Santa Claus waterskis during a Waterskiing Santa event on December 24, 2025 in Alexandria, Virginia. Santa and his elves faced off against the Grinch in the annual water show on the Potomac River. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images)
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From historic events and cultural celebrations to quiet human moments and breathtaking natural scenes, the best images of the week capture the stories shaping our world. Each photograph offers a snapshot in time – revealing emotion, resilience and beauty across continents.
Here’s a curated selection of the most striking images from across the globe this week.
Jake Paul reacts against Anthony Joshua in their heavyweight bout during Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua at Kaseya Center on December 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images for Netflix)The sun sets on the skyline of midtown Manhattan and the Empire State Building on the winter solstice in New York City on December 21, 2025, as seen Jersey City, New Jersey. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
The ‘Oil Slicks’ demonstrators gather outside the Ministry of Defence during a protest on December 20, 2025 in London, England. The Extinction Rebellion Oil Slicks visited locations around Westminster to highlight the passing of the Paris 1.5C degrees climate goal, a 2015 agreement that tried to limit future global temperature rise to 1.5C above “pre-industrial” levels. The activists also say the British government’s decision to approve new oil projects and restrict climate protests. (Photo by Martin Pope/Getty Images)U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump call children as they participate in tracking Santa Claus’ movements with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Santa Tracker on Christmas Eve at the Mar-a-Lago resort on December 24, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. This is the 70th year that NORAD has publicly tracked Santa’s sleigh on its global rounds. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)Kenneth Grant #90 of the Miami Dolphins yells while running onto the field prior to a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium on December 21, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)Pope Leo XIV delivers his Christmas ‘Urbi Et Orbi’ blessing from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on December 25, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. As war continues to scar the world, Pope Leo XIV used his Christmas Urbi et Orbi message to renew his appeal for peace, dialogue, and responsibility, turning to those regions where violence and instability continue to claim innocent lives. (Photo by Simone Risoluti – Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
People turn on the flashlight on their phone during the vigil at Bondi Pavilion at Bondi Beach on December 20, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. Life slowly returned to normal at Bondi Beach, with people from all walks of life still paying respects and tributes as funerals for the victims continued across the city. Police say at least 16 people, including one suspected gunman, were killed and more than 40 others injured when two attackers opened fire near a Hanukkah celebration at the world-famous Bondi Beach, in what authorities have declared a terrorist incident. The government is moving to tighten gun laws across the country. (Photo by George Chan/Getty Images)