This past weekend offered a vivid tapestry of human experience across the globe, captured through the lenses of photojournalists. The images tell stories of ancient ritual, political tension, natural beauty, and everyday life, providing a snapshot of our shared world in a single moment.
Rituals and Resilience Around the World
In Tokyo, Japan, participants braved an ice-cold bath at the Teppozu Inari shrine in a traditional ceremony aimed at purifying their souls and offering prayers for the new year. The stark contrast of human endurance against the freezing water was a powerful symbol of faith and renewal.
Meanwhile, in Burghead, Scotland, the unique fire festival of the Burning of the Clavie lit up the Moray night. This custom, dating back to the 1750s, sees the community welcome the new year twice—on both 1 January and 11 January—a tradition born from the shift from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar.
Elsewhere, the weekend was marked by both leisure and labour. Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro was packed with locals and tourists seeking relief from a 39C heatwave. In stark contrast, ride-sharing app drivers in Surabaya, Indonesia, were pictured taking a well-earned rest, sleeping on their motorbikes while waiting for their next customers.
Political Unrest and Sporting Prowess
A series of images from the United States highlighted ongoing social tensions. In Kansas City and Minneapolis, protesters marched and were escorted by police during rallies for Renee Good, a 37-year-old woman fatally shot by an ICE agent. Further illustrating a federal immigration crackdown, a photograph from Minnesota showed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detaining an entire family during a house raid, an operation reported to involve over 2,000 federal agents.
On the sporting front, athletes pushed their limits in winter competitions. The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation world championships in St. Moritz saw the Czech Republic's two-woman team in action, while in Adelboden, Switzerland, Norway's Oscar Andreas Sandvik competed in the men's slalom at the Alpine Ski World Cup.
Scenes of Serenity and Struggle
The weekend's visuals also encompassed tranquil beauty and sudden tragedy. In Mandalay, Myanmar, visitors strolled near a vibrant sunflower garden by the historic U Bein teak bridge, a structure stretching an impressive 1.2 kilometres. A ferry navigated the icy waters of Lake Balaton in Szantod, Hungary, and a snowy forest landscape was captured from above in Germany's Taunus mountains.
However, a sombre note was struck in Cebu City, Philippines, where search and rescue teams scoured a landfill after a landslide buried dozens of employees, killing at least six people. In London, a more reflective moment was found as a visitor contemplated a mural tribute to David Bowie in Brixton, created by Australian street artist James Cochran, on the tenth anniversary of the musician's death.
From the military drills of Japan's Self-Defense Force to a photographer's close encounter with a great blue heron in Florida's wetlands, the weekend of January 11th, 2026, was a profound reminder of our planet's simultaneous diversity and interconnectedness.
