An image of a gay couple locked in a tender embrace has won the prestigious World Press Photo award.
Judges said the image highlights the plight of sexual minorities in Russia.
Danish photographer Mads Nissen shot his evocative winning picture of "Jon and Alex" in a bare room in Saint Petersburg, with only a dark brown curtain as a backdrop.
One of the men lies with his eyes closed, while the other tenderly looks at him, their hands locked together.
Russia's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community has come under increasing attacks in Russia, with the government earlier this year passing a controversial law banning transvestites and transsexuals from driving.
Mr Nissen's winning picture is part of his larger project called "Homophobia in Russia" and also won first prize in the Contemporary Issues category.
Istanbul-based photographer Bulent Kilic won first in the Spot News category, Singles, for a haunting images of a young girl, wounded and dripping with water, found after clashes between riot police and protestors following the funeral of Berkin Elvan, a 15-year-old boy who died from his injuries during last year's anti-government protests in Turkey.
Speaking about Nissen's winning photograph, jury chairwoman Michelle McNally said "it is a historic time for the image... the winning image needs to be aesthetic, to have impact and have the potential to become iconic."
"This photo is aesthetically powerful, and it has humanity," Ms McNally said, who is The New York Times' director of photography and assistant managing editor.
Other winners:
Sergei Ilnitsky won first prize in the General News Singles category for this photo showing damaged goods in a damaged kitchen in downtown Donetsk, Ukraine.
Peter Muller won first in the General News Stories category for his photo which shows staff at an Ebola treatment centre in Sierra Leone escorting a man to an isolation ward.
Tai Lang won the award in the Sports Singles category for this photo of Leonel Messi of Argentina at the World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Yongzi Chu took the top prize in the Nature Singles category for this picture showsing a monkey being trained for circus in Suzhou, Anhui Province, China.
Raphaela Rosella won first prize in the Portraits Singles category. The photo shows Laurinda waiting in her purple dress for the bus that will take her to Sunday School in Moree, New South Wales.
View all of the winners here.
