The series of protests and demonstrations which started in 2011 across the Middle East and North Africa has become known as the "Arab Spring", and sometimes as the "Arab Spring and Winter", "Arab Awakening" or "Arab Uprisings". It was sparked by the first protests that occurred in Tunisia on 18 December 2010 following Mohamed Bouazizi's self-immolation in protest of police corruption and ill treatment.
With the success of the protests in Tunisia, a wave of unrest struck several Arab countries. Egypt was the next country where protesters succeeded in overthrowing the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. In August 2011, rebels in Libya succeeded in liberating the Libyan capital, Tripoli and ending the regime of Muammar Gaddafi with the help of the NATO strikes. Other Arab countries such as Yemen, Syria, Bahrain and Algeria have also been subject to much turmoil. Protesters demand more democracy, corruption crackdown and better living conditions for everybody. The most organized demonstrations often occur on a "day of rage", usually Friday after noon prayers. The protests have also triggered similar unrest outside the region.
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