The Observer's 20 photographs of the week

We start the round-up of the best photojournalism this week in the Philippines where typhoon Haiyan struck. It was thought to be the strongest recorded storm ever to hit land. Here, residents rush past a fallen tree to safety as the typhoon cut power lines and destroyed houses Photograph: Stringer/Reuters

A digital composite of Typhoon Haiyan approaching the Philippines, made using images captured by the geostationary satellites of the Japan Meteorological Agency and EUMETSAT Photograph: Barcroft Media

Here, a mother takes refuge with her children as Typhoon Haiyan hits Cebu city Photograph: Stringer/Reuters

In Spain, Suzana Vera photographed 13 families at risk of having their homes demolished by orders from officials at Madrid's Town Hall. Here, Francisco Cortes Vargas carries a wood panel to heat his home. The families have lived in a former paint factory as well as in shacks they have built themselves over the past 10 years Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters

Antonio Acuna dresses up in high heel shoes at the factory where he lives with his family in Madrid. The demolition of the factory was postponed at the last minute thanks to the Victims' Mortgage Platform Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters

Afghan labourer Mesbah, 12, takes a rest after preparing kilns to fire bricks at a factory on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan. In the last two years, as US and Nato troops prepare to leave Afghanistan, brick producers say business has dropped by almost half Photograph: Anja Niedringhaus/AP

Iranian women stand next to the wall of the former US embassy in Tehran during a demonstration to mark the 34th anniversary of the 1979 US embassy takeover Photograph: Behrouz Mehri/AFP

Pope Francis blesses a person suffering from a rare genetic condition, neurofibromatosis, in Saint Peter's Square Photograph: Claudio Peri/EPA

The field moves along the straight in the Carnival Handicap during Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington Racecourse Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty

Tony McCoy following the RABI Gateway Project Maiden Hurdle Race at Chepstow Racecourse, Monmouthshire. He reached a record 4000 wins this week after riding Mountain Tunes to victory at Towcester Photograph: Tim Ireland/PA

Work nears completion on The Kelpies, a public art and visitor attraction created by artist Andy Scott, which form a gateway to the Forth and Clyde canal at the Helix, Falkirk, Scotland Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

A three-month-old Sumatran tiger cub undergoes a swimming test at the National Zoo in Washington, US Photograph: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

A French soldier patrols during the Hydra Operation near the village of Bamba, Mali, after a recent upsurge in violence Photograph: Philippe Desmazes/AFP

Muhammed Muheisen photographed these scenes after the Capital Development Authority in Islamabad, Pakistan, allegedly burned a field used by fruit and vegetable sellers to illegally store their wooden boxes Photograph: Muhammed Muheisen/AP

Climbers from Greenpeace hang banners on the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. They were demanding the release of 30 activists arrested and jailed by Russia for staging a protest against Arctic oil drilling Photograph: Josep Lago/AFP

A woman holds a portrait of her husband as she threatens to jump off scaffolding at a construction site in Wenzhou, China. According to local media, the construction company declined to explain to the woman the reason for her husband's death. He was a construction worker who died at the site during a work break Photograph: Stringer/Reuters

Photographer Alisdair Miller spent two hours climbing the world's tallest building, the 829.8-metre Burj Khalifa, to capture this spectacular picture from its steel pinnacle Photograph: Alisdair Miller/Solent News

Demonstrators march in the rain during a 24-hour general strike in Athens which paralysed public services Photograph: Aris Messinis/AFP

Palestinian women grieve during the funeral of their relative Hassan al-Turabi in Sara village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Turabi, a 23-year-old leukaemia sufferer, was imprisoned by Israel on suspicion of militant activity and died of his illness three weeks after being released Photograph: Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP

Students walk between chilli trees covered by ash from the erupting Sinabung Mount as they return home at Kuta Rakyat village in Sumatra Photograph: Roni Bintang/Reuters