An elephant mahout (trainer) lies on his elephant his feet resting on its ears as it rests and eats prior to opening day's play at the King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament 2014 held near Bangkok, in Samut Prakan province, Thailand, 28 August 2014. The annual charity tournament runs until 31 August and involves 51 elephants who normally live on the streets and are used for begging. Sixteen competing elephant polo teams from 40 different nations take part in the charity event directed at raising funds to improve the lives of the elephants and elephant conservation in general. (Photo by Barbara Walton/EPA)

Pakistani supporters of cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan and Canadian cleric Tahir ul Qadri beat a riot policeman during an anti-government protest in Islamabad on September 1, 2014. Hundreds of protesters trying to topple Pakistan's government briefly seized the state broadcaster on September 1, intensifying the political crisis gripping the nuclear-armed nation. Deadly clashes since the weekend have raised the spectre of military intervention which gained ground after one disillusioned opposition leader said the protesters were acting according to a plan devised by the army. (Photo by Aamir Qureshi/AFP Photo)

A mechanic examines a Gogoro Smartscooter which is connected to a tablet, in its shop in Taipei, Taiwan, July 6, 2015. Companies such as electric motor scooter firm Gogoro could hold the key to Taiwan's economic growth. In just three years, the start-up raised $150 million to develop the smartphone-synched bike, and a charging network for it. Gogoro's success in creating a home-grown, innovative product is precisely what Taiwan's government wants to foster as it seeks to reduce the export-driven economy's reliance on the island's world-class tech manufacturing sector. (Photo by Pichi Chuang/Reuters)

As pancake day has creped up on us once again, a Japanese chef has combined our favourite things; cute animals and sugar. Keisuke Inagaki has been a chef at his restaurant La Ricetta in Zama City, Japan, for the last 18 years. He rose to Instagram fame from his Pokemon and anime pancake art, and the time around heis created a lifelike animal series. The 46-year-old chef began making pancakes in 2011 to raise spirits after the devastating nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan. Here: A pancake that looks like a cat, in Zama City, Japan. (Photo by Keisuke Inagaki/Barcroft Images)

A thrill-seeking snapper has shot a powerful series of images featuring people carrying out everyday chores in front of giant storms. Benjamin Von Wong's surreal scenes include individuals ironing, barbecuing, playing video games and even sitting on the toilet – seemingly unaware of the threatening situations approaching. The project was initiated to raise awareness about climate change, and the the storms appearing across six different states in the U.S. Von Wong, 29, started the project in Colorado, before traveling to South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota and Nebraska for the unusual images. Here: Models pose in front of a storm in Cheyenne Wyoming. (Photo by Benjamin Von Wongs/Caters News)

It's that time of year again when dogs with unusually large heads, hairless bodies and other oddities compete to be the World's Ugliest Dog. This year's winner? A 2-year-old mutt named Peanut, whose wild white and brown hair, bulging eyes and protruding teeth belie his sweet, energetic personality. Peanut's owner, Holly Chandler of Greenville, North Carolina, says he was seriously burned as a puppy and she wants to use her pet to raise awareness about animal abuse. She plans to use the $1,500 prize to pay for other animals' veterinary bills. The contest, held at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma, California, is in its 26 year. The dogs are scored by a three-judge panel in several categories, including special or unusual attributes, personality and natural ugliness.

A Thai performer puts his head inside a crocodile's mouth during a media preview performance as part of preparation to reopen Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo in Samut Prakan province, Thailand, 19 March 2024. (Photo by Rungroj Yongrit/EPA)

In one of the deadliest attacks in Turkey in recent years, two car bombs exploded near the border with Syria on Saturday, killing 43 and wounding 140 others. Turkish officials blamed the attack on a group linked to Syria, and a deputy prime minister called the neighboring country's intelligence service and military "the usual suspects."

The blasts, which were 15 minutes apart and hit the town of Reyhanli's busiest street, raised fears that Turkey could increasingly be drawn into Syria's brutal civil war.

Turkey already hosts Syria's political opposition and rebel commanders, has given shelter to hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and in the past retaliated against Syrian shells that landed in Turkey.