In the week of June 14-20, 2024, various events took place around the world that captured the attention of the public. In Panama, people protested during a general strike, while Muslim pilgrims gathered in Mecca, Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea and Vietnam, Kurdish migrants trying to reach Britain were discovered off French shores, and trains collided in India. The Associated Press curated a selection of compelling images from these events, highlighting moments of significance and emotion captured by their photographers.
One of the photos featured Britain’s King Charles III with other members of the royal family on the balcony at Buckingham Palace after attending the Trooping the Color ceremony in London. Muslim pilgrims were captured gathering at the top of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy during the Hajj pilgrimage near Mecca. French President Emmanuel Macron was reflected in a resident’s glasses during a ceremony in Brittany, France, while an HSC-7 helicopter landed on the USS Laboon in the Red Sea. Russian President Vladimir Putin was pictured alongside North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un at an official welcome ceremony in Pyongyang.
In Romania, little girls were seen standing among men during Eid al-Adha prayers held at the Dinamo stadium. In Kashmir, preparations for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha were underway at a cattle market in Srinagar. A striking image from Barcelona showed a giant ‘Inflatable Refugee’ displayed at the Gran Teatre de Liceu opera house, created by Belgian visual artists to raise awareness about the refugee crisis in Europe. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was photographed addressing a final media conference at the G7 summit in southern Italy. A rescue boat was pictured cruising on the Seine river in Paris during a rehearsal for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony.
Elsewhere, devout Muslims were captured offering Eid al-Adha prayers at the Jama Masjid in New Delhi, India. West Virginia University mycology professor Matt Kasson was shown cutting the head of a periodical cicada infected with the Massospora cicadina fungus during field processing in Illinois. In Ecuador, a resident reacted after landslides damaged his house, while a model showcased creations from the Dolce & Gabbana Spring Summer 2025 collection in Milan, Italy. Thousands of fishermen were photographed participating in a collective fishing rite in Mali, while firefighters worked to extinguish a fire in California.
In political news, a fleet of Russian warships arrived in Cuban waters ahead of planned military exercises in the Caribbean. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addressed the media at the G7 summit, and Pope Francis was seen sitting during a working session on AI, Energy, Africa, and the Middle East. The week also saw mourners attending funerals for individuals in various locations, including for Palestinians in Gaza, Malawi’s Vice President in Nsipe, and a volunteer servicewoman in Kyiv, Ukraine. Additionally, a cargo train collision in India and a firefighter battling a fire in Athens were among the images captured by AP photographers during this eventful week.
