They say a picture is worth a thousand words — with that in mind the world's violence in its many forms dominated the front pages of newspapers globally last year.
Following 2017, the World Press Photo Foundation has created a shortlist of the most powerful photos taken last year. The six images chosen will go up for the top award.
An Irish freelancer for the New York Times took two of the top six pictures. Both shots were captured in Iraq and focused on civilians as government forces fought Isis (Islamic State) in and around Mosul.
![Civilians who stayed in west Mosul after the battle to take the city line up for aid in the Mamun neighbourhood. Photo / Ivor Prickett](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/Y55Z2K4HQH7JFNUWQL56NGHWO4.jpg?auth=a67fdc6a51b951d8797a954b4ed2220d83fbf180e474455d8e05978cacee6ffc&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
Ronaldo Schemidt photographed a Venezuelan protester engulfed in fire. Schemidt's photo was part of a series documenting the street protests against President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas last May.