24 hours in pictures

Louisiana, USA: Houses and businesses are surrounded by water in the region's worst flooding in 15 years Photograph: Eric Thayer/Reuters

Bangkok, Thailand: Anti-government demonstrators march on Government House protesting that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's government is a proxy for former PM, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup Photograph: Sakchai Lalit/AP

Managua, Nicaragua: Members of the army prepare to fight with mock demonstrators during a training exercise with UN peacekeepers and soldiers from the US southern command at the military base Photograph: Oswaldo Rivas/Reuters

Valletta, Malta: A doctor examines a two-month-old baby - a would-be immigrant - at the port. Twenty-seven people attempting to reach European soil from Africa were rescued by Italian trawlers after clinging to a tuna pen when their boat capsized 84 km south of Malta Photograph: Darrin Zammit Lupi /Reuters

Athens, Greece: Demonstrators take part in a protest over rising food prices in front of the Greek parliament. Greek unions blame the conservative government for failing to curb sharp increases in the cost of living Photograph: John Kolesid/Reuters

Naivasha, Kenya: Internally displaced people gather to listen to the visiting UN high commisssioner for refugees, Antonio Guterres, on the eve of World Refugee Day Photograph: Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty

Sichuan province, China: A cat lies on a collapsed door panel at the Yinghua township following the earthquake Photograph: China Photos/Getty

Rafah, Gaza: A Palestinian youth stands on the balcony of a building damaged in recent years of conflict with Israel. Guns went quiet as a six-month truce between Israel and Gaza Strip militants took effect Photograph: Eyad Baba/AP

Gos Beida, Chad: Refugees who fled the conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region peek through a hole in a shelter to watch a circumcision ceremony at Djabal camp Photograph: Finbarr O'Reilly/Reuters

East Midnapore, India: Villagers hold on to their household items as a makeshift vessel is pulled through the flood waters after heavy rains at Sabang village. The flood situation in West Bengal's West Midnapore district is worsening and has affected 1.6 million people in the state. Five people have died and train services have been paralysed due to the destructive waters Photograph: Piyal Adhikary/EPA

Havana, Cuba: People are seen along the Malecon. The European Union agreed to lift its diplomatic sanctions against Cuba but imposed tough conditions on the Communist island to maintain sanction-free relations, officials said Photograph: Javier Galeano/AP

Srinagar, India: A member of the Muslim Khawateen Markaz or Muslim Women Front looks on during a protest against alleged human rights violations by Indian security forces in India's portion of Kashmir Photograph: Mukhtar Khan/AP

Ascot, UK: Brightly coloured hats during Ladies' Day at Royal Ascot Photograph: Tom Jenkins/Guardian

Los Angeles, USA: The traditional Greek comedy and tragedy masks are shown in detail as The Actor statues are unloaded in preparation for the 14th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Photograph: Sam Mircovich/Reuters

Nevers, France: Ferrari's Felipe Massa is reflected in a fireman's helmet during a practice session ahead of the French grand prix at Magny-Cours Photograph: David Davies/PA

Jammu, India: Hindu devotees carry their luggage as they start their pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Amarnath. During the two-month-long annual pilgrimage, devout Hindus walk and ride ponies or palanquins to the cave - situated at an altitude of 3,800 metres - to pray by an ice stalagmite they believe to be a symbol of Hindu god Lord Shiva Photograph: Amit Gupta /Reuters

Lima, Peru: Miguel Alcoser, a mannequin craftsman, paints a model's lips at his workshop Photograph: Enrique Castro-Mendivil/Reuters