People smoke marijuana in front of the Brandenburg Gate during the 'Smoke-In' event in Berlin, Germany, Monday, April 1, 2024. Starting 1 April, Germany has legalised cannabis for personal use. As per the new law, Adults aged 18 and over will be allowed to carry up to 25 grams of cannabis for their own consumption. (Photo by Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Photo)

Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, and Thailand to the west. Its population was estimated to be around 6.5 million in 2012. A third (33%) of the country's population lives below the international poverty line which means living on less than U.S. $1.25 per day.

Hawaii has long been known as a tropical paradise, but in recent years another image has intruded into the state's carefully crafted one of idyllic beaches and relaxing resorts: homelessness. The number of homeless people has grown in recent years, leaving the state with 487 homeless per 100,000 people, the nation's highest rate per capita, above New York and Nevada, according to federal statistics. Many of the homeless, however, defy the stereotype of the mentally ill or drug addicted. They are families, with men and women who work full-time jobs. They are struggling to get a foothold in a place with a high cost of living and low wages. Here: in this Thursday, August 27, 2015 photo, a homeless man drinks water while sitting on the beach at Ala Moana Beach Park located near Waikiki in Honolulu. (Photo by Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)

A loved-up couple have captured the moments they shared a dip-kiss in different locations around the world. Rob, 34, and Joli Switzer, 33, from Maryland, embark on a minimum of four international holidays per year to ensure that they get their unique dip-kiss photograph. Here: Rob Switzer 34 proposed to Joli 33 whilst they were on holiday in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Dipkiss Travels/Caters News Agency)

Sparks are thrown as an employee grinds the edges of a ski at the plant of Swiss ski manufacturer Stoeckli in Malters, Switzerland November 25, 2015. Stoeckli plans to produce some 1,000 pair of skis per year of a special edition for Swiss watch manufacturer TAG Heuer, a brand of LVMH Group. (Photo by Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters)

Shimmering clearest blue and stretching as far as the eye can see, this is one of Iceland's famed crystal ice caves. The giant solid waves look frozen in time but they are slowly moving along as part of the Vatnajokull Glacier – which stretches across eight per cent of the island. The images were captured in February 2014 by British photographer Rob Lott, 49. Photo: A wide view of Rob Lott in the crystal ice cave in the Vatnajokull Glacier, Iceland. (Photo by Rob Lott/Barcroft Media)

Fishermen move a fishing boat to a safer place along the shore ahead of cyclone Hudhud at Ganjam district in Odisha October 11, 2014. The India Meteorological Department described Cyclone Hudhud as a “very severe” storm that could pack winds of 195 kilometers (120 miles) per hour and cause torrential rains when it makes landfall near the port city of Visakhapatnam around noon Sunday. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)

The arctic hare, or polar rabbit, is a species of hare which is adapted largely to polar and mountainous habitats. The arctic hare survives with a thick coat of fur and usually digs holes in the ground or under snow to keep warm and sleep. Arctic hares look like rabbits but have shorter ears, are taller when standing, and, unlike rabbits, can thrive in cold climates. They can travel together with many other hares, sometimes huddling with dozens or more, but are usually found alone, taking, in some cases, more than one partner. The arctic hare can run up to 60 kilometres per hour (40 mph). Its predators include the arctic wolf, arctic fox, and ermine.