World in focus – best photos for October 21, 2016

A worker wearing a panda costume opens the cage to let giant panda ‘Hua Yan’ go out to the wild at the Liziping National Nature Reserve in Ya’an, Sichuan Province of China. Zhang Jian / Chengdu Economic Daily / VCG via Getty Images

Sharni Layton of Australia, Baily Mes of New Zealand and Clare McMeniman of Australia keep an eye on the ball as they compete during the Constellation Cup International Test match between the New Zealand Sliver Ferns and the Australia Diamonds in Invercargill, New Zealand. Dianne Manson / Getty Images

3570 Team Italia’s Italian rider Lorenzo Petrarca crashes out during the first practice session of the Moto 3 ahead of 2016 Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island. Saeed Khan / EPA

A member of the Iraqi government forces takes a position on top of a vehicle as smoke rises on the outskirts of the Qayyarah area, some 60 kilometres south of Mosul, during an operation against ISIL to retake the main hub city. Bulent Kilic / AFP

Australia’s Davey Cathels in action during the third round of the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal surfing event as part of the World Surf League Championship Tour at Supertubos Beach in Peniche, Portugal. Carlos Barroso / EPA

A picture taken with a long-time exposure shows models presenting creations by Russian designer Asya Solov’eva during the Moscow Fashion Week. Sergei Ilnitsjt / EPA

A couple walk in the heavy rain as a woman sits in a restaurant as Typhoon Haima makes landfall in Hong Kong. The usually frenetic streets of Hong Kong were deserted as the city went into lockdown for Typhoon Haima, which has killed at least eight people in the Philippines. Anthony Wallace / AFP

Visitors at a private viewing look at the artist Yadegar Asisi’s new 360-degree panorama painting depicting events from the reformation in Wittenberg, Germany. A special building was constructed in Wittenberg, the town in which Luther supposedly posted his 95 theses on the door of the All Saints’ Church in 1517, to house the painting due its size. Hendrik Schmidt / EPA

A worker fills small paper rolls with gunpowder mixture to make firecrackers at a factory ahead of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India. Amit Dave / Reuters

The best photos from around the world today.