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The week in pictures: a French woman in space, wildfires in Europe and the war in Ukraine

August 23, 2026

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Russian drones carry out deadly strikes in Ukraine, astronaut Sophie Adenot becomes the first French woman to spacewalk, fires rage in Belgium and across Europe, and torrential rain hits the Philippines: FRANCE 24 takes a look at the week’s most striking images.

Issued on: 23/08/2026 – 15:09Modified: 23/08/2026 – 15:10

2 min Reading time

French astronaut Sophie Adenot returns back inside the International Space Station (ISS) after her spacewalk, August 18, 2026. © AFP / NASA / HANDOUT

In Ceuta, migrants are being escorted by the authorities from a makeshift camp on the beach to official shelters, following the wave of migration in late July, in the Spanish enclave north of Morocco. — In Ceuta, migrants are being escorted by the authorities from a makeshift camp on the beach to official shelters, following the wave of migration in late July, in the Spanish enclave north of Morocco, on 20 August 2026. © Violeta Santos Moura, Reuters

A firefighter stands amongst charred tree stumps in a forest area affected by a fire in Waimes, Belgium, on August 17, 2026. — A firefighter stands amongst charred tree stumps in a forest area affected by a fire in Waimes, Belgium, on August 17, 2026. © Yves Herman, Reuters

A man rides a scooter beneath a smoke-filled sky as a wildfire burns in Deliblatska Pescara, some 70 kilometres northeast of Belgrade, Serbia, on August 20, 2026 — A man rides a scooter beneath a smoke-filled sky as a wildfire burns in Deliblatska Pescara, some 70 kilometres northeast of Belgrade, Serbia, on August 20, 2026. Uros Arsic, AFP

Sophie Adenot, on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS), became the first French woman astronaut to carry out a spacewalk. — Sophie Adenot, on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS), became the first French woman astronaut to carry out a spacewalk, spending more than six hours outside the station alongside the American Anil Menon on August 18, 2026. © NASA via AFP

A couple watch the smoke rising in Kyiv following a Russian drone strike in Ukraine on August 20, 2026 — A couple watch the smoke rising in Kyiv following a Russian drone strike in Ukraine on August 20, 2026. © Oleksandr Ratushniak, Reuters

Young pupils from the Emperor Alexander III Don Cossack Cadet School and members of the Cossack community take part in military training in the Rostov region, Russia, on August 20, 2026 — Young pupils from the Emperor Alexander III Don Cossack Cadet School and members of the Cossack community take part in military training in the Rostov region, Russia, on August 20, 2026. © Sergey Pivovarov, Reuters

A player from the Cameroon women’s football team holds aloft the African Women’s Nations Cup trophy during the victory parade in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on August 17, 2026. — A player from the Cameroon women’s football team holds aloft the African Women’s Nations Cup trophy during the victory parade in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on August 17, 2026. © Mengnjo Etienne, Reuters

Women with their hair down walk past a portrait of Iran’s late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and images of the Iranian flag, on a pavement in central Tehran, Iran, on August 20, 2026 — Women with their hair down walk past a portrait of Iran’s late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and images of the Iranian flag, on a pavement in central Tehran, Iran, on August 20, 2026. © Vahid Salemi, AP

A Palestinian boy cools off in a makeshift swimming pool on the ruins of a house destroyed during the Israeli offensive, in Beit Lahiya, in the north of the Gaza Strip, on August 18, 2026. — A Palestinian boy cools off in a makeshift swimming pool on the ruins of a house destroyed during the Israeli offensive, in Beit Lahiya, in the north of the Gaza Strip, on August 18, 2026. © Mahmoud Issa, Reuters

Residents wade through water during heavy monsoon rains in Manila, the Philippines, on August 17, 2026 — Residents wade through water during heavy monsoon rains in Manila, the Philippines, on August 17, 2026. © Eloisa Lopez, Reuters

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