Madrid — A protester sits in the middle of Madrid's Gran Via, a street known for upscale shopping, during a general strike in Madrid. Spain's General Workers' Union said the nationwide stoppage, the second this year, was being observed by nearly all workers in the automobile, energy, shipbuilding and construction industries.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Daniel Ochoa De Olza / Associated Press

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=74958

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Valencia, Spain — Dozens of strikers try to force their way into a bank office in Valencia.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: JUAN CARLOS CARDENAS / EPA

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=74959

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Athens — A protester outside Greece's parliament covers her head in a plastic bag meant to show that austerity measures are suffocating Greeks.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Petros Giannakouris / Associated Press

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Paris, France — A woman dressed as a devil demonstrates in Paris as Europe experienced a string of strikes and protests against the effects of austerity.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Christophe Ena / Associated Press

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Rome — Riot police and anti-austerity protesters clashed in Rome on Wednesday as anger boiled over on a Europe-wide day of strikes and mass demonstrations.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: FILIPPO MONTEFORTE / AFP / Getty Images

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=74962

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — A social worker in Rio de Janeiro carries a woman during an operation to get crack addicts off the streets.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: CHRISTOPHE SIMON / AFP / Getty Images

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=74963

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London — Scented candles are lit before being offered to well-wishers during a ceremony at a Hindu temple in London to celebrate Diwali, which marks the start of the Hindu New Year.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=74964

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Adelaide Island, Antarctica — A view of Sheldon Glacier with Mount Barre in the background, seen from Ryder Bay near Rothera Research Station, Adelaide Island, Antarctica. A new NASA and British Antarctic Survey study examines why Antarctic sea ice cover has increased under the effects of climate change during the last two decades.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: NASA

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Orfu, Hungary — With a background of autumn colors, morning mist floats above the water of Lake Orfu in Hungary.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Ferenc Kalmandy / Associated Press

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=74966

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Tel Aviv — A 4-day-old silverback gorilla sticks with his mother in the Ramat Gan safari park near Tel Aviv.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Ariel Schalit / Associated Press

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Jerusalem — A Palestinian man holds a flag near the Damascus gate in Jerusalem's Old City during a demonstration in support of the Palestinian statehood petition at the U.N. General Assembly. Organizers said the protests were also meant to mark the anniversary of the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Sebastian Scheiner / Associated Press

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=74968

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Muscat, Oman — Oman fans sit under the scoreboard while the sun sets during a FIFA World Cup Asian qualifier match between Oman and Japan at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Adam Pretty / Getty Images

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