Stories from 11 February 2013
Crowdmapping Ukraine's Wheelchair Accessibility
At BiggggIdea.com (uk; “Velyka Ideya” – “a platform where people present their projects, and the community funds them”), Oleksandr Telyuk draws attention [uk] to Wheelmap.org, a crowdmapping project that allows users to evaluate and mark wheelchair accessibility of various locations worldwide. Telyuk notes that 96 percent of public places in...
Protester Sets Himself on Fire, Yemen Remembers the Revolution
Revolutionaries throughout Yemen are celebrating the 2nd anniversary of February 11, 2011 - the day Yemen's revolution began. Netizens share their thoughts on the occasion.
The Idleness of African Leadership in Mali
Ousmane Gueye on the site Mondoblog writes [fr] about the slow deployment of African troops in northern Mali : If we were to judge the impact of the intervention in Mali by the jubilant euphoria of liberated populations, then it should be obvious that by deploying so slowly, African countries failed Mali...
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.
Australian Sport: Drugs, Match Fixing Linked to Organised Crime
Allegations of illegal drug taking and match-fixing, involving organized crime, has brought an avalanche of moral outrage and a cascade of clichés online in Australia.
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’.
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.
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.
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?
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 it has still been a struggle to pick 10 of our favourites for this year (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, from the prominent poets of the Soviet period to some contemporaries. More than two decades after independence, debates persist about...
Students to Protest Constitutional Amendment
The Hungarian Student Network and the Hungarian High School Network posted a declaration [en] “about the rule of law” in Hungary – and are planning yet another protest rally [hu] in Budapest on Monday, Feb. 11: Today’s proposal for a constitutional amendment has made it obvious – even for those...
