Bethlehem, West Bank — A Greek Orthodox priest walks in the Church of the Nativity in the biblical West Bank city of Bethlehem. Tourists from all over the world are expected to flock to Jesus' birthplace to celebrate the Christmas holiday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: ABED AL HASHLAMOUN / EPA

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Ribnovo, Bulgaria — A Bulgarian Muslim bride has her makeup applied during her wedding ceremony. The remote mountain village of Ribnovo in southwest Bulgaria has kept its traditional winter marriage ceremony alive despite decades of Communist persecution, followed by poverty that forced many men to seek work abroad. The wedding ritual was resurrected with vigor among the Pomaks -- Slavs who converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. The highlight of the ceremony is the painting of the bride's face, where in a private rite open only to female in-laws, her face is covered in thick, chalky white paint and decorated with colorful sequins.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: STOYAN NENOV / Reuters

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Traffic leaves the Dubai Mall shopping district at night in Dubai. Dubai and its state-owned non-financial companies have $101.5 billion of outstanding debt and may need further financial support to meet those obligations, Moody's said.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Gabriela Maj / Bloomberg

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London, England — Choristers of St Paul's Cathedral practice in the choir stalls at St Paul's Cathedral. The 30 choristers and eight probationers join 12 adult singers (the Vicars Choral) to form the Cathedral Choir.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: TOBY MELVILLE / Reuters

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Grabovnica, Croatia — Colorful lights are seen at a country house estate. The estate owned by the Salaj family is lighted with 1.2 million Christmas lights and turns into a winter wonderland every December, attracting thousands of visitors.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: NIKOLA SOLIC / Reuters

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Krasnoyarsk, Russia — Workers clear snow from a bridge over the Yenisei River.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: ILYA NAYMUSHIN / Reuters

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Karachi, Pakistan — A man sells roasted corn from his cart as another waits to give camel rides to residents visiting Karachi's Clifton Beach.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: AKHTAR SOOMRO / Reuters

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Bolan, Pakistan — School boys stand near fuel trucks that were set ablaze in the Bolan district of Pakistan's Baluchistan province. Gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on nine fuel trucks, setting them on fire and killing one of the drivers.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: STRINGER/PAKISTAN / Reuters

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Tarifa, Spain — An illegal immigrant covers himself with a blanket at Tarifa's port. An inflatable vessel carrying 41 immigrants,14 of them women and six children was rescued by the Spanish coast guard three miles off the Spanish coast.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: MARCOS MORENO / AFP / Getty Images

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Moscow — Supporters of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin take part in a rally in central Moscow. Election fraud claims reported by Russia's opposition will not alter the outcome of this month's disputed parliamentary polls, Putin's spokesman said .

PHOTOGRAPH BY: ALEXANDER NEMENOV / AFP / Getty Images

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New Delhi, India — A couple get their photo taken in front of the India Gate national monument in New Delhi. A century ago, Britain's King George V, who came to India to be crowned emperor, made a surprise announcement that Delhi would be the new capital of India. But in a country where just about any anniversary is cause for an official celebration, this obvious one is slipping past nearly unnoticed. There are no parades or festivities to mark the Dec. 12, 1911, announcement.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Saurabh Das / Associated Press

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Mexico City — Mexican bullfighter David Silveti with bull Charro Cantor, during the sixth bullfight of the Great Season in the Bullring of Mexico.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: MARIO GUZMAN / EPA

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