Cuba, Havana, a old man in a closed factory in Cuba during the mourning of Fidel Castro.

May 30, 2016
Gaza, Palestine

80% of factories in Gaza are out of service because of the ongoing siege imposed on the city by the Israelis.

In December 2013, the Intellectual Property Association of Bangladesh (IPAB) celebrated a major success as Bangladesh's Jamdani Sari weaving tradition, a labor-intensive and time-consuming form of hand loom weaving is recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District.

A sari is the traditional garment worn by women in the Indian subcontinent, made up of a long strip of unstitched cloth, ranging from five to nine yards in length, which can be draped in various styles. The most common style is for the sari to be wrapped around the waist with one end then draped over the shoulders with the other. The Jamdani Sari is among the oldest styles, at more than 5,000 years old! Some people think that the sari was influenced by Greek or Roman toga, which we see on ancient statues. However, there is no solid historical evidence to this effect.

The sari is essentially designed to suit local conditions in the subcontinent. There are at least six varieties of Bengal handlooms, each deriving its name from the village in which it originated, and each with its own distinctive style. Dhaka was especially renowed for saris of fine muslin, a tradtion that carries on today. Jamdani is basically a transformation of the world famous Dhakai Muslin. According to their variety, fineness and patterns the traditional Dhakai Muslins were divided into specific categories. Among them, Aab-E-Rouhan, Shabnam, Sarband and Jamdani muslin were the most famous. Over the years the first three of these have vanished from history.

The production, marketing and export of Jamdani has somehow maintained its continuity. Dhaka has a history of only four hundred years from 1610 A.D., but the history of the cotton clothes of the region reveals more ancient traditions. Although most of the history of Jamdani weaving os lost in the mists of antiquity, it's known that trade in the fabric was established at least 2,000 years ago.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

Portrait of a Bangladeshi weaver of Jamdani Saris in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

Portrait of a Bangladeshi weaver of Jamdani Saris in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A whole saller of Jamdani Saris shows a piece from his collection in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

Jamdani Saris are made from the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A whole saller of Jamdani Saris shows a piece from his collection in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A Bangladeshi weaver designs a Jamdani Sari in the village of Rupganj Thana in the outskirts of Dhaka.

Jamdani is the finest Muslin textile produced in Bangladesh's Dhaka District. This time consuming and labor-intensive form of hand loom weaving has been declared intagible cultural world heritage by UNESCO.

A model shows off a Bangladeshi traditional Jamdani Sari in Dhaka on 13 June 2015 when the Intellectual Property Association of Bangladesh (IPAB) celebrated the Jamdani Sari being recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

A model shows off a Bangladeshi traditional Jamdani Sari in Dhaka on 13 June 2015 when the Intellectual Property Association of Bangladesh (IPAB) celebrated the Jamdani Sari being recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

A model shows off a Bangladeshi traditional Jamdani Sari in Dhaka on 13 June 2015 when the Intellectual Property Association of Bangladesh (IPAB) celebrated the Jamdani Sari being recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

The original currency of Canada, wild fur, is back. Pushed to the shadows for nearly three decades as effective animal welfare movements stigmatized the use of fur for fashion, massive appetite in China has revived the industry. Over the last seven years, Canada has seen a large increase in the foreign demand for both farmed and wild fur pelts. Sales in 2013 exceeded $950 million, a sharp increase. While there is international interest in pelts, economic uncertainty in Russia has resulted in near-total dominance of Chinese buyers at recent auctions. Roughly 90% of wild fur is sold to foreign buyers.

These images trace the movement of fur, from the forest to auction, and then to manufacturing and fashion. There are an estimated 60,000 trappers across Canada who supply pelts to auction. Marten, fisher, mink, coyote, beaver and fox are sold at the world's largest fur auction in Toronto.

At fur stores in Toronto, designers use the material to produce coats worth thousands of dollars. While the number of shops specializing in both design and manufacturing has declined, those still in business can produce items commanding hefty sums. 

While animal rights activists continue to campaign against the use of traps, much of the industry is now heavily regulated by both the federal and provincial governments. Old traps, which often caused animals to struggle, have been phased out, and the majority of trappers now use 'kill traps', which induce death within seconds. While leghold traps are used primarily for larger predators, they are no longer able to pierce the skin of the animal, resulting in reduced suffering. However, not all trappers agree on the use of these traps, highlighting an evolving view on animal treatment within the trapping community. 

There are also concerns that the number of animals being harvested isn't being recorded. While trappers are required to submit numbers each year, the termination of a national Wildlife Pelt Census means the data is often lost in a sea of bureaucracy. 

Tamanna, age of 11, works in a rice processing factory and earns 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day.

Child workers in rice processing factories work with their mothers as a helping hand.By working from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on a daily basis, child workers earn 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day. Most of them aged are 8 to 11.Full-time work frequently prevents children from attending school.

According to the Labour Laws of Bangladesh, the minimum legal age for employment is 14. UNICEF estimates that around 150 million children aged 5-14 in developing countries are involved in child labour.

Mili, age 10, works in a rice processing factory and earns 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day.

Child workers in rice processing factories work with their mothers as a helping hand.By working from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on a daily basis, child workers earn 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day. Most of them aged are 8 to 11.Full-time work frequently prevents children from attending school.

According to the Labour Laws of Bangladesh, the minimum legal age for employment is 14. UNICEF estimates that around 150 million children aged 5-14 in developing countries are involved in child labour.

Zhumu, age 11, works in a rice processing factory and earns 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day.

Child workers in rice processing factories work with their mothers as a helping hand.By working from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on a daily basis, child workers earn 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day. Most of them aged are 8 to 11.Full-time work frequently prevents children from attending school.

According to the Labour Laws of Bangladesh, the minimum legal age for employment is 14. UNICEF estimates that around 150 million children aged 5-14 in developing countries are involved in child labour.

Tareq, age 11, works in a rice processing factory and earns 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day.

Child workers in rice processing factories work with their mothers as a helping hand.By working from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on a daily basis, child workers earn 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day. Most of them aged are 8 to 11.Full-time work frequently prevents children from attending school.

According to the Labour Laws of Bangladesh, the minimum legal age for employment is 14. UNICEF estimates that around 150 million children aged 5-14 in developing countries are involved in child labour.

Bilqis, age 9, works in a rice processing factory and earns 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day.

Child workers in rice processing factories work with their mothers as a helping hand.By working from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on a daily basis, child workers earn 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day. Most of them aged are 8 to 11.Full-time work frequently prevents children from attending school.

According to the Labour Laws of Bangladesh, the minimum legal age for employment is 14. UNICEF estimates that around 150 million children aged 5-14 in developing countries are involved in child labour.

Runa, age 9, works in a rice processing factory and earns 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day.

Child workers in rice processing factories work with their mothers as a helping hand.By working from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on a daily basis, child workers earn 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day. Most of them aged are 8 to 11.Full-time work frequently prevents children from attending school.

According to the Labour Laws of Bangladesh, the minimum legal age for employment is 14. UNICEF estimates that around 150 million children aged 5-14 in developing countries are involved in child labour.

Mili, age 10, works in a rice processing factory and earns 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day.

Child workers in rice processing factories work with their mothers as a helping hand.By working from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on a daily basis, child workers earn 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day. Most of them aged are 8 to 11.Full-time work frequently prevents children from attending school.

According to the Labour Laws of Bangladesh, the minimum legal age for employment is 14. UNICEF estimates that around 150 million children aged 5-14 in developing countries are involved in child labour.

Kabita, age of 11, works in a rice processing factory and earns 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day.

Child workers in rice processing factories work with their mothers as a helping hand.By working from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on a daily basis, child workers earn 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day. Most of them aged are 8 to 11.Full-time work frequently prevents children from attending school.

According to the Labour Laws of Bangladesh, the minimum legal age for employment is 14. UNICEF estimates that around 150 million children aged 5-14 in developing countries are involved in child labour.

Tania, age 10, works in a rice processing factory and earns 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day.

Child workers in rice processing factories work with their mothers as a helping hand.By working from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on a daily basis, child workers earn 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day. Most of them aged are 8 to 11.Full-time work frequently prevents children from attending school.

According to the Labour Laws of Bangladesh, the minimum legal age for employment is 14. UNICEF estimates that around 150 million children aged 5-14 in developing countries are involved in child labour.

Sheuli, age o8, works in a rice processing factory and earns 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day.

Child workers in rice processing factories work with their mothers as a helping hand.By working from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on a daily basis, child workers earn 50 taka ($0.65 USD) per day. Most of them aged are 8 to 11.Full-time work frequently prevents children from attending school.

According to the Labour Laws of Bangladesh, the minimum legal age for employment is 14. UNICEF estimates that around 150 million children aged 5-14 in developing countries are involved in child labour.

A female worker in the metro in Hamhung's fertiliser factory, one of the two fertiliser factories in North Korea.

Hamhung Fertilizer Factory including propaganda posters. Pyongyang, North Korea.