24 hours in pictures

Dandong, China: women arrange wreaths for North Korea's former leader Kim Jong-il on the first anniversary of his death at an embassy branch in the Chinese border city Photograph: Jacky Chen/Reuters

Port-au-Prince, Haiti: a man sits in his car after having his windscreen blown out by teargas canisters used by the police against anti-government protesters Photograph: Swoan Parker/Reuters

Guenzach, Germany: partially melted snow in a field Photograph: Karl Josef Hildenbrand/EPA

Puebla, Mexico: sky lanterns float into the night sky as an attempt is made to break a Guinness world record by launching 16,000 lanterns, all of which were made by people with disabilities Photograph: Imelda Medina/Reuters

Newtown, Connecticut, US: residents hold candles at a memorial for victims following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school last Friday Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Hong Kong, China: a man cooks chestnuts over a mobile burner as a cold front brings significantly cooler weather to southern China Photograph: Antony Dickson/AFP/Getty Images

Bangkok, Thailand: Chinese visitors pose for a photo near a Christmas display as a rubbish picker walks by at the Amarin Plaza in the shopping district Photograph: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images

Sana'a, Yemen: an optician from a Yemeni charity shines a light into the eye of a child suffering from eye problems Photograph: Mohammed Huwais/AFP/Getty Images

Kabul, Afghanistan: police officers stand guard near the site of a blast which killed one person and wounded 15 Photograph: Mohammad Ismail /Reuters

Abud, West Bank: Palestinian Orthodox Christians return from the nearby ancient monastery of St Barbara during a procession to celebrate the annual festival of St Barbara's Day Photograph: Abbas Momani/AFP/Getty Images

Bhaktapur, Nepal: a girl eats oranges as her sibling looks on at their mother's vegetable stall Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters

Dhusamareeb, Somalia: a Qur'an teacher from the Sufi Ahlu Sunna faction, which is opposed to al-Shabaab, teaches his students while armed with an AK-47 assault rifle at a madrasa Photograph: Feisal Omar/Reuters

Maaret Misreen, Syria: Syrians wait outside a bakery shop to buy bread Photograph: Muhammed Muheisen/AP