The week in pictures

July 13 — Just as load-shedding returned, a cold front, coupled with storms, hit the Western Cape. This was accompanied by an announcement by the president to reintroduce some restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19. Below: A young girl plays in foam at Sea Point Promenade in Cape Town, caused by strong winds and high seas. 

July 14 — As SA became one of the countries with the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the world, the virus continues to claim lives across the country. Reverend Didiza, from the Kagiso Methodist Church, conducted the funeral of an 82-year-old woman who succumbed to Covid-19.

July 14 — A yellow vest protester stands in front of French riot police during Bastille Day anti-government demonstrations at Place de la Bastille in Paris, France. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic many Bastille Day events were cancelled.

July 15 — The Cecil John Rhodes bust was vandalised at the Rhodes Memorial in Cape Town. There have been protests across the world over the controversial Rhodes, with many calling for the removal of statues of the 19th-century British colonialist. Rangers patrolling Table Mountain came across the disfigured bust during regular patrols on Monday.

July 15 — An aerial view shows flooded houses in Sunamganj, Bangladesh. Almost 4-million people have been hit by monsoon floods in Southeast Asia, with a third of Bangladesh already under water from some of the heaviest rains in a decade. 

July 16 — Brazil is the second-worst coronavirus hit country in the world, surpassing 2-million confirmed cases this week. Covid-19 patient Edinilson Silva is taken out of an aeroplane in Santarém, Pará state, Brazil.

July 16 — Taiwanese soldiers participated in a week-long demonstration of military capability, aimed at testing how democratic Taiwan’s armed forces would repel an invasion from China. AH-64E Apache helicopters release flares during the Republic of China Armed Forces’ annual Han Kuang military exercise in Taichung.

July 16 — Real Madrid’s players celebrate winning the Liga title after the Spanish League football match between Real Madrid CF and Villarreal CF at the Alfredo di Stéfano stadium in Valdebebas, on the outskirts of Madrid.

July 16 — The vast Yangtze drainage area has been lashed by torrential rains since June, leaving 141 people dead or missing and forcing the evacuation of millions more across several provinces. A fisherman rows his boat past the roof a house seen above the water level of a flooded area due to torrential rains in Longkou village of Poyang county in China.

July 17 — Taiwan’s main opposition Kuomintang protested against Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s nomination of Chen Chu, former secretary-general of the president office, for the chair of the country’s government watchdog. Scuffles broke out during voting in parliament on Friday, with KMT legislator Lu Ming-che (left) fighting with ruling Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Wu Ping-jui (centre).