Stories about English from January, 2017
Popular Chinese Selfie App Meitu Prompts Privacy Fears
"I think it’s just a very shady business practice to try to gather as much data as you can without asking for permission."
Azerbaijan's Last Rail Stop Before Nagorno Karabakh Is a Quiet Place, When It Isn't Getting Hit by Shells
Welcome to Kocharli: the end of the line.
From Facebook Live Questions to a Police Investigation, the Curious Case of a Trinidad & Tobago Presidential Housing Allowance
The police have begun investigations into the legality of the president's housing allowance, but in a country where faith in the police service is low, netizens are hoping for transparency.
The First Non-US Animated Short to Win an Oscar Was Made by a Director From Croatia
With Academy Award nominations around the corner, learn about the director from Croatia who won the Oscar in 1961 for Best Animated Short Film.
Inspired by Trump's Counsellor, Trinidad & Tobago Social Media Users Start Whipping Out ‘Alternative Facts’
"Ringling Brothers closed down in anticipation of the competition from the American government. #alternativefacts"
China Officially Outlaws Unauthorised VPNs
The Chinese government has been blocking some VPN services in China since 2015, but the current policy has officially made unregistered VPN and web-hosting services illegal.
Filipino Farmers and Activists March for Justice and ‘La La Land Reform’
'Stop killing peasants who feed the nation,' reads one banner during the January 20 march organized by peasant groups and activists in the Philippines.
Snapshots of Migrants Working at a Riverside Brickworks in Myanmar
In some cases, children as young as five years of age share in their family’s labor when they really should be playing or studying at school.
Thousands of Women March to Reclaim Public Spaces Across India
Thousands of women across India rally, carrying signs reading, “I will go out,” in a campaign to reclaim their right to public spaces without fear of being attacked.
The Long Road of Burundi’s Diplomatic Isolation
Over the past several months, Burundi’s ongoing political-security crisis has exacerbated diplomatic tensions and local economic decline.
India's Education Minister Says Cow Is the Only Animal to Inhale and Exhale Oxygen
"When will this nonsense end? Or will it end at all? Each claim appears more ludicrous than the previous one."
With One More Vote, Trinidad and Tobago Could Ban Child Marriage
Child marriage will likely soon be illegal in Trinidad and Tobago, but the country's new legislation isn't likely to end the controversy surrounding the practice.
Health of Detained UAE Academic Nasser Bin Ghaith at Risk, Rights Groups Say
Bin Ghaith was held incommunicado for nine months over and deprived of adequate food and clothing. Supporters are now concerned for his health.
Diplomacy via Twitter? Indian Minister Threatens Amazon Over Indian Flag Doormat
"This case illustrates the perils of playing to the social media gallery in diplomacy."
China's Top Judge Warns Against the ‘Threat’ of Judicial Independence
"The speech should be the best migration service advertisement of the year."
They’re Partying This Friday to Make America Great Again, In Russia
Invitations went out over social media this week, informing journalists about inauguration festivities organized by the “White Star” art collective, which includes several prominent figures in Russia’s pro-Kremlin youth movement.
What Eyewitnesses Say Happened When Israeli Police Tried to Demolish Umm el-Hiran, a Bedouin Arab Village
Eyewitnesses explain what happened in Umm el-Hiran on the morning of January 18, 2017 as Israeli authorities prepared to destroy a Bedouin village
The Bosnian Politician Caught Lying About an Invitation to Trump's Inauguration
“Unless the departing administration denies me a visa, I’ll be at the inauguration,” have turned out to be famous last words for the president of Republika Srpska.
Bahrain Intensifies Media Crackdown Ahead of Protest Anniversary
On 16 January, the government banned the online edition of the country’s only independent newspaper al-Wasat, from "using electronic media tools".
Bhutan's Authorities Ban Film for ‘Misusing’ Religious Masks on Screen
"This narrowed minded decision is not just a ban against the film but a decision against the freedom of expression and creativity in Bhutan."
Mapping the Smells of Kyiv
A small motley crew “with notepads taken from conferences and scraps of paper” recorded the scents of Kyiv this winter. The results, it turns out, are glorious.
