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  • Seen from a high viewpoint, we overlook loading of roll cages at the Sainsbury's 700,000 sq ft (57,500sq m) supermarket warehouse and distribution depot at Waltham Point London England. This is the largest of 10 distribution centres using an automated ordering system for receiving food direct from suppliers by truck through 170 dock doors. Long-distance vehicles depart every two minutes, 24 hours a day, 364 days a year to 80 UK stores and handling 2.5m supermarket cases a week. The temperature is just above freezing point in a series of chill, ambient and frozen chambers. Real-time ordering means that stores can obtain requested stock within hours. Food orders are conveyed (at 2 meters a second) with sorter systems that group products together, ordering them to favour the layout of specific stores, optimising how the shelves are stacked.
    sainsburys_depot054-09-05-2007.jpg
  • Below the flooring of economy class, a cargo handler manhandles a container of air freight into position in the hold of a Sri Lankan Airlines Airbus A340 that is about to depart from Male, the capital of the Republic of the Maldives  to Colombo. Inside the aluminium box is fresh tuna fish, freshly caught in the Indian Ocean and bound for the supermarkets of the EU and in particular, the UK whose insatiable appetite for fresh, perishable and sustainable foodstuffs make this fast and efficient form of transport important to speedy delivery. Every square inch is accounted for but as well as passengers' baggage, the cramped spaces beneath this modern airliner store loaded revenue-rich cargo though specially-pressurised and heated compartments accommodate live animals.
    maldives436-15-11-2007.jpg
  • One a hot November night, a Sri Lankan Airlines A340-300 series Airbus - registration number 4R-ADE - is bathed in high-intensity floodlights on the apron at Malé international airport in the Republic of the Maldives. Surrounded by passenger steps, servicing vehicles for catering and the loading of baggage and air freight in the below-floor holds, the aircraft is readied for its next flight to Colombo, another journey for this aircraft as it travels across the world's air routes.
    maldives434-15-11-2007.jpg
  • As winter fog lifts, the waters of the River Thames clear to reveal an eerie landscape of industrial river life and architecture at Gravesend, Kent England. It is late-morning and in the hazy distance on the northern river bank, steam clouds near the double twin chimneys of npower's 1400MW coal fired Tilbury power station (powering 1.4 million homes using ‘biomass’ fuels and low-sulphur coal) which rise above the passing ghostly bulk of a cargo freighter on its last miles of its voyage from open sea into the Thames Estuary and on to Tilbury Docks. Historically, the Thames has long been a route for shipping that kept the capital supplied and although the docks have seen huge decreases in traffic and volume since the second world war, Tilbury remains a busy hub for containerized vessels arrivng from all over the world.
    river_business320-11-02-2008 .jpg
  • Following UK commercial driving law, a lorry driver relaxes by reading in a window at the M40 motorway services in Warwickshire, England. Leaning back while engrossed in his book, the man is sitting in sunlight on this summer's day. Outside is a poster advertising the premium ice cream brand, Magnum. A girl is shown also lounging about enjoying a Magnum on a beautiful sun-kissed beach, with the sun reflecting on a calm sea. We see Magnum's web site and their products of Classic and White chocolate snacks in their wrappers. The man is oblivious to the nature of the ad but it lends a sense of paradise versus reality, between the fantasy of youth, natural beauty and the reality of an older working man on the road.
    truck_stop4-30-07-2007_1_1.jpg
  • Commuters to-and-fro in the heat of a city summer during a 3-day underground tube strike in September 2007. This is Victoria mainline station during a summer heatwave. It's a transport hub for tube lines, buses and overground train routes and we see masses of pedestrians and buses reflected in the glass of a bush shelter window. As a result of the industrial action, the buses are full so the quickest way of reaching one's destination is to walk. An official points out directions, someone shields his eyes from the sun, a lady walks with her hands in pockets, the 239 bus to Victoria approaches and sightseeing tours sign advertises tickets. People are seen in differing scales and sizes.
    tube_strike_commuters10-04-09-2007_1...jpg
  • An Evening Standard newspaper headline announces the fury of London commuters' at a 3-day underground tube strike in September 2007. This is Victoria mainline station during a summer heatwave. It's a transport hub for tube lines, buses and overground train routes and we also see a stressed and exasperated-looking commuter walking past this kiosk with a Starbucks coffee container in hand, needing to get into work rather than take public transport. As a result of the industrial action, the busses are full so the quickest way of reaching one's destination is to walk.
    tube_strike_commuters02-04-09-2007_1...jpg
  • Striding urgently are a group of rail commuters emerging from London Bridge main line station in central London along a station concourse. Marching in step, the strangers are on their way to work in the City of London or Southwark on the south bank of the Thames. They are all passing-by a mobile smoothie drink kiosk that has the slogan "Guaranteed to keep you going till lunch." London Bridge station is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail and is a major transport terminus and interchange for central London and serves over 42 million people a year. The tube station serves the Jubilee Line and the Bank branch of the Northern Line.
    london_bridge_commuters051-12-09-200...jpg
  • Commuters walk about in all directions in the heat of summer in the city during a 3-day underground tube strike in September 2007. As a result of the industrial action, the buses are full so the quickest way of reaching one's destination is to walk. People near Victoria Station, a transport hub for tube lines, buses and overground train routes so we see businessmen in dark suits during the heatwave, women striding along towards their transport home and we look up at them from a low-angle in the street. One man seems to pause from indecision while others are more confident about their fate and direction in life.
    tube_strike_commuters18-04-09-2007_1...jpg
  • A  Hapag-Lloyd container cargo ship navigates past two fishermen on the southern shores of the River Thames at Gravesend, Kent England. Pausing from their fishing, the two men lean over the sea defence wall to watch the traffic to-and-fro as one giant vessel after another departs from Tilbury Docks towards open sea. The Thames has historically long been a route for shipping that kept the capital supplied and although the docks have seen huge decreases in traffic and volume since the second world war, Tilbury remains a busy hub for containerized vessels arrivng from all over the world. There are 133 Hapag-Lloyd containerships with a capacity of around 499.000 TEU (Twenty foot containers), Container capacity exceeds 1,1 million (TEU) containers.
    river_business353-11-02-2008 .jpg
  • The Hamburg-registered Mol Caledon ship passes the giant dredging machinery at npower's Tilbury power station on the  River Thames northern shore, Essex England. Having just departed from Tilbury Docks with the evening sun glinting off the stern's reflective surfaces, stacks of tall containers are heaped high but evenly spread for stability along the massive vessel. They head out towards open sea, navigating through deeper water channels that naturally get shallower as silt chokes the waterways. Historically, the Thames has long been a route for shipping that kept the capital supplied and although the docks have seen huge decreases in traffic and volume since the second world war, Tilbury remains a busy hub for containerized vessels arrivng from all over the world.
    thames_ships172-26-06-2007_1_1.jpg
  • Time is money. All that is left on the prisoners notice board. Prisoners use toothpaste to stick items to the notice board as bluetack or pins are not allowed. Young Offenders Institution, Ayelsbury, United Kingdom.
    09-aylesbury-3902.jpg
  • Rohullah  Nikpay,21, Bronze medal winner,  photographed at his gym.  Rohullah is from a typically poor Afghan  background, A  Hazara, one of the most marginalized tribes in his country. He spent several years in a refugee camp before emigrating to Iran during the Taliban years. When he returned  Taekwondo   became an important  part of his life, supporting himself only  with  help from his family and a  menial job. It was, then, a hugely emotional experience, for him to return to Kabul after his success in  Beijing to find crowds of cheering Afghans. Apart from meeting with the president the first thing he did was hire him self  a body guard: any -body in Afghanistan with money is a target for kidnapping. Now the target  for Rohullah is   2012 in London . He trains every night with the Afghan team for two hours every night and 3-4 times a day when a competition is due.  His responsibility is much more now he has reputation to defend.
    CB7V3215_1.jpg
  • Hassina Syed,  business woman, with her two daughters Sana (age 3)and Hirah(2), photographed at her home and business the Gandamack Lodge Hotel.  She also rents armoured cars, runs a farming business, a travel agency and a bedding shop. She is married to Peter Jouvenal an ex soldier, journalist and westerner who has lived in Afghanistan for twenty years.<br />
<br />
She experienced first hand, how terrifying the Taliban could be. She says: <br />
<br />
‘I opened up the Chadri (mesh front of the burkha) to see a tea-cup and suddenly from the back, a Taliban soldier came with a big stick, shouting at me. If you get beaten by a Taliban, you could die. <br />
“I made myself look as old and bad as possible because if  they ( the Taliban) saw you looking even a bit beautiful, they could come to your house and take you as one of their wives”<br />
<br />
“For me having money is dangerous, kidnapping is a big problem. A friend’s uncle was kidnapped; they wanted $150 000, He was so mad he said, ‘I am not paying that he is an old man!’  Eventually they dropped the price and said OK, just cover our fuel and the bribe for the police (30 000 dollars)."
    afghan23_646_1.jpg
  • Mohamad Aris,  pictured holding a biscuit icing glazer fashioned out of newspaper, is <br />
a cookie maker working  13-14 hours a day,  he is married with one child: <br />
<br />
“Kabul is getting worse , I want peace and security from the Elections but I am not confident this can happen. For now I think only of making money for my family. I live for today, I cannot think further ahead than two hours"
    afghan26_10_079_1.jpg
  • A female runner checking her time on Birdcage Walk during The Virgin London Marathon on 28th April 2019 in London in the United Kingdom. Now in it’s 39th year, the London Marathon is a large sporting event with over 40,000 runners expected to take part.
    LDNMarathon2019-0727.jpg
  • H&T pawnbrokers shop front on a high street in Hackney, London, United Kingdom.  A pawnbroker is an individual or business that offers secured loans to people, with items of personal property used as collateral.  If an item is pawned for a loan, within a certain contractual period of time the pawner may redeem it for the amount of the loan plus some agreed-upon amount for interest. The amount of time, and rate of interest, is governed by law or by the pawnbroker's policies.  Increasing numbers of people in Britain are using pawnbrokers to survive financial crises.
    UK-Pawnbrokers-0231.jpg
  • Qudsia Zohab, member of the Ethnography Department at the Afghan National Museum is single and a student studying literature at Kabul University. In the background is Shirazeden Saifi, Director of Restoration. <br />
<br />
Qudsia says: “The Taliban time was the black period of Afghanistan. It was a jail. I remember the burkha, it was heavy and suffocating. You can only see straight ahead and wearing it made you feel ashamed. One of our relatives didn’t wear the burkha, she was consequently beaten so badly (by the Taliban) that two days later she died - a young woman of only thirty-two. Many women wear burkhas because they are still under the control of their husbands but some because they don’t have to think about what clothes or make-up to wear!
    afghan26_10_094_1.jpg
  • Mr Massoudi,  Director of the  National Museum of Afghanistan pictured next to a statue recently restored after the Taliban smashed it to pieces. Overall the Taliban smashed 2000 museum exhibits and more famously two colossal Buddhas in Bamiyan ‘because they were "false idols" contrary to Islam.  Mr Massouudi with the help of the international community has rebuilt and reopened his museum and is now seeking to recover and restore the many artifacts either looted in the civil war or smashed by the Taliban:<br />
"They took the decision that artefacts such as statues, or anything representing the human figure, was against Sharia Islam . Looking at statues as part of history, is not the same as worshiping them. It was an extremely sad time not just for me, but all museum staff , cultural and educated people in Afghanistan. They destroyed around 2000 artefacts.”
    afghan26_10_084_1.jpg
  • The towers of Canary Wharf on the Isle of Dogs in early winter morning darkness. The cranes are from a time when the Docklands were used as a port of entry to London. Now, a major part of London's financial district is based in the Canary Wharf on the peninsula. West India Docks.
    IMG_6282_1.jpg
  • The towers of Canary Wharf on the Isle of Dogs in early winter morning darkness. The cranes are from a time when the Docklands were used as a port of entry to London. Now, a major part of London's financial district is based in the Canary Wharf on the peninsula. West India Docks.
    IMG_6280_1.jpg
  • The towers of Canary Wharf on the Isle of Dogs in early winter morning darkness. The cranes are from a time when the Docklands were used as a port of entry to London. Now, a major part of London's financial district is based in the Canary Wharf on the peninsula. West India Docks.
    IMG_6279_1.jpg
  • The day after its catastrophic blaze, firefighters continue to assess fire damage from their ladders, to the Queens official residence at Windsor Castle, on 20th November 1992, in London, England. The most northerly corner of this old building that caught fire in a private chapel on the first floor of the north-east wing. Spreading quickly, damaging St Georges Hall, which is often used for banquets. In all, one hundred rooms were damaged in the fire and intense public debate was sparked about whether the taxpayer should foot the repair bill, as the castle is owned by the British Government and not the Royal Family. But the Queen agreed to meet 70% of the costs, and opened Buckingham Palace to the public to generate extra funds. The £40m restoration took five years. Windsor is the largest inhabited castle in the world and partly dates to the time of the Norman King William the Conquerer.
    windsor_fire-20-11-1992.jpg
  • Hallid, a fish monger, has been helping out with the family business since he was  fourteen. The fish come from rivers in the north of Kabul. It is a good business making as much as sixty dollars a day. He bakes on site for his customers -  mainly wedding guests who offer fish as a traditional present. Sometimes as much as fifteen or twenty kilos of fish are brought for the bride’s family. It is then distributed to the family guests.
    afghan29_10_112_1.jpg
  • Boy Mohammed works the streets with Spand ( the can and seeds he is holding are burnt and waved into the car for good luck) he spends some of the time at Ashiana  a charity that works with  vulnerable children.<br />
<br />
“I must support my family I am the oldest, my father works but he cannot earn enough on his own I  earn up to a dollar a day. I don’t like working on the streets; I worry about the suicide bombers, kidnappers, gangsters and traffic. Recently a friend was selling gum and got knocked over by a car, it did not even stop.”
    afghan29_10_111_1.jpg
  • Qudriya Yazdan Parast is an elected MP in the Afghan Parliament. She is photographed at home with friends who prefer not to be identified for fear of offending their families. Qudriya is committed to advancing women’s rights. As such, her life is constantly in danger and she and her family have been attacked several times.  <br />
<br />
She says, “There are still many problems. I know someone, a  candidate running  for Parliament who gave away two of his daughters as part of his campaign. Fortunately, he didn’t win!"<br />
<br />
In Afghanistan, there are no love marriages but I help couples to be together.  I once helped a girl and a boy who had fallen in love at university. They had to see each other secretly because her father did not approve. Eventually though, I gained the father’s trust and because of my standing he listened.  They have been married now for more than a year and have a son.
    afghan21_646_1.jpg
  • Brass marching band leading the Knights of Hermes Ladies Day getting ready for Mardi Gras on 21st February 2020 in the French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Mardi Gras is the biggest celebration the city of New Orleans hosts every year. The magnificent, costumed, beaded and feathered party is laced with tradition and  having a good time. Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and culminate on Fat Tuesday the day before Ash Wednesday and Lent.
    _E6A3218.jpg
  • The Knights of Hermes Ladies Day getting ready for Mardi Gras on 21st February 2020 in the French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Mardi Gras is the biggest celebration the city of New Orleans hosts every year. The magnificent, costumed, beaded and feathered party is laced with tradition and  having a good time. Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and culminate on Fat Tuesday the day before Ash Wednesday and Lent.
    _E6A3257.jpg
  • The Knights of Hermes Ladies Day getting ready for Mardi Gras on 21st February 2020 in the French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Mardi Gras is the biggest celebration the city of New Orleans hosts every year. The magnificent, costumed, beaded and feathered party is laced with tradition and  having a good time. Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and culminate on Fat Tuesday the day before Ash Wednesday and Lent.
    _E6A3122.jpg
  • Statue of the winged messenger leads the parade for the Knights of Hermes Ladies Dayon Mardi Gras on 21st February 2020 in the French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Mardi Gras is the biggest celebration the city of New Orleans hosts every year. The magnificent, costumed, beaded and feathered party is laced with tradition and  having a good time. Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and culminate on Fat Tuesday the day before Ash Wednesday and Lent.
    _E6A3198.jpg
  • Flames lick the roof of the Queen's private and state apartments in Windsor Castle as smoke darkens further the night sky. We see the most northerly corner of this old building that caught fire in a private chapel on the first floor of the north-east wing. Sprading quickly, damaging St George's Hall, which is often used for banquets. Windsor is the largest inabited castle in the world and partly dates to the time of the Norman King William the Conquerer. In all, one hundred rooms were damaged in the fire and intense public debate was sparked about whether the taxpayer should foot the repair bill, as the castle is owned by the British Government and not the Royal Family. But the Queen agreed to meet 70% of the costs, and opened Buckingham Palace to the public to generate extra funds. The £40m restoration took five years
    windor_fire01_1_1.jpg
  • Young Orthodox Jewish boys in fancy dress collecting for their school (Yeshiva) wait in anticipation of the amount they will receive during a visit to the house of Mr Glick, a well off man of the area. Purim is one of the most entertaining Jewish holidays.  It commemorates the time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination from a massacre by Haman. Due to the courage of a young Jewish woman called Esther. It is customary to hold carnival-like celebrations on Purim, and for groups of men to go round on the back of lorries and in open top buses visiting local wealthy men, collecting for their charity. It is stated that the men should drink so much alcohol that they don’t know the difference between right and wrong.
    04-purim_5733.jpg
  • The Knights of Hermes Ladies Day getting ready for Mardi Gras on 21st February 2020 in the French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Mardi Gras is the biggest celebration the city of New Orleans hosts every year. The magnificent, costumed, beaded and feathered party is laced with tradition and  having a good time. Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and culminate on Fat Tuesday the day before Ash Wednesday and Lent.
    _E6A3191.jpg
  • Virgin boss, Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic directors Will Whitehorn and Stephen Attenborough, talk to the media during the unveiling of their SpaceShipTwo concept model's unveiling at the New York Wired NextFest at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.  Now under construction by Burt Rutan in Mojave, California and looking more like a Stanley Kubrick movie set from '2001 A Space Odyssey,' than the future for everyday holidays, SpaceShipTwo is a re-usable orbiting vehicle that will become an important tool for Man's leisure time in space when affordable commercial space tourism starts in around 2009.  <br />
Aboard the re-usable space vehicle will be 6 passengers, each of whom will have paid $200,000 for the 40 minute flight to 360,000 feet (109.73km, or 68.18 miles) and to experience just 6 minutes of weighlessness.<br />
Launched in September 2004 by Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic will invest up to $250 million to develop the world’s first commercial space tourism business with the building, testing and flying of five space shipShipTwos and two mother ships.  It is expected that within the first full year of commercial operations Virgin Galactic will enable 500 people to fulfil their dreams of becoming astronauts; in the last 4 decades the world has seen fewer than 500 astronauts. Flights start around 2009.<br />
28/09/2006
    baker_virgin11_1.jpg
  • The Knights of Hermes Ladies Day getting ready for Mardi Gras on 21st February 2020 in the French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Mardi Gras is the biggest celebration the city of New Orleans hosts every year. The magnificent, costumed, beaded and feathered party is laced with tradition and  having a good time. Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and culminate on Fat Tuesday the day before Ash Wednesday and Lent.
    _E6A3251.jpg
  • The Knights of Hermes Ladies Day getting ready for Mardi Gras on 21st February 2020 in the French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Mardi Gras is the biggest celebration the city of New Orleans hosts every year. The magnificent, costumed, beaded and feathered party is laced with tradition and  having a good time. Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and culminate on Fat Tuesday the day before Ash Wednesday and Lent.
    _E6A3244.jpg
  • The Knights of Hermes Ladies Day getting ready for Mardi Gras on 21st February 2020 in the French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Mardi Gras is the biggest celebration the city of New Orleans hosts every year. The magnificent, costumed, beaded and feathered party is laced with tradition and  having a good time. Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and culminate on Fat Tuesday the day before Ash Wednesday and Lent.
    _E6A3083.jpg
  • The back of  famous greying-blonde head belonging to Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Galactic is seen during SpaceShipTwo's replica model unveiling at the New York Wired NextFest at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Galactic. Under construction by Burt Rutan in Mojave, California and looking more like '2001 A Space Odyssey,' than future everyday holidays, SpaceShipTwo is a re-usable orbiting vehicle that will become an important tool for Man's leisure time in space when affordable commercial space tourism starting in 2009/10. Aboard the space vehicle will be 6 passengers, each paying $200,000 for the 40 minute flight to 360,000 feet (109.73km, or 68.18 miles) and to experience 6 minutes of weighlessness.
    baker_virgin15_1.jpg
  • Kiss Bail Bonds Las Vegas for expedited get out of jail. Always caring for our clients one bail release at a time. Free ride home. Bail is cash, a bond, or property that an arrested person gives to a court to ensure that he or she will appear in court when ordered to do so. If the defendant doesn't show up, the court may keep the bail and issue a warrant for the defendant's arrest.
    _F3A1397_1.jpg
  • Humayan Beria works at Arianna TV Studios, as a comedian, writer and producer.He is the star behind some of Afghanistan’s biggest comedy shows. Fahim Sadozi, Head of Programming says, “There was no TV in Taliban times, but eighty per cent of the country now watches television”. <br />
Arianna are also working on an Afghan version of ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire’.. Contestants win 1 million (Afghani equivalent to 20,000 US dollars). There are also Afghan versions of Oprah, Dragons Den and Pop Idol.
    afghan31_10_121_1.jpg
  • This is Kaka Khalil with his daughter Adiba who is 2 years old and other family members. He has 7 children up to the age of 13, including a new born baby who is only ten days old. He lives with his three brothers. His father lived in this house and his grandfather before him. His father was tailor for king Zahir Shah. Kaka Khalil acts as a community representative and is often required to liaise between the community and Turquoise Mountain. The residents of Murad khane  are enjoying improved conditions thanks to the  charity . Turquoise Mountain  is a charity set up by Rory Stewart. He was asked personally by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy.
    afghan21_10_040_1.jpg
  • Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson and former Apollo (11) astronaut Buzz Aldrin chat after Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo's unveiling at the New York Wired NextFest at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Under construction by Burt Rutan in Mojave, California and looking more like '2001 A Space Odyssey,' than future everyday holidays, SpaceShipTwo is a re-usable orbiting vehicle that will become an important tool for Man's leisure time in space when affordable commercial space tourism starting in 2009/10. Aboard the space vehicle will be 6 passengers, each paying $200,000 for the 40 minute flight to 360,000 feet (109.73km, or 68.18 miles) and to experience 6 minutes of weighlessness.
    baker_virgin14_1.jpg
  • A replica model of the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo during its unveiling Wired NextFest at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, NYC. Under construction by Burt Rutan in Mojave, California and looking more like a Stanley Kubrick movie set from '2001 A Space Odyssey,' than the future for everyday holidays, SpaceShipTwo is a re-usable orbiting vehicle that will become an important tool for Man's leisure time in space when affordable commercial space tourism starts in around 2009. Aboard the re-usable space vehicle will be 6 passengers, each of whom will have paid $200,000 for the 40 minute flight to 360,000 feet (109.73km, or 68.18 miles) and to experience just 6 minutes of weighlessness. From these circular portholes, astronauts will be able to see 1,000 miles having taken off from the new Spaceport America, New Mexico.
    baker_virgin09_1.jpg
  • A street beggar has been noticed by a young Italian boy who points out the poor kneeling body to his parent. A stick lies on the ground with a paper cup to collect any spare change offered and a cash customer stands entering his pin number into the automated bank dispenser, his back to the underclass of society. This has become normal for what has become the modern face of Italian society in this once-grand medieval city. The city lies on the River Arno and is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture. A centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of the time, Florence has been called the Athens of the Middle Ages.
    florence_italy171-24-10-2010_1.jpg
  • Obaidullah and Rohollah (guards) at Turquoise Mountain Headquarters<br />
<br />
They are both from the Panjshir. Obaidullah is 28 and has been working for security companies for four years. Rohollah is 43 and spent his earlier years as a Mojahid fighting the Russians.<br />
<br />
The residents of Murad Khane  are enjoying improved conditions thanks to charity Turquoise Mountain. Turquoise Mountain  is a charity set up by Rory Stewart. He was asked personally by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy.
    afghan21_10_052_1.jpg
  • Mustafa, aged 19 (although he is unsure of exact age) is a labourer on the Turquoise Mountain project rebuilding the old town centre, Murad khane. He is single and lives with his parents. The monkey is called Shadi. <br />
<br />
 “Before Turquoise Mountain came here it was very bad. Everywhere smelt, it was full of rubbish and the sewage – people just threw it out in front of their houses - Before I was just polishing shoes, now I get $5 dollars a day.”<br />
<br />
 The charity was set up by Rory Stewart. He was asked personally by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy.
    afghan21_10_042_1.jpg
  • Fatima, age nine, daughter of Nemat Khalil  poses briefly for this picture in Murad Khane as she is late for class at the local primary where she is in third grade. The school was recently built with the support of Turquoise Mountain.  It is rare to see such a confident smile on an Afghan child and a sign that maybe the work the charity is doing is having very good effects in the local community.<br />
<br />
Murad Khane, the ancient centre of Kabul is undergoing a massive regeneration thanks to the Turquoise Mountain Foundation. The foundation was set up by Steward Rory Stewart, the man who’s life has inspired a Hollywood biopic starring Orlando Bloom. He walked across Afghanistan with his dog, governed a province in  Iraq , tutored Prince William and Harry and was asked personally by Prince Charles to undertake the project of regenerating the heart of the old city centre. Two years later, the project has galvanized the local community who have all been offered work. The organization has cleared some 20,000 tons of rotting garbage from the streets, built a primary school, a clinic and restored several of the finest courtyard homes to near-mint condition. With an eye for capacity building Stewart has also developed a school for traditional crafts,
    afghan21_10_037_1.jpg
  • Ahmad Shah, carpenter, has been working at Turquoise mountain for a year and a half, and is paid Sixty dollars a day ( which relative to the average is considered a very good wage). He is widowed and has two grown up children who are also carpenters. Before TM he worked for another company making tables and chairs. The residents of Murad khane  are enjoying improved conditions thanks to the charity . Turquoise Mountain  was set up by Rory Stewart. He was asked personally by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy.
    afghan20_10_068_1.jpg
  • This is Karim Khan. He is 45 years old and comes from Paktia province. He is a specialist well digger. In this picture he is digging a 25m well in the courtyard of the Seyyid Hashim Serai, one of Kabul’s last remaining traditional merchant’s houses. The residents of Murad khane  are enjoying improved conditions thanks to charity Turquoise Mountain. Turquoise Mountain was set up by Rory Stewart. He was asked personally by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy.
    afghan15_646_1.jpg
  • Manager owner Shareef Mohamed (at window) photographed with his waiters Noor <br />
19, Mohamed Moneer, 27 and  Mohamed  Agha at the Aryana Wedding hall. <br />
The wedding business is very big and Afghans can pay huge sums $20 000 for a middle class wedding  is normal. Bear in mind that a Moderate guest lists can top 600 people; the biggest exceeds 2,000. Included in the prices is the dowry or ‘bride price’. Even a poor laborers on 350 a year could be expected to pay $2000 and grooms are left with crushing debt. Tradition and societal pressure leave them with no alternative but to have expensive weddings in spite of their poverty. Marriage is arguably the most important rite of passage for a young Afghan man, and the luxuriousness of the ceremony reaffirms his family's status.  Since the Taliban were ousted in 2001, the Afghan wedding industry has rebounded and is now bigger than ever. The growth is reflected in the proliferation of wedding halls, The number in Kabul alone has risen to more than 80 today from 4 in 2001.
    afghan_011_1.jpg
  • Hamidullah 30, apprentice tyre salesman. Hameed works in the wheel shop on Parwan 3 (street name) as an apprentice. He returned a month ago from Pakistan, after fifteen years absence. He is paid 28$ dollars a week: "I came back to Kabul because the work situation is better," he says. "My family left during the civil war, but this is our county, which is why we returned from Pakistan. The economy is better here, I can live with my family,  I am happy to be back here, I am not afraid of the Taliban, I am afraid of God."
    afghan_08_1.jpg
  • Police officers on duty including  Islamiedin second Lieutenant and Abdullah second Lieutenant. They are not permitted to talk to the press. <br />
<br />
One of the main problems for the police force, is overcoming corruption. Just before this photograph was taken a man pulled over and handed six rolls of toilet paper to the commander. The police hadn’t been paid for two months, so from the very smallest amounts to much larger sums, corruption is a way of getting by.<br />
<br />
 Experienced fixer, Zia Haidary elaborates: “If he had not been paid for two months, why is he still doing his job? He was fooling around, doing nothing then stopping people and cashing in on the bribes. My neighbour was arrested, he is a drug dealer. The police found 6kg of heroin and an AK47 in his house. The next day he is out of police custody -  How? It is corrupt.  The police here are uneducated boys who cannot find work. If you ask them to write their name, they can’t do it –they’re just really good at shooting.”
    afghan_04_1.jpg
  • Police officers on duty including Commander Salah Mohamed, Islamiedin second Lieutenant and Abdullah second Lieutenant. They are not permitted to talk to the press. <br />
<br />
One of the main problems for the police force, is overcoming corruption. Just before this photograph was taken a man pulled over and handed six rolls of toilet paper to the commander. The police hadn’t been paid for two months, so from the very smallest amounts to much larger sums, corruption is a way of getting by.<br />
<br />
Experienced fixer, Zia Haidary elaborates: “If he had not been paid for two months, why is he still doing his job? He was fooling around, doing nothing then stopping people and cashing in on the bribes. My neighbour was arrested, he is a drug dealer. The police found 6kg of heroin and an AK47 in his house. The next day he is out of police custody -  How? It is corrupt.  The police here are uneducated boys who cannot find work. If you ask them to write their name, they can’t do it –they’re just really good at shooting.”
    afghan_03_1.jpg
  • Manager owner Shareef Mohamed. <br />
The wedding business is very big and Afghans can pay huge sums $20 000 for a middle class wedding  is normal. Bear in mind that a Moderate guest lists can top 600 people; the biggest exceeds 2,000. Included in the prices is the dowry or ‘bride price’. Even a poor laborers on 350 a year could be expected to pay $2000 and grooms are left with crushing debt. Tradition and societal pressure leave them with no alternative but to have expensive weddings in spite of their poverty. Marriage is arguably the most important rite of passage for a young Afghan man, and the luxuriousness of the ceremony reaffirms his family's status.  Since the Taliban were ousted in 2001, the Afghan wedding industry has rebounded and is now bigger than ever. The growth is reflected in the proliferation of wedding halls, The number in Kabul alone has risen to more than 80 today from 4 in 2001.
    afghan_02_1.jpg
  • A computer-generated astronaut lies down on board a space flight on Virgin Galactic's  SpaceShipTwo's,  unveiled as a replica model during Wired NextFest at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York. Under construction by Burt Rutan in Mojave, California and looking more like '2001 A Space Odyssey,' than future everyday holidays, SpaceShipTwo is a re-usable orbiting vehicle that will become an important tool for Man's leisure time in space when affordable commercial space tourism starting in 2009/10. Aboard the space vehicle will be 6 passengers, each paying $200,000 for the 40 minute flight to 360,000 feet (109.73km, or 68.18 miles) and to experience 6 minutes of weighlessness. From these circular portholes, astronauts will see 1,000 miles having taken off from the new Spaceport America, New Mexico.
    baker_virgin12_1.jpg
  • Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson sits in the replica model of the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo during its unveiling of at the New York Wired NextFest at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Under construction by Burt Rutan in Mojave, California and looking more like a Stanley Kubrick movie set from '2001 A Space Odyssey,' than the future for everyday holidays, SpaceShipTwo is a re-usable orbiting vehicle that will become an important tool for Man's leisure time in space when affordable commercial space tourism starts in around 2009. Aboard the re-usable space vehicle will be 6 passengers, each of whom paying $200,000 for the 40 minute flight to 360,000 feet (109.73km, or 68.18 miles) and to experience just 6 minutes of weighlessness. From these circular portholes, astronauts will see 1,000 miles having taken off from the new Spaceport America, New Mexico.
    baker_virgin10_1.jpg
  • A woman street beggar prostrates herself on a pavement, ignored by Italian shoppers and pedestrians in Florence. As shoppers and tourists walk past in a hurry, pulling suitcases or carrying shopping, the people walk around the kneeling body whose stick lies on the ground with a paper cup to collect any spare change offered. There seems to be a mixture of indifference, pity and shame for what has become the modern face of Italian society in this once-grand medieval city. The city lies on the River Arno and is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture. A centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of the time, Florence has been called the Athens of the Middle Ages.
    florence_italy140-23-10-2010_1.jpg
  • Rainbow Warrior lll waiting to be let through the locks in West India Docks. The ship going through the East Entrance Lock and into the river Thames early Monday morning.The Rainbow Warrior ll is the third generation of the legendary Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior. The first was bombed and sunk by French special agents, second one is now serving as a hospital ship in the Bengal Bay and this, the third in line is build according to the highest green environmental specs. The ship is now on it's maiden voyage  around the globe heading from London to Sweden. The Docklands were once used as a port of entry to London. Now, a major part of London's financial district is based in the Canary Wharf on the peninsula.
    IMG_6381_1.jpg
  • Rainbow Warrior lll docked in West India Docks. The Rainbow Warrior ll is the third generation of the legendary Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior. The first was bombed and sunk by French special agents, second one is now serving as a hospital ship in the Bengal Bay and this, the third in line is build according to the highest green environmental specs. The ship is now on it's maiden voyage  around the globe heading from London to Sweden. The Docklands were once used as a port of entry to London. Now, a major part of London's financial district is based in the Canary Wharf on the peninsula.
    IMG_6356_1_1.jpg
  • Rainbow Warrior lll docked in West India Docks.  The Rainbow Warrior ll is the third generation of the legendary Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior. The first was bombed and sunk by French special agents, second one is now serving as a hospital ship in the Bengal Bay and this, the third in line is build according to the highest green environmental specs. The ship is now on it's maiden voyage  around the globe heading from London to Sweden. The Docklands were once used as a port of entry to London. Now, a major part of London's financial district is based in the Canary Wharf on the peninsula.
    IMG_6328_1.jpg
  • Rainbow Warrior lll leaving London Docklands. The Rainbow Warrior ll is the third generation of the legendary Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior. The first was bombed and sunk by French special agents, second one is now serving as a hospital ship in the Bengal Bay and this, the third in line is build according to the highest green environmental specs. The ship is now on it's maiden voyage  around the globe heading from London to Sweden. The Docklands were once used as a port of entry to London. Now, a major part of London's financial district is based in the Canary Wharf on the peninsula.
    IMG_6299_1.jpg
  • Rainbow Warrior lll leaving London Docklands. The Rainbow Warrior ll is the third generation of the legendary Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior. The first was bombed and sunk by French special agents, second one is now serving as a hospital ship in the Bengal Bay and this, the third in line is build according to the highest green environmental specs. The ship is now on it's maiden voyage  around the globe heading from London to Sweden. The Docklands were once used as a port of entry to London. Now, a major part of London's financial district is based in the Canary Wharf on the peninsula.
    IMG_6297_1.jpg
  • Golsher, has 4 children, is married and lives with her family in two rooms, they have no proper sanitary conditions sewage is throw out on the street. She works seven days a week and earns 90 dollars a month. she is saving to buy her own home, the loan from Arianna a micro finance company helped buy her a generator to power the machine, before she would sew by hand, she wants to buy another machine and teach her daughter. The small loan has had a tremendous impact on her life and she is saving to buy her home she will need a loan of 10 000 dollars at least.
    afghan28_10_105_1.jpg
  • Mustafa, aged 19 (although he is unsure of exact age) is a labourer on the Turquoise Mountain project rebuilding the old town centre, Murad khane. He is single and lives with his parents. The monkey is called Shadi. <br />
<br />
“Before Turquoise Mountain came here it was very bad. Everywhere smelt, it was full of rubbish and the sewage – people just threw it out in front of their houses-   it was two or three metres high, you could reach the top floor of the houses by standing on the garbage.  During the war, there was nobody to clean up the rubbish, then buildings would collapse and then rubbish would go on rubbish. <br />
Before working with Turquoise Mountain I was just polishing shoes, now I get $5 dollars a day.”
    afghan21_10_048_1.jpg
  • The Murad Khane Primary School was registered by the Ministry of Education in February 2008 following several months as a literacy centre. The school Principal is Seyyid Nasir Siddidqian. He manages a staff of five who teach courses to eighty-seven children between the ages of four and fourteen, all from Murad Khane.  A further eighty children attend supplementary classes in addition to the Ministry of Education curriculum.  The residents of Murad khane  are enjoying improved conditions thanks to charity Turquoise Mountain. Turquoise Mountain  is a charity set up by Rory Stewart. He was asked personally by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy.
    afghan21_10_046_1.jpg
  • The Murad Khane Primary School was registered by the Ministry of Education in February 2008 following several months as a literacy centre. The school Principal is Seyyid Nasir Siddidqian. He manages a staff of five who teach courses to eighty-seven children between the ages of four and fourteen, all from Murad Khane.  A further eighty children attend supplementary classes in addition to the Ministry of Education curriculum.  The residents of Murad khane  are enjoying improved conditions thanks to charity Turquoise Mountain. Turquoise Mountain  is a charity set up by Rory Stewart. He was asked personally by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy.
    afghan21_10_045_1.jpg
  • This is the local shoe maker. He use to run his own grocers.  During war in the early 90s, he went to Iran. When he returned the only work he could find was cleaning and mending shoes. The residents of Murad khane  are enjoying improved conditions thanks to charity Turquoise Mountain. Turquoise Mountain  is a charity set up by Rory Stewart. He was asked personally by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy.
    afghan21_10_041_1.jpg
  • Rory Stewart, seen here in his role as chairman of the charity Turquoise Mountain. He was asked personally, by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy. He is also known for being a governor in Iraq, tutoring prince William and Harry, walking across Afghanistan with his dog and writing a book about it. He is currently standing for parliament in the ward of Penrith and Cumbria for the Conservative party.
    afghan21_10_024_1.jpg
  • This is Kaka Khalil with local builders. He has 7 children up to the age of 13, including a new born baby who is only ten days old. He lives with his three brothers. His father lived in this house and his grandfather before him. His father was tailor for king Zahir Shah. Kaka Khalil acts as a community representative.  The residents of Murad khane  are enjoying improved conditions thanks to the  charity Turquoise Mountain  which was  was  set up by Rory Stewart. He was asked personally by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy.
    afghan20_10_070_1.jpg
  • Sameer Iqbal,10, holding the chewing gum he sells on the street, with his social worker, Shafiq, at Ashiana headquarters in Kabul. This charity works with vulnerable children. <br />
“I make almost a dollar a day selling chewing gum, half as much as my mother, my father Is crippled”<br />
<br />
Ashiana, a charity working with vulnerable young people, is run by Mohammed Yousef who set it up in 1995.<br />
<br />
They  work with 4500 children in Kabul, Parwan, Mazar-e-Sharif, and Heart  running activities for street and working children, returnees, displaced child soldiers and similar vulnerable children offering education recreation and respite.<br />
<br />
“Life for the working children is very stressful. They are at risk from abusive adults, dangerous traffic, suicide explosions and their dysfunctional families. They are stressed at home and on the street there is no room for them to be children. We are here to provide them with some respite.”
    afghan06_1.jpg
  • Rainbow Warrior lll docked in West India Docks. The Rainbow Warrior ll is the third generation of the legendary Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior. The first was bombed and sunk by French special agents, second one is now serving as a hospital ship in the Bengal Bay and this, the third in line is build according to the highest green environmental specs. The ship is now on it's maiden voyage  around the globe heading from London to Sweden. The Docklands were once used as a port of entry to London. Now, a major part of London's financial district is based in the Canary Wharf on the peninsula.
    IMG_6343_1.jpg
  • Rory Stewart, seen here in his role as chairman of the charity Turquoise Mountain. He was asked personally, by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy. He is also known for being a governor in Iraq, tutoring prince William and Harry, walking across Afghanistan with his dog and writing a book about it. He is currently standing for parliament in the ward of Penrith and Cumbria for the Conservative party.
    afghan28_646_1.jpg
  • Golsher, has 4 children, is married and lives with her family in two rooms, they have no proper sanitary conditions sewage is throw out on the street. She works seven days a week and earns 90 dollars a month. she is saving to buy her own home, the loan from Arianna a micro finance company helped buy her a generator to power the machine, before she would sew by hand, she wants to buy another machine and teach her daughter. The small loan has had a tremendous impact on her life and she is saving to buy her home she will need a loan of 10 000 dollars at least.
    afghan28_10_104_1.jpg
  • Rory Stewart, seen here in his role as chairman of the charity Turquoise Mountain. He was asked personally, by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy. He is also known for being a governor in Iraq, tutoring prince William and Harry, walking across Afghanistan with his dog and writing a book about it. He is currently standing for parliament in the ward of Penrith and Cumbria for the Conservative party.
    afghan27_646_1.jpg
  • Sayed Mohammed, 18, a mason’s assistant is responsible for plastering the walls, during the renovation of the old city district of Murad Khane. He is using a traditional mud-based render made out of gravel, straw and mud. <br />
“The builders tread the mud, straw and gravel mixture for a couple of days to make it strong” he says. “It’s tougher than concrete when it’s finished.” . <br />
<br />
Sayed dreams of being a good mason, having a car and a family. He has been working since he was ten when he used to sell fruit during the Taliban years, he has no education.  Murad Khane, the ancient centre of Kabul is undergoing a massive regeneration thanks to the Turquoise Mountain Foundation. The foundation was set up by Steward Rory Stewart, the man who’s life has inspired a Hollywood biopic starring Orlando Bloom. He walked across Afghanistan with his dog, governed a province in  Iraq , tutored Prince William and Harry and was asked personally by Prince Charles to undertake the project of regenerating the heart of the old city centre. Two years later, the project has galvanized the local community who have all been offered work. The organization has cleared some 20,000 tons of rotting garbage from the streets, built a primary school, a clinic and restored several of the finest courtyard homes to near-mint condition. With an eye for capacity building Stewart has also developed a school for traditional crafts,
    afghan21_10_044_1.jpg
  • Rory Stewart, seen here in his role as chairman of the charity Turquoise Mountain. He was asked personally, by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy. He is also known for being a governor in Iraq, tutoring prince William and Harry, walking across Afghanistan with his dog and writing a book about it. He is currently standing for parliament in the ward of Penrith and Cumbria for the Conservative party.
    afghan21_10_033_1.jpg
  • This photo is of Turquoise Mountain labourers emptying the ‘karachi’ (wheelbarrows) of rubbish ready for collection by the Municipality. Turquoise Mountain has removed over 15,000 cubic metres of rubbish from the area since 2006, lowering the street level by two metres in some places and significantly reducing incidents of illness and disease.The residents of Murad khane  are enjoying improved conditions thanks to  the charity. Turquoise Mountain  is a charity set up by Rory Stewart. He was asked personally by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy.
    afghan21_10_031_1.jpg
  • Madoon Ghaffur, 22, is single and works as a singer and actress in the dubbing studio at Ariana Television.  Ariana has an ambitious broadcasting schedule showing several Indian dramas which are contrary to conservative popular opinion.  Despite concerns from Parliament  - which has banned the airing of soaps -  and threats of violence from the Taliban, the company and its main rival Tolo TV, are aggressive in their airing of shows all of which have massive public appeal. <br />
<br />
<br />
Currently, Madoon is translating the Indian soap “Zaara” into the local Afghan language Dari. She also dubs “Dolhan” an Indian soap and is a well-known singer. Madoon is a success story in the new Kabul enjoying a freedom that was quashed under the Taliban and impossible during the civil war:  “During Taliban I couldn’t go anywhere, I had to stay at home , I felt imprisoned, but now I am free.
    afghan02_11_122_1.jpg
  • Actor  Basheer  Ahmad on location in an old mosque in the Baghe Bale  region of Kabul. Basheer is playing a king in a film about Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi a great Afghan and Islamic scholar from the sixth century. The director is Latif Latif Ahmadi. The king is not popular in the next scene to be shot he is to be removed by the courtiers.
    afghan_07_1.jpg
  • Freydeen , Bird seller , for fifteen years, poses for the camera at Kabul’s bird market , Ka Farushi<br />
<br />
The market is a narrow lane crammed with stalls and tiny open-fronted shops where shop keepers sell birds of all descriptions -  canaries, budgerigars, songbirds and pigeons as well as specially trained fighting birds like quails and partridges.  There is a long tradition of bird keeping in Afghanistan. Although it was banned under the Taliban, the market is once again vibrant and alive with the sounds of birdsong
    afghan26_10_090_1.jpg
  • Mrs Farzana Samimi on her talk show ‘Banuî with psychiatrist, Mohammed Yasin Babrak.<br />
<br />
Farzana’s show centres on problems faced by Afghan women - largely a taboo subject. Currently, for security reasons guests have to talk by phone: “I remember one guest - a young girl -  who was forced ( by her parents) to marry.” Says Farzana. “But because she came on TV, her parents threatened to kill her”.  <br />
<br />
 One of Farzana’s colleagues was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Kabul in May 2005 and Farzana’s  husband wants her to stop presenting but she says:  “The show is very important. For a lot of women, their only source of help is from the TV.”<br />
A survey of women in Kabul found that 98 percent suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic depression or severe anxiety. Dr Babrak, Farzana’s co presenter says. “Most women who come to me suffer from mood swings and schizophrenia," <br />
 Farzana can empathize: “During the Taliban I was depressed and I am still traumatised. It took me two years after the collapse of the Taliban to stop wearing the burkha. Educated women wouldn’t come out on the streets even after the Taliban fell. But gradually women got more courage and things are changing.”
    afghan26_10_086_1.jpg
  • Ahmad Sidiqqi, photographed in the laboratory that he runs,  has worked at Afghan Film for many years. “During the Mujahideen years the building was attacked. I was here when it was shelled, The archives were saved from the Taliban who wanted to burn them. They were hidden in a secret room”<br />
<br />
His boss is Engineer Latif Ahmadi, who explains how, even with the allied occupation of Kabul, filming is still difficult:<br />
<br />
“We were filming a hundred yards from a suicide bombing, one hundred metres from the Ministry of Culture, five people were killed. We actually felt the force of the explosion and heard the shots. It took two minutes for the dust to clear but I told the director, ‘please continue’, because what can we do but carry on?”
    afghan22_10_019_1.jpg
  • The residents of Murad khane  are enjoying improved conditions thanks to the charity Turquoise Mountain . The charity was set up by Rory Stewart. He was asked personally by Prince Charles to take on the task of rebuilding the ancient heart of Kabul. His charity using local labour and the goodwill of the community is substantially into the task and has also set up a school training Afghans in traditional crafts. The area had literally been turned into a rubbish dump, now though using ancient skills the buildings are being restored to their former glory, Stewart is hopeful that he can contribute significantly to the local economy.
    afghan21_10_043_1.jpg
  • Mrs Farzana Samimi on her talk show ‘Banuî with psychiatrist, Mohammed Yasin Babrak.<br />
<br />
Farzana’s show centres on problems faced by Afghan women - largely a taboo subject. Currently, for security reasons guests have to talk by phone: “I remember one guest - a young girl -  who was forced ( by her parents) to marry.” Says Farzana. “But because she came on TV, her parents threatened to kill her”.  <br />
<br />
One of Farzana’s colleagues was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Kabul in May 2005 and Farzana’s  husband wants her to stop presenting but she says:  “The show is very important. For a lot of women, their only source of help is from the TV.”<br />
A survey of women in Kabul found that 98 percent suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic depression or severe anxiety. Dr Babrak, Farzana’s co presenter says. “Most women who come to me suffer from mood swings and schizophrenia,"
    afghan26_10_076_1.jpg
  • Mrs Farzana Samimi on her talk show ‘Banuî with psychiatrist, Mohammed Yasin Babrak.<br />
<br />
Farzana’s show centres on problems faced by Afghan women - largely a taboo subject. Currently, for security reasons guests have to talk by phone: “I remember one guest - a young girl -  who was forced ( by her parents) to marry.” Says Farzana. “But because she came on TV, her parents threatened to kill her”.  <br />
<br />
One of Farzana’s colleagues was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Kabul in May 2005 and Farzana’s  husband wants her to stop presenting but she says:  “The show is very important. For a lot of women, their only source of help is from the TV.”<br />
A survey of women in Kabul found that 98 percent suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic depression or severe anxiety. Dr Babrak, Farzana’s co presenter says. “Most women who come to me suffer from mood swings and schizophrenia,"
    afghan26_10_074_1.jpg
  • Jawid, a third year Ceramics student from Istalif, working on a kick-wheel in the Ceramics School.  Jawid is one of fifteen trainee potters working at Turquoise Mountain to improve his skills in glaze and clay techniques.  This new knowledge will help Jawid to attract new business and make high quality pots when he graduates from the three-year programme. The Turquoise Mountain Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization which invests in Afghanistan’s traditional crafts, historic building and landscapes in order to preserve cultural heritage, improve living conditions and create economic opportunities.
    afghan20_10_056_1.jpg
  • The East Entrance Lock is up to let the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior lll out West India Docks and into the Thames
    IMG_6434_2.jpg
  • Sultan Mohammad, 74, carpenter and handy man. Sultan has been working in the Mustafa Hotel, where he is photographed, for 50 years.
    CB7V3273_1.jpg
  • Street life in Murad khane, Kabul. The Burkha is still a common site in Kabul with the influence of the Taliban still  very strong .
    afghan20_10_058_1.jpg
  • Noor Akor, with his children. Lailee, 7, Almos, 5 Jawat, 1.5, Javed, 3, (Farid 12 years old and  Parvees, 10,  his other children and wife are not in the picture )<br />
 Noor is not untypical of the average Afghan he has to support his family  on 2-4 dollars a day; he lives on the side of a mountain with no running water, sanitary facilities or schools ( 2.5 hours to the nearest school) it takes him one hour to walk down the hill to his work as a hairdresser.
    afghan31_10_124_1.jpg
  • Young Afghan girls on hill top overlooking Nadir shah and Kabul. Names, right to left:  Historai, 11, Sheba , 2, Rifer, 10, Soloha, 9, Tina 4 ( all names spelt  phonetically).<br />
Children have been the primary victims of more than two decades of conflict. Of the estimated 1.5 million people killed during this period, some 300,000 were children. Abduction and trafficking in children is now a rapidly growing threat, with the most common forms of trafficking being child prostitution, forced labour, slavery, servitude and the removal of body organs.
    afghan28_10_107_1.jpg
  • Akba has been a soldier and guard for fifteen years. He originally fought  in the Mujahideen against the Soviets with the warlord Gulbuddin before most recently, joining Majad Maly to fight against the Taliban in Khandahar province. Now he is a security guard working for WRN (Witan Risk management ).
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  • Engineer Latif Ahmadi, pictured below outside the studios, producer, script writer, cinematographer and General Director of Afghan Film. Latif returned to Kabul in 2002 to recommence his work with Afghan film after the civil war forced its closure and him to leave in 1992 ( bomb damage can be seen in the concrete). He is currently working on a film about Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi, a great Afghan and Islamic scholar from the sixth century. He has three children and lives in Kabul with his wife. He says, <br />
“We were filming a hundred yards from a suicide bombing, one hundred metres from the Ministry of Culture, five people were killed. We actually felt the force of the explosion and heard the shots. It took two minutes for the dust to clear but I told the director, ‘please continue’, because what can we do but carry on."
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  • Ustad Omid, ‘Classic’ carving master, working in the centuries old Timurid tradition of wood carving, at Turquoise Mountain’s Woodwork Production Unit. The Turquoise Mountain Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization which invests in Afghanistan’s traditional crafts, historic building and landscapes in order to preserve cultural heritage, improve living conditions and create economic opportunities.
    afghan20_10_064_1.jpg
  • Suraya Noori, calligraphy student in her third year of study practising nastaliq script at Turquoise Mountain’s Institute.  Suraya had finished her High School education in Kabul before joining the Institute.  Almost half the students learning calligraphy at Turquoise Mountain are girls. The Turquoise Mountain Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization which invests in Afghanistan’s traditional crafts, historic building and landscapes in order to preserve cultural heritage, improve living conditions and create economic opportunities.
    afghan20_10_063_1.jpg
  • NCO Training in action at Camp Alamo. Corporals are turned into sergeants. The trainers are Afghans watched over by the UK Army. Most of the soldiers pictured will go on to fight the Taliban. At the moment the Afghan Army has been started from scratch they have currently 64000 troops the aim is to double this figure.
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  • Cantrine-Flon Camp has approximately 3500 refugees who have very little at all. At the moment they are surviving on yams and potatoes, buying their own drinking water and using a field for sanitation. They need tents and medicine, since what they had donated by a Haitian doctor, is sparse. Malnutrition is a problem along with vomiting, diarrhoea and infections. ."Every time there is a bang, I jump. We all do, it's a kind of collective trauma. Since my house fell down I have been living in this camp but conditions are not good. All we've had to eat so far is yams and potatoes. There are no tents, toilets, little medicine and we buy our own drinking water with what money we have."
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  • The entrance gates of Drapers Hall livery company in Throgmorton Street, on 17th Juy 2017, in the City of London, England. The Drapers’ Company is a Livery Company in the City of London whose roots go back to the 13th century, when as its name indicates, it was involved in the drapery trade. While it is no longer involved in the trade, the Company has evolved acquiring a new relevance. Its main role today is to be the trustee of the charitable trusts that have been left in its care over the centuries. The Company also manages a thriving hospitality business. The first Drapers’ Hall was built in the 15th century in St Swithin’s Lane.  It bought a Hall on the present site in Throgmorton Street in 1543 from King Henry VIII for £1,200 about £350,000 in today’s money. The Hall that the Company purchased from King Henry VIII in 1543 had been the private residence of Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex until his execution in 1540, when it was confiscated by the Crown.
    city_throgmorton-02-17-07-2017.jpg
  • In the shadow of 1 Canada Square, the iconic Canary Wharf tower in London's Docklands stands as an icon for Thatcherite Britain when the good times, prosperity and economic upturns seemed unshakeable. Four work colleagues stand under a hot lunchtime sun during a summer heatwave. In their shirtsleeves the men each hold pints of refreshing lager, all having removed their dark jackets to enjoy the company of a flirtatious female who appears to be flirting with an older male companion. The sky is blue and the five are care-free to any future economic uncertainty.
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  • A Racing Post vendor looks over to a young woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat on Ladies Day during Royal Ascot, the annual event on the English sporting and social calendar, on 18th June 1992, in London, England. Royal Ascot is held every June and is one of the main dates on the sporting calendar and English social season. Over 300,000 people make the annual visit to Berkshire during Royal Ascot week, making this Europe’s best-attended race meeting. There are sixteen group races on offer, with at least one Group One event on each of the five days. The Gold Cup is on Ladies Day on the Thursday. There is over £3 million of prize money on offer.
    ascot_women2-18-06-1992.jpg
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