In this photo taken Saturday, June 20, 2015, Mahmoud Abdulnabi tries out an oud, an Arabic instrument related to the lute, at his workshop in Baghdad, Iraq. “The oud is different than other musical instruments”, said Abdulnabi, who has crafted ouds played by some of Iraq's best known musicians, many of whom look down from headshots on the walls. “If you feel joyful, it can play your joy. If the circumstances are sad it can play your sorrow and... help to empty whatever is in your chest”. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)

Israeli soldiers fire a 155mm self-propelled howitzer towards the Gaza Strip from their position along the border in the southern Israeli city of Sderot on May 20, 2021. Israel is studying whether conditions are right to stop bombing Palestinian militants in Gaza but is preparing for “more days” of strikes if necessary, an Israeli military source said today. Diplomats stepped up efforts today toward a ceasefire to stem 10 days of deadly violence between Israel and armed Palestinian groups in Gaza as air strikes again hammered targets in the enclave. (Photo by Jack Guez/AFP Photo)

The Malabar Giant squirrel – double the size of their grey relatives and measuring up to 36 inches (91.5 cm) from head to tail – lives deep in the forests of India. The athletic animals can leap an incredible 20 feet (6 m) between trees. Photographer Kaushik Vijayan, 39, snapped the animals in their native habit to produce these stunning images. Kaushik, from Kerala State, India, said: “Up until that point I had never heard about a squirrel like that or seen one. The sight was an absolute feast for my eyes. The squirrels fascinated me and I got excited to capture this beauty on my camera”. (Photo by Kaushik Vijayan/South West News Service)

A fisherman carries a large Pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) at the Piagacu-Purus Sustainable Development Reserve in Amazonas state, Brazil, on October 24, 2019. The pirarucu -a giant fish of the Amazon, that had been on the verge of extinction- can measure up to three meters and weigh more than 200 kilos. The soft and tasty white meat fish is nowadays served in renowned restaurants in Rio de Janeiro. (Photo by Ricardo Oliveira/AFP Photo)

An Iraqi special forces Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) member screams during a battle against Islamic State group jihadists (IS) in Mosul's al-Rifaq neighbourhood on January 8, 2017, as an ongoing military operation against the militants continues. Elite Iraqi forces battling the Islamic State group in eastern Mosul reached the Tigris River that splits the city in two for the first time, a spokesman said. (Photo by Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP Photo)

Aliia Nasyrova laying her hair on the couch to show her hair's length on March 5, 2017 in Riga, Latvia. Real-life Rapunzel Aliia Nasyrova has hair so long that her husband admits he thinks of it as another member of the family. Aliia, 27, who lives in Riga, Latvia, took 20 years to grow out her hair, which measures 90 inches to the floor – and even has its own space in the marital bed. And while her massive mane attracts stares when out in public, her husband Ivan Balaban says he loves it and is proud of her for not cutting it. Weighing in at 4.5lbs (2kg), Aliia says her lengthy locks weigh as much as the family cat. (Photo by Eduard Kolik/Barcroft Media)

A Kevo smart lock is demonstrated during the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada January 4, 2015. The lock, which opens with a smart phone App and a touch, is smart enough to know what side of the door you are on and won't accidentally unlock the door when you are inside. A new subscription service offers unlimited e-keys and other benefits, a representative said. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Reuters)

Park Ji-soo of South Korea performs her contemporary variation during the final of the 43rd Prix de Lausanne at the Beaulieu Theatre in Lausanne February 7, 2015. The Prix de Lausanne is an annual international dance competition for dancers aged 15 to 18. A total of 67 participants from 18 countries were selected from 300 applicants to take part in this year's week-long competition, from which the jury has shortlisted 20 finalists to compete for Saturday's finals. Six of this year's finalists will be awarded a one-year all expenses paid scholarship at one of the Prix de Lausanne's partner schools or companies, among the most prestigious in the world. (Photo by Denis Balibouse/Reuters)