AP/Belal Darder
In this Friday, April 24, 2015 photo, an Egyptian youth carries a lit flare as supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood gather in the El-Mataria neighborhood of Cairo, Egypt, to protest the 20-year sentence for ousted president Mohammed Morsi and verdicts against other prominent figures of the Brotherhood.
Political upheaval is still roiling throughout the region since the Arab Spring, and wars have continued to grind on in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Libya.
But despite the conflict, life continues in this region where 257 million people call home.
We have put together some of the most illustrative photos taken in the Middle East this year.