It was a year of popular uprisings in Egypt, Libya, Syria, of devastation from drought and tsunami, and at home, of gridlock and stalemate in Washington.
The trials of Casey Anthony and Amanda Knox captured public attention, and Charlie Sheen's meltdown and a glittering royal wedding provided some relief from the grimmer news events.
The biggest story of the year, though, was the one that took us most by surprise: the death of Osama bin Laden in a firefight in Pakistan. "Justice has been done," said President Obama as the body of the mastermind behind 9-11 was buried at sea.