World Photography Day: Photos that have defined 2026 so far

As people celebrate World Photography Day on Wednesday, August 19, Siasat.com has put together a series of photos that have defined 2026 so far. In the age of digital media, no moment goes uncaptured— yet, amidst the constant stream of visuals, a few stand out to perfectly encapsulate the moment.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests in India, the deadly US strike that killed nearly 200 children in Iran and the eerie orange skies in North America were just some of the moments that were widely covered till August this year.

Major protests that rocked India

India witnessed major protests in the first half of 2026 alone, bringing thousands of students to the streets.

In May, Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old Boston University student, started a digital satirical outfit based on Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant’s remarks insinuating that unemployed youth resembled “cockroaches” or “insects.”

CJP protest — MP Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, actor Prakash Raj, Gitanjali J Angmo, wife of Sonam Wangchuk, and others during a march towards Parliament on July 20, 2026. (Source: PTI)

Large crowd protesting with police using shields and barricades in a tense standoff. — Delhi Police attempt to stop protesters from entering Jantar Mantar on July 20.

The outfit grew rapidly, evolving into a movement demanding the resignation of then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the irregularities in NEET UG 2026.

Memorial setup with a portrait of a leader, books, and offerings at a public event. — A portrait of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and a copy of the Constitution of India and the Ramcharitmanas displayed at Jantar Mantar during a demonstration over NEET, in New Delhi on July 21. (Source: PTI)

The protest culminated in Pradhan’s resignation and raised questions about India’s education system. After calling off the protests, CJP has maintained that it wishes to continue as a pressure group to demand better quality education for all Indian students.

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Group of young people celebrating and holding newspapers outdoors on a sunny day. — Student protesters rejoice Pradhan’s resignation at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 25. (Source: PTI)

Police brutality during the Jantar Mantar protest

The July 20 demonstration march to Parliament against the NEET paper leak encountered severe police action against students in India’s capital, with the Delhi Police and security personnel deploying tear gas and using lathi charge to disperse the crowd.

Soldier firing a rocket launcher during a military exercise in a green outdoor setting. — A policeman fires tear gas to disperse supporters of the CJP as they attempt to march toward India’s Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi on July 20. (Source: AP)

Policewomen detain a supporter of the CJP as she, along with others, attempts to march toward India’s Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi on July 20. (Source: AP)

A supporter of the CJP confronts police officers as protesters attempt to march toward Parliament, demanding the resignation of the education minister, in New Delhi on July 20. (Source: AP)

Jharkhand student protests against competitive exams

The protest at Jantar Mantar was not the only one in which the youth questioned the government. In Jharkhand’s capital of Ranchi, job aspirants and students staged a mass sit-in protest alleging irregularities and paper leaks in competitive recruitment exams. They demanded the government cancel the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission-Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) exam.

Protesters march with portraits of leaders during Jharkhand assembly protest in India. — Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto being carried during a march towards the Jharkhand Assembly over alleged irregularities in the 14th JPSC examination, JSSC-CGL and other recruitment tests, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, on August 10. (Source: PTI)

Large crowd gathered in a busy marketplace during Jharkhand exam stir protests. — Aerial view shows students and job aspirants taking out a massive ‘Tiranga Yatra’ protest procession at Albert Ekka Chowk in Ranchi, Jharkhand, on August 15. (Source: PTI)

On August 17, after a 24-day protest, the state government announced that it would scrap the JSSC-CGL exam.

Demonstrators react after the Cabinet decided to cancel the JSSC-CGL examination, in Ranchi on August 17. (Source: PTI)

FIFA World Cup 2026

Football fans around the world united as the FIFA World Cup returned in 2026, running from June 11 to July 19. Spain took the championship in the final, much to the disappointment of Lionel Messi fans supporting his Argentinian team.

Lionel Messi in Argentina jersey with silver medal after winning 2022 World Cup. — Argentina’s Lionel Messi cries at the end of the World Cup final football match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, New Jersey, near New York, on July 19 (Source: AP)

One moment that remained with fans was Cristiano Ronaldo’s sixth and final World Cup ending with a 1-0 loss to Spain.

Cristiano Ronaldo was in tears after Portugal’s defeat to Spain. (Source: AP)

This year’s 48-team World Cup field was the biggest in the tournament’s history, and many thought it would water down the competition. That wasn’t the case at all. Viewers were shocked to see Cape Verde hold eventual Spain to a draw in its opening game, advance to the round of 32 and give Argentina a scare before losing 3-2 in extra time in a World Cup classic.

Cape Verde Spain WCup Soccer — Spain’s Aymeric Laporte (left), and Cabo Verde’s Pico Lopes jump for the ball during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Spain and Cape Verde in Atlanta, on June 15. (Source: AP)

Congo also advanced beyond the group stage and pushed England before eventually losing, while Curaçao was still in with a chance of making the knockouts going into its final group match.

Congolese and Uzbek players during the match — Congo beats Uzbekistan 3-1 in FIFA World Cup, with a player in red actively kicking the ball on the field.

Fans eventually got to enjoy semifinal games full of heavyweights. England, Argentina, Spain and France were the top four in the world rankings.

Spain football team celebrating with trophy after winning FIFA World Cup. — Spain’s Rodri (16) lifts the trophy as Spain celebrates after winning the World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19. (Source: AP)

The strike that killed 120 children in Iran

On February 28, the US and Israeli forces jointly launched strikes on Iran, numbering nearly 900 in just the first 12 hours. The opening attack killed the former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, triggering a torrent of retaliatory missiles and drones from Iran.

That same day, the strikes also hit an elementary school, killing 156 people, including 120 children. Although neither the US nor Israel has claimed responsibility, an investigation into the incident has pointed towards Washington ordering the airstrike.

Aerial view of mourners at a cemetery in Iran during a memorial event. — About 100 graves were dug up in Minab for the teachers and children killed in the airstrike on February 28.

Two Iranian women mourning, holding a framed photo of schoolgirls, reflecting tragedy and loss. — Mourners attend funeral for victims of school strike in Minab, Iran. (Source: Reuters)

Every evening, families visit the graves of loved ones killed in the strike. (Source: BBC)

Gaza’s mass funeral for 112 Palestinians

Palestinians gathered on August 4 for a mass funeral of more than 100 Palestinians from the Hassayna and Abu Sharia clan, finally recovered from a deadly Israeli strike in Gaza in 2023.

Gaza mass funeral — People attend a mass funeral for members of the Abu Sharia and Al-Hasayna families, whose remains were recently recovered from the rubble of their homes after an attack earlier in the war, on August 4, 2026 in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City, Gaza. (Source: Quds Network)

Mass funeral with rows of coffins draped in Palestinian flags in an outdoor setting. — Following the funeral prayers, people carried the bodies on stretchers along a narrow street lined by destroyed buildings and buried them in a nearby cemetery.

Dystopian orange skies in North America

The Canadian wildfire season in 2026 began in June and accelerated quickly, with more than 949 active wildfires in mid-July. Fire danger remains high even now in the North American country, with several communities facing severe impacts from the fires.

People look toward the downtown skyline from the Toronto Islands as forest fires cause poor air quality over the city. (Source: AFP)

According to the Canadian government, as of August 18, there are 582 active wildfires in the country, including 31 that are out of control.

The smoke from the escalating wildfires reached the US, covering the skyline of numerous cities in orange, dusty haze. The images of orange-covered skies were often compared to those seen in dystopian movies.

Orange haze in New York City after smoke from wildfires in Canada reaches the United States.

A view of Manhattan, New York from Brooklyn Bridge park as wildfire smoke from Canada causes smoggy conditions last month. (Source: AFP)

Artemis II’s moon mission

NASA’s Artemis II Moon mission lifted off from the US state of Florida, carrying four astronauts on the first crewed flight around the Moon in more than 50 years.

Launched on April 1, the astronauts racked up one win after another as they deftly navigated NASA’s long-awaited lunar comeback, the first major step in establishing a sustainable Moon base.

Artemis II crew: Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen.

Artemis II didn’t land on the Moon or even orbit it. But it broke Apollo 13’s distance record and marked the farthest that humans have ever journeyed from Earth when the crew reached 252,756 miles (406,771 km).

Artemis II completes record-breaking trip around moon — View of the moon from inside the Artemis II capsule. (Source: NASA)

The Sun is fully eclipsed by the Moon during the Artemis II crew’s lunar flyby, April 7. (Source: NASA)

Close-up of the moon's surface showing numerous craters and rugged terrain. — The Artemis II crew captures a portion of the Moon coming into view along the terminator – the boundary between lunar day and night. (Source: NASA)

Then in the mission’s most heart-tugging scene, the teary astronauts asked permission to name a pair of craters after their moonship and Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll.

Silhouette of a person looking at Earth from space through a spacecraft window. — NASA astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist Christina Koch peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft’s main cabin windows, looking back at Earth, as the crew travels toward the Moon. (Source: NASA)

Total Solar Eclipse

On August 12, the Moon totally eclipsed the Sun, casting a shadow across Siberia, Iceland, Portugal, Greenland, and Spain. Several enthusiasts across the world gathered to witness the eclipse together.

Spaniards shared images on social media in awe of experiencing the event, as, according to NASA, the country saw its first major total solar eclipse since 1905.