The Week in Pictures: The World Cup kicks off, Belfast in flames, and a bear on the loose in the US Capitol building
Here are a selection of some the best photos from the UK and around the world this week.
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Emergency personnel check simulated victims during an inter-agency drill on an electric train staged as a weapon-of-mass-destruction attack as part of security preparations for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, in Guadalajara, Jalisco state, Mexico.
The drill, coordinated by the Guadalajara Fire Department, was designed to assess the capacity for a coordinated response to a complex incident involving an explosive threat, hazardous chemicals and multiple victims.
Vehicles set on fire by protesters on Lendrick Street in Belfast, as disorder flared in response to Monday night's stabbing attack in the city.
Belfast woke up to the city on fire on Wednesday after several houses were set alight which forced evacuations of residents.
Sudanese suspect Hadi Alodid has been remanded in custody after being charged with the attempted stabbing murder of Stephen Ogilvie.
Sculptor Nic Fiddian-Green looks at his new artwork 'Apollo', named after the Greek god of light, after being installed in the Royal Enclosure at Ascot Racecourse ahead of this year's Royal Ascot.
Royal Ascot begins on Tuesday, 16th June and runs until Saturday, 20th June 2026
Serena Williams during a practice session on day three of the HSBC Championships at The Queen's Club, London.
Serena Williams’ comeback was prematurely curtailed after her doubles partner Victoria Mboko was forced to withdraw with a left knee injury on Thursday.
This was the tennis legend's first tournament back since coming out of retirement.
England flags and bunting hung across the Kirby Estate in Bermondsey, south London, where residents are showing their support for England in the World Cup 2026.
England's first game will be against Croatia on Wednesday.
The Prince of Wales unveils Norfolk Blood Bikes new rapid response vehicle at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, to highlight emergency response services.
Norfolk Blood Bikes operates 365 days a year, transporting blood, plasma, platelets, samples, vaccines, and any other urgently required medical items to hospitals in Norfolk, as well as blood to the East Anglian Air Ambulance, helping to extend its lifesaving capability.
Members of military engineering teams working at the site where, according to local authorities, an Iranian missile fell in the countryside near Damascus, Syria.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel will stop strikes on Iran "for now" but has warned that the country will respond "forcefully" if attacks restart.
This followed hostilities from both sides after Israel's Defence Forces launched strikes on southern Lebanon, leading to calls from US President Donald Trump for both sides to stop "shooting".
A photograph taken from the southern city of Tyre shows people sunbathing on the beach as smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in the village of Deir Qanoun Ras al-Ain.
Israel launched 'retaliatory' airstrikes against Iran early on Monday, despite earlier calls for restraint from US President Donald Trump and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.
A satellite image shows volcanic plumes rising over the vicinity of a submarine volcano in the Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea.
Thick rafts of volcanic pumice ejected by an undersea eruption in Papua New Guinea's Bismarck Sea have blocked boats, damaged fishing grounds and fuelled fears of food shortages, the leaders of remote coastal communities on Manus Island said.
The eruption, still underway, began on May 8 about 125 km (78 miles) southeast of the island, NASA satellite observations show, sending floating pumice and discoloured water outwards from the site.
The opening ceremony of the 2026 football World Cup is held ahead of the World Cup opener between Mexico and South Africa at the Estadio Azteca, Mexico City.
Headlined by pop superstars Shakira and Burna Boy, fans joined in enthusiastically with the entertainment unfolding before them in a riot of colour, whetting the appetite before the co-hosts’ opening game against South Africa.
Mexico’s misery in World Cup opening games was finally ended as they secured a 2-0 win in a match featuring three red cards.
Czech Republic's Tomas Soucek scores a goal that was later disallowed during the World Cup Group A match between South Korea and Czech Republic in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico.
The Czechs, playing in their first World Cup since 2006, struggled to carve out any chances in the second half, giving South Korea a winning start to the World Cup as they came from behind to win 2-1.
Germany's Alexander Zverev celebrates after winning the French Open tennis tournament men's singles final match against Italy's Flavio Cobolli at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris.
Alexander Zverev put his grand slam heartache behind him to finally lift a major trophy at the French Open.
It is nearly six years since the German blew a golden chance to win the US Open against Dominic Thiem, while he also lost in Paris to Alcaraz two years ago and to Sinner at the Australian Open last year.
A partially collapsed building following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the Southern Philippines, in General Santos city, Philippines.
Numerous buildings and structures have been destroyed or collapsed after the powerful earthquake hit the Mindanao region in the Southern Philippines on the morning of June 8 local time, killing at least 55 people and injuring more than 1000.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates arrives for a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
Gates faced questioning on Wednesday from US lawmakers over his relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, whose network of wealthy and powerful associates has fueled years of scrutiny and conspiracy theories.
Timothée Chalamet reacts during a game between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The New York Knicks were down as much as 29 points but clawed their way back to secure a thrilling 107-106 victory in game four of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.
The comeback marked the biggest in NBA Finals history and gives the Knicks a 3-1 advantage headed into game five in San Antonio.
Staff members with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's (D-NH) office deliver a stuffed bear nicknamed "Kodak" to the Senator's office in the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.
Every year the stuffed bear and a stuffed moose nicknamed "Marty" are transferred to Capitol Hill for the annual “Experience New Hampshire” reception.
A general view of the fireworks for the inauguration of Jesus Christ tower by Pope Leo XIV at the Basílica de la Sagrada Família on June 10, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain.
The Pontiff inaugurated the recently completed tower to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the architect Antoni Gaudí's death.
Pope Leo XIV is making an apostolic journey to Spain from June 6–12, marking the first papal visit to the country since Benedict XVI visited in 2011.