Tragedies bookended Brazil’s year in the spotlight

Shasta Darlington
By Shasta Darlington, CNN
Published 6:37 AM EST, Wed December 21, 2016
<strong>January 1:</strong> Fireworks light the sky over Copacabana beach during New Year's celebrations in Rio de Janeiro.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Mauro Pimentel/AP
January 1: Fireworks light the sky over Copacabana beach during New Year's celebrations in Rio de Janeiro.
<strong>January 5: </strong>Conservationists examine a tranquilized orangutan during a rescue-and-release operation in Sungai Magkutub, Indonesia. Orangutans were being relocated after they lost their habitat to forest fires in 2015.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Dita Alangkara/AP
January 5: Conservationists examine a tranquilized orangutan during a rescue-and-release operation in Sungai Magkutub, Indonesia. Orangutans were being relocated after they lost their habitat to forest fires in 2015.
<strong>January 5:</strong> With tears running down his cheeks, US President Barack Obama talks about the victims of <a href="http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/12/us/sandy-hook-timeline/" target="_blank">the Sandy Hook school shooting</a> during a White House news conference. "Every time I think about those kids, it gets me mad," Obama said, referring to the 2012 massacre that killed 26 people in Connecticut. Obama, calling for a national "sense of urgency," <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/05/politics/obama-executive-action-gun-control/index.html" target="_blank">unveiled a series of executive actions on guns,</a> including expanded background checks.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
January 5: With tears running down his cheeks, US President Barack Obama talks about the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting during a White House news conference. "Every time I think about those kids, it gets me mad," Obama said, referring to the 2012 massacre that killed 26 people in Connecticut. Obama, calling for a national "sense of urgency," unveiled a series of executive actions on guns, including expanded background checks.
<strong>January 8:</strong> Drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted by soldiers at a federal hangar in Mexico City. Members of Mexico's navy caught Guzman <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/08/americas/el-chapo-captured-mexico/" target="_blank">in an early morning raid</a> in the coastal city of Los Mochis, a senior law enforcement official told CNN. Mexico <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/09/americas/el-chapo-captured-mexico/" target="_blank">planned to extradite Guzman to the United States, </a>where he faces drug trafficking charges connected to his cartel, authorities said. He had been on the run since escaping from a Mexican prison in July 2015.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
January 8: Drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted by soldiers at a federal hangar in Mexico City. Members of Mexico's navy caught Guzman in an early morning raid in the coastal city of Los Mochis, a senior law enforcement official told CNN. Mexico planned to extradite Guzman to the United States, where he faces drug trafficking charges connected to his cartel, authorities said. He had been on the run since escaping from a Mexican prison in July 2015.
<strong>January 8:</strong> Russian President Vladimir Putin, top, trains with his country's judo team in Sochi, Russia.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Alexei Nikolsky/TASS/Newscom
January 8: Russian President Vladimir Putin, top, trains with his country's judo team in Sochi, Russia.
<strong>January 11:</strong> A woman with a David Bowie tattoo poses in front of a Bowie mural in London. The rock legend <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/11/entertainment/david-bowie-death/" target="_blank">died a day earlier</a> after an 18-month battle with cancer. He was 69.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Matt Dunham/AP
January 11: A woman with a David Bowie tattoo poses in front of a Bowie mural in London. The rock legend died a day earlier after an 18-month battle with cancer. He was 69.
<strong>January 11: </strong>Andrew Watson, a resident of Flint, Michigan, drops to the floor in tears outside the doors to Flint's City Council. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder was holding a news conference there about <a href="http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2016/05/health/focus-on-flint/" target="_blank">the city's water crisis.</a> Snyder had declared a state of emergency three months after high lead levels were detected in Flint children.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Jake May/The Flint Journal/AP
January 11: Andrew Watson, a resident of Flint, Michigan, drops to the floor in tears outside the doors to Flint's City Council. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder was holding a news conference there about the city's water crisis. Snyder had declared a state of emergency three months after high lead levels were detected in Flint children.
<strong>January 12:</strong> A picture released by Sepahnews, the media arm for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, shows the Iranian Navy capturing 10 American sailors. The sailors were <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/12/politics/10-u-s-sailors-in-iranian-custody/" target="_blank">briefly detained</a> after traveling into Iranian territorial waters. A report released in June by military investigators found that the 10 sailors <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/30/politics/iran-navy-capture-investigation-report/" target="_blank">suffered from "failed leadership"</a> on a mission that was plagued by mistakes from beginning to end.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Sepahnews
January 12: A picture released by Sepahnews, the media arm for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, shows the Iranian Navy capturing 10 American sailors. The sailors were briefly detained after traveling into Iranian territorial waters. A report released in June by military investigators found that the 10 sailors suffered from "failed leadership" on a mission that was plagued by mistakes from beginning to end.
<strong>January 16:</strong> A horseman jumps over a bonfire during the annual Las Luminarias festival in San Bartolome de Pinares, Spain. In honor of Anthony the Abbot, the patron saint of animals, horses are traditionally ridden through bonfires to purify and protect them in the year ahead.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Manuel Balles/NurPhoto/Sipa/AP
January 16: A horseman jumps over a bonfire during the annual Las Luminarias festival in San Bartolome de Pinares, Spain. In honor of Anthony the Abbot, the patron saint of animals, horses are traditionally ridden through bonfires to purify and protect them in the year ahead.
<strong>January 22:</strong> The Turkish coast guard helps migrants after their boat toppled en route to Greece. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/03/world/gallery/europes-refugee-crisis/index.html" target="_blank">Europe's migration crisis in 25 photos</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Emin Menguarslan/Anadolu/Getty Images
January 22: The Turkish coast guard helps migrants after their boat toppled en route to Greece. Europe's migration crisis in 25 photos
<strong>January 25:</strong> A person walks their dog past a dead sperm whale in Skegness, England. Three whales<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/25/europe/whales-beached-england/" target="_blank"> washed up on the beach</a> over the weekend. Experts believe they may have washed ashore while hunting.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
January 25: A person walks their dog past a dead sperm whale in Skegness, England. Three whales washed up on the beach over the weekend. Experts believe they may have washed ashore while hunting.
<strong>January 30:</strong> Jose Wesley, a baby born with microcephaly, cries in Bonito, Brazil. Microcephaly is a neurological disorder that results in newborns with small heads and abnormal brain development. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/26/health/gallery/zika-virus/index.html" target="_blank">An outbreak of the Zika virus</a> was linked to a surge of babies with the birth defect.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Felipe Dana/AP
January 30: Jose Wesley, a baby born with microcephaly, cries in Bonito, Brazil. Microcephaly is a neurological disorder that results in newborns with small heads and abnormal brain development. An outbreak of the Zika virus was linked to a surge of babies with the birth defect.
<strong>February 2:</strong> Comedian Bill Cosby, second from left, leaves a courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania, after a preliminary hearing. Cosby <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/24/us/bill-cosby-hearing/" target="_blank">faces three counts of felony aggravated indecent assault</a> from a 2004 case involving Andrea Constand, an employee at his alma mater, Temple University. She was the first of more than 50 women who have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct. Cosby has denied the allegations.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Mark Makela/REUTERS/Newscom
February 2: Comedian Bill Cosby, second from left, leaves a courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania, after a preliminary hearing. Cosby faces three counts of felony aggravated indecent assault from a 2004 case involving Andrea Constand, an employee at his alma mater, Temple University. She was the first of more than 50 women who have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct. Cosby has denied the allegations.
<strong>February 2:</strong> Dancers take part in a dress rehearsal of "Swan Lake" before it opened at the Joyce Theater in New York.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images
February 2: Dancers take part in a dress rehearsal of "Swan Lake" before it opened at the Joyce Theater in New York.
<strong>February 4:</strong> Riot police in Athens, Greece, try to avoid a Molotov cocktail thrown by protesters during a nationwide strike. Clashes broke out as tens of thousands of people protested pension reforms that were part of the country's latest economic bailout.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Thanassis Stavrakis/AP
February 4: Riot police in Athens, Greece, try to avoid a Molotov cocktail thrown by protesters during a nationwide strike. Clashes broke out as tens of thousands of people protested pension reforms that were part of the country's latest economic bailout.
<strong>February 7:</strong> Beyonce sings during <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/07/entertainment/gallery/super-bowl-halftime-2016/index.html" target="_blank">the Super Bowl 50 halftime show.</a> Her performance -- with dancers in Black Panther-like attire -- <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/09/entertainment/beyonce-boycott-super-bowl-feat/" target="_blank">didn't sit well with everyone.</a> Others praised the pop star <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/08/politics/beyonce-super-bowl-black-lives-matter/" target="_blank">for the political messages</a> in her new single "Formation."
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
February 7: Beyonce sings during the Super Bowl 50 halftime show. Her performance -- with dancers in Black Panther-like attire -- didn't sit well with everyone. Others praised the pop star for the political messages in her new single "Formation."
<strong>February 8:</strong> Odka, a contortionist, promotes the Cirque Berserk show in London.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Stefan Wermuth/Reuters/Newscom
February 8: Odka, a contortionist, promotes the Cirque Berserk show in London.
<strong>February 10:</strong> A wild elephant <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/10/world/gallery/wild-elephant-india/index.html" target="_blank">wandered into the Indian town of Siliguri,</a> trampling parked cars and motorbikes before being tranquilized by wildlife officials.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
AP
February 10: A wild elephant wandered into the Indian town of Siliguri, trampling parked cars and motorbikes before being tranquilized by wildlife officials.
<strong>February 11:</strong> People show their support for those occupying the headquarters of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge. The federal building in Oregon <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/11/us/oregon-standoff/" target="_blank">was occupied by armed protesters for 41 days</a> until the last remaining ones surrendered to authorities.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Rob Kerr/AFP/Getty Images
February 11: People show their support for those occupying the headquarters of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge. The federal building in Oregon was occupied by armed protesters for 41 days until the last remaining ones surrendered to authorities.
<strong>February 12:</strong> Rebels attack the Syrian regime's headquarters in the villages of Nubul and al-Zahraa. Earlier this year, a U.N. envoy <a href="http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/2016/04/syria-envoy-claims-400000-have-died-in-syria-conflict/#.WBJ3wOkctWa" target="_blank" target="_blank">estimated that 400,000 Syrians have likely been killed</a> in the civil war that started in April 2011.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Mustafa Sultan /Anadolu/Getty Images
February 12: Rebels attack the Syrian regime's headquarters in the villages of Nubul and al-Zahraa. Earlier this year, a U.N. envoy estimated that 400,000 Syrians have likely been killed in the civil war that started in April 2011.
<strong>February 16:</strong> The chair of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is draped in black in Washington. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/13/politics/supreme-court-justice-antonin-scalia-dies-at-79/" target="_blank">He died several days earlier</a> at the age of 79.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
February 16: The chair of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is draped in black in Washington. He died several days earlier at the age of 79.
<strong>February 16:</strong> A diamond is studied in Ramat Gan, Israel. International Diamond Week attracted buyers from all over the world.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Nir Alon/ZUMA
February 16: A diamond is studied in Ramat Gan, Israel. International Diamond Week attracted buyers from all over the world.
<strong>February 21:</strong> A chicken tries to eat a dead rat on a ranch in Roseburg, Oregon.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Robin Loznak/ZUMA
February 21: A chicken tries to eat a dead rat on a ranch in Roseburg, Oregon.
<strong>February 24:</strong> The APEX telescope in Chile released <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/24/world/milky-way-southern-hemisphere-map-irpt/" target="_blank">a map of the Milky Way</a> that gave astronomers a detailed look at the cold, dense gas from which stars are born in our galaxy. It's the first image of its kind to be captured at the submillimeter wavelengths between infrared light and radio waves.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
European Southern Observatory
February 24: The APEX telescope in Chile released a map of the Milky Way that gave astronomers a detailed look at the cold, dense gas from which stars are born in our galaxy. It's the first image of its kind to be captured at the submillimeter wavelengths between infrared light and radio waves.
<strong>February 27:</strong> A member of the Ku Klux Klan fights a man for an American flag during a KKK rally in Anaheim, California. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/27/us/kkk-rally-in-anaheim-violence/" target="_blank">Violence broke out</a> between KKK members and counterprotesters, leaving five people injured and 13 people arrested, authorities said.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Luis Sinco/LA Times
February 27: A member of the Ku Klux Klan fights a man for an American flag during a KKK rally in Anaheim, California. Violence broke out between KKK members and counterprotesters, leaving five people injured and 13 people arrested, authorities said.
<strong>February 28:</strong> Leonardo DiCaprio hugs his friend, former "Titanic" co-star Kate Winslet, at the Academy Awards. DiCaprio won the best-actor Oscar -- the first of his career -- for his role in "The Revenant." <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/29/entertainment/gallery/oscars-winners-2016/index.html" target="_blank">See all the winners</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Christopher Polk/Getty Images
February 28: Leonardo DiCaprio hugs his friend, former "Titanic" co-star Kate Winslet, at the Academy Awards. DiCaprio won the best-actor Oscar -- the first of his career -- for his role in "The Revenant." See all the winners
<strong>February 29: </strong>Otto Frederick Warmbier, an American college student detained in North Korea, bows during <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/28/asia/north-korea-otto-warmbier/" target="_blank">a news conference</a> in Pyongyang, North Korea. Warmbier was accused of trying to steal a political banner that was hanging from the walls of his Pyongyang hotel. In a video supplied to CNN, Warmbier was seen sobbing and pleading for forgiveness. Warmbier's parents asked the North Korean government to accept his apology and "consider his youth and make an important humanitarian gesture by allowing him to return to his loved ones." But in March, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/16/asia/north-korea-warmbier-sentenced/" target="_blank">Warmbier was sentenced</a> to 15 years of hard labor.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Kyodo/Newscom
February 29: Otto Frederick Warmbier, an American college student detained in North Korea, bows during a news conference in Pyongyang, North Korea. Warmbier was accused of trying to steal a political banner that was hanging from the walls of his Pyongyang hotel. In a video supplied to CNN, Warmbier was seen sobbing and pleading for forgiveness. Warmbier's parents asked the North Korean government to accept his apology and "consider his youth and make an important humanitarian gesture by allowing him to return to his loved ones." But in March, Warmbier was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor.
<strong>March 2:</strong> NASA astronaut Scott Kelly is helped off the Soyuz space capsule after he and two Russian cosmonauts landed in the Kazakhstan desert. Kelly <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/01/us/astronaut-scott-kelly-one-year-mission-ending/" target="_blank">spent nearly a year</a> on the International Space Station. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/15/us/gallery/scott-kelly-space-photos-astronaut/index.html" target="_blank">See his best photos from space</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Kirill Kudryavtsev/AP
March 2: NASA astronaut Scott Kelly is helped off the Soyuz space capsule after he and two Russian cosmonauts landed in the Kazakhstan desert. Kelly spent nearly a year on the International Space Station. See his best photos from space
<strong>March 4:</strong> A snowy owl looks into a camera at an animal park in Neumunster, Germany.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Daniel Bockwoldt/EPA
March 4: A snowy owl looks into a camera at an animal park in Neumunster, Germany.
<strong>March 9:</strong> The casket of Nancy Reagan lies in repose at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. The former first lady <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/06/politics/nancy-reagan-dies-obit/index.html" target="_blank">died March 6</a> at the age of 94.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Jae C. Hong/AP
March 9: The casket of Nancy Reagan lies in repose at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. The former first lady died March 6 at the age of 94.
<strong>March 15:</strong> A girl meets an animatronic panda bear in London.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Frantzesco Kangaris/PA Wire/ZUMA
March 15: A girl meets an animatronic panda bear in London.
<strong>March 16:</strong> A model presents a creation by designer Yoshikazu Yamagata during Tokyo Fashion Week.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Kiyoshi Ota/EPA
March 16: A model presents a creation by designer Yoshikazu Yamagata during Tokyo Fashion Week.
<strong>March 21:</strong> Cuban President Raul Castro tries to lift up the arm of US President Barack Obama at the end of <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/21/politics/obama-cuban-raul-castro/" target="_blank">a joint news conference</a> in Havana, Cuba. Though they both acknowledged deep disagreements on human rights, political prisoners and economic reforms, the two leaders found common ground on the topic of the economic embargo on Cuba, which both want lifted. Obama went so far as to declare that "the embargo's going to end," though he couldn't say when.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Ramon Espinosa/AP
March 21: Cuban President Raul Castro tries to lift up the arm of US President Barack Obama at the end of a joint news conference in Havana, Cuba. Though they both acknowledged deep disagreements on human rights, political prisoners and economic reforms, the two leaders found common ground on the topic of the economic embargo on Cuba, which both want lifted. Obama went so far as to declare that "the embargo's going to end," though he couldn't say when.
<strong>March 22:</strong> Two wounded women sit in the airport in Brussels, Belgium, after two explosions rocked the facility. A subway station in the city was also targeted in <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/24/europe/brussels-investigation/index.html" target="_blank">terrorist attacks</a> that killed at least 35 people and injured hundreds more. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2016/03/world/faces-of-fear-brussels/" target="_blank">Faces of fear and hope in Brussels</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Ketevan Kardava/Getty Images
March 22: Two wounded women sit in the airport in Brussels, Belgium, after two explosions rocked the facility. A subway station in the city was also targeted in terrorist attacks that killed at least 35 people and injured hundreds more. Faces of fear and hope in Brussels
<strong>March 23:</strong> A man sits near the top of a sequoia tree in downtown Seattle. Authorities were alerted to the man on March 22, and he was still clinging to its branches nearly a day later. He eventually came down and was charged with malicious mischief, <a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/seattles-tree-climbing-man-booked-into-jail/" target="_blank" target="_blank">according to the Seattle Times.</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Elaine Thompson/AP
March 23: A man sits near the top of a sequoia tree in downtown Seattle. Authorities were alerted to the man on March 22, and he was still clinging to its branches nearly a day later. He eventually came down and was charged with malicious mischief, according to the Seattle Times.
<strong>March 24:</strong> A dinosaur balloon floats through Petah Tikva, Israel, during a parade for the Jewish holiday of Purim.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Oded Balilty/AP
March 24: A dinosaur balloon floats through Petah Tikva, Israel, during a parade for the Jewish holiday of Purim.
<strong>March 24:</strong> A reveler's face is smeared with colored powder as he dances during Holi celebrations in Gauhati, India. The Holi festival of colors is a Hindu celebration marking the arrival of spring.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Anupam Nath/AP
March 24: A reveler's face is smeared with colored powder as he dances during Holi celebrations in Gauhati, India. The Holi festival of colors is a Hindu celebration marking the arrival of spring.
<strong>March 25:</strong> Smoke rises in Palmyra, Syria, where the Syrian army was battling ISIS militants. Syrian forces <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/27/world/gallery/retaking-palmyra/index.html" target="_blank">recaptured the city</a> a couple days later. It had been in ISIS' hands for months.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Valery Sharifulin/TASS/Getty Images
March 25: Smoke rises in Palmyra, Syria, where the Syrian army was battling ISIS militants. Syrian forces recaptured the city a couple days later. It had been in ISIS' hands for months.
<strong>March 25:</strong> US Sen. Bernie Sanders, who was seeking the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, smiles at a bird after <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/25/politics/bernie-sanders-bird-portland-oregon-symbolism/index.html" target="_blank">it landed on his podium</a> in Portland, Oregon.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Steve Dykes/AP
March 25: US Sen. Bernie Sanders, who was seeking the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, smiles at a bird after it landed on his podium in Portland, Oregon.
<strong>March 27:</strong> Migrants gather for a party at the border station of Idomeni, Greece.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Darko Vojinovic/AP
March 27: Migrants gather for a party at the border station of Idomeni, Greece.
<strong>March 30: </strong>Doug Ford cries into his mother's coat as he watches the casket of his father, former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, being placed into a hearse. Rob Ford <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/22/us/rob-ford-dies/" target="_blank">died of cancer</a> at the age of 46.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Chris Young/AP
March 30: Doug Ford cries into his mother's coat as he watches the casket of his father, former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, being placed into a hearse. Rob Ford died of cancer at the age of 46.
<strong>March 31: </strong>Rescue workers and volunteers try to free people trapped under a collapsed overpass in Kolkata, India. More than a dozen people were killed and many more were missing after the overpass, which was under construction, collapsed in a congested area of the city.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Debajyoti Chakraborty/NurPhoto/ZUMA Press
March 31: Rescue workers and volunteers try to free people trapped under a collapsed overpass in Kolkata, India. More than a dozen people were killed and many more were missing after the overpass, which was under construction, collapsed in a congested area of the city.
<strong>April 14:</strong> Dash, a bichon frise, gets a makeover from Melanie Newman, a dog groomer in Melbourne.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Jay Town/Newspix/Getty Images
April 14: Dash, a bichon frise, gets a makeover from Melanie Newman, a dog groomer in Melbourne.
<strong>April 14: </strong>A chimpanzee screams at a worker in Sendai, Japan, after it climbed an electric pole to avoid being captured. The chimp escaped from a zoo in Sendai and was on the loose for nearly two hours.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Kyodo/AP
April 14: A chimpanzee screams at a worker in Sendai, Japan, after it climbed an electric pole to avoid being captured. The chimp escaped from a zoo in Sendai and was on the loose for nearly two hours.
<strong>April 17:</strong> Rescue workers search for missing people after <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/16/asia/japan-earthquake/" target="_blank">a magnitude-7.0 earthquake</a> caused a landslide in Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture. A magnitude-6.2 quake rattled the area two days earlier.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Kimimasa Mayama/EPA
April 17: Rescue workers search for missing people after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake caused a landslide in Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture. A magnitude-6.2 quake rattled the area two days earlier.
<strong>April 18: </strong>People try to rescue horses along Cypress Creek after <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/19/us/houston-texas-flooding/" target="_blank">more than a foot of rain fell in parts of Houston,</a> submerging subdivisions and several interstate highways.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Mark Mulligan/AP
April 18: People try to rescue horses along Cypress Creek after more than a foot of rain fell in parts of Houston, submerging subdivisions and several interstate highways.
<strong>April 19:</strong> Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, center, attends the closing ceremonies of a Cuban Communist Party gathering in Havana, Cuba. Castro formally stepped down in 2008, and his brother Raul, right, is now President. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/05/world/gallery/fidel-castro/index.html" target="_blank">Fidel Castro</a> died in November at age 90.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Ismael Francisco/AP
April 19: Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, center, attends the closing ceremonies of a Cuban Communist Party gathering in Havana, Cuba. Castro formally stepped down in 2008, and his brother Raul, right, is now President. Fidel Castro died in November at age 90.
<strong>April 19:</strong> A man in Chacras, Ecuador, investigates a road that collapsed after <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/20/americas/ecuador-earthquake/" target="_blank">a 7.8-magnitude earthquake.</a> It was the strongest earthquake to hit Ecuador in decades. Hundreds of people were killed.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Rodrigo Abd/AP
April 19: A man in Chacras, Ecuador, investigates a road that collapsed after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake. It was the strongest earthquake to hit Ecuador in decades. Hundreds of people were killed.
<strong>April 19:</strong> Four generations of British royalty are seen in this photo released by the Royal Mail, which put out a new set of stamps to commemorate the 90th birthday of <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/03/europe/gallery/queen-elizabeth-ii/index.html" target="_blank">Queen Elizabeth II.</a> Seen with the Queen, from left, are her son Prince Charles; her great-grandson, Prince George; and her grandson Prince William.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
The Royal Mail
April 19: Four generations of British royalty are seen in this photo released by the Royal Mail, which put out a new set of stamps to commemorate the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. Seen with the Queen, from left, are her son Prince Charles; her great-grandson, Prince George; and her grandson Prince William.
<strong>April 23: </strong>The Solar Impulse 2 flies over San Francisco. The solar-powered airplane, flying around the world without a single drop of fuel, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/24/travel/solar-impulse-2-plane-california/index.html" target="_blank">landed in California</a> after a two-and-a-half-day flight across the Pacific Ocean.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Noah Berger/AP
April 23: The Solar Impulse 2 flies over San Francisco. The solar-powered airplane, flying around the world without a single drop of fuel, landed in California after a two-and-a-half-day flight across the Pacific Ocean.
<strong>April 23:</strong> A Prince fan touches a wall at a venue where the late musician often performed in Minneapolis. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/21/entertainment/gallery/prince-rogers-nelson/index.html" target="_blank">The iconic musician</a> died two days earlier at the age of 57. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/02/health/prince-death-opioid-overdose/" target="_blank">Toxicology tests in June</a> concluded that the entertainer died from an accidental overdose of the opioid fentanyl, according to a report by the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Jim Gehrz/AP
April 23: A Prince fan touches a wall at a venue where the late musician often performed in Minneapolis. The iconic musician died two days earlier at the age of 57. Toxicology tests in June concluded that the entertainer died from an accidental overdose of the opioid fentanyl, according to a report by the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office.
<strong>April 28:</strong> New Volkswagen cars are parked at a plant in Wolfsburg, Germany.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Julian Stratenschulte/EPA
April 28: New Volkswagen cars are parked at a plant in Wolfsburg, Germany.
<strong>April 28:</strong> A police officer reacts during a clash with protesters in Lyon, France. People were protesting proposed reforms to the country's labor laws, and strikes forced cancellations and delays at two airports serving Paris.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Laurent Cipriani/AP
April 28: A police officer reacts during a clash with protesters in Lyon, France. People were protesting proposed reforms to the country's labor laws, and strikes forced cancellations and delays at two airports serving Paris.
<strong>April 30:</strong> US President Barack Obama drops the microphone after speaking at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/30/politics/white-house-correspondents-dinner-obama-best-lines/" target="_blank">Obama's 10 best lines</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Olivier Douliery/Pool/Getty Images
April 30: US President Barack Obama drops the microphone after speaking at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association. Obama's 10 best lines
<strong>May 7:</strong> A wildfire <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/05/world/gallery/canada-wildfire-fort-mcmurray/index.html" target="_blank">rips through the forest</a> near Fort McMurray, Alberta. More than 88,000 people were forced to flee their homes.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Jonathan Hayward/AP
May 7: A wildfire rips through the forest near Fort McMurray, Alberta. More than 88,000 people were forced to flee their homes.
<strong>May 9: </strong>A bride attends a mass wedding ceremony in Karachi, Pakistan.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Shahzaib Akber/EPA
May 9: A bride attends a mass wedding ceremony in Karachi, Pakistan.
<strong>May 16:</strong> An opposition protester yells as he is beaten by riot police in Nairobi, Kenya. Police in Kenya's capital <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/17/africa/kenya-police-violence/" target="_blank">came under fire</a> for what critics said was a heavy-handed response to a largely peaceful opposition protest. Kenya's police chief called for an internal investigation, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Mwenda Njoka.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Ben Curtis/AP
May 16: An opposition protester yells as he is beaten by riot police in Nairobi, Kenya. Police in Kenya's capital came under fire for what critics said was a heavy-handed response to a largely peaceful opposition protest. Kenya's police chief called for an internal investigation, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Mwenda Njoka.
<strong>May 17:</strong> Plebes from the US Naval Academy perform situps with a 12-foot log on top of them during the annual Sea Trials training exercise.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Win McNamee/Getty Images
May 17: Plebes from the US Naval Academy perform situps with a 12-foot log on top of them during the annual Sea Trials training exercise.
<strong>May 21:</strong> A horse nuzzles Vietnam veteran Roberto Gonzales outside a VA hospital in San Antonio. Gonzales, a disabled horse trainer, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/23/health/dying-veteran-reunited-with-horses-trnd/" target="_blank">wanted to spend some of his precious final moments with two of his beloved friends:</a> his horses, Ringo and Sugar. He died two days later.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Lupe Hernandez/VA
May 21: A horse nuzzles Vietnam veteran Roberto Gonzales outside a VA hospital in San Antonio. Gonzales, a disabled horse trainer, wanted to spend some of his precious final moments with two of his beloved friends: his horses, Ringo and Sugar. He died two days later.
<strong>May 21:</strong> Some of the wreckage from <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/26/middleeast/egyptair-airbus-signals-detected/" target="_blank">EgyptAir Flight 804</a> was found north of Alexandria, Egypt. There were 66 people on the plane when it crashed during a flight from Paris to Cairo.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Egyptian Armed Forces/Anadolu/Getty Images
May 21: Some of the wreckage from EgyptAir Flight 804 was found north of Alexandria, Egypt. There were 66 people on the plane when it crashed during a flight from Paris to Cairo.
<strong>May 21:</strong> Cadet Alix Idrache <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/25/us/west-point-graduates-emotional-photo-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">sheds tears of joy</a> as he graduates from the US Military Academy in West Point, New York. "I am from Haiti and never did I imagine that such honor would be one day bestowed on me," he said. He will soon be going to flight school. "Knowing that one day I will be a pilot is humbling beyond words," he said. "I could not help but be flooded with emotions knowing that I will be leading these men and women who are willing to give their all to preserve what we value as the American way of life."
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Staff Sgt. Vito Bryant/US Military Academy
May 21: Cadet Alix Idrache sheds tears of joy as he graduates from the US Military Academy in West Point, New York. "I am from Haiti and never did I imagine that such honor would be one day bestowed on me," he said. He will soon be going to flight school. "Knowing that one day I will be a pilot is humbling beyond words," he said. "I could not help but be flooded with emotions knowing that I will be leading these men and women who are willing to give their all to preserve what we value as the American way of life."
<strong>May 21:</strong> A massive fuel tank, which was built for NASA's space shuttle program, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2016/05/23/shuttle-fuel-tank-los-angeles-nccorig.cnn" target="_blank">is transported to a science center</a> in Los Angeles.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Chris Carlson/AP
May 21: A massive fuel tank, which was built for NASA's space shuttle program, is transported to a science center in Los Angeles.
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Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
<strong>May 27: </strong>A member of the humanitarian organization Sea-Watch holds a migrant baby who drowned after a boat capsized off the coast of Libya. The first five months of 2016 were "particularly deadly," according to the U.N. refugee agency, with at least 2,510 migrant deaths through May compared to 1,855 in the same period in 2015.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Christian Buettner/Eikon Nord/Reuters/Newscom
May 27: A member of the humanitarian organization Sea-Watch holds a migrant baby who drowned after a boat capsized off the coast of Libya. The first five months of 2016 were "particularly deadly," according to the U.N. refugee agency, with at least 2,510 migrant deaths through May compared to 1,855 in the same period in 2015.
<strong>May 30:</strong> After the remains of 40 newborn tiger cubs were found in freezers at a Buddhist temple in Thailand's Kanchanaburi Province, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/01/asia/thailand-tiger-temple-cub-bodies-found/" target="_blank">authorities started removing live tigers from the temple.</a> The Wildlife Conservation Office was investigating the motives behind the temple storing the bodies and looking into the possibility that it was smuggling tiger parts, the organization's director told CNN. The "Tiger Temple" has long been popular with tourists who could walk among live tigers and pose for photos. The temple has said it is a sanctuary for wild animals. Suthipong Pakcharoong, the temple's vice president, told CNN that the temple would comply with the court order but that "there is nothing illegal and dangerous at all."
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Dario Pignatelli/Getty Images
May 30: After the remains of 40 newborn tiger cubs were found in freezers at a Buddhist temple in Thailand's Kanchanaburi Province, authorities started removing live tigers from the temple. The Wildlife Conservation Office was investigating the motives behind the temple storing the bodies and looking into the possibility that it was smuggling tiger parts, the organization's director told CNN. The "Tiger Temple" has long been popular with tourists who could walk among live tigers and pose for photos. The temple has said it is a sanctuary for wild animals. Suthipong Pakcharoong, the temple's vice president, told CNN that the temple would comply with the court order but that "there is nothing illegal and dangerous at all."
<strong>June 2: </strong>A giant panda named Hao Hao holds her newborn baby in her mouth at the Pairi Daiza zoo in Brugelette, Belgium. Giant panda cubs <a href="https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/giantpandas/pandafacts/" target="_blank" target="_blank">are very small</a> in relation to their mother -- 1/900th of the size. They are also pink, hairless and blind, not opening their eyes for several weeks.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Lefevre David/Sipa USA
June 2: A giant panda named Hao Hao holds her newborn baby in her mouth at the Pairi Daiza zoo in Brugelette, Belgium. Giant panda cubs are very small in relation to their mother -- 1/900th of the size. They are also pink, hairless and blind, not opening their eyes for several weeks.
<strong>June 7:</strong> A worker at the S.E.A. Aquarium in Singapore demonstrates a way to feed jellyfish.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Wong Maye-E/AP
June 7: A worker at the S.E.A. Aquarium in Singapore demonstrates a way to feed jellyfish.
<strong>June 8: </strong>A poster that says "I Am Ali" covers a wall at the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville, Kentucky. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/08/us/muhammad-ali-celebration/" target="_blank">A festival</a> was held there for <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/03/sport/gallery/muhammad-ali/index.html" target="_blank">boxing legend Muhammad Ali,</a> a Louisville native who died June 3 at the age of 74. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/09/sport/gallery/tbt-muhammad-ali/index.html" target="_blank">Behind the scenes with Muhammad Ali</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Philip Scott Andrews for CNN
June 8: A poster that says "I Am Ali" covers a wall at the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville, Kentucky. A festival was held there for boxing legend Muhammad Ali, a Louisville native who died June 3 at the age of 74. Behind the scenes with Muhammad Ali
<strong>June 11:</strong> A member of the Queen's Guard fainted during the Trooping the Color parade in London. He recovered and returned to duty, authorities said.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images
June 11: A member of the Queen's Guard fainted during the Trooping the Color parade in London. He recovered and returned to duty, authorities said.
<strong>June 12:</strong> People attend a candlelight vigil for the victims of <a href="http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2016/06/us/cnnphotos-orlando-portraits/" target="_blank">the Orlando nightclub shooting.</a> At least 49 people were killed in what was the deadliest mass shooting in US history.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Joshua Lim/AP
June 12: People attend a candlelight vigil for the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting. At least 49 people were killed in what was the deadliest mass shooting in US history.
<strong>June 12:</strong> Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator and star of the hip-hop musical "Hamilton," performs at the Tony Awards. The Broadway smash, about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2016/06/13/media/hamilton-tonys/" target="_blank">won 11 awards</a> -- one short of the record set by "The Producers" in 2001.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
June 12: Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator and star of the hip-hop musical "Hamilton," performs at the Tony Awards. The Broadway smash, about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, won 11 awards -- one short of the record set by "The Producers" in 2001.
<strong>June 15:</strong> Former Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius walks without his prosthetic legs during <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/15/africa/oscar-pistorius-sentencing-hearing/" target="_blank">his sentencing hearing</a> in Pretoria, South Africa. His attorney was arguing that he was a vulnerable figure who should receive a lesser sentence for the 2014 murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. In July, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/06/africa/oscar-pistorius-sentence/" target="_blank">a judge sentenced him</a> to six years in prison.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Siphiwe Sibeko/Getty Images
June 15: Former Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius walks without his prosthetic legs during his sentencing hearing in Pretoria, South Africa. His attorney was arguing that he was a vulnerable figure who should receive a lesser sentence for the 2014 murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. In July, a judge sentenced him to six years in prison.
<strong>June 15:</strong> An Israeli army soldier aims his laser sight at a camera during a night raid in Hebron, West Bank. The army was carrying out raids in the West Bank, searching houses and making arrests a week after <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/08/middleeast/israel-tel-aviv-shooting/" target="_blank">terrorists killed four Israelis</a> at a popular food and shopping complex in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
ABED AL HASHLAMOUN/EPA
June 15: An Israeli army soldier aims his laser sight at a camera during a night raid in Hebron, West Bank. The army was carrying out raids in the West Bank, searching houses and making arrests a week after terrorists killed four Israelis at a popular food and shopping complex in Tel Aviv, Israel.
<strong>June 19:</strong> A cat rides on a motorcycle in Rio de Janeiro. The man in the photo said he always rides with his cat.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP/Getty Images
June 19: A cat rides on a motorcycle in Rio de Janeiro. The man in the photo said he always rides with his cat.
<strong>June 21:</strong> Lucy Lugo, wife of fallen police officer Endy Ekpanya, comforts their son, Julian, during his funeral service in Houston. Ekpanya, a police officer in Pearland, Texas, died after his patrol car was struck by another vehicle.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle/AP
June 21: Lucy Lugo, wife of fallen police officer Endy Ekpanya, comforts their son, Julian, during his funeral service in Houston. Ekpanya, a police officer in Pearland, Texas, died after his patrol car was struck by another vehicle.
<strong>June 28:</strong> Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, speaks to Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, at a meeting of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Farage, the most vocal architect of Britain's seismic decision to leave the European Union, gloated to the Parliament as members booed and turned their backs on him. Juncker <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/28/europe/uk-brexit-eu-referendum/" target="_blank">fired back</a> in his own speech. "You were fighting for the exit, the British people voted in favor of the exit. Why are you here?" he said.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
JOHN THYS/AFP/Getty Images
June 28: Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, speaks to Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, at a meeting of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Farage, the most vocal architect of Britain's seismic decision to leave the European Union, gloated to the Parliament as members booed and turned their backs on him. Juncker fired back in his own speech. "You were fighting for the exit, the British people voted in favor of the exit. Why are you here?" he said.
<strong>June 29:</strong> Travelers embrace outside Istanbul's Ataturk airport after a deadly terror attack there. Three terrorists armed with bombs and guns <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/28/europe/gallery/istanbul-airport-attacked/index.html" target="_blank">attacked the main international terminal,</a> opening fire and eventually detonating their devices. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2016/07/world/turkey-terror-cnnphotos/" target="_blank">Turkey in the shadow of terror</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Defne Karadeniz/Getty Images
June 29: Travelers embrace outside Istanbul's Ataturk airport after a deadly terror attack there. Three terrorists armed with bombs and guns attacked the main international terminal, opening fire and eventually detonating their devices. Turkey in the shadow of terror
<strong>July 7:</strong> Police respond to a scene where shots were fired in downtown Dallas. Five police officers <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/08/us/philando-castile-alton-sterling-protests/index.html" target="_blank">were fatally shot</a> during a protest over police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota. Seven other officers were injured in the ambush, as were two civilians. The attacker was killed by a bomb-carrying police robot after negotiations failed.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
LM Otero/AP
July 7: Police respond to a scene where shots were fired in downtown Dallas. Five police officers were fatally shot during a protest over police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota. Seven other officers were injured in the ambush, as were two civilians. The attacker was killed by a bomb-carrying police robot after negotiations failed.
<strong>July 9:</strong> A young woman stands in the street as two police officers move in to arrest her near the headquarters of the Baton Rouge Police Department in Louisiana. She was one of hundreds of protesters <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/09/us/black-lives-matter-protests/" target="_blank">who blocked a Baton Rouge roadway</a> to decry police brutality.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Jonathan Bachman/REUTERS/Newscom
July 9: A young woman stands in the street as two police officers move in to arrest her near the headquarters of the Baton Rouge Police Department in Louisiana. She was one of hundreds of protesters who blocked a Baton Rouge roadway to decry police brutality.
<strong>July 11:</strong> A hamerkop tosses a toad in its mouth at Kruger National Park in South Africa.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Bence Mate/Media Drum World/Barcroft Images
July 11: A hamerkop tosses a toad in its mouth at Kruger National Park in South Africa.
<strong>July 15:</strong> Evidence stickers and bullet holes are seen on the windshield of the truck used in a terrorist attack in Nice, France. A man <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/21/europe/nice-france-attacker-plot-accomplices/" target="_blank">deliberately drove a truck into a crowd,</a> killing 84 people on Bastille Day. Authorities said the man plotted his attack for months with "support and accomplices." <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/17/world/cnnphotos-nice-france-day-after-attack/index.html" target="_blank">Life after the truck attack</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Andrew Testa/The New York TImes/Redux
July 15: Evidence stickers and bullet holes are seen on the windshield of the truck used in a terrorist attack in Nice, France. A man deliberately drove a truck into a crowd, killing 84 people on Bastille Day. Authorities said the man plotted his attack for months with "support and accomplices." Life after the truck attack
<strong>July 15:</strong> The Rev. Jesse Jackson consoles Alton Sterling's son, Cameron, at Sterling's funeral in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Sterling, 37, was fatally shot by police in Baton Rouge on July 5. Vigils and memorials <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/07/us/baton-rouge-alton-sterling-shooting/" target="_blank">spread across the country</a> after cell phone video of the shooting was shared widely on social media. Federal authorities are still investigating what happened.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Sean Gardner/Getty Images
July 15: The Rev. Jesse Jackson consoles Alton Sterling's son, Cameron, at Sterling's funeral in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Sterling, 37, was fatally shot by police in Baton Rouge on July 5. Vigils and memorials spread across the country after cell phone video of the shooting was shared widely on social media. Federal authorities are still investigating what happened.
<strong>July 16:</strong> Turkish soldiers surrender on Istanbul's Bosphorus Bridge after a failed coup attempt. At least 246 people were killed and more than 1,500 were injured in violence that broke out the night before. Thousands were detained, and the country <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/21/europe/turkey-coup-emergency/index.html" target="_blank">went into a state of emergency.</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Stringer/Getty Images
July 16: Turkish soldiers surrender on Istanbul's Bosphorus Bridge after a failed coup attempt. At least 246 people were killed and more than 1,500 were injured in violence that broke out the night before. Thousands were detained, and the country went into a state of emergency.
<strong>July 21:</strong> Donald Trump, the Republican Party's presidential nominee, delivers a speech at <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/18/politics/gallery/gop-convention/index.html" target="_blank">the Republican National Convention</a> in Cleveland. "I have had a truly great life in business," he said as he accepted the nomination. "But now, my sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for our country -- to go to work for you. It's time to deliver a victory for the American people." <a href="http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2016/politics/unprecedented/" target="_blank">Unprecedented: A race like no other</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
David Hume Kennerly For CNN
July 21: Donald Trump, the Republican Party's presidential nominee, delivers a speech at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. "I have had a truly great life in business," he said as he accepted the nomination. "But now, my sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for our country -- to go to work for you. It's time to deliver a victory for the American people." Unprecedented: A race like no other
<strong>July 26:</strong> A thunderstorm occurs over Mount Sakurajima as the volcano erupts in Tarumizu, Japan.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
The Asahi Shimbun/Getty Images
July 26: A thunderstorm occurs over Mount Sakurajima as the volcano erupts in Tarumizu, Japan.
<strong>July 27:</strong> Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party's presidential nominee, holds up a glass as <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/29/politics/cnnphotos-behind-the-scenes-hillary-clinton-dnc/index.html" target="_blank">she celebrates backstage</a> at the Democratic National Convention. Among those joining her were her husband, former US President Bill Clinton, and her running mate, US Sen Tim Kaine.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Callie Shell for CNN
July 27: Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party's presidential nominee, holds up a glass as she celebrates backstage at the Democratic National Convention. Among those joining her were her husband, former US President Bill Clinton, and her running mate, US Sen Tim Kaine.
<strong>July 30:</strong> Skydiver Luke Aikins lands in a safety net in Simi Valley, California. He is <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/31/us/skydiver-no-parachute-successful-landing-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">the first person to land safely without a parachute after jumping from 25,000 feet.</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Mark Davis/Getty Images
July 30: Skydiver Luke Aikins lands in a safety net in Simi Valley, California. He is the first person to land safely without a parachute after jumping from 25,000 feet.
<strong>July 30:</strong> The barrel of a tank is seen as the vehicle moves across challenging terrain in Alabino, Russia. It was part of the International Army Games, a competition that involved troops from Russia and several other nations.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Vadim Savitsky/AP
July 30: The barrel of a tank is seen as the vehicle moves across challenging terrain in Alabino, Russia. It was part of the International Army Games, a competition that involved troops from Russia and several other nations.
<strong>August 7:</strong> Performers dressed as Pikachu, a character from the Pokemon franchise, ride an elevator during the "Pikachu Outbreak" event in Yokohama, Japan. Hundreds of Pikachus were appearing at city landmarks to attract visitors in the Minato Mirai area.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images
August 7: Performers dressed as Pikachu, a character from the Pokemon franchise, ride an elevator during the "Pikachu Outbreak" event in Yokohama, Japan. Hundreds of Pikachus were appearing at city landmarks to attract visitors in the Minato Mirai area.
<strong>August 9:</strong> The Olympic diving pool turned green in Rio de Janeiro. Officials <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/11/sports/olympics/green-water-pool-rio-games.html" target="_blank" target="_blank">blamed the color change</a> on a chemical imbalance in the water, but they said there were no health risks to the athletes.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Adam Pretty/Getty Images
August 9: The Olympic diving pool turned green in Rio de Janeiro. Officials blamed the color change on a chemical imbalance in the water, but they said there were no health risks to the athletes.
<strong>August 10:</strong> New York City police grab a man who was <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/10/politics/trump-tower-suction-cups/" target="_blank">climbing the Trump Tower </a>using giant suction cups. The 19-year-old was arrested and taken to Bellevue Hospital for a psychological evaluation, according to a law enforcement official. He was later charged with reckless endangerment and criminal trespassing.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
PETER FOLEY/EPA
August 10: New York City police grab a man who was climbing the Trump Tower using giant suction cups. The 19-year-old was arrested and taken to Bellevue Hospital for a psychological evaluation, according to a law enforcement official. He was later charged with reckless endangerment and criminal trespassing.
<strong>August 13:</strong> A young daredevil, center, waits for her turn as another person rides a motorbike around the "Devil's Barrel" at a carnival in Deli Serdang, Indonesia.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
DEDI SINUHAJI/EPA
August 13: A young daredevil, center, waits for her turn as another person rides a motorbike around the "Devil's Barrel" at a carnival in Deli Serdang, Indonesia.
<strong>August 14:</strong> Brazil's Globo media group released surveillance footage that shows US swimmers Ryan Lochte, James Feigen, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz at a gas station in Rio de Janeiro. The Olympians initially said they were robbed at gunpoint there by men in police uniforms. Brazilian police <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/18/sport/us-swimmers-olympics-robbery-questions/index.html" target="_blank">said the athletes concocted a story</a> to cover up an act of vandalism that led to a confrontation with security guards.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Globo
August 14: Brazil's Globo media group released surveillance footage that shows US swimmers Ryan Lochte, James Feigen, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz at a gas station in Rio de Janeiro. The Olympians initially said they were robbed at gunpoint there by men in police uniforms. Brazilian police said the athletes concocted a story to cover up an act of vandalism that led to a confrontation with security guards.
<strong>August 14:</strong> Danielle Blount and her 3-month-old baby, Ember, wait to be rescued by the Louisiana Army National Guard near Walker, Louisiana. More than 30,000 people <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/13/us/gallery/louisiana-flooding/index.html" target="_blank">were rescued in southern Louisiana</a> after heavy rains caused flooding.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Max Becherer/AP
August 14: Danielle Blount and her 3-month-old baby, Ember, wait to be rescued by the Louisiana Army National Guard near Walker, Louisiana. More than 30,000 people were rescued in southern Louisiana after heavy rains caused flooding.
<strong>August 14:</strong> Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt looks back at his Olympic competitors during a 100-meter semifinal. Bolt <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/14/sport/usain-bolt-justin-gatlin-olympic-games-100-meters-rio/" target="_blank">won the final a short time later,</a> becoming the first man in history to win the 100 meters at three straight Olympic Games.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
August 14: Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt looks back at his Olympic competitors during a 100-meter semifinal. Bolt won the final a short time later, becoming the first man in history to win the 100 meters at three straight Olympic Games.
<strong>August 17:</strong> This still image, taken from a video posted by the Aleppo Media Center, shows a young boy in an ambulance after an airstrike in Aleppo, Syria. It took nearly an hour to dig the boy, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/17/world/syria-little-boy-airstrike-victim/index.html" target="_blank">identified as Omran Daqneesh,</a> out from the rubble, an activist told CNN. The airstrike destroyed his home, where he lived with his parents and two siblings.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Mahmud Rslan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
August 17: This still image, taken from a video posted by the Aleppo Media Center, shows a young boy in an ambulance after an airstrike in Aleppo, Syria. It took nearly an hour to dig the boy, identified as Omran Daqneesh, out from the rubble, an activist told CNN. The airstrike destroyed his home, where he lived with his parents and two siblings.
<strong>August 24:</strong> A rescued woman is carried away on a stretcher after <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/25/europe/italy-earthquake/" target="_blank">a 6.2-magnitude earthquake</a> in Amatrice, Italy. The earthquake devastated towns across central Italy and killed more than 250 people.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Massimo Percossi/AP
August 24: A rescued woman is carried away on a stretcher after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake in Amatrice, Italy. The earthquake devastated towns across central Italy and killed more than 250 people.
<strong>August 26:</strong> More than 300 wild reindeer <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/29/europe/reindeer-killed-lightning-trnd/" target="_blank">were killed by a single lightning strike</a> in central Norway. Kjartan Knutsen, a spokesman for the Norwegian Environment Agency, said the reindeer were huddled together because of the bad weather in Hardangervidda National Park. Humans rarely visit the remote area.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Haavard Kjoentvedt/NTB scanpix/Sipa USA
August 26: More than 300 wild reindeer were killed by a single lightning strike in central Norway. Kjartan Knutsen, a spokesman for the Norwegian Environment Agency, said the reindeer were huddled together because of the bad weather in Hardangervidda National Park. Humans rarely visit the remote area.
<strong>August 29:</strong> Migrants swim away from a crowded wooden boat as they are rescued in the Mediterranean Sea north of Sabratha, Libya. Thousands were rescued from more than 20 boats.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Emilio Morenatti/AP
August 29: Migrants swim away from a crowded wooden boat as they are rescued in the Mediterranean Sea north of Sabratha, Libya. Thousands were rescued from more than 20 boats.
<strong>September 5:</strong> Roman Catholic nuns from the Missionaries of Charity attend a service for the late Mother Teresa in Kolkata, India. Mother Teresa, who devoted her life to helping the poor and ill in India, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/04/europe/mother-teresa-canonization/" target="_blank">was declared a saint</a> by Pope Francis on September 4.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images
September 5: Roman Catholic nuns from the Missionaries of Charity attend a service for the late Mother Teresa in Kolkata, India. Mother Teresa, who devoted her life to helping the poor and ill in India, was declared a saint by Pope Francis on September 4.
<strong>September 7:</strong> A woman and man in East Liverpool, Ohio, are seen passed out from a drug overdose as a child sits in the back seat of a car. The East Liverpool city administration <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cityofeastliverpool/posts/879927698809767" target="_blank" target="_blank">posted the photo on Facebook,</a> along with one other image, in order to show the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/09/health/heroin-effects-police-photo-trnd/" target="_blank">devastating effects of heroin addiction.</a> Rhonda Pasek, the child's grandmother who is seen in the photo, was <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/15/health/heroin-photo-woman-court/index.html" target="_blank">sentenced to 180 days in jail</a> and ordered to pay $280 in fines after pleading no contest to endangering a child and disorderly conduct and public intoxication. <em>Editor's note: A portion of this photo has been blurred by CNN because of the age of the subject.</em>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
East Liverpool Police Department
September 7: A woman and man in East Liverpool, Ohio, are seen passed out from a drug overdose as a child sits in the back seat of a car. The East Liverpool city administration posted the photo on Facebook, along with one other image, in order to show the devastating effects of heroin addiction. Rhonda Pasek, the child's grandmother who is seen in the photo, was sentenced to 180 days in jail and ordered to pay $280 in fines after pleading no contest to endangering a child and disorderly conduct and public intoxication. Editor's note: A portion of this photo has been blurred by CNN because of the age of the subject.
<strong>September 21:</strong> Wax figures of celebrity couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are moved apart at Madame Tussauds London. Jolie <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/20/entertainment/angelina-jolie-brad-pitt-divorce/" target="_blank">had just filed for divorce,</a> citing irreconcilable differences. The actors were married in August 2014.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Yui Mok/PA Wire/ZUMA Press
September 21: Wax figures of celebrity couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are moved apart at Madame Tussauds London. Jolie had just filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The actors were married in August 2014.
<strong>September 22:</strong> A protester embraces a member of the National Guard in Charlotte, North Carolina. Violent protests <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/21/us/gallery/charlotte-protest/index.html" target="_blank">erupted in Charlotte</a> following the death of Keith Lamont Scott, who was shot by police in an apartment complex parking lot. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney said Scott exited his car with a gun and that he was shot after he wouldn't drop it. Scott's family said he was unarmed and sitting in his car reading a book. A two-month investigation <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/30/us/keith-lamont-scott-case-brentley-vinson/" target="_blank">later determined that the police officer was justified</a> in shooting Scott and that "all the credible evidence" led to the conclusion that Scott was armed. Mecklenburg County District Attorney Andrew Murray said he didn't reach the conclusions alone; a total of 15 prosecutors unanimously agreed with the decision.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Jeff Siner/AP
September 22: A protester embraces a member of the National Guard in Charlotte, North Carolina. Violent protests erupted in Charlotte following the death of Keith Lamont Scott, who was shot by police in an apartment complex parking lot. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney said Scott exited his car with a gun and that he was shot after he wouldn't drop it. Scott's family said he was unarmed and sitting in his car reading a book. A two-month investigation later determined that the police officer was justified in shooting Scott and that "all the credible evidence" led to the conclusion that Scott was armed. Mecklenburg County District Attorney Andrew Murray said he didn't reach the conclusions alone; a total of 15 prosecutors unanimously agreed with the decision.
<strong>September 23:</strong> A waterspout passes near a beach in Turkey's Hatay Province.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Burak Milli/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
September 23: A waterspout passes near a beach in Turkey's Hatay Province.
<strong>September 24:</strong> First lady Michelle Obama hugs former US President George W. Bush during <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/23/politics/smithsonian-african-american-museum-obama/" target="_blank">the dedication ceremony</a> of the new Smithsonian museum devoted to African-American history. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/24/politics/michelle-obama-george-w-bush-friendship/" target="_blank">The friendship of Michelle Obama and George W. Bush</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
September 24: First lady Michelle Obama hugs former US President George W. Bush during the dedication ceremony of the new Smithsonian museum devoted to African-American history. The friendship of Michelle Obama and George W. Bush
<strong>September 26: </strong>A staff member at the Tate Britain art museum poses next to Anthea Hamilton's "Project for a Door" during a press preview in London. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/28/arts/turner-prize-2016/index.html" target="_blank">A deeper look into the art world's most controversial award: The Turner Prize</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Carl Court/Getty Images
September 26: A staff member at the Tate Britain art museum poses next to Anthea Hamilton's "Project for a Door" during a press preview in London. A deeper look into the art world's most controversial award: The Turner Prize
<strong>September 28:</strong> Baseball fans and members of the Miami Marlins organization surround the hearse carrying Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/28/us/miami-jose-fernandez-procession/" target="_blank">who died in a boating accident.</a> Fernandez, a 24-year-old native of Santa Clara, Cuba, was a beloved figure in Miami, where so many of his countrymen have settled and prospered. He was a two-time All-Star and the National League's Rookie of the Year in 2013.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
September 28: Baseball fans and members of the Miami Marlins organization surround the hearse carrying Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, who died in a boating accident. Fernandez, a 24-year-old native of Santa Clara, Cuba, was a beloved figure in Miami, where so many of his countrymen have settled and prospered. He was a two-time All-Star and the National League's Rookie of the Year in 2013.
<strong>October 2:</strong> People form a human tower during an annual competition in Tarragona, Spain.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Emilio Morenatti/AP
October 2: People form a human tower during an annual competition in Tarragona, Spain.
<strong>October 5:</strong> Anias and Jadon McDonald, twins who were born conjoined at the head in September 2015, are seen eight days before <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/08/health/conjoined-twins-surgical-team/" target="_blank">they were surgically separated</a> at a New York hospital. The procedure, known as craniopagus surgery, is so rare that it has been conducted only 59 times since 1952. CNN was allowed <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/14/health/conjoined-twins-separation-surgery/index.html" target="_blank">exclusive access</a> to the surgery and the McDonald family.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Krisanne Johnson/Verbatim for CNN
October 5: Anias and Jadon McDonald, twins who were born conjoined at the head in September 2015, are seen eight days before they were surgically separated at a New York hospital. The procedure, known as craniopagus surgery, is so rare that it has been conducted only 59 times since 1952. CNN was allowed exclusive access to the surgery and the McDonald family.
<strong>October 7: </strong>Veterinary nurse Lauren Emmett carries out a procedure on a dog in London.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Leon Neal/Getty Images
October 7: Veterinary nurse Lauren Emmett carries out a procedure on a dog in London.
<strong>October 8:</strong> A woman cries as the coffin of Roberto Laguerre is carried away for burial in Jeremie, Haiti. Laguerre, 32, died when the wall of a church next to his home fell during<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/11/world/haiti-hurricane-matthew/" target="_blank"> Hurricane Matthew.</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP
October 8: A woman cries as the coffin of Roberto Laguerre is carried away for burial in Jeremie, Haiti. Laguerre, 32, died when the wall of a church next to his home fell during Hurricane Matthew.
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Photos: Police shoot man at Paris Orly Airport
<strong>October 9: </strong>Jimji, 6, cries out "Papa" as workers move the body of her father, Jimboy Bolasa, for burial in Manila, Philippines. Bolasa, 25, was found dead along with his neighbor. New Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte campaigned hard on <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/03/asia/philippines-war-on-drugs/" target="_blank">a no-nonsense approach to crime,</a> and on several occasions he has hinted openly that he doesn't oppose his police force or even citizens taking the lives of suspected criminals. Critics see the approach as a complete disregard of due process. "It's absolutely crippling to see that image and to see that little girl experiencing so much pain and loss; to know that her father was never given a trial, never had the opportunity to defend himself in front of a court," <a href="http://time.com/top-10-photos-2016/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Daniel Berehulak said</a> about the photo, which he took<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/07/world/asia/rodrigo-duterte-philippines-drugs-killings.html" target="_blank" target="_blank"> on assignment for The New York Times.</a> "He was tortured and executed in the space of 30-45 minutes." <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/28/asia/philippines-voices-drugs-war/index.html" target="_blank">Duterte's crackdown: 6 stories from the front lines</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times/Redux
October 9: Jimji, 6, cries out "Papa" as workers move the body of her father, Jimboy Bolasa, for burial in Manila, Philippines. Bolasa, 25, was found dead along with his neighbor. New Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte campaigned hard on a no-nonsense approach to crime, and on several occasions he has hinted openly that he doesn't oppose his police force or even citizens taking the lives of suspected criminals. Critics see the approach as a complete disregard of due process. "It's absolutely crippling to see that image and to see that little girl experiencing so much pain and loss; to know that her father was never given a trial, never had the opportunity to defend himself in front of a court," Daniel Berehulak said about the photo, which he took on assignment for The New York Times. "He was tortured and executed in the space of 30-45 minutes." Duterte's crackdown: 6 stories from the front lines
<strong>October 17:</strong> A passenger jet passes over a house as it prepares to land at London's Heathrow Airport.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images
October 17: A passenger jet passes over a house as it prepares to land at London's Heathrow Airport.
<strong>October 17: </strong>Fans dressed as "Star Wars" characters Darth Vader and Chewbacca use the bathroom during a film festival in Antalya, Turkey.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Emre Tazegul/AP
October 17: Fans dressed as "Star Wars" characters Darth Vader and Chewbacca use the bathroom during a film festival in Antalya, Turkey.
<strong>October 18:</strong> Police stand guard at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, where the body of King Bhumibol Adulyadej was enshrined. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/12/asia/gallery/thai-king-bhumibol-adulyadej/index.html" target="_blank">The King's death</a> was announced October 13. He was 88.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Sakchai Lalit/AP
October 18: Police stand guard at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, where the body of King Bhumibol Adulyadej was enshrined. The King's death was announced October 13. He was 88.
<strong>October 19:</strong> Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton gestures to the crowd after <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/19/politics/gallery/final-presidential-debate/index.html" target="_blank">the final presidential debate,</a> which took place in Las Vegas. There was no handshake between her and Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
October 19: Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton gestures to the crowd after the final presidential debate, which took place in Las Vegas. There was no handshake between her and Republican nominee Donald Trump.
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Photos: Crisis in Venezuela
<strong>October 24:</strong> A child's body is seen at a makeshift hospital after a cluster bomb attack in Douma, Syria.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Abd Doumany/AFP/Getty Images
October 24: A child's body is seen at a makeshift hospital after a cluster bomb attack in Douma, Syria.
<strong>October 26:</strong> Smoke rises from <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/26/europe/gallery/the-saga-of-the-calais-jungle/index.html" target="_blank">"The Jungle,"</a> a makeshift migrant camp in Calais, France, that authorities <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/26/europe/calais-jungle-france-close/" target="_blank">began dismantling</a> on October 24. During evacuations, some of the migrants set shelters on fire. By the middle of the week, more than 4,400 people had been bused out of Calais to other regions of the country. The town is known for being a major transit point for migrants trying to reach Great Britain.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Guillaume Pinon/NurPhoto/Sipa USA
October 26: Smoke rises from "The Jungle," a makeshift migrant camp in Calais, France, that authorities began dismantling on October 24. During evacuations, some of the migrants set shelters on fire. By the middle of the week, more than 4,400 people had been bused out of Calais to other regions of the country. The town is known for being a major transit point for migrants trying to reach Great Britain.
<strong>October 27:</strong> Red deer fight at a wildlife park in Bonn, Germany.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Markus Schreiber/AP
October 27: Red deer fight at a wildlife park in Bonn, Germany.
<strong>October 31:</strong> A woman is caned in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The province of Aceh is strictly Muslim and is the only province in the country implementing Sharia law. Public canings happen there regularly and often attract huge crowds.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN/AFP/Getty Images
October 31: A woman is caned in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The province of Aceh is strictly Muslim and is the only province in the country implementing Sharia law. Public canings happen there regularly and often attract huge crowds.
<strong>November 3:</strong> The Chicago Cubs celebrate <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/02/sport/world-series-game-7-chicago-cubs-cleveland-indians/" target="_blank">after winning Game 7 of the World Series.</a> The Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians in 10 innings to end the longest championship drought in major US sports. The Cubs hadn't won the World Series since 1908.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Cassella/Chicago Tribune/TNS/Getty Images
November 3: The Chicago Cubs celebrate after winning Game 7 of the World Series. The Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians in 10 innings to end the longest championship drought in major US sports. The Cubs hadn't won the World Series since 1908.
<strong>November 8:</strong> A man reacts as he watches voting results at the Javits Center in New York City. Supporters of Hillary Clinton had their hopes shattered after Republican nominee Donald Trump<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/08/politics/election-day-2016-highlights/index.html" target="_blank"> was elected the 45th President of the United States.</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Gabriella Demczuk for CNN
November 8: A man reacts as he watches voting results at the Javits Center in New York City. Supporters of Hillary Clinton had their hopes shattered after Republican nominee Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States.
<strong>November 9:</strong> An image of Donald Trump is projected onto the Empire State Building in New York after Trump became President-elect of the United States.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Vince Laforet for CNN
November 9: An image of Donald Trump is projected onto the Empire State Building in New York after Trump became President-elect of the United States.
<strong>November 10:</strong> US President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with President Barack Obama <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/10/politics/donald-trump-obama-paul-ryan-washington/" target="_blank">during a meeting at the White House.</a> "My No. 1 priority in the next two months is to try to facilitate a transition that ensures our President-elect is successful," Obama said.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
November 10: US President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with President Barack Obama during a meeting at the White House. "My No. 1 priority in the next two months is to try to facilitate a transition that ensures our President-elect is successful," Obama said.
<strong>November 10: </strong>Orange County Fire and Rescue <a href="https://twitter.com/OCFireRescue/status/796850042539745281" target="_blank" target="_blank">tweeted this image</a> of a <a href="http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2016/11/10/bald-eagle-stuck-in-storm-drain-florida-orig.cnn" target="_blank">bald eagle trapped in a storm drain</a> in Orange County, Florida. The other eagle pictured flew away. CNN affiliate WFTV reported that the bird was trapped for about 90 minutes.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
OCFireRescue/Twitter
November 10: Orange County Fire and Rescue tweeted this image of a bald eagle trapped in a storm drain in Orange County, Florida. The other eagle pictured flew away. CNN affiliate WFTV reported that the bird was trapped for about 90 minutes.
<strong>November 11:</strong> A member of Iraq's special forces guards two suspected ISIS fighters found hiding in a house in Mosul, Iraq. An Iraqi-led offensive was launched in October <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/17/world/gallery/mosul/index.html" target="_blank">to reclaim Mosul,</a> Iraq's second-largest city and the last major stronghold for ISIS in the country.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images
November 11: A member of Iraq's special forces guards two suspected ISIS fighters found hiding in a house in Mosul, Iraq. An Iraqi-led offensive was launched in October to reclaim Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city and the last major stronghold for ISIS in the country.
<strong>November 14:</strong> Crowds in Fremantle, Australia, look at a supermoon. NASA scientists said the moon <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/14/world/gallery/supermoon-november-2016/index.html" target="_blank">was brighter than it had appeared at any point in the last 68 years.</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Paul Kane/Getty Images
November 14: Crowds in Fremantle, Australia, look at a supermoon. NASA scientists said the moon was brighter than it had appeared at any point in the last 68 years.
<strong>November 14:</strong> A cat named James wears a collar and tie as he looks out the window of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. The embassy has been home to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for more than four years now.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images
November 14: A cat named James wears a collar and tie as he looks out the window of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. The embassy has been home to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for more than four years now.
<strong>November 20:</strong> Police use a water cannon on people protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline near Cannon Ball, North Dakota. The <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/07/us/dakota-access-pipeline-visual-guide/" target="_blank">Dakota Access Pipeline</a> is a $3.7 billion project that would cross four states and change the landscape of the US crude oil supply. But the Standing Rock Sioux tribe says the pipeline would affect its drinking-water supply and destroy its sacred sites.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Stephanie Keith/REUTERS/Newscom
November 20: Police use a water cannon on people protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline near Cannon Ball, North Dakota. The Dakota Access Pipeline is a $3.7 billion project that would cross four states and change the landscape of the US crude oil supply. But the Standing Rock Sioux tribe says the pipeline would affect its drinking-water supply and destroy its sacred sites.
<strong>November 21:</strong> Six children were killed after a school bus <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/23/us/chattanooga-school-bus-crash/" target="_blank">crashed and flipped over</a> in Chattanooga, Tennessee. More than a dozen other students were injured -- some with severe head or spinal injuries -- and the driver faces charges of reckless driving and vehicular homicide.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Chattanooga Fire Department
November 21: Six children were killed after a school bus crashed and flipped over in Chattanooga, Tennessee. More than a dozen other students were injured -- some with severe head or spinal injuries -- and the driver faces charges of reckless driving and vehicular homicide.
<strong>November 28:</strong> SWAT team members walk up the steps of a parking garage after <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/28/us/ohio-state-university-active-shooter/index.html" target="_blank">an attack on the campus of Ohio State University.</a> Authorities said Abdul Razak Ali Artan, an 18-year-old student, rammed his car into a group of pedestrians before using a butcher knife to cut several people. At least 11 people were hospitalized. Artan was fatally shot by a campus police officer.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Jay LaPrete/AP
November 28: SWAT team members walk up the steps of a parking garage after an attack on the campus of Ohio State University. Authorities said Abdul Razak Ali Artan, an 18-year-old student, rammed his car into a group of pedestrians before using a butcher knife to cut several people. At least 11 people were hospitalized. Artan was fatally shot by a campus police officer.
<strong>November 30:</strong> The ashes of longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro are driven through the streets of Havana, Cuba. Cubans <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/28/americas/gallery/cuba-remembers-castro/index.html" target="_blank">gathered across the country</a> to see his remains make their way to Santiago de Cuba.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
STR/AFP/Getty Images
November 30: The ashes of longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro are driven through the streets of Havana, Cuba. Cubans gathered across the country to see his remains make their way to Santiago de Cuba.
<strong>November 30:</strong> A burned car sits in a parking lot after a wildfire swept through Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Gatlinburg city officials declared mandatory evacuations in several areas as firefighters <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/28/us/southern-fires-gatlinburg-smokies/index.html" target="_blank">battled at least 14 fires in and around the city.</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Mark Humphrey/AP
November 30: A burned car sits in a parking lot after a wildfire swept through Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Gatlinburg city officials declared mandatory evacuations in several areas as firefighters battled at least 14 fires in and around the city.
<strong>November 30:</strong> Players from the Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense mourn their fallen teammates <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/30/world/gallery/colombia-plane-crash-reaction/index.html" target="_blank">during a tribute</a> at the team's stadium in Chapeco, Brazil. A charter airplane carrying 77 people, including most players from Chapecoense, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/29/americas/gallery/colombia-plane-crash-site/index.html" target="_blank">crashed near Rionegro, Colombia,</a> on November 28. Seventy-one people were killed, officials said. Six survived: three players, two crew members and one journalist.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Andre Penner/AP
November 30: Players from the Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense mourn their fallen teammates during a tribute at the team's stadium in Chapeco, Brazil. A charter airplane carrying 77 people, including most players from Chapecoense, crashed near Rionegro, Colombia, on November 28. Seventy-one people were killed, officials said. Six survived: three players, two crew members and one journalist.
<strong>December 4: </strong>Edgar Maddison Welch, a 28-year-old from Salisbury, North Carolina, surrenders to police outside a pizzeria in the nation's capital. He was later charged with assault with a dangerous weapon. Washington's Metropolitan Police Department said Welch admitted he had come <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/04/politics/gun-incident-fake-news/index.html" target="_blank">to investigate "Pizza Gate,"</a> a fictitious online conspiracy theory. Two firearms were recovered inside the restaurant, and an additional weapon was recovered from the suspect's vehicle, police said.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Sathi Soma/AP
December 4: Edgar Maddison Welch, a 28-year-old from Salisbury, North Carolina, surrenders to police outside a pizzeria in the nation's capital. He was later charged with assault with a dangerous weapon. Washington's Metropolitan Police Department said Welch admitted he had come to investigate "Pizza Gate," a fictitious online conspiracy theory. Two firearms were recovered inside the restaurant, and an additional weapon was recovered from the suspect's vehicle, police said.
<strong>December 5: </strong>The remains of the Ghost Ship warehouse are seen in Oakland, California. A fire that <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/05/us/oakland-fire-victims/index.html" target="_blank">killed 36 people</a> ravaged the warehouse during a dance party on December 2. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, authorities said. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/03/world/gallery/year-in-pictures-2015/index.html" target="_blank">See 2015: The year in pictures</a>
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
JOSH EDELSON/AFPGetty Images
December 5: The remains of the Ghost Ship warehouse are seen in Oakland, California. A fire that killed 36 people ravaged the warehouse during a dance party on December 2. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, authorities said. See 2015: The year in pictures
<strong>December 12:</strong> Children dressed as Santa Claus participate in a parade that collected food for the needy in Lisbon, Portugal.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Rafael Marchante/REUTERS/Newscom
December 12: Children dressed as Santa Claus participate in a parade that collected food for the needy in Lisbon, Portugal.
<strong>December 15: </strong>Arabic writing that reads "some day we will return" is seen on a bus window as civilians evacuate Aleppo, Syria. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/13/middleeast/gallery/battle-for-aleppo/index.html" target="_blank">The evacuations</a> began under a new ceasefire between rebels and pro-government forces.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
KARAM AL-MASRI/AFP/Getty Images
December 15: Arabic writing that reads "some day we will return" is seen on a bus window as civilians evacuate Aleppo, Syria. The evacuations began under a new ceasefire between rebels and pro-government forces.
<strong>December 19:</strong> A gunman gestures after <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/19/middleeast/gallery/andrey-karlov-shooting/index.html" target="_blank">assassinating Andrey Karlov,</a> the Russian ambassador to Turkey, at a photo exhibition in Ankara, Turkey. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the gunman was Mevlut Mert Altintas, a Turkish police officer. In a video circulating on social media, the shooter was heard shouting, "Allahu akbar (God is greatest). Do not forget Aleppo! Do not forget Syria! Do not forget Aleppo! Do not forget Syria!" Russia is the most powerful ally of the Syrian regime and has carried out airstrikes since September 2015 to prop up embattled leader Bashar al-Assad. Karlov, 62, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/19/europe/who-was-andrey-karlov/" target="_blank">had served in Ankara </a>since July 2013.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
Burhan Ozbilici/AP
December 19: A gunman gestures after assassinating Andrey Karlov, the Russian ambassador to Turkey, at a photo exhibition in Ankara, Turkey. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the gunman was Mevlut Mert Altintas, a Turkish police officer. In a video circulating on social media, the shooter was heard shouting, "Allahu akbar (God is greatest). Do not forget Aleppo! Do not forget Syria! Do not forget Aleppo! Do not forget Syria!" Russia is the most powerful ally of the Syrian regime and has carried out airstrikes since September 2015 to prop up embattled leader Bashar al-Assad. Karlov, 62, had served in Ankara since July 2013.
<strong>December 28:</strong> Women mourn the death of a family member in Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan. Local police said dozens of people were killed and many transported to hospitals after they consumed contaminated alcohol during the Christmas holidays.
Photos: 2016: The year in pictures
K.M. Chaudary/AP
December 28: Women mourn the death of a family member in Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan. Local police said dozens of people were killed and many transported to hospitals after they consumed contaminated alcohol during the Christmas holidays.

Story highlights

The Olympic Games were always going to push Brazil into the headlines this year

But 2016 also brought a non-sporting scandal, tragedies and political strife

Editor’s Note: Shasta Darlington is an international correspondent for CNN based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Rio de Janeiro CNN  — 

It was January, 2016. I cuddled 3-month-old Luiz Felipe in my lap. Chubby, squeezable and defenseless, he felt like my children when they were babies. But Luiz Felipe was born with an unusually small head and underdeveloped brain.

We were in Recife, in northeastern Brazil, to report on a Zika virus pandemic that had been linked to a surge in birth defects – specifically microcephaly. Doctors were already calling the infants “a lost generation.”

I spent hours with producer Flora Charner and photojournalist Miguel Castro – himself a new father – in waiting rooms and clinics.

More big stories from 2016 ...

  • … including the year’s best pictures, in-depth reporting and a look at the year ahead, go to CNN.com/2016.

    We spoke softly to parents as they got the first diagnosis of microcephaly. And cuddled and cajoled tiny babies just beginning what, we were told, would be a lifetime of jabs and tests and physical therapy.

    02:27 - Source: CNN
    Zika virus linked to babies born with microcephaly

    It wasn’t supposed to be like this. 2016 was going to be Brazil’s time to shine on the global stage as it hosted the Summer Olympics, the first ever in Latin America.

    But it certainly wasn’t starting well for Brazil. Between November 2015 and November 2016, more than 2,000 babies were confirmed born with microcephaly. That compares with a couple hundred per year on average.

    The mosquito-borne disease hit poor families in the northeast hardest – but it quickly spread to Rio de Janeiro, the host city of the Games, during the height of the South American summer and Carnival celebration.

    We went from doctors’ offices to teeming Carnival, where costumed revelers partied, drank and smooched just as international health organizations announced that Zika could be transmitted sexually and was present in saliva.

    The Zika crisis would end up being one of the major deterrents to potential Olympic visitors – but not the only one.

    Political pressure cooker

    While Zika swept across the country, the political climate was also heating up with tens of thousands taking to the streets in protest against widespread corruption and demanding the ouster of President Dilma Rousseff.

    As young Marxist during Brazil's military dictatorship, Dilma Rousseff was charged by a military court with subversion and jailed in November 1970. Rousseff has said she was tortured with electrical shocks by her captors during her imprisonment.
    Photos: The rise and fall of Dilma Rousseff
    Adir Mera/Public Archive of the State of Sao Paulo
    Freedom fighter —
    As young Marxist during Brazil's military dictatorship, Dilma Rousseff was charged by a military court with subversion and jailed in November 1970. Rousseff has said she was tortured with electrical shocks by her captors during her imprisonment.
    As former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's chief of staff, Rousseff took on several high-profile roles. She announced the discovery of Brazil's pre-salt oil reserves, which would have made the country self-sustainable and could have produced up to 100 billion barrels of oil. But the reserve, discovered in 2009, still remains untapped.
    Photos: The rise and fall of Dilma Rousseff
    MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty Images
    Chief of staff —
    As former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's chief of staff, Rousseff took on several high-profile roles. She announced the discovery of Brazil's pre-salt oil reserves, which would have made the country self-sustainable and could have produced up to 100 billion barrels of oil. But the reserve, discovered in 2009, still remains untapped.
    Rousseff campaigning for the presidency in 2010.
    Photos: The rise and fall of Dilma Rousseff
    ROBERTO STUCKERT FILHO/AFP/Getty Images
    Presidential hopeful —
    Rousseff campaigning for the presidency in 2010.
    Dilma Rousseff is sworn in to her first term on January 1, 2011, becoming Brazil's first female president. She's seen here with running mate Michel Temer, who has now succeeded her as president.
    Photos: The rise and fall of Dilma Rousseff
    ADRIANO MACHADO/AFP/Getty Images
    President —
    Dilma Rousseff is sworn in to her first term on January 1, 2011, becoming Brazil's first female president. She's seen here with running mate Michel Temer, who has now succeeded her as president.
    Rousseff gestures during her testimony during her impeachment trial at the National Congress in Brasilia on August 29, 2016.
    Photos: The rise and fall of Dilma Rousseff
    EVARISTO SA/AFP/Getty Images
    Fighting for political life —
    Rousseff gestures during her testimony during her impeachment trial at the National Congress in Brasilia on August 29, 2016.
    After the Senate voted for her impeachment, Rousseff was officially removed from office Wednesday afternoon.
    Photos: The rise and fall of Dilma Rousseff
    ANDRESSA ANHOLETE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
    Deposed —
    After the Senate voted for her impeachment, Rousseff was officially removed from office Wednesday afternoon.

    Rousseff was re-elected by a narrow margin in 2014. But the economy fell into a deep recession almost as soon as the ballots were counted. With unemployment and inflation soaring, Brazilians were suddenly less inclined to ignore a ballooning bribery scandal.

    It seemed like every week another “untouchable” business leader or political chief was being arrested as part of the “Car Wash” investigation, accused of paying or receiving massive bribes in exchange for lucrative contracts with the state-run oil company Petrobras.

    Rousseff wasn’t implicated, but leaders in her government and party were. Emboldened by the public protests, her opponents in Congress launched impeachment proceedings against Rousseff, accusing her of breaking budgetary laws to hide the sorry state of the economy.

    The country seemed to be unraveling. And thanks to the upcoming Olympic Games, the whole world was watching.

    We spent our days flying back and forth between the capital Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro, as the country’s elected leaders got into heated debates and violent protests broke out in the streets.

    Tensions escalated, with Rousseff telling Christiane Amanpour in April that the proceedings were nothing short of an institutional coup d’etat, driven by lawmakers accused of the far more serious crimes of corruption and bribery.

    That same month, we sat down for an exclusive with Michel Temer – the future-president and the man Rousseff accused of being a coup-plotter. He rejected any notion of a conspiracy and spoke of “reconciliation” and “pacification.”

    In May, the Senate voted to launch the impeachment trial against Rousseff and she was suspended. But not before receiving the Olympic torch in Brazil just the week before.

    With just 100 days to go before the start of the Rio Olympics, the problems kept piling up. Zika fears and the political chaos had eroded confidence in Brazil and the Games, and ticket sales were sluggish.

    For those who still planned to come, organizers failed to meet their promises to clean up the water venues. Sailors, wind surfers and rowers would compete in waterways clogged with sewage, where scientists had even discovered a super bacteria.

    Let the Games begin

    The Games themselves got off to an uneven start. A spectacular opening ceremony in the Maracana Stadium, put together on a shoestring budget, was undermined by delays at the Olympic Village.

    But then the Olympic spirit kicked in and it was all about the sport.

    I had been lucky to get a preview of this spirit weeks earlier, when I ran with the Olympic torch and passed the flame to my friend and CNN colleague Arwa Damon.

    That July day was definitely the highlight of the Olympics for me. We met up with the torch in the prosperous city of Curitiba in Brazil’s south. It was a quick 200-meter run, but it reminded me how inspiring the Olympic Games are for so many people.

    02:23 - Source: CNN
    Shasta Darlington and Arwa Damon run with Olympic torch

    You could see the pride on the faces of the people who turned out to line the torch route – and even more so on the torchbearers, many of whom had been selected because of the contributions they had made to their own communities.

    From sprinter Usain Bolt to swimmer Michael Phelps, the Rio Games themselves were full of dramatic moments.

    Fireworks explode over the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro at the end of the opening ceremony on Friday, August 5.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Francois-Xavier Marit/AFP/Getty images
    Fireworks explode over the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro at the end of the opening ceremony on Friday, August 5.
    The Olympic cauldron is lit at the stadium.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
    The Olympic cauldron is lit at the stadium.
    Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima, a former Brazilian long-distance runner, lights the Olympic cauldron. De Lima was leading the Olympic marathon in 2004 when he was attacked by a protester near the end of the race. He ended up finishing third, but the graceful way he handled the disappointment won him plaudits around the world for his sportsmanship.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images
    Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima, a former Brazilian long-distance runner, lights the Olympic cauldron. De Lima was leading the Olympic marathon in 2004 when he was attacked by a protester near the end of the race. He ended up finishing third, but the graceful way he handled the disappointment won him plaudits around the world for his sportsmanship.
    Dancers perform during the opening ceremony at the Maracana Stadium.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images
    Dancers perform during the opening ceremony at the Maracana Stadium.
    The Olympic flag is carried into the stadium.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Morry Gash/Pool/Getty Images
    The Olympic flag is carried into the stadium.
    Fireworks are seen over the stadium.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Morry Gash/AP
    Fireworks are seen over the stadium.
    Children fly kites during the event.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    David J. Phillip/AP
    Children fly kites during the event.
    The Refugee Olympic Team walks out during the parade of nations.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Jae C. Hong/AP
    The Refugee Olympic Team walks out during the parade of nations.
    Pentathlete Yane Marques leads Brazil's athletes into the Maracana Stadium.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
    Pentathlete Yane Marques leads Brazil's athletes into the Maracana Stadium.
    Members of the Russian team take part in the parade of nations.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
    Members of the Russian team take part in the parade of nations.
    Iran's athletes enter the stadium.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Jamie Squire/Getty Images
    Iran's athletes enter the stadium.
    Members of Indonesia's Olympic team walk during the parade of nations.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Jamie Squire/Getty Images
    Members of Indonesia's Olympic team walk during the parade of nations.
    There were more than 200 countries taking part in the opening ceremony.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    David Rogers/Getty Images
    There were more than 200 countries taking part in the opening ceremony.
    Members of Spain's delegation wave fans during the ceremony.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images
    Members of Spain's delegation wave fans during the ceremony.
    Spectators hold up their phones during the event.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
    Spectators hold up their phones during the event.
    Belarus team members pose for photographs while entering the stadium.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Lars Baron/Getty Images
    Belarus team members pose for photographs while entering the stadium.
    U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, carries the American flag into the Maracana Stadium.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Julian Finney/Getty Images
    U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, carries the American flag into the Maracana Stadium.
    Egyptian athletes take photos as they march into the stadium.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Matt Slocum/AP
    Egyptian athletes take photos as they march into the stadium.
    Trampoline gymnast Rosie MacLennan carries the Canadian flag.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    David J. Phillip/AP
    Trampoline gymnast Rosie MacLennan carries the Canadian flag.
    A performer smiles during the opening ceremony.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images
    A performer smiles during the opening ceremony.
    Team Burundi arrives at the opening ceremony.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Michael Sohn/AP
    Team Burundi arrives at the opening ceremony.
    Sailing athlete Sofia Bekatorou leads Greece out.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Paul Gilham/Getty Images
    Sailing athlete Sofia Bekatorou leads Greece out.
    A "Favela Voices" segment takes place during the ceremony.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Ian Walton/Getty Images
    A "Favela Voices" segment takes place during the ceremony.
    A volunteer carries the flag of the Independent Olympic Team.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Matt Slocum/AP
    A volunteer carries the flag of the Independent Olympic Team.
    Members of Australia's Olympic team take photos inside the stadium.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Paul Gilham/Getty Images
    Members of Australia's Olympic team take photos inside the stadium.
    The colorful performances that opened the ceremony included lasers, 3-D projections and a cascade of water enveloping the stage.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT/AFP/Getty Images
    The colorful performances that opened the ceremony included lasers, 3-D projections and a cascade of water enveloping the stage.
    Fireworks explode during the event.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Pool/Getty Images
    Fireworks explode during the event.
    A performer holds a plant. The ceremony was designed to promote two messages: protection of the environment and peace.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Jamie Squire/Getty Images
    A performer holds a plant. The ceremony was designed to promote two messages: protection of the environment and peace.
    Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen walks on stage at the start of the event.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
    Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen walks on stage at the start of the event.
    Performers take part in the spectacle.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    David Rogers/Getty Images
    Performers take part in the spectacle.
    Dancers perform.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Jamie Squire/Getty Images
    Dancers perform.
    Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont is honored during the event.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images
    Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont is honored during the event.
    There were 35,000 professionals who worked on the show.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
    There were 35,000 professionals who worked on the show.
    There were 5,500 costumes made for the event.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    OLIVIER MORIN/AFP/Getty Images
    There were 5,500 costumes made for the event.
    There were 3 billion people said to be watching around the world.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images
    There were 3 billion people said to be watching around the world.
    Artists take part in the ceremony.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images
    Artists take part in the ceremony.
    People perform during the countdown at the start of the event.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
    People perform during the countdown at the start of the event.
    A view inside the Maracana Stadium.
    Photos: Rio Olympics: Opening ceremony
    FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT/AFP/Getty Images
    A view inside the Maracana Stadium.

    For me, the most inspiring victory was Rafaela Silva’s. The judo fighter won Brazil’s first gold medal.

    Silva grew up on the mean streets of one of Rio’s favelas – ironically called City of God. When she won that gold medal the whole country was celebrating not only her rags to riches story but the triumph of Brazil itself in beating the odds to pull off a largely successful Games.

    In the end, the biggest scandal at Rio’s Olympics was perpetrated by US swim