A couple hugs while standing near a Christmas tree made out of plastic bins and plastic hampers outside the Museum of History in Monterrey, Mexico, December 4, 2015. The humble Christmas tree has a rich history, from evergreen trees used to symbolise eternal life in Ancient Egypt to tree worship among pagan Europeans. The modern version has its origins in Germany, where the song “O Tannenbaum” is still a festive favourite. Today the traditional tree with lights and decorations appears in cities including Washington, Moscow and Beirut. Alternative constructions range from recycled rubbish in Mexico City to old window frames in Rakvere, Estonia. Whatever the shape or size, the message is the same: Merry Christmas. (Photo by Neil Hall/Reuters)

From Britain to China to Mali, new maps showing travel times to the nearest urban centre reveal huge differences between countries. Using Open Street Map and Google, a University of Oxford team have created a visual breakdown that suggests major inequalities when it comes to commuting. Here: China. The dataset used for China was unique as it relied solely on Open Street Map, due to restrictions on accessing Google data. The population is densely concentrated in the east and accessibility is increased, whereas rural provinces in the west remain remote. (Photo by Daniel Weiss/Jennifer Rozier/Malaria Atlas Project/University of Oxford)

A woman looks across as a gay parade participant poses for pictures during Gay Pride parade in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, July 2, 2016. Hundreds of thousands of people defied high temperatures and relative security concerns and turned out in Madrid to march in Saturday's LGTB Pride parade, one of the biggest in Europe, along the streets of the Spanish capital, just three weeks after members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community were tragically victimized in a shooting massacre at a United States nightclub. (Photo by Daniel Ochoa de Olza/AP Photo)

Daniel J. Wabsey, a 58-year-old war veteran, sits outside his tent at Camp Hope in Las Cruces, New Mexico October 6, 2015. “I've been traveling for 35 or 38 years. Getting inside would take a while to get used to. I just want to be able to eat, sleep and be safe. We all get along and understand in Camp Hope. We've all been there. With common sense you can survive out here”, Wabsey said. Camp Hope describe themselves as an “alternative transitional living project for the homeless”. Around 50 people live at the camp. (Photo by Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

A boy bursts a soap-bubble at Gorky Park in Moscow on July 19, 2017. (Photo by Mladen Antonov/AFP Photo)

A stag deer stands in the road in Richmond Park, in west London, Britain, December 27, 2017. (Photo by Hannah McKay/Reuters)

Miley Cyrus performs at the Radio 1 Big Weekend at Stewart Park on May 25, 2019 in Middlesbrough, England. (Photo by Jo Hale/Redferns)

An aircraft flies past sculptures of dinosaurs at the “Valley of Animals” park in Chandigarh, India on November 9, 2019. (Photo by Vijay Mathur/AFP Photo)