World News in Pictures

[Mr Lick]

The winter solstice at Stonehenge – in pictures

Druids, pagans and revellers gather at the monument to watch the sun rise on the year's shortest day

[Mr Lick]

The phenomenal northern lights

[Mr Lick]

[Mr Lick]

Clara Gantt, the 94-year-old widow of U.S. Army Sgt. Joseph Gantt, weeps in front of her her husband's casket after it was lowered from the plane before dawn on the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California December 20, 2013. Gantt, who never remarried after her husband died in captivity in the Korean War in 1951, had a tearful encounter with his flag-draped coffin on Friday in Los Angeles, when his recently identified remains arrived by plane



A member of the Socialist Workers Party (R) kicks a demonstrator to prevent him from attacking a store, during a rally commemorating the 12th anniversary of the social and economic crisis that led to former President Fernando De la Rua's resignation, in Buenos Aires December 20, 2013

[Mr Lick]

A farmer uses a stick to hit policemen during a rally against the government's new property tax outside the parliament in Athens December 20, 2013



Members of social pressure group Berri Otxoak walk through Bilbao performing a "Via Crucis" against Social Services cuts, December 20, 2013

[Mr Lick]

Ukrainian pro-EU demonstrators stand guard on a barricade during a rally at Independence Square in central Kiev December 20, 2013



Students from the Tianjiao Special Guard/Security Consultant bodyguard training hug and cry during a group dinner on the outskirts of Beijing, December 14, 2013. Former Chinese soldier Chen Yongqing has big ambitions for his bodyguard training school Tianjiao, which he says is China's first professional academy to train former soldiers and others as personal security guards. Chen charges 500,000 yuan ($82,400) a year for each protector as China's rich and famous look to bolster their safety and sense of importance

[Mr Lick]

Interior Ministry personnel blocks pro-EU demonstrators near the presidential administration building in Kiev December 20, 2013. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich on Thursday criticised opposition leaders, who have brought tens of thousands of protesters onto the streets, for harbouring their own political ambitions and conducting "revolutionary" actions



A demonstrator reacts at a fountain that emulates the Iguazu Falls during a rally commemorating the 12th anniversary of the social and economic crisis that led to Argentine former President Fernando De la Rua's resignation, in Buenos Aires December 20, 2013



Natalie Dicou (L) and her partner Nicole Christensen wait to get married at the Salt Lake County Clerks office in Salt Lake City, Utah, December 20, 2013. A federal judge struck down Utah's ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional on Friday, handing a major victory to gay rights activists in a conservative state where the Mormon church wields considerable influence



A cow, which escaped from a truck, attacks a farmer trying to catch it in Liangdun village of Nangang township, Anhui province, December 15, 2013

[Mr Lick]

Police officers clash with supporters of the native Indian community during a protest outside the Indian museum, next to the Maracana stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, December 16, 2013



Bodies of passengers lie beside a bus after it fell off an elevated expressway and crashed into a van below in Taguig city, south of Manila, December 16, 2013

[Mr Lick]

The 2013 Strictly final



BBC Breakfast presenter Susanna Reid was the first to dance in the Judges' Choice round, with partner 'Kevin from Grimsby' (also known as Kevin Clifton). The judges chose The Quickstep for them, which they danced to Tommy Steele's Good Morning. Culminating in a brave stunt walking over a sofa, judge Len Goodman said: "It was light and it was bright".



Judges said Abbey Clancy had improved the most during the series and transformed herself into "the most beautiful dancer". They chose The Waltz for her to dance to with partner Aljaz Skorjanec, to Kissing You by Des'ree. "That dance should be declared an area of outstanding beauty," said Len Goodman, before the judges awarded her a perfect 40.



The judges chose the Viennese Waltz to My Favourite Things by Julie Andrews for Sophie Ellis-Bextor and partner Brendan Cole's first turn on the dancefloor. Bruno Tonioli said: "Cecil Beaton would be proud." However Craig Revel Horwood thought Sophie's posture let her down "ever so slightly".



Former Coronation Street star Natalie Gumede got off to a flying start with partner Artem Chigvintsev. Len Goodman branded them "the Lancashire hotpot and the beef from the east" after they danced their Judges' Choice: The Cha Cha to Boney M's Rasputin. Bruno Tonioli added: "Hips, hips hooray".



For the evening's Showdance round, Susanna Reid and Kevin Clifton danced to Your Song by Ewan MacGregor. Craig Revel Horwood called it "classy, stylish and airborne", while Bruno Tonioli joked that Kevin Clifton's neck must be made "of reinforced steel".































This year's Strictly Come Dancing winners Abbey Clancy and partner Alijaz Skorjanec lift their glitterball trophy. Clancy said she would keep it "on the mantelpiece, so everyone can see it." She said she was "gobsmacked" to win, but added that the show was "magnificent" and had given her "a new lease of life".

[Mr Lick]

25th anniversary of Lockerbie bombing



A white floral tribute in the form of a plane was laid at a memorial service to mark the 25th anniversary of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over the skies of Lockerbie in southern Scotland




The fateful night of 21 December, 1988, saw 270 people killed - 259 on board the aircraft bound for the US, and 11 on the ground

[Mr Lick]

[Mr Lick]

Chinese tourists in Thailand - in pictures

Last year the Chinese spent more on holidays than anyone else and are changing the face of tourism

[Mr Lick]

[Mr Lick]

Runners dance at the finish line of the Ugly Sweater Run at National Harbor in Fort Washington, Maryland December 21, 2013



An unidentified LS3 team member shoves an LS 3 (Legged Squad Support System) robot that was galloping off course, back on track during a high-speed demonstration in Homestead, Florida December 20, 2013



Fatima Khan, mother of the British surgeon who died in a Syrian prison, reacts after seeing the body of her son Abbas Khan in the Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital in Beirut December 21, 2013

[Mr Lick]

A parked car is seen with a stone in its window after clashes in front of the 'Rote Flora' cultural centre during a demonstration in Hamburg, December 21, 2013



A pro-EU demonstrator holds a shield as he stands guard in front of barricades during a rally at Independence Square in central Kiev December 21, 2013



Media members surround a woman as she takes off her top as a protest, at Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro December 21, 2013



People dressed in Santa Claus costumes row boats on the Venice canal December 21, 2013

[Mr Lick]

Conditions for Abu Dhabi's migrant workers shame the west

Trade unions, human rights activists and politicians have called for urgent labour reforms to protect the thousands of migrant workers building a complex of five-star hotels and museums on Saadiyat Island in the United Arab Emirates, including a new Louvre and the world's largest Guggenheim















Some migrant workers in Abu Dhabi are being paid a pittance and living in a squalid camps



Louvre subcontractors leaving the Saadiyat Construction Village after violence in August 2013: thousands were evacuated from the camp after workers rampaged for three days with spears, hammers and nailed planks



A Bangladeshi painter at the New York University campus being built in Abu Dhabi cuts up fruit on the floor of the windowless bedroom he shares with eight other men in the heart of Abu Dhabi's industrial zone. It was by far the worst camp visited by the Observer



Mohammed Arif being fitted for a new leg one year after his amputation: a charity paid for it after his employer, which builds luxury villas on Saadiyat Island, refused



Saadiyat Island migrant workers have complained of being trapped by recruitment fees that exceed a year's salary



Saadiyat Island Construction Village, built to reassure the UAE's foreign partners, complete with cricket grounds and a multilingual library



A bedroom at the Saadiyat Island Construction Village: 'The only thing these men lack is room service,' according to Nabil al-Kendi, chief development officer for the Tourism Development and Investment Company



Striking Bangladeshi workers keeping watch at 2am in Saadiyat Construction Village, Abu Dhabi in May: striking is illegal in the UAE but thousands of workers from the Arabtec construction company walked out for better pay. Many were later deported

[Mr Lick]

Christfish choir?

[Mr Lick]

Storm batters western parts of the UK







Heavy snowfall is predicted for parts of Scotland on Christmas Eve.



The Met Office issued amber warnings for rain for Wales, east and south-west England, London and the South East on Monday.



























Plymouth

[Mr Lick]

Jerraud Powers (right) of the Arizona Cardinals breaks up a pass to Doug Baldwin of the Seattle Seahawks at Century Link Field in Seattle, Washington.



A French soldier engages with a protester after a demonstrator was shot dead by African Union troops near the international airport in Bangui. French troops quickly intervened to evacuate the victims.

[Mr Lick]

Maria Alyokhina, a member of Russian punk band Pussy Riot, has been freed early from prison under an amnesty. She told a Russian TV channel the amnesty was a "PR stunt" and she would rather have remained in prison.



Anti-government demonstrators in Thailand continue to call for political reform ahead of elections.



Dutch darts player Michael Van Gerwen celebrates winning his second round match against Kevin McDine of England during the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in North London.



A pedestrian on the Terrasse Dufferin during a snowstorm in Quebec City.

[Mr Lick]

Bad weather across the UK

[Mr Lick]

Madrid, Spain: A man dressed in a costume attends the draw for Spain's El Gordo Christmas lottery



Bangui, Central African Republic: A man wounded during clashes between former Seleka rebels and anti-Balaka militiamen waits to receive treatment at a hospital



Kiev, Ukraine: A bride and groom dance as they visit Independence Square where pro-European integration supporters are holding an ongoing rally

[Mr Lick]

Nairobi, Kenya: Police officers and rescue workers gather around a derailed freight train that overturned onto homes built alongside the railway track in the Kibera slum



Hamburg, Germany: Police use water cannons in an attempt to drive back demonstrators during a demonstration in support of squatters in the Rote Flora



Sakuragawa City, Japan: A Shinto priest walks across embers during a fire walking ceremony to pray for good health at the Kabasan Saenazumi Jinja shrine

[Mr Lick]

Buckhan mountain, South Korea: Climbers wear Santa Claus costumes while rock climbing, during an event to celebrate the Christmas holiday season



Berlin, Germany: Freed Russian former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky arrives at the Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie Berlin for a press conference



Luxor, Egypt: A tourist makes a dawn visit to the temple of Karnak on the day of the winter solstice

[Mr Lick]

Mary isn't looking too amused as children dressed in Santa Claus costumes take part in celebrations at a church in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh



Enough to put off the fair weather cyclists? A bicycle is covered with ice after freezing rain in Toronto, Canada. Thousands of households are without power in the Greater Toronto area following an overnight ice storm



French troops of the Sangaris operation try to comfort a crying boy after a demonstrator was shot dead by African Union soldiers near the international airport in Bangui, Central African Republic



The silliest animal picture of the day which is of a squirrel eating a mince pie in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, Scotland. The squirrel picked up the pie after it was left by passers-by and scampered back up a tree to scoff its feast