24 hours in pictures

Volovshchina, Belarus: An interior ministry soldier goes through an assault course to qualify for the Madder Beret of the special forces Photograph: Viktor Drachev/AFP/Getty

Novgorod, Russia: Workers slaughter pigs at an abattoir Photograph: Mikhail Mordasov/AFP/Getty

Herat province, Afghanistan: A girl watches as her parents wind thread in their mud house built with help from the Norwegian Refugee Council in Ghorian district, west of Kabul Photograph: Ahmad Masood/Reuters

Minya city, Egypt: A Muslim woman walks in the Church of Al-adra (the Virgin) at the end of an eight-day celebration in the city. A priest said 2 million Christians and Muslims attended hoping the Virgin Mary would appear Photograph: Asmaa Waguih/Reuters

Bagdad, Iraq: Brides walk with their grooms during a mass wedding of more than 100 couples in a hotel Photograph: Mahmoud Raouf Mahmoud /Reuters

Beit Lahiya, Gaza: A Hamas police officer holds a damanged Qur'an near the crater left by an Israel bomb that destroyed a police station. At least 10 Palestinians were wounded, Palestinian medics said Photograph: Marco Longari/AFP/Getty

Kolkata, India: A milkman cycles on a deserted road during a 12-hour general strike called by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) over high fuel prices Photograph: STR/AFP

Dakar, Senegal: Samba Ka, 40, fetches water as he tends to his tomato plot in one of the few patches of agricultural land in the capital. This week, delegates to a Rome UN food summit called for stepped-up farm production, reduced trade restrictions and more research on the impact of biofuels on food supplies Photograph: Rebecca Blackwell/AP

Barbate de Franco, Spain: A keeper with a fake ibis on his hat works at a sanctuary for the endangered hermit ibis on world environment day Photograph: Jose Luis Roca/AFP/Getty

Jerusalem Old City, Israel: Jews bring a new Torah scroll through Jaffa Gate to be consecrated at the Western Wall, marking the 41st anniversary of Israel's capture of Arab East Jerusalem in the 1967 six-day war Photograph: Ed Oul/AP

Mianzhu, Sichuan province, China: Survivors of the May 12 earthquake sleep outside a makeshift hospital Photograph: Nir Elias/Reuters

London, UK: Retired soldiers known as the Chelsea Pensioners attend founder's day at the Royal hospital Chelsea Photograph: Shaun Curry/AFP/Getty

Turin, Italy: Russian rhythmic gymnasts compete at the sport's European championships, which Russia won ahead of Belarus and Italy Photograph: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP

Virginia, US: A supporter tosses a T-shirt to Barack Obama as he leaves a 'town hall' meeting at Virginia high school in Bristol Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP

Gos Beida, Chad: Refugees from Sudan's western Darfur region gather at a food distribution point at Djabal camp Photograph: Finbarr O Reilly/Reuters

Los Angeles, US: Visitors view a plastinated human body at the Body Worlds 3 exhibition of Gunther von Hagens Photograph: Valarie Macon/AFP/Getty

Tokyo, Japan: A woman lies in the Saltasia studio, which uses salt, light and sound as a relaxation therapy Photograph: Everett Kennedy Brown/EPA

Guantánamo Bay, Cuba: Colonel Steven David, chief defence counsel for the US military commissions, briefs the media as the accused mastermind of the September 11 attacks and four alleged co-conspirators make their long-awaited first appearance before the tribunal that will decide their fate Photograph: Brennan Linsley/AP

Sydney, Australia: British hair stylist Richard Thompson makes a final check of his model at Hair Expo 2008 Photograph: Daniel Munoz/Reuters

Colombo, Sri Lanka: Seen through a police motorcycle windscreen, security personnel inspect the site of a bomb blast near Moratuwa University that killed 21 people and injured more than 40 others Photograph: M.A Pushpa Kumara/EPA