Stories about English from December, 2015
What to Expect From Russia's State Censor in 2016
The head of Russia's state censor discusses the normalcy of media restrictions, the efficacy of blocking online resources, tackling messenger apps, and much more to come in 2016.
Trinidad & Tobago Greets 2016 With Austerity
"The government spent the last four months doing diagnosis and triage. Tonight, the wound was bandaged and antibiotics applied."
Why Millions of Chinese Are Victimized by the Blooming Peer-to-Peer Lending Business
"We trusted China Central Television and have engaged in legal investments. We trusted the government and the deposit should be protected."
2015 Was A Breakthrough Year For Sexual Diversity
Marriage equality scored major triumphs this year in Ireland, Chile, Colombia and the US, though for many on the sexual diversity spectrum the fight continues.
The Tragic Rise of Child Abduction as a Business in Madagascar in 2015
"I would not wish such a nightmare on my worst enemy. The Malagasy population feels completely helpless in the face of this wave of children kidnapping."
Is It Not Democracy If Voters in Rwanda Want a ‘Life President'?
After 98% of Rwandans voted to change the constitution to allow President Kagama to run for a third term in 2017, some hit back at Western criticism of the results.
Finding the Cultural Bridges of the Middle East in Literary Istanbul
Conversations with literary masters in Istanbul lead Arash Azizi to ponder the cultural disconnect, especially in terms of literature, between the countries of the Middle East.
Russian Blogger Gets Five-Year Prison Term for ‘Inciting Hate’ Online
Vadim Tyumentsev, a Russian blogger from Tomsk, has been charged with hate speech and calls to extremism online and has received a five-year sentence for videos on YouTube and VKontakte.
South Australians Queue for the Pungent Corpse Flower
Thousands of people have queued to see and smell a corpse flower in bloom at South Australia's Mount Lofty Botanic Garden.
One of 2015's Biggest Political Scandals Ends in the Indonesian House Speaker's Resignation
"Indonesia’s public was able to witness, in fascinating and nauseating detail, the mechanics of rent seeking at the highest level."
Ethiopia Censors Satellite TV Channels as Student Protests Draw Global Media Attention
"If the regime thinks it can cut our audience off from receiving OMN news and programs, they are too dumb to understand what we are made of."
Millions of Indians Slam Facebook's ‘Free Basics’ App
With two weeks of public advertisements, Facebook would have got the maximum opposition in India so far in rolling a free access to its products called Free Basics.
Activists Seek to Dispel Abortion Stigma Fueled by the Macedonian Government's Policies
"Because it's about me, the decision whether to abort or not must remain my and only my right."
The Gambia Turns Talk Into Action, Passes Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Bill
After President Jammeh announced an executive ban on the practice hardly a month ago, lawmakers made good on the sentiment.
How the Soviet Union Sent Its First Man to the Internet in 1982
This is the story of a Soviet scientist who, in 1982, accidentally found himself among the first citizens of the USSR who were able to connect to the Internet.
The Francophone World's Uplifting Stories in 2015
We collect collects a few of the happy events you might have missed while distracted by so much of the gloom in 2015.
2015 End-of-Year Quiz: Test Your Russian Internet News Knowledge
Think you're a Russian Internet guru? Take our 2015 news quiz to see how closely you've been following the RuNet Echo stories during the past year.
Sri Lanka's President Says Enrique Iglesias Concert Organisers Should Be ‘Whipped With Toxic Stingray Tails’
President Sirisena didn't like that female fans hugged and kissed the pop star, nor that someone threw her bra onstage. Sri Lankans didn't take to his "moral policing" kindly.
Syrian Filmmaker Naji Jerf Killed in Turkey After Exposing ISIS Crimes in Aleppo
Syrian film-maker Naji Jerf, 38, was shot dead in broad daylight in Gaziantep, Turkey, for uploading a video exposing ISIS crimes in Aleppo, Syria, on YouTube.
Myanmar's Memorable Moments in 2015
The victory of Myanmar's opposition over the military-backed party was a significant milestone in the country's history. This and other events that made 2015 a particularly memorable year for Myanmar
Even Santa Can't Escape Toxic Smog in China
During Christmas toxic smog spread from the northern provinces to central China.
