Today's best photos: From Manhattan at night to Chinese New Year preparations

The National picks the most striking images from around the world

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  People cross a street at night, in front of Manhattan's Grand Central terminal, in New York. AFP

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  Palestinians look in their neighbour's damaged house after an Israeli strike in Rafah, in the south of Gaza. AP

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  Youths perform stunts on roller-skates, during a car racing competition in Kabul. AFP

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  French police officers stand guard near a burning vehicle during a farmers' protest against taxation and declining income, in the southern town of Narbonne. AFP

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  Women of the paramilitary forces parade during India's 75th Republic Day celebrations, in New Delhi. EPA

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  Recreational boats lie on the dry bed of the Sau reservoir in Spain, which is only at 5 per cent of its capacity. The north-eastern region of Catalonia is one of the two worst-hit regions in a two-year-plus drought affecting most of the country. AP

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  Bullet trains at a maintenance base in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. The world's largest annual human migration is expected to set a new record of nine billion passenger trips during the 40-day travel peak for the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival. About 1.8 billion trips will be made through rail, road, aviation, and water transportation, while the remaining 7.2 billion are expected to be self-driving trips, according to China's Ministry of Transport. EPA

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  Decorations for the coming Chinese New Year celebrations in Banting, Malaysia. The Chinese Lunar New Year, also called the Spring Festival, will fall on 10 February 2024, marking the beginning of the Year of the Dragon. EPA

More from The National:

Friday's best photos: From Potomac fog to Lunar New Year preparations

Thursday's best photos: From a Lunar New Year performance to a CUTE exhibition

Wednesday's best photos: From the Doomsday Clock to Trump's New Hampshire win

Tuesday's best photos: From Elon Musk at Auschwitz to Chanel's Haute-Couture show

Monday's best photos: From a penguin hatchling to snow-covered terraces

Sunday's best photos: From soldiers clearing snow to an ice-cream theme park