This Week in Pictures: December 20 – 26, 2016

There was no shortage of big news stories in the lead up to the festive season this year so in case you missed them here's a look back at some of the most important.

In Germany the festive season was disrupted by a savage attack on a Christmas market in the capital, Berlin last week. On Monday a hijacked truck from Poland, loaded with steel, was driven into the market of stalls in Breitscheidplatz by Tunisian migrant and declared ISIS fanatic Anis Amri. 12 people were killed in the attack with a further 48 wounded. The driver of the truck, Pole Lukasz Urban, has been praised for attempting to prevent the attack that also saw he himself killed at the scene.

In Milan Europe's most wanted man, ISIS fanatic Anis Amri was killed last week in a shoot out with police. Approached in the early hours of Friday outside a railways station and asked for identification Anis Amri produced a firearm and shot a policeman before being gunned down by another officer. Rookie Luca Scata chased down and shot Anis Amri dead following the shooting of Officer Cristian Movio who was taken to hospital where he responded well to treatment for his gunshot wound.

In Russia the military was shocked on Christmas Eve by the tragic crash of a TU-154 aircraft with the loss of all on board. The plane crashed into the Black Sea shortly after take off from Sochi and was headed for Syria when, according to authorities, it was struck by technical failure. There were 92 people aboard including 64 members of the Alexandrov Ensemble, the army's official music corps, on its way to entertain the troops at the Russian air base so often involved in the Syrian conflict this year.

In sports disgraced England manager Sam Allardyce got another turn on the merry-go-round last week as Crystal Palace signed him up to be their manager following a string of disappointing defeats, the only real question now is can the big man “bring some joy” to the team or are The Eagles unlikely to soar again any time soon? You'll have to read our daily news pages to keep up with Sam's progress but in the meantime here's a look back at some of the big stories we covered over the last seven days.

1. GamingZion takes a look at seven Christmas bets you won't be able to find at Bet365.
2. A bet on Amanda Nunes may be the best wager you can make at UFC 207.
3. Real Madrid's transfer ban appeal has been partially accepted.
4. The Cypriot gambling industry took a hit over the holiday season.
5. GamingZion examines the betting lines over whether or not the UK will legalize pot before 2020.
6. GamingZion takes a look back at the biggest MMA stories of 2016.
7. Intertops is allowing their members to bet on what happens first in 2017.
Meanwhile the pop and rock music world's were equally devastated by the passing of some of their greatest icons. At the age of 68 and having been the backbone of one of the world's best rock bands, Status Quo, Rick Parfitt died of complications following a shoulder injury, and at the age of just 53 pop superstar George Michael, famous for tunes such as “Last Christmas” and “Careless Whisper” as well as a string of hits with Andrew Ridgeley in Wham!, died of heart failure at his home in Goring.