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TOPSHOT - Billowing smoke and flowing lava turning the sky orange are seen in this Icelandic Coast Guard handout image during an volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula 3 km north of Grindavik, western Iceland on December 18, 2023. A volcanic eruption began on Monday night in Iceland, south of the capital Reykjavik, following an earthquake swarm, Iceland's Meteorological Office reported. (Photo by Icelandic Coast Guard / HANDOUT / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Flames and floods: The world’s best pictures this week

Olivia Harris
1 min read·December 21, 2023 - 2:56PM
News Corp Australia Network

Iceland erupts, Cairns experiences some of its worst flooding on record and the world prepares for the holidays. See our best pictures of the week here.

 

Hozier performs at OVO Arena Wembley in London under a sky of stars. Picture: Lorne Thomson/Redferns
Hozier performs at OVO Arena Wembley in London under a sky of stars. Picture: Lorne Thomson/Redferns

 

Athletes race in a men's and women's open water swimming competition at Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro. Picture: Buda Mendes/Getty Images
Athletes race in a men's and women's open water swimming competition at Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro. Picture: Buda Mendes/Getty Images

 

Competitors run around a marker in the board-leg during the 2023/24 Nutri-Grain IronMan & IronWoman Series at Manly Beach. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Competitors run around a marker in the board-leg during the 2023/24 Nutri-Grain IronMan & IronWoman Series at Manly Beach. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

 

King Charles III interacts with Santa at Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre in London, England. Picture: Peter Nicholls/Getty Images
King Charles III interacts with Santa at Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre in London, England. Picture: Peter Nicholls/Getty Images

 

Migrants gather around a fire at the US-Mexico border fence in Arizona, which has been closed following a huge influx of people crossing. Picture: Eric Thayer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Migrants gather around a fire at the US-Mexico border fence in Arizona, which has been closed following a huge influx of people crossing. Picture: Eric Thayer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

 

Kenyan students shelter from the sun during celebrations for Kenya's 60th Independence Day. Picture: Luis Tato/AFP
Kenyan students shelter from the sun during celebrations for Kenya's 60th Independence Day. Picture: Luis Tato/AFP

 

An Israeli soldier plays a violin whilst resting in a tank, amid continuing battles in Gaza. Picture: Menahem Kahana/AFP
An Israeli soldier plays a violin whilst resting in a tank, amid continuing battles in Gaza. Picture: Menahem Kahana/AFP

 

Ai-Da Robot poses for her close at The Royal Institution in London. Picture: Kate Green/Getty Images
Ai-Da Robot poses for her close at The Royal Institution in London. Picture: Kate Green/Getty Images

 

Irene Aldana of Mexico punches Karol Rosa of Brazil in a bantamweight fight Las Vegas. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Irene Aldana of Mexico punches Karol Rosa of Brazil in a bantamweight fight Las Vegas. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

 

A worker repairs the Cathedral of the Transfiguration damaged as a result of Russian missile strike in Odessa, Ukraine. Picture: Anatolii Stepanov/AFP
A worker repairs the Cathedral of the Transfiguration damaged as a result of Russian missile strike in Odessa, Ukraine. Picture: Anatolii Stepanov/AFP

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his hands up during his year-end press conference. Picture: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his hands up during his year-end press conference. Picture: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AFP

 

A citizen visits a grotto art exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing. Picture: VCG via Getty Images
A citizen visits a grotto art exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing. Picture: VCG via Getty Images

 

Guests dressed in period costumes take part in the ball of the century at the Chateau de Versailles in France. Picture: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP
Guests dressed in period costumes take part in the ball of the century at the Chateau de Versailles in France. Picture: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP

 

Palestinians check a half-destroyed building following Israeli bombardment on Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Picture: Said Khatib/AFP
Palestinians check a half-destroyed building following Israeli bombardment on Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Picture: Said Khatib/AFP

 

A labourer loads clay bricks on her head at a construction site in New Delhi. Picture: Sajjad Hussain/AFP
A labourer loads clay bricks on her head at a construction site in New Delhi. Picture: Sajjad Hussain/AFP

 

People take part in a Santa ride near Rome’s Colosseum to raise funds for children with cancer. Picture: Antonio Masiello/Getty Images
People take part in a Santa ride near Rome’s Colosseum to raise funds for children with cancer. Picture: Antonio Masiello/Getty Images

 

An aerial view shows the scale of deluge from Barron to Thomatis Creek. Picture: Liv Cole
An aerial view shows the scale of deluge from Barron to Thomatis Creek. Picture: Liv Cole

 

A car is smashed by a fallen tree following a strong storm that hit Buenos Aires, which caused the deaths of 13 people. Picture: Alejandro Pagni/AFP
A car is smashed by a fallen tree following a strong storm that hit Buenos Aires, which caused the deaths of 13 people. Picture: Alejandro Pagni/AFP

 

South African aquarist Senzo Gumede dressed as Santa Claus feeds an Eagle Ray fish during a show at Africa's largest marine park. Picture: Rajesh Jantilal/AFP
South African aquarist Senzo Gumede dressed as Santa Claus feeds an Eagle Ray fish during a show at Africa's largest marine park. Picture: Rajesh Jantilal/AFP

 

Palestinians react following an Israeli bombardment in the southern Gaza Strip. Picture: Mahmud Hams/AFP
Palestinians react following an Israeli bombardment in the southern Gaza Strip. Picture: Mahmud Hams/AFP

 

Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo attend the UK Gala Screening of Searchlight Pictures' 'Poor Things' at the Barbican Centre in London. Picture: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images
Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo attend the UK Gala Screening of Searchlight Pictures' 'Poor Things' at the Barbican Centre in London. Picture: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images

 

Siberian tigers fight over a live chicken released into their enclosure after a large snowfall in China. Picture: AFP
Siberian tigers fight over a live chicken released into their enclosure after a large snowfall in China. Picture: AFP

 

Flo Rida performs in the crowd during iHeartRadio Y100's Jingle Ball 2023 in Miami, Florida. Picture: Jason Koerner/Getty Images for iHeartRadio
Flo Rida performs in the crowd during iHeartRadio Y100's Jingle Ball 2023 in Miami, Florida. Picture: Jason Koerner/Getty Images for iHeartRadio

 

2024 presidential hopeful Donald Trump dances in Iowa at a rally. An appeals court in Colorado has ruled Trump cannot appear on the state's presidential primary ballot due to the January 6 insurrection. Picture: Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP
2024 presidential hopeful Donald Trump dances in Iowa at a rally. An appeals court in Colorado has ruled Trump cannot appear on the state's presidential primary ballot due to the January 6 insurrection. Picture: Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP

 

Revellers perform during the Festival of Light in Costa Rica. Picture: Ezequiel Becerra/AFP
Revellers perform during the Festival of Light in Costa Rica. Picture: Ezequiel Becerra/AFP

 

Fighters from the Syrian armed opposition train in a camp. Picture: Rami al Sayed/AFP
Fighters from the Syrian armed opposition train in a camp. Picture: Rami al Sayed/AFP

 

Congolese police officers block a door after voters forced their way into a voting station in Kinshasa. Picture: John Wessels/AFP
Congolese police officers block a door after voters forced their way into a voting station in Kinshasa. Picture: John Wessels/AFP

 

Indigenous men perform on a 30m flying pole to thank for the crops and welcome the winter solstice in a Guatemalan tradition. Picture: Emmanuel Andres/AFP
Indigenous men perform on a 30m flying pole to thank for the crops and welcome the winter solstice in a Guatemalan tradition. Picture: Emmanuel Andres/AFP

 

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) and his daughter watch the test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Picture: KCNA/AFP
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) and his daughter watch the test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Picture: KCNA/AFP

 

Nathan Lyon and all of the team celebrate his 500th Test Wicket during day four of the Men's First Test match between Australia and Pakistan. Picture: James Worsfold/Cricket Australia via Getty Images
Nathan Lyon and all of the team celebrate his 500th Test Wicket during day four of the Men's First Test match between Australia and Pakistan. Picture: James Worsfold/Cricket Australia via Getty Images

 

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives to testify at the Covid Inquiry in London. Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives to testify at the Covid Inquiry in London. Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

 

Moldovans wear bearskin as they march and dance during the International Festival of Winter Traditions in Romania. Picture: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP
Moldovans wear bearskin as they march and dance during the International Festival of Winter Traditions in Romania. Picture: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP

 

Environmental activists march through Treasury Garden in Melbourne as Australia prepares for a scorching summer. Picture: Diego Fedele/Getty Images
Environmental activists march through Treasury Garden in Melbourne as Australia prepares for a scorching summer. Picture: Diego Fedele/Getty Images

 

Revellers dressed as holiday characters participate in the annual SantaCon pub crawl in New York City. Picture: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
Revellers dressed as holiday characters participate in the annual SantaCon pub crawl in New York City. Picture: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

 

People swim underwater at Clovelly Beach in Sydney after a severe heatwave hit the state last week. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images
People swim underwater at Clovelly Beach in Sydney after a severe heatwave hit the state last week. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

 

Choristers sing in a carol service at St Paul's Cathedral in London. Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Choristers sing in a carol service at St Paul's Cathedral in London. Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

 

The deserted Grotto, in the Nativity Church in Bethlehem is pictured empty ahead of Christmas amid ongoing battles in the Gaza Strip. Picture: Hazem Bader/AFP
The deserted Grotto, in the Nativity Church in Bethlehem is pictured empty ahead of Christmas amid ongoing battles in the Gaza Strip. Picture: Hazem Bader/AFP

 

The home of Amy and Brian Scott is decorated for Christmas with all things Taylor Swift. Picture: Kamil Krzacynski/AFP
The home of Amy and Brian Scott is decorated for Christmas with all things Taylor Swift. Picture: Kamil Krzacynski/AFP

 

Eve Gilles is crowned Miss France 2024, despite controversy over her short haircut. Picture: Arnaud Finistre/AFP
Eve Gilles is crowned Miss France 2024, despite controversy over her short haircut. Picture: Arnaud Finistre/AFP

 

A man sells balloons as people attend a pre-dawn mass ahead of Christmas in Manila. Picture: Jam Sta Rosa/AFP
A man sells balloons as people attend a pre-dawn mass ahead of Christmas in Manila. Picture: Jam Sta Rosa/AFP

 

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales pose with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis for their official Christmas portrait. Picture: Josh Shinner/Kensington Palace via Getty Images
Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales pose with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis for their official Christmas portrait. Picture: Josh Shinner/Kensington Palace via Getty Images

 

Billowing smoke and flowing lava turn the sky orange during an volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula in western Iceland. Picture: Icelandic Coast Guard/AFP
Billowing smoke and flowing lava turn the sky orange during an volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula in western Iceland. Picture: Icelandic Coast Guard/AFP

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Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/photos/flames-and-floods-the-worlds-best-pictures-this-week/news-story/037ce52026daa992a2849637277e6ad8