In Focus

[Count Bobulescu]

Autumn is a season of frosty mornings, festivals, and of course, spectacular foliage. Around the north, people have begun to see their breath form misty clouds in the chilly morning air, leaves are reaching peak color, and animals are on the move. Collected here is a second group of images of this year's autumn from around the northern hemisphere. Be sure to see Part I as well. [32 photos]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...art-ii/100393/

[Count Bobulescu]

The Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious pilgrimages in the world, is currently taking place in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Starting earlier this week, and continuing through Monday, approximately 3.4 million Muslims from around the world are participating in several rituals, including the Tawaf -- the circumambulation of the Kaaba, the enormous cube-shaped building in the center of the Masjid al-Haram mosque.

The pilgrims are are also taking part in the Sa'i, traveling back and forth between the mountains of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, and Ramy al-Jamarat, in which they throw pebbles at three walls in the city of Mina to show their defiance of the Devil.

The rituals and locations date back to the 7th Century, but much of the surrounding area has grown and changed radically over the years. For comparison, I've included several historical images of Mecca as well, dating back as far as 1889. The rest of the photos depict this year's Hajj and the pilgrims on their sacred journey. [34 photos]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...Atlantic+Media

[Count Bobulescu]

Hurricane Sandy, which has already claimed over 50 lives in the Caribbean, has traveled north. It will soon bring heavy winds and floodwaters to the mid-Atlantic region, combining with other weather systems to possibly become what some are calling a historic "superstorm." Gathered here are images from Sandy's story so far, from the Caribbean to preparations along the East Coast of the United States. In the next hours, as Sandy makes landfall, I will continue to update this post with new images from the newswires and elsewhere. [30 photos so far]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...photos/100395/

[Count Bobulescu]

Link at post # 93 above now updated to include 50 photos with more to come.

[Count Bobulescu]

Last night, Hurricane Sandy -- the largest Atlantic tropical system on record -- made landfall just south of Atlantic City, New Jersey, bringing winds up to 90 mph (150 kph), and pushing a massive storm surge onto beaches and shorelines. At least 12 deaths have been reported in the United States. These fatalities, when added to the previous toll in the Caribbean, leave Sandy responsible for more taking more than 80 lives to date. Millions across the Eastern Seaboard are now without power, and even more are struggling with rising floodwater. Sandy continues northward, now downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, and those affected are now assessing the damage. Collected here are images of Sandy's aftermath, many from New York City, which suffered widespread blackouts and a record-setting high tide early this morning. See also yesterday's entry: Hurricane Sandy in Photos. [26 photos so far

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http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...ndfall/100396/

[Count Bobulescu]

As the remnants of Hurricane Sandy dissipate over northern Canada, the full scale of the damage left in her wake is becoming apparent. At least 56 people in the U.S. were killed and another 67 in the Caribbean. Cost estimates have ranged as high as $60 billion so far. More than 4 million people remain without power, as crews from across the country converge on the Northeast to restore electricity. Hard-hit sections of New York and New Jersey have begun cleanup, with some restoration of transit and services. The morning commute into Manhattan today was chaotic, as many New Yorkers attempted to return to work by car -- many were turned back due to an order that inbound cars carry at least three people. Collected here are images of Sandy's trail of destruction in New York and New Jersey. See also the earlier entry: Hurricane Sandy: After Landfall. [49 photos]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...ermath/100397/

[Count Bobulescu]

After the end of the surge, and with France accelerating its troop withdrawal, the number of NATO forces in Afghanistan is beginning to drop. Fewer than 70,000 American troops remain in the country now, and the Afghan National Army has grown to nearly 200,000 soldiers. However, the desertion and attrition rates among Afghan soldiers is extremely high, jeopardizing the future of the current government as NATO heads toward its drawdown in 2014.

The current war in Afghanistan has become a political talking point in the presidential election, yet there are hundreds of thousands for whom it is part of daily life, and has been for more than a decade. These photos show just a glimpse of that experience over the past month, part of the ongoing series here on Afghanistan. [40 photos]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...r-2012/100398/

[Count Bobulescu]

A week ago today, superstorm Sandy powered ashore, making landfall in the U.S. and wreaking havoc across the northeast. Damage estimates now reach as high as $50 billion, which would make Sandy the second-costliest Atlantic hurricane in history. At least 113 lives were lost across 10 states, and more than 1 million people are still without power across New York and New Jersey. Where the damage was worst, aid workers, National Guardsmen, soldiers, and groups of civilian volunteers arrived, bringing supplies, beginning cleanup, providing what was needed -- in many cases, neighbor helping neighbor. Collected here are images of Sandy recovery from just the past weekend, showing what has been accomplished so far and the massive amount of work that remains to be done. See also the earlier entry: Hurricane Sandy: After Landfall. [47 photos]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...ndfall/100399/

[Count Bobulescu]

While much recent media attention has been focused on Hurricane Sandy and America's presidential election, Syria's horrific civil war continues. In some places, it has worsened. Aerial bombardment of civilian neighborhoods, deadly sniper fire, brutal street fighting, assassinations, and summary executions have become the norm in Syria. Cease-fire agreements have collapsed, rebel forces remain disorganized, foreign intervention is still hamstrung, and no path to peace appears to be forming yet. Britain is now reportedly looking for options to circumvent an arms embargo in order to supply rebels with weaponry. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remains defiant, stating in an interview with Russia Today that he planned "live and die in Syria," adding, "I am tougher than Gaddafi." Collected here are images of this bloody conflict from just the past few weeks. [48 photos]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...-ruins/100402/

[Count Bobulescu]

Heavy rains and high tides have brought some of the worst flooding to Venice, Italy in years. The "acqua alta", or high water, is common this time of year and Sunday's level of 149 centimeters (4 ft, 10 in) was below the 160 centimeters (5 ft, 2 in) recorded four years ago in the worst flooding in decades. The bad weather and torrential rainfall will continue through Tuesday, forecasters said. Collected here are images from Venice as it endures this recent acqua alta. [29 photos]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...-water/100403/

[Count Bobulescu]

Today marks the start of the five-day festival of Diwali, celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs around the world. During Diwali, originally a harvest festival, lamps are lit to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, fireworks are set off to drive away evil spirits, and prayers for prosperity are offered to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Collected here are images of this year's festival, as celebrants color their world, give prayers, and wish each other a happy Diwali. [33 photos

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...Atlantic+Media

[Count Bobulescu]

Over the past few weeks, a slowly growing series of rocket attacks by Hamas on Israel, and retaliatory strikes by Israeli forces, has sharply escalated into a crisis. The skies over the Gaza Strip and southern Israel have filled with hundreds of rockets, missiles, and warplanes since Wednesday, bringing varying levels of destruction to the populations below. Tensions are growing as Israel's military has called up thousands of reservists and deployed troops along the border. At the same time, Egypt's new Prime Minister Hisham Kandil made an official visit to Gaza today. Meanwhile rocket attacks continued, setting off air raid sirens as far north as Tel Aviv. [39 photos]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...d-gaza/100407/

Over the weekend, Israeli air strikes pounded dozens more targets in the Gaza Strip, as Hamas militants launched rockets into southern Israel and toward Tel Aviv. Israel's recent air barrage has targeted individuals and buildings in more densely populated areas, and the civilian death toll is mounting. Local officials in Gaza have placed the death toll at more than 90 since Wednesday. International mediators are working hard to forge a deal that would lead to a truce. However, Israeli forces are still massing on Gaza's border, and Hamas refuses to negotiate while Israel continues its air strikes. Gathered here are images from a weekend of violent exchanges between Israel and Gaza, with no clear indication whether the situation will worsen or reach a cease-fire any time soon. [39 photos]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...s-fire/100408/

[Count Bobulescu]

The growth of China's massive population has slowed in recent years, but migration to urban areas has increased, with almost half of China's 1.3 billion people living in or near cities. A booming economy, government housing initiatives, infrastructure programs, and private real estate speculation have all driven construction to record levels. New apartment, office, and government buildings regularly rise up over older neighborhoods, and thousands have relocated to modern housing complexes. The blend of old and new Chinese architecture is ever-present in cities and villages, as older buildings are torn down and newer ones built at ever faster rates. The images below show glimpses of Chinese architecture, both traditional and modern, as it appears today. [51 photos]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...nd-new/100409/

After this week's earlier entry, Chinese Architecture, Old and New, I just had to run this short follow-up. Homeowners Luo Baogen and his wife refused to allow the government to demolish their home in Wenling, Zhejiang province, China, claiming the relocation compensation offered would not be enough to cover the cost of rebuilding. So, adjacent neighboring homes were dismantled, and, bizarrely, the road was built around the intact home, leaving it as an island in a river of new asphalt. [3 photos]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...street/100411/

[Count Bobulescu]

For the past five months, a newly formed rebel group in the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has been attacking government forces and seizing small towns, and it just took control of the city of Goma a week ago. The movement, called the March 23 Movement (M23), is made up of former members of previous rebel groups and is largely a continuation of hostilities in the region that date back to the First Congo War in 1996. Amid a complicated web of proxy battles, political posturing, defections, and re-defections, M23 rebel forces (purportedly supported by Rwanda) have fought fierce battles against DR Congo government troops and local Mai-Mai militias, sending civilians fleeing for shelter. UN peacekeeping forces in the region have not resisted the advances of the rebels, claiming their duty is to protect civilians, not to act as a substitute national army. Several hundred rebels, soldiers, and civilians have reportedly been killed, and many more wounded, so far. At the moment, M23 refuses to leave Goma and has a stated intention of overthrowing the national government. [37 photos]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...-congo/100413/

[Count Bobulescu]

The deadline to enter this year's National Geographic photo contest is coming up -- this Friday, November 30. Back in September, the society started gathering and presenting galleries of submissions, encouraging readers to vote for them as well. Winners will be chosen on or around December 15, 2012. National Geographic was once more kind enough to let me choose some of its entries for 2012 to feature here on In Focus. Gathered below are 50 images from the three categories of People, Places, and Nature, with captions written by the individual photographers. Be sure to also see Part I on In Focus, from September. [50 photos]

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...art-ii/100414/