6 photo gallery of the day, jan 4th 2013 (reuters)

People carry their belongings after the floods of the Capivari river in Xerem, in Duque de Caxias near Rio de Janeiro January 3, 2013. At least 255 people were dislodged and one person died during the floods of Capivari River in Xerem, a district of Duque de Caxias, local media said. 

Palestinian Hamas policewomen watch a graduation ceremony for members of the Hamas security forces in Gaza City January 3, 2013. 

Residents wear masks as they search for bodies after shelling by forces loyal to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, at al-Ansari area in Aleppo January 3, 2013. 

Farmers cut down trees of qat, a mild stimulant, as part of a local campaign aimed at uprooting qat and replacing it with coffee and almond plants in Haraz mountains, around 100km (62 miles) west of the Yemeni capital Sanaa January 3, 2013. Qat dominates life in Yemen, where most men spend half the day chewing it, even at work, and experts say it is ravaging Yemen’s frail economy and sucking up precious water. 

A devotee with hands decorated with traditional jewellery of the Hazara community stands outside the shrine of Muslim Sufi Saint Data Ganj Bakhsh during his death anniversary in Lahore January 3, 2013. Devotees celebrate the last of three days of the 969th festival of Hazrat Ali Bin Usman popularly known as Data Gunj Bakhsh. 

Theresa Volpe (L) holds her daughter Ava (2nd L) as her partner Mercedes Santos sits with their son Jaidon after testifying at the Illinois State Capital in Springfield, Illinois, January 3, 2013. Volpe and Santos have been together for 21 years and are in a civil union and have two children. Illinois could become the next U.S. state to legalize gay marriage with a bill set to be introduced in the state Senate this week.