24 hours in pictures

Slovakia: six goldfinches vie for five branches on a thistle bush. The unlucky sixth bird had to perch on the ground Photograph: Peter Svoboda/Rex Features

Telford, England: a competitor emerges from muddy water during the Tough Guy Challenge endurance race Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

Virar, India: couples sit together during a mass wedding ceremony on the outskirts of Mumbai. More than 1,000 couples were married during the event organised by a local politician Photograph: Rajanish Kakade/AP

Giglio island, Italy: the wreck of the cruise liner Costa Concordia lies outside the harbour at dusk Photograph: Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters

Madrid, Spain: an Indignados protester sticks his national identity card on his forehead at a protest against police identity checks in Puerta del Sol square Photograph: Pedro Armestre/AFP/Getty Images

Maungmakan beach, Burma: a supporter of the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi holds up her picture as she gives a speech in Dawei township Photograph: Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters

Malabo, Equatorial Guinea: Angolan police drafted in to help local officers prevent supporters entering the stadium before the African Cup of Nations football match between Equatorial Guinea and Zambia Photograph: Alexander Joe/AFP/Getty Images

Bangkok, Thailand: meerkats huddle together as it rains at Dusit Zoo Photograph: Sakchai Lalit/AP

Kozaki, Japan: workers prepare vessels for washing rice at the Terada Honke sake brewery Photograph: Everett Kennedy Brown/EPA

Cairo, Egypt: demonstrators in front of the state television building call for the army to hand power to civilians Photograph: Suhaib Salem/Reuters

Taipei, Taiwan: workers burn incense paper after praying outside their company's building on the first day back at work after the lunar new year holidays Photograph: Pichi Chuang/Reuters

Naples, Florida, US: supporters of the Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney attend a campaign rally Photograph: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images

New York, US: revellers rest in a park after a Chinese new year parade in Chinatown Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters