Photos of the week
Sri Lankan army soldiers march during a Victory Day parade, May 18, 2014.
Sri Lanka's government Sunday marked the 5th anniversary of the civil war victory over ethnic Tamil separatists by displaying its military strength, while preventing Tamil civilians from publicly remembering their dead.
Matara, Ukraine
New recruits to the pro-Russian activist movement undergo basic training in the district administration building, May 18, 2014.
Bambari, Central African Republic
A boy gestures in front of a barricade on fire during a protest after French troops opened fire at protesters blocking a road, May 22, 2014.
Shanghai, China
Afghan President Hamid Karzai walks away after shaking hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping before the opening ceremony in the Expo Center during the fourth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia summit, May 21, 2014.
Manaus, Brazil
A sloth peeks out from behind a door on a floating house in the 'Lago do Janauari', May 20, 2014.
Manaus is one of the host cities for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Mariupol, Ukraine
Men practice parkour on the beach, May 18, 2014.
A week before presidential elections are scheduled, questions remain whether the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk are stable enough to administer the vote.
Tokyo, Japan
A couple sticks their heads out of holes while taking a photograph at a public park, May 19, 2014.
Obrenovac, Serbia
A religious statue is seen in front of a flooded house, May 20, 2014.
Soldiers and energy workers stacked thousands of sandbags overnight to protect Serbia's biggest power plant from flood waters expected to keep rising after the heaviest rains in the Balkans in more than a century killed dozens of people.
Pyongyang, North Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un smiles during a visit to Taesongsan General Hospital in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, May 19, 2014.
Sydney, Australia
Tropical Blue-and-gold Macaws are seen at Bronte Beach, May 23, 2014.
Sydney is experiencing it's hottest May on record, already recording its hottest week for this time of year in over 150 years.
Annapolis, Maryland
U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen gather before graduation ceremonies, May 23, 2014 in.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel delivered the commencement address to the 1068 commissioned graduates.
Cannes, France
U.S. actress Jessica Chastain poses as she arrives for the screening of the film "Foxcatcher" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, May 19, 2014.
Manaus, Brazil
A boy plays on a street decorated for the upcoming World Cup, May 21, 2014.
Manaus is one of the host cities for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Elmont, N.Y.
California Chrome is bathed after jogging around the track at Belmont Park, May 21, 2014.
California Chrome arrived in New York on Tuesday to begin preparations for his bid to become horse racing's first Triple Crown winner in 36 years.
Maiduguri, Nigeria
Joy Bishara, one of the school girls that escaped by jumping from the truck the night she was kidnapped by Islamist extremist, waits outside her family house in Chibok.
Traditional hunters armed with homemade guns, poisoned speers and amulets have gathered in their hundreds, eager to use their skills and what they believe to be supernatural powers to help find nearly 300 schoolgirls abducted by Islamic extremists.
Maiduguri, Nigeria
A man shows off the powers of his charms by putting fire to his neck at a camp of a vigilante group of traditional hunters, May 21, 2014.
About 100 traditional hunters from villages in Borno state have gathered in a camp in Maiduguri and volunteered to hunt for Boko Haram to the local government. The local government gives them two meals per day, they say.
See more: Hunting Boko Haram
Bambari, Central African Republic
Protesters carry a man who was shot by French soldiers after French troops opened fire at protesters blocking a road in Bambari, May 22, 2014.
Manaus, Brazil
A boy rides his bicycle along Third Street of the Alvorada neighborhood which is decorated for the 2014 World Cup, May 17, 2014.
Zenica, Bosnia
A woman and her son move away from the downwash of an European Union Force helicopter after being rescued from the flooded Serici village, May 17, 2014.
More than 20 people have been killed in the worst floods in more than a century in Serbia and Bosnia, authorities said, with thousands evacuated from towns still under threat from rising rivers.
Dnipropetrovsk Region, Ukraine
A new recruit checks his hair cut at a training camp for the Donbass Battalion, a pro-Ukrainian militia, May 19, 2014.
A week before presidential elections are scheduled, questions remain whether the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk are stable enough to administer the vote.
Shanghai, China
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani attends a news conference at a hotel after the fourth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia summit, May 22, 2014.
Rouhani said on Thursday he is not pessimistic about reaching an agreement over nuclear talks with the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany.
Yunnan, China
A man smokes as he waits with his painted buffalo before a buffalo body-painting competition in Jiangcheng county, May 18, 2014.
Artists from eight countries painted on buffaloes to compete for a 100,000 yuan ($16,042) prize reward during the competition on Sunday.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Shakira performs at the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, May 18, 2014, in .
Girona, Spain
Richard Bland of England hits his third shot on the 18th hole out of the bunker during Day 2 of the Open de Espana held at PGA Catalunya Resort, May 16, 2014.
Sydney, Australia
A general view of sunbathers at Bondi Beach, May 23, 2014.
Sydney is experiencing it's hottest May on record, already recording it's hottest week for this time of year in over 150 years.
Turin, Italy
Juventus' supporters hold up banners which read, "With...You", referring to Juventus' coach Antonio Conte, during their Italian Serie A soccer match againt Cagliari at Juventus stadium, May 18, 2014.
Valjevo, Serbia
A man walks past a house tilted by floods, May 21, 2014.
Bangkok, China
Thai soldiers stand guard during a coup at the Army Club where Thailand's army chief held a meeting with all rival factions in central May 22, 2014. Thailand's army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha took control of the government in the coup on Thursday saying the army had to restore order and push through reforms, two days after he declared martial law.
Soma, Turkey
A police water canon is used against anti government protesters, May 16, 2014.
Hundreds of protesters took part in the march against the government and there were clashes with the police forces. An explosion and fire at a coal mine killed hundreds of workers, authorities said, in one of the worst mining disasters in Turkish history.
Shanghai, China
Ivana Spanovic of Serbia competes at the women's long jump at the IAAF Diamond League athletics meet, May 18, 2014.
New York
Firefighters, police, members of the military and the public participate in the ceremonial transfer of the National 9/11 Flag into the The National September 11 Memorial Museum permanent collection, May 21, 2014.
The giant American Flag, which was flying from a building beside the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 and was later found badly damaged in the debris of ground zero, was unfurled at the World Trade Center site in a ceremony. The flag was refolded and firefighters marched it into the museum. The National September 11 Memorial Museum opened its doors to the general public today.
Ahmedabad, India
BJP leader Narendra Modi is blessed by his mother Heeraben Modi on her front porch, May 16, 2014.
Uttar Pradesh, India
Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi, India's prime minister-elect from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), watches a ritual known as "Aarti" during evening prayers on the banks of river Ganges at Varanasi, May 17, 2014.
Xiang Khouang, Laos
Rescue workers search an air force plane crash site near Nadee village, May 17, 2014.
The Laotian air force plane with at least 14 people on board crashed on Saturday, a defense ministry source said, and a witness at the site said the defense minister was among the dead.
Obrenovac, Serbia
People stand on a terrace of their flooded house as they wait to be evacuated, May 16, 2014.
The heaviest rains and floods in 120 years have hit Bosnia and Serbia.
Munshiganj, Bangladesh
Rescue workers stand on the partially salvaged M.V. Miraj-4 ferry after it capsized on the Meghna river at Rasulpur, May 16, 2014.
A Bangladeshi official said on Friday there was no chance of finding further survivors of a ferry that sank in a storm with about 200 people on board, the latest in a series of fatal ferry accidents to hit the country.
Istanbul, Turkey
A protester sits in a chair as he poses for a photograph during clashes with Turkish riot police using water cannons to disperse protesters taking part in a demonstration against the recent mine accident in Soma, May 22, 2014.
One man was injured when Turkish riot police today fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse a group of Istanbul protesters hurling Molotov cocktails and stones.
Tensions are high in Turkey with the approach of the first anniversary of deadly nationwide anti-government protests and in the wake of an unprecedented mine disaster that claimed 301 lives last week.
West Bank, Palestine
A Palestinian protester runs from tear gas fired by Israeli troops during clashes near Israel's Ofer Prison, near the West Bank city of Ramallah, May 16, 2014.
San Marcos, California
Fire crew put out smouldering embers from the Cocos Fire, May 15, 2014.
A towering wall of flames charged a hillside California community on Thursday as firefighters battled fierce wildfires that forced 125,000 people to flee homes in the San Diego area.
Italy
Migrants from sub-Saharan areas stand on a rescue boat of Italy's Navy ship San Giorgio after being rescued in open international waters in the Mediterranean Sea between the Italian and the Libyan coasts, May 14, 2014.
Italy's navy ship San Giorgio is one of five vessels involved in search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily - known as Mare Nostrum or "Our Sea" - to prevent shipwrecks of overcrowded migrant boats like the one in October in which 366 drowned a mile from the island of Lampedusa.
Lod, Israel
An ultra-Orthodox Jew cuts the hair of his son near a bonfire, during celebrations for the Jewish holiday of Lag Ba'Omer in Kfar Chabad, May 17, 2014.
The holiday marks the end of a plague that killed thousands of Jewish scholars in ancient times, as well as the anniversary of the death of Bar Yochai, who rebelled against Roman rule and is believed to be the author of the Zohar, the core text of Kabbalah mysticism. Holiday traditions include lighting bonfires and cutting the hair of three-year-old boys for the first time.
Boston, Massachusetts
Former President Bill Clinton walks onto the stage at Symphony Hall before accepting a City Year Legacy Award at a Boston Pops Concert Celebrating City Year's 25th Anniversary, May 22, 2014.
Ankara, Turkey
Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan attends a meeting as he is flanked by Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, May 19, 2014.
London, United Kingdom
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry leaves Stansted Airport to return to the United States from London, May 16, 2014.
Cairo, Egypt
Member of the Muslim Brotherhood Mohamed Beltagy speaks during his trial, May 18, 2014.
An Egyptian court jailed more than 160 Muslim Brotherhood supporters to up to 15 years in prison on Sunday, pressing a crackdown on the Islamist group before a presidential election former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to win.
Rome, New York
U.S. President Barack Obama greets people in the crowd gathered to watch him arrive on Air Force One at Griffiss International Airport, May 22, 2014.
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Brazilian artist Paulo Ito talks on his mobile phone next to graffiti he painted referencing the 2014 World Cup, on the door of a public schoolhouse, May 22, 2014.
The city of Sao Paulo will host the opening match of the 2014 Brazil World Cup.
New York, NY
Richard Qiangdong Liu, founder, chairman and CEO of JD.com celebrates with employees as JD.com has its initial public offering (IPO) on the Nasdaq exchange, May 22, 2014.
JD.com is a popular online Chinese retail site.
Dhaka, Bangladesh
A man jumps off from a boarding ramp to a boat near a timber factory by the river Buriganga, May 18, 2014.
Surabaya, Indonesia
Damai, 3 years old Bornean orangutan plays at the courtyard of Surabaya Zoo as he prepares to be released into the wild, May 19, 2014.
See more: Orangutan brothers Damai and Rizki
Bosanski Samac, Bosnia
Dead cows to be taken away by the Bosnian military from a farm near the Bosnian town of Bosanski Samac along river Sava, May 20, 2014.
A new calamity emerged Tuesday in the flood-hit Balkans even as emergency workers battled overflowing rivers and evacuated thousands: tons of drowned livestock were posing a health hazard. With the rainfall stopping and temperatures rising, the withdrawing floodwaters revealed a harrowing sight: thousands of dead cows, pigs, sheep, dogs and other animals that were left behind after their panicked owners fled rapidly advancing torrents.
Trelew, Argentina
Marlene lies over the original fossilised femur of a dinosaur displayed on exhibition at the Egidio Feruglio Museum, May 18, 2014.
According to the palaeontologists Jose Luis Carballido and Ruben Cuneo, the fossils are that of a sauropod and preliminary tests dates the fossils at some 90 million years old.
The scientists said the dinosaur could be 130 feet long and 65 feet tall, and weigh at 85 tons, and it is a previously undiscovered species of titanosaur, an herbivore, which lived during the Late Cretaceous period.
See more: Largest ever set of dinosaur remains
Aleppo, Syria
Free Syrian Army fighters fire a self-made rocket towards forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, May 19, 2014.
Lisbon, Portugal
A member of the Aposento da Moita forcados group is tossed by a bull during a bullfight at Campo Pequeno bullring, May 16, 2014.
Forcados are traditional Portuguese bullfighters who catch bulls with their bare hands.
Bakersfield, California
Hero cat Tara, with the help of her owner Roger Triantafilo and team staff member Jade Henry, tosses the first pitch prior to the start of Bakersfield Blaze and Lancaster Jayhawks Single A baseball game, May 20, 2014.
The cat saved Roger's son Jeremy Triantafilo, 4, from a dog attack in the family's driveway.
Colombo, Sri Lanka
A fan takes pictures as rapper Kanye West arrives at a fashion designer shop in Paris, May 22, 2014.
U.S. television personality Kim Kardashian and rapper Kanye West will celebrate their wedding in Florence on May 25, an official from the mayor's office confirmed on Friday.
See more: Kim and Kanye in Paris
New Delhi, India
A supporter of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dances during celebrations after learning of initial poll results outside the party headquarters, May 16, 2014.
Opposition candidate Narendra Modi will be the next prime minister of India, with early election results on Friday showing the pro-business Hindu nationalist and his party headed for the biggest victory the country has seen in 30 years.
Istanbul, Turkey
Flowers are laid at the place where Ugur Kurt was shot dead in Okmeydani cemevi, an Alevi place of worship, May 23, 2014.
A bystander, Ugur Kurt, who was attending a relative's funeral, was shot in the head apparently by a stray bullet as the violence flared on Thursday.
A second person died on Friday after clashes between Turkish police and protesters in a working-class district of Istanbul, stirring fears of further unrest as the anniversary of last year's anti-government demonstrations approaches.
Bangkok, Thailand
Anti-government protesters celebrate as they board buses at the Royal plaza to take them back home after the coup was declared, May 22, 2014.
Thailand's army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha took control of the government in the coup on Thursday saying the army had to restore order and push through reforms, two days after he declared martial law.
Arlington, Virginia
Army Col. Matthew Rasmussen, of the Army Military District of Washington, wipes tears from his eyes while visiting the grave of Army Staff Sgt. Richard Tieman, 28, of Waynesboro, Pa., as he and members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard, places flags at grave sites at Arlington National Cemetery as part of the annual "Flags-In" ceremony in preparation for Memorial Day, May 22, 2014, at the cemetery in Arlington.
Tieman died May 18, 2010, in Kabul, Afghanistan of wounds suffered in a suicide car bombing.