Thread: World News in Pictures

Ajmer, India: A woman's mehendi-decorated foot emerges from the water as she swims in the Ana Sagar lake during the annual Urs festival



Braunschweig, Germany: A mannequin and the interior of St Michaelis church are covered with tiny price tags as part of an art installation by Kerstin Schulz

Misrata, Libya: Rebel fighters mourn their comrades, who died during clashes with forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, at a field hospital near Misrata's western frontline



Halstead, England: Wheat grows in dry conditions in East Anglia, one of the areas of Britain that Defra has recorded as officially suffering a drought because of dry spring weather

Qalaa, Libya: Rebels take up positions in a deserted house during fighting against forces loyal to Muammar Gadafi in the west of Libya



Qingdao, China: A visitor tries out the furniture during a luxury show in eastern Shandong province. China is expected to replace Japan as the world's top consumer of luxury goods by 2012

Nutrioso, US: A forest burns during an operation to contain the Wallow Fire in eastern Arizona. The fire has destroyed more than 30 homes and forced nearly 10,000 people to evacuate



New York, US: Children play at Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda's exhibition at the Park Avenue Armoury. The exhibition explores the artist's interest in mathematics, the subconscious and the digital world

Bristol, England: Adult prairie dogs look out at Bristol Zoo Gardens, where there has been a recent boom in the number of newborn babies to various species

Blazing Arizona wildfire



Smoke rises from the Wallow Fire as it burns toward homes south of Eagar, Ariz., on Thursday, June 9. After reportedly being sparked by a campfire, the blaze has become the second-largest wildfire in state history and is still growing.





















Firefighter Jan Koch poses for a portrait with his face covered in soot after working the Wallow Wildfire in Springerville, Ariz.,

Political unrest in Yemen



Anti-government protesters reach a vehicle carrying Sheik Sadeq al-Ahmar, the head of the powerful Hashid tribe, to shake hands with him as he visits the site of a demonstration demanding the resignation of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in Sanaa, Yemen, on Friday, June 10



A woman with a picture of Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh clipped to her forehead attends a rally in Sanaa, on June 10. Loyalists to wounded Saleh celebrated reports that he would soon return to Yemen, but opponents said they were working to ensure that, even if he does, he will no longer be in power. Saleh has not been seen since being flown for surgery to Saudi Arabia following burns to 40 percent of his body in an attack on his palace last Friday

Volcano eruption in Chile




The Gol-Gol River in Chile is covered with volcanic ash from the erupting Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano on June 7.

Conflict in Libya, Week 16







Libyan medics treat an injured rebel fighter at a field hospital near Misrata's western front line on June 10.






Libyans chant anti Gadhafi slogans aboard the Azzurra Line on their way from Benghazi to Misrata, Libya, early Friday, June 10. Bombing continued early Friday as three fresh strikes sent plumes of smoke over Tripoli. Their direction suggested that either Gadhafi's compound or nearby military barracks were shelled. Government officials have not been commenting on NATO strikes

Ruler on Ice (L) with jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. in the irons wins the 143rd Belmont Stakes, followed by Stay Thirsty and jockey Javier Castellano in the final leg of racing's Triple Crown at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, June 11.

Injured victims of multiple bomb blasts await treatment after arriving at the Lady Reading hospital in Peshawar June 12. At least 25 people were killed when two blasts ripped through a market area in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar late on Saturday, police said.




Danielle Carruthers, left, competes in the 100-meter hurdles with second place finisher Kellie Wells, center, and fourth place finisher Lolo Jones, all of the US, in the Adidas Grand Prix track and field meet on Randall's Island in New York, Saturday, June 11. Carruthers won with a time of 13.04 seconds.

Left: Lance Cpl. Blas Trevino of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, left, holds onto the gunshot wound in his belly and gestures toward his troops as he runs to a medevac helicopter from the U.S. Army's Task Force Lift "Dust Off", Charlie Company 1-214 Aviation Regiment after he got shot in the stomach outside Sangin, in the Helmand Province of southern Afghanistan, Saturday, June 11. The Army's 'Dust Off' crew needed two attempts to get him out, as they were fired upon and took five rounds of bullets into the tail of their aircraft. Right: Lance Cpl. Blas Trevino of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, shouts out as he is rescued.



A large bullet hole is seen on the tail of a Black Hawk helicopter after the U.S. Army's Task Force Lift "Dust Off", Charlie Company 1-214 Aviation Regiment came under fire while rescuing injured Marine Lance Cpl. Blas Trevino after he was shot in the stomach outside Sangin, in the Helmand Province of southern Afghanistan, Saturday, June 11.



Lance Cpl. Blas Trevino of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, gives the thumbs-up to U.S. Army flight medic Sgt. Joe Campbell after arriving at a field hospital at camp Edi on a medevac helicopter.

Fazul Abdullah Mohammed: Death is 'blow' for al-Qaeda



US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said the death of top African al-Qaeda militant Fazul Abdullah Mohammed is a "significant blow" to the group.

He and another militant were killed earlier this week in a shootout with police at a checkpoint in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, officials said.

Mr Mohammed was the most wanted man in Africa, with a $5m bounty on his head.

He was suspected of having played a key role in the 1998 US embassy bombings in East Africa, which killed 224 people.

He was also accused of attacking Israeli targets on the Kenyan coast in 2002, and was recently believed to have been working with the Islamist militant group, al-Shabab, which controls much of southern Somalia.

Murder charges over former police officer's death



Two men have been charged with murder following the stabbing of a former police officer in Leicester.

Officers discovered the body of Paul Fyfe, 47, when they were called to an address on Balderstone Close in Rowlatts Hill early on Friday morning.

A post-mortem test showed he died from a single stab wound to the chest.

Two local men, aged 22 and 24, will appear at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Monday. A 21-year-old man has been released on police bail.

Mr Fyfe is reported to have left Leicestershire Constabulary about six years ago.

Albertina Sisulu funeral held in South Africa

Thousands of South Africans have attended the funeral of one of the leading figures of the anti-apartheid movement, Albertina Sisulu.

In a message read to the mourners, former president Nelson Mandela paid tribute to her as "one of the greatest South Africans".

Mrs Sisulu was active in the woman's league of the African National Congress and was married to Walter Sisulu, who brought Nelson Mandela into the ANC.

She died last week at the age of 92.

President Jacob Zuma called her a "national heroine" who had mentored many of South Africa's political and business leaders.















Former President Nelson Mandella's wife Grace reads out a statement by the great man in which he describes her as one of the finest South Africans



President Zuma hails her as a 'national heroine' who was a 'mother of the nation'



Desmond Tutu describes her as an inspiration to all South Africans

Mikhail Khodorkovsky 'sent to secret prison'



Former Russian oil tycoon and outspoken Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky has been transferred to a secret prison, his lawyers have said.

They said they were informed on Friday that he had been moved from Moscow to an undisclosed location.

Lawyer Vadim Klyuvgant said he believed the transfer was intended to artificially delay his client's parole hearing.

His first bid for parole in 2008 was unsuccessful.

Mr Klyuvgant said it would be easier for authorities to reject Khodorkovsky's request for early release if the review was held far from Moscow, and from journalists who could scrutinise the procedure.

Syrian unrest



















Explosive devices found by Syrian troops under a river bridge



At least 4,300 Syrians have crossed the border into Turkey

India Maoists kill 10 police in Chhattisgarh mine blast



Ten policemen have been killed and four injured in a landmine blast detonated by Maoist rebels in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, police say.

The attack took place as the policemen were travelling in a vehicle in the restive Dantewada region.

It comes hours after five policemen were killed in a rebel ambush in Narayanpur district in the state.

Maoist rebels say they are fighting for the rights of indigenous tribal people and the rural poor.

They are active in several eastern and central states. In one of the most deadly attacks last year, rebels killed 74 policemen in Dantewada.

India's prime minister has described the Maoist insurgency as the country's biggest internal security challenge.

Police said Thursday's night attack happened when the vehicle carrying the policemen ran over a Maoist landmine in the Katekalyan area

Afghan suicide blast kills Kunduz policemen



At least three policemen have been killed by a suicide bomber in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz, officials say.

Authorities said the bomber had blown himself up after he was prevented from entering a mosque in the city.

People had been gathering at the mosque to remember a slain regional police commander when the incident happened.

Kunduz province was once a relatively quiet part of the country but has become more unstable in recent months.

Anthony Weiner 'to seek help' after lewd photos scandal



A New York congressman who admitted sending lewd photos of himself to women says he wants a leave of absence to seek professional treatment.

The announcement came hours after senior US Democrats called for Anthony Weiner to resign.

Mr Weiner has admitted "inappropriate" communications including sending a photo of his crotch to an admirer.

He has been regarded as a rising star in the Democratic Party and a strong candidate for New York City mayor.

He has previously said he will not resign over the scandal.

A statement from Mr Weiner's spokeswoman, Risa Heller, said he will seek professional treatment and will focus on "becoming a better husband and healthier person".

She said Mr Weiner wanted the leave of absence so he can be evaluated and work out a course of treatment. The statement doesn't say what he would be treated for.

Sebastian Vettel takes pole position in Canada





The German was again a class apart and took his sixth pole in seven races this year by 0.185 seconds from the Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.

The McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, surprisingly struggling for pace, were fifth and seventh, with Force India's Paul di Resta 11th.

Red Bull's Mark Webber was fourth and Mercedes' Nico Rosberg sixth.

"Another pole for Vettel - I can hear you groaning at home," said BBC F1 commentator Martin Brundle, "but the encouraging thing is that the Ferraris are right there."

"Ferrari will be happy because Red Bull have not been able to dominate in the races as they have in qualifying," added BBC F1 chief analyst Eddie Jordan.

Andy Murray eyes Queen's final victory over Tsonga




Andy Murray will look to regain the title he won two years ago and complete the perfect Wimbledon preparation when he faces Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Sunday's Aegon Championships final.

The match has been brought forward to begin at 1200 BST, with Queen's Club expected to experience prolonged rain later in the afternoon.

Tsonga, ranked 19th in the world, ended hopes of an unexpected all-British final with victory over James Ward on Saturday but is likely to find Murray a far stiffer test.

The world number four was in scintillating form as he destroyed four-time champion Andy Roddick in the first of the semi-finals, and the Scot has won four of his five matches against Tsonga, among them a quarter-final victory at Wimbledon last year.

"I enjoy playing against him," said Murray. "He's a great athlete. He's similar in a few ways to Andy [Roddick].

"He's very flashy, a great shot-maker, can be a little bit erratic at times, but he's one of the best grass-court players in the world, for sure."

Foreign tourists stroll at the waters' edge passing a wooden fence of stakes dug deep into the sand in an attempt to form a barricade against the damage of surging waves, on the resort island of Phuket, southern Thailand, June 11.

Post-tsunami, development at the seas' edge is booming once again, despite high losses of lives and business of those who lived, holidayed and built shops on the sea's edge, in Phuket and neighboring provinces struck by the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. Shops, restaurants and hotels have returned in force despite the risks, and creep ever closer to the edge of the Andaman Sea

Isle of Wight Festival day two

Pulp, Iggy and the Stooges and Wild Beasts were among the artists performing on the second day







Ian Astbury of veteran British rock band The Cult



Trish Simonon, Kate Moss and Meg Mathews attend the Ray-Ban Rooms



US country-rock singer Lissie performed on the main stage of the festival

Justin Young and Freddie Cowan from the Vaccines, whose debut album has won them a legion of young fans