A look at the best news photos from around the world.
June 23, 2021
![A man stands with an an "estelada" or Catalan pro-independence flag outside Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada near Barcelona, Spain.](https://gdb.voanews.com/3190b127-d68b-46e6-a9e4-44cdc6d1b0cc_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A man stands with an an "estelada" or Catalan pro-independence flag outside Lledoners prison in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada near Barcelona, Spain.
![A staff member handles one of the newly-born twin cubs delivered by giant panda Shin Shin at Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Park, Japan.](https://gdb.voanews.com/9a9171bc-55f9-4440-bf08-089e9dfbe54e_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A staff member handles one of the newly-born twin cubs delivered by giant panda Shin Shin at Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Park, Japan.
![Pope Francis meets Spider-Man, who presents him with his mask, at the end of his weekly general audience with a limited number of faithful in the San Damaso Courtyard at the Vatican.](https://gdb.voanews.com/ce84f44f-8abf-4550-80b8-4c239b1ed9ad_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Pope Francis meets Spider-Man, who presents him with his mask, at the end of his weekly general audience with a limited number of faithful in the San Damaso Courtyard at the Vatican.
![Militiamen join Afghan defense and security forces during a gathering in Kabul. Afghanistan's Defense Ministry is working with warlords to mobilize local militias across the country, most particularly in the north, to try to stem the tide of the latest Taliban gains. ](https://gdb.voanews.com/79ced599-fd7a-4474-8fcd-0d896de48440_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Militiamen join Afghan defense and security forces during a gathering in Kabul. Afghanistan's Defense Ministry is working with warlords to mobilize local militias across the country, most particularly in the north, to try to stem the tide of the latest Taliban gains.