This Week In Pictures *version I'm a slacker*

[taku]

Pictures from last week... I'm a slacker



US soldiers joined by the Afghan National Army take cover from dust and debris created by a Chinook helicopter landing to pick them in the Khost province, along the Afghan-Pakistan border.




A freed hostage after being rescued from the Oberoi-Trident Hotel in Mumbai. (more hotel destruction pics further down)



People visit the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, which has seen a decline in tourism as the global economic downturn takes its toll.



Indian Reang refugees hold up identity cards at a polling station in a refugee camp, north of Agartala in the state of Tripura.



A worker puts the finishing touches to a giant cake shaped like a Christmas tree at a shopping centre in Jakarta.




Afghan policemen inspect the site of an explosion on the outskirts of the Afghan capital, Kabul. Reports said an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded minutes after member of parliament's car passed.




A cyclist waves to the crowd as he is introduced during the UCI Track World Cup at Hisense Arena in Melbourne, Australia.




In China, air force officers wave goodbye to helicopters leaving Hong Kong at the annual changeover of military personnel.




A girl plays with her dog during the season's first snow at a park in the Bulgarian capital Sofia.




Labourers build a temporary bridge over the River Ganges for the Magh Mela festival in India.




Gunmen launched co-ordinated attacks at several sites in Mumbai, India. Among the targets were two of the city's luxury hotels including the Taj Mahal Palace.




Indian Commandos set up sniper positions in surrounding buildings as the siege continued.



The Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai was the scene of the final clashes with gunmen who held out for three days.



The appearance of Indian commandos at the luxury hotel's windows indicated that the violence was finally over.




Inside the hotel, the scale of the destruction wreaked by the fires caused by detonating explosives was evident.



The deserted poolside bar told the story of business trips and holidays interrupted by terror.



Broken glass littered the building's lobby area...




... where commandos found time to relax after fierce gun battles with militants who held out until the end.




A Hajj pilgrim sleeps at Bangkok's international airport, where anti-government protesters continued their blockade.




There has been chaos at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi international airport since it was occupied by anti-government protesters.



Thousands of travellers have been left stranded.



The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protesters are demanding the resignation of Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and say they will not leave until he steps down.



Security has been high and some of the protesters were injured by small blasts, but travellers said they did not feel threatened.




Many have been stuck in no-man's land, having passed immigration and checked in their luggage.