Syrian fighters from the Turkish-backed National Liberation Front (NLF) fire a missile against regime positions on May 13, 2019 in the rebel-held northern part of Syria's Hama province. Clashes on the edge of a jihadist bastion in northwestern Syria have killed at least 42 fighters in 24 hours, a monitor said today, after regime bombardment on the region devastated health services. (Photo by Omar Haj Kadour/AFP Photo)

Jerry Dennehy from Tralee Co Kerry with his horses Mutt and Jeff at the Under 40 Horse Ploughing Class on the first day of the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co. Laois on September 20, 2022. (Photo by Tom Honan for The Irish Times)

American singer, rapper and actress Janelle Monáe poses during the 2022 Outfest Legacy Awards presented by IMDb and Genesis in Los Angeles on October 22, 2022. (Photo by Chelsea Lauren/Rex Features/Shutterstock for Outfest)

American singer and actress Sabrina Carpenter arrives for the Givenchy Spring/Summer 2024 womenswear fashion collection presented Thursday, September 28, 2023 in Paris. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/AP Photo)

“Artist Paula Swisher has come up with a quirky way of lessening the stress of household bills - by doodling highly intricate birds on each one. Swisher, 37, has drawn hundreds of birds in her lifetime and puts her love of ornithology down to the nature walks she went on as a youngster. Looking for work during the recession, she began sketching birds on the inside of books, seeing the practice as a creative way to mutate the pages into something fresh. But now she's made the transition from books to bills – while admittedly making a playful commentary on the predatory banking businesses”. – Caters News. (Photo by Paula Swisher/Caters News)

Meet the star students of orangutan school – the unique rehab centre where orphaned apes are taught how to climb trees and survive in the wild without their mum and dad. (Photo by Caters News)

A dog sits in a plastic basin filled with water in Taipei, Taiwan, 05 May 2018. Betel nut seller Mr Luo, the dog's owner, said he puts his dog Ah Dai (Stupid Guy) in the water-filled basin whenever the weather get hot. Luo has a dozen pairs of glasses for Ah Dai, so the dog wears different glasses every day and many tourists take photos of Ah Dai. (Photo by David Chang/EPA/EFE)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and these striking images of 2017 are no exception. The photo highlights include incredible snapshots of the natural world as well as some awesome animal and human encounters. The vibrant gallery also shows thrill-seekers pushing themselves to the limit with breathtaking stunts captured in perfect clarity. The pictures have been taken by a host of photographers from around the world. Here: The two lion cubs singing their hearts out at Antelope park in Zimbabwe. (Photo by David Jenkins/Caters News Agency)