The Associated Press provides a view into the events that defined the past week. Photo editor Leslie Mazoch has curated a collection of images that document happenings from across the globe between August 14 and August 20, 2026.
This week’s selection spans diverse locations and subjects. In Ukraine, cameras captured the emotional reunions of soldiers following a prisoner exchange in the Chernihiv region. Venezuela grapples with loss as families hold funerals for children following recent earthquakes. In Greece, fire crews continue to work through burned landscapes as wildfires spread across Salamina island.
Sports and culture also feature in this visual record. Athletes competed at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, while teams in Morocco celebrated a victory at the Women AFCON final. Meanwhile, the World Robot Conference in Beijing offered a glimpse at current advancements in technology. Other frames capture daily life, from a pet market in Baghdad to migrant workers in Romania finding relief in a local river during high temperatures.
These photos serve as a record of human persistence, conflict, and quiet moments. Each image stands as a distinct piece of history captured by journalists working on the ground in these varied environments.