Masked dancers perform a ritualistic dance at Kathmandu Durbar Square during the procession of erecting a sacred pole locally called “Ya: Shi”, marking the formal start of Indra Jatra dedicated to rain god Indra in Kathmandu, Nepal, on September 15, 2024. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

A boy sits on the back of a crocodile on May 19, 2018 at a pond in Bazoule in Burkina Faso, a village which happily shares its local pond with “sacred” crocodiles. Crocodiles may be one of the deadliest hunters in the animal kingdom, but in a small village in Burkina Faso it is not unusual to see someone sitting atop one of the fearsome reptiles. According to local legend, the startling relationship with the predators dates back to at least the 15 th century. The village was in the grip of an agonising drought until the crocodiles led women to a hidden pond where the population could slake their thirst. (Photo by Olympia de Maismont/AFP Photo)

“Hayley Dee Westenra (born 10 April 1987) is a New Zealand soprano, classical crossover artist, songwriter and UNICEF Ambassador. Her first internationally released album, Pure, reached #1 on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide. Pure is the fastest-selling international début classical album to date, having made Westenra an international star at age 16. In August 2006, she joined the Irish group Celtic Woman, was featured on their Celtic Woman: A New Journey CD and DVD, toured with them on their 2007 Spring Tour, and also was featured on their DVD, The Greatest Journey: Essential Collection, released in 2008”. – Wikipedia

Photo: The world's biggest-selling soprano, Hayley Westenra, has today been announced as the voice of ITV's coverage of this years Rugby World Cup, with her version of “World In Union”. The multi-million selling artist releases her fifth album, “Paradiso”, that has been produced by film composing legend Ennio Morricone, on 29th August. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, also known as Golden Rock is a well-known Buddhist pilgrimage site in Mon State, Burma. It is a small pagoda (7.3 metres (24 ft)) built on the top of a granite boulder covered with gold leaves pasted on by devotees. According to legend, the Golden Rock itself is precariously perched on a strand of the Buddha's hair. The balancing rock seems to defy gravity, as it perpetually appears to be on the verge of rolling down the hill. The rock and the pagoda are at the top of Mt. Kyaiktiyo. It is the third most important Buddhist pilgrimage site in Burma after the Shwedagon Pagoda and the Mahamuni Pagoda. A glimpse of the "gravity defying" Golden Rock is believed to be enough of an inspiration for any person to turn to Buddhism.

A young couple rest in a football field after a forest fire devastated Santa Olga, 240 kilometres south of Santiago, on January 26, 2017. Six people – among them four firefighters and two police – have now been killed battling vast forest fires in central Chile, officials said Wednesday. Multiple blazes have ravaged 238,000 hectares (588,000 acres) and are growing, the National Forestry Corporation said in a statement. (Photo by Pablo Vera Lisperguer/AFP Photo)

Boca Juniors' Paraguayan defender Bruno Valdez (bottom) and Nacional's forward Bruno Damiani fight for the ball during the Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg football match between Argentina's Boca Juniors and Uruguay's Nacional, at La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires, on August 9, 2023. (Photo by Juan Mabromata/AFP Photo)

Olympiakos' Italian defender #05 Lorenzo Pirola (L) is held by Sporting Braga's French forward #09 Amine El Ouazzani during the UEFA Europa League 1st round day 2 football match between Olympiakos and Sporting Braga at Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus on October 3, 2024. (Photo by Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP Photo)

Paris Saint-Germain's Italian goalkeeper #01 Gianluigi Donnarumma sustains an injury by Monaco's Ivorian defender #17 Wilfried Singo (L) during the French L1 football match between AS Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain at the Louis II Stadium (Stade Louis II) in the Principality of Monaco on December 18, 2024. (Photo by Valery Hache/AFP Photo)