Vardzia is a cave monastery site in southern Georgia, excavated from the slopes of the Erusheti Mountain on the left bank of the Mtkvari River, thirty kilometres from Aspindza. The main period of construction was the second half of the twelfth century. The caves stretch along the cliff for some five hundred metres and in up to nineteen tiers. The Church of the Dormition, dating to the 1180s during the golden age of Tamar and Rustaveli, has an important series of wall paintings. The site was largely abandoned after the Ottoman takeover in the sixteenth century. Now part of a state heritage reserve, the extended area of Vardzia-Khertvisi has been submitted for future inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List

Greyhounds compete during a race at Santiago city, March 8, 2014. With over 100 years of history, greyhound racing attracts people mainly from rural areas of Santiago every weekend. Some dogs come from Argentina, the United States and Ireland and can develop a speed of up to 80 kilometers per hour on a straight running track of about 200 meters, according to organisers. Bets range from $2 to $1,000 per race, offering a livelihood for breeders and gamblers. (Photo by Ivan Alvarado/Reuters)

Young dancers from the Style Dance Academy perform during a Mother's Day block party in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, May 19, 2019. Although Mother's Day was officially celebrated the previous weekend, people in the Petare area organized the neighborhood party to celebrate the mothers of their community. (Photo by Rodrigo Abd/AP Photo)

A woman poses with a cut-out of Vladimir Putin in the “President Cafe” in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, Russia, April 7, 2016. Dozens of photos of Vladimir Putin, from childhood to Russian President, hang on the walls of President Cafe in a working-class area of Krasnoyarsk, a city in eastern Siberia. A life-size cut-out of Putin stands by the bar. Images of U.S. President Barack Obama, as well as leaders of Germany and Britain, greet customers in the toilets. (Photo by Ilya Naymushin/Reuters)

Iraqi soldiers work at a radio station at Makhmour base, Iraq April 17, 2016. The Iraqi army has set up a radio station at its base in Makhmour broadcasting into areas south of Mosul controlled by Islamic State militants. The radio, which reaches villages halfway to the northern city, broadcasts military anthems and messages to the more than one million civilians living there. Radio operators said their aim was to weaken the militants’ morale and reassure civilians that the military has not forgotten them after nearly two years under Islamic State control. (Photo by Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters)

Penguins majestically march on sand before heading out for a morning swim. Wildlife photographer Wim van den Heever, 45, visited the Falkland Islands this year to shoot pictures and scout the area for future tours. Wim’s breathtaking images show a small group of king penguins before they head out to sea at sunrise. Here: King Penguins marching during sunrise, Falkland Islands. (Photo by Wim van den Heever/Caters News)

A woman wearing a scarf to cover her face looks on as she waits for a passenger bus on a smoggy morning in New Delhi, India, November 8, 2017. The Great Smog of Delhi is an ongoing severe air-pollution event in New Delhi and adjoining areas in the National Capital Territory of India, in November 2017. Air pollution at this time peaked on both PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels. It has been reported as one of the worst levels of air quality in Delhi since 1999. (Photo by Saumya Khandelwal/Reuters)

Traditional sculptures by Chin tribe in, Mindat, Myanmar, November 2016. In the mountains of Myanmar lives a tribe where the women have taken a unique approach to their beauty regime by decorating their faces with tattoos. The Chin people in the remote mountain town of Mindat, have been marking women in the area with intricate face tattoos for centuries. (Photo by Teh Han Lin/Barcroft Images)