Our world in photos: January 17
Brooklyn Eagle Staff
January 17, 2025
SYRIA — A graphic ‘representation of justification’: A man shows two ropes tied in the shape of nooses, found in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the “human slaughterhouse,” some hoping to find relatives who were held there after the release of thousands of inmates following the rebels’ overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on Sunday.
Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based pro-opposition war monitor, told the Associated Press that tens of thousands of detainees have so far been freed since al-Assad was thrown from power.
DANA POINT — This is why we love California — Surfing Santas: Mark Gabriel, right, dressed as Santa Claus, helps surfer Creighton Wall, who suffers from Down Syndrome, during the Surfing Santa event in Dana Point, California on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. Described as “A Charity Surf and Stand Up Paddle Board Contest,” this event was developed in 2010 to benefit Surfers Healing, the original surf camp for children with autism.
Surfers Healing was founded in 1996 by Izzy and Danielle Paskowitz, parents of Isaiah, now a 30-year-old autistic adult. Although Izzy, a former professional longboarder, had feared that his son could never reach this goal, they both discovered that the waters not only bonded father and son but actually provided a healing calm to Isaiah’s autistic classmates.
VANCOUVER — Final salute to all those who Taylor-gated at the stadium parking lot? Taylor Swift performs during “The Eras Tour” on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia. The beloved icon wrapped up her tour of two years and nine months, which was themed according to 10 different “eras” of her career. The tour took her across five continents, where she gave more than 150 shows.
The Eras tour brought in $2.2 billion, making it the highest-grossing tour of all time for a second year in a row, according to Pollstar, which receives its data from box office sales, venue capacity and other sources.
FRANCE — Beautiful movements with the excitement of being one false step away from disaster: Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States compete in the ice dance’s free dance segment at the ISU Grand Prix Finals of Figure Skating, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Grenoble, France. Chock & Bates placed first, with top scores in the categories of Total Segment Score (132.12), Technical Element (74.48), Program Component (57.64), Composition (9.64), Presentation (9.68) and Skating Skills (9.50).
The pair glided to jazz classics by Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck in the free skate component.
BEAVER CREEK — These are the angles that make skiing exciting: Australia’s Louis Muhlen-Schulte competes during a men’s World Cup giant slalom skiing race on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Beaver Creek. Thomas Tumler of Switzerland won the World Cup, coming in first with a 2:27.60 time index, while Lucas Pinheiro Braathen of Brazil came in close, just 12 seconds behind Tumler, according to the FIS 100 website.
Held annually, The World Cup is considered the premier competition, other than the Winter Olympics, for alpine ski racing. Slalom refers to a timed race during which the athlete must navigate a winding course with markers, such as poles or gates.
CHILE — The slow, dramatic movement of a non-prostrate pilgrim: A pilgrim crawls to the Sanctuary of Lo Vásquez, marking the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, in Lo Vasquez, Valparaiso, Chile, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. It is the custom of worshipers to walk or bicycle to the Marian sanctuary at Lo Vásquez from Santiago or Valparaíso to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8, which honors the Mother of God, whom Catholics believe was conceived without the stain of sin.
In some countries, including the United States, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is moved to the next day when Dec. 8 falls on a Sunday, which this year is the Second Sunday in Advent.
THE VATICAN — ‘We give thanks for … all the cardinals’: Pope Francis presides over a mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at The Vatican, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, with the 21 new cardinals he made on Saturday. Pope Francis has created cardinals from 72 nations, a third of which were given a cardinal for the first time. One of these countries is Iran, whose new cardinal is Archbishop Dominique Matthieu of Tehran-Ispahan, a Belgian missionary. Serbia is also getting a cardinal for the first time: Archbishop Ladislav Nemet of Belgrade receiving the red hat.
One might wonder if Pope Francis has viewed and is taking cues from the recently premiered movie “Conclave.” The plot (the only spoiler here) involves a bishop from Mexico who is made a cardinal to serve Kabul, Afghanistan (which in real life shares a border with Iran).
ARLINGTON — Almost balletic, the ongoing midair struggle for control of the ball: Iowa State defensive back Jeremiah Cooper (4) breaks up a pass intended for Arizona State wide receiver Xavier Guillory (1) in the second half of the Big 12 Conference championship NCAA college football game, in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024.
