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52 Stunning Images To Recap This Year Around The World

And one last look at 2015.
By 

Senior Photo Editor, HuffPost

and

Editorial Fellow, The Huffington Post

This year has been one of both despair and hope.

Americans died tragically, from Baltimore to San Bernardino, California. In Paris, a deadly shooting devastated the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in January, and a series of terror attacks, for which the self-described Islamic State claimed credit, killed at least 130 in November. Civil wars and terrorist campaigns plagued the Middle East and North Africa, driving many to flee their homes in search of safety. Over 1 million people, many of them escaping the war in Syria, crossed Europe's borders.

But 2015 was also a year of hope. The people of Ireland voted to legalize same-sex marriage, and international leaders adopted a watershed agreement to try to mitigate climate change. In July, Iran and six world powers reached a historic deal to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lighter economic sanctions. And while European countries disagreed on how to resolve the ongoing migrant and refugee crisis, many individual Europeans stepped up to show solidarity with and support for the newcomers.

As the year draws to a close, just as we did in 2014, we've compressed 365 days into 52 stunning images, gathered from Getty's "News Pictures of the Week." Take a look at the photos below for a trip through 2015.

Jan. 1 - 5
ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images
A family holds cutouts as they usher in 2015 in Lingbao, China, on Jan. 1.
Jan. 5 - 12
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
Hundreds of thousands of people flood the streets of Paris to express support in the wake of two deadly terror attacks in the city. On Jan. 7, masked gunmen killed 12 people at the offices of satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo. Several more people were killed at a Jewish supermarket two days after.

Following the tragedies, social media users around the world used the hashtags #JeSuisCharlie, or "I Am Charlie," and #JeSuisJuif, or "I Am Jewish," to show solidarity.
Jan. 12 - 19
Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
A man takes a picture with his cell phone through heavy snow at the Dark Hedges in Antrim county, Northern Ireland, on Jan. 13. The site was a filming location in the popular TV series "Game of Thrones."
Jan. 19 - 26
Bloomberg/Getty Images
Vehicles sit parked at a delivery center at the Hyundai Motor Company's factory in Asan, South Korea, on Jan. 20.
Jan. 26 - Feb. 1
Bulent Kilic/Getty Images
Arif, a 10-year-old Syrian Kurdish refugee, poses at the Rojava refugee camp in Sanliurfa, Turkey, on Feb. 1. As the Syrian civil war rages on and the self-described Islamic State grabs territory, millions of Syrians have been forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in other parts of the country or in neighboring states.
Feb. 1 - 9
CHRISTOF STACHE via Getty Images
A man bikes along a snowy way near the village of Gemering, Germany, on Feb. 3.
Feb. 9 - 16
Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images
Ukrainian soldiers play football on a road leading to the embattled town of Debaltseve on Feb. 15. Tensions between Ukraine and Russia continued to mount after fighting broke out between the Ukrainian army and Russian-backed separatists in the country's east. Some 8,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
Feb. 16 - 23
Fairfax Media/Getty Images
Rescuers save a woman whose car had rolled into the water in Auckland, New Zealand, on Feb. 17. The two police officers who pulled the woman to safety said they were just doing their job.
Feb. 23 - March 2
Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
People celebrate Daeboreum, a holiday marking the first full moon of the lunar new year, in Seoul, South Korea, on March 1.
March 2 - 9
Chris McGrath/Getty Images
College students attend the Mynavi Shushoku job fair in Tokyo on March 8.
March 9 - 16
Bill Ingalls/NASA/Getty Images
The Russian Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft lands near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, as it ends a six-month tour of the International Space Station, on March 12.
March 16 - 23
Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
Hundreds of people made the St. Patrick's Day pilgrimage to the top of Slemish mountain in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, on March 17. According to Irish legend, Patrick tended herds on the mountain as a boy in the 5th century.
March 23 - 30
ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/Getty Images
On March 24, a Germanwings commercial flight carrying 150 people from Barcelona, Spain, to Dusseldorf, Germany, crashed in the French Alps with no known survivors. Andreas Lubitz, one of the flight's pilots, had a history of mental illness, and prosecutors said he appeared to have crashed the plane deliberately. In this photo, an investigator passes by scattered debris at the crash site two days after the tragedy.
March 30 - April 6
Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Revelers take part in a giant pillow fight to celebrate International Pillow Fight Day in London's Trafalgar Square on April 4.
April 6 - 13
ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images
A girl poses with a man disguised as a wall in Shanghai, China, on April 10.
April 13 - 20
ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images
People launch Kongming lanterns during the Water-Sprinkling Festival in China's Xishuangbanna autonomous prefecture on April 13.
April 20 - 27
Omar Havana/Getty Images
A man climbs on top of building debris after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal and triggered a deadly avalanche on Mount Everest on April 25. The earthquake, which killed over 8,500 people, was the worst to hit Nepal in over 80 years.
April 27 - May 4
Andrew Burton via Getty Images
Police secure Baltimore's Mondawmin Mall after protesters and police clashed violently at the funeral of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old who died in police custody on April 19. Following the protests at Gray's funeral, Maryland's governor activated the National Guard and declared a state of emergency that lasted 10 days.
May 4 - 11
Taylor Weidman/Getty Images
A man cheers as his home-made rocket takes off at the Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival, marking the beginning of the rainy season on May 10 in Yasothon, Thailand.
May 11 - 18
Win McNamee via Getty Images
Investigators work near the wreckage of an Amtrak Northeast Regional train from New York to Washington, D.C., that derailed in Philadelphia on May 13. At least seven people were killed and 200 injured.
May 18 - 25
Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
A couple celebrates in Ireland's Dublin Castle Square after the majority of the country voted to change its constitution to legalize same-sex marriage in a May 23 referendum. The new marriage equality legislation went into effect on Nov. 16.
May 25 - June 1
Ed Jones/Getty Images
North Korean defectors wearing the country's military uniforms dance at a "unification expo" in Seoul, South Korea, on May 29. The exposition commemorated the 70th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's 35-year-long colonial rule.
June 1 - 8
Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
A Turkish soldier carries a Syrian girl as she enters Turkey at the Akcakale border crossing on June 6. Over 4 million Syrians have sought refuge in neighboring countries to flee airstrikes and fighting in the country.
June 8 - 15
Beso Gulashvili/Getty Images
A hippopotamus walks along a flooded street in Tbilisi, Georgia, on June 14. Tigers, lions, jaguars, bears and wolves escaped from a zoo after heavy flooding destroyed their compounds that day. At least 10 people, including three zoo workers, were killed.
June 15 - 22
Getty Images
Parishioners attend a service after a gunman killed nine people at a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 17. Investigators found that the shooter, Dylann Roof, posted photos of himself wearing symbols of white supremacy, including a Confederate flag, on social media.
June 22 - 29
Oktay Bayar/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
In Turkey, shepherds guide small cattle through Mount Nemrut toward Kiyiduzu village for milking on June 25.
June 29 - July 6
Maja Hitij/Getty Images
A man jumps from a diving platform in Cologne, Germany, on July 2.
July 6 - 13
Ander Gillenea/Getty Images
A bull charges at a participant during a bull run at the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, Spain, on July 7.
July 13 - 20
Sergei Gapon/Getty Images
A hot air balloon flies over the outskirts of Minsk, Belarus, during the second International Aeronautics Championship on July 18.
July 20 - 27
WANG ZHAO, Getty Images
Chinese honor guards prepare for the arrival of New Zealand Governor-General Jerry Mateparae at a welcome ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 21.
July 27 - Aug. 3
Matt Cardy/Getty Images
The moon rises over Glastonbury Tor in Somerset, England, on July 31.
Aug. 3 - 10
Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
A rainbow appears over Beijing on Aug. 3. Air pollution levels in and around the city progressively worsened throughout the year, to the point that the government had to issue two "red alerts" for pollution within weeks of each other in December 2015.
Aug. 10 - 17
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
Actors film a battle scene in Fangyan, China, for "The Last Noble," a series set during the second Sino-Japanese War, on Aug. 13.
Aug. 17 - 24
Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images
Police officers Greg Casem and Dominica Fuller console a child at a candlelight vigil held in honor of Jamyla Bolden in Ferguson, Missouri. Nine-year-old Jamyla was killed in her bed on Aug. 19 when someone fired several rounds into her home.
Aug. 24 - 31
MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP/Getty Images
A Spanish Civil Guard officer helps villagers during a fire in Cabreiro, Spain, on Aug. 30.
Aug. 31 - Sept. 7
Mustafa Ciftci/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
People commemorate the lives of 12 Syrians, including 3-year-old Alan Kurdi, who died crossing the Aegean Sea to Greece and whose bodies washed ashore in Mugla, Turkey, on Sept. 2. The image of Alan's body sparked outrage and expressions of solidarity across the world.
Sept. 7 - 14
ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images
People take photos of the Harbin Z-19 at the International Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin, China, on Sept. 9.
Sept. 14 - 21
Scott Barbour/Getty Images
High-wire artist Kane Petersen walks a tightrope 300 meters (984 feet) above ground in Melbourne, Australia. The walk was the highest tightrope walk ever attempted in the Southern Hemisphere.
Sept. 21 - 28
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Pope Francis addresses a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 24, during his first papal visit to the country. Francis was the first pope to address a joint meeting of Congress, and his historic speech "touched on everything that quite frankly we need to work on," Montana Sen. Jon Tester said.
Sept. 28 - Oct. 5
Mohd Samsul Mohd Said/Getty Images
A base jumper leaps from a 300-meter-high (984-feet-high) building during the International Tower Jump in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Oct. 3.
Oct. 5 - 12
Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrates his 63rd birthday at an ice hockey game in Sochi, Russia, on Oct. 7.
Oct. 12 - 19
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Teens cool off before boarding a ferry from Lesbos island to Athens on Oct. 16. Over 1 million migrants and refugees entered Europe in 2015, the International Organization for Migration noted in December. Almost all came by sea. More than 3,600 people died while trying to reach Europe.
Oct. 19 - 26
The Korea Press Photographers' Association/Getty Images
A South Korean woman cries as she bids farewell to her North Korean relative after a family reunion in Mount Kumgang, North Korea, on Oct. 22. Separated for decades following the Korean War, South Koreans were allowed to cross the border into North Korea to reunite with family members for a few hours.
Oct. 26 - Nov. 2
Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
Tibetan Buddhist nuns stand after a chanting session in Sertar county, in the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, China, on Oct. 30. The session was a component of the Bliss Dharma Assembly, an annual gathering marking Buddha's descent from the heavens.
Nov. 2 - 9
WPA Pool/Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth II looks at a cabinet of medals during a Nov. 5 visit to the Ministry of Defense's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Center in Innsworth, United Kingdom. On Sept. 9, Queen Elizabeth became the country's longest reigning monarch, having surpassed Queen Victoria's 63 years, 7 months, 2 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes on the throne.
Nov. 9 - 16
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
The Eiffel Tower is illuminated in the colors of the French flag after at least 130 people from 15 countries were killed in terror attacks in Paris on Nov. 13. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the tragedy.
Nov. 16 - 23
STR/AFP/Getty Images
People gather around a flooded residential area following a series of heavy rains in Chennai, India, on Nov. 18. At least 150 people died as a result of the floods, and thousands were forced to flee their homes.
Nov. 23 - 30
Patrick Aventurier/Getty Images
The Place de la Republique in Paris is covered with empty shoes on Nov. 29, symbolizing a rally in support of the COP21 climate talks. The French government had canceled the rally for security reasons following the Nov. 13 terror attacks in Paris. After two weeks of high-level climate discussions, countries adopted a historic agreement, in which they pledged to take steps to limit and adapt to climate change.
Nov. 30 - Dec. 7
Borja Sanchez Trillo/Getty Images
Thai policemen take part in a candlelight ceremony celebrating King Bhumibol's 88th birthday in Bangkok on Dec. 5. Three months prior, a deadly bomb attack took place outside a popular religious shrine in Bangkok. Twenty-two people were killed.
Dec. 7 - 14
Marcus Yam/Getty Images
Pallbearers stand guard over a casket at a memorial service in Santa Ana, California, honoring Tin Nguyen, a victim of the Dec. 2 San Bernardino terror attack. A man and a woman killed 14 people and injured more after a holiday party at a social services center.
Dec. 14 - 21
Karim Sahib/Getty Images
Camels walk along sand dunes during the Mazayin Dhafra Camel Festival near the United Arab Emirates city of Madinat Zayed on Dec. 19. The festival, aimed to promote the country's folklore, includes activities such as a camel beauty contest.
Dec. 21 - 28
Matt Cardy/Getty Images
Druids, pagans and other revelers take part in a ceremony marking the winter solstice at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, on Dec. 22.

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