Stories about English from December, 2012
Do Egyptians Really Want IMF Money?
Soon after the beginning of the Egyptian revolution, negotiations over a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to the Egyptian government began. The purpose of negotiations was to secure a loan that supports Egypt’s economy following the concerns over its compromising state. While presumed to boost economy and encourage foreign investment, the IMF loan was met with criticism and protest.
Protesters March for 270km in Yemen's Second Life March
Last year the revolutionary youth marched from Taiz to Sanaa for five days, covering 270km on foot in what they called the Life March. The aim of the march was to invigorate life into Yemen's ongoing revolution. This year the revolutionary youth commemorated the martyrs of the 2011 Life March by walking in their footsteps all 270km from Taiz to Sanaa. They were greeted at the borders of Sanaa and were joined by more youth and supporters.
Conversations: Pregnant Syrian Refugee in Winter’s Cold
This post contains a conversation between News Deeply and Ayesha, a 29-year-old woman living in the Atma refugee camp in Idlib Province, in northwestern Syria. She is one of an estimated 50 pregnant women in the camp; volunteers tell us there is an acute need for baby milk.
Two US Drone Strikes in Yemen for Christmas
Merry Christmas from Yemen! Christmas day was a day of double drone strikes in Yemen, killing five 'suspected' militants. The first drone strike killed two people travelling in a vehicle in a southern town, al-Bayda province on Monday. In the second attack, which also occurred on Monday, the unmanned aircraft fired missiles at three people riding on two motorcycles travelling in Hadramout province, killing all three men.
What Did Chinese Web Users Search for in 2012?
Baidu, the leading search engine in China, has compiled two Top 10 lists —the most-searched terms online in 2012, and the “fastest rising” words or phrases. TeaLeafNation has a detailed analysis on what...
Kenyans Wake Up to ATM Fraud Scare on Christmas
Kenyans woke up on Christmas day to fraudulent bank activity alerts alleging that there were "unusual withdrawals" from Standard Chartered, Kenya Commercial Bank and Stanbic accounts. However, some Kenyans were skeptical about the authenticity of these claims. So far there has been no official communication from bank officials about the alerts.
Journalists, Opposition Thrown Out of Macedonian Parliament Amid Street Protests
On Monday, Dec. 24, the Macedonian capital Skopje was shaken by a violent protest - and a counter-protest - related to the Parliament's approval of the 2013 state budget. Filip Stojanovski reports.
China’s hottest “styles” of 2012
Because of the Korean pop hit “Gangnam Style”, the English word “style” has been popularized in China in 2012. On Dec 24,a local newspaper published a special round-up of the...
Last-words analysis – Why Tibetans Self-immolate?
Ogyen Kyab has translated Chinese scholar Wang Lixiong's analysis of the reasons behind the Tibetans self-immolation.
Tajikistan Blocks 130 Websites
Hurray! [Tajikistan is] ahead of the rest of the world again! Where else do they block more than 130 websites at once?
Promoting Recycling in Macedonia
Continuing the tradition that started last year (en, mk, nl, es), the Macedonian Twitter community has erected a new Christmas Tree made of plastic bottles (mk, mk, photos 1, 2,...
Saudi Writer Arrested for Controversial Tweets
Prominent Saudi novelist and political analyst Turki al-Hamad was reportedly arrested by the Saudi authorities for a series of controversial Tweets.
Uzbekistan's Boring TV
What's the most boring thing in the world? Waiting for a bus? Attending a philosophy class at a university? Elections in Belarus? No! The most boring thing in the world is Uzbek television!
It's Christmas in Bethlehem
It's Christmas in Bethlehem, in the West Bank, Palestine, the birth place of Jesus Christ. What better way than to celebrate this occasion than by sharing photographs and reactions of netizens to this event, celebrated by billions worldwide.
Animal Welfare Groups Step Up Campaign in Laos
Animal welfare groups in Laos have stepped up their campaign to promote protection of animals and public awareness about animal care. Their campaigns include better veterinary care, providing shelter to injured animals, and the stopping of illegal dog meat trading.
Iranian-Americans Seek Heros to Save a Life
Nasim, a young woman from Northern California of Iranian decent is in need of a bone marrow transplant. Several Iranian celebrities have stepped up to help spread the word to save her. They are using social media to find a hero to give a bone marrow donation.
Who Supports Russia's Ban on American Adoptions?
A slight majority of Russian internet users support the ban on adoptions by Americans. 50% do not understand the motivation for international adoptions, and 60% think that such adoptions endanger children. Who are these people, and what are they saying?
Greece: “Gods Just Got Bored Playing Dice”
German daily Handelsblatt reportedly picked Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras as politician of the year, after yet another round of austerity measures, another bailout tranche to Greece, a warning from the European Commission of...
Are Dynastic Politics Making a Comeback in East Asia?
First, Kin Jong-un took over North Korea after the death of his father. Then, Xi Jinping, the son of a communist politician veteran Xi Zhongxun, was announced the new leader...
Assad Airforce Kills Syrians Waiting in Breadline
The Syrian government conducted a deadly airstrike against Syrians - standing in line waiting for bread in a bakery in Halfaya, in Hama. Estimates put the number of those killed between 90 to 300 people in the attack on the town, which rebels say they have recently liberated from Assad forces. Online, activists are livid that the world continues to watch as innocents are being massacred.
