24 hours in pictures

Damascus, Syria: Mourners bow in prayer at a mass funeral for 44 people killed in twin suicide bombings that targeted intelligence agency compounds in. Mourners carried coffins draped in the red, white and black Syrian flags into the 8th century Omayyad mosque, where they were placed on the ground for prayers Photograph: Muzaffar Salman/AP

Paju, South Korea: Members of North Korea Peace, an international volunteer group helping North Koreans, fly balloons with boxes containing pairs of socks towards North Korea near the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas. The volunteer group sent 1,000 pairs of socks stapled with messages of hope and love to North Korea via inflated balloons Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

Bethlehem, West Bank: A Christian pilgrim from Nigeria dressed as Santa Claus visits the Church of the Nativity Photograph: Marco Longari/AFP/Getty Images

Tegucigalpa, Honduras: Two of 134 Honduran migrants deported from the US queue at the migration office of Toncontin airport. The 134 migrants are part of the 40,000 Hondurans that have been deported from the US this year Photograph: AFP

Srinagar, India: Wildlife officials carry a tranquilised leopard at the Dachigam national park. The five-year-old female was caught roaming in a residential area in the city on Saturday Photograph: Danish Ismail/Reuters

Sri Racha, Thailand: Tiger cubs dressed as Santa Claus suckle from a sow at the Sriracha tiger zoo Photograph: Sukree Sukplang/Reuters

Moscow, Russia: Demonstrators gather holding placards and balloons during a protest against recent parliamentary election results. The placard makes a reference to Vladimir Putin's remarks that he mistook white ribbons worn by protesters for condoms Photograph: Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters

Georgia, USA: A carport roof sits in front of a house where repairs were being made after storm damage in. A possible tornado caused the damage and caused minor injuries to seven people after storms rolled through the area Photograph: Tami Chappell/Reuters

Rome, Italy: The general secretary of the CGIL union, Susanna Camusso, delivers a speech flanked by fellow trade unionists during a demostration in front of the Italian parliament. Trade unions called Italians to protest in front for all those who will not be able to properly celebrate Christmas due to the new austerity measures Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters

Moscow, Russia: People protest against the parliamentary elections in Moscow. Tens of thousands of people filled today an avenue in Moscow to protest against the alleged rigging of parliamentary polls in a new challenge to Russian strongman Vladimir Putin's authority Photograph: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP

Cambridge, UK: A well wisher speaks to a television crew at the gates of Papworth hospital. Queen Elizabeth II visited her husband, The Duke of Edinburgh, as he recuperates following treatment for a blocked coronary artery Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP

Rome, Italy: Flocks of starlings fly over a Christmas decoration as night falls. Thousands of starlings gather each autumn and winter in the Italian capital, putting aerial displays over the city Photograph: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

London, UK: George Michael speaks to the media outside his home about his battle with pneumonia that saw him hospitalised in Vienna for three weeks Photograph: Rex Features