South America, Singles—Aircraft on Flooded Tarmac: An aircraft sits on the flooded tarmac at Porto Alegre–Salgado Filho International Airport, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on May 20, 2024. From April to June 2024, record-breaking rainfall in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, led to the worst flood in the area’s history. More than half a million people were displaced, and more than 183 died in the floods. According to scientists, climate change—driven primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, including those used in passenger air travel—almost certainly intensified the floods. In the larger context of the global climate crisis, this image of a plane suspended between sky and water becomes a foreboding symbol. #

South America, Singles—The Last Hope: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado greets supporters from atop a vehicle during a campaign rally for the opposition presidential candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, in Mérida, Venezuela, on June 25, 2024. In 2023, María Corina Machado won the opposition primaries to challenge Nicolás Maduro in the presidential elections, but Venezuelan authorities subsequently barred her from running. As a result, she endorsed the former ambassador Edmundo González Urrutia as the opposition’s candidate and led his political campaign across the country. After the election, authorities declared Maduro the winner, but the opposition contested the results, citing vote tallies that indicated a victory for González. Allegations of electoral irregularities led many countries to question the legitimacy of the outcome. Although Maduro retained power and González was forced into exile, Machado remains in hiding as the leader of the opposition and a key figure advocating for political change. #

West, Central, and South Asia, Long-Term Projects—Bullets Have No Borders: A kolbar follows an arduous mountain path, in Kurdistan, Iran, on June 1, 2019. The packs of kolbars (border couriers) can weigh about 50 kg, and crossings take an average of eight to 12 hours. Kolbars carry goods, such as household appliances, mobile phones, and clothes, on their backs through treacherous terrain from Iraq and Turkey into Iranian Kurdistan. The Iranian government bans import of many such goods to protect local production and save foreign currency in the face of Western sanctions. Decades-long marginalization of Kurds means widespread unemployment in the region, driving many to kolbari. In addition, many kolbars see the activity as legitimate, because they feel ties with fellow Kurds across nation-state borders they do not acknowledge. However, kolbars risk being shot by security forces and border patrols. #

Africa, Stories—The Elephant Whisperers of Livingstone: Elephant Response Team members observe an elephant feeding near a military base in Livingstone, Zambia, on August 29, 2024. In Livingstone, Zambia, a succession of failed rainy seasons and human encroachment onto land traditionally used by elephants have led to a rapid increase in human-wildlife conflict over the past few years. During the dry season, elephants enter Livingstone in search of food, raiding gardens, vegetable patches, and fruit trees. When harassed and startled by residents, these interactions can become dangerous. In 2024, at least eleven people were killed by elephants in the town. The three-person Elephant Response Team, a volunteer group, works to keep people and elephants safe. Although the job is demanding and dangerous, the team is motivated by their love for their community and for elephants. #

Asia-Pacific and Oceania, Singles—Gabriel Medina During the Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Brazil's Gabriel Medina bursts out triumphantly from a large wave in the fifth heat of round three of men’s surfing, during the 2024 Olympic Games, in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, French Polynesia, on July 29, 2024. Medina scored a near-perfect 9.9 in the heat and went on to pick up bronze, ceding the gold medal to France’s Kauli Vaast. This photograph circulated widely, attracting more than 9.5 million likes on Medina’s Instagram alone. #

Asia-Pacific and Oceania, Stories—A Nation in Conflict (1 of 2): Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and SOF fighters fire a heavy machine gun, in an attack on a government military camp, in Taung Soon, Kayin State, Myanmar, on April 21, 2024. Myanmar has been racked by internal conflict for decades, most recently a 2021 military coup, which sparked widespread armed opposition, leading to revolution. Different civilian militias, loosely organized into the People’s Defense Forces (PDF), escalated resistance in 2024. #

Asia-Pacific and Oceania, Stories—A Nation in Conflict (2 of 2): Members of the Special Operations Force (SOF), a PDF unit, dig graves for four resistance fighters who died in an attack on a government military camp, in Taung Soon, Kayin State, Myanmar, on April 26, 2024. #

Africa, Singles—Tamale Safalu: The bodybuilder Tamale Safalu trains in front of his home, in Kampala, Uganda, on January 25, 2024. Despite losing his leg after a terrible motorcycle accident in 2020, Tamale Safalu remained committed to competitive bodybuilding, becoming the first disabled athlete in Uganda to compete against able-bodied athletes. His strength and determination in the face of adversity challenges stereotypes and serves as an inspiration to people from all walks of life. “By competing as a bodybuilder onstage, I want to encourage other people with disabilities to recognize their own talents and never put their heads down,” Tamale says. #

South America, Stories—Jaidë (1 of 2): Ahitana, age 23, has attempted suicide several times. Originally from the Emberá Katio community, she now lives in Bogotá, where she faces hostility, mistreatment, and lack of economic opportunities. The Emberá Dobida are a nomadic Indigenous people of Colombia who historically have inhabited an area around the Bojayá River. Many Emberá have migrated to Bogotá, fleeing conflict among Colombia’s paramilitary forces and searching for safety and opportunity. In the capital, they face discrimination and marginalization, living in overcrowded and unsafe conditions. Suicides in the Emberá community have sharply increased, from 15 cases between 2015 and 2020 to 67 suicides and more than 400 attempts by 2024, according to the Church of Bellavista in Bojayá. This project follows the lives of Emberá women affected by the crisis, bringing attention and empathy to a harsh reality. Bogotá, Colombia, February 9, 2024. #

South America, Stories—Jaidë (2 of 2): María Camila, Luisa, and Noraisi Birry stand by the grave of their sister Yadira, while wearing the paruma shawls Yadira left behind. Yadira Birry, age 16, took her own life with a paruma on April 7, 2023. Chocó, Colombia, June 20, 2024. #

West, Central, and South Asia, Singles—The Canvas of Power: People vandalize a statue of former Bangladesh President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who resigned following weeks of unrest. A July 2024 student protest against a restrictive government job-quota scheme escalated into a mass uprising against a government accused of unlawful detentions, enforced disappearances, and widespread suppression of dissent. Unrest took place against a backdrop of struggles for fair elections, and a cybersecurity law seen to erode freedom of speech. Although initially peaceful, demonstrations became violent after authorities and pro-government paramilitaries cracked down on protesters, killing at least 1,400 people. By August, the regime had collapsed. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and went into exile, and the army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced the formation of an interim government. Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 5, 2024. #

Africa, Stories—Kenya's Youth Uprising: Kenyan police officers and security personnel protect the Kenyan Parliament against protestors attempting to storm the building. Reports that police fired live ammunition at demonstrators led to condemnation by human-rights groups and other countries calling for investigations and police reform. In 2024, the National Treasury of Kenya proposed additional taxes on everyday items to generate additional income and alleviate Kenya’s high debt burden. Protests against the bill erupted, led by young Kenyans who organized actions over social media. On June 25, protestors stormed Parliament and clashed with police; many were killed or abducted, and hundreds were injured. Although President William Ruto withdrew the bill, protests persist into 2025, fueled by anger over economic hardship, corruption, police brutality, and distrust of the political class. All across Kenya, young people have emerged as a driving force, demanding accountability and systemic reforms. Nairobi, Kenya, June 25, 2024. #

Asia-Pacific and Oceania, Stories—No More Monkey Mania in Thai Town: A long-tailed macaque attacks a shop employee, opposite Phra Prang Sam Yot temple. Macaques, believed to bring good fortune, are part of the identity of “Monkey City”—Lopburi, north of Bangkok, Thailand. Tourists flocked to see them, feeding them fruit. By 2020, the monkey population had reached 3,121, but during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, tourists disappeared. Marauding monkeys became more aggressive, confronting residents, stealing food, and fighting. Residents tried unsuccessfully to deter them with slingshots, and starting in April 2024, authorities intervened with a sterilization program to bring the situation back under control. Lopburi, Thailand, February 3, 2024. #

Europe, Stories—Protests in Georgia: A woman confronts riot police during a rally outside the Parliament of Georgia, on Rustaveli Avenue. Police had brought water cannons onto the avenue to disperse protesters. Citizens protested across Georgia in November 2024 when Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced a four-year suspension of talks on joining the European Union. This followed the European Parliament’s rejection of Georgia’s recent elections, amidst claims of vote rigging. In the capital, Tbilisi, as thousands demonstrated, clashes erupted between police and protesters outside the Parliament building. Protests continued despite a severe government crackdown on dissent in late December, when a law was passed criminalizing even symbolic acts of protest, such as the public posting of stickers. Tbilisi, Georgia, December 7, 2024. #

West, Central, and South Asia, Stories—Gaza Under Israeli Attack (1 of 2): People watch as smoke and flames rise over a building, following Israeli attacks on Deir al-Balah, Gaza, on June 6, 2024. Israel continued its war on Gaza throughout 2024, leaving much of it in ruins. The United Nations reports that more than 60 percent of homes have been destroyed and 95 percent of hospitals are nonfunctional. Nearly 2 million people have been displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, due to Israeli restrictions. With international journalists effectively barred from Gaza, local photographers risked their lives to document the war. The photographer, who has also lost family members, says, “Every time I photograph a destroyed house, I remember mine. Every time the wounded and martyred are pulled from the rubble, I remember my father and siblings.” #

West, Central, and South Asia, Stories—Gaza Under Israeli Attack (2 of 2): Relatives of people killed in an Israeli attack on the Nuseirat refugee camp mourn as the bodies are brought to al-Aqsa Hospital, in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, on August 9, 2024. #

South America, Stories—Brazil's Worst-Ever Floods: João Engelmann opens a washing machine full of muddy water after floods at the Integracao Gaucha settlement at his daughter’s house. Following three days of rain, Engelmann and his wife fled their home. Record-breaking floods in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, caused environmental devastation, the displacement of more than 600,000 residents, and the death of 183 people. The government declared it the state’s largest climate disaster ever, with 2.39 million residents affected and major human, nonhuman, and economic losses. According to a team of international scientists, climate change, intensified by El Niño, made the flooding twice as likely. Experts warn that such extremely rare weather events, once expected to occur every 100 to 250 years, will become more frequent due to the burning of fossil fuels and other forms of environmental degradation. The floods have devastated local economies and communities. Although some residents are leaving to start anew, others are choosing to stay and rebuild their lives. Eldorado do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, May 10, 2024. #

North and Central America, Singles—Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump: Members of the United States Secret Service help the Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump offstage moments after a bullet from an attempted assassin hit his ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. The assassination attempt on Trump, and the media coverage that followed, is believed to have marked a turning point in the presidential campaign that would shape not only the election to come, but also the United States’ political future. Shortly after the shooting, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee defiantly shouted,“Fight, fight, fight!” as he was escorted off the stage. Notably, this image, captured seconds later, presents a rare and candid moment of fragility in a campaign that focused on vitality and strength. #

South America, Long-term Projects—Paths of Desperate Hope (1 of 2): Migrants arrive at Las Banderas (“The Flags”), a spot on the border between Colombia and Panama, in Darién Gap, on August 3, 2023. This project documents the perilous journeys of migrants traversing the Darién Gap, a 100-kilometer long stretch of dense jungle connecting Colombia and Panama. More than 1 million people have braved this route since 2021. They hail from diverse nations—Afghans escaping Taliban rule, Venezuelans seeking refuge from economic collapse, Chinese fleeing authoritarianism, and many others—driven by the pursuit of a better life. Their stories are full of danger: treacherous rivers, unforgiving terrain, and the constant threat of violence and exploitation. Many never make it. Those who succeed find themselves only at the beginning of a different and difficult journey through Central America and Mexico to the United States. #

South America, Long-term Projects—Paths of Desperate Hope (2 of 2): Thousands of migrants wade into the Rio Muerto (“Death River”) in the Darién Gap, where several have drowned in its treacherous waters. They assist one another to prevent drowning in the swift currents. Rio Muerto, Colombia, August 2, 2023. #