In pictures: The world in 2005

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Yet again Iraq was the centre of the worlds attention. In January the first free elections were held following the fall of Saddam Husseins regime and an interim government was formed...

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...Casualties on all sides continued to rise, with over 2,000 US soldiers having now lost their lives in Iraq. Many Iraqi lives have also been shattered, including this young girl whose parents died when their family car came under fire from US forces in Tal Afar.

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The death of Pope John Paul II brought millions of Catholics to St Peter's Basilica in Rome to pay tribute. Cardinal Ratzinger said John Paul II was a "priest to the last" who had offered his life to God and his congregation.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila watched US President George Bush grapple with an umbrella when he and his wife were in Moscow to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, and pay tribute to the Soviet peoples sacrifice.

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Michael Jacksons trial on charges of child abuse was the media event of the year. Hundreds of journalists and photographers fought for position with the many fans that came to support the star outside the Californian court. Jackson was found not guilty on all counts.

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As Hurricane Katrina prepared to move inland, the population of New Orleans in the US was ordered to evacuate, though many were unable to leave or chose to remain. The devastation was widespread and the emergency services' response was felt to be too little, too late.

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The year saw rising concern over the spread of bird flu - also known as avian flu - which has led to human deaths in South East Asia. Scientists fear a global epidemic of deadly flu in humans will strike soon as this tends to happen three or four times a century.

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One-year-old Alassa Galisou's hands are pressed against the lips of his mother Fatou Ousseini at an emergency feeding clinic in the town of Tahoua, Niger. The year has seen one of Niger's worst droughts in living memory, leaving millions without food.

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In the Middle East, Israels withdrawal from the Gaza Strip saw a number of ugly clashes between its soldiers and civilians. Here a Jewish boy looks out from inside a synagogue in Gush Katif as Israeli police and soldiers remove the last settlers from the area.

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In Bali, suicide bombers carried out attacks on three restaurants that killed 19 and injured about 100 people. This was the second deadly attack in three years targeting Bali's tourist industry.

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Saddam Hussein's trial began in Baghdad with the ousted Iraqi leader defiantly questioning the validity of the court before pleading not guilty.

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In October an earthquake that measured 7.6 on the Richter scale hit Pakistan. One of the areas worst-affected was Balakot, where this mother and son are struggling to survive. It is estimated nearly 75,000 people died and the devastation may take a decade to repair.