The past seven days have delivered a series of seismic global events, from a dramatic military intervention in South America to renewed violence in Europe and civil unrest at home. The world's leading photojournalists have captured these moments, framing a week of high-stakes geopolitics, tragedy, and resilience.
Geopolitical Shockwaves: Venezuela to Ukraine
The week's most startling development unfolded in Venezuela, where US special forces, in an operation ordered by President Donald Trump, captured the country's president, Nicolás Maduro, and first lady Cilia Flores. The couple were taken to New York, where they landed at a Manhattan helipad, handcuffed and escorted by heavily armed federal agents. Maduro pleaded not guilty to charges of drugs, weapons, and 'narco-terrorism' in a federal courthouse.
From his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump monitored the operation alongside CIA director John Ratcliffe and secretary of state Marco Rubio, warning that the US could launch further strikes if Venezuela's remaining administration failed to cooperate. In Caracas, pro-government Colectivos paramilitary groups criss-crossed the capital on motorbikes, armed with assault rifles, in a show of force aimed at stifling dissent.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine, the conflict with Russia intensified. Russian drone and missile strikes hit Kyiv and Kharkiv, heavily damaging a private hospital in the capital and striking the city centre in Kharkiv. The Kremlin stated it would categorically oppose any NATO troop deployment on Ukrainian soil, signalling a continued fight despite discussions of a potential peace deal involving Britain and France.
Domestic Unrest and Global Protests
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, outrage erupted after a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fatally shot a 37-year-old woman, Renee Nicole Good, during a large-scale operation. The mother of three, a US citizen, was killed amid contested accounts of the confrontation. The incident sparked continued protests, with Border Patrol and ICE agents using chemical irritants to disperse crowds, forcing community members and media to take cover.
Protests also flared in Jerusalem, where mounted police and water cannon were used to disperse thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men blocking streets. They were demonstrating against a new law requiring their conscription into the Israeli army, a move prompted by military personnel shortages after two years of war.
In Iran The UK felt the force of Storm Goretti, which brought snow, ice, and disruption across the country. In Birmingham, overnight snow blanketed homes and roads, with the pink glow from grow lights at Birmingham City football club illuminating the sky. The storm left thousands experiencing power cuts, school closures, and travel disruption over the weekend. Elsewhere in the world, poignant moments of normalcy and crisis continued side-by-side. In Gaza, Palestinians searched for belongings in rubble after Israeli strikes hit tents sheltering displaced families, despite a ceasefire. Yet, in a powerful act of defiance, a graduation ceremony for 230 medical students was held at the severely damaged al-Shifa hospital. From the icy Epiphany celebrations in Kyiv to the king tides flooding California's Bay Area, and from the clashes in Aleppo, Syria, to the Orthodox Christmas Eve gathering in Addis Ababa, the week's photographs present a stark and vivid portrait of a world in flux.Storm Goretti Grips Britain and Global Scenes
