From the safe return of three kidnap victims in Ohio and the rescue of a woman trapped for 17 days in the rubble of a garment factory in Bangladesh to Israeli air strikes in Syria and a teddy bear hospital in Germany, TIME presents the best pictures of the week.
TIME commissioned five photographers to document Hurricane Sandy in various locations across the Eastern seaboard.
TIME photographer James Nachtwey was one of the first photographers on the ground in northern Japan covering the devastating effects of the earthquake and tsunami. Here is an essay, in his words, accompanied by additional images from his coverage.
