Chinese lanterns and a bee protest: Wednesday's best photos Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email The Guardian’s picture editors select photo highlights from around the world Selected by Natasha Rees-Bloor Main image: Chinese lantern festival in Santiago, Chile. Wed 4 Dec 2019 09.46 EST Last modified on Thu 21 Jan 2021 12.06 EST Santiago, ChileWomen’s rights activists wear blindfolds while protesting against violence to women and also the Chilean government. Photograph: Pablo Sanhueza/Reuters Share on Facebook Share on Twitter London, UKSchoolchildren unveil 21 bronze life-sized elephants at Marble Arch. The sculptures, by artists Gillie and Marc, have been created to highlight the plight of the species which could face extinction by 2040 Photograph: Mark Thomas/REX/Shutterstock Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Shihezi, ChinaA soldier jumps through a circle of fire during a drill Photograph: Zhou Kaiwei/VCG/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Gold Coast, AustraliaZac Maher plays in algae, known as ‘cornflake seaweed’ at Palm Beach. The council says the build up of the seaweed is due to current weather conditions and is a natural process at this time of year Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP Share on Facebook Share on Twitter London, UKThe Liberal Democrat leader, Jo Swinson, speaks to Extinction Rebellion protesters dressed as bees after they glued themselves to the party’s battlebus during a visit to Knights youth centre Photograph: Aaron Chown/PA Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Kampong Cham, CambodiaTrays of fried tarantulas and insects offered for sale to tourists in the town of Skun Photograph: Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Gaza, PalestineA man takes a lion cub to visit children in Rafah refugee camp Photograph: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters Share on Facebook Share on Twitter London, UKThe US first lady, Melania Trump, visits a Salvation Army centre in Clapton where she met local school children, made Christmas decorations and helped wrap donated presents Photograph: Yui Mok/PA Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Santiago, ChileVisitors at the Fesiluz international Chinese lantern festival. The show is in Latin America for the first time and will be open to public until the end of February 2020 Photograph: Alberto Valdés/EPA Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Katoomba, AustraliaA huge wave of smoke from scattered bushfires can be seen in the distance from the Three Sisters rock formation in the Blue Mountains. It is estimated that 20% of the Blue Mountains world heritage area has been impacted as bushfires continue across New South Wales Photograph: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Mus, TurkeyA man walks along a road covered in freshly fallen snow in Mus province Photograph: Sabri Yildirim/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on Twitter County Durham, UKVictoria Burnham admires the hundreds of Santas as she finishes decorating her father’s house in the village of Framwellgate Moor Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Hanoi, VietnamWorkers install underground drainage on a city street Photograph: Nhac Nguyen/AFP/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Nottingham, UKThe Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, speaks to a crowd of supporters next to a statue of Robin Hood, while on the general election campaign trail Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Topics World news Photos of the day Photography