· January, 2013

Stories about Photos from January, 2013

Brazil in Mourning After the Tragic Fire in Santa Maria

On January 27, 2012, the college town of Santa Maria, located in the middle of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, suffered a tragic fire in the nightclub Kiss. Considered the second largest fire by number of victims in Brazil, the incident claimed the lives of around 231 people, most of them young, 90% of them by intoxication.

31 January 2013

Morsi Courts Merkel while Unrest Continues in Egypt

A Photoshopped picture of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi kissing German Chancellor Angela Merkel went viral, drawing ridicule from netizens, who criticised Morsi for traveling abroad at a time when his country was facing unrest. Online, Egyptians were quick to dismiss the photograph as unreal but were also dismissive of Morsi and his policies.

31 January 2013

Why Did Mali's ‘Soldier of Death’ Go Viral?

This photo of a French soldier wearing a scarf depicting death's face has been shared around the world and has become a concrete symbol for many of the start of French military operations in Mali. But why has this soldier captured imaginations on the Web?

30 January 2013

Tens of Thousands Affected by Heavy Rains in Mozambique

In Mozambique, the rains that have been falling since early January devastated populations in the country's center and south. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, and 45 deaths have been reported. While the number of victims continue to rise and damages continue to increase, the online community has called for solidarity and expressed its indignation in the face of the vandalism and pillaging that has occurred.

30 January 2013

‘Planet Asks for Pedalling': Cycling Through Latin America

"I understood that travelling like this, without being in a rush, gives you the freedom to get to know cultures more deeply and the simplicity of the people." Meet Beto, from Brazil, and his project 'Planet asks for Pedalling' that will take him on a 2.5 years journey cycling through Latin America.

30 January 2013

Two Versions of Mao's China: History Retouched as Propaganda

A collage of historical photos showing two versions of Chinese history during the Mao's era (1949-1976) published by micro-blogger @Pongyoung with a brief comment: "How history has been amended?", has been retweeted 13362 times with 2237 comments within one day.

30 January 2013

Indigenous Xavantes of Marãiwatsédé Fight for the Right to Their Land

Having inhabited the Marãiwatsédé territory in the north of Mato Grosso for centuries, natives of the Xavante ethnic group face occupation and threats from farmers who are trying to evictl them from their homeland, which was returned to them 14 years ago. On December 6, 2012, the justice department in Mato Grosso ordered the delivery of subpoenas for the removal of illegal occupants of these ancestral lands. A month and a half later the process has almost been finalized.

29 January 2013

Critical Mass: Cycling Through Brazil's Salvador City

In our attempt to discover the route of Brazilian Critical Masses, we spoke with two organizers of the Salvador Critical Mass (also known as “Bicicletada”), Roque Júnior and Rosa Ribeiro. Here's the second part of the interview, in which we get to know a little more about the city’s urban mobility policies.

29 January 2013

China: Land collapses in Guangzhou

A 300 sq metres piece of land sank suddenly in Guangzhou Kangwang Road on 28 of January, dragging surrounding buildings underground. The 9 meters deep is near a subway construction...

29 January 2013

Brazil: “Massacre of Pinheirinho”, One Year Later

January 22, 2013 marked one year since the violent eviction of the Pinheirinho settlement in the city of São José dos Campos, Brazil. A demonstration to commemorate the date took place at the entrance to the grounds of Pinheirinho. The land has since remained empty and the people who lived there remain homeless.

28 January 2013

Syrian Children Pay the Steep Price of War

Syrian children are the forgotten victims for the last 22 months of conflict. An estimated 4,000 Syrian children have lost their lives while hundreds of thousands are refugees without homes. International humanitarian communities and Syrian activists have no choice but to report the bad news to the world.

27 January 2013

Latinos Were Key Figures at Obama's Inauguration

The inauguration of the president of the United States Barack Obama last January 21st, was filled with a passionate speech that foreshadows what could be the next years of his administration. The prominence of Latino figures such as federal Superior judge Sonia Sotomayor and Richard Blanco were some of the highlights of the event.

26 January 2013

Critical Mass: Wheels of Activism Come to Brazil's Salvador City

The international cycling movement Critical Mass - or Bicicletadas as it is been known in Brazilian Portuguese - has won the hearts of Brazilians, since cars have reached a saturation point on the country's congested roads. Visiting the city of Salvador in Brazil, Global Voices contributor, Thiana Biondo talked to Critical Mass local activists Roque Junior and Rosa Ribeiro. Check out the first part of the interview.

24 January 2013

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