Who will be the best? 15 contenders to win the "World Press Photo Contest 2019"

A refugee caravan and female ranger squads. Humanitarian crises and environmental disasters. Military conflicts and acute social problems. Extravagant street shows and gender identity issues. After reviewing 78,000 works submitted by 4,700 photographers to the World Press Photo - 2019 contest, the expert jury announced the finalists.

The World Press Photo organization, which holds a photojournalism competition every year, has announced the nominees for its 2019 prize. Here are a few works included in the final list. The winners of the photo contest will be announced in April.

"Akashinga: The Brave." Brent Stirton. Nomination in the category "Snapshot of the Year" 30-year-old Petronella Chigumbura, an employee of the women's anti-poaching unit called "Akashinga", is undergoing training on camouflage in the wild in Phundundu Park (Zimbabwe).

"The victims of the alleged attack in Eastern Ghouta are being treated." Mohammed Badra. Nomination in the category "Snapshot of the Year" and the category "Hot News" The photo was taken in Shifunieh, Syria, in February 2018.

Presumably, residents of Eastern Ghouta were subjected not only to mass shelling, but also to a gas attack during the decisive assault on the suburbs of Damascus.

Pregnancy after the ban on childbirth in the FARC. Catalina Martin-Chico. Nomination in the category "Snapshot of the Year" Yorladis is pregnant for the sixth time.

She was forced to terminate her previous five pregnancies when she served in the Colombian Rebel Army of the People (FARC), where such a ban applies. She says that she hid her fifth pregnancy from the commander until the sixth month, wearing loose clothes. Now Yorladis lives with his partner in a temporary camp in Kolinas.

"The boy from Almajiri". Marco Gualazzini. Nomination in the category "Snapshot of the Year" An orphan boy in the city of Bole (Chad) walks past a wall on which grenade launchers are painted.

"A crying girl on the border." John Moore. Nomination in the categories "Snapshot of the Year" and "Hot news"

Yanela, a girl from Honduras, cries as her mother, Sandra Sanchez, is searched by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in McAllen, Texas.

"The disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi." Chris McGrath. Nomination in the category "Snapshot of the Year"

A man is trying to restrain reporters at the entrance to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where Saudi investigators who arrived in Turkey after the news of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi are entering at this moment.

"Meet Bob." Jasper will finish eating. Nomination in the category "Wildlife"Flamingo named Bob lives among people on the Caribbean island of Curacao.

He was seriously injured when he flew into a hotel window one day. Since then, he has been taken care of by Odette Doest, the founder of the Wildlife Foundation, who is engaged in rescuing animals and returning them to their native habitat. Bob got too used to people while he was being nursed, and he won't be able to return to the wild anymore. Therefore, he became a "goodwill ambassador" and accompanies Odette during performances in schools in front of children.

"Ireland's struggle to repeal laws prohibiting abortion." Olivia Harris. Nomination in the category "Problems of modernity"

The 1983 referendum led to the adoption of laws that effectively meant a ban on termination of pregnancy, even if it occurred as a result of rape or incest. On May 25, 2018, the Irish voted overwhelmingly to repeal these abortion laws, one of the strictest in the world. In the picture, activist Megan Scott, dressed as Saint Brigitte of Ireland, poses for a photographer on Dublin's main shopping street.

"Get us out of the house." Sarah Blesener. Nomination in the category "Long-term projects"

Patriotic education, often with military overtones, forms the basis of many youth programs both in Russia and in the United States. The picture shows schoolchildren learning how to use firearms at a military—historical camp in Borodino, Russia. The description of the project states that the goal is to "awaken in the younger generation a lively interest in the history of the Fatherland."

"Fallera Dresses". Louise Derr. Nomination in the category "Portraits"

Fallera dresses for the Fallas de Valencia Festival in Spain are a mixture of tradition and modern luxury. They are based on clothes that were once worn by peasant women who worked in the local rice fields. Now these are exquisite creations, the cost of which can exceed 1000 euros. In the picture — Emma Xifeng Abril and Eva Lanhan Abril, adopted daughters of Maria Abril. Their mother bought the fabric in the girls' home country to sew these dresses for them.

"The crisis in Yemen." Lorenzo Tugnoli. Nomination in the category "Photo Story of the Year"

A woman begs at a grocery store in the village of Azzan, Yemen. The village was under Al-Qaeda control until Shabwani's elite troops liberated the area in December 2017. Over the past year, the covert war between Al-Qaeda and local Yemeni fighters has noticeably intensified.

"Crying for freedom." Forug Alai Nomination in the category "Sports reportage"

In Iran, female fans are prohibited from visiting football stadiums. On June 20, 2018, by a special decree, Tehran's Azadi Stadium was allowed to host pre-selected groups of women at international matches. The picture shows a football fan watching an AFC Cup match under the guise of a young man. The photographer who took the picture was also obliged to dress in men's clothes and portray a man: "I, as a woman, cannot take my camera to the stadium. Therefore, I had to impersonate a young man and take pictures on an iPhone."

"Cuban girls". Diana Markosian. Nomination in the category "Problems of modernity"

The picture shows 15—year-old Pura riding around in a pink convertible of the 1950s in honor of her birthday. Relatives, friends and neighbors gathered to congratulate her. Havana, Cuba.

"God's honey." Nadia Shira Cohen. Nomination in the category "Environment"

The picture shows beekeepers next to their hives, Tinun, Mexico. Soybean farmers in Yucatan are very spoiling the lives of local Maya beekeepers. Environmentalists and honey producers say that growing genetically modified soybeans using agrochemicals endangers health, pollutes crops and reduces the market value of honey, making it no longer one hundred percent organic.

"Dakar Fashion". Finbarr O'Reilly. Nomination in the category "Portraits"

Curious locals and a street vendor watch as three fashion models pose for a photographer in dresses by Senegalese designer Adama Paris. Dakar, Senegal.