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In pictures: World celebrates Christmas

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People across the world are celebrating Christmas - one of the holiest times in the Christian calendar. However, for the second year in a row, there are smaller crowds at church services and other events because of the continuing coronavirus outbreak. Here's our snapshot of global festivities.

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A volunteer delvers traditional Venezuelan food to the homeless in Caracas on Christmas Day.

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President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden pose with their German shepherd puppy during a virtual event for service members.

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Brave swimmers took the plunge during the annual Weymouth Harbour Christmas swim in Dorset, UK.

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In Kosovo's capital Pristina, a children's choir performed at midnight mass at the Roman Catholic Mother Teresa Cathedral

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In Peshawar, Pakistan, young Christian women took selfies before a Christmas service

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Pope Francis delivered his traditional Urbi et Orbi address from the Vatican on Saturday

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Colourful lights and decorations made this footbridge in Taipei, Taiwan, very popular with locals and tourists

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Nuns held prayers at a solemn church service in Nairobi, Kenya

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Worshippers lit candles in Istanbul, Turkey

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In the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus, a midnight Mass was held in the Church of the Nativity

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On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis led a Mass which was held earlier than usual because of Covid restrictions

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Young altar servers assisted during celebrations in Irbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq

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When Santa Claus arrived with a a sack of gifts near Iraq's southern city of Basra, he had an enthusiastic reception

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This giant sand sculpture of Santa Claus appeared on the beach at Bay of Bengal in India's eastern Odisha state

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In Brazil, aquarists dressed as Elf, Santa Claus and Mrs Claus greeted the public inside a huge water tank at AquaRio in Rio de Janeiro

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Meanwhile, a rhino enjoyed its Christmas treats at Orana Wildlife Park on the outskirts of Christchurch, New Zealand

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