World News in Pictures

[Mr Lick]

Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav, left, is hugged before the reading of his verdict at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, Israel, on November 10. Katsav raped a former aide and molested two other women who worked for him, Israel's Supreme Court said on Thursday, upholding his conviction in a lower court and a seven-year jail term.




Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav enters the courtroom for the reading of his verdict at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on November 10.

[Mr Lick]

Flames rise from an Egyptian pipeline that delivers gas to Israel and Jordan after it was hit by an explosion some 25 miles west of the town of El-Arish in the north of the Sinai peninsula, Egypt, early on November 10.

Authorities have blamed the incidents on activists protesting against gas exports to Israel, which have been running since 2008 under a 15-year deal with preferential terms. Officials of the new government have been trying to amend the deal since Mubarak's toppling

[Mr Lick]

Bangkok, Thailand: A Thai bus passenger takes a photo as the bus continues on its route through flooded streets in Lat Phrao



Dead Sea, West Bank: Palestinians and tourists bathe in the waters of the Dead Sea



Tongxiang, China: A farmer takes a nap in a tent at a mushroom farm



California, US: UCLA students are arrested by Los Angeles Police Department officers

[Mr Lick]

Madrid, Spain: Dancers of Dairakudakan company perform "Paradise in the Jar Odyssey 2001"



Lahore, Pakistan: Men count cow hides which will be sold to leather workshops, days after Muslims slaughtered animals during the Eid-al-Adha festival



Ayutthaya, Thailand: Thai mahouts and elephants celebrate the annual Loy Krathong festival

[Mr Lick]

Republican presidential candidates former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney reacts as businessman Herman Cain speaks at the CNBC Republican presidential debate in Rochester, Michigan, November 9, 2011.



Members of an internet support community called Medvedev's Girls attend a meeting of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev with bloggers in Moscow's Kremlin, November 9, 2011.



Adam Murray, a member of the protest camp outside St Paul's Cathedral, sits in a coffee shop close to the camp, in central London, November 9, 2011



An elderly person lays in a bed as people clean their home from debris and mud after flood waters receded in Ayutthaya, Thailand, November 9, 2011

[Mr Lick]

Reyes Wolee, 19, a political science student who said he received 24 stitches after Liberian police beat him with their rifle butts when they stormed the opposition Congress for Democratic Change headquarters on Monday, shows one of his four head wounds in the capital Monrovia, November 9, 2011.



A student runs away from a jet of water as students clash with the riot police during a protest to demand for changes to the public state education system in Valparaiso city, northwest of Santiago, Chile, November 9, 2011.



A member of the Syrian opposition delegation (C) is attacked before the delegation was due to meet with Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, November 9, 2011.

[Mr Lick]

A man uses a boat to get around as rising floodwaters are seen inside a military airport, next to the Don Muang airport, in Bangkok, November 9, 2011.



Manchester City's Argentine striker Carlos Tevez holds his daughter Florencia while being mobbed by journalists upon his arrival at Ezeiza airport in Buenos Aires, November 8, 2011



A man and his dog make their way through a flooded area in Ayutthaya, Thailand, November 9, 2011.

[Mr Lick]

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni greets the crowd during celebrations marking the 58th anniversary of the country's independence from France, in central Phnom Penh, November 9, 2011.



Fishermen from India sit in a Karachi police station after being detained in Pakistan waters, November 9, 2011. Pakistani maritime authorities arrested 27 Indian fishermen and seized five boats for illegally venturing into Pakistan's territorial waters, local media reported.



Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie arrive at the Japan premiere of Pitt's film "Moneyball" in Tokyo, November 9, 2011.

[Mr Lick]

Perry's Debate Disaster
His campaign already struggling, GOP presidential candidate Texas Governor Rick Perry had a humiliating debate as he was unable to name an agency he wanted to eliminate and finally went, "Oops."



Rescued from the Rain
Rescuers help a homeless man from the banks of a river in Cali, Colombia. Heavy rains have contributed to dozens of deaths in the region and are expected to continue into 2012.



Poverty Reaches Record High in U.S.
The Census Bureau counted a record 49 million Americans in poverty in 2010 -- about 16 percent of the population -- under a new but unofficial formulation. The official poverty figure in September was 46.2 million.

[Mr Lick]

Never Leave a Man Behind
Through the smoke of a flare, Marines carry a comrade hit by an Improvised Explosive Device to a Medevac helicopter in Afghanistan's Helmand province. Two Marines suffered multiple fractures on their legs.



Going Under
A man crossing floodwaters loses his balance as he tries to stand up inside a boat in Bangkok. The Thai capital, built on swampland, is slowly sinking and experts fear it could be forced to deal with more severe flooding in the future



Spanish Economic Crisis Worsens
People line up at a job center in Madrid, Spain. Record unemployment figures and the recent credit rating downgrade has left the country facing further economic stagnation as a general election approaches on November 20.



If Bears Ruled the World
Stuffed life-sized teddy bears representing some of the leaders expected during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit are lined up at Teddy Bear World in Honolulu, Hawaii.



Wilson Ramos Kidnapped
Wilson Ramos, 24, of the Washington Nationals was abducted by four armed men while visiting his family in Venezuela.



U.S. Stocks Fall Over Europe Concerns
Traders work at the New York Stock Exchange on November 9, 2011. Concerns over financial and political instability in Greece and Italy drove down the markets.

[Mr Lick]

Fermanagh businessman Sean Quinn in bankruptcy move

Sean Quinn was stripped of control of his manufacturing and insurance business empire in April

Fermanagh businessman Sean Quinn - once believed to have been Ireland's richest man - has been declared bankrupt.

He was granted a voluntary adjudication at Belfast High Court on Friday over an alleged 2.8bn euros (£2.4bn) debt owed to Anglo Irish Bank.

Mr Quinn, 64, was stripped of control of his manufacturing and insurance business empire in April and owes billions of pounds.

He and his family are engaged in a legal battle with Anglo Irish Bank.

Mr Quinn was reputedly worth 4.72bn euros (£3.7bn) at the height of his business success.

It is believed to be one of the biggest bankruptcy orders of its kind ever made in either the United Kingdom or Ireland.

Mr Quinn said he brought the application north of the border because he was born, reared and worked all his life in County Fermanagh.

But by declaring himself bankrupt in Northern Ireland it also means he only has to wait a year before going back into business - rather than 12 years in the Republic.

Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC) - the new name for Anglo Irish Bank - disputed Mr Quinn's claim that he is resident in Northern Ireland.

"The bank is examining the validity of this application for bankruptcy in light of Mr Quinn's residency and extensive business interests and liabilities within the (Irish) state," it said on Friday.

Mr Quinn claimed to have been left with no alternative but to take the "drastic decision" over problems which stemmed from "ill-fated investments in Anglo".

I have done absolutely everything in my power to avoid taking this drastic decision”

End Quote Sean Quinn

He accepts that he owes around 194m euros to Anglo for property loans which he cannot repay.

[Mr Lick]

Testicle bite woman Maria Topp given suspended sentence

Maria Topp admitted causing grievous bodily harm

A mother of four who admitted biting her boyfriend's scrotum during a drunken row has been given a suspended jail term.

Maria Topp, 44, from Gateshead, attacked Martin Douglas at his Newcastle flat in February.

The 45-year-old DJ needed 19 stitches to a wound on his scrotum.

The recorder at Newcastle Crown Court handed Topp, of Aycliffe Place, Wrekenton, a 12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He also ordered her to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, and imposed a restraining order preventing her from contacting Mr Douglas.

Recorder Robin Mairs said: "This relationship is over, I think both of you accept that."

Topp had previously pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.

That hearing was told that the pair, who had been in a relationship for about five years, had been drinking at the time of the attack, which Topp did not remember.

[Mr Lick]

Tiger Woods takes a time out from puttng as a jet aircraft flies over the 7th green during the 2011 Emirates Australian Open at the Lakes GC, Sydney

[Mr Lick]

Colombia student protests

[Mr Lick]

[Mr Lick]

The european union has drastically cut it's growth forecast for the eurozone in 2012 from 1.8% to 0.5%

[Mr Lick]

A man and his dogs take refuge from floods in Bangkok in part of a construction project for an elevated train system.

[Mr Lick]

Millions of people across the UK observed a two minute silence to mark Armistice Day

[Mr Lick]

Charles and Camilla in Tanzania

[Mr Lick]

[Mr Lick]

The UK remembers its fallen















The England Football Team fell silent before a training session

[Mr Lick]

Mike Tindall removed from England elite squad and fined by RFU



Mike Tindall has been fined £25,000 by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and removed from England's elite player squad for his World Cup conduct.
The former England captain attracted negative headlines after a night out in Queenstown on 11 September.

"[His] actions [were] unacceptable and amounted to a very serious breach," said RFU rugby director Rob Andrew.

These episodes and the subsequent disciplinary action should stand as a strong reminder that the highest standards of personal conduct are expected - Rob Andrew

Chris Ashton and James Haskell received suspended fines for a separate incident, with Dylan Hartley cleared.

Ashton and Haskell - both given suspended £5,000 fines and warned as to their future conduct after making inappropriate comments to a female hotel worker - are free to continue their England careers, but centre Tindall, at the age of 33, now appears unlikely to add to his 75 caps.

"These actions have not been taken lightly but we believe that, in all these cases, the sanctions are commensurate with the level of seriousness of what occurred," added Andrew.

"Whilst we acknowledge [Tindall's] previous good character, it needs to be made clear that what he did will not be tolerated."

Not everyone agrees with the punishment meted out to Tindall.

Former England international Austin Healey wrote on Twitter that the £25,000 fine was "wrong" and claimed Tindall had been made a "scapegoat".

Healey, who earned 51 caps for his country, conceded Tindall had set a "bad example" but felt Andrew was "trying to justify his position".

[Mr Lick]

Police apologise over murders of Diane and Holly Fallon

The bodies of Holly Fallon and her mother Diane were found in Ayrshire

Strathclyde Police has apologised for its handling of sex offender Thomas Smith, who murdered a mother and her 10-year-old daughter in Ayrshire.

Smith killed Diane Fallon and daughter Holly in Cronberry in March 2009.
An independent review was commissioned after it emerged the killer was a registered sex offender who was placed in a flat next door to the family.

The force said it was sorry he was able to murder Diane and Holly "while we had responsibility for managing him".

The independent case review said "more robust" management of Smith could have identified his "increasing risk".

The report, by Robert Thomson of the Lothian and Borders Community Justice Authority, said: "I cannot say that it would have prevented the murders of Diane and Holly Fallon, but potentially he may not have been in a position to commit these murders at that point in time.

"There were several missed investigative opportunities that should have resulted in Smith being subjected to greater police scrutiny, which may have resulted in a return to custody."

Thomas Smith must serve a minimum of 32 years in prison

In response, Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton, of Strathclyde Police, said he accepted the recommendations of the Significant Case Review.

He said: "It is our job to keep people safe. Doing this means that we have to manage people like Smith in our communities.

"I am sorry that he was able to murder Diane and Holly while we had responsibility for managing him.

"I have met with the family of Diane and Holly Fallon, shared the findings of the report with them and I have made that apology directly to them.

"There are undoubtedly things that we could and should have done better."
Mr Hamilton said, as a result of the review process, "lessons have been learned and major improvements have been made".

Smith, who was previously jailed for six months for an indecent assault on a child in England, was a neighbour of Ms Fallon and her daughter in the small East Ayrshire hamlet when he murdered them.

Ms Fallon, 43, was brutally sexually assaulted and her daughter raped before having their necks compressed and being strangled with a ligature.

The victims' bodies were then dumped by Smith.

Jailing Smith, who is now 28, for life at the High Court in Glasgow, Judge Lord Turnbull told him: "You have set a benchmark of depravity below which it is difficult to imagine any other human being sinking."

The judge said he should serve at least 32 years before being eligible for parole.

[Mr Lick]

'Kill team' leader Calvin Gibbs guilty of murder

Gibbs' 5th Stryker Brigade was deployed in western Kandahar, Afghanistan

A US military court has convicted an American soldier of three counts of premeditated murder for leading a rogue "kill team" in Afghanistan.

Sgt Calvin Gibbs, 26, admitted cutting and keeping fingers from corpses as war trophies, but said he was returning enemy fire and did not set out to kill.

He was given life for 15 convictions related to the killing of three men, but could be paroled within nine years.

Three co-defendants in the case pleaded guilty, and two testified against him.
Gibbs, from Billings, Montana, was the highest-ranking of the soldiers charged with murder.

Prosecutors told the jury that Gibbs and the other soldiers dropped weapons by the bodies to make them appear to be combatants.

Gibbs' lawyer argued that the three who pleaded guilty conspired to blame him for their own actions.

The jury of five deliberated for four hours before announcing the verdict, pronouncing him guilty on all 15 charges against him.

He faces life in prison.

[Mr Lick]

Mexico captures 'top Sinaloa drug boss' Limon Sanchez

Mr Limon Sanchez is the latest alleged top drug trafficker to be captured
MEXICO'S DRUGS WAR



An alleged senior leader of Mexico's notorious Sinaloa drugs cartel has been arrested, officials say.

Ovidio Limon Sanchez was captured by soldiers in Culiacan - the capital of Sinaloa state on the Pacific coast.

He is accused of organising huge shipments of cocaine into southern California and of running a network that distributes it throughout the US.

He faces extradition to the US, which had offered a reward of up to $5m (£3.13m) for his arrest.

Mr Limon Sanchez is alleged to be a close ally of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the fugitive leader of the Sinaloa cartel, who is Mexico's most wanted drug lord.