A new archbishop for Malta, the joyous celebrations following the spring hunting referendum and the crash of a supercar in bystanders at the Paqpaqli għall-Istrina charity event are just three of the episodes that the year 2015 will be remembered for.

They are also three of the events that feature in this year’s The Times Picture Annual, which documents the funeral service of 24 migrants who formed part of a larger group of 900 that perished out at sea.

Running into its 10th series, the 192-page annual includes 158 colour images of people, animals, the arts, sport and entertainment, and also peculiar images of daily life around the islands.

It features a selection of the best shots taken for the Times of Malta and The Sunday Times of Malta by Matthew Mirabelli, Chris Sant Fournier, Mark Zammit Cordina, Darrin Zammit Lupi and Steve Zammit Lupi over the past year.

Archbishop-elect Charles Scicluna waves to the crowds shortly before entering St Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina for his installation as archbishop on March 21. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

One of these was a photo of people holding placards reading ‘Je suis Charlie’ during a vigil in St Julian’s, paying tribute to victims following a shooting by gunmen at the offices of the weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris.

This episode, which made the headlines in January, also features in the foreword by Times of Malta editor Ray Bugeja, who singles out the role of social media in the dissemination of manipulated news.

Recalling doctored images – online and printed – of the 2004 Spain bombings that left 191 dead, Mr Bugeja refers to images on Reuters’ satellite picture service of mutilated bodies next to a badly damaged train wagon.

This newspaper would never use such images, he says, and neither would many other quality newspapers. However, some editors abroad solved this issue by telling their studios to remove any human remains from the pictures.

“Allied Newspapers would have none of that. Indeed photographers are cautioned that materially altering a picture in Photoshop or any other image editing software is a serious offence.

“If we want the photo to look real, then it must be real. ‘Don’t fake it and try to pass it off as real,’ they are constantly reminded,” he notes.

Published by Allied Publications, the Picture Annual will be available at the price of €27.30 from leading bookshops and stationers from next week.

A young boy in hunting attire celebrates victory in Qormi after the Yes camp won the spring hunting referendum by a whisker on April 12. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Red Cross volunteers provide first aid to victims of the crash during the Papqaqli għall-Istrina charity event at Malta International Airport on October 4 in which 28 people were injured, some critically. Photo: Steve Zammit Lupi

The cruise liner MSC Fantasia is seen from Valletta’s Merchants Street as it sails out of Grand Harbour on August 26. Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina