2021 in pictures: TND reviews some of the year’s biggest moments

Dec 28, 2021, updated Dec 28, 2021

1/32A former US Capitol Police officer has been convicted for deleting messages he exchanged with a man who took part in the January 6, 2021, insurrection.

2/32January – Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States and Kamala Harris is sworn in as vice president. Ms Harris makes history as the first female vice president and the highest-ranking female official in US history.

3/32January – Sexual assault survivor and advocate Grace Tame is named Australian of the Year.

4/32January - GameStop shares skyrocket as millions of small investors take on Wall Street, egged on by each other, social media and memes.

5/32Prosecutors in the Brittany Higgins case are fighting to keep some evidence under wraps.

6/32February – After the government’s attempt to make major tech giants pay Australian news outlets for their content, Facebook restricts access to news sites on its platform in Australia. Facebook reverses the ban after the government agrees to change its proposed media bargaining laws.

7/32March – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle divulge details about their experiences with the Royal Family in an exclusive interview with Oprah Winfrey.

8/32March – The Suez Canal is blocked for six days when Ever Given, a mammoth container ship, becomes wedged in the crucial shipping lane. The incident was estimated to have blocked $US9.6 billion ($13.3 billion) worth of trade.

9/32April - Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, dies aged 99. The Duke of Edinburgh is laid to rest in an intimate funeral at St George’s Chapel.

10/32May - Israel-Palestine tensions erupt, triggered by events including the eviction of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem by Jewish settlers. Great violence ensues, drawing global attention.

11/32July – Australian Ash Barty wins the 2021 Wimbledon title, making her Australia’s first ladies Wimbledon singles champion since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980.

12/32July – After being postponed for one year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics finally get under way in July. Australia goes on to win 17 gold medals, seven silver and 22 bronze.

13/32August - After months of the Taliban seizing more and more territory, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani flees the country. Taliban fighters enter Kabul and later announce they have entered the presidential palace and taken control of the city. Citizens are left to evacuate themselves with foreign assistance.

14/32July – Australian swimming star Emma McKeon takes home an incredible seven medals – four gold, three bronze – to become the equal-most decorated woman in any sport in Olympic history.

15/32Melbourne was hit by a 5.9-magnitude earthquake in September 2021.

16/32September – As celebrities woke from their 2020 lockdown slumbers, 2021 was a big year for celebrating fashion. The most memorable moment perhaps was Kim Kardashian West appearing at the Met Gala completely concealed by her head-to-toe black fabric outfit.

17/32September – Melbourne beats the Western Bulldogs in the AFL grand final in Perth to break its 57-year premiership drought.

18/32Political conspiracies are here to stay after being spread on the internet.

19/32September – James Bond film No Time To Die finally premieres in September after 18 months of delays due to the pandemic. The film saw Daniel Craig reprise his role as agent 007 for a fifth and final time.

20/32October – New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian tearfully announces her resignation after the state’s corruption watchdog revealed it was investigating her conduct. Her resignation was followed closely by that of deputy premier John Barilaro, with Transport Minister Andrew Constance also announcing he would depart state politics at the next election.

21/32October – Aboard a Blue Origin rocketship, Star Trek actor William Shatner became the oldest person to travel to space at age 90.

22/32October – In the lead up to the COP26 summit in Glasgow, comedian Dan Ilic puts up billboards in Times Square attacking Australia's record on climate action.

23/32October – Australia was battered with all kinds of wild weather in 2021. Hailstones up to 16 centimetres wide were found during storms in Queensland, breaking the national record.

24/32October – Australia, the UK and the US sign a historic security pact dubbed AUKUS. President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Prime Minister Boris Johnson make a joint announcement to confirm the US and the UK would help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines. The agreement led to a falling out with France, which had a pre-existing submarine deal with Australia.

25/32October - Alec Baldwin fires a gun while rehearsing a scene for his film Rust. It contained a live round, tragically killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. No one has been charged in connection with the shooting and the investigation is ongoing.

26/32October - Australian icon Bert Newton dies, aged 83, while undergoing palliative care. The beloved mainstay of Australian television is farewelled at a state funeral in Melbourne.

27/32November – French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Scott Morrison came face to face in a frosty encounter at the G20 – the first time they had crossed paths since the AUKUS deal was struck. Soon afterwards, Mr Macron told Australian reporters that Mr Morrison had lied to him.

28/32November – Pop star Britney Spears’ 13-year conservatorship comes to an end after months of protesting and campaigning by her dedicated fans.

29/32Terence Kelly allegedly assaulted police on the day he faced court over Cleo Smith's abduction.

30/32November – Acclaimed Yolngu actor David Dalaithngu dies at the age of 68. Born and raised in Arnhem Land, Dalaithngu was described as a “once-in-a-generation artist” upon his passing.

31/32December - Former attorney-general Christian Porter announces he will quit politics at the next federal election. Mr Porter resigned from cabinet in September after he revealed that anonymous donors helped pay his legal fees in his defamation case against the ABC. Mr Porter identified himself as the subject of an ABC story, which alleged an unidentified cabinet minister was accused of rape in 1988. He strenuously denies the allegations.

32/32December – Archbishop Desmond Tutu dies aged 90. The South African anti-apartheid hero and Nobel Peace Prize recipient died peacefully at an aged-care home in Cape Town.