Photos of the week: 8/12 - 8/19

As the Olympics captivate the world's attention from Rio de Janeiro, take a few moments away from the Games to look back at the past week in news.

Severe weather made headlines around the globe this week, with extreme heat taking its toll on residents in multiple cities and several wildfires prompted evacuations in California. We also saw dramatic scenes out of the flooding in Louisiana that quickly turned into a crisis.

Europe's migrant crisis was also in the news, as people in war-torn countries continue to seek refuge in safer areas.

See the best photos from all of these stories and more below:

Be sure to check back next weekend for our selection of the best photography from the coming days.

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