Picture desk live: the day's best news images

A candid moment caught by the photographer Alistair Grant, who spotted these little relatives of members of the House of Lords peering around the corner as members of both Houses of Parliament waited to listen to the Queen's speech. See more in our gallery Photograph: Alastair Grant/AFP/Getty Images

Members of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery march away after firing a 41-gun salute in Green Park to mark the arrival of the Queen at the state opening of parliament – but, er, not all to the same tune it would seem Photograph: Matt Dunham/AP

Kashmiri government employees are sprayed with purple water by Indian police to disperse a protest in Srinagar. The use of dyed water, which lends a surreal quality to the scene, is a method to mark and arrest demonstrators Photograph: STAFF/Reuters

These children are getting ready to take part in a rally in Gaza City before Nakba, which commemorates the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians as a result of the founding of Israel in 1948 Photograph: Suhaib Salem/Reuters

It's more of a waddle than a run for the competitors in the National Flipper Race at the Dam square in Amsterdam Photograph: Ade Johnson/AFP/Getty Images

Preparations for the state opening of parliament began early with a spot of vacuuming at the Sovereign's Entrance Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/WPA pool

Let's hope the vacuuming's all done – she's on her way. Seen through the window of the Australian state coach, the Queen departs Buckingham Palace en route to the Palace of Westminster Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

The pomp and ceremony of the state opening of parliament as the Queen and Prince Philip make their grand entrance through the Royal Gallery at the Palace of Westminster Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

Russian servicemen take part in the Victory Parade in Moscow's Red Square. Russia is celebrating the 67th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany today. See more in our gallery Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters

Veterans meet the president, Vladimir Putin, after the parade in Red Square Photograph: Ria Novosti/Reuters

Eye spy an extraordinary rare squirrel found in the valley of Muju, south of Seoul, in South Korea. It is an endangered haneul daramjui, or sky squirrel Photograph: Mount Deokyu National Park/EPA

The French artist Daniel Buren has created this ambitious installation for Monumenta 2012, which runs at the Grand Palais in Paris until 21 June. See more in our gallery Photograph: Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images

Congolese refugees carry their belongings along a road between Rutshuru and Goma. Thousands have fled their homes after clashes between the army and rebel fighters Photograph: Marc Hofer/AP

A Syrian soldier wounded after a roadside bomb hit his military truck is taken to hospital in Daraa. The explosion went off seconds after a team of UN observers had passed by Photograph: Muzaffar Salman/AP

The skies clear as Johnny Depp, sporting some forward-thinking eyewear, arrives at the UK premiere of Dark Shadows in Leicester Square Photograph: Mike Marsland/WireImage