A Pure Green Sweat Bee (Augochlora pura) covers itself in pollen while pollinating the flower of a squash plant in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on August 23, 2024. (Photo by Creative Touch Imaging Ltd/NurPhoto/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

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)

Over the years a large population of grey herons have made an unlikely home in urban Amsterdam. Julie Hrudova documents how the birds integrate into city life. Here: Hundreds of herons come to the city during winter to find food and shelter. (Photo by by Julie Hrudova/The Guardian)

A tourist stands on the shore of a private beach in Naama Bay, Sharm el-Sheikh, south Sinai, Egypt, Sunday, November 8, 2015. Britain's foreign secretary says airport security in many cities will need to be overhauled if it is confirmed the Russian plane crash in the Sinai was caused by a bomb planted by the Islamic State group or someone inspired by the militants. (Photo by Vinciane Jacquet/AP Photo)

Advanced Space Suit Engineer at NASA Kristine Davis wears the xEMU prototype space suit for the next astronaut to the moon by 2024, during its presentation at NASA headquarters in Washington, U.S., October 15, 2019. (Photo by Carlos Jasso/Reuters)

Devotees wearing full body costumes to resemble Hindu monkey god – lord Hanuman take part in a procession in Amritsar on February 13, 2023. (Photo by Narinder Nanu/AFP Photo)

Japanese professional wrestler Hiromu Takahashi attends a promotional event of a dinosaur show “Dino Safari Gigant” in Tokyo on Wednesday, August 2, 2023. A dinosaur show using dinosaur shaped mrchanical suits will be performed in Yokohama from August 10. (Photo by Yoshio Tsunoda/AFLO/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

A ballerina from Kyiv City ballet prepares in the wings on stage during the opening night gala performance at The Theatre Royal in Bath, Britain on April 16, 2023. (Photo by Lee Smith/Reuters)