The moments that shaped 2016

Widows daubed in colours dance as they take part in the Holi celebrations organised by non-governmental organisation Sulabh International at a temple at Vrindavan, in Uttar Pradesh in March. Traditionally, widows are expected to renounce earthly pleasure so they do not celebrate Holi. But women at the shelter for widows, who have been abandoned by their families, celebrated the festival by throwing flowers and coloured powder. Holi, also known as the Festival of Colours, heralds the beginning of spring and is celebrated all over India. Photograph: Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters

On March 20, United States President Barack Obama and his family flew to Cuba, a first by a US president since the 1959 revolution. The visit comes 15 months after Obama announced the restoration of diplomatic ties between the US and Cuba. The visit also led to the lifting of restrictions under which US travellers can bring home all the Cuban rum and cigars. Photograph: Alberto Reyes/Reuters

A soldier stands near broken windows after explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels, Belgium on March 22. Shortly after the airport explosions, Brussels was struck once again -- this time at the Brussels subway at the end of rush hour. The series of blast claimed 31 lives and injured more than 300 people. The bombings were the deadliest act of terrorism in Belgium's history. The Belgian government declared three days of national mourning. Photograph: Francois Lenoir/Reuters

A refugee sets himself on fire during a protest by refugees and migrants demanding that the Greek-Macedonian border be opened, at a makeshift camp near the village of Idomeni, Greece. Back in March, migrants and refugees found themselves trapped at the main exit from Europe’s poorest country by a domino effect of closed borders in neighbouring states that began in Austria. Macedonian border officials were barring Syrians from entering unless they could prove they were from the cities “at war” such as Aleppo or Raqqa. Damascus and Baghdad, by all accounts, did not qualify. Imagine their plight, they flee their homes, and are left stranded in a foreign country! Photograph: Kostas Tsironis/Reuters

United States President Barack Obama can surely groove to the music. And during a state dinner hosted by Argentina's President Mauricio Macri at the Centro Cultural Kirchner in March, Obama not only showed he can shake it, but that it takes two to tango. Along with his partner, Barack took to the dance floor and showed of his skill sets. The visit to Argentina came after his visit to Cuba. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

On March 31 2016, part of the under-construction Vivekananda flyover in the Girish Park neighbourhood of Kolkata collapsed. Twenty seven people were dead and more than 80 were injured in the incident. Witnesses described the horrifying scene as that of the sky coming crashing down and the expression on this man's face shows the fear that people experienced when the bridge crashed. Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri

The one thing no one can deny is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a way with words. He's a great orator and in June, the PM wooed and won the hearts of American lawmakers when he addressed a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, US. His speech was appreciated by American lawmakers with many calling Modi's speech, in which he called for a closer relationship between India and the US, particularly in the area of terrorism, a hit out of the ball park. You may fault the man for his policies, but the man can surely talk. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

Ieshia Evans is detained by law enforcement as she protests the shooting death of Alton Sterling near the headquarters of the Baton Rouge Police Department in Louisiana, US. Sterling,a 37-year-old black man, was shot several times at close range while held down on the ground by two white Baton Rouge Police Department officers. Police were responding to a report that a man in a red shirt was selling CDs, and that he had used a gun to threaten someone outside a convenience store. The shooting was recorded by multiple bystanders. Photograph: Jonathan Bachman/Reuters

David Cameron insisted he was leaving Britain 'stronger' as he said an emotional goodbye to Downing Street flanked by wife Samantha and their children. In a parting speech before heading to Buckingham Palace, the British prime minister admitted he had not got everything right. Cameron stepped down as Britain's PM on July 13 when Britain chose to exit the European Union in a historic referendum that changed the way the world sees Europe and the European Union. Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

It was an 'aawww' moment. Hillary Clinton, the first female to be presidential nominee in the US, embraced President Barack Obama on stage after his speech at the Democratic National Convention in July. It was the beginning of the end of the race to the White House with Obama asking one and all to back his girl, Hillary, saying she had the experience and that no matter how much people try to knock her down, she never, ever quits. Alas, his words didn't seem to have the effect he wanted, as Trump triumphed in the US elections, leaving Clinton and the world in shock. Photograph: Jim Young/Reuters

Late in July, Prope Francis made a historic visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the former German Nazi concentration camp in Poland, to pay tribute to the more than 1 million people, mostly Jews, who lost their lives there in the Holocaust. The Pope remained silent throughout most of the visit, but he left a message noting the horror and the need to forgive. In the camp's guestbook, Francis signed his name and wrote: "Lord, have mercy on your people! Lord, forgiveness for so much cruelty! Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/Pool/Reuters

He isn't liked by many and it seems that children aren't very fond of him too. Donald Trump while at a rally in Colorado held two babies in either arm, while the shutterbugs rushed to capture the moment. However, what followed next, became one of the defining moments of Trump's presidential run. The young tot could not hide his upset and broke out into hysterical wails. Though Trump appeared to be taking the baby's distress in his stride, his smile seemed to falter as the baby refused to stop crying. In an attempt to placate him, Trump planted a kiss on the young boy's head - but to no avail. Photograph: Carlo Allegri/Reuters

A fighter of Libyan forces allied with the United Nations-backed government fires a shell with Soviet made T-55 tank at Islamic State fighters in Sirte, Libya in August. After six months of heavy fighting and casualties, the Libyan government in December announced that the city of Sirte is no more the Libyan stronghold of the Islamic State organisation yet the war against terrorism in Libya has “not finished”. Islamic State gradually took over Sirte from early 2015, taking advantage of the chaos in Libya since the start of a civil war in which long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011. Photograph: Goran Tomasevic/Reuters

This photograph of a girl staring at an armored riot policeman prompted this photograph from Chile to go viral. The unidentified young woman was photographed during protests in Santiago, marking 43 years since the bloody military coup, which resulted in President Salvador Allende being overthrown, killed, and replaced with a military government led by Augusto Pinochet. Photograph: Carlos Vera/Reuters

In September, violence broke out in the city of Bengaluru forcing authorities to impose a curfew after the Supreme Court ordered Karnataka to release water from the Cauvery to the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. The city witnessed a two-day shutdown, during which police ensure that the public stayed indoors so as to avoid violence on the streets. Photograph: Abhishek N. Chinnappa/Reuters

A panda cub stole the show at a presentation after it tumbled from the stage it was on at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The animals were on display on September 29 as part of a celebration showing off the panda cubs born so far this year. A total of 27 cubs have been born at the base and its partner branches this year with 23 still residing at the centre in south-west China's Sichuan province.Photograph: China Daily/via Reuters

Kashmir witnessed the worst violence it has seen with curefews that lasted for over 100 days and separatists-sponsored strikes bringing the state to a screeching halt. The protests erupted when security forces killed Burhan Wani, a teenager and a commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen. Wani's killing led to protests, which saw the killing of over 85 people and countless other injuries. It also saw the rise of militancy in the Valley. Photograph: Danish Ismail/Reuters

A woman is consoled by her relative as she mourns after seeing her house getting burned during a fire that broke out in one of the houses and got spread in more adjoining houses, in a residential locality in Srinagar in November. Photograph: Danish Ismail/Reuters

A man poses for a picture next to a statue of the late Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro with flowers as part of the tribute following the announcement of his death inside the Cuban embassy in Lima, Peru. Castro, the fiery apostle of revolution who brought the Cold War to the Western Hemisphere in 1959 and then defied the United States for nearly half a century as Cuba’s maximum leader died on November 25 at the age of 90. Fidel Castro had held on to power longer than any other living national leader except Queen Elizabeth II. He became a towering international figure whose importance in the 20th century far exceeded what might have been expected from the head of state of a Caribbean island nation of 11 million people. Photograph: Mariana Bazo/Reuters

Anti-government demonstrators perform in front of burning barricades as they attend a protest against a constitutional amendment, known as PEC 55, that limit public spending, in front of Brazil's National Congress in Brasilia on November 29. PEC 55, the controversial, neo-liberal constitutional amendment proposed by President Temer will freeze public spending in the country for the next two decades. Brazil's leftist opposition said the spending cap proposed by Temer would cripple public education and health services. Photograph: Adriano Machado/Reuters

Models celebrate at the end of the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in November at the Grand Palais in Paris. Known to be one of the most over-the-top runway events, this year's show saw not only models such as Adriana Lima, Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner strut their stuff, but also saw high-voltage performances from Lady Gaga and The Weeknd. Photograph: Charles Platiau/Reuters

People cry as the body of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jayaraman is carried during her funeral procession in Chennai on December 6. J Jayalalithaa died in hospital after spending 75 days at Apollo Hospital. Known as Tamil Nadu's Iron Lady, Jayalalithaa commanded great respect and was treated almost like a god in the state. Many say that personality politics has ended with her death. Farewell Amma, your state will surely miss you. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May is full of wonderment as the Downing Street Christmas tree lights are turned on in London. Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

Smoke and flames from the wildfires erupt behind a car on the highway near Fort McMurray, Alberta in May. The Fort McMurray fire burned forest over 500,000 hectares of land across northern Alberta. The fire, now known as the costliest ever Canadian natural disaster, is likely to cost insurers upwards of $4.7billion. The fire which began on May 1 was finally brought under control on July 5. Talk about, a massive fire! Photograph: Mark Blinch/Reuters

A couple exchanges kisses on the bank as high waters causes flooding along the Seine River in Paris, France. In early June, heavy rains inundate Europe, causing massive flooding in Germany and France. Roads and picturesque cobbled walkways in the French capital disappeared after the rain-swollen Seine spilled over on to embankments in many places in Paris. In fact, during the days, Seine rose to a dangerous 6.10 metre, sparking transport and traffic chaos. Several parks were shut, one school was evacuated, museums closed and the Louvre relocated priceless works in its basement storerooms. Photograph: Charles Platiau/Reuters

A protester uses a tennis racket to return a tear gas canister during a demonstration to protest the government's proposed labour law reforms in Nantes, France. The deeply divisive labour bill -- which weakens union powers, makes layoffs easier and extends the work week -- was passed by the government that used a special measure to force it through Parliament without a vote. The bill led to months of violent clashes between police and leftist protesters who accuse the Socialist government of trampling on democracy and dismantling hard-won worker protections. Photograph: Stephane Mahe/Reuters

A Guardsman faints at Horseguards Parade for the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony in central London, Britain in June. Trooping the Colour is a ceremony to honour Queen Elizabeth's official birthday. The Queen celebrates her 90th birthday this year. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

An emu runs to escape an approaching wildfire as it burns near Potrero, California, US. Early in June, a wildfire in the mountains of California's Santa Clara County destroyed a dozen homes and consumed about 4,400 acres of forest. This wildfire, called the Loma fire, was one of 9 major active blazes burning across California, after a record-breaking heatwave and a weather phenomenon known as the Santa Ana wind, which brings hot, dusty air sweeping across the already-desiccated landscape of drought-ridden Southern California. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters

A man pushes a tub carrying children as he gets them back home after school at a flooded area in Duchang, Jiangxi Province, China. In July, floods in north and central China killed at least 150 people, with scores missing and hundreds of thousands forced from homes.Flooding is common during the summer monsoon season in southern China, but rainfall has been particularly heavy this year and many areas have been lashed by torrential rains. Photograph: Stringer/Reuters

Demonstrators take part in a protest aimed at showing London's solidarity with the European Union following the recent EU referendum, in Trafalgar Square, central London. Protesters rallied after the historice referendum results chose that Britain had opted for exiting the EU. However, London voted in favor of remaining in the EU. The referendum result stunned global financial markets and threw British politics into turmoil. Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron resigned and opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn lost a vote of confidence held by Labour lawmakers. Photograph: Dylan Martinez

A wild cow jumps over revellers in the bullring after the first running of the bulls at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain. Each year, over nine days, people dash with bulls along a narrow course from a holding pen to the city’s bullring. Fifteen people have been killed in the bull runs since modern day records started in 1911. Photograph: Eloy Alonso/Reuters

Participants dance and climb on an art installation as approximately 70,000 people from all over the world gather for the 30th annual Burning Man arts and music festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, US. Photograph: Jim Urquhart/Reuters

A devotee carries an idol of god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, into the Arabian Sea on the second day of Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India in September. Each year devotees celebrate the 10-day festival of Ganesha Chaturthi with great fervour and vigour. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Flames and smoke rise from oil wells set ablaze by Islamic State militants before they fled the oil-producing region of Qayyara, Iraq. In November, Iraqi army troops stormed Qayyara, which has been under Islamic State control since 2014. During the gun battle that ensued between the Islamic State terrorists and the Iraqi troops, the former torched oil wells in the region to help conceal their positions before fleeing. Photograph: Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters

People protest outside Trump Tower following US President-elect Donald Trump's election victory in Manhattan, New York. Shortly after Trump won the election, demonstrations against his victory swept the nation, with many chanting slogans 'Not My President' and carrying placards saying the same. Photograph: Andrew Kelly/Reuters

A security guard hands out request slips for the exchange of old high denomination bank notes at a branch of the State Bank of india in Old Delhi, India. India was left shocked when Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8 announced the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, stating that this was a war against black money and terrorism. He announced that people would be able to deposit their old notes in banks till December 30, causing a flurry of people standing outside banks. Photograph: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters

On November 10, all eyes were on the White House as US President Barack Obama met President-elect Donald Trump. For months, US President Obama said that Donald Trump was unqualified, temperamentally unfit and a threat to the republic who should never be president.For years, Trump questioned Obama’s birthplace and legitimacy, branded the nation’s first black president weak and called his tenure a disaster. However, the two put aside the past and met face-to-face for a 90-minute discussion in the Oval Office and shook hands, making a public show of putting their bitter differences aside.Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

An Iraqi soldier carries a child as he helps a woman who crossed from an Islamic State fighters-controlled part of Mosul into an Iraqi special forces soldiers-controlled part of Mosul. Photograph: Goran Tomasevic/Reuters

The supermoon rises behind the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft, ahead of its upcoming launch to the International Space Station, at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on November 14. The brightest moon in almost 69 years lit up the skies, delighting skygazers across the world. The Earth won't see another supermoon like Monday's until 2034. Photograph: Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters

Wrestler known as Gio Malkriado fights with a fluorescent tube with wrestler Ciclope during an extreme wrestling fight at a temporary wrestling ring inside a car wash in Tulancingo Hidalgo, Mexico. Photograph: Carlos Jasso/Reuters

Russia's President Vladimir Putin practises with Musa Mogushkov of Russian national judo team during a training session in Sochi, Russia. The Russian strongman's love for judo is so strong that he even co-wrote a book on the martial art in which he has been awarded the eight dan (degree). Photograph: Alexey Nikolsky/Sputnik/Kremlin

A man rides a horse through the flames during the "Luminarias" annual religious celebration on the eve of Saint Anthony's day, Spain's patron saint of animals, in the village of San Bartolome de Pinares, northwest of Madrid, Spain on January 16, 2016. According to tradition that dates back 500 years, people ride their horses through the narrow cobblestone streets of this small village to purify the animals with the smoke of the bonfires. Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters

Back in January, a massive 50-foot long Bryde's Whale washed ashore dead on Juhu beach in Mumbai. Experts said the whale, weighing about 25,000kg, had been dead for at least two to three days. The whale quickly became quite a crowd-puller with throngs of people rushing to take selfies with the carcass of the whale before it was lifted off the beach. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Volcanic lightning is seen at an eruption of Mount Sakurajima, in Tarumizu city, Kagoshima prefecture, southwestern Japan. In February, a Japanese volcano about 50 km from a nuclear plant erupted sending fountains of lava into the night sky. Photograph: Kyodo/Reuters

Jackeline, 26, holds her son who is 4-months old and born with microcephaly, in front of their house in Olinda, near Recife, Brazil. If their was one disease that frightened the world it was the Zika virus. The toll that the Zika virus took on pregnancies was very high; a study from Brazil suggested that 42 percent of infants infected in the womb may have significant birth defects. Zika infection has been associated with microcephaly, which results in children being born with abnormally small heads and brain damage. Scientists estimate that up to 1.65 million women of child-bearing age in Latin America could still be at risk from Zika. Photograph: Nacho Doce /Reuters

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, plays football with children at a ground in Mumbai. The young royals -- Prince William and Kate -- visited Mumbai, New Delhi, the Kaziranga National Park during which she paid tribute to the fallen heroes of the 26/11 attacks, chatted with the children of the slums in Banganga and mingled with Bollywood celebrities. Photograph: Mitesh Bhuvad/Reuters

It’s the expression of someone who has come face to face with a monster. But it turns out Robin Roy is actually a huge fan of US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and she was merely overcome with joy and excitement in early January while Trump was out campaigning during the presidential race. Photgraph: Brian Snyder/Reuters

A car covered with ice remains stranded on the waterfront in Hamburg. The owner left his Mitsubushi Lancer parked overnight outside a restaurant on Sunday and by the next day, spray from Lake Erie had encased it in ice. Photograph: Lindsay DeDario/Reuters

A demonstrator blows a whistle as others shout slogans during a protest march in New Delhi. Hundreds of the demonstrators took out a protest to express solidarity for Rohit Vemula, a low-caste student of the University of Hyderabad who was found hanging at a hostel, and were also demanding the release of Kanhaiya Kumar, a Jawaharlal Nehru University student union leader accused of sedition. Photograph: Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters

Kendall Jenner strikes a pouty pose alongside the wax version of herself at Madame Tussauds in London, England. The 20-year-old model stopped by to meet her wax figure, which stars in the museum’s London Fashion Week exhibit alongside figures of Cara Delevingne and Anna Wintour. Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters