As we reach the end of 2021, CGTN is looking back on some of our most impactful stories. From natural disasters to changes in government and other historic events, CGTN correspondents have covered it all from different parts of the world. Take a look at some of our most viewed stories from 2021. Do you remember any of them?

Lizard shock

A family in Bangkok was awakened from their nap when a monitor lizard crawled inside their home. These wild lizards, native to Thailand, live in swamps, ponds and canals, and have a mildly venomous bite. The family was unharmed and ultimately chased the lizard out.

Chaos at Kabul airport

Chaos erupted Monday at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, where thousands of desperate Afghans gathered after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. Men clung to the sides of a departing U.S. Air Force jet, and three are reported to have fallen to their deaths as the plane took off.

Children jump from roof to roof

A witness in China's Hubei province captured this terrifying footage of two children playing on the roof of 22-story building. How did they get up there, and were they brought down safely? 

Elephant banquet

Elephants have been a source of national pride and cultural identity for Thailand throughout its history, and to celebrate the gentle giants, they've set up a feast. Watch how Thailand celebrates Elephant Day.

President slapped

French President Emmanuel Macron was slapped in the face during an event in southern France. The attacker shouted "Down with Macronia" ("A Bas La Macronie") and slapped Macron on the left side of his face. He could also be heard shouting "Montjoie Saint Denis", the battle cry of the French army when the country was still a monarchy. Two of Macron's security detail tackled the man and another ushered Macron away. Two people were arrested, a police source told Reuters. The identity of the man who slapped Macron, and his motives, were unclear.

Nigerian plane crash

Seven people were dead after a Nigerian air force passenger plane crashed in Abuja, Nigeria. The plane, a Beechcraft King Air 350i,  "crashed while returning to the Abuja Airport after reporting engine failure", said air force spokesman Ibikunle Daramole. "First responders are at the scene. Sadly, all 7 personnel on board died in the crash."

Taliban escorts Americans to airport

Taliban members escorted groups of Americans to Kabul airport gates, as part of cooperation between the U.S. and the Taliban to get Americans safely out of Afghanistan. CNN reports, U.S. officials used pre'-set 'muster points' for Americans to meet, 'secret gates' for departure and 'call centers' to guide people through the evacuation process. Taliban members would check credentials and escort people to the airport while U.S. troops watched them arrive. These arrangements were previously kept quiet over concerns about publicity and safety.

Guatemala migrant protest

Tear gas was fired as Guatemalan police tried to disperse thousands of migrants headed for the United States on foot. Up to 8,000 migrants have entered Guatemala from Honduras during this time frame. They walked together across Guatemala, with hopes of reaching the U.S. to flee a life of violence and poverty.

Rohingya camp fire

At least 45,000 people are displaced, at least 15 are dead, and hundreds more are injured and many missing after a massive fire ripped through a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, the U.N. refugee agency said. The fire ripped through the Balukhali camp near the southeastern town of Cox's Bazar late on Monday, burning through thousands of shanties as people scrambled to save their possessions. Some 40,000 huts in the camp were burned down and two major hospitals of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Turkish government were also destroyed, said Mohammad Mohsin, secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, after visiting the camp.

U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan

The U.S. is sending another battalion to help secure Afghanistan's Kabul airport as they work to evacuate U.S. officials. American troops have killed two armed individuals, according to the U.S. Pentagon.

Migrant caravan advances on U.S. days before Biden is sworn in
Thousands of Hondurans, including many families with children, walked together across Guatemala towards the U.S. before President-elect Joe Biden took office. Here is why. 

Read more here.

Nine killed in Gaza as Israel's military respond to Hamas rocket attack
Hamas militants fired dozens of rockets into Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will not tolerate an attack on Israeli territory and that "Whoever attacks us will pay a heavy price." The rockets set off air raid sirens as far away as Jerusalem, after hundreds of Palestinians were hurt in clashes with Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. Palestinian officials say death toll in Gaza fighting has risen to 20.

Read more here.

China to provide 1 mln U.S. dollars to Palestine as humanitarian aid
China will provide a cash transfer of $1 million to Palestine in an emergency humanitarian aid, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. What else is on the way?

Read more here.

2022 Winter Olympics torch-lighting ceremony to be held on Oct. 18 in Greece
The torch-lighting ceremony for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games will be held on October 18 at the ancient Olympia site in Greece. 

Read more here.

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