Brazil: June protests and demonstrations

Protests are ongoing in Brazil as people took to demonstrating against high World Cup spending. It was the latest in a wave of protests, beginning with those against transportation fare increases and later expanding to other issues, including the rights of indigenous people, abortion and gay marriage, poor public services, and general displeasure with the nation’s government, which many see as corrupt. The unrest is the worst the nation has seen in two decades. Demonstrators shout as they protest against the Confederation's Cup and the government of Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff in Brasilia on June 17. Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of Brazil's biggest cities on Monday in a growing protest that is tapping into widespread anger at poor public services, police violence and government corruption. Protesters are using the Confederation's Cup as a counterpoint to amplify their concerns.

Summer scenes

Heading to camp, cooling off, stormy afternoons, and visiting the ice cream vendor must mean a change of seasons. The northern hemisphere a week ago marked the summer solstice, the day with the most sunlight of the year and the official kickoff for summer. A girl takes a cold shower in order to refresh herself at Ada Ciganlija lake in Belgrade, Serbia, on June 20. The Balkan region is experiencing a heat wave, with temperatures rising as high as 37 degrees Celsius

Tour de France 100th edition: Part one

Cyclists have completed 9 of 21 stages and have already climbed through mountain passes of the Pyrenees during this years historic 100th race covering 2,115 miles around France. Five different riders have held the lead in the first week, and now Christopher Froome of Great Britain, one of the pre-race favorites, wears the leader's yellow jersey as the race heads to northwestern France to begin its second week. The race, first organized in 1903 by the French newspaper L'Auto to boost circulation, will finish in Paris on July 21. Germany's Marcel Kittel celebrates as he crosses the finish line at the end of the 213 km first stage of the 100th edition of the Tour de France cycling race on June 29v between Porto-Vecchio and Bastia, on the French Mediterranean Island of Corsica.

Egypt in turmoil

Protesters continued to show their support for ousted president Mohammed Morsi today in Cairo as Egypt's military-backed interim President Adli Mansour selected a vice president and prime minister. Massive demonstrations that began over a week ago marking Morsi's first year of power led to fighting between pro- and anti-Morsi forces, and some 50 pro-Morsi Muslim Brotherhood protesters were killed outside Republican Guard headquarters. Gathered here are images from the turmoil in Egypt over the last few weeks. Opponents of Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi chant slogans during a protest outside the presidential palace, in Cairo, Egypt, on June 30. Thousands of Egyptians demanding the ouster of Morsi are gathering at Cairo's central Tahrir Square and the presidential palace at the start of a day of massive, nationwide protests many fear could turn deadly. The poster with Arabic at left, reads, Leave, huge year strike, 6/30

Solar Impulse flight: Across the US, powered by the sun

The experimental airplane Solar Impulse completed its first flight across the United States this week. The Swiss-made plane, powered only by the sun, is the first to make the trip both day and night without using conventional fuel. It started the journey on May 3 in California and ended on July 6 in New York. Pilots and creators Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg took turns manning the single-seat flyer, which is powered by about 12,000 silicon solar cells and has a wingspan of a jumbo jet. The next step is a trip around the world in 2015. Workers load a wing of the Swiss sun-powered aircraft Solar Impulse into a Cargolux Boeing 747 cargo aircraft on February 20 at Payerne airport in Geneva. The Boeing will carry the Solar Impulse HB-SIA prototype aircraft to San Francisco for a series of flights across the US from the West to East Coast.

San Fermin festival 2013: Running of the Bulls

Revelers from around the world have been participating in the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain, for the last nine days. Visitors take part in many festivities including the eight days of the running of the bulls, a half- mile dash from the corral with six bulls destined to die in the following bullfight. Each day includes traditional processions, music, food and lots of celebrating. An Alcurrucen's ranch fighting bull runs towards revelers during the running of the bulls of the San Fermin festival, in Pamplona, Spain on July 7.

Ramadan 2013 begins

Muslims worldwide began their holiest month of the year last week with dawn to dusk fasts, broken each evening by large, communal meals. The faithful use the time to reevaluate their lives through the scope of Islamic doctrine. However, violence has marred the celebrations with more than 160 Iraqis killed in the first week and with supporters of former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi continuing to protest his removal from office. A Nepalese Muslim boy offers Friday prayers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Kathmandu on July 12. (Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters)