Today's best photos: from a snow leopard to a diving Santa

The National picks the most striking images from around the world

A snow leopard, slowly bouncing back in numbers thanks to the introduction of more sustainable grazing methods and training of herders as conservation guards, looks into remote camera in Kyrgyzstan in an undated photograph. Philippe Matheini and Michael Booth/United Nations Environment Programme/Handout via REUTERS NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

A young Argentina fan inside the stadium before the World Cup match against the Netherlands. Reuters

Ukrainian civilians take shelter inside a metro station during an air raid alert in the centre of Kyiv. AFP

A man sails his boat amid heavy smog in the Yamuna River in the old quarters of Delhi, India. Reuters

The sun rises over a water treatment plant in Liverpool. Snow and ice have swept across parts of the UK, with cold, wintry conditions set to continue for days. PA

Activists protest in front of the Reichstag in Berlin, Germany, against the acquisition of F-35 fighter jets by the German government. EPA

The Mountfield HK goalie concedes the opening shot during the Champions Hockey League quarter-final second leg game against EV Zug at the Bossard Arena in Zug, Switzerland. EPA

A damaged inflatable dinghy lies on the beach in Gravelines, one of the beaches used by migrants crossing the English Channel in an attempt to reach Britain, near Calais, France. Reuters

A woman walks in the central courtyard of the European Parliament, covered by fresh snow in Strasbourg, France. Reuters

A pack of seagulls fly at the waterfront area at Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo, Japan. Reuters

A man collects plastic from the polluted Citarum river in West Bandung, Indonesia. AFP

Fans of Argentina celebrate their team's victory after the World Cup semi-final football match between Croatia and Argentina at the Obelisk in Buenos Aires. AFP

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, centre, is led away in handcuffs by officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force in Nassau. AFP

Haruka Inoue, a diver in Santa Claus costume, practises her performance in preparation for the special Christmas feeding at Sunshine Aquarium in Tokyo, Japan. EPA

More from The National:

Tuesday's best photos: from a German sunrise to a Kashmir sunset

Monday's best photos: from a Nasa splashdown to snowy London

Sunday's best photos: from footballer's son to Pyramids Half Marathon

Saturday's best photos: from Argentina celebrations to protests in Philippines

Friday's best photos: from Cyclone Mandous to Qatari camels

Thursday's best photos: from a mirrored building in AlUla to vegan Santas