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Week in pictures: 28 August - 3 September 2021

3 September 2021

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

Maj Gen Chris Donahue, the last US service member to leave Afghanistan, boards the final US military flight out of the country, ending America's 20-year presence there.

US Central Command / Getty Images Major General Chris Donahue boards the final US military flight out of Afghanistan on 30 August 2021 — Maj Gen Chris Donahue, the last US service member to leave Afghanistan, boards the final US military flight out of the country, ending America's 20-year presence there.

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Taliban fighters sit in the cockpit of an Afghan Air Force aircraft at Kabul airport following the US withdrawal of troops.

Wakil Kohsar / AFP Taliban fighters sit in the cockpit of an Afghan Air Force aircraft at Kabul airport on 31 August 2021 — Taliban fighters sit in the cockpit of an Afghan Air Force aircraft at Kabul airport following the US withdrawal of troops.

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The skull of a 66 million-year-old triceratops, nicknamed Big John, is moved into a gallery where the full skeleton is set to be displayed ahead of its auction sale at Drouot auction house in Paris. A laceration on its collar indicates a duel with a smaller triceratops.

Christophe Archambault / AFP Workers move the skull of a triceratops into a gallery in Paris, France — The skull of a 66 million-year-old triceratops, nicknamed Big John, is moved into a gallery where the full skeleton is set to be displayed ahead of its auction sale at Drouot auction house in Paris. A laceration on its collar indicates a duel with a smaller triceratops.

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An activist wearing a wedding dress stands in a police van during an Extinction Rebellion protest in London. Roads near Oxford Circus were blocked as activists glued themselves to a giant table during climate-change protests that lasted several days.

Tom Nicholson / Reuters An activist wearing a wedding dress stands in a police vehicle during an Extinction Rebellion protest in London on 31 August 2021 — An activist wearing a wedding dress stands in a police van during an Extinction Rebellion protest in London. Roads near Oxford Circus were blocked as activists glued themselves to a giant table during climate-change protests that lasted several days.

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Parts of New York were badly hit by record-breaking rainfall as eastern parts of the US suffered flash flooding and tornadoes when Storm Ida struck, killing at least 41 people.

Ed Jones / AFP A motorist drives a car through a flooded expressway in Brooklyn, New York, on 2 September — Parts of New York were badly hit by record-breaking rainfall as eastern parts of the US suffered flash flooding and tornadoes when Storm Ida struck, killing at least 41 people.

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This is what Hurricane Ida looks like from space. The photo, from the International Space Station, was taken by European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet on 29 August.

ESA/NASA Hurricane Ida is seen in an image taken on board the International Space Station on 29 August 2021 — This is what Hurricane Ida looks like from space. The photo, from the International Space Station, was taken by European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet on 29 August.

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Flames surround a chairlift at the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort in Twin Bridges, California. The Caldor wildfire has already burned more than 191,000 acres of land, and more than 3,500 firefighters have been deployed to combat the blaze.

Josh Edelson / AFP Flames surround a chair lift at Sierra-at-Tahoe resort, a skiing area, during the Caldor fire in Twin Bridges, California, US on 29 August 2021 — Flames surround a chairlift at the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort in Twin Bridges, California. The Caldor wildfire has already burned more than 191,000 acres of land, and more than 3,500 firefighters have been deployed to combat the blaze.

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Matt Stutzman, of the US, known as the Armless Archer, competes against Slovakia's Marcel Pavlik in the men's archery individual compound open event at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Yasuyoshi Chiba / AFP Matt Stutzman, of the US, competes in archery at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games — Matt Stutzman, of the US, known as the Armless Archer, competes against Slovakia's Marcel Pavlik in the men's archery individual compound open event at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

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A man piles salvaged e-bikes and scooters on to the back of his three-wheeler vehicle before taking them to be recycled in Beijing.

Kevin Frayer / Getty Images A man piles salvaged e-bikes and scooters on the back of a three-wheeler vehicle in Beijing, China, on 31 August 2021 — A man piles salvaged e-bikes and scooters on to the back of his three-wheeler vehicle before taking them to be recycled in Beijing.

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A village weaver, also known as a black-headed weaver, pulls a strip of leaf from a banana tree to build a nest in Thies, Senegal.

Zohra Bensemra / Reuters A village weaver bird pulls a strip of leaf from a banana tree to build a nest in Thies, Senegal, on 28 August 2021 — A village weaver, also known as a black-headed weaver, pulls a strip of leaf from a banana tree to build a nest in Thies, Senegal.

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