Mongolian sumo grand champion Hakuho throws bags of beans during the annual bean-throwing festival, marking the start of spring according to the lunar calendar, at Naritasan Shinsho Temple. People in Japan customarily throw beans to drive away demons and attract good luck. (AP/Koji Sasahara)

Mexican castaway Jose Salvador Alvarenga in Majuro after a 22-hour boat ride from the isolated Ebon Atoll. He told rescuers when they found him on January 30, 2014 that he had set sail from Mexico for El Salvador in September 2012 and has been floating ever since. (AFP/Giff Johnson)

Pupils of Moscow school number 263 leave the building after an armed student entered the school and took more than 20 teenagers hostage in an incident that also claimed the lives of a policeman and a teacher. (AFP/DMITRY SEREBRYAKOV)

Thai policemen arrange confiscated packages of amphetamine pills during a press conference at the Narcotics Suppression Bureau in Bangkok. Thai police arrested a suspect with 1.2 million amphetamine pills smuggled from the Thai-Laos border hidden in a truck. (AFP/Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)

People participate in the Chinese New Year Parade in the Chinatown neighborhood of New York City. The parade, which is in its 15th year in New York, brought out thousands of participants and viewers. (AFP/Getty Images/Andrew Burton)

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama gives sermons during a five-day festival of Tibet, in Gauhati, India. (AP/Anupam Nath)

An Afghan youth walks in front of snow covered mountains on a hilltop overlooking Kabul. The harsh Afghan winters are an added burden on the already difficult lives of the country's approximately 320, 000 Internally Displaced people (IDPs). (AFP/Shah Marai)

A search and rescue team departs to mark the site where possibilities of dead victims lie on the slop of Mt Sinabung mount in Karo The violent eruptions of the last few days have killed at least 15 people -- most of the victims were killed after being burnt by hot ash. (AFP/ADEK BERRY)

Damage after an earthquake at Lixouri port on the island of Kefalonia, western Greece. A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude between 5.7 and 6.1 hit Kefalonia before dawn on Monday. (AP)

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo (L) reacts with Athletic Bilbao's players after being shown the red card during their Spanish League soccer match at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao. (AP/Alvaro Barrientos)

Members of the China short track speed skating team arrive at the Coastal Cluster athlete's village at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. (AP/David Goldman)

Congress Party VP Rahul Gandhi (R) pays respects as he joins youth from the northeastern states protesting the death of student Nido Tania, in New Delhi. Tania, 19, was allegedly beaten up by shopkeepers January 29, following an altercation sparked by their taunts on his hairstyle. (AFP)

Indonesian schoolchildren skip as Mt Sinabung (unseen) continues spewing smoke and hot ash in Karo. Fifteen people were killed in a weekend eruption -- and hot ash and rocks continue to shoot high into the air again, halting a search for any more victims. (AFP/ADEK BERRY)

Children are led out on the east side of Manhattan as a massive snowstorm hits New York. The storm dumped between six and eight inches of snow on the city. (AFP/Stan Honda)

An African asylum seeker, who entered Israel illegally via Egypt, sleeps (L) as others take part in a protest in Tel Aviv. Primarily from Eritrea and Sudan, they are protesting Israel's refusal to grant them refugee status and its detention without trial of hundreds of asylum seekers.(AFP/JACK GUEZ)

Dancers perform scenes recalling Chinese aggressors in the 18th century next to a statue of King Quang Trung in Hanoi during a ceremony marking the 225th anniversary of the Vietnamese Ngoc Hoi-Dong Da victory over the Chinese Qing army. (AFP/HOANG DINH NAM)

An Iraqi woman looks at damages from a car bomb explosion at an outdoor market in Abu Disher neighbourhood of southern Baghdad, Iraq. Iraqi officials say car bombings on Monday in and near Baghdad have killed and wounded scores of people. (AP/Khalid Mohammed)

Faithfuls hoping for the healing of a disabled relative, carry him to a celebration of the festival of the Holy Virgin of Suyapa, Honduras' patron saint, in Tegucigalpa. (AFP/Orlando Sierra)

A Naga Sadhu, or Hindu holy naked man, takes holy dips at Sangam, confluence of Hindu holy rivers of Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, for a ritual dip, on the auspicious occasion of “Basant Panchami” at the annual traditional fair of Magh Mela in Allahabad, India. (AP/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

The surrounding mountains are reflected as workers clean the windows of the commentary position at the cross country venue prior to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. (AP/Dmitry Lovetsky)

Rudy Gay #8 of the Sacramento Kings dunks the ball against the Chicago Bulls at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California. The Kings defeated the Bulls 99-70. (AFP/Getty Images/Rocky Widner)

A competitor takes a jump past a giant matryoshka doll during a snowboard slopestyle training session at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park, prior to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. (AP/Sergei Grits)

South Korean Kim Kwang-il, 86, (L) leaves after submitting forms to reunite with his family members who live in North Korea, with a 2010 picture of the reunion of family members from North and South Korea displayed on the wall, at the headquarters of the Korea Red Cross in Seoul. (AP/Ahn Young-joon)

This undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on February 5, 2014 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) visiting the baby home and orphanage in Pyongyang. (AFP/KCNA)

German President Joachim Gauck (2L) addresses the media as Indian Prime Minster Manmohan Singh (CR) and President Pranab Mukherjee (CL) look on during the ceremonial reception at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi. The German President is on a state visit from February 4-9. (AFP/Prakash Singh)

Smoke rises after a parked car bomb went off at a commercial centre in Khilani Square in central Baghdad, Iraq. Multiple bombings rocked central Baghdad on Wednesday, striking near the heavily fortified Green Zone where key government offices are located and killing at least 16. (AP/Karim Kadim)

The mum of castaway Jose Alvarenga, Maria(R), daughter Fatima(2ndR), and other family members on a video chat, in Garita Palmera, El Salvador. Alvarenga's survival after 13 months at sea is a double miracle for his family, who lost touch with him years ago and thought he was dead. (AP/Esteban Felix)

A cancer patient tries a wig at a foundation in Cali, Colombia during the World Cancer Day on February 4, 2014. A group of women who have had cancer dedicate their time to weave natural hair wigs to be distributed among low-income cancer patients who have lost their hair. (AFP / LUIS ROBAYO)

A snow statue entitled "My Neighbor Totoro" at the 65th annual Sapporo Snow Festival. The week-long festival started with a total of 198 snow statues on display. (AFP/TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA)

Pope Francis waves to pilgrims gathered at Saint Peter's square in the Vatican, upon his arrival to lead the general weekly audience. (AFP/VINCENZO PINTO)

Pro-gay activists hold placards calling for Sochi Winter Olympic sponsors to speak out against Russia's anti-gay laws during a protest under the clocks of Flinders Street Railway Station in Melbourne. (AFP/ Paul Crock)

Aleksander Peretyagin of Russia starts a training run for the men's luge singles at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. (AP/Michael Sohn)

Speedskaters from Norway train at the Adler Arena Skating Center during a practice session ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. (AP/Matt Dunham)

Pedestrians cope with the dire weather as the Afghan capital Kabul experiences its second heavy snowfall of the winter. (AFP/Shah Marai)

Visitors on the partially frozen Houhai Lake enjoying the Lunar New Year holiday season. Beijing saw its warmest New Year's period in six decades with temperatures averaging 8 degree Celsius above normal and with no snowfall yet to hit the city. (AFP/Mark Ralston)

A vigil outside the Bank Street Theater, home of the Labyrinth Theater Company, for actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died on Sunday of a suspected drug overdose. Hoffman was a former artistic director at the theatre. (AP/Kathy Willens)

Arturo, the only polar bear in Argentina, in captivity at a zoo in Mendoza, some 1050 kilometres west of Buenos Aires. Activists are lobbying to transfer old Arturo to Canada to spare him from the Argentine heat. (AFP/ Andres Larrovere)

Cattle at Visalia Livestock Market being auctioned off at four- to five-times the usual rate. Drought-hit California is enduring its driest year on record, dating 119 years. Grasslands that support cattle have dried up, forcing ranchers to feed them expensive hay. (AFP/Getty Images/David McNew)

An Iraqi Kurd displays his voter ID in Arbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. The election commission is distributing electronic voter ID cards nationwide ahead of general elections in April. (AFP/SAFIN HAMED)

A restaurant owner inspects the aftermath of a car bomb attack in Baghdad's Karrada neighbourhood. A string of car bombings has hit commercial areas in Baghdad, killing and wounding scores. (AP/Khalid Mohammed)

Farmers demanding to speed up payment for their crops outside the Commerce Ministry in Bangkok. An ambitious rice-buying programme that Thailand's ruling party hoped would uplift millions of its poor rural supporters may end up bringing down the government. (AP/Apichart Weerawong)

The Monaco women's two-man bobsleigh team in training at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. The world’s smallest nation after the Vatican City has sent a 5-member team to the Games. (AP/Michael Sohn)

US skier Marco Sullivan in a downhill skiing training session ahead of the Sochi Winter Olympics. With average February temperatures of 8 Celcius, Sochi is the warmest ever host city of the Winter Olympics. (AFP/FABRICE COFFRINI)

Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas (2ndR), during a Copa del Rey match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Barcelona edged the first leg of the semi-final against Real Sociedad 2-0. (AP/Manu Fernandez)

Policemen are seen near a construction site where a World War II-era bomb weighing almost a tonne was found in Hong Kong. More than 2,000 people were evacuated and roads closed where the bomb was found. (AFP/Philippe Lopez)

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan committee member Maulana Sami-ul-Haq (R) shakes hands with Special Assistant to Pakistan's prime minister Irfan Siddiqui after their landmark meeting in Islamabad. (AFP/Aamir QURESHI)

A mechanical excavator is driven through floodwater in the village of Moorland in Somerset, south-west England, as heavy rain continues to lash Britain. (AFP/CHRIS ISON)

A car is seen in a flooded street in the centre of Morlaix, western France, as the country readies itself for a new winter storm. (AFP/FRED TANNEAU)

Protesters throw stones at police in front of a local government building in the northern Bosnian town of Tuzla. Police use tear gas against the workers angry over unpaid wages and the dire economic situation in the country. (AFP/STRINGER)

Anti-government protesters hold shields and batons as they march around the Ukrainian Parliament in Kiev in a rally to oust President Viktor Yanukovych. (AFP/Angelos Tzortzinis)

Brazilian police clash with demonstrators in Rio de Janeiro during a protest against a hike on bus fare. (AFP/VANDERLEI ALMEIDA)

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (R) hands over the 2014 Sochi Olympics Winter Games torch to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as the torch relay arrives in Sochi, on the eve of the games' opening ceremony. (AFP/POOL/SHAMIL ZHUMATOV)

Russia's Maxim Trankov and Tatiana Volosozhar perform during the Figure Skating Pairs Team Short Programme at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the Sochi Winter Olympics. (AFP/DAMIEN MEYER)

Russia's Regina Rakhimova competes in the women's Freestyle Skiing Moguls qualifications at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park during the Sochi Winter Olympics. (AFP/FRANCK FIFE)

Boxer Manny Pacquiao of the Phillipines (L) poses with current WBO World Welterweight champion Timothy Bradley of Indio, California. The pair will face off in a title fight in Las Vegas on April 12. (AP/Kathy Willens)

This photo taken and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows North Koreans celebrating the Lunar New Year in Pyongyang. (AFP/KCNA)

Korean women pay respects at the Korean Women Memorial in Glendale, California. Three Japanese parliamentarians are seeking to remove the statue honouring "comfort women" from Korea, China and other countries who were forced into prostitution by the Japanese army in World War II. (AFP/Joe Klamar)

Thai officials prepare election documents during vote preparations at a polling station in the southern city of Narathiwat. Tens of thousands of police will be deployed across Thailand on February 2 for an election seen as a crucial test of the kingdom's fragile democracy. (AFP / Madaree Tohlala)

A protest against Western Australia’s shark killing policy in Sydney. The Federal government gave states special exemption from environmental laws to kill great white sharks, a protected species, in response to seven fatal shark attacks in Australia's southwest in three years. (AP/Rob Griffith)

A vendor wears a horse head-shaped costume to attract customers at the Longtan Park temple fair held during the Spring Festival holidays in Beijing. Chinese Lunar New Year, the year of the horse according to Chinese astrology, began on January 31, 2014. (AP/Alexander F. Yuan)

Iranian women visit the shrine of the founder of Iran's Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini at his mausoleum in a suburb of Tehran during the festivities marking the 35th anniversary of his return from exile.  (AFP/Atta Kenare)

Tourists walk in the flooded St Mark's square during a night of acqua-alta or high-water, alert in Venice. The flooding is caused by wind and rain combined with the lagoon city's periodic tidal phenomenon. (AFP/Vincenzo Pinto)

City employees walk in a flooded street, on the right bank of the Garonne river in Bordeaux, western France. French departments on the Atlantic coast were on alert for strong waves and risk of submersion, and the western department of Finistere was on high alert for flooding. (AFP/Nicolas Tucat)

A woman flees as Mount Sinabung erupts near Bekerah village, in Karo district, North Sumatra. Three men were burned and taken to hospital after being engulfed in heat clouds of Mount Sinabung in Indonesia, local officials said. (AFP/Sutanta Aditya)

Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon celebrates his second goal with a backflip during the German Bundesliga game between Eintracht Braunschweig and Borussia Dortmund in Braunschweig, Germany. Dortmund won 2-1. (AP/Martin Meissner)

Workers shovel snow from the road near the alpine ski finish at area in preparation of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics which begins on February 7. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)