Photo roundup: spacewalk milestone, European blazes, and Ukraine strikes
This week's striking images include French astronaut Sophie Adenot completing the first spacewalk by a French woman, alongside American Anil Menon. Wildfires ravaged areas in Belgium and Serbia, while Russian drone attacks in Ukraine left destruction in Kyiv. Other scenes captured torrential rain in the Philippines and a Palestinian boy cooling off in Gaza.
Sophie Adenot's August 18 spacewalk marked a milestone for European spaceflight, as she spent over six hours outside the International Space Station alongside NASA astronaut Anil Menon. The achievement came amid a week of contrasts across the continent, with wildfires scorching forestland in Belgium's Waimes region and Serbia's Deliblatska Pescara area, where thick smoke darkened the sky.
Elsewhere, Russian drone strikes in Kyiv left residents watching smoke rise over the Ukrainian capital, while Spanish authorities in Ceuta escorted migrants from beachside camps to official shelters following a late-July arrival wave. Monsoon rains flooded streets in Manila, and in northern Gaza, a Palestinian boy cooled off in a makeshift pool built on the ruins of a destroyed home.
This collection of images could shape public perception of Europe's simultaneous triumphs and vulnerabilities. The spacewalk milestone may inspire renewed interest in European space programs, while the wildfire and drone-strike imagery could reinforce concerns about climate resilience and regional security. The migrant and Gaza scenes may deepen ongoing debates about humanitarian response and displacement policies, potentially influencing how European audiences view their governments