Photos of the day

Crown of candles and a medal for Tom Cruise: photos of the day – Tuesday

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world

Bulengo, Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Bulengo internal displaced persons camp outside Goma

Photograph: Jospin Mwisha/AFP/Getty Images

London, UK

Protesters hold placards during a protest against the bailout of Thames Water at the high court. Customers face paying an extra £250 a year to rescue the failing water company

Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

Seoul, South Korea

The National Dance Company of Korea performs a traditional Korean dance at a press call for its new programme, Hyangyeon, meaning ‘banquet’, at the Haeoreum Grand theatre

Photograph: Yonhap/EPA

Glastonbury, UK

Thousands of starlings take off from their roosts at dawn on the Somerset Levels

Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters

Edmonton, Canada

Derek Ryan (No 10) of the Edmonton Oilers battles for the puck against Dmitry Kulikov (No 7) of the Florida Panthers as Anton Lundell (No 15) crashes into the boards during the second period of the National Hockey League game at Rogers Place in Alberta

Photograph: Leila Devlin/Getty Images

Khao Kho, Thailand

The big Buddha statues at Wat Pha Sorn Kaew temple in Phetchabun province

Photograph: Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters

Colombo, Sri Lanka

People gather around the body of a stranded short-finned pilot whale that washed ashore. According to the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), five pilot whales were stranded on a beach in Colombo on 16 December. The Sri Lanka navy, along with the NARA and the department of wildlife, drove them back to sea

Photograph: Chamila Karunarathne/EPA

York, UK

Alida Freding wears a crown of candles symbolising St Lucy as she leads the celebration of Sankta Lucia: Festival of Light at York Minster, based on the bravery and martyrdom of a young Sicilian girl who died in the early fourth century. The service is run as a partnership between York Minster and York Anglo-Scandinavian Society (YASS)

Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA

Las Vegas, US

A Las Vegas Raiders fan watches warm-ups before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons

Photograph: David Becker/AP

Khan Younis, Gaza

Palestinians wait for food at a distribution centre in the southern Gaza Strip

Photograph: Bashar Taleb/AFP/Getty Images

Khan Younis, Gaza

A Palestinian girl shares her portion of food with another girl at a distribution centre south of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip

Photograph: Bashar Taleb/AFP/Getty Images

Philadelphia, US

Katy Perry performs during iHeartRadio Q102’s Jingle Ball 2024 presented by Capital One at the Wells Fargo Center in Pennsylvania

Photograph: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartRadio

Val Gardena, Italy

Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt in action during men’s downhill training for the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup

Photograph: Leonhard Föger/Reuters

Yala, Sri Lanka

Malabar pied hornbills perch on a tree at the Yala national park

Photograph: Ishara S Kodikara/AFP/Getty Images

Runnymede, UK

Tom Cruise receives a Navy Distinguished Public Service Award from the US secretary of the navy at Longcross South Studios in Surrey, England

Photograph: Kin Cheung/AP

Latakia, Syria

Members of Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian army line up to register with Syrian rebels as part of an ‘identification and reconciliation process’ at an army compound

Photograph: Léo Corrêa/AP

Changchun, China

Aerial view of ice sculptures at Changchun Ice and Snow New World in Jilin province

Photograph: VCG/Getty Images