Flying into certain airports around the world can yield some seriously stunning views from the plane seat window.

To find the most scenic airport approaches, the private jet charter company PrivateFly asked its users to vote for their favourite airports to land in for its Airport Poll Results 2016.

Over 7,500 votes were cast for 115 airports all over the world, with the results shortlisted by a panel of judges.

The airports voted the most picturesque include European cities with skyscraper views and Caribbean islands with dangerously close landings.

Here are the 10 winning airports:

10. London City Airport, UK — Unlike Heathrow or Gatwick, this London airport offers truly spectacular views of the British capital upon landing with Canary Wharf, the O2 Centre, and the Thames all in sight.

9. Los Angeles International Airport, US — Flying into Los Angeles yields sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, the city's downtown skyline, and even the iconic Hollywood sign in the Hills.

8. St. Maarten Airport, Caribbean — Whether you're in the air or on the ground, planes landing into St. Maarten give incredible views. From the air, fliers get an unspoiled view of the translucent waters and golden sand of Maho Beach, while thrill-seeking beachgoers are just a few feet away from low incoming jets.

When I left investment banking after a decade in the industry, it was with a dance in my step and a song in my heart. Yes, I was happy to say goodbye. Over two years have passed and when I look back, it’s without even a hint of regret.

Starting a career in banking pushes you to your limits while building an essential set of skills, both technical and interpersonal. You’ll be at the top of your game throughout your career, wherever you end up.

1. Compensation

Forget skills for a minute, let’s talk dollars. Fresh out of university and strapped with student loans and the new reality of independent living expenses, the unparalleled salary (and signing bonus) for new banking analysts and associates is more than a luxury. It’s the fastest way to establish financial security – stability which can, in just a few short years, allow you to take more risks in your career. That tech start-up with the one-in-a-million chance of paying big might seem enticing right now, but it doesn’t pay the bills.

2. Stamina

Few would count the work-filled weekends, sleepless nights and non-existent social life among positives. But after working 90+ hours a week, one thing is certain: it can only get better. That’s a rose-tinted view, but it’s true. Once you learn what total exhaustion feels like, anything short of physical collapse will seem like a holiday. To be fair, medical residents can also claim to understand theses demands. Fortunately, as a banker, if you make a mistake at 3am, no one’s life hangs in the balance (although your senior bankers will likely argue otherwise).

3. Time management

The only way you will enjoy any free time as a banker is if you make that free time – you learn to squeeze the most out of each hour. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to sit around for hours while senior bankers tend to business, only to receive new assignments at the end of a normal working day. No one is looking to provide you with the most efficient flow of assignments. And that makes time management critical.

When faced with an hour lag on some lucky afternoon, you learn to do whatever you can to make sure that, when the assignments finally do pour in (and they will all inevitably arrive at the exact same moment, each flagged as being intensely urgent) that nothing stands in your way. Even if that means stepping out for a hair cut or a shoe shine during a brief lull, you seize the opportunity.

In banking, when something is needed as-soon-as-possible, you’re already late. Being unresponsive means taking more than 10 minutes to respond to an email. When I left banking, it took me a long time to appreciate how this amped up sense of urgency is so rare. To the rest of the world, “As soon as possible” doesn’t mean “Immediately, if not sooner”. Returning with a response in two days may actually be “as soon as possible”. So if you leave banking, your new co-workers will likely be nothing short of stunned at your turn-around.

From running to weight-lifting, there are a number of ways to put your legs into action.

But what if there were one simple workout that could target all those hard-to-reach parts of your legs — and you could do it at any age? Turns out there is!

As we did for our everyday stretching guide, Business Insider sought out expert advice from New York University physical-therapy professor Marilyn Moffat, who also wrote the book "Age Defying Fitness." 

It's sure to get you sweating in no time — trust us. (Note: If you're having any unusual pain or problems with the exercises, please stop doing them and consult a physical therapist).

RELATED: 12 everyday stretches to stay flexible and fit at any age

NEXT: RANKED: These are the healthiest grains for you

To start off, we'll focus on the ankles. Moffat says strengthening these is key because they help maintain balance. Be sure to keep your standing knee straight for this exercise.

Source: PubMed

Go at a rate of one second up, one second down (even slower than what's shown here) while going through a full range of motion. Start with five exercises on each foot, building up to 25 on each side.

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Next, take a walk on your heels. This will work the muscles in the front of the shin. Try walking the length of a hallway and back, and make sure you don't hunch over.

Prince, one of the music greats of all time, died on Thursday at 57, shocking friends and fans around the world.

Known for his innovative sound crossing R&B, rock, and pop, which led him to become one of the biggest acts of the 1980s, he went on to build his status as an icon and never stopped recording and performing. His appearances, from the Super Bowl halftime show to the Grammys, were legendary.

Remember what made Prince great with this list we've compiled of his best songs and biggest hits — at least, those available online:

SEE ALSO: INTERVIEW: Why Tom Hiddleston is the hardest-working actor in Hollywood right now

"1999"

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One of Prince's best-known songs, it was a chart-topper in 1982 and was the title track on his album of the same name.

"When Doves Cry"

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The lead single on his 1984 album "Purple Rain"— accompanying the movie of the same name — it was Prince's first No. 1 single.

"Let's Go Crazy"

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The good times kept going for Prince and the "Purple Rain" album, as this was his second No. 1 single.

When booking a trip, many travelers like to research the perks and bonuses that come along with their hotel stay. Luxury accommodations come with the expectation of top-notch service, stunning lobbies, decadent spa treatments, and well-appointed suites, but some offer amenities that go beyond the chocolate on your pillow at night or even complimentary car service.

Typically, above par offerings are advertised as a way of luring guests for an overnight, but most people don’t know that some hotels offer “secret” amenities. These features are so furtive that even seasoned travelers wouldn’t know about them unless seen first hand. The bonuses range in type from one-of-a-kind experiences to amazing take-home goodies and often reflect the local culture in a unique way. Think things like beekeeping, hidden menu items, surprise gifts, or the opportunity to hold a rare item that only few in the world will ever be able to touch.

To find out about these special experiences or gifts, guests would have to rely solely on word of mouth, be considered a VIP, or just be surprised upon arrival. Many of the secrets are so exclusive that even the concierge would be confused if you called and asked about them.  

Luckily, Travel + Leisure has been able to dig up a few of these amenities to give you an edge when booking your next trip or simply feel like you’re part of some exclusive club. 

SEE ALSO: The 5 favorite hotels of wealthy people around the world

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!

VIP shopping at Bulgari

Bulgari Hotel in London offers tons of lavish amenities for their guests, but they really kick it up a notch for VIPs. Important guests are chauffeured to one of London’s Bulgari stores, which will open early or close late ensuring a private shopping experience.

Hold the World Series Trophy

Guests in the new Fenway Park Suite at Hotel Commonwealth can have the World Series trophy delivered to the room and take selfies with it through the hotel’s partnership with Fenway Park. The suite starts at $1,000 per night and is full of priceless Red Sox memorabilia. You can also see into the stadium right outside on your private balcony.

Enjoy a soap concierge

The Viceroy Riviera Maya offers a signature complimentary amenity called the Soap Concierge where guests arriving at the resort are warmly welcomed with a “Mayan Blessing” and are personally escorted to their villa. Then the Soap Concierge arrives to explain and provide a variety of soaps, each offering a different sensory experience. Once guests make their selections, they receive personalized bars. 

The "secret" to getting rich is not much of a secret at all.

"It is practical. That which one man knows can be taught to others," George S. Clason writes in his 1926 personal finance classic "The Richest Man in Babylon."

Clason's collection of parables, based in the ancient city of Babylon, starts with the story of Arkad — the son of a humble merchant, of a large family with no hope of inheritance — who grows to become the richest man in Babylon, thanks to wisdom he sought out from a rich money lender named Algamish.

In hopes of turning his city into the wealthiest in the world, the King of Babylon asks Arkad if he can share the "secret to wealth" with the rest of the city. Arkad complies, and over the course of seven days, teaches a class of 100 men what he calls the "seven cures for a lean purse."

SEE ALSO: The single most effective way to get rich, according to a 90-year-old personal-finance classic

1. 'Start thy purse to fattening.'

Getting rich all begins with paying yourself first. More specifically, set aside a minimum of 10% of your earnings, Arkad advises: "For every ten coins thou placest within thy purse take out for use but nine. Thy purse will start to fatten at once and its increasing weight will feel good in thy hand and bring satisfaction to they soul."

Anyone— rich or poor — can put money aside and let it accumulate, Arkad assures his class. You just have to commit to setting aside a minimum of 10%, and you'll learn to live without it.

Today, it's even easier to learn to live without a certain chunk of your income, thanks to technology. You can automatically deposit money from your paycheck and checking account into a retirement account, savings account, or other investment vehicle, removing the temptation to spend. If you never see it, you'll learn to live without it.

"I, too, carried a lean purse and cursed it because there was naught within to satisfy my desires," the richest man in Babylon explains to his class. "But when I began to take out from my purse but nine parts of ten I put in, it began to fatten. So will thine."

2. 'Control thy expenditures.'

The next step is to simply spend less than you earn, which is easier said than done. Our consumer-driven society makes it incredibly easy to overspend — and what's more, when income increases, people have a tendency to boost their spending. It's called "lifestyle inflation."

"What each of us calls our 'necessary expenses' will always grow to equal our incomes unless we protest to the contrary," Arkad explains. "Confuse not the necessary expenses with thy desires."

To control your expenses, you have to become a conscious spender and recognize where your money is going. A good starting point is to record all of your purchases (whether in a notebook, through an app like Mint, or on an Excel spreadsheet) and analyze your spending patterns.

"Study thoughtfully thy accustomed habits of living," Arkad says. "Let thy motto be one hundred per cent of appreciated value demanded for each coin spent." Even if you're well on your way to accumulating a fortune, the habit of living below your means still applies. There are a surprising number of frugal billionaires who choose to save or give to charity, rather than drop their money on jets, yachts, and mansions.

3. 'Make thy gold multiply.'

Once you've made a habit out of controlling your expenses and setting aside at least 10% of your income, put that money to work.

"The gold we may retain from our earnings is but the start," says Arkad. "The earnings it will make shall build our fortunes ... Learn to make your treasure work for you. Make it your slave. Make its children and its children's children work for you."

Making your money your "slave" is the modern-day equivalent to smart investing through your employer's 401(k) plan or other retirement accounts, such as a Roth IRA or traditional IRA. Thanks to compound interest, your savings can grow tremendously over time — the trick is to set aside money regularly and to start as early as possible.

"Behold, from my humble earnings I had begotten a hoard of golden slaves, each laboring and earning more gold," explains Arkad. "As they labored for me, so their children also labored and their children's children until great was the income from their combined efforts."

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

The warmer weather has a way of encouraging wanderlust. If you've already started putting together a few long weekend trips for this summer, good for you. Even though it's not much time away from the rigors of work, you're planning on making the most of it. 

As far as packing for short jaunts like these, you probably won't need too much; a slighter larger bag than your briefcase should do the job just fine. Think duffels.

There are plenty of options you can bring with you to work — in lieu whatever bag you normally use — so you can head straight to the train or airport afterward. When you're not traveling, you can also use them for stowing your gym gear in, along with your laptop, so you never end up carrying around two bags instead of one. Don't make your commute needlessly cumbersome; check out 12 easy fixes, in a range of prices, below.

SEE ALSO: 25 sneakers you can wear at the office

READ THIS: Guys, this styling product is the easiest way to get your hair to cooperate

DON'T MISS: 17 perfect Valentine's Day gifts for stylish guys

Bosca

Bosca Excursion Chestnut Duffel Bag, $450.

Herschel Supply Co.

Herschel Supply Co. Bowen Duffel Bag, $89.99.

Ernest Alexander

Ernest Alexander Smith Flight Bag, $395.

Samuel Lee is the founder and leading construction artist for Prince Armory, a design studio that produces wildly imaginative, fully wearable armor suits modeled after comic icons like Batman, Joker, and Iron Man. Founded in 2007, Prince Armory has created hand-crafted armor for films, commercials, Broadway shows, and top-tier cosplayers.

Lee tells Tech Insider he's been in the costume design business for nearly 15 years, starting out as a teen by making armor for himself and friends when visiting Renaissance fairs or role-playing with friends. Now, he is a highly sought after, leading artist with a commission backlog three years long.

"I like to work from a concept, general idea and just go with the flow and let the concept evolve organically over the course of the creation process instead of trying to shoehorn the entire design into something that was rushed together at the start," Lee tells us. 

Prince Armory's suits are custom designed for the wearer. As a policy, the company doesn't replicate custom-made suits, making each of the fantasy superhero crossover pieces one-of-a-kind. A full suit can cost anywhere from $7,000 to $15,000. 

"In time I expect to transition to doing more commercial projects than ones for private clients but I’m content either way," he said. "Commercial projects can be more profitable but private client projects afford more artistic freedom and time to really develop the project as I go."

Read on to see Lee's dazzling work and why it's more than worth its hefty price tag: 

This take on Tony Stark's Iron Man suit is a dazzling mix of gold and red. The chest armor is especially detailed.

Here you can see the equipment disassembled. The golden pattern on the forearm of the gauntlets is incredibly detailed.

The cuirass (body armor) features overlapping red/gold details. The patterned gold goes up the chest leading to the arc reactor, which is a beautiful, sky blue.

In March, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) came out with an updated "Worldwide Cost of Living" report, which highlights the most expensive cities to live in across the globe.

The biannual report compares over 400 individual prices across 160 products and services, including food, drink, clothing, household supplies, utility bills, private schools, and recreational costs. All cities are compared to a base of New York City, which has a cost-of-living index set at 100.

One factor the EIU chooses not to use when creating the cost-of-living index for each city is accommodation. Roxana Slavcheva, a cities economist at EIU, explained to Business Insider: "We supply prices of rented accommodation for reference, but consider that to be a separate and relatively subjective item to price since choice in apartments and houses is dictated by taste, income, and family size."

We decided to see what it takes to become one of the wealthiest of the wealthy in the priciest US cities.

Using an interactive tool from The New York Times, we gathered the annual household income required to be in the top 1% (and top 5%, for comparison) of earners in the 11 most expensive US cities.

Note that we did not include Honolulu, Hawaii — which tied as the ninth-most-expensive US city — because of insufficient data.

How do you stack up?

SEE ALSO: Here's how much it costs for a family to live in 20 major US cities

Boston

12th most expensive city in the US.

Income required to be in the:

Top 1%: $529,343

Top 5%: $260,286

Miami

11th most expensive city in the US.

Income required to be in the:

Top 1%: $408,153

Top 5%: $180,005

Pittsburgh 

Ninth most expensive city in the US (tied with Honolulu).

Income required to be in the:

Top 1%: $393,600

Top 5%: $169,841

Warning: Spoilers ahead for season five of "Game of Thrones."

"Game of Thrones" returns to HBO on April 24, and fans are pumped to see their favorite characters back on screen. Since it's been nearly nine months since the season five finale, we took it upon ourselves to remind fans about all the important details you should know heading into Sunday's season six premiere.

Let's dive into everything you need to know. And don't worry, we left out any known details about season six in case you want to go in blind. 

Let's start up north. Roose Bolton and his wife Walda Frey are expecting a baby. Ramsay, Roose's bastard son, isn't too happy.

Even though Ramsay was legitimized (dropping the surname Snow and taking Bolton), Roose's new baby — who is believed to be a boy — is technically a threat to Ramsay. The Boltons are currently occupying the Stark home of Winterfell, and are trying to secure their hold on the North. 

The Boltons were prepared for battle against Stannis, who wanted to conquer the North as part of his attempt at taking the Iron Throne.

Stannis knew the Boltons were loyal to the Lannisters and King Tommen, which meant he would have to uproot them from Winterfell and take the North if he were to be king. 

Stannis and his wife, Selyse, made the choice to burn their daughter Shireen alive in order to please the Lord of Light.

They needed the snow to melt in order to attack the Boltons, and Melisandre promised this was the only way forward. Unfortunately, the child sacrifice actually caused sections of Stannis' troops to abandon their king. The snow did melt, however, and Stannis forged on.

Relationships are never easy. By definition they entail connections between people, and people, as we all know, are eternally complicated creatures.

Relationships also come in all sizes and colors — there are romantic relationships, work relationships, and friendships, just to name a few. 

Regardless of what kind of relationship you want to strengthen, each is fundamentally similar to the next in a number of ways.

In all healthy relationships, we are able to listen well, empathize, connect, resolve conflict, and respect others.

The following TED Talks are a great refresher course in doing all that. 

Andrew Solomon's 'Love, no matter what'

Through interviewing parents of exceptional children for several years, the author of "Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity" says he has come to understand that everyone is different in some fundamental way, and this core human condition of being different is, ironically, what unites us all.

Solomon explains that all people who love each other struggle to accept each other and grapple with the question, "What's the line between unconditional love and unconditional acceptance?"

Using a number of poignant anecdotes, he helps unpack this question.

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Yann Dall'Aglio's 'Love — you're doing it wrong'

Dall'Aglio, a French philosopher and author of "A Rolex at 50: Do you have the right to miss your life?" and "I love you: Is love a has been?," says love is the desire of being desired. But in a world that often favors the self over others, how can people find the tenderness and connection they crave?

It may be easier than you think: "For a couple who is no longer sustained, supportedby the constraints of tradition, I believe that self-mockeryis one of the best means for the relationship to endure," he says.

In this surprisingly convincing talk, Dall'Aglio explains how acknowledging our uselessness could be the key to sustaining healthy relationships.

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Jenna McCarthy's 'What you don't know about marriage'

Fiction and non-fiction author McCarthy writes about relationships, marriage, and parenting in books including "If It Was Easy, They'd Call the Whole Damn Thing a Honeymoon," and in her TED Talk, shares some surprising research on how marriages really work.

One study might even entice husbands to do more housework.

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Prince has left us. But his style — hopscotching genders and eras — will remain.

Here's the Purple One's legacy of funk.

Prepare your eyes for sexiness, and scroll on. 

Prince had effortless swagger as a 5'2'' middle school point guard.

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Another Prince-related clip from the Strib archives, looking back at his hooping days at Bryant Junior High. pic.twitter.com/LrIQZ3LhSg

Prince bent, fused, and circumvented all things gender.

As in: Epic Boa.

If you're a millennial (or anyone who appreciates a good deal), most of your furniture is probably from Ikea.

The Scandinavian retailer is known for its simplistic and affordable home decor, but sometimes the designs are a little boring.

We scoured hashtags like #ikeahacks, #ikeahack, and #ikeahackers to see the most ingenious solutions to give Ikea purchases a little more pizzazz. 

Keep reading to see the best tricks.

The Hemnes secretary cabinet is a good-sized desk, but a bit boring to look at.

You can buy it here for $419.

One blogger took a white Hemnes desk and transformed it with mirrors and lattice framework.

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Learn how here.

These $6 Fjälla boxes are useful, but pretty plain.

Buy them here.

Prince was found dead on Thursday at his estate in suburban Minneapolis at the age of 57, and the world is mourning the loss of one of the greatest musicians of all time.

His genre-breaking style pervaded not just music but other realms of entertainment, particularly fashion, and continues to inspire his followers today.

Here's a look back on his incredible career and the images that made him an icon:

SEE ALSO: Listen to Prince's greatest songs of all time

Prince was born Prince Rogers Nelson on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His deep-funk sound with his explicit lyrics and falsetto voice were extremely unique to mainstream music when his debut solo album, "For You," came out in 1978.

He hit superstar status with his band The Revolution in 1982 with the hit album — and single —"1999."

Success continued in 1984 with the album "Purple Rain," which led to Grammy and American Music Award wins.

Some cities offer higher-paying jobs, but if the cost of living is also higher, a big paycheck still might not go that far.

The best combination for your budget would be a city with plenty of high-wage employment opportunities and a low cost of living so you can have enough money after expenses to save for the future. GOBankingRates' study breaks down essential cost-of-living factors to show you the best places to live if you want to save money — and which cities make it almost impossible to save.

The study looked at factors that affect people’s finances the most: median income, median home listing price, median rent, unemployment rate, average gas price and average cost of a basket of 15 common grocery items.

All but two of the worst cities for saving money are in California. "California is notorious for being one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S.," said Kristen Bonner, the GOBankingRates research lead for this study. "Expensive housing, higher-than-average taxes, and one of the most expensive states to fill up your gas tank make it very difficult to have leftover income after the necessities are paid."

Scroll down to see why these cities are the 15 worst places to live if you're trying to save money.

Read: 10 Rules for Living in a Rising-Rate World

SEE ALSO: What the median rent in New York City buys you in 25 big US cities

15. Sacramento, Calif.

Population: 485,199
Median income: $50,013
Unemployment rate: 5.5%
Median home listing price: $530,000
Median monthly rent: $1,395
Average gas price: $2.223
Average cost of groceries: $42.94
Sales tax: 8.5%

The capital of California is more affordable than most of the states' major cities. But that doesn't make it an ideal place for savers. Home prices still are high, and the median income in Sacramento is lower than the national median income of $53,482, leaving residents without a lot of wiggle room in their budgets to set aside money in savings.

14. Bakersfield, Calif.

Population: 368,759
Median income: $56,842
Unemployment rate: 10.2%
Median home listing price: $245,000
Median monthly rent: $1,395
Average gas price: $2.35
Average cost of groceries: $35.68
Sales tax: 7.5%

The unemployment rate in Bakersfield is the second highest among the worst cities for savers. However, the median income of those who are employed is higher than many of the other cities on this list. Housing costs also are more affordable, which is why Bakersfield ranks lower than most of the other California cities that are the worst places for savers.

13. San Jose, Calif.

Population: 1,015,785
Median income: $83,787
Unemployment rate: 3.8%
Median home listing price: $725,000
Median monthly rent: $3,300
Average gas price: $2.38
Average cost of groceries: $40.95
Sales tax: 8.75%

The median home listing price in San Jose is the second highest among the worst cities to save. It’s also one of America’s most expensive rental markets, according to CNN. But a high median income — as a result of its booming tech industry — helps offset the high housing costs somewhat and doesn’t make it quite as hard to save in San Jose as it is in other places on this list.

Music legend and style icon Prince Rogers Nelson — popularly known as "Prince"— died on Thursday at the age of 57. The news first hit through TMZ, and was quickly confirmed by The Associated Press as well.

It wasn't long after that confirmation that the first tweets from brands started to show up. These aren't the simple "#RIP Prince" kind of stuff you'd expect to see from fans, but a way for a company to promote itself in the face of a someone's death.

Like this one, since deleted, from General Mills-owned Cheerios:

That the company deleted the tweet says that they are aware of how deeply off it was, and other companies did the same. Others had a more muted response.

Like Cheerios, whoever manages the Hamburger Helper Twitter account deleted this message:

And then a bunch of other brands changed their logos, like this one from 3M which is literally just the company's logo with a tear shape cut out:

And this one from TV Guide.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones" season six.

The sixth season of "Game of Thrones" premieres on April 24, and HBO has been rolling out promoafter promo for the exciting first episode. Previously we had both full-length trailers and a set of 20 photos, but no way of knowing which images corresponded with specific upcoming episodes.

But on April 21, HBO released a set of nine pictures, all of which are from the first episode of season six, "The Red Woman."

Scroll down for a peek at what to expect on Sunday:

In the North, Ramsay looks at Myranda's dead body. He is clearly upset, and not just because his mistress is dead.

Sansa escaped from Ramsay's grasp, along with Theon, during last season's finale episode. They are on the run and hiding from Ramsay's hunting dogs.

We saw in a released clip that Theon and Sansa enter a freezing river to try and shake off the animals.

You can see that clip here.

The latest edition of the index of the most violent cities in the world, from the Mexican nongovernmental organization Citizens' Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice, ranking the world's cities with populations over 300,000 people by their homicide rates, was released in January.

Caracas, Venezuela, earned the regrettable distinction of No. 1, replacing San Pedro Sula, Honduras, which fell to No. 2 after four years in the top spot.

Caracas has never been far from the top of the list. It has been in the top 10 every year since 2008. In 2012, its 118.89 homicides per 100,000 people placed it at No. 3. Rates of 134.36 and 115.98 per 100,000 earned it No. 2 in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Venezuela's capital and largest city closed 2015 with a homicide rate of 119.87 per 100,000, and while the exact number of killings has been debated, the shocking level of violence the country has experienced is directly related to its social, economic, and political dysfunction.

SEE ALSO: Venezuela has turned to its military in its fight against crime, and the results have been brutal

Crime has increased significantly in Venezuela since the 1990s, and while its origins are hard to pin down, it is likely attributable to several factors.

There is widespread impunity, "the complete dysfunctioning of the judicial system that allows for" a significant degree of impunity for some, usually high-profile, offenders, and, as a result, "disregard for the law, because it's selectively applied," Alejandro Velasco, a professor at New York University, told Business Insider last year during an interview about Venezuela's response to crime.

Velasco also identified the "schizophrenic" way the government of late President Hugo Chavez, in office from 1999 to 2013, addressed crime, viewing it as something rooted in political factors and failing to address it with a dedicated law-enforcement effort, "which then, some people say, contributed further to this sort of increase in crime," said Velasco.

Velasco also identified spillover from Colombia's longstanding civil conflict, and related drug-trafficking activity, as a driver of crime and insecurity in Venezuela in recent years.

He told Business Insider:

As the drug war in Colombia has sort of phased down and some of that has bubbled over into Venezuela, where in this climate of impunity and confusion in terms of policy, [criminal elements] have really had sort of a field day, both institutionally with corruption in the military and in the national guard in particular, but also just in terms of socially with sort of easy access to weapons and all sorts of other things.

Maduro has used Colombia, and Colombians in Venezuela, as bogeymen for his country's current crises, identifying the frontier as a source of economic instability because of rampant smuggling as well as violence from Colombian criminal groups operating in the area.

Over the last year, the Venezuelan government has closed the border with Colombia, deployed troops to the region, and expelled thousands of Colombians, some of whom were refugees, living illegally in Venezuela's western-border region.

Since it launched into space on April 24, 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has been an invaluable instrument to astronomers in unraveling the mysteries of the universe.

As it orbits the Earth 340 miles up, the telescope has imaged distant galaxies, black holes, and planets — making over 1.2 million observations in its lifetime so far.

Scientists have published more than 12,800 studies using its data.

And (almost) every year, the Hubble team chooses a celestial object for the telescope to spend a considerable amount of its time imaging that year, and releases a special photo to celebrate its birthday.

We tracked down these special images in Hubble's archives from all 26 years. Enjoy!

This year's birthday image is of a 'Bubble Nebula' between 7,000 and 11,000 light-years away. It formed because the solar wind of a nearby star crashes into a massive molecular cloud full of dust and gas, causing it to glow.

Westerlund 2, a giant cluster of about 3,000 stars that is 20,000 light-years away, was the 25th anniversary image.

Birthday photo #24: This colorful plume of gas and bright stars known as the Monkey Head Nebula in the Orion constellation, which is 6,400 light-years away.

It's a big year for the London Marathon. After 36 years, organisers expect the event's millionth runner to cross the finish line on The Mall on Sunday, April 24. I'm hoping that I'll become one of those million (or one of those that follows soon after).  

Over the last 17 weeks, I've been doing my best to follow a strict marathon training plan. It hasn't been easy.

Trying to juggle training for your first marathon with a full-time job and a hectic social life has left me feeling exhausted and in varying degrees of pain at times. 

With the big day just round the corner, here are a few things that I've learned along the way.

Ok, I kind of already knew this, but A MARATHON IS 26.1 MILES! 26.1 MILES!!

You're unlikely to get a place through the official ballot unless you're really lucky.

You get sent a magazine telling you if you've got in or not. My flatmate wasn't so lucky — there's always next year Andrew!