World Pictures/Videos of the Day

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First graders at a cadet school attend a ceremony to mark the start of the new academic year in Kiev, Ukraine
Picture: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Washington Capitals winger Alexander Ovechkin take part in a match between former Russian ice hockey stars and students of the Sirius educational centre for gifted children in Sochi, RussiaPicture: REUTERS


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Did Putin tell the story of how the Soviet Union ice hockey team beat the U.S heroically coming from behind against the heavily favored U.S hockey team to win the the gold medal in 1980 Winter Olympics to the students?

Did Putin tell the story of how the Soviet Union ice hockey team beat the U.S heroically coming from behind against the heavily favored U.S hockey team to win the the gold medal in 1980 Winter Olympics to the students

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I know you are kidding however... the US did not beat the USSR in the Gold Medal Round in the '80 Winter Games.... they beat Finland. The game against the USSR was the match previous to the Gold Medal match against Finland. The USSR went on to beat Sweden to win the Silver medal.

This huge sinkhole in the Perm region of the Urals in Russia is getting bigger and bigger. The hole appeared when a potash mine collapsed at the end of 2014. It now measures 122 metres by 125 metres and is believed to be more than 75 metres deep.
Picture: Uralkali Press Service/Odnoklassniki



A trader works at the London Metal Exchange (LME) in the City of London. Turmoil continues to affect world stock markets due to a slowdown of the Chinese economy.
Picture: EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA



School children take shelter under desks during an earthquake simulation exercise at an elementary school in Tokyo
Picture: REUTERS/Toru Hanai



A shopper dressed as Chewbacca browses Star Wars movie merchandise at a Target department store in Parramatta, near Sydney, Australia
Picture: Bloomberg



Raina (Stephanie Brown) and Mutiny (Krista Hill) of the Halifax Mermaids perform in a pool at at the Aquatron in Halifax, Canada
Picture: Canadian Press/REX Shutterstock



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These cities, which are the 20 oldest continually-inhabited places on earth, are about as close to time travel as you can be on a city break (if you are able to go, that is).


20. Varanasi, India
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 1,000 BC
Situated on the west bank of the , Varanasi - also known as Benares - is an important holy city for both Hindus and Buddhists. According to legend, it was founded by the Hindu deity Lord Shiva 5,000 years ago, though modern scholars believe it to be around 3,000 years old.
Mark Twain (American author): "Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together."



19. Cádiz, Spain
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 1,100 BC
Found on a narrow spit of land jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, has been the home of the Spanish navy since the 18th century. It was founded by the Phoenicians as a small trading post and fell to the Carthaginians around 500BC, becoming a base for Hannibal's conquest of Iberia. It then came under Roman and Moorish rule, before experiencing a renaissance during the Age of Exploration.




18. Thebes, Greece
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 1,400 BC
A major rival of ancient Athens, Thebes ruled the Boeotian confederacy and even lent assistance to Xerxes during the Persian invasion of 480 BC. Archaeological excavation has revealed a Mycenaean settlement dating back even further. Today, Thebes is little more than a market town.




17. Larnaca, Cyprus
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 1,400 BC
Founded as 'Citium' by the Phoenicians, is well-known for its pretty seafront lined with palm trees. Archaeological sites and numerous beaches attract modern visitors.
Picture: AP/ Fotolia




16. Athens, Greece
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 1,400 BC
The cradle of Western Civilization and the birthplace of democracy, heritage is still very evident. It is filled with Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments and remains a hugely popular tourist destination.
Picture: AP/ Fotolia


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15. Balkh, Afghanistan
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 1,500 BC
Known as Bactra to the ancient Greeks, Balkh is found in northern Afghanistan and is descibed as the 'Mother of Cities' by Arabs. It reached its peak between 2,500 BC and 1,900 BC prior to the rise of the Persian and Median empires. Modern Balkh is home to the region's cotton industry.



14. Kirkuk, Iraq
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 2,200 BC
Located around 150 miles north of Baghdad, Kirkuk stands on the site of the ancient Assyrian capital of Arrapha. Its strategic importance was recognised by the Babylonians and the Media, who have also controlled the city. The ruins of a 5,000-year-old citadel are still visible, while the city is now the headquarters of Iraq's petroleum industry.
Picture: Alamy



13. Arbil, Iraq
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 2,300 BC
North of Kirkuk lies Arbil, ruled at various times by the Assyrians, Persians, Sasanians, Arabs and Ottomans. It was a major stop on the Silk Road while its ancient citadel - which rises 26 metres from the ground - still dominates the skyline.




12. Tyre, Lebanon
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 2,750 BC
The legendary birthplace of Europa and Dido, Tyre was founded around 2,750 BC, according to Herodotus. It was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC following a seven-month seige and became a Roman province in 64 BC. Today, tourism is a major industry: the city's Roman Hippodrome is a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Picture: AP/ Fotolia



11. Jerusalem, Israel
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 2,800 BC
The spiritual centre of the Jewish people and Islam's third-holiest city, is home to several key religious sites, including the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the al-Aqsa Mosque. During its history, the city has been besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, captured 44 times and destroyed twice.
Picture: Rex Features



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10. Beirut, Lebanon
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 3,000 BC
Lebanon's capital, as well as its cultural, administrative and economic centre, Beirut's history stretches back around 5,000 years. Excavations in the city have unearthed Phoenician, Hellenistic, Roman, Arab and Ottoman remains, while it is mentioned in letters to the pharaoh of Egypt as early as the 14th century BC. Since the end of the Lebanese civil war, it has become a lively, modern tourist attraction.
Picture: AP/ Fotolia



9. Gaziantep, Turkey
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 3,650 BC
Found in southern Turkey, close to the border with Syria, Gaziantep's history extends as far back as the Hittites. The Ravanda citadel - restored by the Byzantines in the sixth century - is found in the city centre, while Roman mosaics have also been discovered.
Picture: AP/ Fotolia



8. Plovdiv, Bulgaria
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 4,000 BC
The second-largest city in , Plovdiv was originally a Tracian settlement before becoming a major Roman city. It later fell into Byzantine and Ottoman hands, before becoming part of Bulgaria. The city is a major cultural centre and boasts many ancient remains, including a Roman amphitheatre and aqueduct, and Ottoman baths.
Picture: Ap/ Fotolia



7. Sidon, Lebanon
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 4,000 BC
Around 25 miles south of Beirut lies Sidon, one of the most important - and perhaps the oldest - Phoenician cities. It was the base from which the Phoenician's great Mediterranean empire grew. Both Jesus and St Paul are said to have visited Sidon, as did Alexander the Great, who captured the city in 333 BC.
Picture: AP/ Fotolia



6. Faiyum, Egypt
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 4,000 BC
Southwest of Cairo, Faiyum occupies part of Crocodilopolis - an ancient Egyptian city which worshipped Petsuchos, a sacred crocodile. Modern Faiyum consists of several large bazaars, mosques and baths, while the Lehin and Hawara pyramids are found nearby.
Picture: Alamy



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5. Susa, Iran
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 4,200 BC
Susa was the capital of the Elamite Empire before being captured by the Assyrians. It was then taken by the Achaemenid Persian under Cyrus the Great and is the setting of The Persians, an Athenian tragedy by Aeschylus and the oldest surviving play in the history of theatre. The modern city, Shush, has a population of around 65,000.
Picture: Alamy



4. Damascus, Syria
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 4,300 BC
Cited by some sources as the world's oldest inhabited city, Damascus may have been inhabited as early as 10,000 BC, also this is debated. It became an important settlement after the arrival of the Aramaeans, who established a network of canals, which still form the basis of its modern water networks. Another of Alexander the Great's conquests, Damascus has since been in Roman, Arab and Ottoman possession. Its wealth of historical attractions made it a popular tourist destination, until recent unrest struck.
Picture: ALAMY



3. Aleppo, Syria
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 4,300 BC
Syria's most populated city with around 4.4 million citizens Aleppo was founded as Halab in around 4,300 BC. As the ancient site is occupied by the modern city it is barely touched by archaeologists. The city was under Hittite control until around 800 BC, before passing through Assyrian, Greek and Persian hands. It was later occupied by the Romans, Byzantines and Arabs, besieged by the Crusaders and then taken by the Mongols and Ottomans.
Picture: ALAMY



2. Byblos, Lebanon
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 5,000 BC
Founded as Gebal by the Phoenicians, Byblos was given its name by the Greeks, who imported papyrus from the city. Hence the English word Bible is derived from Byblos. The city's key tourist sites include ancient Phoenician temples, Byblos Castle and St John the Baptist Church - built by crusaders in the 12th century - and the old Medieval City Wall. The Byblos International Festival is a more modern attraction, and has featured bands such as Keane and Jethro Tull.
Picture: Alamy



1. Jericho, Israel
When did the earliest inhabitants settle? 9,000 BC
The world's oldest continually-inhabited city, according to our sources, archaeologists have unearthed the remains of 20 successive settlements in Jericho, dating back 11,000 years. The city is found near the Jordan River in the West Bank and is today home to around 20,000 people.



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An anti-bullfighting protester holds his podenco dog (Andalusian hound) with a sign, that reads, 'I love bulls. Alive', during an anti-bullfighting protest before the start of a bullfight in Ronda, southern Spain
Picture: REUTERS



A Cincinnati Police officer stands beneath a Labor Day fireworks display as part of the city's Riverfest celebration on the Ohio River on Sunday. The annual end-of-summer festival culminates with Rozzi's Famous Fireworks display, which draws thousands to the banks of the river in downtown Cincinnati and northern Kentucky.
Picture: John Minchillo/AP



The spider at Arcadia's Metamorphosis show in Bristol's Queen Square is not only made from ‘waste’ materials, but now its flames are powered by waste oil collected from Bristol’s chip shops. In the show, the spider comes alive as a living organism, fusing sustainable ideas and technologies with art, music and performance.
Picture: London News Pictures



Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes celebrates winning the Formula One Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo di Monza
Picture: Getty Images



Fireworks explode above Saint-Basil's cathedral during the Spasskaya Tower international military and music Festival on the Red Square in Moscow
Picture: AFP



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Just another stress fill day at the office. No worries, 6 shots of espresso should calm his nerves.

Equation said:

Just another stress fill day at the office. No worries, 6 shots of espresso should calm his nerves.

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I thought it was you mi amigo on a Friday afternoon setting up your dates for the weekend