24 hours in pictures

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Local boys play games as the sun sets over Copacabana beach Photograph: Gary Hershorn/Reuters

Pyongyang, North Korea: A military band performs to celebrate their country's rocket launch in front of a triumphal gateway Photograph: Kyodo/Reuters

London, England: Lucifer the lion gets in the festive spirit at ZSL London zoo Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Katmandu, Nepal: Nepalese devotees gather during the Bala Chaturdashi festival at Pashupatinath temple Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP

Baganga, Philippines: Motorists ride past trees destroyed by typhoon Bopha. The UN has launched a $65m global appeal to help survivors of the recent storm, which killed more than 600 people and affected millions in the southern Philippines Photograph: Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images

Beijing, China: Snow falls on sculptures of shouting men in the Dashanzi 798 art district Photograph: How Hwee Young/EPA

Cairo, Egypt: A masked Egyptian protester stands in front of army troops guarding the presidential palace during a demonstration against Mohamed Morsi Photograph: Marco Longari/AFP/Getty Images

Allahabad, India: A Hindu holy man watches preparations for the Maha Kumbh festival on the banks of the Ganges river Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

Paris, France: French Republican Guards stand during a meeting between the Pakistan president, Asif Ali Zardari, and his French counterpart, François Hollande, at the Élysée Palace Photograph: Christophe Ena/AP

Belfast, Northern Ireland: Protesters hold the union flag as they block Donegall Road amid renewed tensions after city councillors voted to stop flying the British flag all year Photograph: Peter Muhly/AFP/Getty Images

Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Brides and grooms sit inside a bus before participating in a parade during a mass wedding ceremony organised for the poor. The event was held at exactly at 12 o'clock on 12/12/12, a date seen as auspicious by many astrologers Photograph: Gembong Nusantara/AP

Nanjing, China: A man stands in front of a wall with details of Chinese victims at the memorial hall of victims of the Nanjing massacre by Japanese invaders Photograph: Diego Azubel/EPA

Barcelona, Spain: A woman waits for customers at her shop selling figures to decorate the Christmas crib Photograph: Emilio Morenatti/ap