2019 in review: From politics and protests to the Royal Family’s turbulent year, a look at the biggest stories across the globe

The Evening Standard reflects on some of the most significant events of 2019
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Rebecca Speare-Cole31 December 2019

Ongoing Brexit chaos, a series of devastating terror attacks and a bittersweet year for the Royal Family were among the stories which dominated the headlines in 2019.

Political turbulence persisted throughout the year in Westminster, with high-profile resignations across Parliament, missed Brexit deadlines and a crushing victory for Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party.

Meanwhile, in a mixed year for the royals, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their first child, while Prince Andrew was forced to step away from public duties over his links to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Climate change was one of the biggest topics of the year, with Extinction Rebellion protests seen in cities across the globe and teenage activist Greta Thunberg becoming one of the most recognisable public figures in the world.

In other news, the Amazon rainforest was ravaged by wildfires, Donald Trump was officially impeached and alien hunters tried to storm Area 51 in Nevada.

January:

Emiliano Sala dies in plane crash over English Channel

Footballer Emiliano Sala died in a plane crash just days after signing a £15m deal with Cardiff City.

Tributes for Emiliano Sala at Cardiff City FC - In pictures

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The light aircraft carrying Sala and pilot David Ibbotson went missing over the English Channel on the way from Nantes to Cardiff on January 21.

The Argentinian footballer’s body was later retrieved from the plane wreckage on the seabed while Mr Ibbotson’s body has never been found. Later, investigators suggested that the pair may have suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning before the plane went down.

March

More than 50 people are killed in Christchurch mosque shooting

More than 50 people were shot dead when a gunman opened fire on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, during Friday prayers.

New Zealand: Christchurch shootings - In pictures

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There was an outpouring of support from Muslim communities around the world while Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the terror attack was one of the county’s “darkest days” and pledged to change its gun laws.

Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, 28, was later charged with 92 offences - 51 of murder, 40 of attempted murder and one of terrorism.

April

Extinction Rebellion movement finds global momentum with its 'Spring Uprising'

XR’s Spring Uprising swept through cities across the world and brought London to a standstill. Groups blockaded Marble Arch, performed “die-ins", glued themselves to trains and perched in hammocks above Parliament Square.

A pink boat blocked off London’s busiest shopping street as rebels occupied Oxford Circus, prompting a visit from Dame Emma Thompson as well as mass arrests of protesters.

Extinction Rebellion protest - in pictures

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Placards continued to come out in force for the rest of the year as youngsters joined global demonstrations to protest against climate change.

Julian Assange arrested after seven years refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy

Julian Assange was dramatically arrested on April 11 after spending almost seven years holed up inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Footage showed the Wikileaks founder, 47, being dragged out of the building by police after Ecuador abruptly withdrew his asylum.

Since then, he has been fighting extradition to the US, which accuses him of publishing secret documents. He is currently serving a 50-week prison sentence in the UK for breaching bail conditions.

Notre Dame devastated by massive inferno

A massive inferno devastated the world-famous Notre Dame cathedral in Paris after flames broke out on the afternoon of April 15.

Paris Fire Brigade tackle Notre Dame Cathedral fire - in pictures

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The raging fire burnt through the network of enormous centuries-old oak beams, causing the main spire and roof to collapse.

But brave firefighters managed to stabilise the damaged structure and people from across the world donated more than €1 million, including billionaires Bernard Arnault and François-Henri Pinault.

More than 250 killed in Sri Lanka bombings on Easter Day

Eight Britons were among 259 people killed in a series of blasts at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. More than 500 others were also wounded.

Chilling footage showed one suspect casually walking into St Sebastian’s Church and another strolling into the Tropical Inn guest House before blowing themselves up.

CCTV shows suspect moments before Sri Lankan church blast

As the country mourned the victims, it emerged that one of the suicide bombers, Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed, studied at Kingston University in London between 2006 to 2007.

May

Harry and Meghan welcome Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor into the world

On May 6 at 5.26 am, Prince Harry and Meghan welcomed their first child, a baby boy weighing 7lb 3oz. Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was born in Windsor as the seventh in line to the throne and the Queen’s eighth great-grandchild.

Going against tradition, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced Archie to the world two days later rather than on his birth day and kept the names of his godparents a secret.

The royal couple introduced their son to the world two days later
Dominic Lipinski/PA

During a documentary of their Africa tour, which aired in October, the couple spoke openly about the struggles they faced as new parents and newlyweds in the public eye.

Prime Minister Theresa May resigns amid Brexit impasse

Embattled and tearful, Theresa May finally bowed to inevitable defeat on May 24 and told the nation she would resign as Prime Minister.

Mrs May said she had done “everything I can” to deliver Brexit but could not gain the necessary support in the Commons to pass her Brexit deal after it was voted down by MPs three times.

Theresa May resigns: Farewell speech highlights

The PM announced she would formally resign when her successor had been chosen, sparking a six-week Tory leadership race that was resoundingly won by Boris Johnson.

June:

Protests erupt in Hong Kong over proposed China extradition bill

On June 9, more than one million people took to the streets in Hong Kong to peacefully demonstrate against a proposed bill, which would have allowed criminal offenders to be extradited to mainland China.

Hong Kong protest latest in pictures

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As the territory's executive Carrie Lam refused to budge, the protests turned violent. Terrifying scenes over the following months showed police firing tear gas and clashes between demonstrators and offficers.

Ms Lam eventually dropped the legislation but the violence lead to several deaths and injuries as the civil rest grew into a pro-Democracy movement.

Donald Trump becomes first US president in history to step into North Korea

Donald Trump became the first sitting US president to step into North Korea& after a historic meeting with Kim Jong Un arranged via Twitter.

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarised zone
REUTERS

The US President greeted the North Korean leader with a cross-border handshake at the Korean Demilitarized Zone before he took several steps into the country.

It came after Mr Trump sent a tweet two days earlier, asking Kim if he wanted to meet while the US President would be in South Korea following the G20 summit in Japan. The fragile relationship between the two leaders has continued to fluctuate over the year.

July

Storm Area 51, they can’t stop all of us

In July, a Facebook event to “Storm Area 51” went viral with millions of people signing up to charge the secret US military base in Nevada, which has long been the subject of alien conspiracy theories.

Storm Area 51: September 2019 - In pictures

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The event to “go see them aliens” on September 20 got so much hype that even the US Air Force fired a warning shot at potential trespassers.

Spin-off events also sprung up across the internet, including Storm the Bermuda Triangle, It Can’t Swallow Us All and Storm Loch Ness to go “find dat big boi”. But a festival on the day of the raid was quickly called off due to a dismal turnout of just 500 people.

Boris Johnson wins Tory leadership race

Boris Johnson stormed to victory on July 23 to become the new Conservative Party leader after overwhelmingly beating Jeremy Hunt in the six-week-long Tory leadership race.

Mr Johnson took the reins of power from Theresa May when she formally tendered her resignation to the Queen the next day.

He immediately cleared out her cabinet, appointing a new pro-Brexit team, which included Jacob Rees-Mogg, Sajid Javid, Priti Patel and Dominic Raab as Foreign Secretary.

Britain endures its hottest day on record

On July 25, the mercury hit 38.7C at Cambridge Botanic Garden - the highest ever temperature officially recorded in the UK. It outstripped the previous record of 38.5C in Faversham in 2003.

It came during a sizzling heatwave which caused widespread traffic disruption, prompted by overheated railway lines. Met Office experts said there was "no doubt" climate change played a role in driving the high temperatures.

Getty Images

On the same day, the hottest ever temperatures were also seen in Belgium (41.8C), Germany (41.5C) and the Netherlands (40.7C) - in each case breaking a record that was only set the day before.

August

Global outcry as Amazon Rainforest ravaged by thousands of fires

In August, the world media spotlight turned to the unprecedented number of wildfires raging in the Amazon Rainforest. By that stage, satellite images had already identified more than 72,000 blazes that year with hundreds more igniting every day in August.

Brazilian Amazon wildfires - In pictures

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A global outcry ensued as millions feared that the destruction of the world’s largest rainforest would have a devastating impact on climate change.

Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, and his environmental policies were heavily criticised by world leaders amid claims he favoured mass development over crucial conservation.

PC Andrew Harper killed during burglary response in Berkshire

Pc Andrew Harper was killed on August 15 while his team were responding to a burglary in Berkshire. The 28-year-old was allegedly dragged underneath a vehicle for a considerable distance during a car chase.

The Thames Valley police officer with his wife Lissie at the couple's wedding just four weeks ago
Mark Lord via AP

It came just one month after he had married his childhood sweetheart Lissie. Political leaders were among the many figures who joined a wave of tributes to the fallen policeman.

Ten murder suspects, aged between 13 and 30, were arrested from a nearby local authority-run caravan site. Henry Long, 18, and two 17-year-old boys are currently facing charges of murder with a six-week trial set for March 9 at the Old Bailey.

September

Greta Thunberg makes historic speech at UN climate change summit

Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg made a now-iconic speech at the United Nations on September 23 in which she slammed world leaders for their “betrayal” of young people.

“How dare you,” the 16-year-old campaigner told the congress in a scathing rebuke that followed months of pioneering school strikes, which had erupted into a global climate movement.

Greta Thunberg condemns politicians at the UN

The Swedish activist famously sailed across the Atlantic to get to New York for the climate conference. She became the target of climate sceptic Donald Trump, who later said it was “ridiculous” that she had been named Time magazine’s person of the year.

UK Supreme Court rules that Boris Johnson's prorogation of Parliament was 'unlawful'

On September 24, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Boris Johnson’s attempt to suspend Parliament was “unlawful, void and of no effect” in a rare judiciary intervention into the political sphere.

The Prime Minister had sought to shut down Parliament until just two weeks before the planned EU exit date of October 31 and faced a barrage of criticism that he was trying to stifle debate ahead of a no-deal Brexit.

Mr Johnson resisted immediate calls to quit as he fended off claims that he lied to the Queen by saying the move allowed the party to focus on domestic policies.

October

ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi killed in US military raid in Syria

ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed during a US Special Forces raid at a compound in Syria on October 24.

Two children died with al-Baghdadi when he detonated a bomb vest in an underground tunnel after special operation soldiers closed in on him.

A file image purporting to show Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
AP

His death was announced the following day by Donald Trump, who claimed the ISIS leader “died like a dog” and whimpered before blowing himself up. His remains were buried at sea within 24 hours.

Bodies of 39 Vietnamese citizens found in a lorry in Essex

The bodies of 39 migrants, including ten teenagers, were found in a refrigerated lorry in Essex on October 23, sparking a massive investigation and manhunt.

The victims were later identified as Vietnamese and several people were arrested across the country in connection with human trafficking.

Police continue to question four people
PA

The lorry's driver, Maurice Robinson, 25, has previously admitted conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration between 1 May 2018 and 24 October 2019 and acquiring cash unlawfully, but is yet to enter pleas to 39 counts of manslaughter, human trafficking and transferring criminal property. Meanwhile, another driver, Christopher Kennedy, 23, has pleaded not guilty to human trafficking charges with a trial expected next year.

November

England ravaged by floods as deluge battered the UK for days

Floods ripped through towns and rural areas in Yorkshire and the East Midlands in November. The torrential onslaught of rain caused widespread damage to homes and businesses.

In Sheffield, hundreds of people were left stranded in Meadowhall shopping centre when floodwaters surrounded the areas, while former High Sheriff of Derbyshire Annie Hall was killed after she was swept away near the River Derwent.

Flash floods wreak havoc on north of England - In pictures

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The Prime Minister pledged financial support and sent 100 troops in to support flood-soaked communities, after facing severe criticism over the government’s slow response to the issue.

Prince Andrew steps down from royal duties after "plane crash" Jeffrey Epstein interview

Prince Andrew faced a barrage of criticism over a “plane crash” interview with Emily Maitlis, in which he tried to set the record straight about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who committed suicide in a New York Jail earlier that year.

Prince Andrew denies sex with teen, saying he went to Pizza Express that day

Speaking on BBC Newsnight on November 16, the Duke of York tried to justify his actions surrounding the disgraced financier but was quickly condemned for displaying an apparent lack of empathy with the victims.

His attempts to counter claims that he slept with one of Epstein's groomed teenagers, Virginia Guiffre, in 2003 left viewers unconvinced. The backlash was so severe that he soon announced he would step back from all royal duties.

Man found guilty of murdering British backpacker Grace Millane in New Zealand

A 27-year-old man was convicted on November 22 for choking British backpacker Grace Millane to death after a two-week trial at Auckland's High Court in New Zealand.

The killer, who could not be named for legal reasons, had tried to claim that the 22-year-old from Essex, had died accidentally during "rough sex" after their Tinder date in December last year.

Her body was discovered in bushland near the city a week later. Ms Millane's parents watched the trial and wept as they gave a heartbreaking address to the press after the verdict.

The parents of Grace Millane, David and Gillian Millane, attended the trial in New Zealand
Getty/ PA

Two killed in London Bridge terror attack

Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, were killed and three others were injured when convicted terrorist Usman Khan began stabbing at random during a Cambridge University event in Fishmongers' Hall in central London on November 27.

Heroic members of the public were seen chasing Khan along London Bridge with a gladiator pike and a fire-extinguisher before he was shot dead by armed police.

London Bridge stabbing: Police detain suspect

It came just days after the UK terrorism threat level was reduced from “severe” to “substantial” for the first time since 2014. The terror attack also prompted discussion about the release of certain prisoners and the impact of rehabilitation programmes after it emerged that Khan had been discharged from a UK prison half-way through his sentence.

December

Labour suffers the worst general election defeat since the 1930s as Conservatives storm to victory

Boris Johnson secured a crushing victory over Jeremy Corbyn when a string of former Labour strongholds fell to the Tories during the December 12 snap general election.

General Election Night: December 2019 - In pictures

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The Labour Party won just 203 seats in the worst election result since 1935, while the Tories' landslide majority of 365 seats paved the way for the Prime Minister to deliver his plans for Brexit.

Mr Corbyn announced he would step down in the “very near future” following a “period of reflection” as critics pointed the finger at his leadership as the reason behind the dismal result.

Donald Trump is impeached

Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, announced a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump on September 24, after months of resisting calls to start the process.

In the three-month investigation that followed, the Democratic-controlled committee examined whether the US leader sought Ukraine's help to smear former Vice President Joe Biden, the front-runner for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

Nancy Pelosi announces a formal impeachment investigation into Donald Trump
AP

Mr Trump became the third US president to be impeached when the House voted to approve charges on December 18. He continues to hit out at the Democrats, insisting he has done nothing wrong.