Picture desk live: the day's best news images

While Putin's meeting Angela Merkel, the Russian prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, gets a lesson in making ballon animals as he attends a festival at the Krasnaya Pakhra children's cardio-rheumatology resort in Troitsk Photograph: Mikhail Klimentyev /EPA

A young rugby hopeful makes off with a ball during a team exercise in Zandspruit, South Africa. The practice of shirts v skins is alive and well in the township as sporting clothing is expensive Photograph: Denis Farrell/AP

It's hot work attending the rally in Siliguri so members of the Lepcha tribe cool off with ice-lollies. Thousands of Lepchas from the Himalayan hills of Darjeeling, gathered to thank West Bengal's chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, for her support in the formation of the Lepcha Development Council Photograph: Diptendu Dutta/AFP/Getty Images

Egyptians raise their shoes in a sign of rejection of presidential run-off candidate Ahmed Shafiq, an ex-prime minister under the ousted regime of Hosni Mubarak, during a protest in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Earlier this week, attackers set fire to Shafiq's headquarters following the announcement that he was to face the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Mohammed Mursi, in the second round of Egypt's presidential election Photograph: Marco Longari/AFP/Getty Images

Vicky Pryce, the ex-wife of former cabinet minister Chris Huhne, faced a wall of photographers outside Southwark crown court after a pre-trial hearing. Pryce and Huhne are charged with perverting the course of justice over a 2003 speeding offence Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

This weekend there's only one show in town and with two days to go before the start of the jubilee celebrations this person's getting in the spirit with a fun photo opportunity with Her Maj on the Mall Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

On HMS Diamond the crew are enjoying a jubilee street party at Portsmouth's Royal Navy dockyard, after firing a 21-gun salute to officially launch the celebrations Photograph: Chris Ison/PA

Racegoers at the Epsom Derby catch jubilee fever. Finn Grant of Criccieth, Wales, poses with a British flag and England hat in the infield during Ladies Day. On Saturday, the Queen will indulge her life-long passion for horses with a visit to the Derby Photograph: Chris Helgren/Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin wears a serious look as he meets German Chancellor Angela Merkel before talks at the Chancellery in Berlin. Is it a scowl? Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters

...or perhaps it was his kissing face? Photograph: John Macdougall/AFP/Getty Images

Now that has to be a smirkel ... Photograph: Carsten Koall/Getty Images

Edinburgh zoo welcomes its latest arrival, Flo the skunk from Amneville zoo in France. She's in Scotland to join a six-year-old male skunk named Fergus. These black and white creatures are most noted for their … how shalle we say … unique, defensive odour. Bring your own nosepegs Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Atten-shun! It must have been a rude awakening for this mounted trooper taking part in the rehearsal of the royal carriage procession for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations this weekend Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

This regiment was quick off the march despite the early start for the Diamond Jubilee rehearsal Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

Natimi Black-Heaven's joy at carrying the Olympic flame on Day 13 of the relay between Lowton and Abram is uplifting, literally Photograph: LOCOG/Getty Images

A mesmerising photo illustration provided by Nasa shows the sky at night just before the predicted merger between our own Milky Way galaxy and neighbouring Andromeda. Offering a glimpse into the future, the view is inspired by computer modelling of the collision about 4bn years from now - a merger that will form a single galaxy in about 6bn years Photograph: handout/Reuters

More than 1,000 students attend an initiation ceremony of Young Pioneers in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, for International Children's Day Photograph: Luo Xiaoguang/Corbis

The awards podium for London Olympics 2012 victory ceremonies will take on a distinctly purple hue Photograph: LOCOG/Getty Images

Madonna performs on stage during her MDNA tour at Ramat Gan Stadium in Tel Aviv, Israel. Perhaps she's hoping for a cameo in Glee? Photograph: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Police clash with Yellow shirt supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy near parliament in Bangkok. Thailand's Yellow shirts are rallying against a controversial national reconciliation bill which is viewed by some as a way of allowing the former premier Thaksin Shinawatra return home from exile Photograph: Sukree Sukplang/Reuters