This week's collection of photographs captures pivotal moments across the globe, from the devastation of war to moments of resilience and diplomacy.
Conflict in the Middle East
In Marjayoun, Lebanon, flares fired by the Israeli military descend over the village of Arnoun. Israel has ordered roughly 14.3% of Lebanon’s territory to be vacated since 2 March, displacing more than 1.2 million people from their homes, the vast majority from southern Lebanon.
In Gaza City, Palestinians inspect damage in the al-Shati refugee camp after Israeli airstrikes. Israeli nationalist demonstrators chanted 'Gaza is a graveyard', 'death to the Arabs' and 'may your villages burn' in a state-sponsored march through Jerusalem on Thursday to mark the anniversary of the city’s capture and annexation.
In Nabatieh, Lebanon, paramedics transport the body of a colleague killed in an Israeli airstrike in an ambulance. The pace of death has slowed since the 17 April ceasefire, but Israeli attacks are still killing people daily. The fighting is also escalating steadily. Hezbollah has targeted Israeli troops in south Lebanon with increasing success, while Israel has slowly pushed past previous 'red lines', including targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut.
In Gaza City, Akram Sharif al-Fayoumi, 13, an amputee skating enthusiast, shows off his skills near his family’s tent. He lost his left arm and right leg in an Israeli airstrike.
War in Ukraine
In Kyiv, a woman takes photos of a residential building damaged in a Russian attack. Ukrainian monitors detected at least eight salvoes of Russian drones on Wednesday, including some entering from Belarus, with the apparent target being Kyiv’s critical infrastructure.
In Sloviansk, a man drives past the Hotel Ukraine, which was badly damaged in a Russian airstrike. Moscow targeted Ukraine with more than 800 drones in a large-scale daytime assault that killed at least nine people on Wednesday, hours after a previous deadly barrage.
In Kyiv, a woman lays flowers in front of a home badly damaged in a Russian strike. Ukraine launched a large long-range drone attack on Friday targeting several regions in Russia including the huge Ryazan oil refinery, after three days of strikes by Moscow against Ukraine.
In Moscow, Vladimir Putin attends a ceremony to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Intense Russian attacks on Ukraine this week appeared to have put paid to claims by Donald Trump that a peace deal was close after recent remarks by Putin that the war might be approaching its end.
Political Developments
In London, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves his Downing Street residence via the back entrance. Wes Streeting quit as health secretary and called on Starmer to resign, saying it would have been dishonourable to remain in post and that there should be a contest for the Labour leadership.
In Beijing, a young girl climbs up to look through a gap in the doors to the prayer hall in the Temple of Heaven. Donald Trump landed in Beijing on Wednesday, the first visit to China by a US president in nearly a decade, as he sought to mend power and prestige weakened by the war in Iran.
In Beijing, Donald Trump walks through the Temple of Heaven with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump’s whirlwind trip wrapped up with much fanfare on Friday but little clarity about what was actually achieved.
Other Notable Events
In West Palm Beach, Florida, Roza, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuses, is comforted by fellow survivor Dani Hannah Bensky after addressing a House oversight committee hearing. Democrats tore into the government’s handling of the Epstein abuse scandal, revealing new details of the scale of his international sex-trafficking ring and warning Trump not to grant a pardon to Ghislaine Maxwell.
In Annapolis, Maryland, US Naval Academy freshmen climb the Herndon Monument at the end of their year as 'plebes'.
In Port-au-Prince, Haiti, residents flee their homes to escape clashes between armed gangs.
In Kidal, Mali, a fighter from the National Front for the Liberation of Azawad walks through a damaged building. Mali’s armed forces, supported by Russian mercenaries, have launched airstrikes targeting a rebel alliance of Islamist extremists and Tuareg separatists.
In Tenerife, Spain, people wearing hazmat suits stand near a plane bound for the US carrying passengers evacuated from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius.
In Cobham, England, a 'green bridge' spans the A3 road. The Cockrow Bridge is intended as a wildlife corridor to connect protected commons, home to Britain’s rarest lizard, the sand lizard.
On Mount Everest, Nepal, a trail of mountaineers’ head torches marks the route towards the summit.
In Rome, Italy’s Jannik Sinner in action during his men’s singles match at the Italian Open. Sinner reached the semi-finals and set a record for consecutive wins in Masters 1000 tournaments.
In Gaza City, a woman walks past a mural depicting footballer Lamine Yamal waving a Palestinian flag during Barcelona’s title-winning parade.
