Himalaya with Michael Palin

Nepalese actor Thinle Lundup Lama (C) chatting to festival-goers during the Shey Dragon Festival in Upper Dolpa, some 500 kilometres (300 miles) northwest of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on September 6, 2012. Oscar-nominated "Himalaya" opened up the remote, pristine villages of the world's tallest mountain range to the West and made a household name of its French director. But while Eric Valli has gone on to win acclaim for a string of lucrative films and books, the movie's ageing star is penniless and struggling to survive in one of the poorest and harshest landscapes on earth.

Nepalese actor Thinle Lundup Lama (R) posing with his grandchildren in Upper Dolpa, some 500 kilometres (300 miles) northwest of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on September 6, 2012. Oscar-nominated "Himalaya" opened up the remote, pristine villages of the world's tallest mountain range to the West and made a household name of its French director. But while Eric Valli has gone on to win acclaim for a string of lucrative films and books, the movie's ageing star is penniless and struggling to survive in one of the poorest and harshest landscapes on earth

Nepalese Christians attend a Saturday prayer at community Samana Church in Kathmandu, Nepal, 25 August 2012. According to publicly available sources conversions to Christian religion from other religions is rising. One per cent of the Nepalese population of some 30 million are Christians in this Himalaya country in which Hinduism is the main religion

Himalaya with Michael Palin

 

the High Fashion Week of Puerto Rico at Roberto Clemente

Space Shuttle-Last Stop

In this photo provided by NASA, space shuttle Endeavour and its modified 747 carrier aircraft soar over the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles during its tour of California, Friday, Sept. 21, 2012.

Justin Bieber Performance Las Vegas

Justin Bieber performs at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012, in Las Vegas.

The Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals cheerleaders perform during the NFL game against the Miami Dolphins at the University of Phoenix Stadium on September 30, 2012 in Glendale, Arizona. The Carindals defeated the Dolphins 24-21 in overtime
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NEPAL-FILM-POVERTY-HIMALAYA

This handout photograph released by www.thegreathimalayatrail.org on September 27, 2012 shows a yak caravan navigating the remote, harsh terrain of Upper Dolpa, some 500 kilometres (300 miles) northwest of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on September 6, 2012. Oscar-nominated "Himalaya" opened up the remote, pristine villages of the world's tallest mountain range to the West and made a household name of its French director. But while Eric Valli has gone on to win acclaim for a string of lucrative films and books, the movie's ageing star is penniless and struggling to survive in one of the poorest and harshest landscapes on earth

Nepal Daily Life

A Nepalese woman vendor sits with her child as she waits for customers near Boudhanath Stupa in Katmandu, Nepal, Friday, Sept. 14, 2012. The Boudhanath Stupa is an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists.

South Africa Mining Violence

Striking Lonmin Platinum miners gather in Marikana, South Africa, where a new wage offer was rejected Friday, Sept. 14, 2012. As various stakeholders continued negotiations Justice Minister Jeff Radebe warned that the Government would clamp down on daily illegal marches by miners brandishing machetes, spears and clubs that have marked the strike.

SUDAN US ANTI ISLAM FILM PROTEST

Sudanese protesters shout slogans during a protest in front of the German embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, 14 September 2012. Media reports state that the German and British embassies in Khartoum were attacked on 14 February by angry protesters railing against an anti-Islam film. Security forces used tear gas to disperse the crowd, which was trying to set the building alight.

deast Lebanon US Prophet Film

Lebanese protesters wave religious flags and shout slogans after Friday prayers as part of widespread anger across the Muslim world about a film ridiculing Islam's Prophet Muhammad in the northeastern city of Tripoli, Lebanon, Friday Sept. 14, 2012

HongKong-cycling-environment,FEATURE

In this picture taken on September 15, 2012, bicycles are placed in a parking area in Hong Kong. On Hong Kong's traffic-heavy streets, horns blare as red taxis, double-decker buses and minivans shuttle people to work. But there is one thing missing -- bicycles. On Hong Kong's traffic-heavy streets, horns blare as speeding red taxis, double-decker buses and public minivans shuttle people to work. But there is one thing missing -- bicycles.

Bangladeshi rickshaw pullers transport passengers

Bangladeshi rickshaw pullers transport passengers during a nationwide strike in Dhaka on September 23, 2012. Most schools, shops and offices were closed in Bangladesh on Sunday as opposition parties enforced a nationwide strike to protest against the mocking of the Prophet Mohammed in a US Internet film.

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PUERTO RICO FASHION WEEK

Picture made available on 23 September 2012 showing Phillipe and David, designers of 'The Blonds', posing after presenting their collection, during the last day of the High Fashion Week of Puerto Rico at Roberto Clemente stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 22 September 2012

TUNISIA PROTEST IN TUNIS

A general view shows Tunisian followers of the Ennahda party, praying in a show of support for theTunisian government, in Tunis, Tunisia, 31 August 2012. According to media reports on 31 August 2012, the Tunisian Presidency extended the state of emergency until 30 September 2012. The state of emergency has been put in place on 14 January 2011, following the uprising in the country and the departure of former Tunisian President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali.

the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition

Surfer Joey watches the competition during the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California on September 30, 2012. Some 48 dogs took part in the event, watched by 1,500 spectators.

Nicaragua Saint Jerome

A disguised person performs during celebrations honoring Saint Jerome in Masaya, Nicaragua, Sunday, Sept 30, 2012

ALMA Awards Arrivals

Cierra Ramirez arrives at the ALMA Awards on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif.


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roadside vendor sells fried fish in Hambanthota

A Sri Lankan roadside vendor sells fried fish in Hambanthota on September 17, 2012. Sri Lanka is banking on cricket to repair the damage to its blood-stained image after the brutal end to a 37-year ethnic war as it stages the biggest tournament in the nation's post-independence history. Since declaring an end in 2009 to a conflict that claimed up to 100,000 lives, President Mahinda Rajapakse's government has had to battle accusations that its troops killed thousands of civilians as they crushed Tamil rebels in the finale

JAPAN POPULATION

Elderly people practice physical activity with wooden dumbbells during an event organised for the Respect-for-the Aged Day in Tokyo, Japan,

JAPAN POPULATION

A young girl and elderly people practice physical activity with wooden dumbbells during an event organised for the Respect-for-the Aged Day in Tokyo, Japan, 17 September 2012. According to a government estimate released on 16 September, the number of Japanese people aged 65 or older has passed the 30 million mark for the first time ever.

CHINA-JAPAN-DIPLOMACY-DISPUTE Chinese fishing

Chinese fishing boats set off to fish near the disputed Diaoyu Islands, also known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan, from Shipu fishing port in Xiangshan county, east China's Zhejiang province on September 16, 2012, after the summer fishing moratorium in the East China Sea ended. Japan and China, Asia's two largest economies, are at loggerheads over the archipelago in the East China Sea administered by Tokyo under the name Senkaku and claimed by China under the name Diaoyu.

ALMA Awards Press Room

From left, Jessica Steffens, Brenda Villa, Marlen Esparza and Leonel Manzano pose backstage with their Olympic medals at the ALMA Awards on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif.

Solomon Islands Britain Asia Royals

Britain's Kate, right, the Duchess of Cambridge, is presented with a small canoe by two local children during a visit to the Commonwealth Youth Programme in Honiara, Solomon Islands, Monday, Sept. 17, 2012. Britain's Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, and his wife Kate are on their third stop of a nine-day tour of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee.

PAKISTAN TRAINS ACCIDENT

Rescue workers carry an injured person from the accident scene after two passenger trains collided near Karachi, Pakistan, 17 September 2012. At least one person was killed and several were injured when two Karachi bound passenger trains, the Shalimar Express from Lahore and the Millat express from Faisalabad collided near Karachi early hours of 17 September.

TYPHOON-SANBA

Strong wind blows pieces of polystyrene over a coastal road as typhoon Sanba hits the country in the southern port city of Yeosu on September 17, 2012. Typhoon Sanba, packing winds of 155 kilometres (97 miles) per hour, slammed into South Korea bringing torrential rains across the country and shutting down flights and ferry services.

vegetable market in Colombo

Sri Lankan vendors wait for customers at a vegetable market in Colombo on September 17, 2012. Sri Lanka is banking on cricket to repair the damage to its blood-stained image after the brutal end to a 37-year ethnic war as it stages the biggest tournament in the nation's post-independence history. Since declaring an end in 2009 to a conflict that claimed up to 100,000 lives, President Mahinda Rajapakse's government has had to battle accusations that its troops killed thousands of civilians as they crushed Tamil rebels in the finale.

SKOREA-WEATHER-TYPHOON-SANBA

High waves wash over a coastal road as typhoon Sanba hits the country in the southeastern port city of Busan on September 17, 2012. Typhoon Sanba, packing winds of 155 kilometres (97 miles) per hour, slammed into South Korea bringing torrential rains across the country and shutting down flights and ferry services.

Sri Lankan vendor sells bananas

A Sri Lankan vendor sells bananas at a vegetable market in Colombo on September 17, 2012. Sri Lanka is banking on cricket to repair the damage to its blood-stained image after the brutal end to a 37-year ethnic war as it stages the biggest tournament in the nation's post-independence history. Since declaring an end in 2009 to a conflict that claimed up to 100,000 lives, President Mahinda Rajapakse's government has had to battle accusations that its troops killed thousands of civilians as they crushed Tamil rebels in the finale.

Dr Askan Ghavami performs buttock enhancement cosmetic surgery

Plastic surgeon Dr.Askan Ghavami prepares to perform buttock enhancement cosmetic surgery on September 10, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. Forget face lifts or boob jobs -- in California the latest cosmetic surgery must-have is the buttock enhancement, whether higher, rounder or just smoother.

Plastic surgeon Dr Askan Ghavami performs buttock enhancement cosmetic surgery on September 10, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. Forget face lifts or boob jobs -- in California the latest cosmetic surgery must-have is the buttock enhancement, whether higher, rounder or just smoother.

the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California

Surf City Surf DogSurfer Joey watches the competition during the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California on September 30, 2012. Some 48 dogs took part in the event, watched by 1,500 spectators.

Hanzo, a 4-year-old German boxer, surfs during the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California on September 30, 2012. An extremely talented surfer, Hanzo learned how to skateboard when he was only 10 weeks old.

Sir Hollywood prepares to surf during the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California on September 30, 2012. Some 48 dogs took part in the event, watched by 1,500 spectators.

Sir Hollywood surfs during the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California on September 30, 2012. Some 48 dogs took part in the event, watched by 1,500 spectators

Hanzo, a 4-year-old German boxer, jumps over a wave during the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California on September 30, 2012. An extremely talented surfer, Hanzo learned how to skateboard when he was only 10 weeks old.

Hanzo, a 4-year-old German boxer, jumps over a wave during the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California on September 30, 2012. An extremely talented surfer, Hanzo learned how to skateboard when he was only 10 weeks old.

A spectator watches the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California on September 30, 2012. Some 48 dogs took part in the event, watched by 1,500 spectators.

A dog is held by its master during the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California on September 30, 2012. Some 48 dogs took part in the event , watched by 1,500 spectators.

Hanzo, a four-year-old German boxer, rides a wave during the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California on September 30, 2012. Extremly talented surfer Hanzo learned how to skateboard when he was only 10 weeks old.

Hanzo, a four-year-old German boxer, jumps over a wave during the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California on September 30, 2012. Extremly talented surfer Hanzo learned how to skateboard when he was only 10 weeks old.

2012 NYFF Frances Ha Premiere

Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach, and Mickey Sumner attends the premiere of "Frances Ha" during the 50th annual New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall on Sunday Sept. 30, 2012 in New York

Mickey Sumner attends the premiere of "Frances Ha" during the 50th annual New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall on Sunday Sept. 30, 2012 in New York

NYFF Press Conference: Frances Ha

singer Nicki Minaj

FASHION-INDIA-BOLLYWOOD

Indian Bollywood actress (L/R) Shabana Azmi, designer Manish Malhotra and actress Priyanka Chopra pose as they attend a fashion show for The Mijwan Welfare Society in Mumbai late September 3, 2012.

US-AVIATION-HISTORY

A Variety of aircraft on display September 3, 2012 at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

three hairs believed to belong to Islam's Prophet Mohammed

A vessel containing three hairs believed to belong to Islam's Prophet Mohammed is held up at the Hanbali mosque in the northern Palestinian city of Nablus on August 15, 2012. The ancient mosque was founded by the al-Hanbali family of Nablus in the early 16th-century, and according to local Muslim tradition, a wooden box kept in the mosque preserves several hairs of the prophet. The flask containing the hairs is brought out annually on the 27th day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan for worshipers to view and seek blessings from.

Nanjing Massacre memorial hall in Nanjing

A group of visitors arrive at the Nanjing Massacre memorial hall in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu province on August 15, 2012 to commemorate Victory over Japan Day. Two Japanese cabinet ministers visited a shrine honouring war criminals on August 15, the anniversary of Tokyo's 1945 surrender, a move set to inflame feelings already running high over territorial spats

Labor Day

Romeo Tichinte, 19, and Carolina Marquez, 20, of Los Angeles, share a kiss while visiting Huntington Beach, Calif., during the holiday weekend Monday afternoon, Sept. 3, 2012.

California Wildfires

A firefighting helicopter drops water on a wildfire in the Angeles National Forest north of Glendora, Calif., Monday, Sept. 3, 2012. A day after the wildfire broke out near a campground and forced the evacuation of thousands of campers and picnickers it had grown to more than 4,100 acres, or roughly 6 square miles, and was just five percent contained.

Freewheelin

People board a pedal bus at a Freewheelin station to get around Democratic National Convention festivities on Monday, Sept. 3, 2012 in Charlotte, NC. Humana is providing complimentary pedal buses for convention-goers throughout the week

the annual West Indian Day parade

People dance on the streets during the annual West Indian Day parade in Brooklyn, New York, September 3, 2012. The parade celebrates Caribbean culture, though it has been marred by violence in past years, causing a greater police presence this year.

USA-CAMPAIGN

A tattoo reading, "Live in the moment. Moments make history" is seen on the back of Erica McDaniel, 20, ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina September 3, 2012.

flooded river after heavy rainfall hit Liangshan,

Locals stand on a collapsed road next to a flooded river after heavy rainfall hit Liangshan, Sichuan province, September 2, 2012. China's central authorities initiated a level four emergency plan on Sunday afternoon in response to severe flooding in the southwestern Chinese cities of Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality.

heavy rainfall hit Liangshan

Rescuers help locals move a trapped car to safer areas after heavy rainfall hit Liangshan, Sichuan province, September 2, 2012. China's central authorities initiated a level four emergency plan on Sunday afternoon in response to severe flooding in the southwestern Chinese cities of Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality. According to the Sichuan provincial civil affairs authority, the flood impacted 1.6 million local people, left 12 dead and 15 missing. Some 174,000 had either been evacuated or is in need of life assistance, Xinhua News Agency reported. Picture taken September 2, 2012.

VIETNAM BIRD FLU

Poultry is disp

The Cheon Jeong Gung Museum

The Cheon Jeong Gung Museum, where the body of Evangelist Reverend Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church, is placed, is seen in Gapyeong, about 60 km (37 miles) northeast of Seoul September 3, 2012. Sun, the founder and head of the Unification Church which has millions of followers around the world, died at a retreat near the South Korean capital Seoul on Monday, church officials said.

San Gabriel mountains in the Angeles National Forest

A helicopter drops water on a brush fire as thick smoke rises from the hills above San Gabriel mountains in the Angeles National Forest, California, along Highway 39 on Azusa Canyon, September 2, 2012. Evacuations have been ordered in the surrounding areas as the fire has burned more than 3,600 acres with only 5 percent containment as of 9:00 pm (PST), according to the Angeles National Forest Department.

Senkaku and Diaoyu in China in the East China Sea

This picture taken on September 2, 2012 shows a team of Japanese surveyors on rubber boats heading to the disputed island chain known in Japan as Senkaku and Diaoyu in China in the East China Sea. Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara, known for his outspoken views, dispatched the team to survey the shoreline and waters around the rocky uninhabited isles.

RUSSIA BORODINO BATTLE

Historical club members perform a reconstruction marking the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino at Borodino village some 120 km outside Moscow, Russia, 02 September 2012. The large and bloody single-day Battle of Borodino between the Imperial Russian Army and Napoleon's Great Army on 07 September 1812 resulted in the retreat of the Russian army and the occupation of Moscow by Napoleon

smoke and fire glows from the hills above San Gabriel mountains

A plume of thick smoke and fire glows from the hills above San Gabriel mountains in the Angeles National Forest, California, along Highway 39 on Azusa Canyon September 2, 2012. Evacuations have been ordered in the surrounding areas as the fire has burned more than 3,600 acres with only 5 percent containment as of 9:00 pm (PST), according to the Angeles National Forest Department

The Universe Revolves Around You

People explore the art installation "The Universe Revolves Around You" during the Burning Man 2012 "Fertility 2.0" arts and music festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, September 2, 2012. More than 60,000 people from all over the world have gathered at the sold out festival, which is celebrating its 26th year, to spend a week in the remote desert cut off from much of the outside world to experience art, music and the unique community that develops.

Nicki Minaj

People Nicki Minaj

Fans surround singer Nicki Minaj as she performs on NBC's "Today" show on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012 in New York.

RUSSIA PUSSY RIOT

A picture made available on 14 August 2012 shows members of Russian punk group 'Pussy Riot' during a rehearsal in Moscow, Russia, 10 February 2012. Three members of the band, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Aliokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich, are accused of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred or hostility after they performed a song in the Christ the Savior cathedral in Moscow earlier this year ahead of presidential elections in Russia. In the song variously entitled 'Holy Shit' and 'Mother of God, Chase Putin Away!', the band asked Virgin Mary 'to drive Putin away'. Free members of the group gave an interview on 14 August 2012 to foreign media announcing they will protest again despite the trial. Several worldwide renowned artists, among them Madonna, Bjork, Elijah Wood, Peaches, expressed their support to the group. The Moscow Khamovnichesky Court is to pronounce sentence on the Pussy Riot case on 17 August

BRITAIN-COMIC-CIRCULATION-DANDY

A person reads a copy of the children's comic The Dandy at a news agent in central London on August 14, 2012. Publishers DC Thompson, based in Dundee, Scotland, announced that the future of Britain's oldest children's comic and home to cartoon strip characters including Desperate Dan and the cow-pie eating cowboy, is under review after 75 years. By the second half of 2011, circulation had dipped below 8,000, down from a 1950s high of 2 million weekly copies. A spokeswoman for the publishers told AFP that "a review of the title is under way (but) nothing has been decided on yet", indicating the comic was likely to live on as a digital edition even if the print edition closed.

INDONESIA

A villager carries grass while walking through a dry dam as a result of a long drought period that hit the area in the Bojonegoro district of Indonesia's East Java province September 2, 2012. The Indonesian National Board of Disaster Management predicts nine provinces might suffer from water crises due to the drought and measures have been drafted to tackle the problem. Picture taken September 2, 2012.

INDONESIA

A villager collects drinking water provided by a state company after suffering from a long drought period in Bojonegoro, Indonesia's East Java September 2, 2012. The Indonesian National Board of Disaster Management predicts nine provinces might suffer from water crises due to the drought and measures have been drafted to tackle the problem. Picture taken September 2, 2012.

collects water from a hole dug at a dried-up lake in Gunung Kidul

A villager squats as he collects water from a hole dug at a dried-up lake in Gunung Kidul village, Yogyakarta September 1, 2012. The Indonesian National Board of Disaster Management predicts nine provinces might suffer from water crises due to the drought and measures have been drafted to tackle the problem. Picture taken September 1, 2012.

Mariachis walk

Mariachis walk on stilts during the International Mariachi Parade in Guadalajara September 2, 2012. Mariachis, traditional Mexican musicians whose music originated in the 19th century in the state of Jalisco, play music for paying customers in public places, bars and restaurants, or at weddings and parties, and have been officially declared an "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" by UNESCO

SAFRICA-MINING-CRIME-DIAMOND

A picture taken on July 6, 2012 shows an illegal miner displaying diamonds dug out of a disused mine in Komaggas. Three months ago 10 illegal miners died in an avalanche, while looking for gems on a disused mine. Illegal miners in South Africa are ready to risk death to chase a share of the mineral riches that shaped the continent's biggest economy. In sparsely populated Namaqualand, where the famed gem deposits run along the icy Atlantic Ocean to the Namibian border, diamond giant De Beers was once the top employer, but its mines were halted in 2008. The slowdown has emptied out the private mining towns, but has lured growing numbers of diggers from the area's other small settlements into the abandoned fields.

Actors playing the roles of Dom Pedro and his wife perform during a play on Brazil's independence,

Actors playing the roles of Dom Pedro and his wife perform during a play on Brazil's independence, at Independence park in Sao Paulo, Brazil on September 2, 2012. The so-called Grito de Ipiranga (Shout of Ipiranga) by then regent Pedro (later Emperor Pedro I) "Independence or death" in 1822, became the decralation of Brazil's independence from Portugal and next September 7 marks its 190th anniversay.

Body Worlds

A plastinated human head is seen at the "Body Worlds" exhibition by Gunther von Hagen at the Universum Museum in Mexico City August 14, 2012. Von Hagen is a German anatomist who invented plastination, the method for preserving biological tissue specimens. The exhibition shows whole bodies plastinated in lifelike poses and dissected to show various structures and system of human anatomy.

Kristen Bell

Cast member Kristen Bell poses at the premiere of "Hit and Run" at Regal Cinemas in Los Angeles, California August 14, 2012. The movie opens in the U.S. on August 22.

AUSTRALIA BILLYCARTS RACES

Students from the Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts take part in a sprint race during TechnoPush at the Sydney Motorsport Park in Sydney, Australia, 15 August 2012. More than 60 teams made up from New South Wales primary and high school children race their billycarts in obstacle, sprint, road safety and endurance tests designed to teach children about road safety, vehicle technology and the environment