This Week in 3 Photos

Photograph: Bulent Kilic/AFP

This week some of the most compelling photography unfortunately came from disasters. A great tragedy struck Turkey last week, as a coalmine in Manisa collapsed, becoming the worst industrial accident in the country's history. Funeral services were held accross Turkey, with 284 workers confirmed dead. Turkey's four biggest worker's unions held a one-day protest in anger over the accident. When more than 20 000 workers turned to the streets to protest police forces had to be sent in to intervene. The country is in the state of mourning.

Photograph: Stuart Palley/EPA

Another raging disaster has been going on for some time now in southern California as forest fires consume the state. Due to draught and an immense heatwave, south-western part of the US has been suffering terribly from forest fires. California took the biggest hit, as wild fires are spreading accross the state from Fallbrook to San Diego to, as we see on this picture, San Marcos.

Photograph: Daniel Ochoa de Olza/AP

But heat is not neccessarily a bad thing, and the Spanish know how to celebrate it. This week the traditional celebration of Las Mayas took place in Madrid, Spain. The festival has been around since the medieval ages and originates from pagan customs. Las Mayas celebrates the beginning of spring (well, Spanish people are known to be late sometimes...) and is a celebration of flowers, warming climate and the blooming of all nature. A "Maya" girl is selected from 7 to 11 year old girls in the city, to sit still and serious on the altar for two hours. It is a great honor and a great responsibility.