• A reveller from Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school performs during the second night of the carnival parade at the Sambadrome, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil February 21, 2023. REUTERS / Ricardo Moraes TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
    A reveller from Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school performs during the second night of the carnival parade at the Sambadrome, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil February 21, 2023. REUTERS / Ricardo Moraes TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
  • The annual Carnival de Binche, one of Europe's oldest street festivals, gets under way in the town of Binche in Belgium. EPA
    The annual Carnival de Binche, one of Europe's oldest street festivals, gets under way in the town of Binche in Belgium. EPA
  • This long exposure photo captures street lights in Frankfurt, Germany. AP
    This long exposure photo captures street lights in Frankfurt, Germany. AP
  • More than 1,000 Michigan State University students protest at the Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, one week after a gunman killed three students and injured five others. AP
    More than 1,000 Michigan State University students protest at the Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, one week after a gunman killed three students and injured five others. AP
  • People lay flowers at the Bangladesh Central Language Martyrs' Memorial in Dhaka, in homage to students that were killed during the Bengali language movement demonstrations of 1952. AFP
    People lay flowers at the Bangladesh Central Language Martyrs' Memorial in Dhaka, in homage to students that were killed during the Bengali language movement demonstrations of 1952. AFP
  • Tourists watch the sunrise on Xianggong Mountain, on the west bank of Li River in Yangshuo city, in southern China's Guangxi province. AFP
    Tourists watch the sunrise on Xianggong Mountain, on the west bank of Li River in Yangshuo city, in southern China's Guangxi province. AFP
  • Supporters of the All Progressive Congress gather inside the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos ahead of the Nigerian presidential election scheduled for February 25. AFP
    Supporters of the All Progressive Congress gather inside the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos ahead of the Nigerian presidential election scheduled for February 25. AFP
  • Hatmaker Youssef Akiki inspects some of his traditional 'Labbadeh' hats at his workshop in the mountain town of Hrajel in Lebanon. AFP
    Hatmaker Youssef Akiki inspects some of his traditional 'Labbadeh' hats at his workshop in the mountain town of Hrajel in Lebanon. AFP
  • Ragpickers scout for re-usable materials at Pirana landfill on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India. AFP
    Ragpickers scout for re-usable materials at Pirana landfill on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India. AFP
  • An actress prepares herself before performing in a Chinese Opera during the celebrations of God Tou Tei in Macau, China. AFP
    An actress prepares herself before performing in a Chinese Opera during the celebrations of God Tou Tei in Macau, China. AFP
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen on a screen during his annual address to the Federal Assembly in Sevastopol, Crimea. Reuters
    Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen on a screen during his annual address to the Federal Assembly in Sevastopol, Crimea. Reuters
  • Dressed revellers wait for the traditional carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany - the higlight of the country's carnival season. AP
    Dressed revellers wait for the traditional carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany - the higlight of the country's carnival season. AP
  • US President Joe Biden took a nearly 10-hour train ride from Poland into Kyiv to visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. AFP
    US President Joe Biden took a nearly 10-hour train ride from Poland into Kyiv to visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. AFP
  • A local resident carries her belongings as she leaves her home in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine. AP
    A local resident carries her belongings as she leaves her home in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine. AP
  • Carnival revellers take the metro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. AFP
    Carnival revellers take the metro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. AFP
  • A woman walks her dog under Kawazu-zakura cherry trees in bloom in Kawazu, Japan. Getty Images
    A woman walks her dog under Kawazu-zakura cherry trees in bloom in Kawazu, Japan. Getty Images

World

Today's best photos: from Rio Carnival fever to cherry trees in Japan

The National picks the most striking images from around the world

The National

February 21, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

More from The National:

Monday's best photos: from the 'Battle of the Oranges' to 'straw men' in Switzerland

Sunday's best photos: from a celebratory high-dive to a concert in a reservoir

Saturday's best photos: from London Fashion Week to Sao Paulo carnival

Friday's best photos: from the 65th Vienna Opera Ball to a rubber glove factory

Thursday's best photos: from burning coca plants to protests in Beirut

Wednesday's best photos: from the Taj Mahal to a sink hole in Poland

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In numbers

- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100

- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100

- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India

- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100

- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

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Updated: February 21, 2023, 5:17 PM
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