This slideshow is a reminder of the biggest news headlines in 2013 ranging from the birth of the new prince George of Cambridge to the Typhoon Yolanda and Nelson Madella's death. It may encourage a moment of reflection at the point of entry to the new 2014 year. Looking at the wider global issues do you wish for a better world with no poverty and war, or do you wish for new iPhone 5S? This can be used in a citizenship, PSHE or tutorial lesson with secondary or FE learners to initiate a discussion on global issues.

2. The largest meteorite to hit
Earth in a century
On February 15 a meteor explodes over the Russian city of
Chelyabinsk, injuring 1,491 people and damaging over
4,300 buildings.

3. Pope Benedict XVI shocked
the world in February when
he became the first pope to
resign in almost 600 years.

4. An eight-story commercial building collapses in Savar
Upazila near the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka, leaving
1,129 dead and 2,500 injured. The accident is the deadliest
non-terrorist structural collapse in modern times and the
third-worst industrial disaster in history.

5. Edward Snowden
leaks top secret
operations by a US
government
including mass
surveillance
program. He flees
the country, later
being granted
temporary asylum in
Russia.

6. Croatia becomes the 28th
member of the European Union

7. Prince George of
Cambridge was
born on July 22

8. On September 21 Islamic
militants attack the
Westgate shopping mall
in Nairobi, killing at least
62 civilians and wounding
over 170.

9. Typhoon
"Yolanda", one of the
strongest tropical
cyclones on
record, hits the
Philippines and
Vietnam, causing
devastation with at
least 5,703 dead.

10. On December 5 Nelson
Mandela dies – rest in peace
(1 minute silence)

11. You have 5 min to discuss one, in your opinion
most pressing, global issue for 2014 :

12. Make a wish for 2014