21 Powerful photos and the stories behind them | In Pics

From migrants trying to reach Europe and the United States to armed conflicts and protests around the globe, Reuters photographers witnessed some of the most important events in 2021. Here we list some exceptional pictures taken this year along with the stories behind these gripping shots, directly from the photographers who clicked them.

US Capitol breach was one of the worst attacks on the seat of the US government since the War of 1812. American citizens attacking and breaching their own country's Capitol building was very disheartening. Security officials used a flash grenade to disperse hundreds of protesters, which released a blinding light that illuminated the US Capitol building. To me, the explosion of the grenade captured the violence and shock of the day.” Credit: Reuters Photo

“As Trump traveled to Mar-a-Lago for Christmas holiday, Biden had won enough electoral votes to win the US presidency, but Trump hadn't conceded. Nobody had access to him, not even the press pool traveling with him. The news was dominated by the election, but there weren't any recent photos of Trump. Photog Brenner knew through a colleague about a spot in the fence of the Trump International Golf Club, from where it was possible to see Trump playing golf.” Credit: Reuters Photo

“This photograph was taken following a vigil for Sarah Everard, a young woman whose kidnap and murder by a serving police officer in London a few days earlier unleashed a wave of revulsion in the United Kingdom. It shows a lone female protester, student Patsy Stevenson, being carted off by male police officers. It became an image that captured the national mood of anger at the insecurity women face in the United Kingdom and around the world.” Credit: Reuters Photo

“Silent empty streets, that was how I found the Jacarezinho slum when I arrived to cover a police operation. As I moved ahead, I saw people watching news or chatting in the street. When the police officers ran past with their weapons, residents showed no reaction. They talked, laughed and joked among themselves, while the tense officers searched for members of a gang. By the end of the day, 28 people had been killed, including a police officer.” Credit: Reuters Photo

When Washington state announced nursing homes with residents vaccinated against COVID-19 were able to resume in-person visits, I was able to visit Nikkei Manor in Seattle to photograph a family's reunion. Mark Uomoto and his cousin Gail Yamada had come to surprise Mark's 98-year-old mother Yoshia

“I spent several weeks during the summer of 2021 on board the NGO migrant rescue ship Sea-Watch 3, operating in the central Mediterranean. During one of the rescue operations, a fire mishap happened that caused horrific burns to the migrants. Without a moment's hesitation, a Libyan man had grabbed hold of the tank as it was engulfed in flames and flung it overboard. His action in my eyes makes him a hero and undoubtedly saved lives.” Credit: Reuters Photo

“Southern Spain is home to one of the planet's most lethal migration routes. People from across Africa take to the sea in small boats to try and reach Europe. They are fleeing war, poverty and dictatorships in their home countries. Among all those swimming, one in particular caught my eye. It was Achraf, the only one to have fashioned a float out of nine plastic bottles tied around his body in case his strength failed him.” Credit: Reuters Photo