Best of the week( Reuters)

A Chilean rose tarantula walks over the face of Zhao Jing on a street in Wuhan, Hubei province, July 30, 2009. Zhao, 26, a zoo feeder, keeps tarantulas, scorpions and pythons as pets.

REUTERS/Stringer

The crew of The Armada de la Republica de Colombia (ARC) Gloria, a brig type sail-training ship of the Republic of Colombia, stand on the masts to greet officials of the Philippine Navy during their arrival at the south harbour port area in Manila July 30, 2009. ARC Gloria, is now on its 63rd cruise to showcase Colombian history to the foreign dignitaries who step onboard and to forge international ties with other countries. The ship arrived in the capital on Thursday and will stay until August 2, 2009.

REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

Laszlo Cseh of Hungary competes in the men's 200m individual medley swimming semi-finals at the World Championships in Rome July 29, 2009.

REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh

Zhao Jing poses with his pet lizard on a street in Wuhan, Hubei province July 29, 2009.

REUTERS/Stringer

The grounds crew cleans up a puddle on the 18th fairway during rain delays in the third round of the Canadian Open golf tournament at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario July 26, 2009.

REUTERS/Mark Blinch

Michael Phelps competes in the men's 200m butterfly swimming heats at the World Championships in Rome July 28, 2009.

REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

Pitcher Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees throw a pitch in the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox during their MLB American League game in Chicago, Illinois July 30, 2009.

REUTERS/Jeff Haynes

Ireland's Ben Reid jumps as he cycles during the men's UCI Mountain Bike World Cup downhill competition at Mount Ste-Anne in Beaupre, July 25, 2009.

REUTERS/Mathieu Belanger

Here's mud in your eye

Canada's Marie-Helene Premont looks on during the women's UCI Mountain Bike World Cup cross-country competition at Mount Ste-Anne in Beaupre on Sunday.
MSNBC.com

Pictures of the day

Ireland's Ben Reid jumps as he cycles during the men's UCI Mountain Bike World Cup downhill competition at Mount Ste-Anne in Beaupre, July 25, 2009.

REUTERS/Mathieu Belanger

Smoke rise from a forest fire as trees continue to burn near Propriano, on the French island of Corsica July 25, 2009.

REUTERS/Jean-Pierre Amet

Singer Gloria Estefan performs during her "90 Miles" tour in Las Palmas on the Spanish Canary Island of Gran Canaria July 25, 2009.

REUTERS/Borja Suarez

Team Saxo Bank rider Andy Schleck of Luxembourg (L) and Astana rider and leader's yellow jersey Alberto Contador of Spain arrive on the finish line after the 20th stage of the 96th Tour de France cycling race between Montelimar and Mont Ventoux, July 25, 2009.

REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier

A make-up artist works on a man's face, turning him into a a scary character for the watching crowd, while attending the 40th annual Comic Con conference in San Diego, California July 25, 2009.

REUTERS/Mike Blake

Yamaha MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi of Italy corners during the British Motorcycling Grand Prix qualifying session at the Donington Park circuit, central England July 25, 2009.

REUTERS/Darren Staples

Medical staff lift Ferrari Formula One car driver Felipe Massa of Brazil into an ambulance after he crashed during the qualification session for the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit near Budapest July 25, 2009.

REUTERS/ Stringer

Two cats pose during a two-day international cat exhibition in Prague July 25, 2009.

REUTERS/David W Cerny

A Voodoo believer attends a mass ceremony during the Plain Du Nord Festival July 24, 2009.

REUTERS/ Eduardo Munoz

Women show their hands decorated with henna paste during the 'Teej' festival in the northern Indian city of Amritsar July 25, 2009.

REUTERS/Munish Sharma

Romania swimmer Ionela Cozma prepares to attend a training session at the World Championships in Rome July 25, 2009.

REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

Race leader Christian Maurer of Switzerland flies through the Matterhorn turnpoint on day 7 of the Red Bull X-Alps adventure race from Salzburg to Monaco, in Zermatt, Switzerland July 25, 2009. REUTERS

Supporters of Honduras ousted president Manuel Zelaya rest near a barricade after being blocked from proceeding to the border with Nicaragua at a checkpoint in Ojo de Agua, on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa July 25, 2009.

REUTERS/Tomas Bravo