11 February 2013

Stories from 11 February 2013

Incoming Chinese President's Mystery Fan Blogger Revealed

An anonymous blogger in China who ignited the country's curiosity with intimate details of incoming Chinese President Xi Jingping's comings and goings has revealed himself to be a college dropout and migrant worker unaffiliated with the communist party. Many remain skeptical that he is simply a fan.

11 February 2013

Brazil Gets Into Carnival Mood to the Afro Beats in Salvador

The biggest party on the planet, Brazilian carnival, has grown to such an extent in Salvador, Bahia, that it’s now spread over three main points in the city, attracting half a million tourists during the days of revelry. Preserving Afro-Brazilian culture is key to the Bahian carnival, and this year the theme for the famous Pelourinho historical centre is ‘Black Carnivals’.

11 February 2013

Bangladeshi Women Join Shahbag Protests in Remarkable Numbers

Extraordinary numbers of Bangladeshi women have joined the groups of protesters occupying the capital city Dhaka's Shahbagh intersection demanding capital punishment for war criminals. The movement, spearheaded by bloggers and online activists, is seeking the death penalty for those who committed crimes against humanity during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.

11 February 2013

Taiwanese Writer Finds Poetry in Laid-off Workers’ Railway Protest

Laid-off factory workers facing a lawsuit from the Taiwanese government over unpaid debt protested February 5 by lying across the tracks at a Taipei train station, bring traffic to standstill. The demonstration inspired a Taiwanese writer-animator to create an illustration and a poem dedicated to the group.

11 February 2013

From Whispers to Outcry: Sexism in Germany

On January 25, an outcry rang out through the German-speaking blogosphere. Twitter users using hashtag the #aufschrei told their experiences of everyday sexism, sexual harassment and even abuse. Is Germany actually as modern as it likes to imagine itself?

11 February 2013

10 Best African Food Blogs

MyWeku compiles a list of 10 best African food blogs for 2013: “There are seemingly a million food blogs out there, but only a handful showcase African food. Even so...

11 February 2013

Praising Lenin in Tajik Poetry

Glorifying Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the Bolshevik Revolution, was a popular theme in Soviet literature. Kimiyoi Saodat (The Chemistry of Happiness) blog traces [tj] the Lenin-praising tradition in Tajik poetry,...

11 February 2013