In 2013, the world continued to see the most heat radiating out of the Middle East. Iraq experienced its deadliest wave of violence in years, and cries of frustration in Turkey took the world by surprise. Meanwhile, the president we saw welcomed in Egypt last year was promptly ushered out. Ahead, we remember the year in international news through photos that capture the moments better than words can.
This story appears in the special Year in Photos issue of our weekly iPad magazine, Huffington, available Friday, Dec. 27 in the iTunes App store.
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Algeria Hostage Crisis, 01.31.13
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In an attack led by al-Qaeda-linked international terrorist Mokhtar Belmokhtar, more than 800 people were taken hostage at the Tigantourine gas facility. Among their demands was an end to French intervention in Mali. After a raid by Algerian special forces that ended the standoff, 38 workers and 29 militants were left dead. Most of the dead victims were foreigners, including seven Japanese workers, six Filipinos, three energy workers each from the U.S. and Britain, two from Romania and one from France.
The Pope Resigns, 03.01.13
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Then-Pope Benedict XVI delivers his last blessing from the window of the pontiff's summer residence of Castel Gandolfo. Benedict XVI left the Catholic Church in unprecedented limbo, becoming the first pope in 600 years to resign.
Bangladesh Factory Collapse, 04.24.13
AP
People and rescuers gather after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed. 1,129 people died and more than 2,500 were injured in the deadliest garment factory accident in Bangladeshi history, leading to a revived conversation on worker and building safety standards.
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Violence in Iraq, 04.26.13
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Iraqi anti-government gunmen from Sunni tribes are seen marching during a protest in Ramadi. On April 23, a wave of violence was sparked by an army raid against a protest encampment — Sunnis who were demonstrating against the Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki — in the city of Hawija. This set in motion a string of counterattacks by militants against Shiites and security forces. Shiite militants returned the assaults by bombing Sunni targets. April was the deadliest month in Iraq in five years, with more than 700 people killed in just 30 days.
Unrest in Turkey, 05.28.13
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Protests broke out in Turkey this year, initially over plans to turn Taksim Gezi Park into a shopping center. Over time, protesters were joined by others with disparate concerns and their complaints grew more wide-ranging, from freedom of the press to the government's impingement on Turkey's secularism and their Islamist agenda. Police responded violently and dissatisfaction grew. More than 3.5 million people took part in almost five thousand demonstrations across Turkey, more than eight thousand were injured, and five were left dead.
Morsi Ousted, 07.03.2013
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Pro-Morsi protesters in Rabaa Square carry a man shot during clashes with police. On July 3, President Mohamed Morsi — who was elected one year ago — was ousted in Egypt's second revolution in two years.
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Fukushima Leaks, 08.06.13
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Local government officials and nuclear experts inspect a construction site to prevent the seepage of contamination water into the sea, at Tokyo Electric Power's (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Fukushima reactors experienced one spill after the other this year, and Japan announced it would accelerate efforts to prevent more radioactive groundwater from seeping into the ocean, as critics slammed its operator's handling of the issue.
Chemical Warfare in Syria, 08.21.13
AP
Several bodies are buried in a suburb of Damascus, Syria, during a funeral. During Syria's civil war, several areas around Damascus were struck by rockets containing the chemical agent sarin during the Ghouta chemical attack. According to UN analyses, the chemical weapons attacks were launched from areas under government control, though that conclusion has been disputed by some.
Costa Concordia Salvage, 09.17.13
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The wreck of Italy's Costa Concordia cruise ship is pictured near the harbor of Giglio Porto. Salvage operators in Italy lifted the Costa Concordia cruise ship upright from its watery grave in the biggest-ever project of its kind. Thirty-two people died when the ship, with 4,200 passengers onboard, hit rocks and ran aground off the island of Giglio on January 2012.
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Iran Nuclear Talks, 10.15.13
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The U.S. and its partners sat down for the first talks on Iran's nuclear program since the election of reformist Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. The first positive nuclear talks in years ended with a six-month interim agreement in which Iran agreed to limit nuclear activities in return for relief of up to $7 billion in sanctions that have hurt its economy.
Nelson Mandela Passes
AP
A woman carrying wood on her head takes a moment as she looks at former South African president Nelson Mandela's poster with tribute messages. The South African icon passed away on December 5 at the age of 95. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)