Friday, 9th January 2026, presented a world of stark contrasts, captured through the lenses of photojournalists from Rome to Melbourne. From new tourist charges at an iconic landmark to the aftermath of severe storms and conflict, the day's events highlighted both human resilience and ongoing global challenges.
Europe's Weather Woes and Cultural Shifts
In Rome, a familiar scene at the Trevi Fountain took on new significance. Workers were photographed cleaning the Baroque masterpiece and collecting coins tossed by visitors. This routine task comes ahead of a major change: from 1st February 2026, tourists will have to pay a €2 entrance fee to access the fountain's immediate vicinity. The move is a direct effort by authorities to manage the overwhelming crowds and effects of over-tourism at the historic site.
Meanwhile, Northern Europe grappled with severe winter weather. In Hamburg, Germany, a solitary figure was pictured trudging along a road during heavy snowfall brought by Storm Elli. In the UK, the impact of Storm Goretti was evident in Cornwall, where crews cleared a fallen tree from a road in St Stephen. The storm's high winds caused disruption across parts of the country.
Conflict, Climate, and Community
The human cost of conflict was painfully visible in Gaza. In the Bureij camp, a young girl was photographed carefully placing her salvaged belongings into a pink backpack following Israeli attacks. Further south, in Khan Younis, grief-stricken mourners gathered after an Israeli strike in the Mawasi area killed four Palestinians, including two children. In Ukraine, the grim reality of war continued as the body of a paramedic lay in front of a residential building in Kyiv after a reported Russian double strike, while others sought safety in metro stations during aerial attacks.
Extreme weather events of a different kind unfolded across the globe. In Melbourne, Australia, a girl sought relief in front of mist fans as the city endured a severe heatwave, with temperatures soaring to 43C (109.4F). Conversely, in Patagonia, Argentina, people watched helplessly as a fierce wildfire blazed near a road in El Hoyo.
Sport, Tradition, and Daily Life
Amidst the news of strife and storms, moments of normalcy, tradition, and competition persisted. On the Isle of Wight, an RNLI lifeboat crew successfully rescued a stranded border collie named Karoo from under a pier in Ryde. In Denver, Colorado, longhorn steer were herded through downtown in a modern homage to historic cattle drives, marking the opening of the National Western Stock Show.
In the world of sport, Britain's Matt Weston competed in the heats of the men's skeleton at the IBSF World Championships in St Moritz, Switzerland. Elsewhere, Filipino Catholic devotees participated in a passionate procession in Manila, holding onto the cross of the Black Nazarene.
Other scenes included a worker in Hanoi installing a billboard for the 14th Congress of the Vietnamese Communist party, and firefighters in Tirana, Albania, responding to a blaze at market storage facilities, viewed from a dramatic drone perspective.
