Photos of the Week: Aug. 30 - Sept. 5, 2014

Residents collect wood to make charcoal in Mariki village in Zamboanga, Philippines, Aug. 30, 2014. Houses burned after urban fighting involving soldiers and Muslim rebels weeks after Nur Misuari, the leader and founder of the Moro National Liberation Front, declared independence of Mindanao and occupied the city. Health officials have confirmed around 138 deaths in the city's overcrowded sport complex that has been used as a refuge facility for civilians displaced since September 9, 2013. Nearly a year after that incident, more than 64,000 people remain displaced from their homes, living in difficult conditions. Government forces have tightened the security as Misuari reiterated recently his declaration of Mindanaos independence which complicates the ongoing peace talk with another rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

China

Protesters take part in a rally during the Ocuppy Central with Love and Peace protest at Tamar Park outside of the Hong Kong Government Building in Hong Kong, China, Aug. 31, 2014. The National People's Congress Standing Committee announced the framework for the 2017 chief executive election.

Spain

A kite surfer participates in the Guinness World Record attempt for the most kitesurfers sailing together at one time on Aug. 31, 2014 in Tarifa, Spain. 352 participants set a new Guinness World Record, breaking the previous record of 318.

New York

Kei Nishikori of Japan loses his racket trying to return a shot against Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland during their men's singles quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, N.Y., Sept. 3, 2014.

Germany

Workers walk among shelves lined with goods at an Amazon warehouse in Brieselang, Germany, Sept. 4, 2014. Germany is online retailer Amazon's second largest market after the USA.

Maryland

Members of the Cincinnati Reds watch from the dugout as heavy rain falls during a rain delay in the first inning of an interleague baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, in Baltimore, Md., Sept. 2, 2014.

India

An Indian laborer loads goods on a bike at Chawri Bazar, in New Delhi, India, Sept. 1, 2014. Chawri Bazar, said to be the first wholesale market of old quarters of Delhi, is a specialized wholesale hardware market said to have started in the late 19th Century, mostly selling brass, copper and paper products.

Ukraine

Unmarked Military vehicles burn on a country road in the village of Berezove, eastern Ukraine, Sept. 4, 2014, after a clash between pro-government troops and Russian-backed separatist militia. Separatist rebels have made major strides in their offensive against Ukrainian government forces in recent days, drawing on what Ukraine and NATO says is ample support from the Russian military.

New Jersey

People wait to enter a room to sign up for unemployment at the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, N.J., Sept. 3, 2014. Thousands of newly laid-off casino workers turned out for a mass unemployment filing. The Wednesday morning session comes after a weekend that saw more than 5,000 employees at the Showboat and Revel lose their jobs.

Iceland

A man stands near to a lava eruption on Holuhraun, northwest of the Dyngjujoekull glacier in Iceland, Monday, Sept. 1, 2014. Lava fountains danced along a lengthy volcanic fissure near Iceland's subglacial Bardarbunga volcano Sunday, prompting authorities to raise the aviation warning code to the highest level and close the surrounding airspace. The warning was lowered 12 hours later as visibility improved and it was clear that no volcanic ash was detected.

Panama

Workers from the Panama Canal Authority weld the bottom of the Miraflores floodgate during routine maintenance on the Panama Canal in Panama City, Friday, Aug. 29, 2014. The construction of the ship canal across the Isthmus of Panama a century ago transformed international trade, greatly reducing travel time between the Atlantic and the Pacific by eliminating the need for ships to go around the tip of South America. The construction claimed the lives of an estimated 30,000 workers, many from diseases like malaria and yellow fever.

Portugal

Youngsters play soccer as the sun sets at the Carcavelos beach in Cascais, near Lisbon, Sept. 2, 2014. The beach, a well-known surfing spot, is mostly frequented by locals from the Portuguese capital and also by tourists.

Brazil

A teenage girl from the Santa Marta "favela" slum holds a pair of high heels before the start of a debutante ball organized by the Pacifying Police Unit from her neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 29, 2014. All of the debutantes turned 15 this year, but few had the means to celebrate the milestone with one of the lavish blowouts that are de rigueur among wealthier Brazilians.

Washington, D.C.

Former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright, left, and Hillary Rodham Clinton talk during the groundbreaking ceremony for the U.S. Diplomacy Center, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014, at the State Department in Washington. Secretary of State John Kerry hosted five of his predecessors, including Clinton and Albright, in a rare public reunion for the groundbreaking of a museum commemorating the achievements of American statesmanship.

Italy

In this photo provided by the Vatican paper L'Osservatore Romano, Diego Armando Maradona presents Pope Francis with an Argentine national soccer team jersey bearing the name Francisco on it, in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Sept. 1, 2014 ahead of an inter-religious match for peace. The friendly soccer match, supported by Pope Francis to promote the dialogue and peace among different religions, is scheduled at Rome's Olympic stadium later Monday.

Ukraine

A Pro-Russian rebel prepares arms for the the assault on the positions of Ukrainian army in Donetsk airport, eastern Ukraine,  Aug. 31, 2014. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday called on Ukraine to immediately start talks on a political solution to the crisis in eastern Ukraine. Hours later, Ukraine said a border guard vessel operating in the Azov Sea was attacked by land-based forces.

Taiwan

Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman's latest creation, an 82 foot-long white rabbit, leans up against an old aircraft hangar as part of the Taoyuan Land Art Festival in Taoyuan, Taiwan, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014. Hoffan's big yellow duck drew millions of visitors as it toured the island last year and festival organizers are hoping the rabbit will do the same. The Taoyuan Land Art Festival will take place from Sept. 9-14.

Florida

Television journalists stand across from the home of the family of journalist Steven Sotloff, Sept. 2, 2014 in Pinecrest, Fla. An Internet video posted online by ISIS on Tuesday showed the beheading by the rebel group of Sotloff, who went missing in Syria last year. In a two-sentence statement Tuesday, family spokesman Barak Barfi said Sotloff's family, quote, "knows of this horrific tragedy and is grieving privately."

Iraq

Iraqi security forces and Shiite militiamen fire at Islamic State group positions during an operation outside Amirli, some 105 miles (170 kilometers) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Sept. 3, 2014. The Islamic State group has carved out a self-styled caliphate in the large area straddling the Iraqi-Syrian border that it now controls. In early August, the United States launched air strikes on the militant group in Iraq, in an effort to help Iraqi forces fight back against the growing militant threat.

New York

Caroline Wozniacki, of Denmark, reacts after winning a point against Maria Sharapova, of Russia, during the fourth round of the 2014 U.S. Open tennis tournament, Aug. 31, 2014, in New York.

New York

Brett Gardner of the New York Yankees dives into second base on the back end of an attempted double during the first inning in a MLB baseball game at Yankee Stadium, Sept. 3, 2014. Gardner was tagged out on the play.

Spain

Bullfighters wait to do the "paseillo," or ritual entrance to the arena before a bullfight in San Sebastian de los Reyes, Spain, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014. In August hundreds of villages around Spain celebrate their patron saints, with bullfights, music and parties on the streets.

Georgia

Tony Stewart climbs into his car to start a NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, in Hampton, Ga., Aug. 31, 2014. In his first event since his sprint car struck and killed a fellow driver, Stewart slammed the wall twice and settled for a dismal 41st-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, leaving him in a must-win situation next weekend at Richmond to make NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

Ecuador

The Tungurahua volcano throws ash and stones during an eruption seen from Banos, Ecuador, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2014. The volcano entered an eruptive phase in 1999 and continues to this day.

Liberia

A health worker, right, sprays a man with disinfectant chemicals as he is suspected of dying due to the Ebola virus as people, rear, look on in Monrovia, Liberia, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014. As West Africa struggles to contain the biggest ever outbreak of Ebola, some experts say an unusual but simple treatment might help: the blood of survivors. The evidence is mixed for using infection-fighting antibodies from survivors' blood for Ebola, but without any licensed drugs or vaccines for the deadly disease, some say it's worth a shot.

California

People walk along the beach in Santa Monica, Calif., Aug. 29, 2014. The highest number of Californians since the recession is expected to travel over the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Nevada

Rosanne Ziering, left, and Alison Cooper relax on the Playa during the Burning Man 2014 "Caravansary" arts and music festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, Aug. 28, 2014. People from all over the world have gathered at the sold out festival to spend a week in the remote desert cut off from much of the outside world to experience art, music and the unique community that develops.

Thailand

A mahout lies over his elephant before a match at the 2014 King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament in Samut Prakan province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Aug. 30, 2014. A total of 16 international teams and 51 Thai elephants are participating in the tournament that runs from August 28-31.

Hungary

A competitor runs through a foam tunnel during the Brutal Run extreme obstacle course race in Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 30, 2014.

Great Britain

Greg Walker throws the hammer at the Birnam Highland Games in Scotland, Aug. 30, 2014. Scotland will hold a referendum on independence on September 18.

Pakistan

A supporter of Tahir ul-Qadri, Sufi cleric and leader of political party Pakistan Awami Tehreek, reacts as she listens to him praying outside the parliament house during the Revolution March in Islamabad, Pakistan, Aug. 30, 2014. Thousands of protesters massed outside the residence of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday to demand he step down, after efforts to find a negotiated solution to the country's political crisis failed.

Australia

Australia's Richie 'Vas' Vaculik maneuvers past another surfer ducking under the wave during the inaugural Red Bull Cape Fear invitational surfing tournament off the shores of southern Sydney, Australia, Aug. 31, 2014.

Russia

Figurines of pro-Russian separatist fighters from the collection entitled "Toy Soldiers of Novorossiya" are on display at a workshop in Moscow, Russia, Aug. 29, 2014. A Moscow-based maker of toy soldiers has sought inspiration for his creations from Ukrainian rebels fighting government troops in the east of Ukraine. Toy soldier maker, Timur Zamilov, displayed his new collection of rebel fighters cast in metal on Friday, before they are due to go on sale. His new collection is entitled "Toy Soldiers of Novorossiya" (New Russia), a reference to regions in eastern Ukraine where pro-Russian separatist fighters want full independence. Zamilov's selection includes models of Cossack soldiers, volunteers, soldiers bearing anti-aircraft missiles and even a miniature of prominent rebel leader Igor Strelkov.

Florida

Girls walk with their cell phones along the beach at twilight during the Labor Day long weekend in Ft Myers Beach, Fla., Aug. 31, 2014.

Ukraine

First graders wait for a festive ceremony to mark the start of another school year in Slavyansk, Ukraine, Sept. 1, 2014. September 1 marks the start of a new academic year for students in Ukraine.

Syria

Rebel fighters demonstrate with their fake weapons during a military display as part of a graduating ceremony at a camp in eastern al-Ghouta, near Damascus, Syria, Aug. 31, 2014. The newly graduated rebel fighters, who went through military training, will operate under the Ajnad al-Sham Islamic Union.

Pakistan

Anti-government protesters beat a riot policeman after clashes during the Revolution March in Islamabad, Sept. 1, 2014. Pakistan is preparing to launch a selective crackdown against anti-government protesters trying to bring down the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the defense minister said, warning demonstrators against storming government buildings.

Peru

Police officers carry packages containing seized cocaine after their arrival at the police airport in Lima, Peru, Sept. 1, 2014. Peruvian police seized a record 7.6 tonnes of cocaine in a quiet coastal town last week, arresting seven Peruvians and two Mexicans suspected of trying to smuggle the load to Europe as coal, according to Peru's Interior Ministry.

New York

Participants dance during the West Indian Day Parade in the Brooklyn, N.Y., Sept. 1, 2014.

Malta

A child migrant plays on a tricycle outside prefabricated container houses at the Hal Far Tent Village open centre outside Valletta, Malta, Sept. 2, 2014. One hundred and thirty-eight Syrian and Palestinian migrants, who were rescued from a sinking boat on August 28, are living at the centre alongside African migrants, according to government officials.

China

Lightning strikes over buildings during heavy rainfall in Kunshan, Jiangsu province, Sept. 2, 2014.

Lebanon

A father of a Lebanese soldier captured by hardline Syrian Islamists, reacts next to a hearse carrying the coffin of another soldier Ali al-Sayyed, who was beheaded by Islamic State militants in Arsal, during his funeral in Qalamoun, in Akkar, Lebanon, Sept. 3, 2014. ISIS militants beheaded al-Sayyed, one of 19 Lebanese soldiers captured by hardline Syrian Islamists when they seized the Lebanese border town for a few days last month, a video posted on social media showed on Saturday.

Gaza Strip

A Palestinian man looks out of his heavily damaged house at neighboring houses which witnesses said were destroyed during the Israeli offensive, in the east of Gaza City, Sept. 3, 2014. An open-ended ceasefire between Israel and Hamas-led Gaza militants, mediated by Egypt, took effect on August 26 after a seven-week conflict. It called for an indefinite halt to hostilities, the immediate opening of Gaza's blockaded crossings with Israel and Egypt, and a widening of the territory's fishing zone in the Mediterranean.

New York

Tennis fans watch as the sun sets during the quarter-final match between Kei Nishikori of Japan and Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland at the 2014 U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Sept. 3, 2014.

Australia

Wax models of actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have confetti thrown on them after being presented with a wedding cake and a bridal veil to celebrate their recent wedding, at the Madame Tussaud's attraction in Sydney, Aug. 29, 2014. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Hollywood's first couple, married in France over the weekend following a two-year engagement, ending nearly a decade of fevered tabloid speculation over whether "Brangelina" would ever tie the knot.

Washington, D.C.

A television crew reports on the "yarn-bombed" Renwick Gate at the Smithsonian Castle in Washington August 29, 2014. The gate was swathed under layers and webs of yarn, to promote the new Sackler Gallery exhibition, "Perspectives: Chiharu Shiota."

Great Britain

Full-size models of military vehicles and aircraft are displayed on the golf course of the the Celtic Manor Hotel, ahead of the NATO summit, in Newport, Wales, Sept. 3, 2014.

California

Activists chant inside a McDonald's restaurant in Los Angeles, Calif. during a protest demanding better wages for fast-food workers, Sept. 4, 2014. Fast-food workers in 150 U.S. cities kicked off protests for a $15-per-hour wage that included a sit-down in New York's Times Square, where 19 demonstrators were arrested on Thursday, police said.