It was an emotional day for Australia on Monday when Prime Minister Kevin Rudd publicly apologised to the estimated 500,000 children who were abused in government institutions between the 1930s and 1970s - what he called "The absolute tragedy of childhoods lost". Read more...

Our Observer Alberto Celani alerted us to this PR campaign from Italian hunting association Federcaccia. Not everyone is delighted with the idea - shou

"A Very Important Film": With this intriguing title, the latest clip from the Egyptian Centre for Women's Rights broaches a highly taboo subject in the country - paedophilia. Read more...

These are the works of a young Iranian woman, convicted of murder at the age of 17, who spent her days on death row painting. Christened "The prisoner of colours", Delara Darabi, who protested her innocence after she was sentenced, was hanged in Rasht prison last Friday. This is her story in images...

These photos have been the subject of much debate among Chinese bloggers. It's time, according to them, to get these young shoe shiners back into school. Read more...