Who hasn’t been in a situation where, at first, something may seem innocuous, but the longer you consider it, the more you pause. Broadly speaking, this is how I feel when couture is described as whimsical. Though the term captures the elaborate garments’ fanciful nature, it can suggest that they are not made to be … Read more
After a week of fighting, rebels backed by Rwanda have wrested almost full control over Goma, a city of two million in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Hospitals are overflowing with the wounded, and the city morgue with the dead. Goma’s residents are beginning to emerge from their hiding places, desperately searching for water … Read more
When her three children didn’t have enough to eat, Monica Atieno decided to apply for a job through a new program that was recruiting women to become motorcycle taxi drivers — a profession long dominated by men. At first, she kept her plan a secret from her husband, who was himself a motorcycle taxi driver … Read more
It was the peak moment at one of the holiest gatherings on the Hindu calendar — the Maha Kumbh Mela, a 45-day celebration that brings hundreds of millions of the faithful to bathe in the joined Ganges and Yamuna rivers, washing away their sins. Anticipating record attendance, Indian officials said they were employing new technology … Read more