Laguna Beach, Calif. — A small crayfish finds itself on a muddy sidewalk along Pacific Coast Highway in downtown Laguna Beach after a night of stormy weather and heavy rain.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

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San Diego, Calif. — A vehicle parked at the Sorrento Valley railway station parking lot in San Diego is partly submerged after a heavy overnight storm hit the area.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times

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Laguna Beach, Calif. — Broadway Street in downtown Laguna Beach was turned into a river by the latest storm to roll through Southern California.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

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Kabul, Afghanistan — Afghan National Army officers perform the traditional Atan folk dance during a graduation ceremony at the Ghazi Military Training Center.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Shah Marai / AFP/Getty Images

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Singapore — Two mechanical cranes perform the crane dance at Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore. The animatronics show, featuring the 98-foot-tall steel cranes, is a new waterfront attraction at the casino opening Christmas Day.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Edgar Su / Reuters

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Amman, Jordan — An Iraqi Christian girl attends a Christmas Mass at Chaldean Catholic Church in Amman, Jordan. Thousands of Iraqi Christians fled to neighboring Jordan after bombings that targeted churches in Iraqi cities in recent years.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Ali Jarekji / Reuters

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Jeddah, Saudi Arabia — A Saudi woman applies makeup on a model during a beauty and style competition at the 2010 Cosmetic Expo, a four-day event held for the first time in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Amer Hilabi / AFP/Getty Images

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Salisbury Plain, England — A druid recites an incantation as part of a ceremony marking the winter solstice at the historic Stonehenge in Salisbury Plain, England.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Kieran Doherty / Reuters

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Kolkata, India — Moviegoers attend an IMAX presentation of "Mystery of the Nile" at Science City Space Theatre in Kolkata, India.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Deshakalyan Chowdhury / AFP/Getty Images

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Madrid — A Spanish lottery official opens a trapdoor at the bottom of a giant drum to let balls bearing ticket numbers fall into a lower compartment at the start of the country's traditional Christmas lottery draw known as El Gordo — The Fat One. With a jackpot of 2.3 billion Euros — about $3 billion — divided among thousands of lucky winners, it's certain to be a welcome holiday treat at a time of economic woes and 20% unemployment.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Arturo Rodriguez / Associated Press

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Madrid — A festive atmosphere prevails in Spain's Christmas El Gordo lottery drawing, with costumed hopefuls in attendance.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Andrea Comas / Reuters

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Palleja, Spain — Winners celebrate after nabbing a portion of the jackpot in Spain's Christmas El Gordo lottery. This year, the top prize went to tickets bearing the number 79250. They were sold in Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid and other cities ranging from the Basque region in the north to Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Manu Fernandez / Associated Press

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Vatican City — Pope Benedict XVI gives his blessing at the end of his weekly audience at the Vatican.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Alessia Pierdomenico / Reuters

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Rome — A student holds a burning flare during a demonstration in Rome, where thousands gathered to protest education cuts.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Alessandro Bianchi / Reuters

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New York — A house in the New York City borough of Queens is colorfully decorated for the holidays.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Shannon Stapleton / Reuters

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Ghent, Belgium — As night falls, snow blankets the medieval city of Ghent, Belgium.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Yves Logghe / Associated Press

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Reno — With an illuminated Christmas tree in the foreground, a full moon rises over Reno.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: David B. Parker / Reno Gazette-Journal

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Kabul, Afghanistan — Workers add coal to the furnace of a brick kiln on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Altaf Qadri / Associated Press

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London — The zebra crossing on Abbey Road, made famous by the Beatles' 1969 album, was designated a heritage site by the British government Wednesday. The crossing is outside the renowned Abbey Road studios where the Beatles recorded much of their music.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Kirsty Wigglesworth / Associated Press

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Maidstone, England — A Eurostar train travels through the snow-covered Kent countryside en route to St. Pancras International station in London. With weather conditions easing slightly, the race was on at snowbound European airports and railway stations to clear the backlog of stranded passengers in time for Christmas.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Ben Stansall / AFP/Getty Images

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London — Fuel pump signs are seen at a gas station in London. According to the British Automobile Assn., the peak day for holiday road travel will be Thursday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Simon Dawson / Bloomberg

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Petkovichi, Belarus — A cat balances precariously on a fence in the aptly named village of Petkovichi, Belarus.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Vasily Fedosenko / Reuters

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