Iraq's second largest city, Mosul, is locked under the rule of extremists from the Islamic State group trying to purge it of everything they see as contradicting their stark vision of Islam. A trove of photographs now housed at the Library of Congress offers a glimpse of a different Mosul – before wars, insurgency, sectarian strife and now radicals' rule. The scenes were taken in the autumn of 1932 by staff from the American Colony Photo Department during a visit to Iraq at the end of the British mandate. (Photo by AP Photo)

Turkish Kurds watch the Syrian town of Kobani from near the Mursitpinar border crossing, on the Turkish-Syrian border in the southeastern town of Suruc, October 19, 2014. (Photo by Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)

Sumo wrestlers compete during the “Honozumo” ceremonial sumo tournament at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo April 3, 2015. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Actors reenact the famous picture of a sailor kissing a nurse on the 70th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day, near a replica sculpture in New York's Times Square August 14, 2015. The replica is being displayed to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the iconic photograph of the most famous kiss in American history that was captured between an American sailor and nurse on August 14, 1945, marking the end of World War Two. The actors are hired by a tour bus company to pose for groups to photograph. (Photo by Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

A protester holding a torch runs past police (not pictured) trying to stop the protesters from marching in a rally organised by a 30-party alliance led by a hardline faction of former Maoist rebels, who are protesting against the draft of the new constitution, in Kathmandu August 15, 2015. The group says that the draft is not inclusive and does not protect the rights of the marginalised and underprivileged groups in the country. (Photo by Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters)

A woman hands flowers to a member of the Wisconsin National Guard standing by as people gather for a vigil, following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S., August 28, 2020. (Photo by Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

A person dressed up as Spider-Man sits next to the cabs as taxi drivers hold a protest against taxi-hailing apps such as Uber, Cabify and Didi at Angel de la Independencia monument, in Mexico City, Mexico, October 12, 2020. (Photo by Edgard Garrido/Reuters)

A Palestinian clown wearing a face mask while entertaining children at their home during the lockdown after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Jabalia Refugee Camp in northern Gaza Strip on November 18, 2020. (Photo by Mahmoud Issa/Quds Net News/ZUMA Wire/Rex Features/Shutterstock)