Pictures of the day from The Huffington Post brings you the very best news and sports images from around the world, chosen and created by our own photo editors, Elliot Wagland, Tahira Mirza and Michael Cripps.
Pictures of the day
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A injured hostage is carried to an ambulance after shots were fired during a cafe siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014. A flurry of loud bangs erupted as a swarm of heavily armed police stormed inside a downtown Sydney chocolate cafe where a gunman had been holding an unknown number of people hostage for more than 16 hours. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Hostages run towards armed tactical response police as they run to freedom from a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014. New South Wales state police would not say what was happening inside the cafe or whether hostages were being held. But television footage shot through the cafe's windows showed several people with their arms in the air.(AP Photo/Rob Griffith) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 14: Lewis Hamilton's dog Roscoe attends the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards at The Hydro on December 14, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage) (credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
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GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 14: Lewis Hamilton and his dog Roscoe attends the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards at The Hydro on December 14, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage) (credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
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Pia Kebell, seven, studies 'Silver Back' a larger than life-size two-meter tall gorilla made entirely of wire coat hangers with an estimate of £60,000 - £80,000, by artist David Mach during a photo call and preview of Christie's forthcoming Creatures Great and Small sale, a themed auction which celebrates the animal as inspiration and takes place on December 17th at Christie's, in Old Brompton Road, London. (credit:Nick Ansell/PA Wire)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 15: First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon poses for a photograph outside 10 Downing Street on December 15, 2014 in London, England. Nicola Sturgeon met with British Prime Minister David Cameron on her first visit to 10 Downing Street since becoming First Minister of Scotland. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (credit:Dan Kitwood via Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 15: First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon leaves 10 Downing Street on December 15, 2014 in London, England. Nicola Sturgeon met with British Prime Minister David Cameron on her first visit to 10 Downing Street since becoming First Minister. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (credit:Dan Kitwood via Getty Images)
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Blu eCigs has collaborated with Bompas & Parr to unveil a unique sensory experience to celebrate ‘vape’ being named word of the year. The nicotine-free experience brings to life vaping with a cascade of vape emitted from a unique installation, celebrating the trend in a never-been-seen-before way.
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Mariano Pavone of Cruz Azul celebrates with team mates Gerardo Flores and Ismael Valadez after scoring his teams second goal during the FIFA Club World Cup Quarter Final match between Cruz Azul FC and Western Sydney Wanderers FC at Prince Moulay Abdellah on December 13, 2014 in Rabat, Morocco. (Photo by Lars Baron - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) (credit:Lars Baron - FIFA via Getty Images)
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Policemen holding kalashnikovs during a commando training in Hakimabad district of Nowshera, Pakistan on December 10, 2014. A group of volunteer policemen get an intense commando training due to the common terror attacks in Pakistan. After this training, these policemen would take charge in police raids within anti-terror operations. (Photo by Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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Daniel Crag as James Bond filming on the Thames (credit:Paul/FameFlynet.uk.com)
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A female hostage stands by the front entrance of the cafe as she turns the lights off in the Sydney central business district on December 15, 2014. Five people ran out of a Sydney cafe where a gunman has taken hostages and displayed an Islamic flag against the window, witnesses and police said on December 15, adding that no one has yet been harmed. (credit:WILLIAM WEST via Getty Images)
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Special forces police install special equipment on a van, in Ghent, western Belgium, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. Four armed men have entered an apartment, and police have blocked off a wide perimeter around the area. Police said Monday that three hours after the men entered the apartment it was still unclear whether they had taken any hostages. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Special forces police prepare their equipment in Ghent, western Belgium, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. Four armed men have entered an apartment, and police have blocked off a wide perimeter around the area. Police said Monday that three hours after the men entered the apartment it was still unclear whether they had taken any hostages. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Snow on the Northumberland Borders near Kielder, as Britain is due to see a "flipflopping" in temperatures with respite from the chill on the way - but some frosty nights will still see the mercury plunge below freezing. (credit:Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
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Workers sweep after police cleared barricades and tents on a main road in the occupied areas at Causeway Bay district in Hong Kong Monday, Dec 15, 2014. Hong Kong police pulled down barricades Monday and folded up tents at the third and final pro-democracy protest camp, putting an end to demonstrations that have blocked traffic in the southern Chinese city's streets for 2 1/2 months. (credit:AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
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Police officers take down a tent on a main road in the occupied areas at Causeway Bay district in Hong Kong Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. Hong Kong police pulled down barricades Monday and folded up tents at the third and final pro-democracy protest camp, putting an end to demonstrations that have blocked traffic in the southern Chinese city's streets for 2 and a half months. (credit:AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
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Eruption of Mount Sinabung Volcano in Indonesia - 14 Dec 2014A view of spewing pyroclastic flow from Mount Sinabung volcano eruption seen from Tiga Pancur village (credit:Rex Features)
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Charles-Edouard Fusari feeds sprouts to Greedy Boris, a rare Green Sea turtle at the Sea Life Aquarium, London. (credit:Anthony Devlin/PA Wire)
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Charles-Edouard Fusari feeds sprouts to Greedy Boris, a rare Green Sea turtle at the Sea Life Aquarium, London. (credit:Anthony Devlin/PA Wire)
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The Houses of Parliament in London at dawn, as Britain was due to see a "flipflopping" in temperatures with respite from the chill on the way - but some frosty nights will still see the mercury plunge below freezing. (credit:Anthony Devlin/PA Wire)
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People snap pictures of a bull statue decorated with a Santa Claus costume on display in a sidewalk outside a security firm in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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This image taken from video shows people holding up hands inside a cafe in Sydney, Australia Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. A gunman took an unknown number of people hostage inside the downtown Sydney chocolate shop and cafe at the height of Monday morning rush hour, with two people inside the cafe seen holding up a flag believed to contain an Islamic declaration of faith. (AP Photo/Channel 7 via AP Video) AUSTRALIA OUT (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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A hostage runs to armed tactical response police officers for safety after she escaped from a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. New South Wales state police would not say what was happening inside the cafe or whether hostages were being held. But television footage shot through the cafe's windows showed several people with their arms in the air. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Police evacuate people from an office building close to a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. A gunman took an unknown number of people hostage inside a chocolate shop and cafe in Australia's largest city on Monday, with two people inside the cafe seen holding up a flag believed to contain an Islamic declaration of faith. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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A protester shouts slogans while police clear barricades and tents on a main road in the occupied areas at Causeway Bay district in Hong Kong Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. Hong Kong police pulled down barricades Monday and folded up tents at the third and final pro-democracy protest camp, putting an end to demonstrations that have blocked traffic in the southern Chinese city's streets for 2 1/2 months. The yellow banner reads "I want genuine universal suffrage." (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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An armed police officer runs along the street close to a cafe under siege at Martin Place in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. A hostage situation erupted inside a chocolate shop and cafe in Australia's largest city on Monday, with the nation's prime minister saying it may be "politically motivated." Television footage shot through the cafe's windows showed several people with their arms in the air and hands pressed against the glass, and two people holding up what appeared to be a black flag with white Arabic writing on it. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Ben Haenow is mobbed by fellow X Factor contestants as he wins the 2014 show. (credit:Dymond/Syco/Thames/Corbis)
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Carey Mulligan attends Asmallworld Gstaad 10th Anniversary Winter Weekend Gala Benefit for Warchild, Gstaad Palace, Gstaad, Switzerland - 14 Dec 2014 (credit:Rex Features)
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Racing's Diego Milito celebartes after winning the Argentine soccer league match against Godoy Cruz in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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The Nicaraguan lobster boat, MN Wayward Wind, lies half submerged in Caribbean Ocean, 35 nautical miles (65 kilometers) southeast from the port of Puerto Cabezas, also kown as Bilwi, Nicaragua, Sunday Dec. 14 2014. The boat capsized after it was hit by a giant wave, with 50 people aboard. Some used canoes from the boat to stay afloat, while others were rescued by a sailboat, the Navy said Friday. (AP Photo/Agenda del Caribe, Fermin Lopez) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Santa Claus gets a nose rub from Huey, a Catahoula puppy during the Yappy Hour Christmas "Paw-ty" to benefit Animal Care and Protective Services Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014 at the Jacksonville Landing in Jacksonville, Fla. (credit:AP Photo/The Florida Times-Union, Will Dickey)
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This aerial photo shows Shiite faithful pilgrims gather between, the holy shrine of Imam Hussein, top, and the holy shrine of Imam Abbas, bottom, for Arbaeen in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014. The holiday marks the end of the forty day mourning period after the anniversary of the 7th century martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad's grandson. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)