A young patient at Souza Aguiar Hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, gets a visit from Father Christmas. Getty Images
Ukrainian rescue services tackle a fire at the scene of a Russian missile attack in Kyiv. Getty Images
North Koreans welcome the country's triumphant weightlifters home from the IWF World Championships in Bahrain, at Pyongyang International Airport. AP Photo
A couple admire the 22-metre Christmas tree at CityCenterDC in Washington, US. Reuters
Celebrations for the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's People's Army and the 35th annual All-People Defence Festival at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi. EPA
Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid, right, celebrates his goal against the Boston Bruins with Evan Bouchard, second left, and Leon Draisaitl during an National Hockey League game in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. AP
A newborn baby being examined on a maternity ward in the aftermath of Cyclone Chido, in Kahani, on the island of Mayotte, a French Indian Ocean territory. Reuters
Politicians brawl over legislation in Taiwan's parliament in Taipei. AFP
A mock US dollar bill showing Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is held during a session in the plenary Chamber of Deputies in Brasilia. Reuters
Men queue at a reconciliation centre in Latakia, Syria. Reconciliation centres have opened in cities across the country, giving former conscripts of the Assad regime a chance to clear their names, gain new IDs and sever ties with the regime. Getty Images
Best photos of December 20: Santa in Brazil to fires in Ukraine - in pictures