24 hours in pictures

Aoraki Mount Cook, New Zealand: A helicopter rescues Hideaki Nara near the summit. His fellow climber died while they were stranded for six days Photograph: John Kirk-Anderson/ The Christchurch Press/Reuters

San Ignacio, Mexico: Men shot dead with their hands tied behind their backs lie in a field. Police battling a drug war found 13 bodies near the resort city of Mazatlan Photograph: AP

Harbin, China: Men cut ice from the frozen Songhua river in Heilongjian province for the annual ice and snow festival Photograph: Diego Azubel/EPA

Santiago de Cuba, Cuba: People dance and hold candles after a procession for the anniversary of the Catholic Saint Barbara Photograph: Sven Creutzmann/Mambo Photo/Getty Images

Kibati, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Children displaced by fighting are given biscuits by an NGO worker at an aid camp Photograph: TJ Kirkpatrick/AP

Rome, Italy: A plastic cover protects an old Fiat Cinquecento car from the droppings of starling flocks that have been blanketing the skies Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images

London, UK: A Salvation Army band prepares to play in Trafalgar Square during the Christmas tree illumination Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

Krakow, Poland: Makers of nativity scenes, or szopka krakowska, meet at the main square Photograph: Jerzy Rucinski/EPA

Over Cambridge, UK: Two of four teddies launched 30km up to the edge of space on a weather balloon by schoolchildren and the University of Cambridge Photograph: Cambridge University/PA

London, UK: A protester outside the Bank of England as interest rates are cut again Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PA

Budapest, Hungary: Synchronised swimmers perform during the opening of central Europe's largest indoor aquatic complex Photograph: Karoly Arvai/Reuters

Mumbai, India: Residents participate in yoga exercises to relieve stress and trauma near Nariman House, the Jewish centre where extremists killed hostages last week Photograph: Gautam Singh/AP

Wyoming, USA: A holiday shopper walks in snow-covered downtown Laramie Photograph: Andy Carpenean/AP

Istanbul, Turkey: Sara the walrus and her Russian trainer during a show at Dolphinarium Photograph: Osman Orsal/Reuters

Paris, France: Tourists at the Place du Trocadero Photograph: Muhammed Muheisen/AP

Brussels, Belgium: A melting ice block put in front of the European commission by Climate Action Network Europe, Friends of the Earth Europe, Greenpeace and WWF in a protest for emission cuts Photograph: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP