See the world in vertical: Top photos by AP photojournalists

Dec. 31, 2025 - Jan. 6, 2026

AP mobile scroll: a selection of standout vertical images published by The Associated Press in the past week.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

FILE - Fireworks light-up central London for the New Year, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)

FILE - Nigeria's Akor Adams celebrates his side's fourth goal at an Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 soccer match against Mozambique in Fez, Morocco, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)

FILE - Pilgrims cross through the Holy Door of St. Peter Basilica at the Vatican, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)

FILE - People cry during a memorial procession in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Jan. 4, 2026, after a deadly bar fire during the New Year celebrations. (AP Photo/ Antonio Calanni, File)

FILE - A person runs along a flooded path caused by the king tides in Mill Valley, California, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)

FILE - Panda cubs play in their enclosure at the Zoo in Berlin, Germany, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File)

FILE - The Wolf Supermoon rises in the distance behind decorative holiday lights in Beijing, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)

FILE - Audrey Nuna arrives at the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, Jan. 4, 2026. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Poland's Dawid Kubacki soars through the air during his trial jump at the third stage of the Four Hills ski jumping tournament in Innsbruck, Austria, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)

FILE - An armed, pro-government civilian stands near shoppers lining up outside a supermarket in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)

FILE - Steve Emery holds flags in tribute to right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk along a bridge to Mar-A-Lago before U.S. President Donald Trump departs West Palm Beach, Florida Washington, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert,File)

SYDNEY (AP) — Mitchell Starc took 31 wickets. Travis Head posted three centuries and tallied 629 runs. Alex Carey completed 28 dismissals.

The bowling, batting and fielding performances feature highly on the all-time lists for Aussies in the Ashes, underscoring Australia's dominance in the 4-1 series win that was completed on Day 5 of the fifth test with a five-wicket in Sydney.

“Yeah, it has been magnificent,” Steve Smith, Australia’s stand-in captain for four of the five tests in the absence of Pat Cummins, said of the individual contributions. “I think everyone’s stood up at different times. (Starc, Head and Carey) were obviously huge standouts, but other guys stood up at different times throughout the series and, you know, that’s what makes a good team.”

The Australians bowled England out for 342 on the fifth morning of the series finale and, chasing 160 for victory, finished 161-5 with Carey hitting the winnings runs and Cameron Green unbeaten on 22. Usman Khawaja was sent into retirement with a guard of honor and a standing ovation.

“It was nice to finish on a high note,” said Smith, who scored a century in the first innings to move up to No. 6 on the all-time list. “We know the importance of every test match with the World Test Championship, so to get the result here and finish the series on a high was incredibly pleasing.”

The Australians retained the Ashes with wins in the first three tests, but England was determined to narrow the margin after its drought-breaking win in Melbourne.

“Tough one to take knowing that we can play a lot better than that, but ... the Australian cricket team, they’ve just been incredible for five test matches," injured England captain Ben Stokes said. “But also, being pretty truthful to ourselves, we’ve done a little bit of damage ourselves.”

The 39-year-old veteran walked to the crease after Smith was bowled by Will Jacks and Australia was 92-3. He was given a guard of honor from the England players, shook hands with Stokes and hugged Marnus Labuschagne.

He got off the mark with a paddled reverse sweep and edged another ball between the wicketkeeper and first slip for another 2.

Labuschagne had a reprieve when he was dropped on 20 by Jacob Bethell and took 16 off the next over, bowled by Jacks, to get the chase down to 41.

That's where Khawaja's 88-test career finished, dragging a delivery from Josh Tongue (3-42) onto his stumps.

He saluted the crowd, then kneeled and kissed the turf in front of a “Thankyou Uzzy” sign that was painted onto the field.

Labuschagne was soon run out for 37 when he took off for a single, only to get sent back by Carey.

At 121-5, it was tense, until Carey and Green combined to usher Australia home.

England resumed on Day 5 at 302-8, a lead of 119 runs, and added 40 more runs.

Starc dismissed Bethell for 154 and Tongue (6) to finish off the England innings and finish the series with 31 wickets at an average of 19.9, a performance that earned him the player of the series honors.

Australia's chase started quickly, scoring 10 in the first over, before Head was caught in the deep for 29.

After getting a major reprieve on a contentious DRS decision on 16, Jake Weatherald misjudged a short ball from Tongue and was caught out for 34.

That DRS ruling added extra spice to the last day of the series.

England reviewed umpire Ahsan Raza’s not out decision to a caught behind appeal against Weatherald from Brydon Carse's bowling.

DRS technology appeared to show a slight murmur when the ball passed the toe of Weatherald’s bat before going through to the wicketkeeper. But TV umpire Kumar Dharmasena deemed there was inconclusive evidence, and upheld the original decision.

The England players were stunned, after watching the DRS replays on the stadium screens, and Stokes had to step in to move Carse away from umpire Raza as he demanded an explanation. Stokes calmly approached the umpire, discussed the decision-making process, and got on with the game.

The total crowd across five days of the fifth test was 211,032, a record for the Sydney Cricket Ground.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Australian team celebrate with the Ashes trophy following the final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia Usman Khawaja kisses the turf as he leaves the field during play on the last day of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's Jake Weatherald bats during play on the last day of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

England's Brydon Carse, right, and teammate Ben Stokes talk to umpire Ahsan Raza during play on the last day of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

England's Matthew Potts, left, gestures to teammate Jacob Bethell after he was dismissed during play on the last day of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

England's Jacob Bethell bats during play on the last day of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

England's Jacob Bethell bats during play on the last day of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)