Picture desk live: the day's best news images

It could be a scene from Sarkozy the Musical, or maybe he's just happy at looking taller than the Eiffel Tower. The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, reacts to supporters as he arrives on stage at Trocadero square to deliver a speech during a campaign rally Photograph: Philippe Wojazer/AP

Palestinian protesters lie on the ground after being hit by pepper spray during clashes with Israeli troops outside Ofer military prison near the West Bank city of Ramallah following a demonstration in support for prisoners held in Israeli jails Photograph: Abbas Momani/AFP/Getty Images

This is an elegant picture. A couple stand in Holborn as protesters from the Occupy movement gather before a demonstration Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

The Conservative MP Louise Mensch speaks during the launch of the House of Commons culture, media and sport committee report on News International and phone-hacking at a press conference in London. The report said Rupert Murdoch was not a fit person to exercise the stewardship of major international company Photograph: Carl Court/AFP/Getty Images

More heavy-handed policing in Russia. Officers detain a gay rights activist during a protest in St Petersburg. Seventeen gay rights activists were detained in Russia's second city on Tuesday, local media reported Photograph: Reuters

Onlookers watch rescue operations and await news of their relatives after a ferry capsized at Buraburi village, in Assam state, north-eastern India. Army divers and rescue workers pulled more than 100 bodies out of a river after a packed ferry capsized in heavy winds and rain Photograph: Anupam Nath/AP

London mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone walks his dog Coco as he meets voters in north London. Polls show that Livingstone has dropped slightly behind his rival Boris Johnson in the polls which is possibly why he is bringing his secret weapon, Coco the dog, along to impress voters Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

Tewkesbury suffers again. Floodwaters rise above land close to Tewkesbury Abbey. After the wettest April in 100 years, thousands of homes, particularly in the south-west of England, faced a renewed risk of flooding after heavy rain fell overnight. Many rivers are on flood alert Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

A Pakistani man who works in a brick factory, lathers his body in soap while washing after work on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan. Photographer Muheisen's work always affords wonderful snippets of daily life in some of the harsher parts of the world Photograph: Muhammed Muheisen/AP

The Queen looks genuinely delighted to meet a woman holding some Corgi dogs as she attends the Mad Hatter's Tea Party at Sherborne Abbey in Sherborne, Dorset Photograph: Reuters

It's slightly odd, we don't really understand it, but it's definitely art so it must be the Turner prize. This is part of Spartacus Chetwynd's entry Photograph: Tate

What better way to start a cold rainy day than to dress up and dance around a maypole? Pilgrim Morris Men dance on St Martha's Hill at dawn on May Day in Chilworth, Surrey Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

Isn't it a bit early in the day to start drinking? The Russian president-elect, Vladimir Putin, enjoys a beer in a bar after the May Labour Day rally of the Russian Trade Unions and United Russia party in Moscow Photograph: Alexey Druzhinin/AFP/Getty Images

France's far-right Front National leader, Marine Le Pen, finds something highly amusing while on walkabout with her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, during the traditional May Day march in Paris Photograph: Francois Mori/AP

The caption that came with this photograph said it showed armed North Korean soldiers joking with Chinese tourists as they kept guard at Hwanggumpyong Island, near the border between North Korea and China. Maybe pointing loaded guns at tourists passes for a joke in North Korea Photograph: Jacky Chen/Reuters

No it's not a VE Day re-enactment party. It's the start of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations on Oxford Street. There's going to be a lot more of this to come. Fashion designer and model Jasmine Guinness poses near 147 Union flags that represent 147 years of fashion on Oxford Street Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

Watch out, there's a deadly caterpillar about. People are being warned not to touch this invasive species of moth caterpillar. The oak processionary larva can cause skin rashes and irritation to eyes and throats and has been emerging in oak trees around London and Berkshire Photograph: George Gate/PA

Rain, rain go away … Pedestrians navigate a flooded Piccadilly Circus in central London. April was the wettest in Britain since records began in 1910, according to Met Office figures. The British Environment Agency has more than 35 flood warnings in place across the country Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA