24 hours in pictures

Allahabad, India: An early morning view of the banks of Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, which is illuminated for the month-long Mahakumbh festival Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

Newtown, Connecticut: Roses bearing images of shooting victims are attached to a lamppost at a makeshift memorial in Sandy Hook Photograph: Julio Cortez/AP

Siberia, Russia: A dog stands under trees covered with heavy hoarfrost and snow on a bank of the frozen Yenisei river, in air temperatures of about -26C Photograph: Ilya Naymushin/Reuters

Rome, Italy: A group of street beggars dressed as metallic statues Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images

Beijing, China: Pet birds stand tied to a tripod at a frozen lake Photograph: Wang Zhao/AFP/Getty Images

Dhaka, Bangladesh: Bicycle rickshaw drivers drink tea as they wait for customers on a cool winter evening Photograph: Kevin Frayer/AP

Santiago, Chile: Confiscated weapons hang from a magnet before being destroyed at a foundry as part of a government arms control programme Photograph: Ivan Alvarado/Reuters

Tokyo, Japan: Pedestrians cast shadows on the pavement near the headquarters of the Bank of Japan Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

London, England: Conservation officers lower a P51D Mustang fighter aircraft from the roof of the Imperial War Museum. The aircraft is the last of 65 large objects to be removed from the museum before an extensive refurbishment during which the museum will be closed for six months from 2 January Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

Dobrich, Bulgaria: Women paint Christmas tree baubles in a small workshop Photograph: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images

Jalalabad, Afghanistan: Smoke rises from a burning pile of illegal narcotics. More than 60 tons of narcotics have been seized in the past nine months around the east of Afghanistan Photograph: Parwiz/Reuters

Rafah, Gaza Strip: A man picks flowers for export on a flower farm Photograph: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Homeless air force and army veterans gather to remember the homeless Philadelphians who died in the past year Photograph: Matt Rourke/AP

Ahmedabad, India: A woman sells Santa Claus masks on a roadside. Christians make up about 2% of India's population, but Christmas is celebrated throughout the country Photograph: Divyakant Solanki/EPA