Our Picture Editors select the best news photographs from South Africa and around the world to bring you a visual snapshot of the weekend's events.
Gwede Mantashe (L), South African Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy and the chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC), South African President and president of the ANC Cyril Ramaphosa (R), both wearing scarfs in the colours of the Palestinian flag, react as they attend the 112th ANC Anniversary rally in Mbombela on January 13, 2024. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP)
South African President and president of the African National Congress (ANC) Cyril Ramaphosa (C) and Deputy President of South Africa and the ANC Paul Mashatile (2nd L) arrive at the 112th ANC Anniversary rally in Mbombela on January 13, 2024. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP)Devotees take a holy dip at Sangam, the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, on the occasion of Hindu religious festival ‘Makar Sankranti’ in Prayagraj on January 14, 2024. (Photo by Sanjay KANOJIA / AFP)Followers of the Nazareth Baptist Church, also known as the Shembe Church’s Ebuhleni group, attend a church service on the Canaan Holy Mountain in Ndwedwe, near Durban, on January 13, 2024. The devotees climb the mountain to attend a daily sermon as part of their annual pilgrimage. They walk up to 80kms barefoot praying, worshipping, singing, dancing and camping on their four weeks stay at the mountain. (Photo by RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP)Former South African President Jacob Zuma (2nd R) holds his hands as he prays followers of the Nazareth Baptist Church, also known as the Shembe Church’s Ebuhleni group, for a church service on the Canaan Holy Mountain in Ndwedwe, near Durban, on January 13, 2024. The devotees climb the mountain to attend a daily sermon as part of their annual pilgrimage. They walk up to 80kms barefoot praying, worshipping, singing, dancing and camping on their four weeks stay at the mountain. (Photo by RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP)Protesters wave flags during a free Palestine protest at the United States Consulate, 13 January 2024, in Sandton, as part of a global day of action in support of a free Palestine. Picture: Michel Bega/The CitizenProtesters wave flags during a free Palestine protest at the United States Consulate, 13 January 2024, in Sandton, as part of a global day of action in support of a free Palestine. Picture: Michel Bega/The CitizenA woman performs an act inside a cage as relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held in Gaza since the October 7 attacks by Hamas in southern Israel, take part in a rally calling for their release and marking their nearly 100 days of captivity, in Tel Aviv on January 13, 2024. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)Benito the giraffe is seen in his enclosure at the Central Park of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua state, Mexico on January 13, 2024, where he remains under administrative possession of the Attorney General’s Office for Environmental Protection. A campaign to save Benito from a small enclosure and extreme temperatures has resulted in officials promising to move him to a more spacious park in the state of Puebla, US media reported on January 8. (Photo by Herika Martinez / AFP)Seven-year-old Atlehang Motang poses for a picture with his new school uniform at Burgers Broers in Northcliff, ahead of the re-opening of schools. Picture: Michel Bega/The CitizenSix-year-old Matipa Arendse poses for a photograph with her new school uniform at Burgers Broers in Northcliff, ahead of the re-opening of schools. Picture: Michel Bega/The CitizenPeople wearing costumes gather at Christiansborg Castle Square ahead of Queen Margrethe’s abdication in Copenhagen, Denmark, 14 January 2024. Queen Margrethe had her last official task on 08 January as the head of the Danish royal house. Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II announced in her New Year’s speech on 31 December 2023 that she would abdicate on 14 January 2024, the 52nd anniversary of her accession to the throne. Her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik, is set to succeed his mother on the Danish throne as King Frederik X. His son, Prince Christian, will become the new Crown Prince of Denmark following his father’s coronation. Picture: EPA-EFE/MADS CLAUS RASMUSSENPeople gather to watch the sunrise on a beach on Pingtan Island, the closest point in China to Taiwan’s main island, in China’s southeast Fujian province, on January 14, 2024, the morning after Taiwan’s presidential election. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)Prince Abdul Mateen and Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah wave from their car during the wedding procession in Brunei’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan on January 14, 2024. (Photo by MOHD RASFAN / AFP)Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi (C), a member of the South African legal team, talks to journalists after landing back in South Africa after representing the country in a two-day hearing against Isreal at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), at the OR Tambo International Airport in Ekurhuleni, South Africa, on January 14, 2024. South Africa on January 11, 2024 accused Israel of breaching the UN Genocide Convention, saying that even the deadly October 7 Hamas attack could not justify such alleged actions, as it opened a case at the top UN court. Pretoria has lodged an urgent appeal to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to force Israel to “immediately suspend” its military operations in Gaza. (Photo by Alaister Russell / AFP)
