The world witnessed a diverse range of events on Monday, captured through the lenses of photographers across the globe. From ancient rituals preparing for modern games to ongoing conflicts and political statements, these images tell stories of human endeavour, struggle and celebration.
Cultural Preparations and Political Statements
In southern Greece, actors conducted rehearsals for the lighting of the Olympic flame near the ancient temple of Hera at Olympia. This traditional ceremony prepares for the upcoming Milano Cortina Winter Games scheduled for February in Italy, connecting modern sporting events with their historical roots.
Meanwhile, in Canberra, Australia, political tensions surfaced when Pauline Hanson of the rightwing One Nation party wore a burqa in parliament's senate chamber. The controversial stunt, intended to support her push to ban the garment in public, was condemned by Muslim senators who described it as racist.
Cultural celebrations continued in Amritsar, India, where Sikh devotees performed gatka, a traditional martial art, outside the Golden Temple. The display commemorated the anniversary of the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, showcasing living religious traditions.
Conflict Zones and Natural Disasters
The ongoing human cost of conflicts was starkly visible in several regions. In Gaza City, two Palestinian women walked among extensive rubble and destroyed buildings, highlighting the persistent devastation in the region.
Ukraine presented multiple scenes of conflict and resilience. In Pokrovsk, a Ukrainian artillery soldier with the 148th Zhytomyr brigade prepared tea in a frontline dugout in the Donetsk region, demonstrating moments of normalcy amid warfare. Meanwhile, in Kharkiv, rescuers worked at the site of a Russian strike on a residential area that killed at least four people and injured dozens, including two children.
Natural disasters also left their mark. In Songkhla, Thailand, a rescue boat passed a car submerged in floodwaters after heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding that affected up to two million people and claimed at least five lives.
International Diplomacy and Seasonal Traditions
Diplomatic engagements included French President Emmanuel Macron visiting Libreville, Gabon, for a bilateral meeting with his counterpart Brice Oligui Nguema, strengthening international relations.
In Oléron island, France, a protester carried a bouquet of flowers in Ukrainian flag colours at a cemetery where four Soviet second world war resistance fighters are buried. The demonstration occurred as Russian ambassador Alexsey Meshkov was due to visit their graves.
Seasonal traditions continued with Harbin, China preparing for its winter festival. Workers moved stored ice for construction of frozen landscapes at the Ice and Snow World show, which includes cross-country skiing events.
Lighter moments included an aerobatic plane passing between performers using water jetpacks during an air show in Acapulco's Santa Lucia bay, and children in Jantho, Indonesia playing football in a flooded field after heavy rain in Sumatra's Aceh province.
