Massoud Hossaini

International News : 1st Place
AFGHANISTAN, Kabul : GRAPHIC CONTENT
Afghan Shia Muslim 12-year-old Tarana Akbari (C) cries near dead and injured after explosions during a religious ceremony in the centre of Kabul on December 6, 2011. At least 30 people were killed in an explosion at a Kabul shrine where Shia Muslims were marking the Day of Ashura Tuesday, an AFP photographer saw. The blast came in the city centre where Shias had gathered to carry out religious rituals to mark the day, a public holiday in Afghanistan. AFP PHOTO/ Massoud HOSSAINI
 

Noel Celis

Political Crisis : 2nd Place
PHILIPPINES, Manila : Youths and students are sprayed with a water cannon by policemen during a protest outside the House of Representatives in Quezon City, east of Manila on August 25, 2011. The Students are protesting against the proposed National Expenditure Program for 2012 that would decrease subsidies on State Universities and colleges by more than 12 million USD. AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS

Nicholas Kamm

Natural Disaster Picture : Honorable Mention
JAPAN, Rikuzentakata : An elderly woman cries in front of a destroyed building in the devastated town of Rikuzentakata in Iwate prefecture on March 19, 2011, eight days after a massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit the northeastern coast of Japan's main island of Honshu. In an updated toll, national police said at least 18,000 were dead or missing in Japan's worst natural disaster in 88 years. AFP PHOTO / Nicholas KAMM

Roberto Schmidt

Natural Disaster Picture : 3rd Place
KENYA, DADAAB : A young Somali girl who fled violence and drought in Somalia stands in line among adults outside a food distribution point in Dadaab refugee camp in northeastern Kenya on July 5, 2011. Dadaab, a complex of three settlements, is the world's largest refugee camp. Built to house 90,000 people and home to more than four times that number, it was already well over its maximum capacity before an influx of 30,000 refugees in the month of June. Upon arrival, the refugees find themselves tackling a chaotic system that sees new arrivals go days, even weeks, without food aid. "It still takes too much time for refugees to get proper assistance," Antoine Froidevaux, MSF's field coordinator in Dadaab told AFP. "The answer in terms of humanitarian aid is not satisfactory at all at the moment."
AFP PHOTO/Roberto SCHMIDT

François-Xavier Marit

Sports Action : Honorable Mention
CHINA, Shanghai : In a picture taken with an underwater cameraGreat Britain's Jenna Randall competes in the preliminary round of the solo free sychronised swimming competition in the FINA World Championships at the indoor stadium of the Oriental Sports Centre in Shanghai on July 20, 2011. AFP PHOTO / FRANCOIS XAVIER MARIT

Jonathan Nackstrand

Sports Feature : 2nd Place
DENMARK, Copenhagen : French rider Arnaud Demare (CL) celebrates his victory with French teammate Adrien Petit (CR) as they cross the finish line of the Men Under 23 Road Race on September 23, 2011 in Copenhagen. The UCI Cycling Road World Championships are held from September 19 until September 25. AFP PHOTO/ JONATHAN NACKSTRAND