Christchurch earthquake

With hundreds still missing, and 75 already confirmed dead, rescuers struggled to find survivors on the second night after a devastating earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand's second largest city Tuesday. Buildings crumbled into the streets after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake, which geologists consider an aftershock to a 7.1 earthquake that caused no casualties in September. Tuesday’s temblor was more devastating and deadly because it was centered only six miles from the city's center and hit during the middle of a workday. The Government has declared a national state of emergency. Officials estimated there could be 100 people trapped in the CTV building alone.

Pakistan: daily life

The wire services regularly send images to their member papers that feature the phrase "daily life." They send them from such places as India, Thailand, Japan, China, the Philippines, Syria, Nepal, Britain, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. With the exception of just a couple, the images in this post feature daily life in Pakistan by Associated Press photographer Muhammed Muheisen. The images document what we might call in newspaper terminology, "slice of life" photography - ordinary daily scenes that give us a glimpse of something that we might not ordinarily be able to experience. The images, again with a few exceptions, focus on children. They are generally from Islamabad, Pakistan, or from a slum on the outskirts of the city. There wasn't much information or details supplied for captions. In this case, the adage "A picture is worth a thousand words" might just be the most apropos phrase. -- Paula Nelson, The Boston Globe

Art with little people

De Londense straatkunstenaar Slinkachu creëert miniatuurwerelden door kleine poppetjes in de grote wereld neer te zetten en te fotograferen. Na het fotograferen laat de kunstenaar zijn 'installaties' achter. Dus goed naar de grond kijken als u ooit nog in Londen rondloopt.

Cyclone Yasi: Queensland takes stock of damage

02032011 - Cairns appears to have been spared worst of biggest cyclone in living memory, but it wreaks havoc elsewhere
A trail of destruction was emerging across the far north Queensland this morning after the biggest cyclone in living memory came in off the sea at midnight local time.

Cyclone Yasi, a category 5 system, with winds up to 285 kms/hour passed directly over Mission Beach, a small coastal community with a population of about 1,000, 90 miles (160km) south of Cairns.



music: Ailein Duinn - Celtic Spirit.

A harrowing, historic week in Egypt

They have been days of chants and chaos, bloodshed mixed with moments of breathtaking solidarity between the protesters and the soldiers sent to subdue them. The flame of social unrest that first flickered in Tunisia has spread to Egypt, culminating with the announcement Tuesday by President Hosni Mubarak that after three decades in power, he would not run for another term. The clashes left government buildings in ashes, stores ransacked, and an economy teetering. Cairo's international airport teemed with Americans and other foreigners trying to flee; Egypt's tourism industry froze. At Cairo's Liberation Square, Mubarak's announcement was met with jeers and calls for an immediate resignation. Pro-Mubarak forces struck back, attacking the protesters in waves. The country of 80 million, rich in history but bereft of personal freedoms, awaits the next stage. Collected here are images from the last week focusing inside Egypt.



music: Your Latest Trick - Dire Straits

I am Vincent van Gogh

Een Vincent van Gogh-lookalike: die kenden we nog niet. Een Engelsman - met ongetwijfeld veel te veel vrije tijd - heeft zich succesvol 'omgetoverd' tot de Nederlandse meester. Er was veel geduld en make-up nodig, maar het resultaat mag er wezen.

De man, James Birbeck (foto), besloot zich op foto vast te leggen toen zijn maten hem op de overeenkomsten tussen hem en Van Gogh wezen. James begon zich te verdiepen in Van Gogh en zijn kunstwerken en las een biografie over het bewogen leven van de kunstenaar.

"Na het lezen van het boek kwam ik erachter dat ook onze persoonlijkheden aardig overeenkomen." Daarop kocht de man kleren bij een kringloopwinkel en een grote portie make-up. Een vriend legde de herboren Van Gogh vast op beeld.