World in Photos: Wildfires, Kyiv Strikes, Meta Trial, and Gaza Swim

This week’s most powerful images capture a world in contrast: European wildfires rage, Russian missiles hit Kyiv, the Meta trial unfolds in court, and swimmers find rare relief in Gaza. The past seven days, as documented by leading photojournalists, show both destruction and resilience. In Europe, firefighters battle blazes that have forced evacuations across multiple regions. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, the aftermath of fresh Russian strikes on the capital left residents picking through rubble. In the United States, the high-stakes Meta trial drew international attention, with legal arguments centering on tech regulation and user data. And in Gaza, amid ongoing conflict, a small group of swimmers took to the sea—a brief moment of normalcy in a war-torn strip. These 20 photographs, selected by the world’s top visual journalists, offer a raw, unfiltered view of the week’s events. [View the full gallery here.]