Bahrain History (2000-Present)

-2002 February - Bahrain turns itself into a constitutional monarchy and allows women to stand for office in a package of reforms.

-2003 May - Thousands of victims of alleged torture petition king to cancel law which prevents them from suing suspected torturers.

-2005 March-June - Thousands of protest marchers demand a fully-elected parliament.

-2006 January - US President George W Bush signs a bill to enact the 2004 US-Bahrain free-trade agreement after it is approved by the US Congress.

-2013 September - Bahrain's main Shia opposition groups pull out of talks with the government in protest at the arrest of a leading member of Wefaq, the main Shia opposition society.

-2014 July - Bomb blast kills police officer, the latest in a series of attacks on security forces.

-2014 November - Parliamentary elections, boycotted and dismissed by the Shia opposition as a farce.