A period of relative stability has put the Iranian capital No1 on the list of world cities that have achieved biggest improvements in liveability over the past five years, as calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The “most improved” top 10 contains some unexpected names. So, eg, the fourth place: Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Latest ranking: 128; Ranking five years ago: 131; Five-year index movement: 3.8%. Here: A supporter of Ivory Coast president Alassane Ouattara campaigns in a market in the city’s Koumassi quarter. (Photo by Sia Kambou/AFP Photo)

The report, prepared by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Earth Institute at Columbia University, showed Syria, Afghanistan and eight sub-Saharan countries as the 10 least happy places on earth to live. The top 10 this year were Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, and Sweden. Denmark was in third place last year, behind Switzerland and Iceland. The bottom 10 were Madagascar, Tanzania, Liberia, Guinea, Rwanda, Benin, Afghanistan, Togo, Syria and Burundi. The United States came in at 13, the United Kingdom at 23, France at 32, and Italy at 50. Here: #8. NEW ZEALAND: A woman dives from a platform into a giant air bed at a park in Palmerston North September 29, 2011. (Photo by Marcos Brindicci/Reuters)

This undated handout picture made available on February 3, 2016 and provided by Russia's punk band Рussy Riot shows Рussy Riot frontwoman Nadezhda Tolokonnikova performing in the band's new music video titled “Chaika” in Moscow. Russian punk band Рussy Riot, which became a symbol of resistance for a church performance slamming President Vladimir Putin, released a new protest song on February 3 mocking a senior official for alleged corruption. Titled “Chaika”, the satirical song and accompanying video take aim at prosecutor general Yury Chaika, whose two sons have been accused of using their father's position to accrue large fortunes. (Photo by Andrey Noskov/AFP Photo/Russian Punk Band Рussy Riot)

Sushi Cats (originally branded as Neko-Sushi) is a series of photographs created by the Japan-based company Tange & Nakimushi Peanuts. In this series the creators have dressed up a number of cats and placed them on top of oversized balls of sushi rice. The kitties don’t look too happy with what is going on, though they do look adorable in their little outfits. Tange & Nakimushi Peanuts didn’t think that making a set of photos was enough, so they’ve also created an Android and iPhone apps featuring Sushi Cats. Moreover, people living in Japan can visit their website, if they wish to order photo prints, postcards, and other items. (Photo by Tange & Nakimushi Peanuts)

A sign advising to pray for rain hangs above an exhibit area at the 47th Annual World Ag Expo in Tulare, February 12, 2014. About a hundred years ago, when urban water systems were being developed throughout the state, the city of Sacramento wrote protections from metering into its charter, vowing that residents would always have the right to use as much water as they needed. But on Tuesday, the state's top water regulators released a framework for enforcing California's first statewide mandatory restrictions on urban water use – cuts of 25 percent for non-agricultural users ordered last week by Democratic Governor Jerry Brown as a devastating drought enters its fourth year. (Photo by David McNew/Reuters)

The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is seen in an aerial view on February 20, 2014 in the Mojave Desert in California near Primm, Nevada. The largest solar thermal power-tower system in the world, owned by NRG Energy, Google and BrightSource Energy, opened last week in the Ivanpah Dry Lake and uses 347,000 computer-controlled mirrors to focus sunlight onto boilers on top of three 459-foot towers, where water is heated to produce steam to power turbines providing power to more than 140,000 California homes. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

These are the amazing panoramic photographs that look like little planets. They were taken by photographer Dan Arkle, 34, from Sheffield, UK. He said: “On a sharp summit, you feel literally on top of the world, with dramatic views in all directions, including straight down. I tried using conventional photography to capture this feeling, but even with a wide angle lens I couldnt get all the view in the image”. Here: “Taken at the tiny summit of Cima Piccola in the the Tre Cima group in the Dolomites, Italy. The large peak is Cima Grande Some remote peaks have a summit register, and my climbing partner Steve can be seen signing this in the bottom of the picture”. (“Little Planets” Project. Photo and comment by Dan Arkle)

“Former Harry Potter star Emma Watson has shed her squeak-clean image by parading the streets in a bra and hot pants for her role in Sofia Coppola's latest movie. The actress has signed up for a leading role in The Bling Ring, playing one of the real-life teens who stole from the homes of stars including Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Orlando Bloom in 2008 and 2009. A series of images from the Los Angeles film set are set to shock the Brit's younger fans as she has been photographed strutting in tiny shorts, a bra-style top, leather jacket and towering high heels”. (Photo by PR Photos/Gaz Shirley/KVS/PacificCoastNews.com)