Alan Taylor

In the widespread protests that followed the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police on May 25, statues of and memorials to Confederate soldiers and generals were vandalized or torn down. Some of the many statues of Christopher Columbus were targeted as well, as voices rose against historic and systemic racism and oppression. State and local governments then began acting to remove even more Confederate statues from public places.

Throughout the year, parts of East Africa have been suffering record-setting waves of locust swarms. In the past few months, even more swarms have dramatically struck parts of Yemen, Pakistan, and India. Farmers and communities are fearful of the damage to crops and rangeland, harming income and food supplies, all while dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Antarctica is currently approaching the coldest months of its long winter, and the previous summer’s activities have mostly wrapped up. Collected below are recent images of the Antarctic landscape, wildlife, and research facilities, as well as some of the work taking place there.

Although Maine is the largest of the New England states, it is still relatively small—ranking 39th in area. It remains a state with a low population density, at just about 1.3 million residents, mostly living near the southern coast. From its wooded interior to its rocky shoreline, here are a few glimpses of the landscape of Maine and some of the wildlife and people calling it home.This photo story is part of Fifty, a collection of images from each of the United States.

Mountaintop yoga in China, a sunrise over Glastonbury Tor, a solstice fire in Lithuania, a baby hippo in France, a sneaky gull in Denmark, a field of lavender in England, statues pulled down in the U.S., “Rays of Victory” in Russia, a concert for plants in Spain, a ski run in Australia, and much more.

Responses to the coronavirus pandemic have differed widely from country to country. Experts from the World Health Organization recently warned that the number of cases is now soaring in larger countries, with “worrying increases” developing in Latin America, with “a jump in cases in Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Panama, Bolivia and Guatemala.” Brazil has now passed more than 1 million recorded cases, with more than 52,700 deaths attributed to the virus so far.

Yesterday, the moon crossed in front of the sun in an annular solar eclipse, as seen by residents across broad sections of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. A “ring of fire” was visible in the sky above the zone of totality, as the moon appeared slightly smaller than the sun. Photographers in several countries documented the phenomenon—one of only two solar eclipses taking place this year—and some of its many observers.

More than 85 percent of the land in Iowa is dedicated to agricultural use, divided up among more than 86,500 farms. More than 3.1 million residents live and work in the state, on its farms and in its cities. Below are a few glimpses of the landscape of Iowa and some of the wildlife and people calling it home.This photo story is part of Fifty, a collection of images from each of the United States.

Continued burials of coronavirus victims in Chile, dinosaur art in Shanghai, an outdoor town meeting in Massachusetts, ongoing protests against police brutality and systemic racism worldwide, workout pods in California, phased reopening of Grand Teton National Park, a horse named Mr. Glitter Sparkles in England, the Skyline Drive-In in Brooklyn, the removal of a Confederate statue in Houston, and much more.

Over the past few weeks, governments across Europe have been slowly easing coronavirus lockdown restrictions—some moving in phases, others more quickly. Nonessential businesses, churches, museums, and more public places are being allowed to host visitors once again, with new rules in place to enforce smaller crowd sizes and proper social distancing. Collected below are images from across Europe over the past two weeks, as different countries emerge from months of pandemic lockdown.

Fewer than 1 million people live in Delaware, the second-smallest state in America by area. The region is primarily coastal: The state’s entire eastern border is formed by the Delaware River and Delaware Bay. Below are a few glimpses of the landscape of Delaware and some of the wildlife and people calling it home.This photo story is part of Fifty, a collection of images from each of the United States.

Rhythmic gymnastics on a British seashore, anti-racism protests across the United States, the funeral procession of George Floyd in Houston, a defaced statue of King Leopold II in Brussels, a moment of silence at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a wildfire in California, idled elephants in Thailand, a sea turtle release in Bali, and much more.

Brazil has reported more than 775,000 cases of the new coronavirus and has attributed more than 39,800 deaths to the disease so far, with daily death tolls continuing to climb in recent days—as many as 1,200 per day. While President Jair Bolsonaro has tried to downplay the threat, local authorities and communities are working hard to slow the spread of the virus, as well as to treat those affected.

Over the weekend, demonstrations took place around the world, with thousands of people outside the United States marching to show solidarity with American protests over the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. In many places, marchers also voiced their anger about systemic racism and police brutality within their own countries.

Nearly 5 million people live in Alabama, which takes its nickname from its state bird, the yellowhammer. The terrain of Alabama ranges from mountains in the north, to rolling hills and gentle plains sloping toward Mobile and the Gulf Coast in the southwest. Below are a few glimpses of the landscape of Alabama and some of the wildlife and people calling it home.This photo story is part of Fifty, a collection of images from each of the United States.