Moonlight illuminates sandstone buttes in the Valley of the Gods in the proposed Bear Ears National Monument near Mexican Hat, Utah, USA, 12 November 2016. In October 2015, a coalition of five Indian nations, including the Hopi, Ute, and Navajo, formally proposed the monument, attempting to preserve the parcel's 100,000 archeological sites from ongoing looting and grave robbing. Less than two months before handing over the White House to President Elect Trump, President Obama must decide if it's worth the political capital to designate Bear Ears a national monument. (Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA)

“Touring the Koko-en Gardens adjacent to the Himeji castle was an unexpected highlight of our visit”, wrote Jeff Solar, 64, of Silver Spring, Md., about his trip to Japan. “The fall colors were outstanding and the gardens were both amazing and a bargain (just a few Yen added to the cost of the Himeji Castle admission)”. (Photo by Jeff Solar/2017 Washington Post Travel Photo Contest)

Faithful carry a boat out to sea, filled with offerings to Yemanja, the African sea goddess, during a ceremony honoring the deity in Montevideo, Uruguay, Saturday, February 2, 2013. Thousands of worshippers come to the beach in Montevideo on her feast day, February 2, bearing candles, flowers, perfumes and fruit to show their gratitude for her blessings bestowed upon them. The belief in the goddess sprouts from Umbanda, a blend of religions that include African, Catholicism and Spiritism. (Photo by Matilde Campodonico/AP Photo)

This October 25, 2014 photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows lava flow advancing across the pasture between the Pahoa cemetery and Apa'a Street, engulfing a barbed wire fence, near the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii. Dozens of residents in this rural area of Hawaii were placed on alert as flowing lava continued to advance. Authorities on Sunday, October 26, 2014 said lava had advanced about 250 yards since Saturday morning and was moving at the rate of about 10 to 15 yards an hour, consistent with its advancement in recent days. The flow front passed through a predominantly Buddhist cemetery, covering grave sites in the mostly rural region of Puna, and was roughly a half-mile from Pahoa Village Road, the main street of Pahoa. (Photo by AP Photo/U.S. Geological Survey)

The beard of a skater, one out of some 1,100 athletes, is covered with ice and snow during the 200 km (124 miles) speed skating race in the Carinthian village of Techendorf January 30, 2015. Techendorf is hosting the Alternatieve Elfstedentocht Weissensee (Alternative Eleven City Races Weissensee) races, a traditional Dutch series of speed skating events for both professionals and amateurs with some 5,000 participants, until January 31, 2015. (Photo by Leonhard Foeger/Reuters)

Masked participants stand in St.Mark's Square during the Carnival on February 10, 2007 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Marco Di Lauro). P.S. All pictures are presented in high resolution.

Baby clouded leopards, born early in March 2015, are presented by zoo keepers at the Olmense Zoo in Olmen, Belgium, April 16, 2015. The clouded leopard is an endangered species with only some 10,000 specimen remaining on earth, said Robby Van der Velden, a biologist at the Olmense Zoo. (Photo by Yves Herman/Reuters)

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)