Sofia, Bulgaria — Bulgarians dive into icy water as they compete to catch a cross in the middle of a lake as part of Epiphany Day celebrations. It is believed that the man who is the first to grab the cross, thrown into the water by an Eastern Orthodox priest, will be healthy throughout the year.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: NIKOLAY DOYCHINOV / AFP

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Kefenrod, Germany — A person sets up a spiral of dominoes. Patrick Sinner, 15, and friends will try to break the world record by constructing the longest spiral-shaped wall of dominoes.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: EMILY WABITSCH / DPA

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — A young girl stands underneath the artificial blossoms on display for the upcoming Chinese Year of the Dragon celebration at a shopping mall.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Lai Seng Sin / Associated Press

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Baghdad — New Iraqi army tanks take part in a parade during a ceremony marking the Iraqi army's 91st anniversary in the Green Zone.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: ALI ABBAS / EPA

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Karachi, Pakistan — A Pakistani currency changer waits for customers at his roadside shop. Reports state that Pakistan's central bank said there's a strong likelihood of a sharp fall in foreign exchange reserves due to large repayments of external debt.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: REHAN KHAN / EPA

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Bodh Gaya, India — Indian beggars with their arms stretched ask for alms from Buddhist devotees visiting the Mahabodhi temple, believed to be the place where Buddha attained enlightenment, during the Kalachakra Buddhist festival.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Altaf Qadri / Associated Press

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Bodh Gaya, India — Buddhist monks attend a teaching session by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama during the Kalachakra Buddhist festival in the town believed to be the place where Buddha attained enlightenment.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Altaf Qadri / Associated Press

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Bishkek, Kyrgystan — People light fireworks near a church as they celebrate the Orthodox Christmas, celebrated Saturday in the Middle East, Russia and other Orthodox churches that use the old Julian calendar instead of the 16th century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics, Protestants, Greek Orthodox and commonly used in secular life around the world.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO / AFP

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Bethlehem, West Bank — Christian Orthodox monks tour the Church of the Nativity in the biblical West Bank town of Bethlehem as Orthodox Christmas celebrations kicked off to the sound of bagpipes and protests by Palestinians accusing church leaders of selling land to Israelis.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: MARCO LONGARI / AFP

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Damascus, Syria — A Syrian police station building is seen through a smashed car windshield soon after an blast in the Midan neighborhood. An explosion ripped through a police bus in the center of Syria's capital Friday, killing many in an attack authorities blamed on a suicide bomber, an official and state-run TV said.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Muzaffar Salman / Associated Press

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