Stories about English from December, 2017
If You Spent 2017 in the Caribbean, This Was The Kind of Year You Had
2017 was a bit like a rollercoaster for the Caribbean archipelago, complete with incredible highs and stomach-churning lows.
Survivors of a Deadly Mall Fire in the Philippines Share Harrowing Testimonies on Social Media
"Simultaneously, the lights went out. There was no electricity. It was dark, people started screaming. Smoke was starting to cover us. I maintained composure..."
From Political Icon to Tyrant: President Duterte, According to Philippine Protest Effigies
The many protest effigies during President Rodrigo Duterte's first two years in power reflected the evolving position of left-leaning activists and rights advocates towards the new administration.
From Internet Blackouts to Violent Attacks, South Asia Saw New Threats to Free Expression Online in 2017
In 2017, South Asian countries faced growing challenges in the field of internet freedom, censorship, and freedom of expression.
The Good Cop? Uzbekistan Readies for Another Year of Major Changes
2017 was a honeymoon year for Uzbekistan and new President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, but challenges loom in the distance.
Ghana's President Says Africa Must Quit Its ‘Mindset of Dependency’ on Western Aid
President Nana Akuffo-Addo's declaration was criticized as dangerously inaccurate or as being the empty words of a politician. Others, however, found his statement empowering.
Teenage Abuse Victim Faces Online Criticism, Accused Granted Bail
"The case mirrors a repeated pattern which tends to dissect a sexual abuse victim's language and dress while giving the accused a pass under the 'Boys will be boys' mentality."
Macedonia's Former Government Tried to Cover Up Its Own Wiretapping Operation, With Help from a Foreign Company
New revelations show the depths of manipulation perpetrated by the populist propaganda machine of Macedonia's former government.
In Hopeful Step Toward Reconstruction, Iraq's Mosul Celebrates First Christmas Since Fall of ISIS
"Iraq would not be without its Christians, Yazidis, and other communities."
Don't Call “Xi the Bun” — Chinese Netizens Are Being Jailed for Chatroom Jokes
Three recent cases indicate that chatroom conversations in China are under surveillance and can be used as evidence in criminal prosecution.
Bleak Christmas in Oil-Rich Nigeria as Fuel Scarcity Disrupts Holiday Commute Home
Christmas frenzy ground to a halt in Nigeria as Nigerians were unable to power their vehicles and businesses.
Photos: Days Before Christmas, Tropical Storm Tembin Batters Southern Philippine Island of Mindanao
"Let’s also include in our prayers the families residing in Pagalungan, North Cotabato who are affected...they don’t have their evacuation center and as of the moment, no relief goods..."
In Memory of Aleppo
"We are alive, we will keep going, and the dream will be realized"
Wayang Wahyu: Preaching the Bible Through Indonesian Javanese Puppets
Indra Suroinggeno has been conducting workshops among young Javanese to preserve and promote Wayang Wahyu, a narration of Bible stories through the use of puppet characters.
The Chinese Communist Party Forbids Members From Celebrating Christmas, Calling It a Festival of Humiliation
This year, the anti-Christmas campaign has been marked by the circulation of an article that recites the history of Western military invasions in China, arguing that Christmas represents Chinese humiliation.
Thailand's Military Junta Wants to Promote Nationalism With a Soap Opera Called ‘Love Missions’
"It’s delusional to think this is enough to alleviate the people’s sorrow and disappointment with the military in the real world."
All about ‘osechi ryōri’, Japan's traditional New Year's food
If you're ever invited to spend New Years in a Japanese home, you can impress your hosts with your knowledge of the meanings of the various traditional New Year's dishes.
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In Sri Lanka, Families of the Disappeared Treasure the Everyday Items Left Behind
"When we were displaced, this blazer and four sarees were all I had in a bag. This is all I have of his possessions."
Tropical Storm Unleashes Deadly Destruction on Philippines Four Years After Super Typhoon Haiyan
"We would never have thought the storm would cause evacuation-efforts spanning three regions or paralyzed the economy of close to three provinces in Eastern Visayas."
Is Trinidad & Tobago ‘Vindicating’ Perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence?
"How to vindicate a murder: Give it a child. Call its dead mother a monster for being cold and selfish enough to ask Justice to restrain a man..."