Iconic Global Photography
AP Photojournalists Reveal Top 10 Iconic Photos of the 20th Century, Showcasing Global Stories
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AP photojournalists captured a brutal and brilliant week between June 24 and June 30, 2026 — from twin earthquakes in Venezuela to a historic music award in Los Angeles. The images, part of AP's ongoing "See the World in Vertical" series, are formatted for mobile screens in a 9:16 ratio, designed to reach younger audiences on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, according to AP News.
The collection puts human suffering and cultural triumph side by side. A grieving mother in La Guaira sits next to a music icon accepting an award in Hollywood. The contrast is jarring — and intentional.
Venezuela Earthquakes Kill 188 in Back-to-Back Tremors
Two earthquakes — measuring 7.1 and 7.5 — struck Venezuela within one minute of each other on June 24, according to Daily Sitka Sentinel. The tremors were among the strongest to hit the country in over a century. Buildings collapsed in Caracas and the coastal city of La Guaira. At least 188 people were confirmed dead, with thousands more missing.
AP photographer Pedro Mattey captured Gabriela Rojas on June 25, standing outside her home in La Guaira. Two of her children were killed inside. Neighbors surrounded her as she mourned. Her image became the defining photo of the disaster. iNFOnews.ca reported that Caracas's airport remained closed, blocking international aid from getting in.
Eight-Year-Old Zeinab Mujhed Shows Sudan's Toll on Children
In Omdurman, Sudan, AP photographer Bernat Armangue photographed Zeinab Mujhed, an 8-year-old girl, inside Al Nao Hospital. She was wounded in a shelling attack. Sudan's civil war between the national army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is now in its fourth year. AP News reported that more than 1,000 civilians were killed by drone strikes in Sudan in just the first five months of 2026.
Another survivor, Omer al-Toum, 33, lost a leg and an arm to an unexploded device. He told Newsday: "As long as you are still breathing, you are still capable of doing many things." UN agencies have warned that famine risks are rising as millions are displaced and fighting blocks food deliveries.
Lauryn Hill Wins First-Ever BET Living Legend Icon Award
On June 28, Lauryn Hill accepted the first-ever BET Living Legend Icon Award in Los Angeles. The ceremony included her children and a surprise performance of "Ex-Factor." Artvoice called it "one of the most celebrated tribute sequences in recent BET history."
In her speech, Hill said: "I fight for y'all. Everybody might not know about it, but I fight for y'all. And fighting for y'all, it's fighting for me... my children... my community." The award marked a rare public appearance for the famously private artist.
Ashoura Bloodletting Rituals Held Amid War Ruins in Lebanon
On June 26, Shiite Muslims marked Ashoura — the annual commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein — in Lebanon and Iran. In Nabatiyeh, Lebanon, AP photographer Hassan Ammar documented men performing ceremonial head-cutting rituals. The ceremonies took place in the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes. AP included a graphic content warning with the images, according to ClickOnDetroit.
Some local observers pushed back on those warnings. They argued that labeling the ritual as "graphic" frames a deep religious tradition as violent or foreign. The rituals have occurred for centuries. This year, they carried extra weight: the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier in 2026 cast a shadow over Shiite communities worldwide, according to Los Angeles Times.
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