World News in Pictures

[Mr Lick]

Christine Lagarde named IMF chief



France's Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, 55, has been named the first woman to head the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Ms Lagarde fought off Mexico's Agustin Carstens for the job, although an IMF statement said that both candidates "were well qualified".

She received backing from America and Europe and key emerging market nations, including China, India and Brazil.

The post became vacant following the resignation of Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
"The results are in: I am honoured and delighted that the board has entrusted me with the position of MD of the IMF!" Ms Lagarde said via Twitter minutes after the announcement.

In a statement, the IMF said that its 24-member board regarded both candidates as highly suitable for the job, but had decided on Ms Lagarde "by consensus".

Messages of support poured in, with UK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne saying he was "delighted" and French President Nicolas Sarkozy calling it "a victory for France".

[Mr Lick]

San Francisco advisory board weighs pet sale ban



The US city of San Francisco is weighing a proposal to ban the sale of pets within its borders.

Supporters say the ban would prevent needless suffering of animals, often bought on impulse by parents of children who soon tire of them.

The city's pet stores say the ban would put them out of business while doing nothing to prevent residents from purchasing pets elsewhere.

The move was proposed by an animal welfare advisory board.

But the city's legislative authority, the Board of Supervisors, has yet to take up the matter

[Mr Lick]

Building material debris collected from homes and businesses destroyed by the tornado that struck Joplin, Mo, is dumped at Jordan Disposal Service, Galena, Kan., on Tuesday, June 28, 2011. The landfill has around 350 truck loads of building materials being dumped there daily.

[Mr Lick]

Fishermen remove sardine from their nets during the annual sardine run at Warner Beach some 40 km (25 miles) north of Durban, June 28, 2011. The east coast of South Africa sees an annual migration of sardines shoaling up the coastal line.

[Mr Lick]

Peruvian prisoners representing "Bolivia" arrive for their own Copa America soccer tournament at Castro-Castro prison in Lima, Peru on June 28. About 250 inmates at the Castro-Castro penitentiary will participate in their mock Copa America Argentina 2011 soccer championship, which will last for one month in Peru. The country's jail authority runs the tournament to help prepare inmates for life on the outside.

[Mr Lick]

Flames from the Las Conchas Fire move toward Los Alamos, N.M. in the Jemez Mountains, Tuesday June 28, 2011. The vicious wildfire spread through the mountains driving thousands of people from their homes as officials at a government nuclear laboratory tried to dispel concerns about the safety of sensitive materials.

[Mr Lick]

This June 25 satellite image provided by GeoEye shows flooding due to the cresting of the Souris River in Minot, N.D. Minot Mayor Curt Zimbelman says demolition might be the only solution for nearly one-fifth of the homes in the city that have been damaged by Souris River flooding.

[Mr Lick]

Authorities work the scene underneath a CSX railroad trestle over Bolton Road near Marietta Road where a truck hit the bridge and two people were injured after a large chunk of concrete fell onto the vehicle Tuesday, June 28.

[Mr Lick]

Lauren Cheney (white jersey) of USA scores the opening goal against goalkeeper Hong Myong Hui (L) of North Korea the Group C match USA against North Korea of FIFA Women's World Cup soccer tournament at the Rudolf Harbig Stadium in Dresden, Germany, June 28.


Thomas Peter / Reuters
Lauren Cheney the U.S. (C) celebrates her goal with team mate Carli Lloyd (L) as Paek Sol-Hui of North Korea (R) looks on during their Women's World Cup Group C soccer match in Dresden June 28.


Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP
United States' Rachel Buehler, left, scores her side's 2nd goal past North Korea's Kim Su Gyong during the group C match between the United States and North Korea at the Women's Soccer World Cup in Dresden, Germany, Tuesday, June 28.


Robert Michael / AFP - Getty Images
North Korea's midfielder Jo Yun Mi (L) and USA's midfielder Carli Lloyd vie for the ball during the football match of the FIFA women's football World Cup USA vs Korea PRK (group C) at Dresden's Gluecksgas stadium, eastern Germany, on June 28. USA won the match 2-0.


Thomas Peter / Reuters
Supporters of the U.S. cheer their team before the Women's World Cup Group C soccer match against North Korea in Dresden June 28.


Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP
North Korea's Jo Yun Mi, Jong Pok Sim, Ri Un Hyang and Kim Un Ju leave the pitch after losing 0-2 during the group C match between the United States and North Korea at the Women's Soccer World Cup in Dresden, Germany, Tuesday, June 28.

[Mr Lick]

An unidentified man (top) is seen atop a traffic light pole in Times Square, New York, June 28. Traffic in Times Square was shut down for 2 hours as police negotiated to get the man down.

[Mr Lick]

Bruce Hooks stands on a dock at Lake Mangonia in West Palm Beach, Fla. The dock stands nearly four feet above the dried lake bed and extends 60 feet from the shore line. Hooks said this is the worst the lake has been since before Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992. South Florida's drought problem has reached a critical stage. The National Weather Service rates parts of South Florida at drought stage, D4, or the "exceptional drought" stage.

[Mr Lick]

Maria Sharapova of Russia celebrates her victory over Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia in their quarter final match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, June 28.



Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic returns a backhand shot to Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova during their match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, June 28.



A tennis fan attends Day Eight of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 28, in London, England.

[Mr Lick]

Hindu devotees perform a stunt during a rehearsal for the 134th annual Rath Yatra, or chariot procession in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on June 28. The annual religious procession, which will be held on July 3, commemorates a journey by Hindu god Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra, in specially made chariots.

[Mr Lick]

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki holds a glass of beer while he arrives at the Wuerzburg Residence on Tuesday in Wuerzburg, Germany. Nowitzki visits his hometown Wuerzburg after he and his team, the Dallas Mavericks, won the 2011 NBA title.



NBA basketball player Dirk Nowitzki waves to fans as he arrives at the Wuerzburg Residenz during a visit to his German home town of Wuerzburg, June 28, 2011. Nowitzki became the first German to win an NBA title when his basketball team Dallas Mavericks beat the Miami Heat last weeki, giving the Mavericks their first championship in their 31 year history. Nowitzki was also named the Most Valuable Player of the Championship series.

[Mr Lick]

Somalia drought forces more people into displacement camps


Severe drought hits more than 10 million people across Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda



One of the poorest countries in the world, Somalia has been devastated by more than 20 years of conflict. Almost half the population are under 18. Despite being faced with incredible odds, ordinary people persevere to make a better life for themselves and their children

[Mr Lick]

[Mr Lick]

The rise of drug conflict in Guatemala



Policemen put on synthetic gloves before conducting a raid of a home in Cobán, Guatemala






Public prosecutors inspect weapons found during a police and military raid at a farm in Cobán

[Mr Lick]

A police officer stands guard next to a covered body found buried during a police and military raid at a farm



Morgue employees carry a body found on a ranch in northern Guatemala



Weapons seized during a police and military raid

[Mr Lick]

Officers of the civil national police guard 336kg of seized cocaine



The uncle of a victim of a massacre waits to claim his nephew’s body from the morgue in San Benito



Police stand guard next to suspected drug cartel members

[Mr Lick]

Athens Erupts in Violence
A protester wearing a gas mask walks beside a burning van during violent protests against austerity measures in Athens on Tuesday.



This One's Going Up on Facebook
President Obama hugs a woman who's taking a picture of the embrace during a stop at Ross' Restaurant in Bettendorf, Iowa, on Tuesday.

[Mr Lick]

Festivities in China
Dancers perform during a gala event celebrating the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China in Beijing on Tuesday.



Looking for Some Divine Assistance
A Jewish woman reads a special prayer for men and women wishing to get married at the tomb of the ancient Jewish scholar Jonathan ben Uzziel near the northern Israeli city of Safed on Tuesday.

[Mr Lick]

The Ultimate Sacrifice
A bugler plays Taps during the burial service for Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Nicholas O'Brien at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on Tuesday. O'Brien died earlier this month while serving in southern Afghanistan.

[Mr Lick]

Greek fury



A protester throws a rock at policemen during violent protests against austerity measures in Athens' Syntagma (Constitution) square June 28, 2011.

[Mr Lick]

[Mr Lick]