22/05/2013 / Algeria
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22/05/2013 / TOGO
The “Nana Benz”, Togo’s fallen textile queens
The fire that ravaged Lomé’s central market last January struck a fatal blow to the livelihoods of the famous Nana Benz, some of whom made true fortunes four decades ago by selling pagnes, colorful African textiles used to make clothing. Our Observer, a matriarch of the Nana Benz movement, told us how, without a proper marketplace and faced with increased competition from foreigners, these women have had to improvise to stay in business. Read more...
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21/05/2013 / CHINA
“Lhasa's Tibetans will soon be nothing but decorations for tourists”
Lhasa, the ancient city at the heart of Tibetan culture, contains several sacred sites that have been visited by Buddhists for centuries. But the city’s face is changing as Chinese presence in the area grows, giving way to mass tourism and large shopping districts. Read more...
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21/05/2013 / UNITED STATES
Amateur footage of the Oklahoma tornado
A massive, 3km-wide tornado hit the town of Moore in the suburbs of Oklahoma City on Monday, flattening entire neighbourhoods. Watch amateur videos of the tornado...
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20/05/2013 / France
The glitzy Cannes festival, through the eyes of a small-town cinema owner
Despite the rain, this year’s Cannes Film Festival is shaping up to be a magical event. Steven Spielberg, Leonardo Di Caprio, Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes… all are in attendance. Among these world-famous Hollywood stars, a small-town cinema owner from southwestern France tells us about his festival experience. Read more...
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20/05/2013 / IRAN
Headscarves and long tunics don’t stop Iranian women from practising parkour
Despite having to practise in unwieldy clothing – not to mention having to stay on the lookout for police - Iranian women are getting into the sport of parkour. Some even create videos in which they show off their skills, and post them online. One of these brave women tells us about the challenges of practising parkour in an Islamic republic. Read more...
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17/05/2013 / SYRIA
Do-it-yourself weaponry: How Syrian rebels wage war
The vast majority of the Syrian rebels’ weapons come from the regular army’s stocks. The rebels use everything they can get their hands on — ranging from ammunition and weapons to vehicles — and modify the equipment to fit their needs. Read more...
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17/05/2013 / SYRIA
Video: "Heart-eating" Syrian rebel defends act
Abu Sakkar became infamous last week when a video surfaced online showing him apparently tearing the heart out of a Syrian soldier’s corpse and biting into it. Now, the rebel fighter explains his act in a new video. Read more...
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16/05/2013 / CHINA
Beijing cracks down on barbecues as it battles record pollution
The Chinese capital Beijing keeps beating its own air pollution records. To combat this, the authorities have come up with a number of measures, including, to many people's surprise, combatting smoke from street vendor barbecues. Read more...
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15/05/2013 / LIBYA
Benghazi protesters turn on militias after deadly explosion
The cause of the explosion in Benghazi Monday that killed three people, including a child, remains murky. After suspecting a car bomb detonated by terrorists, authorities are now leaning toward the theory that it was an accident. Whatever the case may be, protesters who marched through the city on Tuesday blamed local militias for letting Benghazi’s security deteriorate to the point that such a tragedy could occur. Read more...
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