A look at the best news photos from around the world.
December 17, 2014

1
Pope Francis blows out candles on a birthday cake on the occasion of his 78th birthday as he arrives for his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

2
Palestinian youths stand on a small boat fish at sunset in Gaza City.

3
A Shi'ite student of Imamia Students Organization (ISO) holds a poster during a protest against an attack by Taliban militants at an army-run school in Peshawar the previous day, in Karachi.

4
People walk past a model of a dinosaur wearubg Santa Claus hat and gloves, at the Dinosaurs Park located in the Taiga area at the Royev Ruchey zoo in the suburbs of Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.