TODAY'S round-up of pictures from around the world includes Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, leaving the National Portrait Gallery in London after a visit to the Lucian Freud Portraits exhibition.
Kate received a preview of the Lucian Freud show that gives a comprehensive overview of the work of one of the greatest figurative painters of the late 20th century.
The royal, who has a degree in the history of art, became patron last month of the National Portrait Gallery, in London, which is staging the event.
Freud, who died last summer, was famed for his naked full-length portraits that used layers of oils to depict the sitter's flesh in minute detail - creating unforgiving and often unflattering images.
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Students try free samples of AeroShot, an inhalable caffeine packed in a lipstick-sized canister, at Northeastern University in Boston. Harvard University engineering professor David Edwards created AeroShot, which went on the market in late January.
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Photographer Sebastien Micke, left, and assistant Russ Heller with transgender model Andrej Pejic on a rooftop in New York. Pejic, 20, has no plans for gender reassignment surgery and is perfectly happy being gender neutral. Some in the fashion industry see Pejic as a sign of a new gender fluidity.
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People look at a stranded sperm whale in Heist, Belgium. The 13m (43ft) sperm whale beached itself in the early hours of the morning.
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Mark Webber of Australia and Red Bull Racing is pushed back into his team garage after driving during Formula One winter testing at the Circuito de Jerez, in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
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A boat is captured in the ice in Hamburg, northern Germany. A cold spell has affected Europe with temperatures plummeting far below zero.
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Philippines president Benigno Aquino III, in yellow shirt, and other officials inspect the quake-stricken city of Guihulngan, central Philippines. Monday's magnitude 6.9 earthquake killed over two dozen people but officials said the death toll was likely to rise as rescuers struggle to reach remote areas.
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People look at a stranded sperm whale in Heist, Belgium. The 13m (45ft) sperm whale mysteriously beached itself in the early hours of the morning.
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A Maldivian army soldier, in green, and policeman face supporters of Mohamed Nasheed, who resigned at gunpoint from his post as the first democratically elected Maldivian President, in what he termed a coup.
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Stella McCartney (centre) is joined by models from the Adidas by Stella McCartney My 2012 campaign at Selfridges in London.
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The Duchess of Cambridge leaves after a visit to the Lucian Freud Portraits exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, London. Kate, who has a degree in the history of art, became patron last month of the gallery.
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Tiger Woods walks to his ball on the 15th green of the Monterey Peninsula Country Club shore course as waves crash in the background during a practice round at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am PGA Tour golf tournament in Pebble Beach, California.
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Christie Brinkley models Pamella Roland at the Heart Truth's Red Dress Collection during Fashion Week in New York.
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Students from the Francisco Menendez Institute walk past inmates inside their cells as they tour a prison as part of a prevention program against crime in San Salvador, El Salvador.
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Paragliders and a hot air balloon dot the sky during the opening of the four-day 17th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon festival at Clark Economic Zone, Pampanga province in northern Philippines.
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A paraglider flies close to a birthday cake-designed hot air balloon during the opening of the four-day 17th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon festival in northern Philippines.
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A paraglider flies close to a hot air balloon during the opening of the four-day 17th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon festival in northern Philippines.
Christie Brinkley is pictured modelling Pamella Roland at the Heart Truth's Red Dress Collection during Fashion Week in New York, while Stella McCartney is joined by models from the Adidas by Stella McCartney 'My 2012' campaign at Selfridges in London.
And there was more modelling going on in New York. Sebastien Micke, left, and assistant Russ Heller are photographing transgender model Andrej Pejic on a rooftop.
Transgender models have promoted the work of Marc Jacobs and Jean Paul Gaultier, but it's a man with no plans for gender reassignment surgery who's straddling the line like no other. Pejic, 20, says he's perfectly happy being gender neutral and some in the fashion industry see him as a sign of a new 'gender fluidity.'
Paragliders and a hot air balloon dotted the sky during the opening of the four-day 17th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon festival at sunrise in the Clark Economic Zone, Pampanga province in northern Philippines.
The festival which draws tens of thousands of foreign and local tourists has attracted 28 balloonists from Asia, the Pacific, Europe and the United States.
Tiger Woods is pictured walking to his ball on the 15th green of the Monterey Peninsula Country Club shore course against a dramatic backdrop of waves crashing. He was playing a a practice round at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am PGA Tour golf tournament in Pebble Beach, California.
Students from the Francisco Menendez Institute were pictured walking past inmates inside their cells as they tour a prison as part of a prevention program against crime in San Salvador, El Salvador. The program, whose main goal is to prevent young people from joining gangs, is organized by the National Civil Police and San Salvador's Municipality.
A boat is captured in the ice in Hamburg, northern Germany, while Philippines President Benigno Aquino III, in yellow shirt, and other officials inspect the quake-stricken city of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental province in central Philippines.
Monday's magnitude 6.9 earthquake killed over two dozen people but officials said the death toll was likely to rise as rescuers struggle to reach remote areas.
Among today's other images, people gathered to look at a stranded sperm whale in Heist, Belgium. The 13-metre (45ft) whale mysteriously beached itself in the early hours.
