Today in photos

Kasper a three-month-old white lion cub, plays with zookeeper Nadja Radovic's hair in the lion's enclosure at Belgrade Zoo, Serbia. New York Yankees pitcher Brett Tomko stretches with members of the team before the start of a spring training baseball game against the Houston Astros. And laid-off workers from the Longbin Distillery in Harbin stage a sit-in at the offices of the China Resources Holdings Company in Beijing. View a slideshow of these images and more.

Section:Gallery

Wed., March 18, 2009

Kasper, right, a three-month-old white lion cub, plays with zookeeper Nadja Radovic's hair in the lion's enclosure at Belgrade Zoo, Serbia, Wednesday, March 18, 2009. The cub, an extremely rare subspecies of the African lion, was born December 9 in Belgrade Zoo. White lions are unique to the Timbavati area of South Africa and are not albinos but a genetic rarity.

Srdjan Ilic Ap
A three-month-old lion cub reacts to visitors, in his enclosure at Belgrade Zoo, Serbia, Wednesday, March 18, 2009.

Srdjan Ilic Ap
A couple enjoy the spring sunshine in St. James's Park as they sit amongst the banks of daffodils in London, Wednesday, March 18, 2009.

Alastair Grant Ap
A bumblebee sits between crocuses near the river Rhine in Dusseldorf, Germany, Wednesday, March 18, 2009.

Martin Meissner Ap
A vendor wears his stock around his neck as he markets crosses to the faithful waiting to see the convoy of Pope Benedict XVI pass, in Yaounde, Cameroon Wednesday, March 18, 2009. Pope Benedict XVI set down strategy for his church in Africa on Wednesday, telling Cameroon's bishops to protect the traditional values of the African family and to spare the poor from the impact of globalization.

Rebecca Blackwell Ap
A girl with a pink helmet is confronted by police in anti-riot gear during a demonstration against the government's education reform, in Rome's La Sapienza University, Wednesday, March 18, 2009. Students and teachers protested against the government education reform during a nationwide strike Wednesday. In Rome the police scuffled with protesting university students.

Pier Cito Ap
A model showcases a design by Ashish Viral & Vikrant at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, Autumn Winter 2009, in New Delhi, India, Wednesday March 18, 2009.

Mustafa Quraishi Ap
In this photo released by Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, an about 10-meter-long humpback whale, an endangered mammal, swims in Hong Kong waters Wednesday, March 18, 2009. This species of whale has been seen the first time in Hong Kong by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) since March 16.
A mechanical killer wale seen on the movie set of a Free Willy film during production at Strandfontein, South Africa, Wednesday, March 18, 2009. International company's are attracted by South Africa beautiful landscapes for movie productions.

Schalk Zuydam Ap
Daily-wage earners sleep on their push-carts in an industrial area in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, March 18, 2009. India's growth is likely to slowdown to 6.25 per cent in 2008-09 and further to 5.25 per cent in 2009-10 in the face of the global economic crisis, the International Monetary Fund has said, according to news reports.

Gautam Singh Ap
Out-of-work truck-drivers play cards in a parking yard for trucks in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, March 18, 2009. Munna Khan, 49, who hasn't got a commission in three weeks, said that the drivers of his association were doing only 3 to 4 trips monthly, down from about 10 to 12 per month since October 2008. India's growth is likely to slowdown to 6.25 per cent in 2008-09 and further to 5.25 per cent in 2009-10 in the face of the global economic crisis, the International Monetary Fund has said, according to news reports.

Gautam Singh Ap
Laid-off workers from the Longbin Distillery in Harbin, the capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang province, stage a sit-in as security guards surround them at the offices of the China Resources Holdings Company in Beijing Wednesday, March 18, 2009. The workers are demanding insurance and retirement benefits they say were lost when their distillery became a subsidiary of China Resources in 2007.

Andywong Andywong Ap
New York Yankees pitcher Brett Tomko, foreground, stretches with members of the team before the start of a spring training baseball game against the Houston Astros, Wednesday, March 18, 2009, in Kissimmee, Fla.

Rob Carr Ap