A major storm blankets the US Midwest with snow, cutting power to tens of thousands of homes, forcing hundreds of flights to be cancelled and giving school children an early start to their holidays.

A pedestrian is reflected in a puddle as he passes by a tree decorated with Christmas lights in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia.

A villager pedals his way through fog on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, India.

Belfast’s City Hall and the Big Wheel light up the evening sky during the festive season in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as shoppers walk through the continental Christmas market in the city centre.