World News in Pictures

[Mr Lick]

"Non" to new airport




A placard with the slogan "No to the Airport" is seen in wood shed at "La Vacherie" area in Notre-Dame-des-Landes, western France, February 17, 2014. Around two hundred people, farmers and inhabitants who refuse to leave, occupy houses or expropriated land in the zoned ZAD (Deferred Development Zone) in Notre-Dame-des-Landes, that is slated for the Grand Ouest Airport. The residents of the ZAD have formed some fifty living groups comprised of self-built homes, villages, farms and buildings that were saved from destruction, which have been renovated and are currently occupied by people who resist expulsion. Residents work in agricultural and horticultural projects, and also have collective spaces for baking bread, a pharmacy, sewing and bicycle repair. A demonstration to protest the construction of the new airport in this zone, some 30kms (19 miles) from Nantes and scheduled for 2017, will be held February 22, 2014 in Nantes





Resident Claude Herbin stands in front of his rented house with the slogan "Village in danger, Vinci deports people" at "Liminbout" area in Notre-Dame-des-Landes, western France, February 17, 2014





Obstacles and shelters partially block a road in Notre-Dame-des-Landes, western France, January 20, 2014

[Mr Lick]

Ukraine stand-off continues despite talks



Despite days of attempts to clear the protesters, their camp still occupies much of Independence Square



Over protesters hangs an image of jailed Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. Her release was a condition of the EU deal the Ukrainian president rejected in November, after parliament voted against freeing her



Protesters discuss the day ahead, amid uncertainty over a claimed peace deal between the president and the opposition












After late-night talks with European foreign ministers, President Yanukovych announced a "roadmap" out of the crisis, but European foreign ministers remain cautious



Ukrainian opposition members celebrate late on Thursday, as parliament adopts a resolution urging a halt to action against the protesters - which required the support of some ruling party MPs

[Mr Lick]

Martin Truex Jr. is involved in an incident during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Duel 2 at the Daytona International Speedway. Truex, whose car was on fire when it approached the finish line, was not injured in the incident and managed to finish in eigth place. He will, however, have to (obviously) use his back-up car for the next race on Sunday



Fans of Egypt's Al-Ahly, known as 'Ultras', hold up a 3D figure of former player Mohamed Abo Trika during the team's African Super Cup soccer match against Tunisia's CS Sfaxien at the Cairo Stadium

[Mr Lick]

Members of the Georgia DNR and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission throw a custom-made 'cutting grapple' in an effort to sever the long strand of fishing rope being dragged by an endangered right whale off the Georgia coast. Seconds later the heavy rope parted and the whale swam away unencumbered



Owner Dora Kettinger talks to her dogs after an examination in a neurology clinic in Budapest. Hungarian researchers have conducted the first comparative dog and human brain study by developing dog training methods to make them lay motionless in MRI machines. The study was done to understand how dogs can be so remarkably good at tuning into the feelings of their owners

[Mr Lick]

Pamela Rauseo, 37, performs CPR on her nephew, five-month-old Sebastian de la Cruz, after pulling her SUV over on the side of the road along the west bound lane on Florida state road 836 just east of 57th Avenue around 2:30pm on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014. At right is Lucila Godoy who stopped her car to assist in the rescue. The baby was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he is reportedly doing ok



The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is seen in an aerial view in the Mojave Desert in California near Primm, Nevada. The largest solar thermal power-tower system in the world, owned by NRG Energy, Google and BrightSource Energy, opened last week in the Ivanpah Dry Lake and uses 347,000 computer-controlled mirrors to focus sunlight onto boilers on top of three 459-foot towers, where water is heated to produce steam to power turbines providing power to more than 140,000 California homes

[Mr Lick]

A float at workshop of samba school Uniao da Ilha do Governador as the city of Rio de Janeiro gears up for its world-famous carnival. This year's event will be held between March 1-4



A paper heart on top of a melting mound of snow as temperatures in New York City rise revealing trash that's been buried for week. After weeks of bitterly cold weather and heavy snow, New York and much of the northeast of the USA got a break from winter with sun and warming temperatures



Shoppers stop to look at a gold-plated Lamborghini on display in a Beijing mall

[Mr Lick]

A rice farmer sleeps in a hammock attached to his tractor on a highway where farmers spent a night in Ayutthaya province. Thai farmers called off a tractor drive to Bangkok's main airport to protest against not being paid under a rice subsidy scheme after an assurance they would get their money

[Mr Lick]

Prehistoric forest uncovered by storms in Cardigan Bay

The skeletal trees of Borth forest – last alive 4,500 years ago and linked to lost kingdom of Cantre’r Gwaelod – appear at shoreline



A prehistoric forest, an eerie landscape including the trunks of hundreds of oaks that died more than 4,500 years ago, has been revealed by the ferocious storms which stripped thousands of tons of sand from beaches in Cardigan Bay.

The forest of Borth once stretched for miles on boggy land between Borth and Ynyslas, before climate change and rising sea levels buried it under layers of peat, sand and saltwater




Scientists have identified pine, alder, oak and birch among the stumps which are occasionally exposed in very stormy winters, such as in 2010, when a stretch of tree remains was revealed conveniently opposite the visitor centre.

The skeletal trees are said to have given rise to the local legend of a lost kingdom, Cantre’r Gwaelod, drowned beneath the waves. The trees stopped growing between 4,500 and 6,000 years ago, as the water level rose and a thick blanket of peat formed

[Mr Lick]

A debate in Ukraine's parliament descended into a brawl on Friday as lawmakers clashed over how to resolve the crisis which has put the country on the brink of civil war.

Fighting broke out when the speaker declared a pause, delaying a debate on a possible resolution calling for President Viktor Yanukovych's powers to be reduced.
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Thursday's session was also marred by a scuffle between rival lawmakers

[Mr Lick]

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych appeared to give in to some of the key demands of opposition leaders on Friday




40 defecting Police officers from Lviv, Ukraine, appear on a stage in Kiev's Independence Square on Friday. The officers have decided to side with the opposition

[Mr Lick]

Free Syrian Army members lower the body of their fellow fighter, who was killed during an explosion inside a tunnel, during his funeral in Deir al-Zor, Syria



An Indonesian worker dries shark fins in Indramayu



Thai policemen relax as their colleagues keep a watch over anti-government protestors in front of Royal Thai Police Sports Club in Bangkok

[Mr Lick]

A float at workshop of a samba school during the preparations for the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil



A Pakistani independent social worker, delivers biscuits for Afghan refugee children, during World Day Of Social Justice, at a makeshift school set up in a mosque on the outskirts of Islamabad



A woman stands near a plane in the Mpoko Muslim refugee camp, in Bangui, Central African Republic. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by the brutal surge of violence

[Mr Lick]

A civilian, wounded by the impact of a rocket, sits on his bed at "Hopital de l'Amitie" in Bangui, Central African Republic February 20, 2014



Russian punk band Pussy Riot members Maria Alyokhina (L) and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova (2nd L) along with a masked member speak to journalists during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, in Adler February 20, 2014



Team USA stand dejected after losing their women's gold medal ice hockey game against Canada at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games February 20, 2014.

[Mr Lick]

Former News International Chief Executive Rebekah Brooks (L) and her husband Charlie leave the Old Bailey courthouse in London February 20, 2014.



Former U.S. congressman Mel Reynolds arrives at the Harare Magistrates court, February 20, 2014



Guo, a farmer in his 50s, drives his self-made scale replica of a Lamborghini with his grandson on a street in Zhengzhou, Henan province, China February 19, 2014.

[Mr Lick]

Protesters biting biscuits in the shape of cigarettes demonstrate with manipulated portraits of late political figures who were known smokers, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Chinese leader Mao Zedong and President Franklin Roosevelt, against a potential tax increase on cigarettes to be announced during the upcoming annual budget in Hong Kong February 20, 2014.

[Mr Lick]

Fans of Egypt's Al-Ahly, known as "Ultras", flee after riot police fired tear gas during clashes after their African Super Cup soccer match against Tunisia's CS Sfaxien at Cairo Stadium February 20, 2014. Al-Ahly won the African Super Cup title



Brazilian dancers Glauce Costa and Jessica Gomes perform during the rehearsal of the Mocidade Independente Padre Miguel samba school in Rio de Janeiro, February 17, 2014, as a preparation for the 2014 carnival parade



Russia's Adelina Sotnikova reacts with her choreographer Irina Tagaeva and her coach Elena Buyanova in the "kiss and cry" area during the Figure Skating Women's free skating Program at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, February 20, 2014

[Mr Lick]

Best of Sochi - Day 13




First-placed Russia's Adelina Sotnikova shakes hands with second-placed South Korea's Kim Yuna as third-placed Italy's Carolina Kostner looks on, on the podium after the figure skating women's free skating program at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, February 20, 2014



Japan's Mao Asada reacts at the end of her program during the Figure Skating Women's free skating Program at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, February 20, 2014



South Korea's pilot Kim Dong-hyun and his teammates speed down the track during a four-man bobsleigh training session at the Sanki Sliding Center in Rosa Khutor, during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics near Sochi, February 20, 2014

[Mr Lick]

China's Li Zijun competes during the figure skating women's free skating program at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, February 20, 2014



Angeli Vanlaanen of the U.S.reacts after crashing during the women's freestyle skiing halfpipe finals at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor, February 20, 2014



Canada's winning curling team steps onto the podium during the flower ceremony for the women's curling event at the Ice Cube Curling Center during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, February 20, 2014.



Switzerland's women's ice hockey team poses for a picture after their win over Sweden in their women's hockey bronze medal game at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games, February 20, 2014

[Mr Lick]

Winner Maddie Bowman of the U.S. and her compatriot gold medalist in the men's freestyle halfpipe skiing David Wise pose after the women's freestyle skiing halfpipe final at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor, February 20, 2014.



Britain's curling team celebrates after winning in their women's bronze medal curling game against Switzerland at the Ice Cube Curling Center during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, February 20, 2014

[Mr Lick]

Best of Sochi - Day 14




Canada's second placed Kelsey Serwa, Canada's winner Marielle Thompson and Sweden's third placed Anna Holmlund (L-R) jump during a flower ceremony after the women's freestyle skiing skicross finals at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor, February 21, 2014




Sweden's Niklas Kronwall (L) and Finland's Teemu Selanne have words during the first period of the men's ice hockey semi-final game at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games, February 21, 2014

[Mr Lick]

Sweden's vice Sebastian Kraupp, second Fredrik Lindberg, skip Niklas Edin and lead Viktor Kjaell (L-R) celebrate as China's second Ba Dexin is seen behind after Sweden won their men's curling bronze medal game at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in the Ice Cube Curling Center in Sochi, February 21, 2014



Mikaela Shiffrin of the U.S. clears a gate during the first run of the women's alpine skiing slalom event at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center, February 21, 2014



Canada's second placed Kelsey Serwa and her compatriot winner Marielle Thompson (R) celebrate during a flower ceremony after the women's freestyle skiing skicross finals at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor, February 21, 2014.

[Mr Lick]

More than 100,000 people were evacuated from their homes on the Indonesian island of Java after the volcano Mount Kelud erupted twice. Here a man attempts to clear ash from damaged houses in Malang.



Calm before the returning storm? A man leans on a tree in London's St James's Park in the winter sun. Early forecasts suggest the continuing Atlantic storms may be set to return the record-breaking wet and windy conditions of the last few months to the UK next week



Thai police check their mobile phones as they take a break from guarding the Command Management for Peace and Order centre in Bangkok

[Mr Lick]

Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz (2nd R) looks slightly bemuzed at a humanoid robot 'WABIAN-II' carrying a bouquet of flowers to him during an honorary doctor of laws presentation ceremony at Waseda University in Tokyo



Palestinian civilians carry an injured boy during clashes with Israeli security forces near border of the Gaza Strip

[Mr Lick]

Ripped pages of Anne Frank's "Diary of a Young Girl" are displayed at a library in Tokyo on Feb. 21. City officials announced Friday that librarians have counted at least 265 damaged Anne Frank-related books at 31 municipal libraries since the end of January. Though Holocaust denial has occurred in Japan at times, the motive for damaging the books is unclear



President Barack Obama met with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in the Map Room of the White House on Friday, despite warnings from China that the visit would damage ties between the two countries.

The White House released this photo through its Flickr account. The event was closed to the press, and no independent photographers were permitted in

[Mr Lick]

Russian Sergey Mikhaylovich Prokudin-Gorsky took these groundbreaking images in the early 20th century in Dagestan, a region of what was then the Russian Empire. The photos, now part of the Library of Congress, are a unique look at Russia on the cusp of the 1917 revolution that would lead to the formation of the Soviet Union



A Sunni Muslim man wears traditional clothing, with a sheathed dagger at his side, in Dagestan, in the Caucasus region of the then-Russian Empire







A view of Sochi, around 1905-1915



A view of Sochi and the coast of the Black Sea, around 1905-1915