24 hours in pictures

Magadi, Kenya: an electoral worker helps a Masai woman to cast her ballot papers in a polling station during the presidential and parliamentary elections Photograph: Goran Tomasevic/Reuters

Kiev, Ukraine: a parliamentary deputy speaks on the phone near a cardboard cutout of the Ukrainian prime minister, Mykola Azarov, with a placard around his neck reading 'predecessor'. The parliamentary opposition tried to block an initiative to deprive a Sergiy Vlasenko, a deputy and lawyer of Yulia Tymoshenko, of his status Photograph: Sergei Supinsky/AFP/Getty Images

Hanoi, Vietnam: a snake's head on the kitchen floor of a restaurant in Le Mat snake village Photograph: Luong Thai Linh/EPA

Beijing, China: a delegate dressed in ethnic attire walks back to her bus after the opening session of the annual National People's Congress held at Beijing's Great Hall of the People Photograph: Alexander F. Yuan/AP

Aleppo, Syria: a Syrian rebel takes aim with his weapon during clashes with government forces in the streets near Aleppo international airport Photograph: Stephen J. Boitano/AFP/Getty Images

Berlin, Germany: a swan puffs up its wings in the early spring sun at the inner city harbour Photograph: Markus Schreiber/AP

New Delhi, India: a villager holds her wet sari to dry in the sun Photograph: Altaf Qadri/AP

Rome, Italy: Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi arrives at the Vatican for pre-conclave meetings with fellow cardinals in preparation to select the next pope Photograph: Andrew Medichini/AP

Bristol, UK: a mural by the street artist Banksy which has been defaced by blue paint bombs is seen on the side of a building. The Twentieth Century Society has launched a campaign to save the UK's best-known postwar murals Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Paris, France: Karl Lagerfeld acknowledges applause after the Chanel autumn/winter 2013 collection is unveiled during Paris fashion week at the Grand Palais Photograph: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images

Nanjing, China: people crowd into the Nanjing municipal real estate trading centre looking to sell property ahead of a tax policy change Photograph: ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images

Dhaka, Bangladesh: a police officer stands guard during a general strike called after Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee was sentenced to death for crimes stemming from the nation's 1971 fight for independence Photograph: A.M. Ahad/AP

Qalqilya, West Bank: Palestinians push their way on to a new 'Palestinian-only' bus service laid on to take workers from the army crossing of Eyal into Israel Photograph: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images

London, UK: construction continues on the skyscrapers nicknamed the Cheese Grater and the Walkie-Talkie in front of the Shard Photograph: Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images