It’s May 16th, I’m Gina Telaroli and this is TakePart.com’s look at the week in social action…

Central China was hit with a devastating earthquake today measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale. The quake is the worst to strike the world’s most populous country in decades. The state-run Xinhua News Agency currently estimates over 8,500 people have perished as a result of the disaster, tragically including 900 students who were trapped under the rubble of their collapsed school.

The epicenter of the quake was in Sichuan province, in the hilly region of the Middle Kingdom leading up to the Tibetan plateau, but its force caused skyscrapers in Shanghai and Taipei to sway. The shockwaves were felt as far away as Thailand and Vietnam. You can view video of the quake shot by a student in Sichuan province after the jump:

Read the rest of this entry »

Gorgeous urban landscapes of China’s largest city are captured in the photo exhibit “Megalopolis Shanghai”, now showing at New York City’s Von Lintel Gallery. The GÃttingen, Germany based father and son photographer team of Horst and Daniel Zielske show us the most populous city in the most populous country in the world in all its glory. The pair have been working since 2002 creating these vibrant, colorful depictions of Shanghai’s skyscrapers, rivers, highways & plazas.

According to the gallery,

“In this series of pictures, the two photographers - father and son - present Shanghai between fiction and reality as the `city of tomorrow`. The focal point of their photographic work is the architecture of the city`s streets, a critical investigation and analysis encompassing the subject of urban landscape. In a long-term project begun in November 2002, they have been documenting the metropolis Shanghai as an urban composition, a man-made architectural living space and enviroment of unprecedented and unimaginably gigantic dimensions. The resulting images are of immense visual beauty.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Icelandic singer Bjork upset Chinese officials last Sunday in Shaghai when she shouted “Tibet, Tibet” after performing her song “Declare Independence.” The incident has caused China to tighten its restrictions on foreign performers.

China’s Ministry of Culture responded to Bjork’s action on Friday by posting a statement on its Web site, saying that she “broke Chinese law and hurt Chinese people’s feelings,” The Associated Press reported. Bjork has sung the song before in support of independence movements; performing in Japan in February, she dedicated it to Kosovo. [NY Times]

Read the rest of this entry »