Currency Trading Begins In Idlib - Syria

Currency Trading Begins In Idlib - Syria

An employee arranges newly issued Syrian banknotes on a counter while customers stand behind a glass barrier at a currency exchange office in Idlib, Syria, on January 4, 2026. Exchange offices have begun replacing old banknotes with a new monetary issue following an announcement by the Central Bank of Syria. Photo by Omar Albaw/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Currency Trading Begins In Idlib - Syria

Currency Trading Begins In Idlib - Syria

An employee counts newly issued Syrian banknotes while customers stand behind a glass barrier at a currency exchange office in Idlib, Syria, on January 4, 2026. Exchange offices have begun replacing old banknotes with a new monetary issue following an announcement by the Central Bank of Syria. Photo by Omar Albaw/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

United States 250th Birthday Celebration In 2026 - DC

Fireworks erupt behind the Washington Monument during the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration, Washington, DC, USA on January 5, 2026. Photo by Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM

Tea-leaf spill causes multi-vehicle crash in eastern Japan, kills 1

Tea-leaf spill causes multi-vehicle crash in eastern Japan, kills 1

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows tea leaves scattered on a road in Sano in Tochigi Prefecture, eastern Japan, on Jan. 4, 2026. The tea leaves spilled from a moving truck on the road, causing drivers of vehicles behind it to lose control and leading to a multi-vehicle crash resulting in the death of one man.

Los Angeles Rally Backs Venezuela - USA

Los Angeles Rally Backs Venezuela - USA

A sign that reads "DIFFERENT PLACE. SAME GREED!" is left behind during a protest in Los Angeles, United States on January 3, 2026. Demonstrators gathered to oppose U.S. military action in Venezuela amid rising tensions between Washington and Caracas. Photo by Benjamin Hanson/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Wolf Moon Supermoon - Iraq

Wolf Moon Supermoon - Iraq

A cinematic view shows the first full moon of the year, traditionally called the "Wolf Moon," rising majestically behind the snowy summit of Mount Safeen in the Shaqlawa district of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The astronomical event provides a stunning contrast between the luminous lunar surface and the rugged winter landscape of the Zagros mountain range , on January 3, 2026 in Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPRESS.COM

Wolf Moon Supermoon - Iraq

Wolf Moon Supermoon - Iraq

A cinematic view shows the first full moon of the year, traditionally called the "Wolf Moon," rising majestically behind the snowy summit of Mount Safeen in the Shaqlawa district of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The astronomical event provides a stunning contrast between the luminous lunar surface and the rugged winter landscape of the Zagros mountain range , on January 3, 2026 in Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPRESS.COM

Wolf Moon Supermoon - Iraq

Wolf Moon Supermoon - Iraq

A cinematic view shows the first full moon of the year, traditionally called the "Wolf Moon," rising majestically behind the snowy summit of Mount Safeen in the Shaqlawa district of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The astronomical event provides a stunning contrast between the luminous lunar surface and the rugged winter landscape of the Zagros mountain range , on January 3, 2026 in Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPRESS.COM

Wolf Moon Supermoon - Iraq

Wolf Moon Supermoon - Iraq

A cinematic view shows the first full moon of the year, traditionally called the "Wolf Moon," rising majestically behind the snowy summit of Mount Safeen in the Shaqlawa district of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The astronomical event provides a stunning contrast between the luminous lunar surface and the rugged winter landscape of the Zagros mountain range , on January 3, 2026 in Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPRESS.COM

Daily Life of Women in Afghanistan

Daily Life of Women in Afghanistan

A child stands among displaced Afghan women wearing burqas as they wait behind a rope barrier to receive winter humanitarian aid distributed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kabul, Afghanistan on December 1, 2009. The UN refugee agency distributed blankets, sweaters, charcoal and other cold-weather supplies to vulnerable families as winter temperatures dropped in the Afghan capital. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Daily Life of Women in Afghanistan

Daily Life of Women in Afghanistan

A child stands among displaced Afghan women wearing burqas as they wait behind a rope barrier to receive winter humanitarian aid distributed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kabul, Afghanistan on December 1, 2009. The UN refugee agency distributed blankets, sweaters, charcoal and other cold-weather supplies to vulnerable families as winter temperatures dropped in the Afghan capital. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Daily Life of Women in Afghanistan

Daily Life of Women in Afghanistan

A child stands among displaced Afghan women wearing burqas as they wait behind a rope barrier to receive winter humanitarian aid distributed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kabul, Afghanistan on December 1, 2009. The UN refugee agency distributed blankets, sweaters, charcoal and other cold-weather supplies to vulnerable families as winter temperatures dropped in the Afghan capital. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Daily Life of Women in Afghanistan

Daily Life of Women in Afghanistan

Displaced Afghan women and children wait behind a rope barrier to receive winter humanitarian aid distributed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kabul, Afghanistan on December 1, 2009. The UN refugee agency distributed blankets, sweaters, charcoal and other cold-weather supplies to vulnerable families as winter temperatures dropped in the Afghan capital. Photo by Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Master artisan Miguel Mejia works on the float “Encanto”, set to parade on January 6, 2026, during the Multicolor Border Carnival in Ipiales, Colombia on January 2, 2026. His work involves the design and construction of the float, an artisanal process that combines creativity, technical skill, and collective labor. this year, Mejia marks 20 consecutive years of participation in the carnival, establishing himself as one of the artisans contributing to the continuity and development of this cultural tradition. He is supported by a team responsible for painting, modeling, and other tasks to prepare the float for the main parade. Photo by: Camilo Erasso/Long Visual Press/ABACAPRESS.COM

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Master artisan Miguel Mejia works on the float “Encanto”, set to parade on January 6, 2026, during the Multicolor Border Carnival in Ipiales, Colombia on January 2, 2026. His work involves the design and construction of the float, an artisanal process that combines creativity, technical skill, and collective labor. this year, Mejia marks 20 consecutive years of participation in the carnival, establishing himself as one of the artisans contributing to the continuity and development of this cultural tradition. He is supported by a team responsible for painting, modeling, and other tasks to prepare the float for the main parade. Photo by: Camilo Erasso/Long Visual Press/ABACAPRESS.COM

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Master artisan Daniela Salazar works on the float “Encanto”, set to parade on January 6, 2026, during the Multicolor Border Carnival in Ipiales, Colombia on January 2, 2026. Her work involves the painting and construction of the float, an artisanal process that combines creativity, technical skill, and collective labor. this year, Miguel Mejia and his team marks 20 consecutive years of participation in the carnival, establishing himself as one of the artisans contributing to the continuity and development of this cultural tradition. He is supported by a team responsible for painting, modeling, and other tasks to prepare the float for the main parade. Photo by: Camilo Erasso/Long Visual Press/ABACAPRESS.COM

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Master artisan Andres de la Cruz works on the float “Encanto”, set to parade on January 6, 2026, during the Multicolor Border Carnival in Ipiales, Colombia on January 2, 2026. His work involves the painting and construction of the float, an artisanal process that combines creativity, technical skill, and collective labor. this year, Miguel Mejia and his team marks 20 consecutive years of participation in the carnival, establishing himself as one of the artisans contributing to the continuity and development of this cultural tradition. He is supported by a team responsible for painting, modeling, and other tasks to prepare the float for the main parade. Photo by: Camilo Erasso/Long Visual Press/ABACAPRESS.COM

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Master artisan Alvaro Cordoba works on the float “Encanto”, set to parade on January 6, 2026, during the Multicolor Border Carnival in Ipiales, Colombia on January 2, 2026. his work involves the painting of the float, an artisanal process that combines creativity, technical skill, and collective labor. this year, Miguel Mejia and his team marks 20 consecutive years of participation in the carnival, establishing himself as one of the artisans contributing to the continuity and development of this cultural tradition. He is supported by a team responsible for painting, modeling, and other tasks to prepare the float for the main parade. Photo by: Camilo Erasso/Long Visual Press/ABACAPRESS.COM

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Master artisan Miguel Mejia works on the float “Encanto”, set to parade on January 6, 2026, during the Multicolor Border Carnival in Ipiales, Colombia on January 2, 2026. His work involves the design and construction of the float, an artisanal process that combines creativity, technical skill, and collective labor. this year, Mejia marks 20 consecutive years of participation in the carnival, establishing himself as one of the artisans contributing to the continuity and development of this cultural tradition. He is supported by a team responsible for painting, modeling, and other tasks to prepare the float for the main parade. Photo by: Camilo Erasso/Long Visual Press/ABACAPRESS.COM

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Master artisan Alvaro Cordoba works on the float “Encanto”, set to parade on January 6, 2026, during the Multicolor Border Carnival in Ipiales, Colombia on January 2, 2026. his work involves the painting of the float, an artisanal process that combines creativity, technical skill, and collective labor. this year, Miguel Mejia and his team marks 20 consecutive years of participation in the carnival, establishing himself as one of the artisans contributing to the continuity and development of this cultural tradition. He is supported by a team responsible for painting, modeling, and other tasks to prepare the float for the main parade. Photo by: Camilo Erasso/Long Visual Press/ABACAPRESS.COM

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Master artisan Arnold Reales works on the float “Encanto”, set to parade on January 6, 2026, during the Multicolor Border Carnival in Ipiales, Colombia on January 2, 2026. his work involves the painting of the float, an artisanal process that combines creativity, technical skill, and collective labor. this year, Miguel Mejia and his team marks 20 consecutive years of participation in the carnival, establishing himself as one of the artisans contributing to the continuity and development of this cultural tradition. He is supported by a team responsible for painting, modeling, and other tasks to prepare the float for the main parade. Photo by: Camilo Erasso/Long Visual Press/ABACAPRESS.COM

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Master artisan Arnold Reales works on the float “Encanto”, set to parade on January 6, 2026, during the Multicolor Border Carnival in Ipiales, Colombia on January 2, 2026. his work involves the painting of the float, an artisanal process that combines creativity, technical skill, and collective labor. this year, Miguel Mejia and his team marks 20 consecutive years of participation in the carnival, establishing himself as one of the artisans contributing to the continuity and development of this cultural tradition. He is supported by a team responsible for painting, modeling, and other tasks to prepare the float for the main parade. Photo by: Camilo Erasso/Long Visual Press/ABACAPRESS.COM

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Miguel Mejia the Artisan Behind Twenty Years Crafting the Black and Whites Carnival - Carnaval de Negros y Blancos 2026

Master artisan Andres Ceballos works on the float “Encanto”, set to parade on January 6, 2026, during the Multicolor Border Carnival in Ipiales, Colombia on January 2, 2026. his work involves the painting of the float, an artisanal process that combines creativity, technical skill, and collective labor. this year, Miguel Mejia and his team marks 20 consecutive years of participation in the carnival, establishing himself as one of the artisans contributing to the continuity and development of this cultural tradition. He is supported by a team responsible for painting, modeling, and other tasks to prepare the float for the main parade. Photo by: Camilo Erasso/Long Visual Press/ABACAPRESS.COM

Illustration - Iranian Rial vs US Dollar A Currency in Crisis

Illustration - Iranian Rial vs US Dollar A Currency in Crisis

A shopkeeper uses a digital tablet behind the counter inside a store at the Neyshabur Gold Market in Neyshabur, Iran, on December 31, 2025. The Iranian Rial has fallen to record lows against the US dollar, leading many citizens to invest in gold as a safe asset to protect their savings from high inflation. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

China: Driver Narrowly Avoids Crash as Truck Container Tips Over

On June 19, 2023, in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, a Chinese driver narrowly avoided a serious crash when a box truck attempted to pass under a height restriction and its container suddenly tipped over onto a city road. Video shows the container tilting and collapsing sideways as a small passenger car traveling just behind reacted instantly, swerving and accelerating through a narrow gap moments before the truck body hit the ground. The container crashed down seconds later, blocking the road, while the car escaped unharmed. No injuries were reported.

New Year ceremony attended by Japan's imperial family

New Year ceremony attended by Japan's imperial family

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (front), Empress Masako (behind him) and other imperial family members attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2026. (Pool photo)

New Year ceremony attended by Japan's imperial family

New Year ceremony attended by Japan's imperial family

Japanese Princess Aiko (front), Princess Kako (behind her) and Prince Hisahito attend a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2026. (Pool photo)

US President George HW Bush signs a Executive Order on Ethics Reform

US President George HW Bush signs a Executive Order on Ethics Reform

United States President George HW Bush signs an Executive Order establishing the Commission on Federal Ethics Law Reform in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on January 25, 1989. Standing behind the President, from left to right: Judge Malcolm Richard Wilkey, commission chair; former US Attorney General Judge Griffin B. Bell, commission vice chair; and US Vice President Dan Quayle. Photo by Ron Sachs / CNP/ABACAPRESS.COM

US President George HW Bush signs a Executive Order on Ethics Reform

US President George HW Bush signs a Executive Order on Ethics Reform

United States President George HW Bush signs an Executive Order establishing the Commission on Federal Ethics Law Reform in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on January 25, 1989. Standing behind the President, from left to right: Judge Malcolm Richard Wilkey, commission chair; former US Attorney General Judge Griffin B. Bell, commission vice chair; and US Vice President Dan Quayle. Photo by Ron Sachs / CNP/ABACAPRESS.COM

US President George HW Bush signs a Executive Order on Ethics Reform

US President George HW Bush signs a Executive Order on Ethics Reform

United States President George HW Bush signs an Executive Order establishing the Commission on Federal Ethics Law Reform in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on January 25, 1989. Standing behind the President, from left to right: Judge Malcolm Richard Wilkey, commission chair; former US Attorney General Judge Griffin B. Bell, commission vice chair; and US Vice President Dan Quayle. Photo by Ron Sachs / CNP/ABACAPRESS.COM

US President George HW Bush signs a Executive Order on Ethics Reform

US President George HW Bush signs a Executive Order on Ethics Reform

United States President George HW Bush signs an Executive Order establishing the Commission on Federal Ethics Law Reform in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on January 25, 1989. Standing behind the President are Judge Malcolm Richard Wilkey, commission chair; former US Attorney General Judge Griffin B. Bell, commission vice chair; and US Vice President Dan Quayle. Photo by Ron Sachs / CNP/ABACAPRESS.COM

US President George HW Bush signs a Executive Order on Ethics Reform

US President George HW Bush signs a Executive Order on Ethics Reform

Judge Malcolm Richard Wilkey, commission chair, left, and former US Attorney General Judge Griffin B. Bell, commission vice chair, right, look on as United States President George HW Bush makes remarks before signing an Executive Order establishing the Commission on Federal Ethics Law Reform in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on January 25, 1989. Standing behind the President are Photo by Ron Sachs / CNP/ABACAPRESS.COM

Reagan Signs Proclamation 5719 Honoring German-American Day 1987

Reagan Signs Proclamation 5719 Honoring German-American Day 1987

United States President Ronald Reagan makes remarks prior to signing Proclamation 5719, commemorating German-American Day in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on October 2, 1987. Standing behind the President to his immediate right is Phillipp Jenninger, President of President of the Bundestag of West Germany. Photo by Ron Sachs / CNP/ABACAPRESS.COM