Pictures of the Week: March 21 — March 28

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From President Obama’s first meeting with Pope Francis to the massive mudslide in Washington, to credible evidence in the search for Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 and Sochi’s stray dogs arriving in America, TIME presents the best pictures of the week.

 

Washington Mudslide
Mar. 24, 2014. An aerial photo of the massive mudslide that killed at least eight people and left dozens missing near Arlington, Wash.Ted S. Warren—AP
Fire in Caloocan City, Philippines
Mar. 23, 2014. A resident collects scrap metal from the rubble of burnt shanties after a fire gutted a residential area in Caloocan city, north of Manila, Philippines.Ezra Acayan—NurPhoto
Crisis in Ukraine
Mar. 21, 2014. Military caps are thrown in the ocean by Ukrainian submariners as the surrendered Ukrainian submarine 'Zaporozhye' is towed to the Russian Black Sea Fleet base in Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine.Sergei Ilnitsky—EPA
Marta Llorente, 28, a contestant, poses backstage before taking part in a body paint pageant during Expobelleza Andalucia (Expobeauty Andalusia) in the Andalusian capital of Seville
Mar. 24, 2014. Marta Llorente, 28, poses backstage before taking part in a body paint pageant during Expobeauty Andalusia in the Andalusian capital of Seville.Marcelo del Pozo—REUTERS
Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft
Mar. 23, 2014. The Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft is set on its launch pad at the Baikonur cosmodrome. The spacecraft will carry Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev and U.S. astronaut Steven Swanson to the International Space Station (ISS) on March 26. Maxim Shemetov—Reuters
A man killed after a boat carrying mostly Congolese refugees capsized is seen inside a boat at the shores of Lake Albert during rescue operations by the Uganda Marine Unit in Ntoroko
Mar. 23, 2014. A man, killed after a boat carrying mostly Congolese refugees capsized, is seen inside a boat at the shores of Lake Albert during rescue operations by the Uganda Marine Unit.Edward Echwalu—Reuters
UKRAINE-RUSSIA-POLITICS-CRISIS-CRIMEA
Mar. 21, 2014. A man waves a Russian flag as people look at fire works in the center of the Crimean city of Sevastopol. Russia's upper house of parliament unanimously voted on March 21 to ratify the treaty incorporating Crimea into Russian territory.Viktor Drachev—AFP/Getty Images
Ukraine
Mar. 21, 2014. Ukrainian border guards run to take their positions during training at a military camp in the village of Alekseyevka on the Ukrainian-Russian border.Sergei Grits—AP
Washington DC
Mar. 21, 2014. A solitary rower skims across the Potomac River past the Lincoln Memorial and under the Memorial Bridge at sunrise in Washington DC.J. David Ake—AP
VATICAN-AUDIENCE-POPE-MALTA
Mar. 21, 2014. Pope Francis holds Giorgia May, the granddaughter of Malta's President George Abela (L), by the hand during a private audience in the Pontiff's studio at the Vatican.Andrew Medichini—AFP/Getty Images
India World Water Day
Mar. 21, 2014. An Indian woman carries an empty bucket as she walks on dry mud against blowing sand, along the Brahmaputra river on the eve of World Water Day in Gauhati, India.Anupam Nath—AP
Afghanistan
Mar. 21, 2014. A member of Afghanistan's intelligence service displays some of the weapons that where used by attackers on the Serena hotel during a press conference at the Interior ministry in Kabul, Afghanistan.Anja Niedringhaus—AP
The Week That Was From Latin America Photo Gallery
Mar. 21, 2014. Police officers stand guard among burned remains of a car from the Pacifying Police Unit post at the Mandela shantytown, part of the Manguinhos slum complex, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Felipe Dana—AP
TOPSHOTS-MEXICO-EQUINOX-SUN
Mar. 21, 2014. People "get energy" from the sun atop the Pyramid of the Sun at the archaeological site of Teotihuacan, Mexico, during celebrations for the Spring Equinox.Ronaldo Schemidt—AFP/Getty Images
Russia, Crimea, Ukraine
Mar. 23, 2014. People watch Russian ships blockading the exit of Donuzlav bay in Crimea, where three Ukrainian navy ships refused to surrender to Russian forces.Baz Ratner—Reuters
UKRAINE-RUSSIA-POLITICS-CRISIS-FUNERAL
Mar. 22, 2014. People attend the funeral ceremony of Ukrainian soldier Sergey Kokurin in Simferopol. Crimea held a joint funeral for an Ukrainian soldier and a pro-Moscow militiaman killed this week -- the first casualties since Russian forces seized the Black Sea peninsula. Yuriy Lashov—AFP/Getty Images
Crisis in Ukraine
Mar. 22, 2014. A Russian sailor holding the Russian Navy's St. Andrew flag while standing on the on bow of the surrendered Ukrainian submarine 'Zaporozhye', is reflected in the waters of the harbor of Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine.Sergei Ilnitsky—EPA
Malaysian Airlines flight MH370
Mar. 22, 2014. A family member of a passenger from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 waits for news at the Lido Hotel in Beijing, China. Lintao Zhang—Getty Images
INDONESIA-VOLCANO
Mar. 22, 2014. The blue flame of burning sulfur at the crater of the Kawah Ijen volcano in Banyuwangi regency, East Java province. The natural phenomenon which can be seen at night is caused by sulfuric gases from the volcano which ignite into blue flames when they come into contact with the air. Sonny Tumbelaka—AFP/Getty Images
Oso Mudslide
Mar. 23, 2014. Steve Skaglund walks across the rubble on the east side of Saturday's fatal mudslide near Oso, Wash.Genna Martin—Associated Press
Civil unrest in Palestine
Mar. 23, 2014. Palestinians watch a Hamas rally in Gaza City marking the anniversary of the death of its leaders killed by Israel. Mohammed Salem—Reuters
Fire in the Philippines
Mar. 23, 2014. A resident collects scrap metal from the rubble of burnt shanties after a fire gutted a residential area in Caloocan city, north of Manila, Philippines. Ezra Acayan—NurPhoto
World Cup Rhythmic Gymnastics 2014 - Day 2
Mar. 23, 2014. Members of the 'New Power Generation' perform their 'Zebralution' program during the 'enjoy your rhythm' gala at the 2014 GAZPROM World Cup Rhythmic Gymnastics at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart, Germany. Alex Grimm—Bongarts/Getty Images
Istanbul: AK Party Rally
Mar. 23, 2014. Roma AK Party supporters sing and dance at a campaign rally in Istanbul on The AKP, Prime Minister Erdogan's Justice and Development Party organized the rally ahead of next week's municipal elections. Jodi Hilton
TURKEY-POLITICS-ERDOGAN
Mar. 23, 2014. Supporters of Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan hold a giant Turkish flag during an election rally in Istanbul. Erdogan rallied hundreds of thousands of supporters on Sunday, dismissing accusations of intolerance by Western and domestic critics.Bulent Kilic—AFP/Getty Images
TURKEY-POLITICS-ERDOGAN
Mar. 23, 2014. Justice and Development Party (AKP) supporters wait on a tree during a rally in Istanbul. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan rallied hundreds of thousands of supporters on Sunday, dismissing accusations of intolerance by Western and domestic critics. Ozan Kose—AFP/Getty Images
TURKEY-NEWROZ-KURDS
Mar. 23, 2014. A woman stands with her daughters during Newroz celebrations at Kazlicesme district in Istanbul. Newroz, which means "new day" in Kurdish, marks the first day of Spring.Bulent Kilic—AFP/Getty Images
Malaysia Airlines MH370
Mar. 23, 2014. Crew members of a Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force wave as they leave for Australia to help with the search operations for the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370.Edgar Su—Reuters
Malaysian Airlines flight MH370
Mar. 23, 2014. Chinese Antarctic exploration team members aboard Chinese icebreaker Xuelong (Snow Dragon), search for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 over the southern Indian Ocean. Xinhua—Sipa USA
La Liga soccer
Mar. 23, 2014. Barcelona's Sergio Busquets steps on a Real Madrid player Lionel Messi's scored a goal against him during La Liga's second 'classic' soccer match of the season at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid.Paul Hanna—Reuters
France's President Francois Hollande is seen speaking in a bar after voting in the first round in the French mayoral elections in Tulle
Mar. 23, 2014. French President Francois Hollande is seen speaking in a bar after voting in the first round in the French mayoral elections in Tulle.Regis Duvignau—Reuters
Chapel arrdiente former Spanish president Adolfo Suarez the Spanish
Mar. 24, 2014. A mourner carries flowers for the funeral of former Spanish president Adolfo Suarez, who led Spain to democracy after decades of dictatorship. Oscar Gonzalez—NurPhoto
Padilla poses for the camera as he attends the wake of Suarez at the Spanish parliament in Madrid
Mar. 24, 2014. Spanish bullfighter Juan Jose Padilla poses for the camera as he attends the wake of Spain's former Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez at the Spanish parliament in Madrid. Susana Vera—Reuters
People line up to pay their respects to Suarez during his wake at the Spanish parliament in Madrid
Mar. 24, 2014. People line up to pay their respects to Spain's former Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez during his wake at the Spanish parliament in Madrid. Suarez steered Spain through one of the most turbulent periods in its political history.Susana Vera—Reuters
SAFRICA-TRIAL-PISTORIUS
Mar. 24, 2014. South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius cries as he sits in the dock during his ongoing murder trial. Chris Collingridge—AFP/Getty Images
A handout photo shows a derailed commuter train resting on an escalator at O'Hare international airport in Chicago
Mar. 24, 2014. A handout photo shows a derailed commuter train resting on an escalator at O'Hare international airport in Chicago Thirty-two people were injured after the train derailed and hit a platform early on Monday.Reuters
AFGHANISTAN-UNREST-MEDIA-AFP-HEALTH
Mar. 24, 2014. Abuzar Ahmad (R), the only surviving child of Sardar Ahmad, the AFP reporter who was killed with his family in an attack on a Kabul hotel, is fed a biscuit by hospital staff while recuperating from his wounds at the ICU of a local hospital in Kabul.Shah Marai—AFP/Getty Images
Pakistan Daily Life
Mar. 24, 2014. An Afghan refugee girl wraps herself and her younger brother with a shawl to shield from the rain. Muhammed Muheisen—AP
SYRIA-CONFLICT
Mar. 24, 2014. Rebel fighters carry their weapons as they walk along a trench in the northeastern city of Deir Ezzor. Fighting with pro-regime fighters continues as more than 146,000 people have died in the three-years and millions more have been displaced. Ahmad Aboud—AFP/Getty Images
Funeral of activist Petro Mironovich
Mar. 25, 2014. People attend the funeral ceremony of Petro Mironovich, a maidan activist, at Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine. Mironovich, an Afghan war veteran, was an anti-government protester who died in a hospital after gas poisoning.Jakub Kaminski—EPA
Brazil Violence
Mar. 25, 2014. Framed between makeshift clotheslines, a military police officer patrols during an operation in the Mare slum complex in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Felipe Dana—AP
TOPSHOTS-RUSSIA-CAUCASUS-UNREST-DAGESTAN
Mar. 25, 2014. Bodies of suspected rebels killed in a shootout with police officers lie near their car in the town of Khasavyurt in Dagestan, Russia. Bashir Aliev—AFP/Getty Images
TOPSHOTS-AFGHANISTAN-UNREST-ATTACKS
Mar. 25, 2014. An Afghan policeman stands in front of a wall stained by blood spatter at the site of an attack on an election commission office in Kabul. Fifteen people died in violence around Afghanistan less than a fortnight before the country's presidential poll.Wakil Kohsar—AFP/Getty Images
TOPSHOTS-AFGHANISTAN-UNREST-ATTACKS
Mar. 25, 2014. A latex glove from an investigator lies on the floor near empty bullet casings at the site of a deadly attack on an Afghan election commission office in Kabul. Insurgents have vowed a campaign of violence to disrupt the ballot on April 5, urging their fighters to attack polling staff, voters and security forces in the run-up to election day. Roberto Schmidt—AFP/Getty Images
TOPSHOTS-GREECE-PARADE-INDEPENDENCE-HISTORY
Mar. 25, 2014. A young boy picks up a Greek flag as he attends a military parade in central Athens during a ceremony marking the Greek Independence Day.Aris Messinis—AFP/Getty Images
TOPSHOTS-GREECE-PARADE-INDEPENDENCE-HISTORY
Mar. 25, 2014. Police women rest after a military parade marking the Greek Independence Day in Athens. Aris Messinis—AFP/Getty Images
CHINA-US-DIPLOMACY
Mar. 25, 2014. US First Lady Michelle Obama (R) performs Tai Chi with students from the Chengdu No.7 High School in China's southwest Sichuan province.Peter Parks—AFP/Getty Images
TOPSHOTS-SSUDAN-EDUCATION-FEATURE
Mar. 25, 2014. Pupils at play time in the Ephatha Primary School in Juba. Peace talks between South Sudan's government and rebels resumed in Ethiopia on Tuesday, mediators said, urging both sides to return to a moribund ceasefire agreement. Ivan Lieman—AFP/Getty Images
Low Levels In Sacramento River Due To Drought Force Wildfire Officials To Truck Salmon Downstream
Mar. 25, 2014. Fingerling Chinook salmon jump out of the water as they are dumped into a holding pen after being transfered from a truck into the Sacramento River in Rio Vista, California. As California continues to suffer through its worse drought in history, low water levels have forced wildlife officials to truck more than 400,000 salmon.Justin Sullivan—Getty Images
Mourning for people aboard MH370
Mar. 25, 2014. Pupils of Benigno Ninoy Aquino High School stand on a painting of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 at the school grounds in Makati City, south of Manila, Philippines, Filipino artists painted the image to express hope and solidarity for the passengers and crew of the missing flight.Dennis M. Sabangan—EPA
A family member of a passenger onboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 cries on a bus before heading to the Malaysian embassy, outside Lido Hotel in Beijing
Mar. 25, 2014. A family member of a passenger onboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 cries on a bus before heading to the Malaysian embassy, outside Lido Hotel in Beijing.Kim Kyung-Hoon—Reuters
Students attend a prayer ceremony in tribute to passengers and crew onboard missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, inside a school in Jammu
Mar. 25, 2014. Students attend a prayer ceremony in tribute to the passengers and crew onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 inside a school in Jammu. Bad weather and rough seas on Tuesday forced the suspension of the search for any wreckage.Mukesh Gupta—Reuters
APTOPIX Guatemala Market Fire
Mar. 25, 2014. Hands reach out to receive a bucketful of water as vendors, police and firemen work together to put out a fire at La Terminal, the largest and most important market in Guatemala City.Moises Castillo—AP
Red Bull Ring in Spielberg
Mar. 25, 2014. Construction continues at the Red Bull Ring race track in Spielberg, Austria, where The Formula 1 Austria Grand Prix is to be held on June 22.Helmut Fohringer—EPA
New Jersey Governor Christie speaks to local residents of Belmar, New Jersey and other shore towns in Monmouth County during a Town Hall meeting to discuss federal funds for recovery from hurricane Sandy, in Belmar
Mar. 25, 2014. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie speaks to local residents of Belmar, New Jersey, and other shore towns in Monmouth County during a town hall meeting to discuss federal funds for recovery from hurricane Sandy.Mike Segar—Reuters
Child tries to touch part of art exhibition 'A Dream I Dreamed' by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama at Museum of Contemporary Art of Shanghai
Mar. 25, 2014. A child tries to touch part of the art exhibition 'A Dream I Dreamed' by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Shanghai.Carlos Barria—Reuters
Kiev begins to accept refugees from Crimea
A refugee Crimean Tatar child is seen in temporary housing near Kiev.Sergii Kharchenko—NurPhoto
Dave Stevens
Mar. 25, 2014. Double amputee Dave Stevens, of Bristol, Conn., who will be throwing out the first pitch, swings a bat before an exhibition game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox in Port Charlotte, Fla.Gerald Herbert—AP
Barack Obama, Jose Manuel Barroso, Herman Van Rompuy
Mar. 26, 2014. U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy and EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso at the EU Council building in Brussels.Virginia Mayo—AP
Peng Cheng, Zhang Hao
Mar. 26, 2014. Peng Cheng and Zhang Hao of China perform their pairs free skating in the World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, near Tokyo.Koji Sasahara—AP
TOPSHOTS-KAZAKHSTAN-RUSSIA-USA-ISS-SPACE
Mar. 26, 2014. A crew of two Russian cosmonauts and an American astronaut blast off from Kazakhstan on a Russian Soyuz rocket headed for the International Space Station, with US-Russia space cooperation pressing on despite the diplomatic standoff over Ukraine.Vasily Maximov—AFP/Getty Images
Festival  of Caribbean
Mar. 26, 2014. Members of the Galera's Cuadros Vivientes group perform during the opening of fourth Festival of Performing Arts of the Caribbean in Cartagena, Colombia.Ricardo Maldonado—EPA
U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and her mother Marian Robinson feed apple to giant pandas as they visit Giant Panda Research Base in Chengdu
Mar. 26, 2014. U.S. first lady Michelle Obama (L) and her mother Marian Robinson (R) feed apples to giant pandas as Malia looks on during their visit at Giant Panda Research Base in Chengdu, Sichuan province.Petar Kujundzic—Reuters
Copenhagen Zoo puts down four lions
Mar. 25, 2014. Copenhagen Zoo is once again in the world news after it was reported that the zoo put down four healthy lions. It sparked a world wide outrage when the zoo put down the giraffe Marius on Feb. 9, 2014 and made a public autopsy.Mads Nissen—EPA
APTOPIX Mideast Israel Passover
Mar. 27, 2014.Ultra-Orthodox Jewish boys and gather to watch as men collect from a water tower to be used in the preparation of matzoh, a traditional handmade Passover unleavened bread, in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish town of Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, Israel.Ariel Schalit—AP
President Barack Obama jokes with Pope Francis at the Vatican.
Mar. 27, 2014. President Barack Obama jokes with Pope Francis at the Vatican, Rome, Italy.Doug Mills—The New York Times/Redux
Obama - Pope Francis
Mar. 27, 2014. President Barack Obama jokes with Pope Francis in the Apostolic Palace, Private Library at the Vatican, Rome, Italy.Vatican Pool/Contrasto/Redux
Crisis in Ukraine - Sevatopol defense monument
Mar. 27, 2014. Crimean schoolchildren dressed as Soviet navy servicemen perform the change of the honor guard ceremony at the Memorial to the Heroes of the defense of Sevastopol 1941-1942 in Sevastopol, Crimea.Sergei Ilnitsky—EPA
TOPSHOTS-AFGHANISTAN-UNREST-MEDIA-AFP
Mar. 26, 2014. Friends, family and colleagues of slain Afghan AFP reporter Sardar Ahmad gather as they take part in a candle light vigil in his honour, on a hill overlooking Kabul , Afghanistan.Roberto Schmidt—AFP/Getty Images
French climber Alain Robert, also known as "Spiderman", scales the 152 metre Ariane Tower at La Defense financial and business district outside Paris
Mar. 27, 2014.French climber Alain Robert, also known as "Spiderman", scales the 152 metre Ariane Tower at La Defense financial and business district outside Paris, France.Charles Platiau—Reuters
Abandoned Dogs Rescued From Sochi Arrive At Washington DC Rescue Shelter
Mar. 27, 2014. A stray dog from Sochi, Russia, get acclimated to its 'doggie den' after arriving at the Washington Animal Rescue League shelter in Washington, DC..Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images
Towed 155mm Howitzers fire during an artillery drill in Inje near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) which separates the two Korea
Mar. 27, 2014. Towed 155mm Howitzers fire during an artillery drill in Inje, near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) which separates the two Koreas in this picture provided by South Korean Army and released by Yonhap.Yonhap/Reuters
Supporters of Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah arrive to attend an election rally in Mazar-I-Shariff
Mar. 28, 2014. Supporters of Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah arrive to attend an election rally in Mazar-I-Shariff, northern Afghanistan.Ahmad Masood—Reuters
APTOPIX Spain Migrants
Mar. 28, 2014. Sub-Saharan migrants climb over a metallic fence that divides Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Melilla.Santi Palacios—AP
Mar. 23, 2013. Wearing a hat and glasses a Scottish Fold cat looks on during a cat exhibition in Bishkek.
Mar. 23, 2013. Wearing a hat and glasses a Scottish Fold cat looks on during a cat exhibition in Bishkek.Vyacheslav Oseledko—AFP/Getty Images

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