As the regime of Hosni Mubarak fell, the world witnessed the birth of a democracy. Today, the compelling images streaming in from Tahrir Square have mostly come to an end, but the struggles continue. Early this summer, the reborn nation will host its first presidential elections in 5,000 years. The candidates face a dismal economy, [...]

Photo by Gregory Colbert Enter Gregory’s world and live in harmony with nature. His exhibition “Ashes and Snow” shows the extraordinary connection and interactions between humans and animals. With beauty and grace he sheds light on the wild voices, calling, in each one of us. “In exploring the shared language and poetic sensibilities of all [...]

Photo by Otto L. Bettmann, poster composed by l’agence Bronx 50 years have already passed since Marilyn Monroe left us. For this occasion, the Cannes Festival decided to put the actress in the spotlight on its official poster. This combination between the perfect essence of glamor and the Festival is an ideal of elegance. The [...]

Supporters gather to hear Aung San Suu Kyi at the opening of an office for the National League for Democracy. Last week, at long last, the opposition leader was sworn into office after nearly 25 years of struggles against military dictatorship. Ms Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest for much of that time, today [...]

The largest ever global anti animal testing campaign was launched at the handmade-skincare brand LUSH cosmetics’ Regent Street store window, in London. Collaborating with Humane Society International, they hired performance artist Jacqueline Traides to execute a 10 hour live show of torturous proceedings including force-feedings, liquid injections that are procedures regularly employed by the beauty [...]

Few things give one the perspective that staring into the cosmos can. These star trails were captured with long-exposure on their journey through the night’s sky. Get starry eyed with more images of alien galaxies here. Photograph by Jack Fusco

To have any kind of real understanding of the Arab Awakening, we must look to the role of women and challenge the word “revolution.” In the West, we tend to idolize the struggle for democracy, and rightly so, but that is no excuse to overlook the egregious misogyny pervasive across the Middle East, including institutionalized [...]

Using a discontinued Kodak infared color film called Aerochrome, originally designed for reconnaissance and camouflage detection, Richard Mosse shows the battlefields of the Democratic Republic of Congo under a different color. The film sees normal foliage as magenta or red, showing camouflage as purple or blue. These pictures depicts the integration of rebels from the [...]

Fifty-seven years ago, Rosa Parks, “the first lady of civil rights,” made a stand of peaceful civil disobedience by refusing to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Although we live far from a post-racial society, seeing President Barack Obama in remembrance on that very bus is indeed powerful. Photo courtesy of [...]

North Korean Choir singing at the celebration of the birth centennial of its founder, Kim Il Sung. (David Guttenfelder/Associated Press) Via WSJ

Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Untitled, from the series East of Eden, a Genesis-inspired take on the US economic and political climate. Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner, New York

Liu Bolin “the invisible man,” is a Chinese artist who’s most popular works are from his “Hiding in the City” series, here hidden in a Parisian magazine stand. Via Le Monde.

Soe Than WIN/AFP/Getty Images After two decades of democratic struggle, many of which under house arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi has been elected by the people of Myanmar (Burma) to hold a seat in parliament. As leader of the National League for Democracy, Suu Kyi’s triumph represents a profound shift from military dictatorship towards democracy. [...]

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust takes in orphaned elephants to their Nairobi-based nursery, caring for the creatures until they are no longer milk-dependant around the age of four. “Any wild elephant group is, in essence, one large and highly sensitive organism. Young elephants are raised within a matriarchal family of doting female caregivers, beginning with [...]

A Woman Working at a Brick Factory on International Women’s Day. Source: The Wall Street Journal. Photo by Channi Anand.

Young girls at a Holy Procession wearing the traditional black mantillas. Photo by: Cristina Quicler/AFP/Getty Images Source: WSJ.

Nujood Ali was just 10 years old when she was married off by her father to a man in his 30s. After being subjected to rape and daily beatings, the little girl fled to the Yemeni capital of Sanaa where she wandered into a courthouse and demanded a divorce. According to TIME, 52 percent of [...]

Afghan girls are allowed to work at the first internet cafe that has opened for women. Photo by Mohammad Ismail. For more of his work, click here.

A gorgeously arousing scrapbook of places we all wish we were.  Gratuitous shots of sky and quilts of unbearably green leaves – sunsets and snow-blanketed weary wood homes. You can keep your XXX-sites, this my favorite kind of porn.

Mozambique’s economic growth has been one of the strongest among African nations in the last decade, thanks in large part to the export of metals including aluminum and gold. But the GDP growth is not without human costs. Inhalation of silica dust from gold-bearing rocks, for example, can cause diseases like silicosis, which in turn [...]

According to the United Nations Fund for Children (UNICEF), about 300 000 children in Yemen have been denied an education as a result of last year’s conflict. For the full story, click here. Photo by Khaled Abdullah/Reuters

BLKNS is Eric Mitjans series photos taken during his six week trip through the Balkans. His main focus was on the youth of the countries that are still healing their wounds from the devastating civil war. To see more of the photos, click here.

Six men sitting in the sun and waiting for the ceremony of Independence day to begin. Photo by Eric Mitjans. For more of Eric’s photos, click here.

It has been a year since the earthquake and tsunami hit the north-eastern coast of Japan that left 20,000 people either dead or missing. Photo by Daniel Berehulak. For more of his work, click here.

The Akhdam, a minority in the Arab country, are thought to be descendants of Ethiopian soldiers. They are considered to be at the bottom of the ladder of social hierarchy and are highly discriminated against. Photo by Khaled Abdullah/Reuters

Iran’s parliamentary election at a mosque in southern Tehran. Photo by Raheb Homavandi/Reuters

The Irrawaddy River runs from north to south through Burma and is the most important commercial waterway in Burma. Photo by Soe Zeya Tun

Photo by Desmond Boylan. For more of his photos on Cuba, click here.

These gorgeous time lapse photographs of fireflies at night by Tsuneaki Hiramatsu are so beautifully fantastical it breaks my heart. I would wallpaper the back of my eyelids with these if I could. Summer can’t get here soon enough. {Images by Tsuneaki Hiramatsu, via Anthology Magazine}

Marigolds are used to decorate the garlands used for Hindu rituals. Photo by Channi Anand/AP

Third world countries have been signing major land deals with first world investors. The effect that this has on the local people is fiercely debated. To see more images click here. Photo by Alfredo Bini

Children in Uganda are the ongoing victims of the longest-standing armed conflict in Africa. Led by Josephy Kony, The Lord’s Resistance Army have reigned terror across central Africa for over two decades. The LRA have only maintained their existence through the recruitment of thousands of child soldiers; brainwashing them with a twisted preaching of fanatical [...]

Filmmaker and photographer Jacob Perlmutter, captures his trip to India. For more pictures, click here.

To read more click here. Photo by Sukree Sukplang

Amina is 13 and weaves carpets for a living. To read more click here. Photo by: Jean Chung

“More than four decades after it became law, a little-known federal act safeguards hundreds of primordial waterways.” For more pictures and to read about the story, Boundless: America’s Wild and Scenic Rivers, click here. Photo by Michael Melford

Photo by Thomas P. Peschak. For more of his work, click here.

Photo by Sam Panthaky. Kalamandalam Radhakrishnan prepares for his performance during the 5 day long Soorya festival. To read more about this click here.

Photo courtesy of BBC News Thousands of people rally in Athens as a protest against the Austerity measures being discussed by parliament. To read more click here.

In Remembrance of the revolution that ended China’s last dynasty, Taipei Schoolchildren gathered for the celebration of Taiwan’s national day, Double Ten. Photograph by Jodi Cobb

Chief Raoni has called for support from people around the world to pressure the Brazilian government to respect their rights and protect their lands against armed thugs sent to intimidate them. Read more and support here.

A young girl from Newark, NJ called Whitney Houston grew up to be one of America’s most powerful female R&B singers of the late 20th century. Sadly she left us yesterday, but her legacy will live on forever. To read more about Whitney click here.

Christopher Thomas, a Berlin based photographer renowned for his city portraiture, captures Venice in an unusual way.  Here the city stands alone and, without its usual bustle of people, is left to capture our imaginations. For more on the project, as well as exhibition dates, click here.

Most of the charcoal in Liberia is made by women. They use heavy rubber tree stumps, which they carry on their heads for miles, in this labor heavy process. For more of the story, told through pictures, go here. Photography by Tamsin Ford.

Photography by Chris Crisman. Read about the fast growing power of the photo sharing website, Tumblr, here.

The fourth parliamentary election in six years where women’s liberation takes a step back. Last year there were four women in parliament, this year there are none. Read more here.

Photography by: John Freeman Dead-vlei, an Afrikaans name that translates to “dead-marsh”, is a name given to a clay pan that sits amongst the Namibian sand dunes, famous for its tree skeletons. Read more about the dead-vlei here.

Photography by: Marketa Kalvachova The beautiful, in-foul mares of Southern Iceland. Via National Geographic.

See more images from Chris Saunders on his website and blog.

Photography by: Netease More than 1,100 dogs destined for the slaughterhouse in Chongqing were saved from an ignoble ending by a 40-year old blogger and volunteer at the Chongqing Small Animal Protection Association (CSAPA) surnamed Peng. To read more about this happening click here.