The year in review: Top news stories of 2021 month-by-month
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"Sunday Morning" host Jane Pauley looks back on key events of a dramatic year:
January
In January Joe Biden was inaugurated as our 46th president …
Inauguration 2021: Swearing in of Joe Biden and Kamala HarrisPresident Biden takes office, moving quickly to implement agendaRead the full text of Biden's inaugural addressInauguration 2021: The task for Joe Biden, and for America ("Sunday Morning")
… just two weeks after supporters of former President Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
4 dead after Trump supporters storm U.S. CapitolCapitol Police officer dies from injuries in pro-Trump riotHandguns, crowbars, Tasers and tomahawk axes: Dozens of Capitol rioters wielded "deadly or dangerous" weapons, prosecutors sayExtremism in the ranks: The military and the insurrection ("Sunday Morning")"Normal tourist visit": Some Republicans downplay January 6 riot amid Democratic objectionsRepublican Senators acquit Trump for role in Jan. 6 insurrection ("Sunday Morning")Retired military generals warn of threat of another insurrection in 2024February
In February, the United States formally re-joined the Paris Climate Agreement, an international treaty aimed at limiting global warming.
What the U.S. is committing to as it rejoins the Paris climate accords — and why it mattersBiden says Trump's withdrawal from Paris climate pact put us "behind the eight ball"March
The container ship Ever Given ran aground in the Suez Canal in March, holding up billions in trade. The ship was freed six days later.
Massive cargo ship turns sideways, totally blocks Suez CanalHow did a cargo ship get stuck in the Suez Canal, and how are they going to un-stick it?April
In April, a Minneapolis jury found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murdering George Floyd a year earlier.
Ex-cop Derek Chauvin convicted of all charges in George Floyd's deathNation reacts after Derek Chauvin convicted in George Floyd's deathWhat Derek Chauvin's guilty verdict means for the future of policingDerek Chauvin sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for George Floyd's murderDerek Chauvin pleads guilty in federal civil rights caseMay
May saw the successful splashdown of the first operational spaceflight by a private company, Elon Musk's SpaceX.
SpaceX Crew Dragon astronauts arrive home with rare pre-dawn splashdown in Gulf of MexicoElon Musk says SpaceX rocket launch is "a dream come true"SpaceX launch site brings controversy to Texas townJune
June saw the partial collapse of a 12-story condominium in Surfside, Florida, killing 98 residents.
"Surfside Collapse: A Search for Answers"First responders endure emotional toll of Surfside condo collapse: "It's heartbreaking"Investigators find new evidence of extensive corrosion in Surfside condo buildingDeath toll in Surfside condo collapse rises to 98 after final missing victim is identifiedComplete CBSNews.com coverage: Florida building collapseJuly
July brought the 32nd Summer Olympic games to Tokyo, a year after being postponed. The U.S. topped the medal count with 113.
Extraordinary moments from the Tokyo Olympics that outshined the competitionDozens of COVID cases linked to Olympic Games in TokyoTokyo Olympics closing ceremony marks end of strangest games on recordComplete CBSNews.com coverage: Tokyo OlympicsAugust
August saw the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan after a two-decade war that took the lives of over 2,400 U.S. service personnel.
Taliban fighters reported at the gates of Afghan capital ("Sunday Morning")11 days in August: How Afghanistan fell ("Sunday Morning")Afghanistan wasn't all for nothing, says Army vet ("Sunday Morning")An Iowa town goes to battle for Afghan immigrant ("Sunday Morning")Complete CBSNews.com coverage: Afghanistan: The New RealitySeptember
September saw the implementation of the Texas Heartbeat Act, which bans abortions after roughly six weeks. The Supreme Court has declined to block the law, saying it's a question for lower courts.
Texas abortion ban turns citizens into "bounty hunters"Texas "whistleblower" website used for snitching on abortions shut downAfter Texas' new abortion law, some clinics in nearby states can barely keep up with demandTexas abortion law's enforcement mechanism not valid, judge rulesSupreme Court keeps Texas abortion law in place but allows providers' legal challenge to proceedAbortion: The great divide ("Sunday Morning")October
October brought the welcome news that the World Health Organization had endorsed the world's first vaccine against malaria.
Malaria vaccine hailed as possible breakthroughWHO recommends widespread use of first malaria vaccineNovember
In November, the Atlanta Braves won their fourth World Series, defeating the Houston Astros four games to two.
Braves win first World Series since 1995, defeating Astros in Game 6Minor league teams are "on the brink of financial catastrophe" and bipartisan lawmakers are stepping up to the plateDecember
In December, tornadoes ripped through the South and Midwest, killing at least 91 people ...
Photos: Deadly storms and tornadoes leave wake of destructionTornadoes ravage central U.S. ("Sunday Morning")Mayfield candle factory "looks as if a bomb has dropped on it," mayor says after tornado hitStories and science from the devastating December 10-11 tornado outbreakGlimmer of relief amid deadly tornadoes' devastation
...and the FDA authorized two pills to treat COVID-19, a potential game-changer in our now years-long fight against the disease.
FDA authorizes first antiviral pill to treat COVID-19FDA authorizes second COVID antiviral pill, from Merck, if no alternatives availableCOVID-19 pills could be a game changer — if you can get your hands on them
Story produced by Robert Marston. Editor: Chad Cardin.
Hail and farewell: Those we lost in 2021
