Artwork by Ruth Bellotti & Steve Rosewell called “Soldier Scale 1:1” is seen at the 2008 Sculpture by the Sea launch at Mark's Park, Bondi on October 15, 2008 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Gaye Gerard/Getty Images)

Libyan rebel fighters protect a pro-Gaddafi loyalist fighter from angry onlookers as he is brought in for medical attention to the Tripoli Central Hospital on August 25, 2011 in Tripoli, Libya. Heavy fighting continues in the Libyan capital between Gaddafi's forces and the surging rebel presence. Rebels, who have issued a $1.7m reward for Gaddafi's capture “dead or alive”, are attempting to reach Colonel Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte but have met loyalist resistance. (Photo by Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)

A logometer used to determine the Titanic's speed is seen among artifacts recovered from the RMS Titanic wreck site at a press preview of a Titanic artifact auction at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on January 5, 2012 in New York City. On April 11, 2012, the 100th anniversary of the maiden voyage of the Titanic, Guernsey's will auction the complete collection of more than 5,000 artifacts recovered from the Titanic wreck site. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Indian soldiers practice their stunts on Royal Enfield motorcycles in preparation for the upcoming Republic Day parade on January 11, 2012 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Daniel Berehulak /Getty Images)

Moscow riot police prepare to move on activists during an unsacnctioned anti-Putin opposition rally at the Pushkin Square March 5, 2012 in central Moscow, Russia. Amid charges of fraud, demonstrators took to the streets a day after Vladimir Putin declared victory in Russia's presidential elections. (Photos by: Rustem Adagamov; Source: LiveJournal; Gleb Shchelkunov; Source: LiveJournal; Ilya Varlamov; Source: LiveJournal; Raskalov; Source: LiveJournal; Dmitry Chistoprudov; Source: LiveJournal)

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)

Employee of ornithological flight support service Nika Ryzhova-Alenicheva holds her hawk, which is used to control fauna to avoid bird strikes during takeoffs and landings, at Domodedovo airport outside Moscow, Russia September 2, 2016. (Photo by Maxim Zmeyev/Reuters)

Workers polish a snow sculpture ahead of the 16th Harbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, December 22, 2014. The 16th Harbin Ice and Snow World will be officially opened on January 5, 2015. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)