The Observer's 20 photographs of the week

A Bahraini boy holds a used teargas canister as he is chased by riot police during clashes following an anti-government demonstration in the village of Daih, west of Manama Photograph: Mohammed Al-shaikh/AFP/Getty Images

A Palestinian family sits in a tent after their house was flooded following huge storms across the Levant that left the Gaza Strip under flood waters Photograph: Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images

A flock of migrating cranes stop off at the Hula Lake Ornithology and Nature Park in northern Israel Photograph: Nir Elias/Reuters

Khanyile Diko sings while waiting for the motorcade transporting the body of Nelson Mandela in the town of Mthatha on its way to Qunu, South Africa Photograph: Bernat Armangue/AP

A South African woman cooks for her family outside her home, during the funeral service of former President Nelson Mandela, in Qunu, South Africa Photograph: Muhammed Muheisen/AP

People watch Nelson Mandela's state funeral at a salon in Tokoza, South Africa Photograph: Foto24/Getty Images

England's wicketkeeper Matt Prior attempts to run out Australia's David Warner during the third day of the third Ashes test cricket match at the WACA ground in Perth. Not Out! Photograph: David Gray/Reuters

Peter Downing, won of best single image in the Wild Stories category in the Travel Photographer of the Year 2013 with this shot of a kingfisher and its catch in Worcestershire in the UK.
You can see more of the award winners here Photograph: Peter Downing/TPOTY

Members of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club warm up before swimming at the beach at Coney Island in New York Photograph: Eric Thayer/Reuters

Pakistani Christian boys decorate a Christmas tree on the roof of their house in Islamabad Photograph: Zohra Bensemra/Reuters

A group of Chinese tourists take turns posing with a guard near the exit of the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
Photographer Nana Chen documented the booming Chinese tourist industry in Thailand for the Observer Magazine. You can see more of her excellent set here Photograph: Nana Chen for the Observer

A southern right whale seen under a whale-watching boat in Peninsula Valdes, Argentina Photograph: Justin Hofman/Barcroft Media

An anti-balaka militiamen takes part in a training session on the outskirts of Bangui, Central African Republic Photograph: Ivan Lieman/AFP/Getty Images

The Star Flyer in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh
Photograph: Murdo MacLeod for the Guardian

Syrian refugees, Havin Ronko, nine, with seven-month-old Ahic in Beirut, Lebanon Photograph: IBL/Rex Features

A disabled protester at Independence Square in Kiev Photograph: Yuriy Dyachyshyn/AFP/Getty Images

A 15-year-old girl dances as she is surrounded by friends during their debutante ball in Rio de Janeiro. Thirty-seven girls from different slums participated in the debutante ball organised by the Peacemaker Police Unit program Photograph: Pilar Olivares/Reuters

A vendor stands behind a table displaying plaster statues for sale near the El Rincon church in Santiago de las Vegas, Cuba Photograph: Ramon Espinosa/AP

A man stack bricks before carrying them at a brick factory in Lalitpur, Nepal Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters

British singer Tulisa Contostavlos leaves Westminister magistrates court in London, where she denied being concerned with the supply of Class A drugs Photograph: Ben Cawthra/Rex Features