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Week in pictures: 14 - 20 August 2021

A selection of powerful news photographs taken around the world this week.

US Air Mobility Command Picture provided by the US Air Mobility Command appears to show hundreds of Afghans fleeing Kabul on board an American C-17 cargo plane, 15 August 2021US Air Mobility Command
Hundreds of Afghans cram on board a US military cargo plane as they flee Kabul following the takeover of the country by the Taliban. US defence analysis website Defense One reported that a US official had said the crew had decided it was better to take off than force people off the plane.
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Reginald Louissaint / AFP People gather after spending the night outside after facing the severe inclement weather of Tropical Storm Grace near Les Cayes, Haiti, on 17 August 2021Reginald Louissaint / AFP
A 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti, near Les Cayes, on 14 August - combined with severe weather from tropical storm Grace - left almost 2,000 people dead, thousands more injured and tens of thousands homeless.
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Abir Sultan / EPA An Israeli fire-fighting plane drops flame retardant at the village of Givat Yearim, near Jerusalem on 16 August 2021Abir Sultan / EPA
A fire-fighting plane drops flame retardant over a wildfire - one of the largest in Israel's history - at Givat Yearim, near Jerusalem. Around 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) of forest, have been burned and some 2,000 residents evacuated from nearby towns and villages.
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Niall Carson / PA Media A large walrus lounges in a speedboat in Crookhaven, County Cork, in the Republic of IrelandNiall Carson / PA Media
Wally the walrus, who has travelled about 2,500 miles (4,000km) along the coast of western Europe since March and has sunk several vessels after climbing aboard to rest, lounges in a speedboat off the Irish coast. Wildlife experts, who have been trying to persuade him to climb aboard a raft instead, hope he is heading back to the Arctic.
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Joe Giddens / PA Media A textile conservator stitches the clothing of a doll from the Uppark dolls' house at the National Trust Textile Conservation Studio in Norwich, UKJoe Giddens / PA Media
A doll being repaired at the UK's National Trust Textile Conservation Studio in Norwich will be returned to one of the two most important 18th-Century dolls' houses in the UK - at Uppark House in West Sussex - later this year.
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Lindsey Wasson / Reuters Participants attending an Asian giant hornet field training day look at their protective suits at Birch Bay State Park, Washington, US, on 18 August 2021Lindsey Wasson / Reuters
Participants at a training day held by the Washington State Department of Agriculture pest program at Birch Bay State Park, learn how to deal with invasive Asian giant hornets - also known as "murder hornets" - which threaten native bee and wasp populations in the US.
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Glyn Kirk / AFP Protester Dhan Gurung receives a shoulder massage as he participates in a hunger strike for equal pensions for Gurkha veterans outside Downing Street in LondonGlyn Kirk / AFP
Dhan Gurung was among a number of protesters who took part in a hunger strike aimed at securing for Gurkha veterans pension parity with other British ex-soldiers. Mr Gurung was taken to hospital on Wednesday but later discharged. The protesters ended their hunger strike on Thursday, after 13 days, when the government agreed to further talks.
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He Haiyang / Getty Images Two giant panda cubs at Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province, China, on 17 August 2021He Haiyang / Getty Images
Giant panda Su Shan gave birth to cubs at Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province, China.
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Gary Hershorn / Getty Images The sun rises behind lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center in New York City, US, 20 AugustGary Hershorn / Getty Images
The sun rises behind lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center in New York City on 20 August.

All pictures are subject to copyright.