18/02/2013 / DJIBOUTI
Tensions rise ahead of historic legislative elections in Djibouti
Djibouti is undergoing a major change. For the first time since the independence of this small east African nation in 1977, the opposition party might be elected to parliament in the legislative elections taking place February 22. To date, the electoral campaign, which started on February 8, has been unfolding calmly. But the political discourse between supporters of the different parties has already soured. Read more...
15/02/2013 / BAHRAIN
The video that stunned Bahrain on its uprising’s anniversary
The second anniversary of Bahrain’s popular uprising was marked by renewed violence, resulting in the death of a 16-year old boy. On this video, filmed right after the teenager’s death, a desperate protester can be seen risking his life to stand up to the police. Read more...
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15/02/2013 / RUSSIA
Videos of Russian meteor explosion – and the damage done
A meteor exploded near the Russian city of Chelyabinsk on Friday morning. Our Observer, who lives there, tells us what he saw. Read more and watch videos...
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14/02/2013 / SOUTH AFRICA
Mandela's university kicks all students off campus after protest
Fort Hare University’s main campus, in Alice, South Africa, is eerily quiet today. That’s because the administration of this renowned college, which counts Nelson Mandela and Robert Mugabe as former students, has sent its entire student body home, following days of protests against sharply rising lodging fees. Read more...
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14/02/2013 / SYRIA
Jihadists behead statue of Syrian poet Abul Ala al-Maari
For more than a year, jihadists from the Al Nusra Front have been attacking statues of Abul Ala al-Maari – a 10th century poet – across the Idlib region of northwestern Syria. A few days ago, this armed group, listed by the United States as a terrorist organisation, carried out an attack on a bust of the philosopher in Maarat al-Nu’man, the town where he was born. Read more...
13/02/2013 / ANGOLA
Video of men humiliating 'women thieves' shocks Angola
A video published last week on social networks shows alleged petty thieves being humiliated and brutalised by a group of men in a supermarket in Luanda, the capital of Angola. Our Observer says this incident illustrates the “lack of respect” toward women in her country. Read more...
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13/02/2013 / IRAN
“Taxi Driver” rap song vents about poverty in Iran
Emad Ghavidel is an up-and-coming rapper whose songs focus on the ills afflicting Iranian society. In his latest hit, “Taxi Driver,” which is making the rounds online, he raps about the daily difficulties faced by the Iranian working class. Read more...
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11/02/2013 / EGYPT
Witness recounts harrowing sexual assault by Tahrir Square mob
The video of a sexual assault in Tahrir Square on January 25 – the day Egyptians commemorated their revolution’s two-year anniversary – caused outrage the world over. That day, our Observer Mostafa Kandil tried to intervene to protect the victim, who was assaulted by a mob of dozens, if not hundreds, of men. Today, he shares his story.
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08/02/2013 / SOMALIA
A guided tour of Laas Gaal's mysterious Neolithic rock art
Somaliland has few tourist attractions, but the rock paintings at the Laas Gaal cave complex are becoming increasingly popular with local and overseas visitors. Since a team of archaeologists stumbled upon the paintings in 2002, a modest but growing number of tourists have come to explore Laas Gaal. Mohamed Amin Jibril, who lives in Somaliland, shares his experience of visiting the caves, home to some of the earliest known rock art in the Horn of Africa. Read more...
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08/02/2013 / RUSSIA
Ad campaign promoting Russian constitution 'censored'
Three public notices featuring quotations from the Russian constitution were put up in the streets of Yekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth largest city, last weekend. The quotations outlined a few basic rights of the country’s citizens. In most places, this act would not be the least bit controversial – but it's a different story in Russia. Read more...
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