The past seven days have presented a stark tableau of global turmoil, captured through the lenses of the world's leading photojournalists. From state violence and military conflict to natural disasters and political upheaval, these twenty images document a week where human resilience was tested across continents.
State Violence and Political Tensions
In Iran, a nationwide protest movement appeared to slow under the weight of a brutal government crackdown. Authorities have left thousands dead and imprisoned tens of thousands, with harrowing images from Kahrizak showing grieving relatives searching for loved ones among bodies on the ground. In a show of international solidarity, a woman in Rome participated in a rally supporting the Iranian protests, her forehead marked with a mock bullet wound.
The United States witnessed its own domestic strife, with a significant federal immigration operation unfolding in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Federal agents, using battering rams to break down doors, have arrested more than 2,400 people in recent weeks. Many detainees have been moved to out-of-state detention centres or removed from the country. The operation, which the Trump administration calls its largest enforcement action to date, has drawn fierce local criticism. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the killing of a resident, Renee Good, during police action, telling Immigration and Customs Enforcement to 'get the fuck out of Minneapolis'.
On the international stage, former US President Donald Trump's foreign policy actions continued to reverberate. He accepted a gifted Nobel peace prize medal from Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, nearly a fortnight after ordering the abduction of Venezuela's president, Nicolás Maduro. That raid in Caracas also resulted in the deaths of thirty-two Cuban security personnel. In response, anti-imperialist protests erupted outside the US embassy in Havana, with demonstrators holding images of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro.
Ongoing Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis
The war in Ukraine intensified as Russia shifted its focus to attacking energy infrastructure. Frequent air strikes have left residents in Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhia without power, water, and heating during a harsh winter. With Ukraine's government reporting just 20 days of energy reserves left, civilians inspect the wreckage of residential districts and huddle in emergency tents for warmth. As the frontline moves closer to cities like Druzhkivka, police evacuation groups, known as the White Angels, are helping families flee.
In Gaza, a fragile and incomplete ceasefire has done little to alleviate profound suffering. Although the Israeli bombardment has diminished, about 450 Palestinians have been killed since the truce began. The healthcare worker Hatem Abu Saleh was among the recent fatalities, his body mourned by relatives in Khan Younis. Meanwhile, heavy winter rains and strong winds have collapsed walls onto the flimsy tents of displaced families, killing at least four people and creating dangerously cold, wet conditions for children and adults alike.
Disasters and Displacement
The week was also marked by tragic accidents and environmental challenges. In Thailand, a crane from a Beijing-backed high-speed rail project fell onto a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima, killing at least 32 people. In the Philippines, rescuers searched for survivors after a landfill collapse buried a waste facility in Cebu City.
Climate-related events caused disruption from Europe to Asia. Torrential rains caused severe flooding in Kosovo, partially submerging a barn near Lipjan. In the UK, a canal boat remained stranded in Whitchurch, Shropshire, more than three weeks after the collapse of the Llangollen canal embankment.
Amidst the hardship, moments of community and political expression persisted. In India, villagers in Jalikhora participated in community fishing for Bhogali Bihu celebrations, marking the harvest season's end. In Uganda, supporters of opposition leader Bobi Wine celebrated at a final campaign rally ahead of elections, though reports later emerged of a deadly raid by security forces on a party official's home.
Finally, in the occupied West Bank, the ruins of a building demolished by Israeli forces in Qabatiya underscored ongoing tensions, as Israel plans a new bypass road that will further restrict Palestinian movement.
