in a qualification match for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
- August 2009. President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak pays his first visit to the USA in more than five years.
- June 2009. US President Barack Obama delivers a landmark address to the Muslim world from Cairo University.
- April 2009. The authorities announce the arrest of 49 Egyptian, Palestinian, and Lebanese men linked to the Lebanese Shia Hezbollah movement.
- February 2009. Ayman Nur, the leader of the opposition Al Ghad Party, is released from prison.
- April 2008. The Muslim Brotherhood boycotts local elections after most of its candidates are barred from standing and many are arrested.
- March 2007. Controversial constitutional amendments are approved by national referendum, but opposition forces claim that they will undermine civil and political liberties.
- November 2006. The authorities launch a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood.
- December 2005. Three-stage legislative elections end and, although the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) emerges as the largest group, the Muslim Brotherhood (standing as independents) are the largest opposition bloc.
- September 2005. Mubarak wins a fifth, six-year term in office in the countrys first genuinely contested presidential contest.
- July 2005. Co-ordinated bomb attacks in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh result in the deaths of at least 88 people, including foreign tourists.
- May 2005. A constitutional amendment approved by referendum opens the way for multi-candidate presidential elections.
- October 2004. Co-ordinated bomb attacks in the Sinai peninsular target Israeli tourists and kill at least 34 people.
- September 2002. President Mubaraks son, Gamal Mubarak, is given a high-ranking post within the NDP, fuelling speculation that he is being groomed to succeed his father.
- December 2000. Legislative elections are completed and result in the ruling NDP retaining an overwhelming majority, although opposition forces make some advances.
- September 1999. A national referendum overwhelmingly approves the re-election of Mubarak for a fourth six-year term as president.
- November 1997. Over 60 foreign tourists are massacred by Islamist militants in an attack near the ancient city of Luxor, the location of some of the countrys most important archaeological sites.
- November-December 1995. Legislative elections result in an overwhelming majority for the ruling NDP.
- June 1995. President Mubarak survives an assassination attempt in Ethiopia, upon his arrival at a summit of the Organisation of African Unity.
- October 1993. Mubarak is sworn in for a third six-year term - his uncontested re-nomination by the NDP had earlier been approved by the People's Assembly (the legislature).
- October 1990. Rifaat al-Mahgoub, the speaker of the People's Assembly, is assassinated in Cairo (the capital) by Islamist gunmen.
- May 1989. Egypt is formally welcomed back into the Arab League after an absence of 10 years.
- October 1988. Mubarak is sworn in for a second six-year term as president - his uncontested re-nomination by the ruling NDP had earlier been approved by the People's Assembly.
- May 1984. For the first time in legislative elections, voters are asked to choose a party rather than a candidate - the ruling NDP emerges as the clear victor.
- October 1981. President Anwar Sadat is assassinated by Islamists and he is succeeded by Vice President Mubarak—emergency laws giving wide-ranging powers of arrest and detention are introduced.
- March 1979. On the basis of the Camp David Agreements, Egypt and Israel sign a peace treaty in Washington DC—under the terms of the agreement, Israel stages a phased withdrawal from the Sinai, but most Arab states mount a wide-ranging political and economic boycott against Egypt.
- September 1978. With US mediation, Egypt and Israel agree to two framework agreements on Middle East peace (the Camp David Agreements).
- November 1977. President Sadat becomes the first Arab leader to visit Israel.
- March 1976. President Sadat abrogates the 1971 treaty of friendship and co-operation with the Soviet Union.
- June 1975. The Suez Canal, closed since the 1967 Six-Day War, is re-opened.
- October 1973. Egypt and Syria go to war with Israel during Israel's celebration of Yom Kippur to reclaim the land they lost in 1967—a successful Israeli counter-attack leads to a ceasefire and Egypt begins negotiations for the return of Sinai after the war.
- September 1971. A new constitution comes into force and the United Arab Republic (UAR) is renamed as the Arab Republic of Egypt—Sadat begins to dismantle the socialist planning and organisation established by Nasser.
- July 1971. A treaty of friendship and co-operation with the Soviet Union comes into force.
- January 1971. The Aswan High Dam is officially inaugurated.
- September 1970. President Gamal Abdel Nasser dies and is replaced by Vice President Sadat.
- June 1967. Following months of rising tension in the region and with Arab forces mobilising their armies, Israel carries out a series of devastating pre-emptive strikes against Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Iraq—at the end of the Six-Day War, Israel has captured the Sinai Peninsular and Gaza Strip from Egypt, the Old City of Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan heights from Syria.
- August 1966. Sayed Kotb, the leading intellectual force behind the Muslim Brotherhood and a major influence on the ideology of al-Qaida, is executed in Egypt.
- March 1965. President Nasser, the sole candidate, is re-elected for another six-year term.
- September 1961. Syria withdraws from the UAR, but Egypt remains known as the UAR.
- February 1958. In furtherance of pan-Arabist objectives, Egypt joins Syria in establishing the UAR.
- November 1956. Britain agrees a ceasefire with Egypt as the Suez Crisis ends in fiasco for Britain and France and increased Egyptian and Arab support for Nasser.
- October 1956. The Suez Crisis unfolds after a tripartite invasion of Egypt by Israel, France and the UK in response to the nationalisation of the Suez Canal.
- July 1956. Nasser nationalises the Suez Canal to fund the Aswan High Dam (from which the UK and the USA have withdrawn promises of assistance) and becomes the hero of the Arab world.
- May 1956. Egypt recognises the Peoples Republic of China.
- January 1956. Col Nasser proclaims a new constitution.
- November 1954. Gen. Neguib is accused of plotting with the Muslim Brotherhood and is deposed as president Col Nasser assumes the function of chief of state.
- July 1954. Egypt and the UK sign an agreement providing for the final evacuation of British troops from the Suez Canal Zone.
- April 1954. Gen. Mohammed Neguib resigns as prime minister, and is replaced by Col Nasser, but remains as president.
- January 1954. The Muslim Brotherhood is dissolved and its leading members are arrested.
- June 1953. Egypt is declared a republic by Gen. Neguib.
- July 1952. The Free Officers Movement force the abdication of King Farouk and Gen. Neguib becomes president and prime minister.
- June 1951. The ban on the Muslim Brotherhood is lifted.
- February 1949. Sheikh Hassan el-Banna, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, is shot dead in Cairo.
- February 1949. Israel survives its first war with the Arabs and an armistice is signed with Egypt—Nasser forms the Committee of the Free Officers Movement to restore the countrys "dignity".
- May 1948. The state of Israel is declared and Egyptian and other Arab forces declare war and invade.
- August 1936. The Anglo-Egyptian Treaty is signed providing for the British military occupation of the Suez Canal zone, allowing Britain to mount its North African campaign in World War II.
- April 1936. Prince Farouk succeeds to the throne of Egypt—he takes the oath in July 1937, on his 18th birthday.
