From tributes to the life of Nelson Mandela and violent protests in Ukraine and Thailand to chaos in the Central African Republic and a rare cloud inversion filling in the Grand Canyon, TIME presents the best pictures of the week.
Dec. 6, 2013. Flowers are placed at the foot of a statue of former South African President Nelson Mandela at the South African embassy in Washington. The iconic anti-apartheid leader died on December 5 at the age of 95. Olivier Douliery—Abaca USADec. 6, 2013. A child watches as people pay their respects to former President Nelson Mandela on the streets outside of his former home in Soweto, South Africa.
Bieke Depoorter—MagnumDec. 6, 2013. Children
react to the death of Nelson Mandela on the streets outside of his former home in Soweto, South Africa.Bieke Depoorter—MagnumDec. 1, 2013. A Metro-North locomotive lies on its side after derailing in the Bronx borough of New York City.Mark Lennihan—APNov. 30, 2013. Stand-up paddle boarders row past before the lighting ceremony for Rio de Janeiro's famed floating Christmas tree in Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Mario Tama—Getty ImagesNov. 29, 2013. An Egyptian man walks amid tear gas smoke during clashes between Egyptian security forces and Muslim Brotherhood and ousted President Mohamed Morsi supporters following a demonstration in Cairo.Mahmoud Khaled—AFP/Getty ImagesNov. 29, 2013. Thousands of off-roaders enjoy the three days of the annual thanksgiving weekend in Glamis, Calif.Gene Blevins—Zuma PressDec. 2, 2013. Pope Francis meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a private audience at the Vatican. Evandro Inetti—Zuma PressDec. 1, 2013. A friend of local resident Valentin Krasin cools off with cold water after a steam bath in his mobile bathing station on the banks of the Tuba river near the village of Kochergino, about 460 km southeast of Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.Ilya Naymushin—ReutersDec. 2, 2013. Surfers paddle on boards in the Mediterranean Sea off the shore of Tel Aviv, Israel.Ariel Schalit—APDec. 2, 2013. Two Western Lowland gorillas lay entwined inside the Great Ape House at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park during the ZooLights celebration in Washington.Chip Somodevilla—Getty ImagesDec. 2, 2013. A handout image released by Air New Zealand shows an Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300 aircraft with a graphic of of the mythical dragon Smaug, the star of the second installment of Sir Peter Jackson's Hobbit movie trilogy in Auckland, New Zealand. Air New Zealand/EPANov. 29, 2013. Palestinian protesters try to climb the Israeli separation barrier during clashes at Qalandia check point following the funeral of Mahmoud Awad, 22, who died after the injuries sustained one year ago during clashes with Israeli forces. Federico Scoppa—Scoppa/Demotix/CorbisDec. 5, 2013. Wounded people both christians and muslims at the community hospital in Bangui. Aid workers and medical staff treated about 100 people and about 50 bodies were brought to the hospital morgue.William Daniels—PanosDec. 3, 2013. Members of the Civil Police Core Coordination of Special Assets unit train in a mock favela at Police City, in Rio de Janeiro.Christophe Simon—AFP/Getty ImagesNov. 29, 2013. Fireworks launch from the rooftop of the Macy's building in downtown Seattle, Wa. illuminating the city sky and heralding the start of the holiday season. Ted Hammond—Demotix/CorbisNov. 29, 2013. A Free Syrian Army fighter carries his weapon as he peeks out from a damaged shop in the old city of Aleppo.
Mahmoud Hebbo—ReutersNov. 29, 2013. A supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood and ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi shouts slogans in front of tear gas fired by riot police and army, during clashes at El-Talbyia near Giza square, south of Cairo.Amr Abdallah Dalsh—ReutersNov. 29, 2013. Palestinian protesters during clashes at Qalandia check point following the funeral of Mahmoud Awad, 22, who died after injuries sustained one year ago during clashes with Israeli forces.Federico Scoppa—Scoppa/Demotix/CorbisNov. 29, 2013. A rare total cloud inversion is pictured at Mather Point on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park in Grand Canyon, Az. ReutersNov. 30, 2013. Anti-government protesters tear down barricades during a demonstration outside Government House in Bangkok.Dylan Martinez—ReutersNov. 30, 2013. Thai riot police take a nap in Dusit Zoo as they enjoy some free time during a lull in demonstrations in downtown Bangkok.Dylan Martinez—ReutersDec. 1, 2013. A woman dressed as "fairy godmother" participates in the Paris Parade along Alameda Avenue, in Santiago, Chile as part of the Christmas celebrations. Hector Retamal—AFP/Getty ImagesDec. 1, 2013. An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man prays and lights candles with his family on the fifth night of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, the festival of lights, at the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Sheaarim in Jerusalem. Uriel Sinai—Getty ImagesDec. 1, 2013. Supporters of European integration clash with Berkut riot police officers on Bankova Street during a People's Veche protest against the government's decision to delay signing a trade deal with the European Union. Dzhavakhadze Zurab—ITAR-TASS Photo/CorbisDec. 1, 2013. Afghan schoolchildren take lessons in an open classroom at a refugee camp on the outskirts of Jalalabad, Nangarhar province.Noorullah Shirzada—AFP/Getty ImagesDec. 1, 2013. Rescue workers lift the rear rotor blades from the site of a police helicopter crash onto the Clutha Pub in central Glasgow, Scotland.Andrew Winning—ReutersDec. 1, 2013. A Kathakali dancer wears a dress ahead of her performance during the annual Vrischikotsavam festival at a temple in the southern Indian city of Kochi.Sivaram V.—ReutersDec. 1, 2013. A Metro-North passenger train lays on it's side after derailing in the Bronx borough of New York City. Mark Lennihan—APDec. 1, 2013. A woman adjusts a wreath during the Wreaths Across Canada ceremony at the National Military Cemetery in Ottawa.Chris Wattie—ReutersDec. 2, 2013. Indian Navy Commandos show their skills during Naval Day celebrations at the Arabian Sea in Mumbai, India.Rafiq Maqbool—APDec. 2, 2013. An anti-government protester throws rocks at Thai riot police as they attempt to remove barricades outside Government House in Bangkok.Dylan Martinez—ReutersDec. 2, 2013. An anti-government protester runs away as riot police use a water cannon during clashes with the police the metropolitan police headquarters in Bangkok.Athit Perawongmetha—ReutersDec. 2, 2013. A Buddhist monk wearing a gas mask and carrying saline rushes to tend to an anti-government protesters overcome by tear gas during an anti-government protest near Government House in Bangkok, Thailand. Rufus Cox—Getty ImagesDec. 2, 2013. Artist John Coleman paints faces of pets on a mural at the Animal Hospital of Desert Hot Springs Save-A-Pet clinic in Desert Hot Springs, Calif.Kevork Djansezian—ReutersDec. 3, 2013. Lines of Ukrainian police in riot gear guard the Ukrainian Parliament building during a protest in Kiev, Ukraine.Alexey Furman—EPADec. 3, 2013. A truck drives along a dirt road in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.David Gray—ReutersDec. 3, 2013. Pakistanis play cricket in a field next to a slum in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Muhammed Muheisen—APDec. 3, 2013. A flock of birds fly near Mount Sinabung as seen from Berastepu, North Sumatra, Indonesia.Binsar Bakkara—APDec. 3, 2013. A Bahraini protester holds stones during clashes with riot police following an anti-regime demonstration in the village of Sanabis, west of Manama. Mohammed Al-Shaikh—AFP/Getty ImagesDec. 3, 2013. People walk over drawings depicting chalk outlines of bodies during a protest at Carioca square in downtown Rio de Janeiro.Ricardo Moraes—ReutersDec. 3, 2013. A girl waits in the corner of a room in the temporary refugee camp in Vrazdebna, Bulgaria.Vassil Donev—EPADec. 3, 2013. Disabled children receive physiotherapy at a prosthetic limbs center in Sana'a, Yemen.Yahya Arhab—EPADec. 3, 2013. Survivors and their supporters sit next to photographs of the Bhopal gas disaster displayed during a protest on the anniversary of the tragedy near the Indian parliament in New Delhi. Altaf Qadri—APDec. 3, 2013. A Thai flag is reflected in an anti-government protester's sunglasses as he celebrates after demonstrations are called off outside Government House in Bangkok.Dylan Martinez—ReutersDec. 3, 2013. This handout picture released by Greenpeace shows activists disguised as polar bears during a protest against Gazprom in Geneva. Greenpeace/AFP/Getty ImagesDec. 3, 2013. A giant bronze sculpture portraying Pope John Paul II by Italian sculptor Oliviero Rainaldi is pictured outside Rome's Termini train Station.Gabriel Bouys—AFP/Getty ImagesDec. 3, 2013. Singers rehearse for the Mona Shores Singing Christmas Tree at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts.Natalie Kolb—mlive.com/LandovDec. 3, 2013. A Pakistani boy wraps himself with a shawl to shield from the evening cold, while a woman cooks for her family using a fire as the sets in a slum in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.Muhammed Muheisen—APDec. 3, 2013. An Indian girl plays next to a makeshift shelter in New Delhi. Altaf Qadri—APDec. 3, 2013. Residents of the city of Damara, 75 km north of Bangui, leave the region for Bangui.Sia Kambou—AFP/Getty ImagesDec. 3, 2013. People pray in front of the casket of a man before his funeral at a Mosque in Bangui. The man was found stabbed to death on the road to Bouali, some 30km from Bangui.Sia Kambou—AFP/Getty ImagesDec. 5, 2013. Afghan refugee children lie on a pile of straw gathered for the livestock, while playing in a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan.Muhammed Muheisen—APDec 4, 2013. An anti-government protesters cut barbed wire during a rally at the National Police headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand. Vincent Thian—APDec. 4, 2013. Anti-government protesters sweep the street around the Democracy Monument after weeks of protesting and days of clashes with police in Bangkok's city center.Dylan Martinez—ReutersDec. 4, 2013. First lady Michelle Obama reacts as Ashtyn Gardner, 2, from Mobile, Ala., loses her balance when she was greeting Sunny, one of the presidential dogs, as children of military families participate in a holiday arts and crafts event in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington.Charles Dharapak—APDec. 4, 2013. U.S. President Barack Obama reacts to applause at the Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus in Washington.Brendan Smialowski—AFP/Getty ImagesDec. 4, 2013. Israel Electric Company, IEC, lights the eighth candle of Chanukah on a 28 meter tall world record breaking menorah at the Reading Power Station in Tel Aviv. Nir Alon—Demotix/CorbisDec. 4, 2013. Window washers descend the 36-story Centennial Tower downtown skyscraper in Atlanta. David Goldman—APDec. 4, 2013. A riot police officer behind the window of a police bus as protestors try to block key government buildings in Kiev, Ukraine.Filip Singer—EPADec. 4, 2013. The British military cemetery of Bayeux, northwestern France. Over 4,100 tombstones of the British military cemetery of Bayeux will be replaced for the first time since the creation of the cemetery in 1952.Charly Triballeau—AFP/Getty ImagesDec. 5, 2013. College students wearing masks pose with a plastic bag during a performance art piece, to raise awareness of air pollution in Xi an, China. China Foto Press/Getty ImagesDec. 5, 2013. A young man screams in pain as he lies in a pool of blood on the floor of Bangui's hospital, Bangui, Central African Republic following a day-long gun battle between Seleka soldiers and Christian militias. Jerome Delay—APDec. 5, 2013. Children walk next to a French military convoy along a road in the Central African Republic.Fred Dufour—AFP/Getty ImagesDec. 5, 2013. Multi-coloured nets used to harvest olives are spread out under olive trees near the village of Castagniers, north of Nice.Eric Gaillard—ReutersDec. 5, 2013. Mao Asada of Japan reacts after performing during women's short programme at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan.Issei Kato—ReutersDec. 5, 2013. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford returns to his office in gym attire during a break in an executive committee meeting at City Hall in Toronto.Aaron Harris—ReutersDec. 5, 2013. Firefighters participate in a fire department graduation ceremony in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Mark Lennihan—APDec. 5, 2013. A Pakistani security man prays while others stand guard during a protest by cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan, leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party and his supporters against U.S. drone strikes in Pakistani areas, in Islamabad. Muhammed Muheisen—APDec. 6, 2013. Athletes compete during the women 7,5 km sprint at the IBU World cup in biathlon in Hochfilzen.Samuel Kubani—AFP/Getty ImagesDec. 6, 2013. Flowers left in tribute to former South African president Nelson Mandela hang on the construction fencing in front of a statue of Mandela at the South African Embassy before daybreak in Washington.J. David Ake—APDec. 6, 2013. Anthony Wiboh from Ghana dances at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa.Alet Pretorius—Foto24/Gallo Images/Getty ImagesDec. 6, 2013. A framed image of former South African president Nelson Mandela. People pay tribute following his death in Johannesburg. Alexander Joe—AFP/Getty Images
