Rubble and Delusion A Journey Through Assad's Syria With the fall of Aleppo, the regime of Bashar Assad once again controls the country's second-largest city. But is reconciliation possible in the country? A journey through the dictator's rump state.

Plague, Yersinia pestis, Scourge of God, or the Black Death – the plague has many names. It is known if at all, from the history books. Plague is a disease with a long history. Especially in the Middle Ages numerous plague epidemicscarried large parts of the European population off, so that the infectious disease was referred to as “Black Death”. More recently, the plague is largely eradicated in most parts of the globe due to improved hygienic conditions and better medical care. But in Africa, Russia, Asia and as well in the U.S. in the past centuries there have been outbreaks of the disease. 2013 – Madagascar is once again before an epidemic of plague. Non-profit organizations such as the Pasteur Institute and the Red Cross say that the very poor population of the island, which comprises the largest part, is most at risk. Due to lack of hygiene and education a disaster is inevitable. Madagascar has recorded 256 cases of plague and 60 resulting deaths last year – the world’s highest recorded number in the last century. The disease encounters favorable conditions by the poverty and the low level of hygiene in most parts of Madagascar. An annual average of 500 cases have been recorded since 2009. The rainy season from October to August is the peak of the infection. The wet weather makes the flea population explode, which transmit the bubonic plague of rats and other animals, to humans. If the disease is not treated, as the last stage it can develop to pneumonic plague. This is highly infectious, it is transmitted by aerosol droplet infection from person to person. Only an early detection prevents death. Although the disease can be cured with antibiotics, the inhabitants of rural areas are often ashamed to seek treatmentor do not have the access to basic health care. As an initial measure they consult traditional healers, trying to heal them with burl wood, saliva and spells. Experts say that Africa – especially Madagascar has more than 90% of plague cases worldwide.

The Yezidi religion is one of the oldest. Since its founding years, its followers have suffered from 74 genocides. The latest and most systematic attempts are by the IS terrorist militia. The Yazidis are more persecuted than other religious communities because they are regarded as devil worshipers. This is because they believe in Tausi Melek, a fallen angel in the form of a peacock. Since the invasion of the IS terrorist militia in Iraq, hundreds of thousands Yazidis were uprooted and are on the run. Thousands of men and boys were shot and beheaded, women abducted and sold at auction as sex slaves. In adverse circumstances, they have erected makeshift shelters, where they found just enough room. Only a few have made it into the camps set up by NGOs. Most live in the reinforced concrete skeletons of unfinished houses, improvised in tents made of tarpaulins and branches or on the road. They had no chance to prepare for the flight, nor to pack the essentials. Winter has come to Kurdistan and saps the forces of refugees who have no winter clothes or blankets to protect themselves against it. Before the beginning of the year, 10,000 Yazidis were encircled in the Sinjar Mountains of the IS militia. For over 4 months, they fought with little food, little ammunition and weapons to survive until the Kurdish Peshmerga free fought a land corridor. With the story, I wish to draw attention to the situation of the Yazidis, who are the main victims of this conflict. Here I want to show a broad spectrum. The current life situation, the despair of the encircled, the struggle for survival, the war with all its horrors, the religion, the destruction of religion, individual fates and their background.