Photo: Courtesy of Word Press Photo/John Stanmeyer.Last week, the World Press Photo Foundation announced the winners of its 57th annual photojournalism awards. John Stanmeyer, an American photographer, received the prize for World Press Photo of the Year 2013. His haunting image captures migrants in Djibouti, raising their cell phones to the sky in the hopes of catching a signal from nearby Somalia. Djibouti is a frequent stop-off point for migrants from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea on their way to Europe and the Middle East.
Other winners include photos of an emergency refugee center in Sofia, Bulgaria, demonstrators on the streets of the Central African Republic, and survivors of typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. One of the most beautiful images is also one of the most violent: Syrian rebels caught in a cloud of debris and shrapnel. Another captures a moment during the hostage siege at Westgate Mall in Nairobi. Check out all of the winning photos here.
They paint a pretty bleak picture of the last year — and, really, who could argue that 2013 was all that great? — but just know that there's an adorable picture of a bonobo in the mix, too. (The Daily Beast)