World Press Photo: Italian wins with Iran shot

In this September 24, 2004 file photo, a woman carries mud water in a bucket as she cleans her house during the aftermath of hurricane Jeanne in Gonaives, Haiti. When it comes to natural disasters, the little island of Haiti seems to have a bull's-eye on it. That's because of a killer combination of geography, poverty, social problems, slipshod building standards and bad luck, experts say. Photo: AP /Walter Astrada.

An Italian freelance photographer has won the top prize in the World Press Photo competition with an image of a woman shouting her protest at the results of the Iranian presidential election from a Tehran rooftop at dusk.

Judges say Pietro Masturzo’s image is both beautiful and captures the tension and emotion of the moment as the protests were gathering strength.

Mr. Masturzo’s winning photo was shown by Italian RAI television and published in Loop magazine.

Agence France-Presse swept the Spot News Stories category, with Argentine photographer Walter Astrada, taking the first prize for the second year in a row, this time with photos of violence in Madagascar.