World News in Pictures

[Mr Lick]

Chelsea v Bayer Leverkusen



These Chelsea fans have fond memories of the days when Michael Ballack was a Chelsea player. Nowadays he plays for Bayer Leverkusen, the visitors to Stamford Bridge tonight, who are back in the Champions League after a seven year absence



Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has left Frank Lampard on the bench tonight. What's more, he's left John Terry in the stands



Yet there is a place in the starting line-up for Fernando Torres, who's being supported up front by Daniel Sturridge and Juan Mata

[Mr Lick]

The Chelsea wall blocks a free-kick from Ballack as an opening goal proves elusive. It could easily have been 1-1 by now but the officials have contentiously ruled out two efforts - first Rolfes had a header chalked off for pushing (very harshly), then Torres was denied when Raul Miereles tried (but failed) to nudge his effort into the net while in an offside position



it's Luiz who eventually scores the opening goal in the 67th minute. And a fine, curling strike it is too, crafted by Torres and dispatched with assuredness by the young Brazilian defender



Meireles is brought to ground by Schurrle as Chelsea look to double their advanatge



Florent Malouda looks to stretch his opposite number Gonzalo Castro down the left flank



In the closing stages Torres initiates a one-two on the left wing and drives into the box



for a man who has still only scored one goal in his Chelsea career it would seem logical to shoot, but instead he selflessly cuts the ball back to Mata who stabs it home



No goals for the Spaniard, but at least he'll be valued by his team-mates after that display. 2-0 it ends, a sound start for the Blues

[Mr Lick]

Militants attack targets in Kabul

Militants attack government buildings, the US embassy and Nato's main military base in Afghan capital






A Nato helicopter flies over a building where some of the attackers were said to be hiding out

[Mr Lick]

Men take a look at the building where the militants are hiding



Afghan police carry the body of one of the attackers



A wounded man is helped away from the scene

[Mr Lick]

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: the UK premiere

The stars turned out for the premiere in London of the latest adaptation of John le Carré's 1974 novel



Gary Oldman and Alexandra Edenborough at the UK premiere of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy at BFI Southbank, London



Gary Oldman, who plays MI6 officer George Smiley, points to the sky



Colin Firth and his wife, Livia Giuggioli



Mariella Frostrup at the premiere



Tom Hardy, Colin Firth, Gary Oldman, Benedict Cumberbatch and John Hurt

[Mr Lick]

A girl plays in a flooded street in Sena district, Ayutthaya province, about 80 km (50 miles) north of Bangkok September 12, 2011. Thailand is suffering from severe floods and mudslides after being hit by tropical storm "Nock-Ten", which have killed up to 82 people in northern region with 4 still missing, while lower-lying rice fields in central Thailand and Bangkok are bracing for another big flood, officials said on Monday.



Suzuki Motor Corp Chairman and Chief Executive Osamu Suzuki covers his face during a news conference in Tokyo September 12, 2011. Suzuki Motor is seeking to end its two-year-old alliance with Volkswagen after the German carmaker accused it of violating their partnership pact by agreeing a diesel engine deal with Italy's Fiat .

[Mr Lick]

Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn leaves his apartment, hours after being questioned by police, in Paris September 12, 2011. Strauss-Kahn was questioned by police on Monday over a complaint of attempted rape by Frenchwoman Tristane Banon filed after his May arrest in New York in a separate sex assault case.



Director Madonna arrives on the red carpet for the film "W.E." during the 36th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Toronto September 12, 2011



A U.S. security guard stands next to a damaged door of the U.S. embassy in Tripoli September 12, 2011. The embassy in Tripoli was attacked by pro-Gaddafi forces during the recent developments in Libya.

[Mr Lick]

A model is made up backstage before the Betsey Johnson Spring/Summer 2012 show during New York Fashion Week September 12, 2011



Reporters Without Borders (RSF) secretary-general Jean-Francois Julliard with activists is surrounded by riot policemen during a protest in front of the Ritz hotel in Paris September 13, 2011. The activists were protesting against the visit of Rwanda's President Paul Kagame in Paris.

[Mr Lick]

Frankfurt auto show - more pics




That wonderful Bugatti again






Visitors look at the German car manufacturer Volkswagen (VW) concept car "Nils" at the VW exhibition booth during the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, September 13, 2011



Lovely model, slightly used but should last a lifetime

[Mr Lick]

Yellow?, what sort of colour is that???



That's much better!!



The new VW Volkswagen "Up!" city car series is displayed. I suppose if one owned an 'Up' it would then be 'Up Yours'



The Daimler fuel cell show car "F125" is displayed - I'd give it a good licking



German carmaker Adam Opel presents the full electric vehicle 'Opel RAK e' concept car - RAK?, made in Thailand?

[Mr Lick]

[Mr Lick]

Activists Demand Release of Giant Crocodile
A man cleans a 50-year-old, 2,370-pound saltwater crocodile at a penned pond on Tuesday in Bunawan, Philippines. Animal rights activists are demanding the huge creature, captured on Sept. 3, be released from captivity.



Precious Cargo
Flood-affected villagers make it to safety in Pakistan's Sindh province on Tuesday. The country called on the world to speed up relief efforts after major flooding left 270 people dead and some 200,000 homeless.



Time to Go
At the Council of Europe building's lobby in Strasbourg, France, Tuesday, police remove Kurdish protesters calling for the liberation of jailed Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan.

[Mr Lick]

Flooding Wreaks Havoc in Eastern India
Heavy flooding in eastern India has killed 22 people and displaced almost 100,000 over the past week, officials said on Monday. Here: Villagers wade through an inundated area in Orissa's Cuttack district on Tuesday



Crashing the Party
In an attempt to break the Guinness record for smashing through "the largest breakaway glass structure in a car," Hollywood stuntman Rock Taylor drives through a giant sheet of glass at the O2 Arena in London on Tuesday.



Calling In the Big Guns
U.S. soldiers fire a 155mm artillery unit at Forward Operating Base Kuschamond on Tuesday. Coalition forces continue to battle the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan nearly 10 years after U.S.-led troops invaded the country.

[Mr Lick]

Will Detained US Hikers Be Released Soon?
More than two years after U.S. hikers Shane Bauer, left, and Josh Fattel, center, were arrested by Iran and charged with spying, an Iranian court set a $500,000 bail on Tuesday for each of the men, according to their defense lawyer



Deadly Flooding Hits Thailand
On Monday, emergency workers carry a child's body from a collapsed building in Saraburi, Thailand. Flooding has ravaged the country, with five people dying after an apartment complex's foundation crumbled due to heavy rains.



It Could Use a Paint Job
People visit the house of ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi at the Bab al-Aziziyah compound in Tripoli on Monday

[Mr Lick]

Explosion at French Nuke Site Leaves 1 Dead
Officials said one person died and four others were hurt after an explosion occurred Monday at a nuclear facility in Marcoules, France. Here: Relatives of the victims arrive at the plant. The cause of the blast is being investigated.



Jackie Kennedy Slams MLK in New Tapes
In new recordings set to be released Wednesday, Jackie Kennedy, here with husband John Kennedy at their wedding reception, spoke about a range of topics, including her dislike of Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights leader.

[Mr Lick]

Kabul attacks - more pics



Taliban fighters with suicide bombs and heavy weaponry lauched co-ordinated attacks in Kabul


















The assault came to an end after nearly 20 hours when the last insurgent was killed

[Mr Lick]

Floods devastate southern Pakistan

[Mr Lick]

Kenyan pipeline blast

[Mr Lick]

This man was in a state of shock having found the charred remains of his 2 young children near the wreckage of his home

[Mr Lick]

Buddhist monks ride a boat in the flooded grounds of a temple in Ayutthaya

[Mr Lick]

Westfield Stratford City shopping centre opens

Shoppers converge on the new Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, the largest urban shopping centre in Europe. It contains over 300 shops, 70 restaurants, a bowling alley, a 17-screen cinema, three hotels and the UK's largest casino



Shoppers on the footbridge outside the shoping centre, which is also the gateway to the 2012 Olympic site



A wee bit disappointed luv?, not enough shops eh?

[Mr Lick]

Take the stairs darling, you'll feel better for it



Boris and the freeloaders



US singer Nicole Sherzinger performs at the official opening - who?

[Mr Lick]

Shoppers stand near a sign for a frozen yoghurt store



Marks & Spencer Chief Executive, Marc Bolland, at their new store which is one of the company's largest






Get your mucky hands off those BMW's girls, your giro wont cover the deposit.






''Hello mum, haven't seen you for ages. Lets go and have a meal at KFC, i've got some 50% meal discount vouchers''. ''Lovely dear, can you carry this small bag for me?''

[Mr Lick]

Rugby World Cup 2011 round-up

Highlights from Scotland 15-6 Georgia, Samoa 49-12 Namibia and Tonga 20-25 Canada in New Zealand



Giorgi Chkhaidze of Georgia catches the lineout ball as the rain comes down in Invercargill









Dan Parks kicks at goal during the second half in difficult conditions in Invercargill, in a game which Georgia gave away 14 penalties

[Mr Lick]

The Samoa team perform the siva tau before their match against Namibia in Rotorua kicks off - looks llike the Hokey Cokey to me