The Observer's 20 photographs of the week

Issouf Sanogo's photograph of a French soldier wearing a skeleton mask in Mali drew criticism from the French military. Spokesman Colonel Thierry Burkhard said that 'this image is not representative of France's action in Mali' and called the soldier's behaviour unacceptable. The photographer said that the soldier simply grabbed his scarf to avoid dust clouds created by a helicopter coming in to land Photograph: Issouf Sanogo/AFP

Photojournalist Jerome Delay was also covering the situation in Mali. Here he photographs women sifting wheat in a field in the Segou region. French troops in armored personnel carriers rolled through the streets of Diabaly in Segou, winning praise from the town's residents after Malian and French forces retook control of it after radical Islamists had invaded Photograph: Jerome Delay/AP

Reuters photographer Joe Penney was also in Mali. Here, Dembele, a day labourer, lights a cigarette at a sugar cane plantation in Siribala Photograph: Joe Penney/Reuters

It was Paris Fashion Week and the Grand Palais was tranformed into a forest for Chanel's haute couture show. Designer Karl Lagerfeld described the show as 'craziness with discipline' Photograph: Patrick Kovarik/AFP

Donatella Versace's haute couture was displayed at Le Centorial in Paris. Versace described the haute couture show as 'about experimentation and most important of all, about keeping craft alive' Photograph: Francois Guillot/AFP

The Australian Open contiuned in Melbourne. Despite winning here against Ekaterina Makarova, Russia's Maria Sharapova evenutally lost in the semi final to China's Li Na Photograph: Dita Alangkara/AP

Lit by floodlights, the runners make their way down the back straight at Kempton racecourse Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty

In New Delhi, soldiers stand to attention during the ceremonial reception for Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Egyptian opposition protesters gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square to mark the second anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak's autocratic regime. Here, clashes break out between protesters and security forces Photograph: Khalil Hamra/AP

And here an Egyptian protester falls down during the clashes with riot police Photograph: Mahmoud Khaled/AFP

Photographer Goran Tomasevic was in Syria producing some excellent work as he documented the heavy fighting between the rebel fighters and the forces loyal to Assad. Here, a rebel fires his Draganov sniper rifle from inside a house in the Mleha suburb of Damascus Photograph: Goran Tomasevic/Reuters

Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant Charley De Jesus walks around an ice-covered warehouse that had caught fire. An arctic blast continued to grip the US Midwest Photograph: John Gress/Reuters

Widespread snowfall also affected most of the UK. Huskies train near Feshiebridge for the 30th Siberian Husky Club Aviemore Sled Dog Rally which could get under way in snowy conditions for only the second time in 20 years Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

The outfit worn by the two-year-old Princess Anne at Queen Elizabeth II's coronation on June 2, 1953, is photographed in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace. Summer 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the coronation and a special exhibition at Buckingham Palace will bring together an array of the dress, uniform and robes worn on that occasion Photograph: Lefteris Pitarakis/AP

The general election took place in Israel this week. Here, women look on as Ultra Orthodox Jews belonging to the Satmar Hasidic group gather in the conservative Mea Shearim neighbourhood of Jerusalem Photograph: Marco Longari/AFP

Still in Israel, Ultra-Orthodox Jewish women are photographed by Oded Bality during a traditional Jewish wedding. The gauze curtain is used to separate men and women during the wedding Photograph: Oded Balilty/AP

Barack Obama was sworn in for a second term this week. Here he dances with Michelle Obama at the Commander and Chief Ball in Washington Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP

In New Jersey, parking meters stand out from sand dunes at the Seaside Heights amusement park which was devastated by superstorm Sandy Photograph: Marko Georgiev/AP

A Sri Lankan fisherman makes his daily catch while sat on a traditional stilt in Talpe, Sri Lanka Photograph: Clarissa Cavalheiro/Reuters

A model of The Joker is displayed at the London Toy Fair Photograph: Carl Court/AFP