Mt Fuji can be seen behind blossoming Shiba Sakura on May 14, 2013 in Tokyo, Japan. According to local media, the Fuji Mountain will likely be added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites next month after an influential advisory panel to the UN cultural body made a recommendation.

TEN thousand North Koreans form a giant mosaic tribute to their Dear Leader. The breath-taking display was captured by photographer Eric Lafforgue, 47. He travelled six times to the secretive state to capture its unique culture - before being barred. The mass congregation took place in May Day stadium, around the same size as Brazil's Maracana. "The noise is louder than you can imagine as there is a kind of echo on the concrete wall of the stadium," he said. "Even if you're not a fan of the regime, you feel something special - so imagine the feeling of the people who are pro-regime. "The North Korean crowd explodes when they see the cards showing the Dear Leaders - especially of Kim Il Sung, who is a big symbol in North Korea." On each visit Mr Lafforgue was escorted to the stadium by a guide, who accompanied him throughout the whole trip. The majority of the crowd were North Korean, including a lot of soldiers, he said. There were usually between 20-100 foreign tourists watching the hour-and-a-half displays. His ticket to the show - which featured 10,00 children - cost about £250. He said the cards changed each year depending on what news and condition the country was in. In 2008 they showed a lot of food and drinks, as the country had suffered a lot, he said. And in 2010 and 2011 the cards showed lots of symbols of Kim Il Sung as 2012 was the 100th anniversary of his birthday. He added: "I was surprised in 2012, after the death of Kim Jong Il to see just one card of him with the Dear Leaders." Despite being barred from returning to the country in 2012 - Frenchman Mr Lafforgue said he had been well-received in the country. "I never had an hostile attitude in North Korea in six trips," he said. "In the arena the atmosphere is cool as the people who go there are so happy - it is a privilege. "Maybe some were visiting Pyongyang for the first time - so there were smiles everywhere."

HOVE, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 06: Residents of Hove celebrate the sunny bank holiday by decamping to a huts by the beach on May 06, 2013 in Hove, England. PHOTOGRAPH BY Julia Claxton / Barcroft Media

THESE are some of the world's most famous ancient ruins - as seen from space. Machu Picchu, the Pyramids of Giza and the UK's Stonehenge all appear in the eye-opening collection. They were captured by the Ikonos observation satellite, which launched in 1999. Also captured are the city of Angkor, the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire, in modern-day Cambodia and Chichen Itza, Teotihuacan and Uxmal - all part of the Maya civilisation in Mexico. The pyramids of Giza - which are thought to have been built sometime between 2600 and 2500BC as tombs and monuments of the ruling dynasties of ancient Egypt - are also clearly visible.

AMAZING up-close photos of a raging volcano left one intrepid photographer with burned feet after he trekked right up to the crater. Miles Morgan, 42, was just one metre away from the source of the irruptions when he took some of these incredible images of Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii. He said: "On this outing we were able to access the beach, which made for some dramatic photography, but came with a surprise. "I wasn't too concerned as some bigger waves started to crash onto the beach area. But the water rushed in above my knees, it was scalding hot." The Kilauea Volcano is one of the most active volcanos in the world and has been irrupting constantly for the last 20 years. But brave Miles was determined to get as close as possible for his shots and added: "At times, it was possible to get right up to the flow itself if the wind was blowing the plume away from us. "The closest I got was probably about one metre, which required me to run away each time a wave hit the lava in case there was an explosion." Miles, from Portland, Oregon, USA, was not injured while taking his images but admits another photographer was lost and is thought to have been killed just a week earlier. "The most probably cause would be that a portion of the lava bench that builds out over the sea collapsed while he was on it," suggested Miles. The photographer, who also works as an airline pilot, said his wife supported his adventures, but admits he usually hides his expeditions from other family until afterwards. He added: "Things change every second, so timing the shots and the waves is a constant battle. "The most important challenge, was not allowing yourself to become so hypnotised by the lava that you lose sight of the very real and ever-present dangers that surround you."

THIS is the 'real Afghanistan' as captured by an ex-British soldier whose eyes have been opened to its hidden beauty. Former paratrooper Paul Hutchings has spent months photographing families living in the war-torn nation. He has made it his mission to show a side of the country away from the suicide bombings and gun-battles. The 41-year-old has captured intimate portraits of the lives of the poor and needy, spending months gaining their fragile trust. Village elders, women and children have all agreed to pose for his eye-opening collection. They include a 18-month-old clutching a replica AK47, beggars at the roadside and spirited children roaming the streets and even running their own businesses. He said: "At first it was very difficult as photography is seen by some as almost like witchcraft. "Some don't understand how it works and they also see it as an invasion of privacy. "To gain trust I took one picture when they weren't looking, printed it off and then presented it to the relevant shopkeeper. "He was so pleased as I showed him my camera and how I did it. He printed off another picture, he showed all his friends and they all wanted one. "Quietly after gaining trust and confidence, a lot of people allowed me to take their picture. "Picturing women is still frowned upon by most, but kids love seeing their faces on a screen so if you have some sweets in your pocket to say thanks, they will pose all day if need be." The majority of photographs were taken between January and April in the historic Bamyan Province, 160 miles outside of the capital Kabul. The area is famous for its Giant Buddhas, the Silk Road and links to Genghis Khan. The Bamyan Province is 10,000ft above sea level with the Hindu Kush mountain range forming a beautiful backdrop. Temperatures drop to 12-17C at nights in winter but can also be as high as 45C in summer. Life is hard in the region and many homes go without electricity and running water. Around them lie reminders of past conflicts such as burned-out Russian tanks and ammunition. "These last three months have shown me a side of Afghanistan that I never believed existed," added Paul, who is originally from North Wales. "People literally struggle with life, everyday. It is their own war of survival. "I have noticed how resilient the people are. There is no electricity and if you have any then it's run off of solar panels or a small generator and there is no freshwater, most of it comes from wells or the river. "A kid was lucky to have an ice-cream the other day in Nowruz and it fell on to the dirt and three kids fought to try and eat it. That's how bad it is." The father-of-one works as a security consultant but cannot be more specific on his role for security reasons. His fiancee Non, 33 a nurse, is based back in Cardiff and is carrying his second child, due in September. His daughter Kitty is five-years-old. When in Afghanistan he tends to spend the nights in a guarded compound. And although he takes most of his photographs from within an armoured car, he has grown more comfortable hitting the streets on his own. He said: "This is Afghanistan so the element of danger is always there. But in the area I am in, you are more likely to get run over or robbed than you are to get shot." He said it is much different to his days in Kabul where he saw suicide bombings and was roughed up by the police for taking photographs." Mr Hutchings fell into photography after leaving the parachute regiment and landing a security job in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He also worked in Kurdistan in northern Iraq before moving to Afghanistan in 2008. He was based in Kabul for a most of the time but was unable to indulge his passion for photography because the streets of the capital are more dangerous. The majority of his pictures have been taken using a small pocket camera and taken through armoured glass. He said: "The biggest problem I have with this country is the corruption. "The amount of billions of dollars that gets pumped in to this place is unreal, yet millions find their way in to the pockets of warlords and ministers." His experience have given him a perception of Afghanistan he did not believe he would see and he has ambitions to continue capturing the secret beauty of the country. He added: "These people are survivors and their resilience is second to none. They are friendly, open and honest. "They treat you like a king, yet they have nothing but give you all that they do have - it's heart warming. "What we would perceive as rubbish in the Western world and discard it and think nothing of it, these people find a different use for it." "It is unbelievable some of the things you see. It has been quite a journey."