Pictures of the year 2021: world news

Vehicles are seen near the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Nov. 23, 2021. The U.S. Department of Energy will make available releases of 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the White House said on Nov. 23, 2021. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, collectively known as OPEC+, have pledged to stick to the plan to increase oil production by 400,000 barrels per day in January 2022. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

Photo taken on Sept. 30, 2021 shows the opening ceremony of the Expo 2020 Dubai in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. (Xinhua)

A ship leaves the Port of Dover in Dover, Britain, Jan. 1, 2021. Britain and the European Union (EU) have started a new chapter in their relationship as the Brexit transition period ended. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)

Photo taken on Sept. 23, 2021 shows the scene of volcanic eruption of Cumbre Vieja volcano in La Palma, Spain. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)

Photo taken on Dec. 14, 2021 shows damaged houses in Mayfield, Kentucky, the United States. Over 30 tornadoes ripped through six central U.S. states from Dec. 10 to 11, 2021, killing at least 88 people. (Photo by Angie Yu/Xinhua)

Photo taken on March 29, 2021 shows the container ship Ever Given moving on the Suez Canal, Egypt. The traffic in Suez Canal resumed after massive container ship Ever Given has been successfully refloated as being stranded in the canal for almost a week, Egypt's Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said on March 29, 2021. Linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, the Suez Canal is a major lifeline for global seaborne trade. Some 12 percent of the world trade volume passes through the Suez Canal. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)

Photo taken on Oct. 13, 2021 shows flowers at Atacama desert in north Chile. (Photo by Victor Auvelez/Xinhua)

The wrapped Arc de Triomphe is seen in Paris, France, Sept. 21, 2021. The wrapping was conceived by late Bulgarian-born artist Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

People wait in line to refill empty medical oxygen cylinders for COVID-19 patients in front of a shop in New Delhi, India, April 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Partha Sarkar)

Refrigerated trailers are seen at a temporary morgue in Brooklyn, New York, the United States, June 15, 2021. The United States has recorded more than 54.3 million COVID-19 cases with over 824,300 related deaths as of Dec. 31, 2021, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Photo released by the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue shows a partially collapsed residential building in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the United States, on June 24, 2021. A total of 98 people were killed in the collapse. (Miami-Dade Fire Rescue/Handout via Xinhua)

Smoke billows following an Israeli airstrike on Jala Tower, which housed offices of Al-Jazeera TV and Associated Press as well as residential apartments, in Gaza City, May 15, 2021. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Photo taken on Sept. 19, 2021 from Ciudad Acuna, Mexico shows immigrants attempting to cross the river Rio Bravo on the border between Mexico and the United States. (Xinhua)

Workers convey a batch of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines donated by China at Cairo International Airport, Egypt, Feb. 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)

The first customer (R, front) of the newly opened Huawei flagship store in Vienna of Austria shows newly-bought goods on Oct. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)

Vehicles are submerged on a waterlogged road in New York, the United States, Sept. 2, 2021. Hurricane Ida brought torrential rain and heavy flooding to the U.S. Northeast region. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

A bus with Delta as its "terminal" is seen on the street in Brussels, Belgium, Nov. 5, 2021. Since November 2021, Europe has been once again at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, while the Delta variant represented the vast majority of COVID-19 cases. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

The Lane Xang electric multiple unit train passes by the China-Laos borderline inside a tunnel, Oct. 15, 2021. The 1,035-km China-Laos Railway started operation on Dec. 3, 2021. (Photo by Cao Anning/Xinhua)

A health worker takes a nasal swab sample from a man for COVID-19 test in Prayagraj, India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, May 24, 2021. (Xinhua)

Artists perform during the "acrobat and dance" show organized by the Kenya Cultural Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, Oct. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

Photo taken on May 18, 2021 in Morocco's costal town Fnideq shows immigrants climbing over the border fence to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. (Xinhua)

Children listen to a radio program during a lesson in Kampala, Uganda, June 14, 2021. (Photo by Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (C) attends the ceremony of laying the foundation stone for a COVID-19 vaccine production factory in Belgrade, Serbia, Sept. 9, 2021. Construction of the first Chinese COVID-19 vaccine production facility in Europe started in Serbia on Sept. 9, 2021. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua)

Photo taken on June 22, 2021 shows the construction site of the Peljesac Bridge near Komarna, Croatia. The final piece of steel box girder for the Peljesac Bridge in southern Croatia was lifted and welded with the main structure on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Grgo Jelavic/Xinhua)

Relatives mourn for victims of a mass shooting in San Jose, California, the United States, May 27, 2021. The shooting at a light-rail yard near downtown San Jose that left 10 people dead, including the gunman, is believed to be the deadliest mass shooting in the Bay Area. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

Photo taken on Oct. 8, 2021 shows the vases of flowers installed to memorize gun violence victims at the Battery Park in New York, the United States. According to the organizers, 1,050 vases of flowers, which represent the number of people in New York State who died from gun violence in 2020, were installed at the gun violence memorial, aiming to inspire people to fight against gun violence. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

The first China-Europe freight train bound for Tilburg from Nanjing, capital city of east China's Jiangsu Province, arrives in Tilburg, the Netherlands, June 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Demonstrators gather in Trafalgar Square following a march as part of the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice in London, Britain, Nov. 6, 2021. The 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) was held from Oct. 31, 2021 to Nov. 12, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)

People gather at the Kabul airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 16, 2021. The Afghan Taliban entered and took control of the capital of Kabul on Aug. 15, 2021. (Xinhua)

People rally to protest against the Japanese government's decision to discharge contaminated radioactive wastewater in Fukushima Prefecture into the sea, in Tokyo, capital of Japan, April 13, 2021. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)

Wang Peiwen, director of a museum of Franco-Chinese Friendship, is seen in front of the museum in Montargis, France, March 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

Long-time exposure photo taken on March 20, 2021 shows an airplane flying across the backdrop of aurora in Anchorage, Alaska, the United States. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

A Chinese soldier carries a coffin containing remains of Chinese People's Volunteers martyrs killed in the 1950-53 Korean War during a repatriation ceremony at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, Sept. 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang)

Children's shoes and toys are placed on the staircase outside Vancouver Art Gallery during a memorial event for the 215 children whose remains have been found buried at a former Kamloops residential school, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, May 30, 2021. (Photo by Andrew Soong/Xinhua)

A man receives a dose of China's COVID-19 vaccine in the city of Tabatinga in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, Jan. 19, 2021. (Photo by Lucio Tavora/Xinhua)

Abdullah al-Zawara'a, 23, a Palestinian barber, works for a client for free near his house, which was destroyed in Israeli airstrikes in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, May 26, 2021. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People gather outside the Hennepin County Government Center reacting to the trial verdict that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the United States, April 20, 2021. (Photo by Ben Brewer/Xinhua)

People rally to protest against anti-Asian hate crimes on Foley Square in New York, the United States, April 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Photo taken on May 27, 2021 shows the Kaposvar solar power plant in Kaposvar, Hungary. Hungary inaugurated the country's largest solar power plant, which was built by China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) near the southwestern city of Kaposvar. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Military vessels of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy take part in a joint cruise following the joint Chinese-Russian naval drill "Joint Sea-2021" on Oct. 23, 2021. The joint naval exercise began on Oct. 14, 2021 and concluded on Oct. 23, 2021. (Photo by Sun Jingang/Xinhua)

Angela Merkel greets supporters during an election rally of Christian Democratic Union (CDU) for Germany's federal elections in Stralsund, northern Germany, Sept. 21, 2021. Olaf Scholz from Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) was sworn in on Dec. 8 as the new Federal Chancellor, taking the baton from his predecessor Angela Merkel who bowed out from the political stage after a 16-year run. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)

Photo taken on Nov. 21, 2021 shows the exterior view of the National Wrestling Arena in Dakar, Senegal. The arena, the first modern one in Africa, is the largest aid project China has carried out in Senegal. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

A family member wearing protective suit mourns for his relative in front of the pyre before the cremation at Nigombodh ghat crematorium in New Delhi, India, May 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Partha Sarkar)

Containers are seen at the Port of Baltimore in Maryland, the United States, Oct. 26, 2021. Trade protectionism has gathered steam against the backdrop of the pandemic, disrupting global supply chains. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Children are seen at a refugee camp near the Belarusian-Polish border in Belarus, Nov. 14, 2021. (Photo by Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua)

Photo taken on Sept. 6, 2021 shows COVID-19 vaccines on the production line of a factory of the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) in Giza, Egypt. In April 2021, VACSERA inked a deal with the Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech on creating a joint venture with a capacity of producing 2 million doses of vaccine per week. On July 18, 2021, the venture celebrated the production of the first 1 million doses of Sinovac vaccine. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

People cool off in the mist garden near the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York, the United States, Aug. 13, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Students sit on the ground inside a half-collapsed building at Shuhada-Alwahdah School in Al-Radhmah district of Ibb province, Yemen, Aug. 14, 2021. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua)

The handover ceremony of a key operating base of the U.S. forces is held at Camp Antonik in Helmand province, Afghanistan, May 2, 2021. U.S. and NATO troops began to pull out from Afghanistan on May 1, 2021. (Xinhua)

The full moon is seen over the Temple of Poseidon at cape Sounion, some 70 km southeast of Athens, Greece, May 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

Firefighters are seen fighting a wildfire at the seaside resort town of Schinos near the city of Corinth, Greece, May 19, 2021. (Photo by Vassilis Psomas/Xinhua)

The National COVID Memorial Wall drawn with red hearts and messages is pictured in London, Britain, Aug. 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

An aircraft of the Mexican Air Force performs during a military parade in celebration of Mexico's Independence Day in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, Sept. 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei)

A customized vehicle for transferring a mummy is seen during the Pharaohs' Golden Parade in Cairo, Egypt, April 3, 2021. Egypt moved 22 mummies from the Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization on that day. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

Supporters of Donald Trump gather near the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States, Jan. 6, 2021. On Jan. 6, 2021, supporters of then U.S. President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. and clashed with police, leaving five people dead and many others injured. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Photo taken on May 20, 2021 shows explosions following Israeli airstrikes in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

A train with 7000-series railcars assembled by China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) Sifang America Incorporated is seen during an in-service test run in Chicago, the United States, May 6, 2021. (Photo by Joel Lerner/Xinhua)

A reopening ceremony of the Avenue of Sphinxes is held in Luxor, Egypt, Nov. 25, 2021, after years of renovation works. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

A doctor shows a box of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in Varoslod, Hungary, Feb. 24, 2021. Hungary has started to administer China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine on that day. (Tamas Vasvari/MTI via Xinhua)

Photo taken on Aug. 15, 2021 shows a damaged building after an earthquake in Les Cayes, Haiti. On Aug. 14, 2021, Haiti was hit by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake, one of the strongest ever to hit the country, leaving more than 2,200 dead. (Photo by Katherine Hernandez/Xinhua)

A teacher instructs as students learn during the Drive-In Learning (DIL) program held on the open air amid the COVID-19 outbreak in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 5, 2021. (Photo by Arya Manggala/Xinhua)

Comorian President Azali Assoumani receives the first dose of coronavirus vaccine produced by China's Sinopharm in Moroni, Comoros, April 10, 2021. (Photo by Han Lin/Xinhua)

Photomontage taken on Nov. 26, 2021 shows a trail of China's space station over the Bent Pyramid in Giza, Egypt. China launched the spaceship Shenzhou-13 on Oct. 16, 2021. The three astronauts aboard will stay in orbit for six months during the country's longest-ever crewed mission. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Confetti is seen on Times Square after the New Year celebration in New York, the United States, Jan. 1, 2021. The Times Square 2021 New Year celebration went virtual, with no public audience physically attending the event, to help avoid the spread of COVID-19. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Officials from South Sulawesi Natural Resources Conservancy Center (BKSDA) try to release a two-meter long rough-toothed dolphin which is stranded at a fishing farm in Maros district, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, April 30, 2021. (Photo by Niaz Sharief/Xinhua)

A woman looks through a large hole on a concrete wall as she rests from searching for her belongings from charred home after a fire at a slum area in Rizal Province, the Philippines, March 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

Naim Louis is seen at his shattered house in Homs city in central Syria, March 11, 2021. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)

Passengers walk at the Michurinsky Prospekt station of the Moscow Metro in Moscow, Russia, Dec. 7, 2021. The Michurinsky Prospekt station, "a new landmark for Sino-Russian friendship" as China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) put it, features Chinese elements such as red pillars, patterns of Chinese character "shou" meaning longevity, and auspicious clouds. (Xinhua/Evgeny Sinitsyn)

Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan attend a high-level strategic dialogue in the Alaskan city of Anchorage, the United States, March 18, 2021. Yang and Wang put forward China's stands on relevant issues at the start of the dialogue. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)