This week in photos: Putin’s hockey game, Biden’s TV jab, Jupiter and Saturn’s conjunction

Russian President Vladimir Putin playing hockey with 9-year old Dmitry Ashchepkov from Chelyabinsk at the skating rink in Red Square during "The Christmas Tree of Wishes campaign", Moscow, December 21. According to information from Kremlin, Dmitry Ashchepkov dreamed of visiting Red Square to skate and see where the President works

Crews of T-72B3 tanks competing at Sergeyevsky training ground in a Tank Biathlon qualifying round for the Russian selection for the 2021 International Army Games, Primorye territory, December 23

Watched by her cubs, an African lioness is seen opening a Christmas box containing her daily meat portion in the Nyiregyhaza Animal Park in Nyiregyhaza, Hungary, December 23

Joe Biden receives his first dose of the coronavirus vaccine at ChristianaCare Christiana Hospital in Newark, December 21

People attending a flower laying ceremony at the tomb of Joseph Stalin by the Kremlin Wall marking his 141st birthday, Moscow, December 21

Dancers of the Czech National Ballet performing during a general rehearsal for a live broadcast of 'The Nutcracker - A Christmas Carol' at the National Theatre in Prague, Czech Republic, December 21

Rhythmic gymnast Anastasia Guzenkova performing during the Ice and Flame ice skating show featuring Olympic champions at Irina Viner-Usmanova Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, Moscow, December 24

People watching an eruption from Kilauea volcano on the Big Island, Hawaii, December 21

Skywatchers were wowed with a special year-end treat. Jupiter and Saturn appeared about one-tenth of a degree apart during an astronomical event known as the Great Conjunction, on December 21. The planets, which remain about 450 million miles apart in space, have not appeared this close together from Earth's vantage point since 1623, and it's been nearly 800 years since the alignment occurred at night. These giant planets will not appear this close together again until 2080

Russia's Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Russia's Emergency Situations Minister Yevgeny Zinichev, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov and Russia's Deputy Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Chupriyan viewing modern Russian firefighting and rescue equipment at the National Crisis Management Center of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, Moscow, December 22

Israeli police shooting a water cannon towards ultra-Orthodox Jewish men blocking the road during a demonstration in Jerusalem, December 22

Lorries are parked after the Port of Dover was closed and access to the Eurotunnel terminal suspended following the French government's announcement, Dover, December 21

A floating nativity scene standing in the waters around Burano in Venice, December 21

Medical staff in protective gear at work in the LenExpo exhibition centre that has been converted into a field hospital for patients with COVID-19 infection who can not self-isolate at home, St Petersburg, December 22

A view of Kadykovsky Quarry from where water is pumped into Sevastopol’s water supply system, Sevastopol, December 23