24 hours in pictures

Beijing, China: Tiananmen Square is seen in a sandstorm that arrived in the city after plaguing north-west China in the past few weeks
Photograph: Grace Liang/Reuters

Tianjin, China: A woman covers her face against a sandstorm
Photograph: Vincent Du/Reuters

Hebron, West Bank: A man waves a Palestinian flag from a power pole during clashes with Israeli security forces
Photograph: Bernat Armangue/AP

Colombo, Sri Lanka: A Brown Fish Owl (Ketupa ceylonensis), which hatched an offspring at the National Zoological Gardens. The nocturnal bird, which is a protected species in Sri Lanka, preys mostly on fish found in the island's waterways
Photograph: M A Pushpa Kumara/EPA

Helmand, Afghanistan: A family waits outside their residence as US marines search inside during a 24-hour foot operation
Photograph: Mauricio Lima/AFP

Helmand, Afghanistan: A US marine has an early morning wash in a canal during the 24-hour operation
Photograph: Mauricio Lima/AFP

Cheltenham, England: A sea of faces in the grandstand watch the first horse race in the Cheltenham festival
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Tokyo, Japan: A sea lion catches a fish during meal time at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise aquarium-amusement park complex
Photograph: Itsuo Inouye/AP

Canal de Beagle, Argentina: The Chilean tall ship Esmeralda during the regatta of tall ships
Photograph: Facundo Santana/AFP

Karachi, Pakistan: Supporters of the religious party Ahlay Sunnat wal Jamat protest against the killing of a colleague by unidentified gunmen
Photograph: Fareed Khan/AP