World News in Pictures

[Mr Lick]

US gun debate: Washington rally for more gun control



Thousands of people have rallied in Washington DC calling for stricter gun controls as they marched from the Capitol to the Washington Monument.

The crowd included residents of Newtown, Connecticut, where a primary school shooting last month revived a debate over security and gun safety.

They carried banners carrying the names of gun violence victims and daubed with messages like "Gun Control Now".

Speakers urged them to lobby politicians to back gun control reform

[Mr Lick]

Ayacucho, Peru: People carry the coffins of relatives killed in massacres executed by the Shining Path militant group and Peru's army between 1984 and 1985, during a funeral. The remains of 78 people from several villages in the district of Chungui were found in more than 50 graves from exhumations carried out since 2011



Katara, Doha: UAE's goalkeeper Houmed Jamal falls on the ground during the World Cup 2013 Beach Soccer third place match against Australia



Ilopango, El Salvador: US pilot Skip Stewart in action during the Ilopango air show 2013. The event is part of a series of activities to collect funds for Benjamin Bloom children's hospital



Anzio, Italy: Military enthusiasts take part in a re-enactment of the second world war landing to mark its 69th anniversary



Yangon, Burma: Runners take part in the country's first international marathon



Lara, Venezuela: Relatives of inmates wait outside the Uribana prison the day after a riot broke out. At least 55 people were killed and 90 others wounded in clashes between prison gangs and security guards



Sangam, India: Devotees gather at the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, on Paush Purnima, during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival

[Mr Lick]

A man carries a man injured in a fire at the Kiss club in Santa Maria city, Brazil, early Jan. 27.

Television footage showed people sobbing outside the club, while shirtless firefighters used sledge hammers and axes to knock down an exterior wall to open up an exit.

"It was really fast. There was a lot of smoke, really dark smoke," survivor Aline Santos Silva, 29, told Globonews TV. "We were only able to get out quickly because we were in a VIP area close to the door."










At least 245 people were killed by the fire.

[Mr Lick]

Andy Murray loses to Novak Djokovic in Australian Open final


World number one Novak Djokovic won his fourth Australian Open title as Andy Murray's hopes of a second major win ended in pain.

The Serb, 25, was the stronger man over three hours and 40 minutes, winning 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 6-2, as Murray struggled to cope with blistered feet and an increasingly rampant opponent.

[Mr Lick]

UN: Floods displace 70,000 and kill 36 in Mozambique



Many thousands are in temporary shelters in Mozambique's Gaza province but many others appear to be without any shelter and aid at all

At least 36 people have died and nearly 70,000 have been displaced because of flooding in Mozambique, the UN says.

The number of people affected by the flooding could reach 100,000 as flood waters continue to rise in the coastal city of Xai-Xai, the UN added.

The UN said it would appeal to its donors for additional funds to deal with the emergency.

[Mr Lick]

French-Malian offensive















The rebels in Gao fled into the desert



A welcoming party for the allied troops



Bodies found in a well in Sevare



The scars of battle

[Mr Lick]

Bus plunges into Portugal ravine

It had been raining heavily before the crash, reports said

At least 10 people have been killed and more than 30 injured when a bus crashed into a ravine in the eastern Portuguese town of Serta.

According to medial teams at the scene, the dead include four women and six men, all aged between 50 and 70.

The bus, registered in the Spanish town of Badajoz, was travelling to the northern city of Santa Maria da Feira.

Officials did not say what caused the crash but said it had been raining heavily.

Some 200 fire-fighters were deployed to the scene of the crash and reports said that the vehicle had to be cut to free passengers trapped inside.

The injured have been taken to nearby hospitals where six of them are reported to be in a serious condition.

[Mr Lick]

Brazil nightclub fire - more pics

[Mr Lick]

Mali conflict

French troops and the Malian army have wrested back control of most of the north of the country from Islamist rebels






Mr Cool

[Mr Lick]

Brazil nightclub fire


















Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff (R) consoles relatives of victims of a fire which occurred at the Boate Kiss nightclub in the southern city of Santa Maria, 187 miles (301 km) west of the state capital of Porto Alegre, January 27, 2013.

[Mr Lick]

FA CUp - 4th Round

Oldham 3 Liverpool 2


Matt Smith's double helped earn League One Oldham a shock win over Liverpool in a classic FA Cup fourth-round tie.

The hosts went ahead when Smith headed in Youssouf M'Changama's cross.
Liverpool skipper Luis Suarez was allowed to run at the Oldham defence as he squeezed in an equaliser.

But Smith took advantage of keeper Brad Jones's error and Reece Wabara scored a delightful back-post header as Oldham restored their advantage although Joe Allen's volley ensured a tense finish.

Steven Gerrard, who was brought on from the substitutes bench with 35 minutes remaining in attempt to turn the game around, hit the bar as nerves frayed at a wet and windy Boundary Park.
Smith's fragmented career

• Matt Smith had given up on professional football after being released by Cheltenham aged 18 and went on to gain a degree in International Management with American Studies from the University of Manchester.
• While studying he played for the likes of Redditch United, Droylsden and Solihull Moors - where he was spotted by Oldham.

Yet Paul Dickov's side held on for a superb win over the seven-times winners on a weekend when Football League sides have caused upsets on all three days of the fourth round.

[Mr Lick]

FA Cup -4th Round

Leeds 2 Spurs 1


Leeds sent Tottenham crashing out of the FA Cup with a famous fourth-round victory at Elland Road.

Luke Varney ran clear to give the Championship side an early lead as Tottenham failed to convert a series of first-half chances.

Ross McCormack made it 2-0 after more poor defending allowed him to turn inside Steve Caulker and slam home.

Clint Dempsey headed home to give Spurs hope but substitute Jon Obika could not convert his chance to level late on.

Tottenham had arrived in Yorkshire fourth in the Premier League and one of the favourites for the Cup, having reached the semi-finals twice in the last three seasons.

It is only a decade or so ago since Leeds were in similar company. Although they are slowly climbing back towards the top flight after spending time in the third tier, Neil Warnock's side came into this match in 11th place in the Championship and definite under-dogs.

[Mr Lick]

FA Cup - 4th Round


Brentford 2 Chelsea 2


Fernando Torres struck a late equaliser to spare Chelsea the embarrassment of being knocked out of the FA Cup by League One Brentford at Griffin Park.

The £50m Spain striker equalised seven minutes from time as Brentford threatened to heap even more misery on Chelsea and interim manager Rafael Benitez after their midweek Capital One Cup semi-final elimination against Swansea City.

Brentford, third in the third tier of English football, were the better side for long spells in this fourth round tie and twice held the lead through Marcello Trotta's first-half goal and Harry Forrester's penalty 17 minutes from time.

With Chelsea on the brink of an ignominious exit and Benitez facing increasing hostility from the travelling supporters packed at one end of Griffin Park, Torres curled in a superb finish to give the Premier League side the relief of a replay.

Brentford's fans gave their side a standing ovation after an outstanding effort that earns them a lucrative replay at Stamford Bridge - but for a few moments they were dreaming of an even bigger reward.

For Chelsea, the draw was gratefully accepted and they deserve some credit for digging out the result after struggling for so long.

[Mr Lick]

With his trousers around his knees to show defiance, a protester throws stones towards riot policemen and other demonstrators who have taken the side of security forces during clashes near Cairo's Tahrir Square on Jan. 27, 2013.



Protesters try to convince an elderly woman to move out of the way after she sat down in between opposing sides during a demonstration in Tahrir Square, Cairo on Jan. 27, 2013



A mass funeral in Port Said on Jan. 27, 2013. Tens of thousands of mourners poured into the streets of the restive Egyptian city of Port Said on Sunday for a funeral for most of the 37 people killed in rioting a day earlier, chanting slogans against Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

[Mr Lick]

Damascus, Syria: a man walks in front of a burning building after a Syrian Air force air strike on the Ain Tarma area of the city



Santa Maria, Brazil: relatives of victims of the fire at Boate Kiss nightclub attend a wake



Syrian refugees queue for humanitarian aid at the Al Zaatri Syrian refugee camp in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria.

[Mr Lick]

ArcelorMittal employees gather for a mass meeting in Liege. Last week steelmaker ArcelorMittal announced that it would close a string of Belgian plants and make 1,300 workers redundant



Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is surrounded by security personnel on arriving at Incheon airport west of Seoul, South Korea, today for her five-day trip to the country



Fishermen sit on the frozen Kursiai lagoon near Klaipeda, Lithuania, trying catch smelts. Amateur fishermen from all over the country gather on the ice to catch the small fish



Striking workers occupy the PSA Peugeot Citroen car plant at Aulnay-sous-Bois, near Paris. The striking workers are protesting against plans to sell the plant and lay off thousands of employees



Indonesian children in Jakarta, Indonesia, queue on Monday for school equipment donated by a foundation for people affected by recent floods. Heavy rain over the city last week caused 32 deaths



People use a boat to negotiate the flood water and debris in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia. At least 1,200 properties in the town are already flooded and there are fears that the could rise to 2,000 following tropical cyclone Osward at the weekend.



Workers protest outside the offices of the Bangladesh garment manufacturers and exporters association, demanding greater security following recent fires at two factories

[Mr Lick]

A protester opposing Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi holds a homemade gun during clashes with riot police, along Qasr Al Nil bridge, which leads to Tahrir Square in Cairo January 27, 2013. Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi announced on Sunday he was imposing a state of emergency for 30 days in three cities along the Suez Canal that have been the scene of the worst violence that flared at the weekend, killing more than 45 people



A Japanese visitor touches the death wall at the Auschwitz concentration camp January 27, 2013. A ceremony to mark the 68th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet troops and to remember the victims of the Holocaust was held in Auschwitz-Birkenau on Sunday.



A competitor crawls under barbed wires during the Tough Guy event in Perton, central England, January 27, 2013. The annual event to raise cash for charity challenges thousands of international competitors in a cross country run followed by an assault course consisting of 21 obstacles including water, fire and tunnels.

[Mr Lick]

Winner Marcel Hirscher of Austria hits the protection fence as he finishes the second run of men's Slalom event of the Alpine Skiing World Cup downhill ski race in Kitzbuehel January 27, 2013



Relatives of victims react at a crime scene where several people were shot dead at the San Francisco neighborhood in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, January 27, 2013. At least seven people were shot dead by unknown assailants at the scene, according to the police.



India's Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers ride their camels as they rehearse for the "Beating the Retreat" ceremony in New Delhi January 27, 2013. The ceremony symbolises retreat after a day on the battlefield, and marks the official end of the Indian Republic Day celebrations. It is held every year on January 29.



A protester against Egypt's President Mohamed Mursi shows expended shotgun cartridges that he said was fired by riot police during clashes along Qasr Al Nil bridge, which leads to Tahrir Square in Cairo January 27, 2013. Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi announced on Sunday he was imposing a state of emergency for 30 days in three cities along the Suez Canal that have been the scene of the worst violence that flared at the weekend, killing more than 45 people.



Captain Bruce Eaton holds up the San Francisco 49ers flag as the team arrives in New Orleans before taking on the Baltimore Ravens during Super Bowl XLVII in Kenner, Louisiana January 27, 2013. The Super Bowl will take place on Sunday February 3 in New Orleans, Louisiana

[Mr Lick]

Brazil fire victims buried

[Mr Lick]

Australia flooding



Queensland

[Mr Lick]

British guns lifted from wreck off Sicily



5 cannons were lifted from a British warship dating back to the 1700's






A gun carriage



Unlike football the British beat the Spanish at sea

[Mr Lick]

A riot police officer uses his baton on an anti-government protester during clashes along Qasr Al Nil bridge, which leads to Tahrir Square in Cairo on Jan. 28.






Thousands turned out Monday in Port Said to attend funerals for the seven people killed in the previous day's violence, which broke out as mourners paid their respects to 33 people who had died in riots the day before.
Meanwhile, a man in Cairo was shot dead during a fifth day of clashes during protests against the government of President Mohammed Morsi, Reuters reported, citing a source in the Interior Ministry



An Egyptian protester covers his face with a plastic bag to protect himslef from tear gas during clashes with riot police near Tahrir Square in Cairo on Jan. 28.

[Mr Lick]

Residents inspect their flooded home in Bundaberg, Queensland, on Jan. 28, 2013. At least 1,200 Bundaberg properties are already flooded, and there are fears the number could reach 2,000.




Three people were reported to have been killed and dozens more were plucked from roofs and marooned cars in dramatic air rescues in northeastern Australia on Monday as severe floods swept through two states, inundating thousands of homes.

The heavy rain was caused by the remnants of a tropical cyclone that hit the country last week and also brought severe weather including tornadoes.









Children playing in sea foam at Burleigh Heads in Queensland on Jan. 28, 2013.

[Mr Lick]

Ahmed Baba library in Timbuktu torched by Islamists

Malian Islamist rebels set fire to a library at the Ahmed Baba Institute of Islamic Advanced Studies and Research in Timbuktu. The library contained about 20,000 thousands priceless manuscripts



A worker stands over examples of ancient Islamic manuscripts at Ahmed Baba library in Timbuktu, Mali









Manuscript dating back to the 15th century, and partly damaged by termites






The head of the library, Dr Mohamed Gallah Dicko (right), with Dr Stephanie Diakite (centre) and Djibril Doucoure, the keeper of the library (left), discuss which manuscripts need to be restored in 2003



A book is scanned and digitised in the manuscript restoration room



The entrance to the Ahmed Baba Islamic Studies Library in Timbuktu

[Mr Lick]

A smoggy day in Beijing as a woman wearing a mask walks over a road bridge



In the black? A protester sits outside the headquarters of Spanish bank Bankia, at a campsite where protesters have demonstrated for some 100 days, in Madrid



Fendi's designers Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Venturini Fendi react during a press conference announcing Fendi would finance a renovation of the Trevi Fountain in Rome