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Welcome to the Instagram blog! See what's happening around the world, right now, through photo features, user spotlights, photo tips and news from Instagram HQ.

Leaning Tourists of Pisa

photo feature, Torre di Pisa, Leaning Tower of Pisa,

Want to see more photos of the Leaning Tower? Check out the Torre di Pisa location page on Instagram!

The Tower of Pisa is a freestanding bell tower located in Italy that has a lean of about 3.99 degrees. Due to this lean, and the magic of forced perspective, many tourists come to Pisa so they can pose for photographs with the tower where they pretend to support or set it straight!

Weekend Hashtag Project: #watchingwatchers

weekend hashtag project, watchingwatchers,

Weekend Hashtag Project: #watchingwatchers

The goal this weekend is to capture photographs of surveillance cameras. Be on the lookout for closed-circuit television cameras, traffic cameras, and nests of surveillance cameras.

PROJECT RULES: Please only submit photos you yourself have taken over this weekend. Any image taken then tagged over the weekend is eligible to be featured here on Monday morning!

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

diamond jubilee, queen elizabeth II, current events, photo feature,

Want to see more photos of the Diamond Jubilee? Check out pictures tagged with #diamondjubilee

This coming weekend, Brits everywhere will celebrate a rare Diamond Jubilee to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s rule. She is only the second British monarch to mark a Diamond Jubilee, the other being Queen Victoria in 1897.

Over a long weekend, the country will host a number of events. Boats will flood the river Thames for the Diamond Jubilee Pageant. Family, friends and neighbors are encouraged to join together in a Big Jubilee Lunch. Queen Elizabeth II will grant city status to competing towns. And, just as on Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897, various fires will be lit to illuminate the entire British Island.

National Donut Day!

current events, donuts,

Share your deep-fried joy with #nationaldonutday.

Today is National Donut Day, the day Americans set aside to thank the culinary gods for little rings of sugary deep-fried goodness.

The origins of the donut are disputed, but variations of the treat exist in many cultures throughout the world. The term “dough nut” itself first surfaced in the early 1800s, with the variation “donut” not catching on until 1900.

Those fortunate enough to be near a Dunkin Donuts (@dunkindonuts) or Krispy Kreme can enjoy free donuts today.

Skydeck Chicago

photo feature, willis tower,

Browse #willistower and #skydeck for more photos from the Skydeck.

Want to know what it’s like to stare straight down to the street from 103 stories up? Head to the Willis Tower in Chicago (formerly the Sears Tower), where you can step out onto an all-glass balcony that extends 4 feet over the city streets!

Beliebers Flock to Oslo for Free Show

justin bieber, oslo, current events, norway,

Want to see more photos of Justin Bieber’s Oslo concert? Check out pictures taken at the Oslo Operahuset.

Justin Bieber performed a free six-song concert yesterday in Oslo, Norway that nearly caused a state of emergency. Swarms of people rushed the venue, a dozen fans passed out, and there were 88 reported hospital visits. The concert slowed mobile service in the area, but Instagrammers were still able to capture some pictures of the chaotic event.

Manhattanhenge

manhattanhenge, photo feature, current events,

In NYC? Be sure to tag your photos #manhattanhenge!

Don’t miss out on Manhattanhenge! Tonight is one of only two times a year when the setting sun aligns perfectly with Manhattan’s east-west street grid. This makes for a perfect chance to snap photos of the sun setting between the skyscrapers of Manhattan! Take a look at photos of this unique sunset on Instagram by browsing #manhattanhenge.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi visits Thailand

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Thailand, current events, photo feature,

Want to see more photos of Suu Kyi’s visit? Check out pictures tagged with #assk and #suukyi

Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi left Myanmar for the first time in 24 years yesterday when she took a surprise visit to Thailand. Local Instagrammers captured some stunning images of “Mother Suu” addressing a crowd of Burmese migrant workers in the gritty town of Mahachai earlier today. More than two million Burmese workers are estimated to live in Thailand.

In 1990, Suu Kyi’s party won a landslide election but was denied power by the military junta that had ruled the country since 1962. She was then put under house arrest, and was only released 20 years later in November 2010. She ran for office again in 2012, and she now serves in a Parliament that remains controlled by the military-backed ruling party.

2012 Summer Olympics Torch Relay

photo feature, current events, london2012,

Want to see more? Browse photos tagged #torchrelay and #olympictorch. Also be sure to follow @olympics on Instagram!

The 2012 Summer Olympics torch relay is already in progress, running from 19 May - 27 July, leading up to the Summer Olympics in London. In 70 days, about 8,000 people will carry the torch a total distance of about 8,000 miles (12,800 km) around the United Kingdom, with one day outside the UK, in Dublin.

Weekend Hashtag Project: #electricalsky

photo feature, weekend hashtag project, electricalsky,

Weekend Hashtag Project is a series featuring designated themes & hashtags chosen by Instagram’s Community Team. For a chance to be featured on the Instagram blog, follow @instagram and look for a photo announcing the weekend’s project every Friday.

This weekend’s theme was #electricalsky, which asked participants to capture photographs of electrical wires against they sky. Every Monday we feature some of our favorite submissions from the project, but be sure to check out the rest here.