Travel pictures

Swathes of Europe have been covered in a white blanket of thick snow for much of this year.

Now in its sixth year, the prestigious competition attracts the most compelling imagery in landscape, wildlife, nature, travel and adventure from around the planet.

Organisers defend themselves against animal rights protesters over feast day of St Anthony, patron saint of domesticated animals.

The day marks the end of the winter solstice and the monsoon, as well as the start of the harvest season.

It is a great honour for camel owners to have their animal enter the Selcuk Camel Wrestling Festival, and they will spend all year preparing.

Over the past week alone, a series of of powerful storms dumped 20 inches (50cm) of precipitation on some areas.

Storm chaser Mike Olbinski captures lightning, tornadoes and dramatic cloud formations in stunning images that convey the awesome power and beauty of nature.

Cyprus was divided in a Turkish invasion in 1974 prompted by a brief coup engineered by the military then ruling Greece.

The hall, which sits atop 362 bags of feathers for sound insulation, has been praised for its impressive acoustics.

As it is 14 metres under the surface of the water, the museum is accessible only to scuba divers and snorkelers.

La Vijanera festival marks the beginning of longer days following the winter solstice, although it's origins remain unknown.

Bemused commuters didn't know where to look as passengers stripped down to their underwear for the annual No Trousers On The Tube Day.

Parts of Europe have been hit by bitterly cold temperatures and blizzards, with temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius.

China's Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival models an entire city in ice.

Morris dancers stage a torchlit wassailing ceremony in an orchard to ensure a good crop of cider apples for the year ahead.

More than 1,500 eggs and hundreds of kilograms of flour are thrown in the annual battle.

Award-winning wildlife, landscape, travel and news photography from around the world.

Dressed in festive attire, participants plunge into Europe's bitter waters in what has become a long-standing tradition.

Pictured at dusk or in darkness, the ever-changing British capital glitters with jewel-like hues.

Open to both professional and amateur photographers, the contest showcases the best photography of the built environment.

An underwater photo of sardine migration on the Wild Coast of South Africa has been selected from thousands of entries as the grand prize winner of the 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year contest.

Children around the world draw pictures of what they would like to receive from Santa Claus this Christmas.

Activists worry the decision could be reversed once President-elect Donald Trump takes over from Barack Obama on 20 January 2017.

In probably the world's most frightening Christmas tradition, a beast named Krampus roams the streets looking for naughty children.

The scenes are reminiscent of the death of Bobby Kennedy as his body was transported by train to from New York City Washington, DC, in 1968.

There are about 3,000 monkeys in the centre of Lopburi, and they regularly terrorise tourists and locals.

The temple is considered to be the most sacred of Lord Shiva and sees Hindus from across Nepal and India travel to the Nepalese capital for the annual event.

A mile-long illuminated trail leads visitors past glowing trees, to Wolfgang Buttress' bee-inspired installation The Hive.

The new Leicester Square Lego store covers an area of 914 square metres over two floors.

A new book of haunting photographs takes readers inside derelict and abandoned state hospitals, asylums, and psychiatric facilities.