2013 In Review Fast Facts | CNN

<strong>January 1:</strong> People watch New Year's fireworks along Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photographers worldwide captured deadly conflicts, devastating storms and other memorable moments throughout the year. Click through the gallery to see 2013 unfold from beginning to end.

2013: The year in pictures —

January 1: People watch New Year's fireworks along Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photographers worldwide captured deadly conflicts, devastating storms and other memorable moments throughout the year. Click through the gallery to see 2013 unfold from beginning to end.

ARI VERSIANI/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>January 4:</strong> Tammy Holmes and her grandchildren take refuge under a jetty as a wildfire rages nearby in the Tasmanian town of Dunalley, Australia.

2013: The year in pictures —

January 4: Tammy Holmes and her grandchildren take refuge under a jetty as a wildfire rages nearby in the Tasmanian town of Dunalley, Australia.

Tim Holmes/Holmes Family/AP

<strong>January 7:</strong> Alabama defensive lineman Alphonse Taylor holds up a newspaper after Alabama defeated Notre Dame 42-14 in the BCS National Championship game. It was the second straight national title for the Crimson Tide.

2013: The year in pictures —

January 7: Alabama defensive lineman Alphonse Taylor holds up a newspaper after Alabama defeated Notre Dame 42-14 in the BCS National Championship game. It was the second straight national title for the Crimson Tide.

David J. Phillip/AP

<strong>January 10:</strong> Protesters advance on police in De Doorns, South Africa. Farmworkers across the Western Cape were on strike at the time, demanding that their wages of 65 rand a day ($7.50 U.S.) be doubled.

2013: The year in pictures —

January 10: Protesters advance on police in De Doorns, South Africa. Farmworkers across the Western Cape were on strike at the time, demanding that their wages of 65 rand a day ($7.50 U.S.) be doubled.

NIC BOTHMA/EPA/LANDOV

<strong>January 19:</strong> U.S. Army soldiers in Dover, Delaware, carry the flag-draped transfer case of Army Sgt. David J. Chambers, who was killed in Afghanistan.

2013: The year in pictures —

January 19: U.S. Army soldiers in Dover, Delaware, carry the flag-draped transfer case of Army Sgt. David J. Chambers, who was killed in Afghanistan.

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

<strong>January 23:</strong> A truck is covered in ice as firefighters extinguish a massive blaze at a vacant warehouse in Chicago.

2013: The year in pictures —

January 23: A truck is covered in ice as firefighters extinguish a massive blaze at a vacant warehouse in Chicago.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

<strong>January 24:</strong> A 29-year-old man, convicted of being part of a gang that carried out burglaries, has three fingers amputated in a public square in Shiraz, Iran. The man's sentence also included three years in prison and confiscation of his property.

2013: The year in pictures —

January 24: A 29-year-old man, convicted of being part of a gang that carried out burglaries, has three fingers amputated in a public square in Shiraz, Iran. The man's sentence also included three years in prison and confiscation of his property.

Mohsen Tavarro/AP

<strong>January 24:</strong> This outfit, seen in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace, was worn by Princess Anne during Queen Elizabeth II's coronation on June 2, 1953. The year 2013 marked the 60th anniversary of the queen's coronation.

2013: The year in pictures —

January 24: This outfit, seen in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace, was worn by Princess Anne during Queen Elizabeth II's coronation on June 2, 1953. The year 2013 marked the 60th anniversary of the queen's coronation.

Lefteris Pitarakis/AP

<strong>January 28:</strong> A crowd in Nazare, Portugal, watches as surfing legend Garrett McNamara appears to break his own world record for the biggest wave ever surfed. The wave was estimated to be about 100 feet high.

2013: The year in pictures —

January 28: A crowd in Nazare, Portugal, watches as surfing legend Garrett McNamara appears to break his own world record for the biggest wave ever surfed. The wave was estimated to be about 100 feet high.

Tu Mane/Barcroft Media/Landov

<strong>January 29:</strong> A military regiment in China's Heilongjiang province takes part in a morning exercise as temperatures dip to minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit).

2013: The year in pictures —

January 29: A military regiment in China's Heilongjiang province takes part in a morning exercise as temperatures dip to minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit).

ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images

<strong>February 1:</strong> Kashmiri Muslims stand on a tree as they offer prayers at the Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar, India.

2013: The year in pictures —

February 1: Kashmiri Muslims stand on a tree as they offer prayers at the Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar, India.

Kevin Frayer/AP

<strong>February 3: </strong>Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, right, greets his brother, San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, after the Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans.

2013: The year in pictures —

February 3: Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, right, greets his brother, San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, after the Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans.

Kevin Dietsch/UPI/Landov

<strong>February 3:</strong> Daily life carries on in Timbuktu, Mali, after the city was freed by the French Army. The city had been under the control of Islamist militants.

2013: The year in pictures —

February 3: Daily life carries on in Timbuktu, Mali, after the city was freed by the French Army. The city had been under the control of Islamist militants.

Stephen Dock/Agence VU

<strong>February 5:</strong> Anaplastologist Hernan Baron displays a prosthetic eye at his studio in Bogota, Colombia.

2013: The year in pictures —

February 5: Anaplastologist Hernan Baron displays a prosthetic eye at his studio in Bogota, Colombia.

Fernando Vergara/AP

<strong>February 8:</strong> People shield themselves from snow as a blizzard arrives in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston.

2013: The year in pictures —

February 8: People shield themselves from snow as a blizzard arrives in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

<strong>February 8:</strong> Horses are hoisted in the air by a crane as they are transferred from a cargo ship onto a truck in Surabaya, Indonesia.

2013: The year in pictures —

February 8: Horses are hoisted in the air by a crane as they are transferred from a cargo ship onto a truck in Surabaya, Indonesia.

Trisnadi/AP

<strong>February 10:</strong> Marching band members wait to perform in the procession that leads to the banks of Sangam, the confluence of three holy rivers, during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad, India.

2013: The year in pictures —

February 10: Marching band members wait to perform in the procession that leads to the banks of Sangam, the confluence of three holy rivers, during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad, India.

Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

<strong>February 10:</strong> People celebrate in clouds of colored dust after the Color Run 5K in Sydney.

2013: The year in pictures —

February 10: People celebrate in clouds of colored dust after the Color Run 5K in Sydney.

Rob Griffith/AP

<strong>February 15:</strong> A meteorite contrail is seen over Chelyabinsk, Russia, about 930 miles east of Moscow. More than 1,500 people were hurt, authorities said, and thousands of buildings were damaged after a meteor exploded in the skies with the force of about 30 early nuclear bombs.

2013: The year in pictures —

February 15: A meteorite contrail is seen over Chelyabinsk, Russia, about 930 miles east of Moscow. More than 1,500 people were hurt, authorities said, and thousands of buildings were damaged after a meteor exploded in the skies with the force of about 30 early nuclear bombs.

Chelyabinsk.ru, Yekaterina Pustynnikova/AP

2013: The year in pictures —

<strong>February 20:</strong> A U.S. Marine drinks cobra blood during a jungle survival program at a base in Sattahip, Thailand.

2013: The year in pictures —

February 20: A U.S. Marine drinks cobra blood during a jungle survival program at a base in Sattahip, Thailand.

PORNCHAI KITTIWONGSAKUL/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>February 23:</strong> A sleeping giant, Boris the polar bear, undergoes a physical exam at the animal hospital of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington. A team of veterinarians, technicians and staff also performed a root canal and some minor eye surgery on the 27-year-old bear.

2013: The year in pictures —

February 23: A sleeping giant, Boris the polar bear, undergoes a physical exam at the animal hospital of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington. A team of veterinarians, technicians and staff also performed a root canal and some minor eye surgery on the 27-year-old bear.

Dean J. Koepfler/Tacoma News Tribune/MCT/Getty Images

<strong>February 24:</strong> Actress Jennifer Lawrence falls during the Academy Awards as she walks up stairs to receive the Best Actress Oscar for "Silver Linings Playbook."

2013: The year in pictures —

February 24: Actress Jennifer Lawrence falls during the Academy Awards as she walks up stairs to receive the Best Actress Oscar for "Silver Linings Playbook."

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

<strong>February 25:</strong> Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men gather at a yeshiva in Jerusalem during the Purim holiday.

2013: The year in pictures —

February 25: Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men gather at a yeshiva in Jerusalem during the Purim holiday.

Sebastian Scheiner/AP

<strong>March 2:</strong> A six-car bullet train in northern Japan sits in the snow after derailing in blizzard conditions. Nobody aboard the train was injured.

2013: The year in pictures —

March 2: A six-car bullet train in northern Japan sits in the snow after derailing in blizzard conditions. Nobody aboard the train was injured.

The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images

<strong>March 6:</strong> A crying woman holds a picture of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez outside the military hospital where he died one day earlier in Caracas, Venezuela. Chavez, who had battled cancer, was 58.

2013: The year in pictures —

March 6: A crying woman holds a picture of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez outside the military hospital where he died one day earlier in Caracas, Venezuela. Chavez, who had battled cancer, was 58.

Ariana Cubillos/ap

<strong>March 10:</strong> A Pakistani Christian woman weeps after her home was damaged by an angry Muslim mob during clashes between Christians and Muslims in Lahore, Pakistan.

2013: The year in pictures —

March 10: A Pakistani Christian woman weeps after her home was damaged by an angry Muslim mob during clashes between Christians and Muslims in Lahore, Pakistan.

K.M. Chaudary/ap

<strong>March 10:</strong> A man wearing a Union flag suit dances as he casts his vote on whether the Falkland Islands should remain a British territory. Residents of the islands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas, voted to remain under British rule.

2013: The year in pictures —

March 10: A man wearing a Union flag suit dances as he casts his vote on whether the Falkland Islands should remain a British territory. Residents of the islands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas, voted to remain under British rule.

JAVIER LIZON/epa/LANDOV

<strong>March 11:</strong> The One World Trade Center building emerges from the clouds in New York's night sky. Construction on the office complex, which is going up on the site of the original World Trade Center, is set to be completed in early 2014.

2013: The year in pictures —

March 11: The One World Trade Center building emerges from the clouds in New York's night sky. Construction on the office complex, which is going up on the site of the original World Trade Center, is set to be completed in early 2014.

Matthew Ziegler/ap

<strong>March 11:</strong> Harry Styles of the boy band One Direction poses with calipers as he is measured for a wax figure by Madame Tussauds.

2013: The year in pictures —

March 11: Harry Styles of the boy band One Direction poses with calipers as he is measured for a wax figure by Madame Tussauds.

Madame Tussauds via Getty Images

<strong>March 13:</strong> A baby is helped to swim in Kiev, Ukraine.

2013: The year in pictures —

March 13: A baby is helped to swim in Kiev, Ukraine.

SERGEY DOLZHENKO/epa/LANDOV

<strong>March 18:</strong> A Bangladeshi boy looks inside a car vandalized by activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party during a general strike in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2013: The year in pictures —

March 18: A Bangladeshi boy looks inside a car vandalized by activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party during a general strike in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

a.M. Ahad/ap

<strong>March 21:</strong> A transgender Hindu devotee dances during Lathmaar Holi celebrations in the village of Barsana, India.

2013: The year in pictures —

March 21: A transgender Hindu devotee dances during Lathmaar Holi celebrations in the village of Barsana, India.

Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

<strong>March 23:</strong> Soccer star David Beckham falls during a visit with Wuhan Zall, a professional team in Wuhan, China.

2013: The year in pictures —

March 23: Soccer star David Beckham falls during a visit with Wuhan Zall, a professional team in Wuhan, China.

ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images

<strong>March 24:</strong> Hooded penitents from the La Paz brotherhood walk to a church in Seville, Spain, to take part in a procession during Easter Holy Week.

2013: The year in pictures —

March 24: Hooded penitents from the La Paz brotherhood walk to a church in Seville, Spain, to take part in a procession during Easter Holy Week.

Emilio Morenatti/ap

<strong>April 3:</strong> A 2-year-old Florida panther is released into the wild by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in West Palm Beach, Florida. The panther and its sister had been raised at the center since they were 5 months old. They were rescued after their mother was found dead.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 3: A 2-year-old Florida panther is released into the wild by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in West Palm Beach, Florida. The panther and its sister had been raised at the center since they were 5 months old. They were rescued after their mother was found dead.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

<strong>April 5:</strong> Natacha Ross is evaluated during an audition for 6-year old ballet hopefuls at the School of American Ballet in New York.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 5: Natacha Ross is evaluated during an audition for 6-year old ballet hopefuls at the School of American Ballet in New York.

Jason DeCrow/AP

<strong>April 7:</strong> Hermano Hermes performs exorcism rituals in La Cumbre, Colombia. He says he has helped thousands of people get rid of evil spirits possessing them.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 7: Hermano Hermes performs exorcism rituals in La Cumbre, Colombia. He says he has helped thousands of people get rid of evil spirits possessing them.

courtesy Alexander Rieser

<strong>April 8:</strong> Russian President Vladimir Putin is attacked by an activist of the Ukrainian women rights group Femen as German Chancellor Angela Merkel looks on in Hannover, Germany.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 8: Russian President Vladimir Putin is attacked by an activist of the Ukrainian women rights group Femen as German Chancellor Angela Merkel looks on in Hannover, Germany.

Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images

<strong>April 9:</strong> A portrait of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is arranged in a condolence room at the British Embassy in Beijing. Thatcher died the day before at the age of 87.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 9: A portrait of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is arranged in a condolence room at the British Embassy in Beijing. Thatcher died the day before at the age of 87.

Alexander F. Yuan/ap

<strong>April 11:</strong> A protester aims a rock at a huddle of shielded riot police after students held a march demanding free education in Santiago, Chile.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 11: A protester aims a rock at a huddle of shielded riot police after students held a march demanding free education in Santiago, Chile.

Luis Hidalgo/ap

<strong>April 11:</strong> An Air Koryo attendant wears a pin showing portraits of the late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Air Koryo is the world's only 1-star airline on Skytrax, a consultancy that has ratings and reviews for more than 681 airlines.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 11: An Air Koryo attendant wears a pin showing portraits of the late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Air Koryo is the world's only 1-star airline on Skytrax, a consultancy that has ratings and reviews for more than 681 airlines.

Alexander F. Yuan/ap

<strong>April 13:</strong> Indian villager Fatima Begum kisses the head of her 18-month-old daughter, Roona, at their hut in Jirania, India. Roona suffers from hydrocephalus, a disorder causing cerebral fluid to build up in the brain. Doctors had given her just a few months to live, but she recently underwent surgery to improve her condition.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 13: Indian villager Fatima Begum kisses the head of her 18-month-old daughter, Roona, at their hut in Jirania, India. Roona suffers from hydrocephalus, a disorder causing cerebral fluid to build up in the brain. Doctors had given her just a few months to live, but she recently underwent surgery to improve her condition.

ARINDAM DEY/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>April 15:</strong> Police officers stand over marathon runner Bill Iffrig as a second explosion sounds near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Three people were killed and at least 264 were injured in the terror attack.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 15: Police officers stand over marathon runner Bill Iffrig as a second explosion sounds near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Three people were killed and at least 264 were injured in the terror attack.

John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

<strong>April 17:</strong> Outside the United Nations office in New Delhi, India, a young girl from Pakistan cries after being flung on the ground by her mother during a protest against alleged human rights violations in Pakistan.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 17: Outside the United Nations office in New Delhi, India, a young girl from Pakistan cries after being flung on the ground by her mother during a protest against alleged human rights violations in Pakistan.

Altaf Qadri/ap

2013: The year in pictures —

<strong>April 19: </strong>Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is seen in a boat at the time of his capture in Watertown, Massachusetts.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 19: Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is seen in a boat at the time of his capture in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Sean Murphy/Massachusetts State Police/AP

<strong>April 24:</strong> Opponents of same-sex marriage protest in Paris after it was legalized by the country's National Assembly.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 24: Opponents of same-sex marriage protest in Paris after it was legalized by the country's National Assembly.

Jerome Sessini/Magnum Photos

<strong>April 25:</strong> Homes severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy are seen in Mantoloking, New Jersey, six months after Sandy devastated the Jersey shore and New York City and pounded coastal areas of New England.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 25: Homes severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy are seen in Mantoloking, New Jersey, six months after Sandy devastated the Jersey shore and New York City and pounded coastal areas of New England.

Mel Evans/ap

<strong>April 30:</strong> A drilling worker takes a break in an unfinished geothermal pool next to the Kenya Electricity Generating Company's two active geothermal plants. Kenya was the first African country to build geothermal energy sources.

2013: The year in pictures —

April 30: A drilling worker takes a break in an unfinished geothermal pool next to the Kenya Electricity Generating Company's two active geothermal plants. Kenya was the first African country to build geothermal energy sources.

Dominic Nahr/Magnum Photos

<strong>May 3:</strong> Hong Kong skyscrapers, as seen from the ground floor.

2013: The year in pictures —

May 3: Hong Kong skyscrapers, as seen from the ground floor.

Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze

<strong>May 3:</strong> Farmers transport watermelons on camels on their way to market in Allahabad, India.

2013: The year in pictures —

May 3: Farmers transport watermelons on camels on their way to market in Allahabad, India.

Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

<strong>May 8:</strong> Kathy Brown, Virginia Aguiar and Jane Crook react to a guilty verdict for Jodi Arias outside the Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix. Arias was convicted of murdering her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander, in 2008.

2013: The year in pictures —

May 8: Kathy Brown, Virginia Aguiar and Jane Crook react to a guilty verdict for Jodi Arias outside the Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix. Arias was convicted of murdering her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander, in 2008.

David Wallace/The Arizona Republic/AP

<strong>May 8:</strong> The Tungurahua volcano is seen from the village of Cotalo, Ecuador. Tungurahua keeps generating explosions and expelling incandescent boulders that roll down its flanks.

2013: The year in pictures —

May 8: The Tungurahua volcano is seen from the village of Cotalo, Ecuador. Tungurahua keeps generating explosions and expelling incandescent boulders that roll down its flanks.

Jose Jacome/EPA/Landov

<strong>May 9:</strong> A man overcome by fumes falls out of a window as a fire burns at the Lahore Development Authority Plaza in Lahore, Pakistan.

2013: The year in pictures —

May 9: A man overcome by fumes falls out of a window as a fire burns at the Lahore Development Authority Plaza in Lahore, Pakistan.

Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

<strong>May 14:</strong> The Soyuz TMA-07M spacecraft, carrying three crew members home from the International Space Station, lands in a remote area near the town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan.

2013: The year in pictures —

May 14: The Soyuz TMA-07M spacecraft, carrying three crew members home from the International Space Station, lands in a remote area near the town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan.

Carla Cioffi/UPI/NASA/LANDOV

<strong>May 16:</strong> U.S. President Barack Obama looks to see if it is still raining as a Marine holds an umbrella for him during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House.

2013: The year in pictures —

May 16: U.S. President Barack Obama looks to see if it is still raining as a Marine holds an umbrella for him during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House.

Charles Dharapak/AP

<strong>May 20:</strong> MS-13 gang members languish in one of the three overcrowded "gang cages" in the Quezaltepeque police station in San Salvador, El Salvador. Initially, the cages were designed to be 72-hour holding cells for common criminals and two rival gangs, but many individuals had been imprisoned for more than a year.

2013: The year in pictures —

May 20: MS-13 gang members languish in one of the three overcrowded "gang cages" in the Quezaltepeque police station in San Salvador, El Salvador. Initially, the cages were designed to be 72-hour holding cells for common criminals and two rival gangs, but many individuals had been imprisoned for more than a year.

Giles Clarke/Getty Images

<strong>May 23:</strong> David Lee Estep waits for his parents on a pile of rubble that used to be their home in Moore, Oklahoma. Moore was hit by a massive EF5 tornado that killed 24 people, including seven students at an elementary school.

2013: The year in pictures —

May 23: David Lee Estep waits for his parents on a pile of rubble that used to be their home in Moore, Oklahoma. Moore was hit by a massive EF5 tornado that killed 24 people, including seven students at an elementary school.

Charlie Riedel/AP

<strong>June 1:</strong> A protester is hit by tear gas in the Besiktas neighborhood of Istanbul. Thousands of people gathered to protest the government and its plans to demolish Istanbul's Gezi Park.

2013: The year in pictures —

June 1: A protester is hit by tear gas in the Besiktas neighborhood of Istanbul. Thousands of people gathered to protest the government and its plans to demolish Istanbul's Gezi Park.

Daniel Etter/Redux

<strong>June 5:</strong> Ajabu, a 2-month-old orphaned baby elephant, is given a dust bath after being fed at an event to mark World Environment Day in Nairobi, Kenya.

2013: The year in pictures —

June 5: Ajabu, a 2-month-old orphaned baby elephant, is given a dust bath after being fed at an event to mark World Environment Day in Nairobi, Kenya.

Ben Curtis/AP

<strong>June 11:</strong> A protester is hit by a water cannon during clashes in Taksim Square in Istanbul.

2013: The year in pictures —

June 11: A protester is hit by a water cannon during clashes in Taksim Square in Istanbul.

KERIM OKTEN/EPA/Landov

<strong>June 17:</strong> A military police officer pepper-sprays a protester in Rio de Janeiro. Millions of Brazilians took to the streets this summer to protest years of dissatisfaction and discontent with their government.

2013: The year in pictures —

June 17: A military police officer pepper-sprays a protester in Rio de Janeiro. Millions of Brazilians took to the streets this summer to protest years of dissatisfaction and discontent with their government.

Victor R. CaivanoA/AP

<strong>June 20:</strong> A reserved sign is placed on a table at Holsten's ice cream parlor in Bloomfield, New Jersey, on the day actor James Gandolfini died of a heart attack in Italy. Holsten's is where Gandolfini filmed the final scene of the final episode of the television series "The Sopranos."

2013: The year in pictures —

June 20: A reserved sign is placed on a table at Holsten's ice cream parlor in Bloomfield, New Jersey, on the day actor James Gandolfini died of a heart attack in Italy. Holsten's is where Gandolfini filmed the final scene of the final episode of the television series "The Sopranos."

Andrew Gombert/EPA/Landov

<strong>June 22:</strong> South Korean soldiers wear North Korean military uniforms as they take part in a Korean War re-enactment in Chuncheon, South Korea.

2013: The year in pictures —

June 22: South Korean soldiers wear North Korean military uniforms as they take part in a Korean War re-enactment in Chuncheon, South Korea.

Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

<strong>July 3:</strong> Opponents of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy celebrate in Cairo after Morsy was ousted in a military coup.

2013: The year in pictures —

July 3: Opponents of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy celebrate in Cairo after Morsy was ousted in a military coup.

Hassan Ammar/AP

<strong>July 3:</strong> Assistant State Attorney John Guy, left, and Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda display the hooded sweatshirt worn by teenager Trayvon Martin on the night he was shot by neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida. A jury found Zimmerman not guilty of second-degree murder.

2013: The year in pictures —

July 3: Assistant State Attorney John Guy, left, and Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda display the hooded sweatshirt worn by teenager Trayvon Martin on the night he was shot by neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida. A jury found Zimmerman not guilty of second-degree murder.

Jacob Langston/Pool/UPI/LANDOV

<strong>July 21:</strong> Activists from the Orangutan Information Center remove an air rifle pellet from the face of an orangutan that was rescued from a palm oil plantation in Padang Tualang, Indonesia.

2013: The year in pictures —

July 21: Activists from the Orangutan Information Center remove an air rifle pellet from the face of an orangutan that was rescued from a palm oil plantation in Padang Tualang, Indonesia.

Binsar Bakkara/AP

<strong>July 23:</strong> The Duchess of Cambridge holds her newborn son, Prince George, outside St. Mary's Hospital in London. George is third in line to the British throne after his grandfather Prince Charles and his father, Prince William.

2013: The year in pictures —

July 23: The Duchess of Cambridge holds her newborn son, Prince George, outside St. Mary's Hospital in London. George is third in line to the British throne after his grandfather Prince Charles and his father, Prince William.

JOHN STILLWELL/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>July 29:</strong> A Palestinian girl plays beside her family's tent in a poverty-stricken area of Gaza.

2013: The year in pictures —

July 29: A Palestinian girl plays beside her family's tent in a poverty-stricken area of Gaza.

Ali Ali/EPA/Landov

<strong>August 14:</strong> A police vehicle is pushed off the 6th October Bridge in Cairo by supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy.

2013: The year in pictures —

August 14: A police vehicle is pushed off the 6th October Bridge in Cairo by supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy.

Aly Hazzaa/El Shorouk Newspaper/AP

<strong>August 25:</strong> Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus perform on stage during the MTV Video Music Awards in New York. The provocative performance dominated the headlines and had many people discussing whether it was too risque.

2013: The year in pictures —

August 25: Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus perform on stage during the MTV Video Music Awards in New York. The provocative performance dominated the headlines and had many people discussing whether it was too risque.

Andrew H. Walker/WireImage/Getty Images

<strong>August 25:</strong> A man threatens to cut the rope of a Greenpeace protester at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa, Belgium.

2013: The year in pictures —

August 25: A man threatens to cut the rope of a Greenpeace protester at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa, Belgium.

Peter J. Fox/Getty Images

<strong>August 28:</strong> The "Let Freedom Ring" celebration commemorated the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement.

2013: The year in pictures —

August 28: The "Let Freedom Ring" celebration commemorated the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement.

Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images

<strong>September 6:</strong> A frog is launched in the air as a rocket takes off at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

2013: The year in pictures —

September 6: A frog is launched in the air as a rocket takes off at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Chris Perry/NASA Wallops Flight Facility

<strong>September 10:</strong> The Tribute in Light, a collection of 88 searchlights next to the site of the World Trade Center, is seen through a fish-eye lens as it rises above buildings in lower Manhattan.

2013: The year in pictures —

September 10: The Tribute in Light, a collection of 88 searchlights next to the site of the World Trade Center, is seen through a fish-eye lens as it rises above buildings in lower Manhattan.

Mark Lennihan/AP

<strong>September 12:</strong> A pair of waterspouts form on Lake Michigan, southeast of Kenosha, Wisconsin.

2013: The year in pictures —

September 12: A pair of waterspouts form on Lake Michigan, southeast of Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Kevin Poirier/The Kenosha News/AP

<strong>September 16:</strong> The Remington 870 shotgun used by Washington Navy Yard shooter Aaron Alexis has an etching on it that reads "Not what yall say!" Alexis killed 12 people and injured eight before he was fatally shot.

2013: The year in pictures —

September 16: The Remington 870 shotgun used by Washington Navy Yard shooter Aaron Alexis has an etching on it that reads "Not what yall say!" Alexis killed 12 people and injured eight before he was fatally shot.

FBI/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>September 17:</strong> A bull charges over a photographer during the Toro de la Vega festival in Tordesillas, Spain.

2013: The year in pictures —

September 17: A bull charges over a photographer during the Toro de la Vega festival in Tordesillas, Spain.

Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images

<strong>September 17:</strong> The severely damaged side of the Costa Concordia is visible after it was successfully lifted upright in Isola del Giglio, Italy. The cruise ship capsized last year.

2013: The year in pictures —

September 17: The severely damaged side of the Costa Concordia is visible after it was successfully lifted upright in Isola del Giglio, Italy. The cruise ship capsized last year.

Marco Secchi/Getty Images

<strong>September 21:</strong> People take cover behind a counter at the Westgate shopping mall after a shootout in Nairobi, Kenya. The Somali terror group Al-Shabaab, an affiliate of al Qaeda, claimed responsibility for a bloody four-day siege at the upscale mall. At least 67 people were killed.

2013: The year in pictures —

September 21: People take cover behind a counter at the Westgate shopping mall after a shootout in Nairobi, Kenya. The Somali terror group Al-Shabaab, an affiliate of al Qaeda, claimed responsibility for a bloody four-day siege at the upscale mall. At least 67 people were killed.

KABIR DHANJI/EPA/LANDOV

<strong>September 25:</strong> Police push away a refrigerator as they enter the Madrid apartment of Maria Isabel Rodriguez Romero. Romero and her family of six were evicted by the State City Hall Housing Company. Spain is slowly emerging from a two-year recession, but it still has a high unemployment rate and evictions have rapidly increased as borrowers are unable to pay their mortgages.

2013: The year in pictures —

September 25: Police push away a refrigerator as they enter the Madrid apartment of Maria Isabel Rodriguez Romero. Romero and her family of six were evicted by the State City Hall Housing Company. Spain is slowly emerging from a two-year recession, but it still has a high unemployment rate and evictions have rapidly increased as borrowers are unable to pay their mortgages.

Andres Kudacki/AP

<strong>September 28:</strong> Nikos Michaloliakos, leader of the extreme-right Golden Dawn party, is escorted from police headquarters in Athens, Greece. He faces charges of running a criminal organization following the slaying of an anti-fascist musician.

2013: The year in pictures —

September 28: Nikos Michaloliakos, leader of the extreme-right Golden Dawn party, is escorted from police headquarters in Athens, Greece. He faces charges of running a criminal organization following the slaying of an anti-fascist musician.

Angeliki Panagiotou/Fosphotos/AP

<strong>September 30:</strong> A woman in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, suffers an asthma attack after tear gas was used during an anti-government demonstration on the anniversary of the 1991 coup against former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

2013: The year in pictures —

September 30: A woman in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, suffers an asthma attack after tear gas was used during an anti-government demonstration on the anniversary of the 1991 coup against former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

JEAN JACQUES AUGUSTIN/EPA/LANOV

<strong>October 2:</strong> A police officer is engulfed in flames after being hit by a Molotov cocktail thrown by protesters marking the anniversary of the Tlatelolco massacre in Mexico City.

2013: The year in pictures —

October 2: A police officer is engulfed in flames after being hit by a Molotov cocktail thrown by protesters marking the anniversary of the Tlatelolco massacre in Mexico City.

Eduardo Verdugo/AP

<strong>October 12:</strong> Buckshot the horse rolls on rough gravel to scratch an itch at the Wagon Wheel Ranch in Frederick County, Virginia.

2013: The year in pictures —

October 12: Buckshot the horse rolls on rough gravel to scratch an itch at the Wagon Wheel Ranch in Frederick County, Virginia.

Jeff Taylor/The Winchester Star/AP

<strong>October 20:</strong> A woman mourns during the funeral of Bahraini political prisoner Hussain Mahdi Habib in the village of Sitra, Bahrain. Habib, 20, escaped from prison on May 19 and was found dead on October 19 after he was allegedly shot near the coastal village of al-Malkiyah.

2013: The year in pictures —

October 20: A woman mourns during the funeral of Bahraini political prisoner Hussain Mahdi Habib in the village of Sitra, Bahrain. Habib, 20, escaped from prison on May 19 and was found dead on October 19 after he was allegedly shot near the coastal village of al-Malkiyah.

MOHAMMED AL-SHAIKH/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>October 30:</strong> A 50-ton southern right whale swims under a boat in Peninsula Valdez, Argentina.

2013: The year in pictures —

October 30: A 50-ton southern right whale swims under a boat in Peninsula Valdez, Argentina.

Justin Hofman/Barcroft Media /Landov

2013: The year in pictures —

<strong>November 13:</strong> A member of a governmental forensic team unearths the remains of a mother and her teenage daughter from a shallow unmarked grave deep in the Amazonian jungle in southeastern Peru.

2013: The year in pictures —

November 13: A member of a governmental forensic team unearths the remains of a mother and her teenage daughter from a shallow unmarked grave deep in the Amazonian jungle in southeastern Peru.

MAX CABELLO/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>November 16:</strong> A woman kisses a police officer during a protest of a high-speed train line in Susa, Italy.

2013: The year in pictures —

November 16: A woman kisses a police officer during a protest of a high-speed train line in Susa, Italy.

MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>November 18:</strong> Tamil farmers transport coconut husks in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

2013: The year in pictures —

November 18: Tamil farmers transport coconut husks in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

Ishara S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>November 19:</strong> A man fans flames in Tanauan, Philippines, a week after Typhoon Haiyan ripped through the country. Haiyan, one of the strongest storms in recorded history, left thousands dead and many more homeless.

2013: The year in pictures —

November 19: A man fans flames in Tanauan, Philippines, a week after Typhoon Haiyan ripped through the country. Haiyan, one of the strongest storms in recorded history, left thousands dead and many more homeless.

Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

<strong>November 21:</strong> Karis, an 11-week-old lion cub, plays in fallen leaves in her enclosure at Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling, Scotland.

2013: The year in pictures —

November 21: Karis, an 11-week-old lion cub, plays in fallen leaves in her enclosure at Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling, Scotland.

PA PHOTOS/LANDOV

<strong>November 23:</strong> Tribesmen lead their camels through the sand dunes of the Liwa desert in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

2013: The year in pictures —

November 23: Tribesmen lead their camels through the sand dunes of the Liwa desert in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>December 1:</strong> Schoolchildren take lessons at a refugee camp on the outskirts of Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 1: Schoolchildren take lessons at a refugee camp on the outskirts of Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

Noorullah Shirzada/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>December 3:</strong> Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond signs a book of condolence at Glasgow City Chambers for those who died when a police helicopter crashed into a busy pub in Glasgow, Scotland. At least nine people were killed and 14 were seriously injured.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 3: Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond signs a book of condolence at Glasgow City Chambers for those who died when a police helicopter crashed into a busy pub in Glasgow, Scotland. At least nine people were killed and 14 were seriously injured.

Andrew Milligan/PA Photos/Landov

<strong>December 4:</strong> First lady Michelle Obama reacts as 2-year-old Ashtyn Gardner loses her balance after greeting Sunny, one of the Obamas' dogs, during a holiday arts-and-crafts event at the White House.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 4: First lady Michelle Obama reacts as 2-year-old Ashtyn Gardner loses her balance after greeting Sunny, one of the Obamas' dogs, during a holiday arts-and-crafts event at the White House.

Charles Dharapak/AP

<strong>December 4:</strong> Xiao Wei lies on a hospital bed in Changsha, China, with his hand grafted to his ankle. Wei lost his right hand in a work accident and doctors were able to save it by temporarily grafting it to his ankle, local media reported. The hand was later reattached to his arm after the arm healed enough for surgery.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 4: Xiao Wei lies on a hospital bed in Changsha, China, with his hand grafted to his ankle. Wei lost his right hand in a work accident and doctors were able to save it by temporarily grafting it to his ankle, local media reported. The hand was later reattached to his arm after the arm healed enough for surgery.

STRinger/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>December 5:</strong> A man holds a broken umbrella in Utrecht, Netherlands, as heavy storms move across northwestern Europe.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 5: A man holds a broken umbrella in Utrecht, Netherlands, as heavy storms move across northwestern Europe.

ROBIN UTRECHT/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>December 5:</strong> An airplane passes the moon, leaving behind a vapor trail over Lahore, Pakistan.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 5: An airplane passes the moon, leaving behind a vapor trail over Lahore, Pakistan.

RAHAT DAR/EPA/LANDOV

<strong>December 9:</strong> A Christian man chases a suspected Seleka officer in civilian clothes with a knife near the airport in Bangui, Central African Republic. The Seleka man was taken into custody by French forces, who fired warning shots to disperse the crowds. The Central African Republic is in the midst of a bloody civil war between various proclaimed Christian and Muslim militias and other rebel factions.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 9: A Christian man chases a suspected Seleka officer in civilian clothes with a knife near the airport in Bangui, Central African Republic. The Seleka man was taken into custody by French forces, who fired warning shots to disperse the crowds. The Central African Republic is in the midst of a bloody civil war between various proclaimed Christian and Muslim militias and other rebel factions.

Jerome Delay/AP

<strong>December 10:</strong> Shepherds make their way back home with hundreds of sheep and horses after heavy snowfall in Van, Turkey.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 10: Shepherds make their way back home with hundreds of sheep and horses after heavy snowfall in Van, Turkey.

Ozkan Bilgin/Anadolu Agency/TT/Sipa USA

<strong>December 10: </strong>Girls dance during the memorial service for former South African President Nelson Mandela at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. Thousands of South Africans and more than 90 heads of state gathered to honor the revered leader, who died on December 5. He was 95.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 10: Girls dance during the memorial service for former South African President Nelson Mandela at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. Thousands of South Africans and more than 90 heads of state gathered to honor the revered leader, who died on December 5. He was 95.

DAI KUROKAWA/EPA/LANDOV

<strong>December 11:</strong> A woman looks out a dusty bus window on the way to see Mandela's casket in Pretoria, South Africa. The anti-apartheid icon's casket arrived in the country's capital for public viewing.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 11: A woman looks out a dusty bus window on the way to see Mandela's casket in Pretoria, South Africa. The anti-apartheid icon's casket arrived in the country's capital for public viewing.

Markus Schreiber/AP

<strong>December 11:</strong> An impala leaps high into the air to avoid the gaping jaws of a crocodile in South Luangwa National Park in Zambia.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 11: An impala leaps high into the air to avoid the gaping jaws of a crocodile in South Luangwa National Park in Zambia.

Rob Brookes/Barcroft Media /Landov

<strong>December 11:</strong> A Gentoo penguin waddles up to a GoPro camera on Cuverville Island, Antarctica.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 11: A Gentoo penguin waddles up to a GoPro camera on Cuverville Island, Antarctica.

Alex Cowan/Barcroft Media/LANDOV

<strong>December 13:</strong> A young boy looks through a fence as he waits in line with thousands of people hoping to board a bus that will take them to view Mandela's body in Pretoria, South Africa.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 13: A young boy looks through a fence as he waits in line with thousands of people hoping to board a bus that will take them to view Mandela's body in Pretoria, South Africa.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

<strong>December 14:</strong> Ukrainian protesters, angry about the government's decision to back away from a free-trade agreement with the European Union, rally in Kiev's Independence Square. The government spurned an agreement in November in favor of closer economic ties with Moscow.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 14: Ukrainian protesters, angry about the government's decision to back away from a free-trade agreement with the European Union, rally in Kiev's Independence Square. The government spurned an agreement in November in favor of closer economic ties with Moscow.

Dmitry Lovetsky/AP

<strong>December 16:</strong> A giant panda plays in the snow at a zoo in Kunming, Yunnan province, in China.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 16: A giant panda plays in the snow at a zoo in Kunming, Yunnan province, in China.

China Daily/Reuters

<strong>December 17: </strong>A Syrian man helps an injured man following an airstrike in Aleppo's Maadi neighborhood. Two children were among at least 13 people killed in new air strikes on a rebel-held district of Syria's main northern city of Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 17: A Syrian man helps an injured man following an airstrike in Aleppo's Maadi neighborhood. Two children were among at least 13 people killed in new air strikes on a rebel-held district of Syria's main northern city of Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

MOHAMMED AL-KHATIEB/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>December 18:</strong> A lioness wraps her paws around another lioness at the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 18: A lioness wraps her paws around another lioness at the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana.

Solent News/Rex/REX USA

<strong>December 18: </strong>A baby elephant keeps cool with a shower at the Melbourne Zoo in Australia.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 18: A baby elephant keeps cool with a shower at the Melbourne Zoo in Australia.

David Caird/Newspix/REX USA

<strong>December 20: </strong>Workers carve a 117-meter-long, 26-meter-high snow sculpture at the Sun Island Park during the 26th China Harbin International Snow Sculpture Art Expo in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 20: Workers carve a 117-meter-long, 26-meter-high snow sculpture at the Sun Island Park during the 26th China Harbin International Snow Sculpture Art Expo in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China.

WU HONG/epa/LANDOV

<strong>December 20:</strong> Alvaro Quiros of Spain putts on at the 6th green during the Royal Trophy Europe vs Asia Championship at the Dragon Lake Golf Club in Guangzhou, China.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 20: Alvaro Quiros of Spain putts on at the 6th green during the Royal Trophy Europe vs Asia Championship at the Dragon Lake Golf Club in Guangzhou, China.

Victor Fraile/Getty Images

2013: The year in pictures —

<strong>December 20:</strong> Chadian troops from a multinational African peacekeeping force drive past the body of a man who was suspected of having been an ex-Seleka militiaman, in Bangui, the capital of the violence-wracked Central African Republic.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 20: Chadian troops from a multinational African peacekeeping force drive past the body of a man who was suspected of having been an ex-Seleka militiaman, in Bangui, the capital of the violence-wracked Central African Republic.

Jerome Delay/AP

<strong>December 20: </strong>A man stacks bricks at a brick factory in Lalitpur, Nepal.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 20: A man stacks bricks at a brick factory in Lalitpur, Nepal.

Navesh Chitrakar/REUTERS

<strong>December 20:</strong> President Barack Obama and his family depart via Marine One as they travel to his home state of Hawaii, from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 20: President Barack Obama and his family depart via Marine One as they travel to his home state of Hawaii, from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington.

Jonathan Ernst/REUTERS

<strong>December 21: </strong>At sunrise, Egyptian soldiers stand guard outside the temple of Qasr Qarun in Fayoum province, Egypt.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 21: At sunrise, Egyptian soldiers stand guard outside the temple of Qasr Qarun in Fayoum province, Egypt.

Pan Chaoyue/XINHUA /LANDOV

<strong>December 21: </strong>An isolated polar bear searches for seals in the Arctic Ocean.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 21: An isolated polar bear searches for seals in the Arctic Ocean.

MARCO GAIOTTO/hotspot/landov

<strong>December 21: </strong>A boy looks out the broken window of a plane that serves as shelter in a makeshift camp housing more than 40,000 people at M'poko Airport in Bangui, Central African Republic. They've displaced by recent violence in the country.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 21: A boy looks out the broken window of a plane that serves as shelter in a makeshift camp housing more than 40,000 people at M'poko Airport in Bangui, Central African Republic. They've displaced by recent violence in the country.

Rebecca Blackwell/ap

<strong>December 22:</strong> Camels walk along sand dunes in desert during the Mazayin Dhafra Camel Festival in Abu Dhabi.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 22: Camels walk along sand dunes in desert during the Mazayin Dhafra Camel Festival in Abu Dhabi.

KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>December 23:</strong> Eve Grayson, a reindeer herder, feeds animals in Aviemore, Scotland. A Swedish Sami reindeer herder introduced reindeer to Scotland in 1952.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 23: Eve Grayson, a reindeer herder, feeds animals in Aviemore, Scotland. A Swedish Sami reindeer herder introduced reindeer to Scotland in 1952.

Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

<strong>December 23:</strong> Pope Francis, right, meets with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery at the Vatican.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 23: Pope Francis, right, meets with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery at the Vatican.

L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>December 24:</strong> In Karachi, Pakistan, Shiite Muslims pray during a procession observing Chehlum, which marks a period of mourning for the 7th century Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 24: In Karachi, Pakistan, Shiite Muslims pray during a procession observing Chehlum, which marks a period of mourning for the 7th century Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.

Fareed Khan/ap

<strong>December 24:</strong> Astronaut Mike Hopkins participates in the second of two spacewalks in one week to repair a faulty water pump on the exterior of the International Space Station.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 24: Astronaut Mike Hopkins participates in the second of two spacewalks in one week to repair a faulty water pump on the exterior of the International Space Station.

NASA

<strong>December 25:</strong> Waves hit the jetty in the port of A Guarda in northwestern Spain. High winds and heavy rain battered parts of Europe on Monday and Tuesday, with some areas still reeling from the aftermath.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 25: Waves hit the jetty in the port of A Guarda in northwestern Spain. High winds and heavy rain battered parts of Europe on Monday and Tuesday, with some areas still reeling from the aftermath.

MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>December 25:</strong> Doctors prepare to operate on Huang Chuncai, a 36-year-old farmer suffering from a rare facial tumor, in Guangzhou, China.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 25: Doctors prepare to operate on Huang Chuncai, a 36-year-old farmer suffering from a rare facial tumor, in Guangzhou, China.

Barcroft Media /Landov

<strong>December 27: </strong>A boy carries a cardboard box in Juba, South Sudan, inside a United Nations compound that has become home to thousands of people displaced by recent fighting in the fledgling African nation.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 27: A boy carries a cardboard box in Juba, South Sudan, inside a United Nations compound that has become home to thousands of people displaced by recent fighting in the fledgling African nation.

Ben Curtis/AP

<strong>December 27:</strong> Egyptian protesters and police clash in Cairo during a demonstration against the government's declaration of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 27: Egyptian protesters and police clash in Cairo during a demonstration against the government's declaration of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.

Mohammed Elshamy/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

<strong>December 27: </strong>Protesters, demanding Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan resign over a high-level corruption scandal, clash with riot police in Istanbul.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 27: Protesters, demanding Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan resign over a high-level corruption scandal, clash with riot police in Istanbul.

Eren Aytug/NarPhotos/Redux

<strong>December 29: </strong>Rain-soaked New England Patriots fans cheer during the third quarter of an NFL football game between the Patriots and the Buffalo Bills.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 29: Rain-soaked New England Patriots fans cheer during the third quarter of an NFL football game between the Patriots and the Buffalo Bills.

Elise Amendola/AP

<strong>December 29: </strong>Supporters of the ruling Bangladesh Awami League beat a lawmaker and supporter of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party during a protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 29: Supporters of the ruling Bangladesh Awami League beat a lawmaker and supporter of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party during a protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

A.M. Ahad/AP

<strong>December 31:</strong> This photo from NASA shows the quiet corona and upper transition region of the sun on the last day of 2013.

2013: The year in pictures —

December 31: This photo from NASA shows the quiet corona and upper transition region of the sun on the last day of 2013.

EPA/NASA/SDO HANDOUT/LANDOV

2013: The year in pictures

CNN —

Here is a look back at the events of 2013.

Notable US Events:
January 1 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Maryland.

January 2 - President Barack Obama signs a bill that averts the “fiscal cliff.”

January 21 - President Barack Obama is inaugurated for a second term. Obama was sworn-in to office the previous day, but because the date fell on a Sunday, the public festivities were postponed one day.

February 1 - John Kerry is sworn in as Secretary of State.

February 12 - President Barack Obama gives his State of the Union address.

March 1 - Forced cuts to the federal budget, also known as sequestration, kick in.

April 15 - Twin bombs at the finish line of the Boston marathon kill three people and injure more than 250.

April 17 - An explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas kills 15 people.

April 19 - Boston Marathon bombing suspects Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev are involved in a confrontation with police. Tamerlan is killed and Dzhokhar escapes. After an all day manhunt, Dzhokhar is captured by police.

May 2 - Maryland governor Martin O’Malley signs a law repealing the state’s death penalty. The law takes effect October 1.

May 6 - Three young women and a six-year-old girl are rescued from a house in Cleveland, Ohio. The three women had been held captive in the house by Ariel Castro for between nine and 11 years and endured rape and brutal physical abuse.

May 8 - Jodi Arias is found guilty of the 2008 murder of ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander.

May 20 - An EF5 tornado hits Moore, Oklahoma and surrounding areas. There are 25 confirmed fatalities.

June 9 - The Guardian and Washington Post disclose former Booz Allen contract employee Edward Snowden as their source for the intelligence related information recently published. Both published stories revealing the existence of PRISM, a program they say allows the NSA to extract the details of customer activities – including “audio and video chats, photographs, e-mails, documents” and other materials – from computers at Microsoft, Google, Apple and other internet companies.

June 26 - The Supreme Court rejects parts of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in a 5-4 decision, dismissing an appeal over same-sex marriage on jurisdictional grounds and ruling same-sex spouses legally married in a state may receive federal benefits. It also rules that private parties do not have standing to defend California’s voter-approved ballot measure barring gay and lesbian couples from state-sanctioned wedlock. The ruling clears the way for same-sex marriages in California to resume.

June 21 - The US government charges fugitive leaker Edward Snowden with espionage and theft of government property.

June 30 - Nineteen elite firefighters are killed in a wildfire in Arizona.

July 1 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Delaware.

July 13 - George Zimmerman is found not guilty in the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

July 30 - Pfc. Bradley Manning, on trial for leaking military information to the WikiLeaks website, is acquitted of aiding the enemy, but found guilty on 20 other counts, including violations of the Espionage Act. In August, he is sentenced to 35 years in prison.

August 1 - Cleveland kidnappings suspect Ariel Castro pleads guilty to the charges against him and is sentenced to life in prison plus 1,000 years. Just over one month later, he commits suicide in his prison cell.

August 1 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Rhode Island and Minnesota.

August 12 - Gangster James “Whitey” Bulger is convicted of multiple counts of racketeering.

August 17 - A wildfire breaks out at Yosemite National Park. The blaze, known as the Rim Fire, is one of the largest wildfires in California’s history.

August 23 - Army Maj. Nidal Hasan is convicted of 13 counts of murder and 32 counts of attempted murder for a shooting rampage at Fort Hood in 2009. On August 28, Hasan is sentenced to death.

August 31 - President Barack Obama announces that he will seek congressional approval for a US strike on Syria, in retaliation for the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons on his own people.

September 10 - In a speech before the US public, President Obama says he will not, “put American boots on the ground in Syria” but does not rule out other military options.

September 12 - Flooding in Colorado leaves eight people dead, and more than 2,000 homes destroyed.

September 16 - Twelve people are killed inside the US Navy Yard in Washington, DC. The shooter, identified as Aaron Alexis, 34, is also killed.

October 1 - A federal government shutdown goes into effect at midnight, as the new fiscal year officially begins without an agreement on legislation to keep the government funded.

October 1 - As part of the rollout of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, health insurance exchanges open online. Technical problems plague the sites.

October 17 - The US government reopens after President Obama signs a bill ending the government shutdown.

November 1 - TSA officer Gerardo Hernandez is killed at Los Angeles International Airport, allegedly by 23-year-old Paul Ciancia.

November 13 - Hawaii governor Neil Abercrombie signs into law a bill making same-sex marriage legal. The law will take effect in December 2013.

November 20 - Illinois governor Pat Quinn signs a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the state. The law will take effect June 1, 2014.

December 16 - US District Judge Richard Leon issues a preliminary ruling that the government’s once-secret collection of domestic phone records is unconstitutional.

Notable International Events:
January 11 - France carries out air strikes in Mali, to aid in that country’s battle against Islamic militants in the north.

January 27 - More than 200 people are killed in a nightclub fire in Santa Maria, Brazil.

February 11 - Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation due to age and declining health. He is the first pope to resign in almost 600 years.

February 12 - North Korea conducts its third nuclear test.

March 13 - Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio is elected the 266th pope. His papal name is Pope Francis.

March 25 - Cyprus and European leaders agree to a bailout worth 10 billion euros, to prevent the collapse of Cyprus’ banking system.

April 14 - Nicolas Maduro is elected president of Venezuela. He replaces longtime leader Hugo Chavez, who died on March 5th.

April 24 - In Savar, Bangladesh, a building housing several garment factories collapses, killing more than 1,000 people.

April 28 - Enrico Letta is sworn in as Italy’s new prime minister.

June 5 - Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif again is elected prime minister.

July 3 - Egyptian president Mohamed Morsy is ousted in a military coup.

July 22 - Duchess Catherine and Prince William welcome their first child, a son weighing 8 lbs, 6 oz. The baby is named Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge.

August 1 - Russia grants one-year of asylum to leaker Edward Snowden, who had been living in a Moscow airport since June 23rd.

August 20 - Former Pakistani leader Pervez Musharraf is indicted in the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

August 21 - The US and other countries allege that on this day, a chemical weapons strike by Syrian forces kills more than 1,400 people in a Damascus suburb.

August 22 - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is sworn in for another term.

September 7 - Tony Abbott wins election as prime minister of Australia.

September 9 - Syria agrees to a Russian proposal to give up control of its chemical weapons.

September 16 - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon releases the report from chemical weapons inspectors who investigated the August 21 event. The inspectors say there is “clear and convincing evidence” that sarin was used.

September 21 - Somalian terrorist group Al-Shabaab launches an attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya. More than 60 civilians are killed during a four-day battle between Kenyan security officers and the militants.

September 24 - A magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes Balochistan province in Pakistan. More than 300 people are killed.

October 3 - A boat capsizes off the Italian island of Lampedusa, killing more than 350 people. The boat was filled with migrants from the African country of Eritrea.

October 5 - Abu Anas al Libi , an al Qaeda operative wanted for his role in the bombings of US embassies in Africa in 1998 is captured in a US special operations forces raid in Tripoli, Libya.

November 8 - Typhoon Haiyan strikes the Philippines, killing more than 5,000 people. Haiyan, aka Yolanda, is the possibly the strongest recorded storm to make landfall.

November 24 - Six world powers and Iran reach an agreement over Iran’s nuclear program. The deal calls on Iran to limit its nuclear activities in return for lighter sanctions.

November 24 - Protests break out in Ukraine after the government suspends talks with the EU concerning a trade agreement.

December 5 - Former South African president Nelson Mandela dies at the age of 95.

December 8 - French troops deploy to the Central African Republic to protect civilians from fighting between Muslim and Christian militia groups.

December 12 - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un orders the execution of his uncle and adviser Jang Song Thaek.

Awards and Winners:
January 7 - The BCS College Football Championship takes place.

January 13 - The 70th annual Golden Globes are presented.

January 14-27 - The Australian Open is played.

February 3 - Super Bowl XLVII is played in New Orleans.

February 10 - The 55th annual Grammy Awards are presented.

February 24 - The 85th annual Academy Awards are presented.

April 8-14 - The 77th Masters Tournament is played in Augusta, Georgia.

April 15 - The Pulitzer Prizes are announced.

May 4 - The 139th Kentucky Derby is run.

May 21-June 9 - The French Open is played.

May 26 - The 97th Indianapolis 500 is run.

June 6-20 - The NBA Championship is played.

June 9 - The Tony Awards are presented.

June 10-16 - The 113th US Open (golf) takes place in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

June 12-24 - The Stanley Cup is played.

June 24-July 7 - The Wimbledon tennis tournament takes place.

June 29-July 21 - The Tour de France takes place.

July 18-21 - The 142nd British Open takes place.

August 26-September 9 - The US Open (tennis) is played.

October 7-14 - The winners of Nobel Prizes are announced.

October 23-30 - The World Series is played.

December 14 - The Heisman Trophy is awarded.

Notable Deaths in 2013:
Chinua Achebe - March 21

Bud Adams - October 21

Chrissy Amphlett - April 21

Patty Andrews - March 6

Conrad Bain - January 14

Ronnie Biggs - December 18

Karen Black - August 8

Bobby “Blue” Bland - June 23

Lindy Boggs - July 27

Eileen Brennan - July 28

Joyce Brothers - May 13

Sylvia Browne - November 20

Jerry Buss - February 18

Donald Byrd - February 4

Harry Byrd Jr. - July 30

JJ Cale - July 26

Scott Carpenter - October 10

Frank Castillo - July 28

Hugo Chavez - March 5

Tom Clancy - October 1

Van Cliburn - February 27

Jeanne Cooper - May 8

Art Donovan - August 4

Deanna Durbin - April 20

Roger Ebert - April 4

Bill Eppridge - October 3

Dennis Farina - July 22

Vince Flynn - June 19

Tom Foley - October 18

Joan Fontaine - December 15

Bonnie Franklin - March 1

Annette Funicello - April 8

James Gandolfini - June 19

Jack Germond - August 14

William Ginsburg - April 1

Gary David Goldberg - June 22

Rena Golden - March 20

Eydie Gorme - August 10

Julie Harris - August 24

Michael Hastings - June 18

Richie Havens- April 22

Seamus Heaney - August 30

Jane Henson - April 2

Oscar Hijuelos - October 12

Virginia Johnson - July 24

Deacon Jones - June 3

George Jones - April 26

Chris Kelly - May 1

Ed Koch - February 1

C. Everett Koop - February 25

Kidd Kraddick - July 27

Frank Lautenberg - June 3

Alvin Lee - March 6

Elmore Leonard - August 20

Doris Lessing - November 17

Nelson Mandela - December 5

Ray Manzarek - May 20

Mindy McCready - February 17

Cory Monteith - July 13

Tommy Morrison - September 1

Stan Musial - January 19

Al Neuharth - April 19

Ken Norton - September 18

Peter O’Toole - December 14

Patti Page - January 1

John Palmer - August 3

Eleanor Parker - December 9

Pauline Phillips (Dear Abby) - January 16

Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau - April 7

Phil Ramone - March 30

Lou Reed - October 27

Marc Rich - June 26

Frederick Sanger - November 19

William Scranton - July 28

Muriel Siebert - August 24

Jean Stapleton - May 31

Pat Summerall - April 16

Aaron Swartz - January 11

Gilbert Taylor - August 23

Margaret Thatcher - April 8

Mary Thom - April 26

Helen Thomas - July 20

Paul Walker - November 30

Marcia Wallace - October 25

Slim Whitman - June 19

Esther Williams - June 6

Jonathan Winters - April 11