This week in pictures

 
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A selection of some of the best news pictures this week from around the world . . .

On Thursday, an automated hose sprayed water onto Grenfell Tower, a residential tower block in west London that was caught in a huge blaze. Firefighters searched for bodies in the London tower block gutted by a blaze that has already left 12 dead, as questions grow over whether a recent refurbishment contributed to the fire.

The day before, anti-government demonstrators mounted a roadblock during a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas. With Venezuelans suffering from high inflation, food shortages and soaring crime rates, plus a deepening corruption scandal, the Venezuelan opposition has mounted near-daily anti-government protests since April 1. The protests have left 68 dead so far and more than a thousand injured, according to prosecutors.

Also on Wednesday, the cameras caught Pope Francis removing his glasses during his weekly general audience at St Peter's Square at the Vatican.

The next day, on Thursday that is, aerialist Erendira Wallenda was seen hanging beneath a helicopter during a stunt over the Horseshoe Falls at Niagara Falls in New York

In sports, Switzerland's Roger Federer was in action as he returned the ball to Germany's Tommy Haas in their round of sixteen match at the ATP Cup tennis tournament in Stuttgart, southwestern Germany on Wednesday.

This was three days after Spain's Rafael Nadal fell to the court as he celebrated after winning the men's final tennis match against Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka at the Roland Garros 2017 French Open in Paris.

On the very day that Nadal won a historic 10th French Open title, Wales' forward Sam Vokes was snapped reacting during  the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualification football match between Serbia and Wales in Belgrade.