30/04/2013 / CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
No shelter from violence for Bangui street children
Ever since the Seleka rebels took control of the Central African Republic, the country has been plagued by a spiral of violence that has taken street children into its grip. Some have tried in vain to find refuge in already-crowded shelters. Others, following the example set by adults, have joined armed groups and engaged in petty theft. Humanitarian organisations in the country are overwhelmed by this situation. Read more...
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29/04/2013 / LIBYA
Militiamen demand government jobs by taking up arms in Libya
Heavily armed groups of militiamen laid siege to Libya’s foreign ministry on Sunday. Their goal: to denounce the fact that they, who fought during the revolution, have yet to be given public sector jobs, while some officials from the previous regime have kept theirs. Our Observer, who met the militiamen, was quite surprised by their strategy. Read more…
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29/04/2013 / EGYPT
Egyptian women fight for equality with graffiti
In Egypt, street art, which has become incredibly popular since the revolution, is mainly created by men. However, women are now starting to join in, notably via the group “Women on Walls”, which has just launched a nationwide graffiti campaign to educate Egyptians about the difficulties faced by the country’s female population. Read more...
26/04/2013 / SYRIA
The foreign jihadists fighting in Syria – for Assad's regime
Much has been written about foreign jihadists fighting in in Syria, but the focus has been on those fighting with the rebels. However, less has been written about those who have decided to wage war on the regime’s side. Read more...
25/04/2013 / LEBANON
Syrian suspected of espionage beaten and paraded through Tripoli, Lebanon
Beaten, bruised, stripped half-naked and paraded for three kilometres with a rope around his neck: this was the pubic humiliation suffered by a Syrian Alawite in a Sunni neighbourhood of Tripoli, Lebanon, on Monday afternoon. His tormentors accused him of having links to the Syrian regime. Read more...
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24/04/2013 / BURMA
Muslim Burmese refugees stay shut up in camps, fearing more violence
One month after the attacks that targeted its Muslim community, life in the central Burmese city of Meikhtila is still a long way from getting back to normal. Meikhtila’s police presence has been strengthened, and nearly half of the city’s 30,000 Muslim residents are now living in heavily-guarded refugee camps that they don’t dare venture out of. Read more…
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23/04/2013 / LIBYA
Aftermath of the French embassy attack in Libya
A car bomb exploded in front of the French embassy in Tripoli, Libya on Tuesday morning, injuring two guards. Observers on the scene sent us photos and videos taken just moments after the explosives went off. See images...
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23/04/2013 / PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
Gaza police, or fashion police?
After outlawing bicycles and hookahs, Gaza police are now looking to ban men from wearing low-cut jeans and having long hair. For local youths, many of whom already see Gaza as an open-air prison, these new restrictions are the last straw. Read more…
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22/04/2013 / DR CONGO
Displaced villagers rebuild lives deep in Congolese rainforest
For a decade, the Bafwasende territory in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo has suffered from a violent ethnic and tribal conflict that has caused massive population displacement. The former inhabitants of the Opienge and Balobe villages have been trickling back to their abandoned homeland since 2010 and starting over from scratch. Our Observer tells us about how these “returned refugees” are faring. Read more...
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19/04/2013 / UNITED STATES
Therapy dogs bring comfort to Boston victims
The very same therapy dogs that comforted grieving friends and family following December’s Newtown school shootings arrived in Boston earlier this week. With hundreds injured and many undergoing amputations following the marathon bombings, the K-9 Comfort Dogs help provide affection and emotional release. Read more...
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