24 hours in pictures

Gaza City: Men applying to join the Hamas police force wait for physical examinations at a recruitment centre Photograph: KPA/Zuma/Rex Features Photograph: KPA/Zuma/guardian.co.uk Athens, Greece: Public sector workers strike in protest against government measures to reduce public debt, such as freezing salaries and increasing taxes Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex Features Photograph: Sipa Press/guardian.co.uk Jerusalem: A man wears a mask at a shop selling items for the Jewish holiday of Purim Photograph: Yossi Zamir/EPA Photograph: Yossi Zamir/guardian.co.uk Haridwar, India: Hindu devotees receive blessings during a Ganga Aarti Puja (prayers) before sunrise on the banks of the River Ganges Photograph: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images Photograph: Daniel Berehulak/guardian.co.uk Beijing, China: Passengers at a railway station Photograph: AFP/Getty Photograph: guardian.co.uk Pampanga province, Philippines: Spectators gather on the first day of the 15th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta at Clark freeport zone Photograph: Erik De Castro/Reuters Photograph: Erik De Castro/guardian.co.uk Leogane, Haiti: A girl plays with a balloon in a refugee camp Photograph: Rodrigo Abd/AP Photograph: Rodrigo Abd/guardian.co.uk Haridwar, India: A young Naga sadhu, or Hindu holy man Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/guardian.co.uk Singapore: An Iranian student gestures during a protest calling on Iran's government to stop violence against demonstrators at Speakers' Corner in Tehran Photograph: Wong Maye-E/AP Photograph: Wong Maye-E/guardian.co.uk Berlin, Germany: A small ice breaker moves through the broken ice on the River Spree Photograph: Markus Schreiber/AP Photograph: Markus Schreiber/guardian.co.uk New York, US: A woman uses an umbrella to shield herself from blowing snow in Central Park Photograph: Mary Altaffer/AP Photograph: Mary Altaffer/guardian.co.uk Landau, Germany: Flamingos brave the elements as snow falls on Landau Zoo Photograph: Ronald Wittek/EPA Photograph: Ronald Wittek/guardian.co.uk