24 hours in pictures

Escondido, California, USA: Smoke is seen from miles away as a suburban home erupts in flames during the controlled burn of a home that was so packed with homemade explosives that authorities claim they had no choice but to burn it to the ground Photograph: Chris Carlson/AP

Taiyuan, Shanxi province, China: Military recruits wait to board the train, heading to Chengdu to start their service Photograph: Reuters

Queanbeyan, Australia: Local teenagers make the best of the conditions after heavy rainfall hit the region, which led to the worst floods in decades Photograph: Andrew Taylor/Getty Images

Broek op Langedijk, the Netherlands: Farmer Peter Vroegop, also known as the King of Kale, carts his produce on the ice Photograph: Koen Suyk/AFP/Getty Images

Antrim, Northern Ireland: Snow melts on the hairs around the mouth of a horse on a farm Photograph: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters

Shanghai, China: A Chinese worker, right, is dwarfed by a high rise building under construction. Property prices in China's major cities rose for the third month in a row in November. Photograph: Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images

Gaza city: Hamas militants try to calm a horse during a rally to mark the 23rd anniversary of the group's foundation Photograph: Bernat Armangue/AP

Darmstadt, Germany: Ducks gather near a pond in a park Photograph: Alex Domanski/Reuters

Miami Beach, Florida: Men help to push a pink snail, part of an art installation, into place Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Singapore: A two-week-old male baby elephant explores near his 25-year-old mother, Nandong, at Singapore Zoo's night-time safari park Photograph: Wong Maye-E/AP

Port-au-Prince, Haiti: People are affected by tear gas fired by UN peacekeepers at protesting supporters of presidential candidate Michel Martelly Photograph: Guillermo Arias/AP

Rangoon, Burma: Burmese men work on the docks of the San Pya fish market Photograph: Drn/Getty Images

Havana, Cuba: A security guard adjusts the glasses on a statue of John Lennon in Lennon Park. The 30th anniversary of Lennon's death was marked with a concert of Beatles music at the park, played by Cuban musicians Photograph: Javier Galeano/AP

Santiago, Chile: Flowers line a fence near the San Miguel prison that caught fire during a riot. At least 81 inmates were killed Photograph: Roberto Candia/AP