World Press Photo Award 2015

A dark and atmospheric picture of Jon and Alex, a gay couple in St. Petersburg, Russia, won the World Press Photo of the Year for 2014. The photo is a part of a series by Mads Nissen, staff photographer for the leading Danish daily Politiken, titled "Homophobia in Russia."

The Italian photographer Massimo Sestine won second place in the news category with a picture showing an overcrowded refugee boat in the Mediterranean. Shipwrecked people aboard the boat were rescued 20 miles north of Libya by an Italian frigate. In 2014 alone, 170,081 people were rescued and taken to Italy.

The US American photo journalist Pete Muller won first prize in the news stories category. His picture shows medical staff at the Hastings Ebola Treatment Center taking a man back into the isolation ward from which he escaped.

Bulent Kilic's news picture shows a young girl who was wounded in clashes between riot police and protestors during the funeral of Berkin Elvan, a 15-year-old boy who died from injuries suffered during anti-government protests.

The French photographer caught the image of an orthodox priest blessing a demonstrator. The image is part of a series on the protests on Maidan Square in Kyiv.

A 19-year old Chinese factory worker using a Santa Claus hat to protect himself from the red dust in the air at the factory for Christmas decorations which he works. This photo took second place in the contemporary issues category.

This Chinese photographer's picture won first place in the nature category. It shows a monkey cowering by a wall in fear as his circus trainer approaches him.

A group of young Samburu warriors touching a baby rhino. This is the first time they see such an animal, its mother had been killed by poachers. The photo by the US American photographer won second place in the nature category.