“The Berlin Wall (German: Berliner Mauer) was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany) starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin. The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls, which circumscribed a wide area (later known as the “death strip”) that contained anti-vehicle trenches, “fakir beds” and other defenses. The Soviet-dominated Eastern Bloc officially claimed that the wall was erected to protect its population from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the “will of the people” in building a socialist state in East Germany. However, in practice, the Wall served to prevent the massive emigration and defection that marked Germany and the communist Eastern Bloc during the post-World War II period”. – Wikipedia

Photo: West Berlin policemen and East German Volkspolizei face each other across the border in Berlin, circa 1955. (Photo by Three Lions/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

A close up of a caracal lynx's face looking into a camera on January 2014 in Western Cape, South Africa. (Photo by Dale Morris/Barcroft Media)

Despite any political differences between the United States and Russia, the space agencies of the two countries continue their cooperative work in Earth's orbit, aboard the International Space Station. Apart from the research being done in microgravity, ISS crew members continue to send back amazing images of our home world, photographed from low Earth orbit. Gathered here are recent images of Earth from aboard the ISS, and from a handful of other NASA satellites.

A female Chinese People's Liberation Army soldier looks at members of an honor guard preparing for a welcome ceremony for visiting German President Joachim Gauck, outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Monday, March 21, 2016. (Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)

Rich Paul, Simon, Tristan Thompson, Khloe Kardashian, Lucas Newton, Kendall Jenner, Justine Skye, Jordan Woods and Kylie Jenner pose for a photo as Remy Martin celebrates Tristan Thompson's Birthday at Beauty in Los Angeles on March 1, 2018. (Photo by Jerritt ClarkJerritt Clark/Getty Images for Remy Martin)

West Bromwich Albion's Saido Berahino (front) is challenged by Manchester City's Fernandinho during their English Premier League soccer match at The Hawthorns in West Bromwich, central England December 4, 2013. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Reuters)

A Cambodian girl goes through the garbage dump looking for things to recycle in order to survive July 26, 2003 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Rampant corruption in this impoverished country has lead to extreme poverty with many Cambodians living below the poverty line. (Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

Tourists ice skate at night on the Eiffel Tower's skating rink in Paris December 9, 2014. The skating rink, located on the first level of the Eiffel Tower, opens to the public as part of the Christmas holiday season. (Photo by Charles Platiau/Reuters)