24 hours in pictures

Alaska, USA: An Iditarod musher cruises through the thin spruce forest near the Cripple checkpoint during the Iditarod trail sled dog race Photograph: Bob Hallinen/AP Photograph: Bob Hallinen/guardian.co.uk Takao, Japan: Buddhist mountain priests scoop buckets of water to control a fire during a rite of purification at the foot of Mount Takao Photograph: Junji Kurokawa/AP Photograph: Junji Kurokawa/guardian.co.uk Khan Neshin, Afghanistan: A US marine attached to the 4th Light Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion steps across a muddy creek Photograph: Chris Hondros/Getty Images Photograph: Chris Hondros/guardian.co.uk Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: The statue of Christ the Redeemer is surrounded by scaffolding during a $4m (£2.6m) renovation. Heavy rains have eroded portions of the statue's face and hands and it has been damaged by lightning strikes over the years Photograph: Felipe Dana/AP Photograph: Felipe Dana/guardian.co.uk Kathmandu, Nepal: A policeman arrests a protester who was dropping leaflets near the Chinese embassy consular office Photograph: Shruti Shrestha/Reuters Photograph: Shruti Shrestha/guardian.co.uk Shenyang, China: A northeast tiger lies in a cage during the opening of a property project to raise money to feed tigers. At least 11 tigers have died from malnutrition at Chinese zoos this year, the year of the tiger Photograph: Sheng Li/Reuters Photograph: Sheng Li/guardian.co.uk Valencia, Spain: Workers attach figurines to a giant sculpture during final preparations for the Fallas festival Photograph: Heino Kalis/Reuters Photograph: Heino Kalis/guardian.co.uk Lima, Peru: A cyclist paints himself in preparation for a protest to demand more bicycle paths from the city government and more respect for cyclists from motorists Photograph: Pilar Olivares/Reuters Photograph: Pilar Olivares/guardian.co.uk Bangkok, Thailand: Supporters of the ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra pass one other pots of flowers decorating the city street, during an anti-government rally Photograph: Apichart Weerawong/AP Photograph: Apichart Weerawong/guardian.co.uk Yokohama, Japan: A dolphin performs during a show at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise aquarium-amusement park complex Photograph: Itsuo Inouye/AP Photograph: Itsuo Inouye/guardian.co.uk Rawalpindi, Pakistan: An Afghan refugee youth sits holding a baby in front of a shop Photograph: Muhammed Muheisen/AP Photograph: Muhammed Muheisen/guardian.co.uk Beijing, China: A Chinese newscaster prepares to report in the snow during the closing session of the annual National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People Photograph: Goh Chai Hin/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Goh Chai Hin/guardian.co.uk Chicago, USA: Spectators watch as the Chicago river is dyed green before the annual St Patrick's Day parade Photograph: Frank Polich/Getty Images Photograph: Frank Polich/guardian.co.uk