Today's best photos: From Taylor Swift in Tokyo to optical illusions in Brussels

The National picks the most striking images from around the world

Taylor Swift performs as part of the "Eras Tour" at the Tokyo Dome, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo / Toru Hanai)

Diving action at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha. AFP

A wounded Palestinian looks at buildings destroyed by Israeli bombs in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip. AFP

A cat at a Lufthansa counter at Frankfurt Airport. A strike by the German airline's ground staff on Wednesday led to hundreds of flights being cancelled. AP

Vehicles destroyed by Israeli bombardment in Rafah. AFP

Residents wait outside their building after it was damaged by a Russian missile strike in Kyiv. Reuters

Men fish near ancient footprints, believed to have been left by modern humans and dating back more than 100,000 years, in Larache, Morocco. AFP

Pakistani election commission workers set up a distribution centre for voting in Karachi, in the lead up to Thursday's national vote. AFP

Motorcyclists join protests against Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s rule in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as rubbish burns in the streets. EPA

Footage of killer whales trapped in ice off the Japanese island of Hokkaido prompted concerns from environmental groups, but the whales escaped safely. AP

The sun sets behind the Statue of Liberty in New York. AFP

An aerial view of burnt trees at the botanical garden designed by French sculptor Georges Dubois, after a forest fire in Vina del Mar, Chile. AFP

Visitors experience an illusion room at the World Of Mind museum in Brussels. Reuters

More from The National:

Tuesday's best photos: From Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open to a Kuwaiti beekeeper

Monday's best photos: From swimming in Qatar to celebrations in Sri Lanka

Saturday's best photos: From Barry Keoghan's faceful of spaghetti to Groundhog Day

Friday's best photos: From an ice cave in New Hampshire to a bull in Mexico

Thursday's best photos: From Zuckerberg in US Senate to snow in Kashmir

Wednesday's best photos: From Up Helly Aa fire festival to the 17th King of Malaysia