Sunday May 7, 2006, Ilam district, Nepal

Maoist rebels in Nepal continue the fight to end the monarchy of King Gyanendra

Nepal's civil war erupted in February of 1996, when the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) declared its intentions to establish a People's Republic of Nepal. Since then, tens-of-thousands have been killed and an estimated 100-150,000 have been internally displaced. Most recently, the Maoist rebels joined forces with several political parties during a nationwide general strike aimed at putting an end to the absolute rule imposed by King Gyanendra in early 2005.

A Maoist soldier with the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Thursday December 1, 2005, Coxs Bazar District, Bangladesh

Daily life in Bangladesh

Known as East Pakistan until gaining its independence in a brutal 1971 civil war, Bangladesh is one of the world's most densely populated nations and ranks as the globe's third-largest Muslim-majority nation. The years following Bangladesh's independence have been marked by political turmoil, with thirteen different heads of state and four separate military coups.

Two Rakhain men pull a cart.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Sunday May 7, 2006, Ilam district, Nepal

Maoist rebels in Nepal continue the fight to end the monarchy of King Gyanendra

Nepal's civil war erupted in February of 1996, when the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) declared its intentions to establish a People's Republic of Nepal. Since then, tens-of-thousands have been killed and an estimated 100-150,000 have been internally displaced. Most recently, the Maoist rebels joined forces with several political parties during a nationwide general strike aimed at putting an end to the absolute rule imposed by King Gyanendra in early 2005.

As seen through the trigger guard of a machine gun, Maoist soldiers with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) perform a drill in front of primary school children outside a rural school. These fighters are in "active defense". They are prepared for attacks from the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) during the current cease-fire.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Sunday April 23, 2006, Kathmandu, Kathmandu, Nepal

Protests in the streets of Nepal continue

Anti-monarchy protesters burn an effigy of King Gyanendra, as they demonstrate under the close supervision of police in Chabahil.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Monday January 15, 2007, Far North Province, Cameroon

Daily life in Cameroon

A young Moloko woman stands on a trail through a field of onions. The Moloko are an egalitarian people with a population of 12,000.

A young Moloko woman stands on a trail through a field of onions.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Tuesday April 11, 2006, Kathmandu, Nepal

Violent protests continue in Nepal

Civil unrest has gripped Nepal for the fifth consecutive day as citizens continue to protest against King Gyanendra. Despite a government-imposed curfew protesters from throughout the Himalayan kingdom emerged for demonstrations that are growing increasingly violent, with police confronting stone-throwing protesters with batons and shields.

A demonstrator cries as pressure is applied to his bloody head wound.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Monday April 10, 2006, Kathmandu, Nepal

Curfew continues amid civil unrest in Nepal

An 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. curfew is continuing in Nepal, where protests against King Gyandendra have grown increasingly violent. Across the Himalayan kingdom, businesses and lives have been disrupted by the strikes and curfews imposed by the government in hopes of curbing escalating violence.

Children pick trash in the Bagmati River just before curfew begins.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Sunday April 9, 2006, Kathmandu, Nepal

Curfew continues amid civil unrest in Nepal

An 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. curfew is continuing in Nepal, where protests against King Gyandendra have grown increasingly violent. Across the Himalayan kingdom, businesses and lives have been disrupted by the strikes and curfews imposed by the government in hopes of curbing escalating violence.

Street children get high on glue on an empty street during daytime curfew.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Tuesday March 14, 2006, Kolkata / Calcutta, India

Daily life in India

A boy washes paint off his face during Holi, the festival of colors. Holi marks the first day of spring and commemorates the legend of Prahlada in Hindu mythology.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Monday March 13, 2006, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Daily life in Kolkata

The city of Kolkata, India's largest, was once a center of modern education, culture and science. In the year's following India's independence in 1947 however, Kolkata struggled through economic decline until 2000 when a new period of economic rejuvenation took hold. Like other large cities in India, Kolkata struggles with a variety of urban problems the likes of poverty and pollution under the shadow of urban expansion and the appearance of modern shopping malls that highlight the divisions between the rich and poor in modern India.

A boy is tied to a storefront after a run-in with police.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Thursday February 9, 2006, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Daily life in Kolkata

The city of Kolkata, India's largest, was once a center of modern education, culture and science. In the year's following India's independence in 1947 however, Kolkata struggled through economic decline until 2000 when a new period of economic rejuvenation took hold. Like other large cities in India, Kolkata struggles with a variety of urban problems the likes of poverty and pollution under the shadow of urban expansion and the appearance of modern shopping malls that highlight the divisions between the rich and poor in modern India.

A flower vendor displays garlands of marigolds at the flower market. The flowers will be used for making pujas, or offerings, to Hindu deities.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Tuesday November 8, 2005, Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Bangladesh's Bihari people live as refugees in their own homeland

Time passes slowly for the Bihari. Considered enemies of Bangladesh owing to their support of Pakistan during the 1947 division of India, the Bihari have been living in several refugee camps in Dhaka for some 30 years. Dhaka's Bihari are forbidden to venture outside of the camps, which were originally established by the Red Cross. The community of 350,000 relies primarily on industries such as sari-weaving, metal-smithing, woodcutting and butchering. .

A Bihari family.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Tuesday December 5, 2006, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

US Airways set to take over bankrupt Delta Airlines

A reflection of an airplane is seen on a window to the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport terminal. Charlotte/Douglas International Airport is now US Airways' largest hub. According to some analysts the Charlotte hub could suffer if US Airways and Delta merge.

A reflection of an airplane on the runway is seen on a window while people wait in the airport terminal.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Thursday November 16, 2006, Rhumsiki, Far North Province, Cameroon

Daily life in Cameroon

Tourists gaze at the Kapsiki mountains from the abandoned artisans cooperative.

Tourists gaze at the Kapsiki mountains from the abandoned atisans cooperative.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Saturday April 15, 2006, Kathmandu, Nepal

Street protests in Kathmandu

Protesters make their way through the city. Nepal's capital is at a near-standstill with food and fuel in short supply and prices rising as protests continued for the 11th straight day against King Gyanendra's absolute rule.

Protesters march with a flag while shouting slogans.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Tuesday April 11, 2006, Kathmandu, Nepal

Violent protests continue in Nepal

Civil unrest has gripped Nepal for the fifth consecutive day as citizens continue to protest against King Gyanendra. Despite a government-imposed curfew protesters from throughout the Himalayan kingdom emerged for demonstrations that are growing increasingly violent, with police confronting stone-throwing protesters with batons and shields.

Protesters burn an effigy of King Gyanendra.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Monday March 13, 2006, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Daily life in Kolkata

The city of Kolkata, India's largest, was once a center of modern education, culture and science. In the year's following India's independence in 1947 however, Kolkata struggled through economic decline until 2000 when a new period of economic rejuvenation took hold. Like other large cities in India, Kolkata struggles with a variety of urban problems the likes of poverty and pollution under the shadow of urban expansion and the appearance of modern shopping malls that highlight the divisions between the rich and poor in modern India.

Children play on Sudder Street during the weekly Mass Feeding of the Poor.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Wednesday November 23, 2005, Dibonda District, Bangladesh

Daily life in Bangladesh

Known as East Pakistan until gaining its independence in a brutal 1971 civil war, Bangladesh is one of the world's most densely populated nations and ranks as the globe's third-largest Muslim-majority nation. The years following Bangladesh's independence have been marked by political turmoil, with thirteen different heads of state and four separate military coups.

Henna is applied to a malnourished infant's head to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. The child is said to be eight or nine days old. The Bahari people in this village farm and work as laborers.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Tuesday November 15, 2005, Sylhet District, Bangladesh

Daily life in Bangladesh

A girl dances during the Hindu festival Raspunima. Raspunima literally means "play full moon." It is a game Krishna played and is re-enacted with singing, drumming and dancing.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Thursday December 28, 2006, South Province, Cameroon

Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline

An oil platform glows on the horizon. The platform is the offshore loading facility for the Chad-Cameroon pipeline. Exxon-Mobile, Chevron-Texaco and Petronas make up the oil consortium backing the pipeline.The pipeline is the largest private investment in Sub-Saharan Africa.

An oil platform glows on the horizon.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Saturday February 24, 2007, Batouri, East Province, Cameroon

Resurgence of polio in Cameroon

Rboulaye Jean Tubo, 12, has been suffering from polio for two years. Health centers in the East Province are increasing immunizations to prevent further spread of this disease. The World Health Organization has put $4.6 billion towards the eradication of polio by 2008. However, new findings show that the recent spread of the disease to Cameroon and Benin may seriously compromise this goal.

Rboulaye Jean Tubo

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Sunday November 19, 2006, Fort Benning, Georgia, USA

School of the Americas protest

22,000 protesters rally at the gates of Fort Benning during the School of the Americas protest. The protest consists of a vigil and nonviolent direct action with the purpose to close the School of the Americas and change the racist system of violence and domination.

An anti-war mime crys while demonstrators protest in the background.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Thursday November 16, 2006, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

US Airways

A US Airways plane lands in the late afternoon.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Tuesday June 20, 2006, Durham, North Carolina, USA

Durham, North Carolina, a fast growing city

A Durham street scene, Mangum St.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Saturday May 6, 2006, Ilam, Ilam district, Nepal

Maoist rebels in Nepal continue the fight to end the monarchy of King Gyanendra

Nepal's civil war erupted in February of 1996, when the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) declared its intentions to establish a People's Republic of Nepal. Since then, tens-of-thousands have been killed and an estimated 100-150,000 have been internally displaced. Most recently, the Maoist rebels joined forces with several political parties during a nationwide general strike aimed at putting an end to the absolute rule imposed by King Gyanendra in early 2005.

A lone figure stands amid a tea field. Foggy mountains stretch out in the distance.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Thursday April 27, 2006, Katmandu, Nepal

Political parties rally in Katmandu

Members of the seven political parties that rallied together to force a return to parliamentary democracy in Nepal gathered at a rally in Ratna Park to celebrate and commemorate the lives of 13 people killed during a general strike and anti-monarchy protests. A crowd of tens-of-thousands of people attended the event in central Katmandu.

A masked man stands before a wall adorned with posters depicting demonstrators killed during protests.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Friday April 21, 2006, Katmandu, Nepal

Amid unrelenting protests, King Gyanendra pledges to hand back executive powers

Nepal's King Gyanendra has pledged to yield the absolute power he seized in 2005 and asked the 'agitating political party alliance' to recommend a candidate for Prime Minister. Violoent protests against Gyanendra have enveloped Katmandu in recent weeks, leading to the deaths by over a dozend protesters.

A protester sits on a police booth destroyed by protesters in Kalanki.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Saturday April 15, 2006, Kathmandu, Nepal

Street protests in Kathmandu

Police attempt to block several thousand protesters from continuing their demonstration on the Ring Road. Nepal's capital is at a near-standstill with food and fuel in short supply and prices rising as protests continued for the 11th straight day against King Gyanendra's absolute rule.

A line of police carry batons while wearing padding.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Friday April 14, 2006, Kathmandu, Nepal

Street protests in Kathmandu

People gather to protest against King Gyanendra in Gongabu. Nepal's capital is at a near-standstill with food and fuel in short supply and prices rising as protests continued for the 11th straight day against King Gyanendra's absolute rule.

The shadow of a flag-waving protester.

Credit: Ben Depp / Polaris

Ben Depp

Ben Depp is a freelance photojournalist. He studied graphic design and photography. In August 2005, Ben graduated from Randolph Community College in North Carolina with a degree in Biomedical Photography. Ben is currently based in Charlotte, North Carolina where he lives with his wife, Alexis.