Timeline: Egypt since January protests

(Reuters) - Here is a timeline of events in Egypt since protests against former President Hosni Mubarak began.

January 25, 2011 - Anti-government protests begin across Egypt following the January 14 overthrow of Tunisia's president in the first of the "Arab Spring" uprisings.

January 28 - Mubarak orders troops and tanks into cities to quell demonstrations. Thousands cheer at news of intervention of the army, which is widely seen as a neutral force in politics, unlike police who are regularly deployed to stifle dissent.

January 31 - New government is sworn in. New vice president, Omar Suleiman, hitherto intelligence chief, says Mubarak has asked him to start dialogue with political forces.

February 1 - More than a million people around Egypt call for an end to Mubarak's rule.

February 4 - Thousands gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square to press again for an end to Mubarak's rule in a "Day of Departure."

February 10 - Mubarak says national dialogue under way, transfers powers to vice president.

February 11 - Mubarak steps down and a military council is formed to run the country's affairs.

February 15 - Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of ruling military council, issues a decree ordering a constitutional amendment committee to finish its work within 10 days.

February 22 - Tantawi swears in new cabinet but Muslim Brotherhood and others want it purged of ministers appointed by Mubarak.

March 3 - Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq resigns and military asks former Transport Minister Essam Sharaf to form new government.

March 19 - Big majority of Egyptians approve amendments to the constitution in referendum. The amendments are designed to pave way for parliamentary and presidential elections.

March 23 - Egypt approves law easing curbs that choked political life under Mubarak.

April 8 - Thousands protest in Tahrir Square against delays in putting Mubarak on trial.

August 3 - Mubarak trial opens. Wheeled into a courtroom cage on a bed, Mubarak denies charges of killing protesters and abuse of power.

October 9/10 - Coptic Christians turn their fury against the army after at least 25 Christians are killed when troops broke up a protest. Tension between Muslims and minority Christians is not new but has heightened since the anti-Mubarak revolt.

Nov 18. - Thousands of people, frustrated with military rule, protest in Tahrir Square and in other cities.

November 21 - Cabinet tenders resignation.

November 22 - Tantawi promises that a civilian president will be elected in June 2012, six months sooner than the army had planned. Tantawi confirms parliamentary elections will begin on November 28 as planned.

November 25 - Thousands demanding an end to military rule, pack Tahrir Square in the biggest turnout of a week of protests and violence that has killed 42 people.

-- Kamal Ganzouri is named by the ruling army council to head a national salvation cabinet. He had served as prime minister under Mubarak from 1996 to 1999.

November 28 - First voting in elections for the lower house. The staggered election runs through January.

December 7 - The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) wins 34 individual seats of the 45 it contested in the first run-off vote of the election.

December 14-15 - Polls open in the second round of elections for the lower house.

-- The Muslim Brotherhood's FJP say they have received about 40 percent of votes cast for party lists in the second round of voting.

December 23 - Thousands of Egyptians rally in Cairo and other cities to demand that the military give up power, and vent their anger after 17 people were killed in days of protests.

December 28 - Mubarak arrives in court on a hospital trolley as his trial resumes after two months.

December 30 - Egypt's police raid U.S.-backed pro-democracy groups, drawing criticism from Washington which hints it could review its $1.3 billion in military aid.

January 3-4 - Polls open in the third and final round of elections for the lower house with the Muslim Brotherhood expected to maintain its lead.