Photo highlights of the day

Spectators watch as waves break over the harbour wall at Porthcawl during a high tide on in Wales. Follow the live blog here. Photograph: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images

Sport picture of the day: The mascot 'Margarito' for the 2014 Caribbean baseball series rests in the heat backstage in Porlamar city, Venezuela. Photograph: Leo RamireZ/AFP/Getty Images

Pope Francis blows a kiss to the audience gathered at Saint Peter's square in the Vatican. Photograph: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images

An elephant stretches during a census at the Tsavo West national park within the Tsavo-Mkomazi ecosystem, Kenya.

The elephant trunk yoga pose? An elephant stretches during a census count at the Tsavo West national park, Kenya. Photograph: Thomas Mukoya/Reuters

Crowds of commuters on London Bridge this morning as the London tube strike causes travel delays throughout city. Follow the live blog here. Photograph: Jeff Moore

A strike on the London Underground is in full swing during the rush hour this morning as a row over the proposed closure of ticket offices continues. The 48 hour tube strike will disrupt services across the city. Commuters queue for the Jubilee Line at Waterloo.

Commuters queue for the Jubilee line at Waterloo as a few lines run a limited service. The 48-hour tube strike takes places as the row over the proposed closure of ticket offices continues. See more in the gallery. Photograph: National Pictures/Hannah McKay

Woman walk through a barricade in the main street heading to Kiev's Independence Square, Ukraine.

Women walk through a barricade heading to Kiev's Independence Square in Ukraine. Photograph: Emilio Morenatti/AP

African asylum seekers under blankets during a continuing protest in Tel Aviv's Levinski Park. The migrants, primarily from Eritrea and Sudan, are protesting to call for help in the face of Israel's refusal to grant them refugee status.

African asylum seekers under blankets during a continuing protest in Tel Aviv's Levinski Park. The migrants are calling for help in the face of Israel's refusal to grant them refugee status. Photograph: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images

Anti-government protesters look out from the fabric partition at their camp near the interior ministry building in Bangkok, Thailand. Photograph: Damir Sagolj/Reuters

Huge snow sculptures are lit up during the 65th annual Sapporo snow festival in Japan. Photograph: Toshifumi Kitamura/AFP/Getty Images

Classic cars and motorcycles displayed before a mass auction of vintage vehicles as part of 'Retromobile Week' at the Grand Palais in Paris. Photograph: Ian Langsdon/EPA

Volunteers rest during a training session for the Short Track event in the Iceberg Skating Palace at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, Russia.

Not being paid by the hour: Volunteers take a break during a training session in the Iceberg Skating Palace at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, Russia. Photograph: Tatyana Zenkovich/EPA

An anti-government protester welds steel structures at a barricade in Independence Square in Kiev. Photograph: Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP/Getty Images

A heavy snowfall followed by freezing rain made for a treacherous journey to work for many New Yorkers. Photograph: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images

The crew of the Spanish freighter Luno were dramatically rescued by helicopter after their ship broke in two as it smashed into the rocks off Bayonne in France. Extreme weather, causing swelling seas and stormy conditions has affected much of the European Atlantic coastline. Photograph: N Mollo/Rex

Brrrr you'll catch frostbite. A life-like statue of man dressed only in his underpants stands in the Wellesley College Campus, covered in snow. The statue entitled Sleepwalker is part of an exhibition by sculptor Tony Matelli organised by the Massachusetts college's museum. Photograph: Steven Senne/AP

A herd of goats watch the peloton make their way through Al Mazzara during stage two of the 2014 Ladies Tour of Qatar from Al Zubara to Madinat Al Shamal in Doha, Qatar. Photograph: Francois Nel-Velo/Getty Images