World Population: Where it’s thick and where it’s thin

The growing population of the world, now estimated to be over 7 billion, marks a global milestone and presents obvious challenges for the planet. There are extremely densely populated cities and sparsely populated countries. China is the most populous country with India following closely behind.

Thailand flood reaches Bangkok

Flood waters inundating Thailand north of Bangkok since July have made the journey south and reached the capital. The disaster is responsible for 400 deaths in Thailand and neighboring Cambodia and Vietnam. Thailand is the world’s biggest rice exporter, but the floods have wiped out over a quarter of the country’s crop.

The Hajj and Eid al-Adha

The Hajj pilgrimage draws millions of Muslims from around the world every year to Mecca, the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, Islam’s holiest place. Saudi Arabia expects to host perhaps three million people in a ritual journey that every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it must make at least once in their lifetime.

A simple day in the life…

Often in the Big Picture we feature “slice of life” photography originating from around the world, brought to us by photographers based in those countries who work for the Associated Press, Reuters and Getty Images.

Scenes from Kashmir

Kashmir is a scenic land of tranquil beauty. A longstanding dispute over control of the region ensures that life for Kashmiris is anything but tranquil. Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir, and a fortified Line of Control separates forces. China also administers part of the region.

Too much of a basic human need

Water is essential to life but in such places as India, Pakistan, China, and Thailand deluges have once again caused misery. Typhoon Nesat hit the Philippines earlier this week on its way to south China. In Pakistan, more than 5 million people have been affected by recent flooding, according to the aid agency Oxfam.

A glimpse of North Korea

North Korea has long been enigmatic – especially to the West. An elaborate cult of personality created around the ruling Kim family permeates both the cultural and political lives of the nation. The world’s most militarized nation, it has been developing nuclear weapons and a space program.

Krishna Janmashtami

Indian Hindu devotees throughout the world celebrate Janmashtami, which marks the birth of Hindu God Lord Krishna with enormous zeal and enthusiasm. Children and adults dress as the Hindu God Krishna and his consort Radha in bright, elaborate costumes and jewelry.

Libya on the brink of change

Rebels swept into the center of Tripoli over the weekend, and the end appeared to be inevitable for the 42-year reign of Moammar Khadafy as leader of Libya, but government forces were still putting up sporadic resistance in pockets of the city. The whereabouts of Khadafy were unknown.

The Norway attacks

The country continues to mourn and investigate the loss of 68 people killed on the island of Utoya who were attending a youth summer camp of the country’s left-wing Labor Party as well as eight killed by a car bomb in Oslo last Friday.

Dangerous work: “The Mine” in Guatemala City

In Guatemala City, a place called “The Mine” can deliver both a means of survival and a grisly death. Every day, dozens of residents salvage a living by scouring the massive dump for scrap metal. Facing the threat of mudslides, collapses, and disease, they can potentially earn twice the daily minimum wage.

People of Clouds

In the Mixteca, one of the most impoverished regions in Mexico, migration to the United States has arrived like a storm. In a place so insular that pre-columbian languages like Mixteco, Trique, and Asmuzgos are still spoken more widely than Spanish, and where cars, electricity and indoor plumbing are recent introductions, if they exist at all, northern migration has emptied communities and transformed the lives of those left behind.

Music and mud: Glastonbury Festival 2011

Glastonbury, a festival held at Worthy Farm in England, has become Europe’s largest such gathering for music fans. Its five-day run ended Sunday, after entertaining nearly 175,000 fans. Heavy rain and mud greeted the attendees, who paid 195 pounds (about $310) for a basic ticket compared to the 1 pound when the show began in 1970.

Vesak Day 2011

Commonly called “Budda’s birthday,” Vesak Day is a time for Buddhists worldwide to come together and celebrate the birth, enlightenment, and death of Buddha. The commemorations range from meditations and quiet prayers to alms giving events to long colorful processions.

May Day 2011

Demonstrators around the globe observed May Day this past weekend with protests and mass gatherings, including a few that turned violent. The day has become an occasion for a wide range of agendas, from promoting rights for immigrant workers, to a traditional nod for International Workers’ Day, to a call for a revival of communism, to a celebration of spring.

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World Press Photo: Winners

World Press Photos of the Year 2010. Showcase of 23 Images of World Press Photo Winners.

Massive earthquake hits Japan

Photos of Janpan Earth Quake

Pakistan in need

Heavy floods in Pakistan, its effect one fifth of all the land in Pakistan.

Faces of Haiti

After massive earthquake in Haiti.

Remembering September 11th

Remembering September 11th, 2001.

Ethiopia in Food Crisis Once More

4.5 million Ethopians are in Food Crisis.

World’s Most Dangerous Countries for Women

Targeted violence against females.

Afghanistan, January, 2010

Photographs of January 2010 from Afghanistan.

Severe flooding in Pakistan

Heavy floods in Pakistan. Over 1,600 people death and 2 million people are affected

Colorful India

An amazing collection of Colorful Photos from India.

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