Europe's week in pictures

The news in pictures - and some of the more striking images - from the past seven days across Europe.

Thousands of livestock were destroyed across Europe after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the UK

Fears that the disease could spread to mainland Europe led many to take extra precautions - including protective clothing

Snow caused havoc from Genoa to Glasgow, including here near Loriol, central France...

... while Moscow coninued dealing with its biggest monthly snowfall since 1901

In Kiev police dragged protesters from the main street where they had camped for weeks calling on the president to resign

In some parts of Europe it was a week of traditional carnival festivities, as here in St Mark's Square, Venice

The colourful Gilles de Binche characters of Binche, Belgium, were out in force for their annual parade on 27 February...

...simultaneously, brokerage staff at the Frankfurt stock exchange wore fancy dress to work...

... and in Warsaw couples danced non-stop for an hour during the annual Bill Haley rock and roll marathon

A cut-out of Edmund Stoiber, chairman of Bavaria's Christian Social Union, got a few laughs at the party's Ash Wednesday rally