AFP publishes Focus, the book which looks back on the news of the past year.
Published by Éditions La Découverte, Focus has been available in bookstores since December 5th. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the AFP and this edition is a reminder of the extent to which the Agency’s content constitutes a reference in world news.
Focus dives into the heart of the highlights of 2024 with AFP photographers, videographers and editors. It offers an immersive experience, QR codes accompany the selection of images and provide access to stories, videos and portfolios showing the strength and complementarity of the Agency’s professions present in all areas.
First of all in France where the Olympics took place without a hitch. The AFP had been preparing for a year and the Olympic stage, served by the magical settings of the City of Lights, offered the 70 AFP photographers a magnificent playground. Among the unforgettable photos was the iconic one of the Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina levitating on the formidable wave of Teahupo’o, in Tahiti.
AFP journalists were also there to cover the global electoral whirlwind, when half of the world’s population was called to the polls. This electoral sequence culminates with the American presidential election and the astonishing image of Donald Trump campaigning and escaping an attack.
The AFP was also present to cover the fighting in the Gaza Strip which extended to Lebanon, while the war in Ukraine still has no respite. International news is also marked by the situation in Bangladesh, where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took refuge in India after weeks of demonstrations which left hundreds of people dead. World temperature records are registered with their procession of heatwaves, punctuated by fires and floods all over the world giving rise to impressive, sometimes unreal images.
Focus illustrates the diversity and quality of the Agency’s production, which comes from its network of 500 photographers around the world and its presence in 150 countries. At a time when information is increasingly weakened by waves of disinformation and the arrival of artificial intelligence, AFP content is more than ever a reference.
