Fortnight in pictures (May 9 - May 25)

A bird covered in oil flies over an oil slick along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, United States, on May 20, 2015. “A pipeline ruptured along the scenic California coastline on Tuesday (May 19), spilling some 21,000 gallons (79,000 litres) of oil into the ocean and on beaches before it could be secured,” a US Coast Guard spokeswoman said