World news events of 2011

From the devastating tsunami in Japan to Osama Laden’s death, here are the world events that made headlines in 2011.

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March 22, 2011

A boat sits atop a building in Otsuchi, Iwate prefecture, Japan, following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated a vast area of northeastern Pacific coast of Japan, killing nearly 16,000 people. It is estimated that reconstruction efforts could cost as much as $300 billion, making it one of the costliest natural disasters in history.

Hiroto Nomoto / AP

Aug. 31, 2011

Floodwaters from the Passiac River fill the streets, covering automobiles, days after Hurricane Irene hit Paterson, N.J. The hurricane caused widespread destruction along its path, killing more than 40 people.

Mark Dye / Reuters

Nov. 1, 2011

A man pushes a supermarket trolley in a flooded street next to the Chao Praya river in Bangkok. Authorities insisted they could not ease the flooding crisis for everyone in the city, as anger and misery grew in inundated areas over the lack of assistance from officials. Official death toll topped 500 by early November as the government scrambled to evacuate residents from the flood zone. The Thai government has announced a $4 billion recovery plan.

Nicolas Asfouri / AFP/Getty Images

March 20, 2011

Vehicles belonging to forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi explode after an airstrike by coalition forces, along a road between Benghazi and Ajdabiyah. The protests to oust Gaddafi turned into an armed conflict after security forces clashed with protesters in Benghazi in mid-February.

Goran Tomasevic / Reuters

Oct. 21, 2011

The Libyan leader, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 40 years, was killed shortly after he was captured while hiding inside this tunnel in Sirte. He was later buried in an undisclosed location in the desert.

Esam Omran al-Fetori / Reuters

May 2, 2011

People burn a photograph of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden as they celebrate his death in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. Bin Laden was killed in a U.S. helicopter raid on a mansion near the Pakistani capital Islamabad, officials said, ending a nearly 10-year worldwide hunt for the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

/ Reuters

July 22, 2011

A wounded woman is brought ashore opposite Norway’s Utaoya island (in the distance) after being rescued from a gunman who went on a killing rampage targeting participants in a Norwegian Labor Party youth organization event on the island. At least 17 were killed in the attacks in Norway, a bombing in central Oslo and a series of shootings on the island.

Svein Gustav Wilhemlsen / AFP/Getty Images

July 12, 2011

Rupert Murdoch, chief executive of News Corp., and his daughter Elisabeth Murdoch, center, are driven from his apartment in London. News Corp. closed down the News of the World publication following widespread allegations of phone-hacking.

Simon Dawson / Bloomberg

Aug. 7, 2011

Firefighters and riot police survey the area as fire rages through a building in Tottenham, north London. A demonstration against the death of a local man turned violent and cars and shops were set ablaze.

Lewis Whyld / AP

Oct. 25, 2011

A man reacts as rescue workers carry out an earthquake victim from a collapsed building in Ercis, near the eastern Turkish city of Van. The death toll in an earthquake that shook southeast Turkey rose to 366, with 1,301 people injured, the Disaster and Emergency Administration said.

Osman Orsal / Reuters

Oct. 4, 2001

American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who had been instrumental to the al-Qaeda's affiliate in the Arabian peninsula, was killed Sept. 30 after armed drones operated by the CIA struck a vehicle that carried him and other al-Qaeda operatives.

Tracy Woodward / The Washington Post

Oct. 15, 2011

The Bhutanese royal couple, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Ashi Jetsun Pema Wangchuck, kiss in front of thousands of Bhutanese citizens at the celebration ground at ChangLeme Thang in Thimphu, Bhutan. The couple tied the knot in a traditional Buddhist ceremony.

Paula Bronstein / Getty Images

April 29, 2011

Britain's Prince William kisses his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the royal wedding in London.

Matt Dunham / AP

Featured Photo Galleries

PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 29: Serena Williams of USA stretches to plays a forehand in her women's singles first round match between Serena Williams of USA and Virginie Razzano of France during day three of the French Open at Roland Garros on May 29, 2012 in Paris, France. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

French Open results: Serena Williams loses, Maria Sharapova cruises

The American tennis star lost in the first round of a Grand Slam event.

Winnie Pajcic, 9, holds on to a railing as she leans back in the wind during a visit to Stockton Park in Ortega, Fla., in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Beryl on Monday May 28, 2012. Beryl came ashore early Monday near Jacksonville Beach with near-hurricane-strength winds of 70 mph. (AP Photo/The Florida Times-Union, Kelly Jordan)

Tropical storm Beryl, Flugtag, Rolling Thunder, Memorial Day and more in the day in photos

Tropical storm Beryl, Flugtag, Rolling Thunder, Memorial Day and more.

Camels rest at a watering hole outside the town of Aleg May 25, 2012. REUTERS/Joe Penney (MAURITANIA - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY)

Camels, tigers, turtles, a giant stag beetle and more in animal views

Camels, tigers, turtles, a giant stag beetle and more.

ANNAPOLIS, MD- MAY 29: Graduates cheer as the Blue Angels fly over during the 100th anniversary of the United States Naval Academy Graduation and Commissioning Ceremonies in Annapolis, Maryland, on Tuesday, May 29, 2012. U.S Sec. of Defense Leon Edward Panetta gave the graduation address. (Photo by Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post)

U.S. Naval Academy graduation

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta gave the commencement address at the ceremony.

LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 26: Singer/actress Jennifer Lopez (C) performs with dancers during the Q'Viva! The Chosen Live show at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on May 26, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Eye on entertainment

Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Lil Jon, Eddie Van Halen, Mariah Carey and other celebrities.

Doc Watson, bluegrass and folk legend, dies at 89

The blind singer and guitarist was a Grammy winner, known for his flat-picking style of guitar playing.

Henry, a calf, sustained a head wound and required stitches after being slashed over the weekend.

Farm animals attacked in Fairfax

A calf, two goats and a chicken were slashed over the weekend at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon.

COVINGTON, LA - MAY 14: Brother Emmanuel Labrise of St. Joseph's Abbey prepares a casket for lining on May 15, 2012 in Covington, Louisiana. Louisiana law forbids those who are not licensed funeral directors from selling caskets. And since Hurricane Katrina leveled the timberlands that once provided the main source of funding for the abbey, the monks have attempted to make a living by building and selling simple cypress caskets. The monks won their first round last year, and have a hearing at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in June. (Photo by Sean Gardner/For the Washington Post)

Louisiana monks fight for the right to sell coffins

Federal court case pits a group of monks against the funeral home industry.

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