World News in Pictures

[Mr Lick]

A Georgian boy jumps over a fire during the folk festival called 'Chiakokonoba' in Tbilisi, Georgia April 20. Chiakokonoba is a famous ritual among Georgian kids. They gather woods start a fire and jump over it. According to the legend by jumping over the fire once purifies them from evil souls.

[Mr Lick]

President Barack Obama and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg greet the audience during a town hall style meeting at Facebook headquarters on April 20 in Palo Alto, California. Obama held the Facebook town hall to answer questions about the deficit and the economy.

[Mr Lick]

U.S. Secretary of the Army John McHugh kneels while expressing his sympathies to the family of U.S. Army Corporal Justin Ross during his burial ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery April 20 in Arlington, Virginia. Ross, 22, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, was assigned to the U.S. Army Reserve 863rd Engineer Battalion and died March 26 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by small-arms fire.

[Mr Lick]

185 skydivers from 24 nations fly in the phoenix formation above DeLand, Fla.



Claudia Holland 71, posted this sign outside her Hudson, Texas home. Holland was unharmed earlier this month when someone kicked in her front door. She thinks her barking dogs scared off the late-night intruder.

[Mr Lick]

This image of a pair of interacting galaxies called Arp 273 was released to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope. The distorted shape of the larger of the two galaxies shows signs of tidal interactions with the smaller of the two. It is thought that the smaller galaxy has actually passed through the larger one.

[Mr Lick]

Rebels fighters escape from a building they had entered on Tripoli Street in the city of Misrata, believing they had already captured it from troops loyal to Moammar Gadhafi, on April 20. Rebels entered the building, but were fired upon by several gunmen still inside.

[Mr Lick]

Members of the Scots Guards kick up dust during the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace on April 20, 2011 in London, England. Soldiers guard Queen Elizabeth II and other royals at Buckingham Palace in a 24 hour rotation with a ceremonial hand over at 11.30 in the morning.

[Mr Lick]

Gadget gives cops quick access to cell phone data



The "Universal Forensic Extraction Device" sounds like the perfect cell phone snooping gadget.

Its maker, Israel-based Cellbrite, says it can copy all the content in a cell phone -- including contacts, text messages, call history, and pictures -- within a few minutes. Even deleted texts and other data can be restored by UFED 2.0, the latest version of the product, it says.

And it really is a universal tool. The firm says UFED works with 3,000 cell phone models, representing 95 percent of the handset market. Coming soon, the firm says on its website: "Additional major breakthroughs, including comprehensive iPhone physical solution; Android physical support – allowing bypassing of user lock code, (Windows Phone) support, and much more." For good measure, UFEC can extract information from GPS units in most cars.

[Mr Lick]

A firefighter surveys the devastation near Strawn, Texas, located west of Dallas. Scores of homes have been destroyed in the wildfires that have scorched more than a million acres in recent days.



A rooster and chickens wander through the wreckage of what used to be a home in Elm Grove, North Carolina, after a series of deadly tornadoes tore through seven states, leaving at least 45 dead.



A resident carries a mattress on his bicycle in Kano, Nigeria. The announced re-election of Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian, has triggered violence across the country between Muslims and Christians.

[Mr Lick]

People displaced by violence walk the road between Blolequin and Toulepleu to return to their villages. Despite some militiamen remaining loyal to imprisoned Laurent Gbagbo, the Ivory Coast is largely calm.

[Mr Lick]

The peloton (main body of riders) makes its way through the Belgian countryside during the 2011 La Fleche Wallonne Cycle Race in Huy, Belgium.

[Mr Lick]

Twin white lion babies Niza and Nero pose for a photo at the Serengeti Animal Park in Hodenhagen, Germany. The twins were raised by hand after they were rejected by their mother

[Mr Lick]

After nearly a decade, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the color-coded terrorism alert system has been abandoned. Above: Then Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge displays the system in 2002.



A rocket blasts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Andhra Pradesh, India, on Wednesday, carrying a satellite designed to study and help manage natural resources.



A boat sits on the dried up shores of Lake Gruyere near the western Switzerland village of Avry-devant-Pont, which has been severely affected by continuous droughts.



Charlie Sheen talks with the media and fans as he arrived at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC.



Henrik Busborg, an Elvis Presley look-alike, entertains a crowd during the inauguration of a new miniature Graceland in Randers, Denmark. The mini-Graceland honors Elvis Presley's legendary Memphis home.



A close column of Russian Naval Infantry march during a rehearsal of the Victory Day Parade outside Moscow. The parade will take place in Red Square to commemorate the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany

[Mr Lick]

A Christian Orthodox priest baptizes a pilgrim in the waters of the Jordan River at the baptismal site of Kasser el-Yahud. The ritual is part of their Easter pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

[Mr Lick]

Libya: rebels 'capture Wazin post' on Tunisian border



Libyan rebels have overrun a post on the Tunisian border in a rare advance against government troops in the west of the country, reports say.

The reported capture of the Wazin crossing follows fighting in the area.

Tunisia's state-run TAP news agency says 13 Libyan soldiers, including a general, turned themselves over to the Tunisian military at the border.

The rebels control much of eastern Libya. Fighting is continuing in the besieged western city of Misrata.

AFP news agency says the rebels seized the Wazin post after up to 200 pro-Gaddafi soldiers fled to Tunisia on Thursday.

[Mr Lick]

Mullen: Pakistan's ISI spy agency has 'militant links'



The US military's top officer, Adm Mike Mullen, has accused Pakistan's spy agency of having links with militants targeting troops in Afghanistan.

He said Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had a "long-standing relationship" with a militant group run by Afghan insurgent Jalaluddin Haqqani.

The comments came as he held talks in Islamabad on Wednesday. Pakistani officials are also in the US for talks.

Pakistan routinely rejects charges of collusion with militants.

The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that US officials have in the past spoken anonymously or in circumspect terms about associations between the Pakistani establishment and insurgents.

But that with this blunt statement Adm Mullen has for the first time claimed a clear link between the two, our correspondent says.

"It's fairly well known that the ISI has a long-standing relationship with the Haqqani network," Adm Mullen told Pakistan's Dawn newspaper.

"Haqqani is supporting, funding, training fighters that are killing Americans and killing coalition partners. And I have a sacred obligation to do all I can to make sure that doesn't happen."

[Mr Lick]

Iran sacking row hints at Ahmadinejad power struggle



Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has come under pressure to reinstate intelligence minister Heidar Moslehi in an apparent internal power struggle.

Mr Ahmadinejad accepted Mr Moslehi's resignation on Sunday, but Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei quickly ordered that he stay on in the job.

Over two-thirds of Iran's 290 lawmakers signed a statement on Wednesday warning Mr Ahmadinejad to obey the order.

Analysts say Iran's clerics view Mr Ahmadinejad as grabbing too much power.

[Mr Lick]

Shanghai Auto Show



The new version of the VW Beetle - The car has only been redesigned on 3 occasions since it's launch in 1938



Come on darling, give us a smile!



This ones much better












Chinese carmaker BYD unveils it's latest electric car



Now, this is my type of girl!



On the other hand

[Mr Lick]

On the first anniversary of the BP oil spill, a crane stands on a beach chair at Orange Beach, Alabama



A diver plants easter eggs on the sea floor in Florida Keys in preparation for an underwater egg hunt on Sunday



Lenin's statute gets a wash and brush up in time for his 141st birthday celebrations on 22nd April



Love on the rocks?



A newborn endangered Pangolin whch was one of 175 found hidden in a truck on it's way to Bangkok. It's meat and blood are believed to enhance sexual virility.

[Mr Lick]

Nantes vanishing: Leg found in search for French family



Police in the western French city of Nantes have found a leg under the house of a family of six reported missing for more than two weeks.

Investigators now suspect kidnap and murder to have taken place, city prosecutor Xavier Ronsin said, announcing the find to reporters.

He added that the couple and their four children had kept to themselves.

The parents recently informed a school their children were being removed because of a sudden move to Australia.

There has been no trace of the father, 50, or mother, 49, or their children aged 13, 16, 18 and 21, since the beginning of April, Mr Ronsin said on Thursday.

Records show no internet or phone communications with the house in the centre of Nantes since 3 or 4 April.

[Mr Lick]

How close were the Terminator films to the reality of 2011?



21 April 2011 has been prophesied in the Terminator movies as Judgement Day, when the machines rise up and bring about the end of human society as we know it

21 April 2011 - The date in the Sarah Connor Chronicles when Skynet launches its first missiles


We survived!!

[Mr Lick]

Misrata, Libya: Rebel forces fire a rocket-propelled grenade at a building holding government loyalist troops during on Tripoli Street



Kampala, Uganda: Police confront followers of opposition leader Kizza Besigye moments after he was arrested for the third time this month



Krasnoyarsk, Russia: A wildfire burns in the Taiga on the banks of the Yenisei river in Siberia



Goias, Brazil: Locals take part in a holy week procession



Jerusalem: A Jewish woman prays on the roof of a seminary overlooking the Western Wall



Futaba, Japan: A dog stretches on an empty street inside the 20-kilometre evacuation zone in Fukushima Prefecture



Copaciu, Romania: A woman stands in front of the graves of her relatives as part of a traditional Maundy Thursday ceremony of remembrance



San Francisco, US: President Barack Obama high-fives supporters after speaking at a fundraiser at Nob Hill Masonic Centre - It's not often that one can appreciate humour in such an aptly named centre

[Mr Lick]

Cutud, Philippines: Children play on wooden crosses as they mimic the crucifixion - No More Nails

[Mr Lick]

Stavropol, Russia: A new army conscript says goodbye to his girlfriend at the military registration and enlistment office - Not to worry, your friends will all look after her whilst you're away lad



Koovagam India: Worshippers mourn the death of Hindu religious figure Aravan near Koothandavar Temple - Steady on girl, the guy's been dead for a few centuries, although i realise of course you may have met.

[Mr Lick]

Vincennes, France: An English bulldog rests in its hotel room at Actuel Dogs, a five-star hotel for pampered pooches