World News in Pictures

[Mr Lick]

Timbuktu artefacts under threat from Islamist militant group





The Ansar Dine group have taken control of the fabled city in northern Mali

[Mr Lick]

China's Lei Sheng, left, reacts during his men's individual foil semifinal fencing match against Italy's Andrea Baldini on July 31

When the greatest athletes on Earth compete for Olympic glory, it’s only fitting that the greatest photographers be there to capture the moments. The excitement of winning and the abjection of defeat are staples when photographing sports.



South Africa's Chad Le Clos celebrates winning the men's 200m butterfly final on July 31.



U.S. gymnasts, left to right, Gabrielle Douglas, Kyla Ross, McKayla Maroney and Jordyn Wieber celebrate as they look at the score of a teammate's performance during the Artistic Gymnastics women's team final on July 31.



Antoine Valois-Fortier of Canada, right, reacts to defeating Travis Stevens of the U.S. in Judo on July 31

[Mr Lick]

United States' Conor Dwyer, left, Ryan Lochte, center, and Ricky Berens, right, celebrate as Michael Phelps closes in on their team's gold medal win in the men's 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, on July 31.



United States' Michael Phelps dives in to start the last leg of the men's 4 X 200-meter freestyle relay before their gold medal win at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, on July 31.



Four years after he climbed to the top of Olympic achievement, Michael Phelps took the last step he needed to reach the absolute peak.

The greatest swimmer of all time became the most decorated Olympian of all time when he won a record 19th Olympic medal at the London Games on Tuesday.

With a little help from his American friends, Phelps won his first gold medal in London in the 4x200 meters freestyle less than an hour after a shock defeat in the 200 butterfly, an event he has dominated for over a decade.



United States' Ricky Berens, left, and United States' Michael Phelps react as they win gold in the men's 4x200-meter freestyle relay swimming final at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, on July 31.

[Mr Lick]

A Syrian holds her child at the Al Zaatri refugee camp in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria on July 31, 2012. Jordan opened the camp with 2,000 tents to accommodate refugees near the border. Diplomats say around 115,000 Syrians have fled their country, mostly to Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, to escape the 17-month rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad. The Jordanian authorities say around 130,000 Syrians have come to Jordan since the uprising began, but diplomats say not all of them are classified as refugees

[Mr Lick]

In this photo taken Monday July 30, 2012, an Alaska SeaLife Center employee prepares a walrus calf for transport aboard a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane in Barrow, Alaska. The Coast Guard crew assisted Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Alaska SeaLife Center personnel transporting three malnourished walrus calves to Anchorage for care.



A Pacific walrus calf has been taken in by the Alaska SeaLife Center after apparently becoming separated from its herd earlier this month near Barrow.

Center staff say the male calf, estimated to be four to six weeks old, was spotted by fishermen Saturday in North Salt Lagoon, after a large group of walrus passed Barrow on floating ice July 17. The calf was rescued by members of the North Slope Borough's Department of Wildlife Management after observation and approval by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife, then placed under the care of a veterinarian.

[Mr Lick]

Mc Kayla Maroney, Jordyn Wieber, Gabrielle Douglas, Alexandra Raisman and Kyla Ross of the United States celebrate on the podium after winning the gold medal in the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Team final on Day 4 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at North Greenwich Arena on July 31, in London, England.



U.S. gymnast Jordyn Wieber, second left, lifts up the hand of teammate Alexandra Raisman, as they celebrate along with McKayla Maroney and Kyla Ross after being declared winners of the gold medal during the Artistic Gymnastic women's team final at the 2012 Summer Olympics, on July 31, in London.



Gabrielle Douglas of the United States of America competes on the uneven bars in the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Team final on Day 4 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at North Greenwich Arena on July 31, in London, England.

LONDON - The Americans lived up to the hype and then some, winning their first Olympic gold medal in women's gymnastics since 1996.

Won it in a rout, too. Their score of 183.596 Tuesday night was a whopping five points ahead of Russia. Romania won the bronze medal.

[Mr Lick]

An Indian barber holding a candle, cut hair for a customer at his shop in Kolkata, India, July 31. India's energy crisis cascaded over half the country Tuesday when three of its regional grids collapsed, leaving 620 million people without government-supplied electricity for several hours in, by far, the world's biggest blackout.






A passenger looks through the window of a train as he waits for electricity to be restored at a railway station in New Delhi July 31. Grid failure hit India for a second day on Tuesday, cutting power to hundreds of millions of people in the populous northern and eastern states including the capital Delhi and major cities such as Kolkata




Traffic crawls in Connaught Place in New Delhi July 31, as the situation worsened in the afternoon after signals stopped functioning following a failure in the Northern Power Grid. A massive power failure hit India for the second day running as three regional power grids collapsed, blacking out more than half the country in a crisis affecting over 600 million people

[Mr Lick]

Residents ride on makeshift rafts during a heavy downpour along a flooded street in Malabon, Metro Manila, the Philippines on August 1, 2012













The death toll from the weather situation brought on by Typhoon Saola and a southwest monsoon in the Philippines has risen to 12, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Typhoon Saola (also known as Gener) is likely to stay in Philippine territory until Friday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration

[Mr Lick]

Police and wildlife rangers stand next to a dead humpback whale lying in a rock pool at Newport beach in Sydney, Australia on August 1, 2012




A dead 32-foot whale has washed up into an Australian seaside swimming pool.

Rough seas and a high tide washed the 20 to 30 tonne humpback whale over a chain safety fence late on Tuesday and into a public salt water swimming pool at Sydney's Newport beach.

National Parks authorities said they hope the whale carcass might float out of the pool area on the next high tide. Otherwise, workers might have to bring in a crane to remove the whale and then carve up the carcass.

One swimmer told Australian radio he saw the whale when he turned up for his regular morning dip.

"I swim every day and I'm not sharing my lane with that," he said.

[Mr Lick]

People touch an image of Santo Domingo de Guzman during celebrations at a church in Managua, Nicaragua on July 31, 2012. The first 10 days of Aug. are reserved for the carnival-like celebration of Santo Domingo de Guzman with processions, bullfights, parties and church services.

[Mr Lick]

London Olympics: Day 4




South Africa's Chad le Clos celebrates winning the men's 200m butterfly final during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre July 31, 2012.



Jordyn Wieber of the U.S. celebrates after she learned that her team won gold in the women's gymnastics team final in the North Greenwich Arena at the London 2012 Olympic Games July 31, 2012.



South Korea's Jeongsik Won competes on the men's 69Kg Group A weightlifting competition at the ExCel venue at the London 2012 Olympic Games July 31, 2012.


Russia's Ivan Nifontov celebrates after defeating Japan's Takahiro Nakai (white) during their men's -81kg bronze medal A judo match at the London 2012 Olympic Games July 31, 2012.

[Mr Lick]

Venezuela's Junior Sanchez Rivero reacts after successful lift on the men's 69Kg Group B weightlifting competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games July 31, 2012.



Sarah Barrow (front) and Tonia Couch of Britain perform a dive during the women's synchronised 10m platform final at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre July 31, 2012.



A Japan fan attends the women's first round Group F preliminary soccer match against South Africa at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, July 31, 2012.



China's Wang Hao (L) and Chen Ruolin perform a dive during the women's synchronised 10m platform final at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre July 31, 2012.



Spanish head coach Rafael Aguilar Morillo (R) speaks to match referee Boris Margeta of Slovenia as he points to the replay screen during the men's preliminary round Group A water polo match between Spain and Croatia at the Water Polo Arena during the London 2012 Olympic Games July 31, 2012.



U.S. players Tim Hutten (front L) and John Mann (C) cheer during their men's preliminary round Group B water polo match against Romania at the Water Polo Arena at the London 2012 Olympic Games July 31, 2012.

[Mr Lick]

The army offensive in Aleppo, Syria, continues



A maze created by 250,000 books at the South Bank Centre in London

[Mr Lick]

Belarus generals sacked over Swedish teddy bear stunt




The president of Belarus has sacked his air force and border security chiefs because a Swedish light plane managed to drop teddy bears into the country with labels calling for freedom.

President Alexander Lukashenko expressed fury over the incident, which happened on 4 July.

Only last week did the official media admit that it had actually happened.

Mr Lukashenko has cracked down hard on political opponents. His re-election in 2010 was marred by reports of abuses.

An official statement from the president's office on Tuesday said the Chairman of the State Border Committee, Maj Gen Igor Rachkovsky, and Air Defence Commander Maj Gen Dmitry Pakhmelkin had been dismissed for failing in their duties.

The plane, chartered by a Swedish public relations firm called Studio Total, dropped hundreds of the little teddy bears near the town of Ivenets and on the outskirts of the capital Minsk. It crossed into Belarusian air space from Lithuania.

The bears came down with little parachutes and had labels calling for freedom of speech and human rights.



President Lukashenko has kept many Soviet-era symbols of state power

[Mr Lick]

Rawalpindi, Pakistan: people wait to receive a donated meal



Manilla, Philippines: girls in flooded street during a heavy downpour

[Mr Lick]

Women's rowing pair final: Team GB win first gold

All the action from Eton Dorney where Team GB won their first gold medal of the Games thanks to Heather Stanning and Helen Glover in the women's pair. The British duo dominated from the off and stormed to victory well clear of the second-placed Australian boat and third-placed New Zealand






Members of 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery cheer on Stanning, who is a captain in the Royal Artillery






They dominated the race from start to finish and sealed victory in 7min 27.13sec


















Glover is overcome by emotion as the pair stand on the podium

[Mr Lick]

London 2012: Olympic time trial cycling

The best images from Hampton Court where the women's and men's time trial cycling took place in front of packed crowds. There was disappointment for Britain's women, with Emma Pooley sixth and Lizzie Armitstead 10th, but the home crowd had plenty to cheer about in the men's race, with gold for Bradley Wiggins and bronze for Chris Froome









Britain's Bradley Wiggins snakes through the crowds during a cautious first section in which he records a split time of 8:27.53. That leaves him in second place, five seconds behind the German Tony Martin



He takes huge chunks out of his rivals in the second and third sections (going 23 seconds faster than Martin between splits two and three). As he powers to the finish line he knows victory is his



Gold for Wiggins and gold for Britain. What a year it's been for him



He's now the most decorated British Olympian of all time with seven medals



Wiggins takes his rightful place on the throne as the king of British cycling

[Mr Lick]

London 2012: Olympic time trial cycling

The best images from Hampton Court where the women's and men's time trial cycling took place in front of packed crowds. There was disappointment for Britain's women, with Emma Pooley sixth and Lizzie Armitstead 10th, but the home crowd had plenty to cheer about in the men's race, with gold for Bradley Wiggins and bronze for Chris Froome









Britain's Bradley Wiggins snakes through the crowds during a cautious first section in which he records a split time of 8:27.53. That leaves him in second place, five seconds behind the German Tony Martin



He takes huge chunks out of his rivals in the second and third sections (going 23 seconds faster than Martin between splits two and three). As he powers to the finish line he knows victory is his



Gold for Wiggins and gold for Britain. What a year it's been for him



He's now the most decorated British Olympian of all time with seven medals



Wiggins takes his rightful place on the throne as the king of British cycling

[Mr Lick]

Sri Lankan fire dancers perform outside the historic Buddhist Temple of the Tooth, as they take part in a procession during the Esala Perahera festival, or festival of the tooth, in the ancient hill capital of Kandy on Aug. 1, 2012.












The Esala Perahera festival, or festival of the tooth, features a nightly procession of Kandyan dancers, fire twirlers, traditional musicians, acrobatic fire performers and elephants. The festival draws thousands of tourists and spectators from around the island.

[Mr Lick]

In this handout image provided by Disney Parks, Actor Russell Brand poses for acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz as Captain Hook from Disney's "Peter Pan" on Nov. 3, 2011 near Newhall, Calif. The new "Disney Dream Portrait," commissioned by Disney Parks for their ongoing celebrity advertising campaign which debuted in 2007, is one of two new images unveiled Aug. 1, 2012 by Disney Parks. The Leibovitz image, which will appear in several fall magazines, is entitled, "Where every moment leaves you hungry for more."







Actors Jack Black, Will Ferrell and Jason Segel pose for acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz as the comically spooky "Hitchhiking Ghosts" from Disney's landmark theme park attraction, the Haunted Mansion on March 5, 2012 near Lebec, Calif.

[Mr Lick]

A view of the Horse Guards Parade Beach Volleyball arena as the sun sets over London while Ricardo Santos and Pedro Cunha of Brazil play Joshua Binstock and Martin Reader of Canada during a preliminary match at the London Olympic games, Aug. 1.

[Mr Lick]

An Aymara indigenous witch doctor sprays wine over offerings to Pachamama, or Mother Earth, in La Cumbre, 19 miles outside of La Paz, Bolivia on Aug. 1, 2012

August is a time to make offerings to Pachamama, or Mother Earth, according to Andean culture. It’s a time to give thanks for crops and health. The Aymaras use coca leaves, candies, animal fat, llama fetuses, some dried fruits, powdered minerals and alcohol during the rituals.

[Mr Lick]

Rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters capture a policeman who the FSA allege is a Shabiha or pro-regime militiaman on July 31, as the rebels overran a police station in Aleppo. A watchdog group said that rebels killed 40 officers and seized three police stations during the pivotal battle for the commercial capital

[Mr Lick]

London 2012: Olympic winners and losers



Un Guk Kim of DPR Korea celebrates a world record while competing in the 62kg weightlifting



Germany's coxswain, Martin Sauer, is thrown into the water after winning the gold medal with his team in the eight final at Eton Dorney Lake



Chad le Clos of South Africa celebrates after winning gold in the 200m butterfly



Kazakhstan's Alexandr Vinokurov reacts after winning the cycling road race



A Lam Shin of South Korea reacts after losing in the women's individual epee semi final



Manuel Minginfel off Micronesia reacts while competing during the 62kg weightlifting competition



Chinese gymnasts react as results are displayed on the screen announcing them as winners of the artistic gymnastic team final



Concepcion Bellorin of Spain reacts to losing to Hedvig Karakas of Hungary during the 52kg judo



Australia's Alicia Coutts, Cate Campbell, Brittany Elmslie and Melanie Schlanger celebrate after winning the 4x100m freestyle relay



Russia's Aliya Mustafin and Victoria Komova during the gymnastics team final



Peter Joppich of Germany reacts after his match against James-Andrew Davis of Great Britain, during the individual foil fencing



Azerbaijan's Sardar Hasanov reacts after a failed lift in the 69kg group B weightlifting



Saori Kimura of Japan and her teammates celebrate a win over the Dominican Republic in the volleyball



China's team during their women's water polo match against Spain



Campos Rosicleia consoles Mariana Silva of Brazil after losing during the women's 57kg judo



Byungchul Choi of Korea celebrates winning his match in the individual foil



Camilla Dalby of Denmark celebrates with teammates after winning in the handball



Japan's Satoshi Shimizu after defeating Ghana's Isaac Dogboe in a bantam weight 56kg preliminary boxing match



Great Britain's Louis Smith sheds a tear after completing his pommel horse routine during the artistic gymnastics team competition



Italy's Diego Occhiuzzi and Hungary's Aron Szilagy during the men's fencing individual sabre

[Mr Lick]

Battle for Aleppo