Beshara: The most captivating photos of the week - in pictures

  • Pandas at a zoo in Chongqing municipality, China. AFP
    Pandas at a zoo in Chongqing municipality, China. AFP
  • About 40 Akita dogs and their owners take part in a parade in Shibuya district, Tokyo, to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of the legendary dog Hachiko. AFP
    About 40 Akita dogs and their owners take part in a parade in Shibuya district, Tokyo, to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of the legendary dog Hachiko. AFP
  • Visitors to a Christmas-themed park in Taguig, suburban Manila. AFP
    Visitors to a Christmas-themed park in Taguig, suburban Manila. AFP
  • Bangladeshi artists perform at Dhaka University campus in Bangladesh. The day-long events celebrate the arrival of the Dream Metro Rail at the premises of Dhaka University. EPA
    Bangladeshi artists perform at Dhaka University campus in Bangladesh. The day-long events celebrate the arrival of the Dream Metro Rail at the premises of Dhaka University. EPA
  • And they're off! The start of the Race of the Santas in Breckenridge, Colorado. AFP
    And they're off! The start of the Race of the Santas in Breckenridge, Colorado. AFP
  • A drone picture shows a spinner demonstrating his skills at the Eswatini Spin Explosion, in Manzini, Eswatini. Reuters
    A drone picture shows a spinner demonstrating his skills at the Eswatini Spin Explosion, in Manzini, Eswatini. Reuters
  • Reira Iwabuchi of Japan in the Women's Snowboard Big Air Final at The Big Air Shougang in Beijing, China. Getty Images
    Reira Iwabuchi of Japan in the Women's Snowboard Big Air Final at The Big Air Shougang in Beijing, China. Getty Images
  • Actor Macaulay Culkin during the unveiling of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California. Reuters
    Actor Macaulay Culkin during the unveiling of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California. Reuters
  • Dan Prior and his son Hunter at the Mulletfest 2023 Grand Final in the Hunter Valley, Australia. Mulletfest honours the best mullet haircuts in various styles and categories. The festival is held annually to raise funds for brain cancer research. Getty Images
    Dan Prior and his son Hunter at the Mulletfest 2023 Grand Final in the Hunter Valley, Australia. Mulletfest honours the best mullet haircuts in various styles and categories. The festival is held annually to raise funds for brain cancer research. Getty Images
  • Two huge balloons during the Bolo Fest 2023 Christmas parade on Paseo de la Reforma Avenue in Mexico City. EPA
    Two huge balloons during the Bolo Fest 2023 Christmas parade on Paseo de la Reforma Avenue in Mexico City. EPA
  • A commercial airliner flies past the rising waxing gibbous moon above Kuwait City. AFP
    A commercial airliner flies past the rising waxing gibbous moon above Kuwait City. AFP
  • A children's entertainer after the official opening of the Christmas market in downtown Bucharest, Romania. EPA
    A children's entertainer after the official opening of the Christmas market in downtown Bucharest, Romania. EPA
  • Holidaymakers on inflatable donuts at a water park in Bishoftu, 40km from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. AFP
    Holidaymakers on inflatable donuts at a water park in Bishoftu, 40km from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. AFP
  • A diver cleans the inside of a sky tank for penguins at Sunshine Aquarium in Tokyo, Japan. EPA
    A diver cleans the inside of a sky tank for penguins at Sunshine Aquarium in Tokyo, Japan. EPA
  • Buddhist monks visit the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. EPA
    Buddhist monks visit the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. EPA
  • A seagull on a chimney at sunset in central Rome. AFP
    A seagull on a chimney at sunset in central Rome. AFP
  • Xpanceo co-founder Valentyn Volkov with a prototype smart contact lens being developed in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Xpanceo co-founder Valentyn Volkov with a prototype smart contact lens being developed in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • The faithful during Pope Francis's weekly general audience in Paul VI Hall, Vatican City. EPA
    The faithful during Pope Francis's weekly general audience in Paul VI Hall, Vatican City. EPA
  • Circus artists train before the daily free class with children from the neighbourhood at the Fekat Circus in Addis Ababa. Fekat Circus was created in 2004 by a group of young Ethiopians with a passion for circus. AFP
    Circus artists train before the daily free class with children from the neighbourhood at the Fekat Circus in Addis Ababa. Fekat Circus was created in 2004 by a group of young Ethiopians with a passion for circus. AFP
  • Buildings and telecommunication devices covered with snow and ice on Feldberg mountain near Frankfurt, Germany. AP
    Buildings and telecommunication devices covered with snow and ice on Feldberg mountain near Frankfurt, Germany. AP
  • The body of a fossilised male mosquito trapped in amber found in central Lebanon and dating from about 130 million years ago. Reuters
    The body of a fossilised male mosquito trapped in amber found in central Lebanon and dating from about 130 million years ago. Reuters