Photos of the Day: Dec. 18, 2015

Originally published December 18, 2015 at 8:21 am

Nuns take part in a mass prayer in front of the Mother Teresa’s tomb at Mother House in Calcutta, eastern Indiaon December 18, 2015. Mother Teresa’s path to sainthood was cleared on December 18, 2015, after the Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis had approved a decision to attribute a second miracle to the Catholic nun who dedicated her life to India’s poor. EPA/PIYAL ADHIKARY

Venezuelan soldiers participate in a commemoration event marking the 185th death anniversary of Venezuelan national hero Simon Bolivar, in Caracas, Venezuela, December 17, 2015. Bolivar, a Venezuelan military man and a politician who died on December 17, 1830, was one of the leading figures that contributed in the formation of Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and Colombia as independent states from Spanish rule. EPA/MIGUEL GUTIERREZ

People carrying red umbrellas march through downtown Skopje, Macedonia, marking the International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015. A group of sex workers, supported by members of non-government organizations, rallied Tuesday demanding rights for the sex workers and destigmatization of their profession. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)

President Barack Obama, accompanied by, from left, Office of National Intelligence Director James Clapper, Vice President Joe Biden, and Secretary of State John Kerry, walks away from the podium after speaking at the National Counterterrorism Center in McLean, Va.,Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015. The president said U.S. intelligence and counter-terrorism professionals don’t have any specific, credible information suggesting a terrorist attack on the U.S. during the holidays. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Cadet Master Sgt. Alex Kogin, center, and numerous veterans, current military members and citizens pay their respects to James Beavers, a Vietnam veteran who died on Nov. 23 and had no known family or friends, during a military funeral service Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015, at Riverview Cemetery in Fort Wayne, Ind. (Chad Ryan/The Journal-Gazette via AP)

Martin Shkreli (C), CEO of Turing Pharmaceutical, is brought out of 26 Federal Plaza by law enforcement officials after being arrested for securities fraud on December 17, 2015 in New York City. Shkreli gained notoriety earlier this year for raising the price of Daraprim, a medicine used to treat the parasitic condition of toxoplasmosis, from $13.50 to $750 though the arrest that happened early this morning does not involve that price hike. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

A person looks at a rare Robert Frank photograph from his book SThe Americans” at Sotheby’s on December 17, 2015 in New York City. The 77 photographs from the Ruth and Jake Bloom collection, amassed over twenty years and featuring images expected to sell for up to $200,000, will be auctioned at 6 pm on December 17, 2015 (Photo by Bryan Thomas/Getty Images)

Kashmiri Muslim protestors throw stones at Indian police and paramilitary soldiers amid tear gas during a protest in the downtown area of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir, December 18, 2015. Police fired dozens of tear gas canisters and rubber bullets to disperse protesters staging an anti-government demonstration after Friday prayers outside Kashmir’s main Mosque, Jamia Masjid. EPA/FAROOQ KHAN

Thai customs officers adjust confiscated smuggled African elephant tusks at the Customs Department in Bangkok, Thailand, December 18, 2015. Thai authorities seized more than 700 kilograms made up of 113 tusks and 168 pieces of smuggled African elephant tusks at an airport on Koh Samui island, Thai Customs said. The Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has banned the illegal trade in ivory since 1989. EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT

Family food packages provided by a local relief group for those severely effected by the country’s ongoing conflict are prepared to be distributed to Yemenis, in San’a, Yemen, December 17, 2015. According to reports, the eight-month conflict in Yemen has taken almost 6000 lives and left 21 million people of the country’s 24 million-population facing shortages of food and vital supplies. EPA/YAHYA ARHAB

Finance Ministers voting on passing a resolution to cut funding for Islamic State (IS) during their meeting on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts at UN headquarters in New York, USA, December 17, 2015. EPA/JASON SZENES J

Josefina Sanjuan (C) smokes a cigar as she carries a statue of Saint Lazarus during a procession near ‘El Rincon de San Lazaro’ church in Hialeah, Florida, USA, December 17, 2015. Saint Lazarus is one of the most popular Saints for Cubans, this worship emerged of the catholic and Yoruba religions and it is related to a poor leprous man, a friend of Jesus, revived in a biblical parable. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA

Thousands take part in a rally to protest the downgrading of Gerard Baden-Clay’s conviction for murdering his wife Allison in Brisbane, Australia, December 18, 2015. Queensland’s Court of Appeal had set aside Gerard Baden-Clay’s murder conviction for the 2012 killing and downgrade it to manslaughter. EPA/DAN PELED A

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) (L) speaks as Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) (R) listens during a news conference December 17, 2015 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The senators urged the Senate to pass a major tax package that includes a permanent tax relief for American small businesses. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

British Prime Minister David Cameron leaves the EU Summit in Brussels, Belgium, December 18, 2015. EU leaders met in Brussels for the year-end summit with highly controversial British demands for reforms expected to be discussed. Sanctions against Russia, Europe’s migration crisis, the fight against terrorism and the crisis in Syria were also expected to round out the agenda of the two-days summit on December 17 and 18. EPA/LAURENT DUBRULE

Libya’s Tobruk-based government’s representative, Mohammed Chouaib (3 – L), and Dr. Saleh Almkhozom (3 – R), Second Deputy Chairman of the Libyan General National Congress, celebrate with others after signing a UN sponsored ‘Libyan Political Agreement’ aiming to end Libya’s conflict, Suheirat, Morocco, December 17, 2015 2015. Though the signing, aimed at ending the countries ongoing civil war, was greeted with great fanfare in Morocco, many still doubt how it will be implemented as some within the rival Governments not present at the signing and the plethora of warring factions seem likely to ignore its proposals for the formation of a unity Government, calling it illegitimate and imposed by external powers. EPA/STR

People walk on the beach of Biarritz, southwestern France, along the Atlantic ocean, Friday Dec. 18, 2015. Temperatures in southwestern France rose an unusual 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). (AP Photo/Bob Edme)

A picture made available on 18 December 2015 shows a couple carrying a freshly cut Christmas tree at a plantation in Negenborn, Germany, December 17, 2015. More than 20 million Christmas trees are sold in Germany each year. EPA/JULIAN STRATENSCHULTE

The spotlit ancient Parthenon temple on the Acropolis appears behind strings of Christmas lights in central Athens, on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015. Greeks are set to celebrate their sixth Christmas of austerity, as the country braces for more cutbacks demanded by international creditors in return for Greece’s third bailout deal, signed in the summer. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

he new wax figure of US singer Taylor Swift is presented at Madame Tussauds wax museum in Berlin, Germany, December 18, 2015. Fans chose the figure’s outfit via social media. EPA/JENS KALAENE

Runners make their way over a jump during the 25% Off Nyd Tickets Until Christmas Eve Amateur Riders Handicap Hurdle at Exeter Racecourse on December 17, 2015 in Exeter, England. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)

General view of the Museum of Tomorrow by Spanish architect Fernando Calatrava in the port of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, December 17, 2015. The 15,000 square meters museum, inaugurated by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, will open its doors to the public on next December 19 and is one of the main works to revitalize the port of Rio de Janeiro prior of the Olympic Games Rio 2016. EPA/Marcelo Sayao

Contestants for the Miss World grand finals are silhouetted as they walk on stage during a rehearsal at the Beauty Crown Hotel Complex in Sanya, Hainan Province, China, December 18, 2015. The 65th Miss World final will be held on December 19, 2015 in Sanya. EPA/HOW HWEE YOUNG

Darth Vader (R) looks on as Andrew Porters (L) and Caroline Ritter (C), both of Australia, use a light sabre to cut the cake after getting married in a Star Wars-themed wedding in the forecourt of the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX in Hollywood, California, USA, December 17, 2015. The couple are members of a group of fans that camp out prior to Star Wars film premieres in order to raise money for The Starlight Children’s Foundation. EPA/PAUL BUCK

Grizzly bear cubs, Juneau & Sitka, stand during their first day out in the public at the Palm Beach Zoo on December 17, 2015 in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Zoo will host the two-orphaned female grizzly bear cubs until their new permanent home in a South Dakota zoo is completed. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

A handout picture made available by the Sydney Wild Life Zoo shows 7-month-old kangaroo joeys, Dot and Matilda during their official public debut at the Sydney Wild Life Zoo, in Sydney, Australia, December 18, 2015. EPA/SYDNEY WILD LIFE ZOO

Tre Mason #27 of the St. Louis Rams rushes in the first quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Edward Jones Dome on December 17, 2015 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (L) of the Dominican Republic dunks the ball over Philadelphia 76ers guard Kendall Marshall (R) during the first half of their NBA basketball game at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, December 16, 2015. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER

Lindsey Vonn of the USA speeds down the slope during the Downhill portionof the Women’s Super Combined race at the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in Val d’Isere, France, December18, 2015. EPA/GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO

Jaromir Jagr #68 of the Florida Panthers hits the ice and trips up Andy Greene #6 of the New Jersey Devils during the first period at the Prudential Center on December 17, 2015 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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Courtney Riffkin

Seattle Times photo staff

Courtney Riffkin: 206-464-2203 or criffkin@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @SeaTimesPhoto.