Stories about LANGUAGES from January, 2016
Three Foreign Lawyers Have Returned Home Safely, But What’s Life Like for Local Attorneys in Tajikistan?
What's the difference between a Tajik and a non-Tajik lawyer? In Tajikistan, detained foreign attorneys have a better chance of remaining unharmed and securing a quick release.
What You Need to Know About the Recent Job Protests in Tunisia
Five years later, Tunisians are back on the streets protesting for "jobs, freedom and dignity." Tunisian blogger Afef Abrougui tells us what happened.
Social Media Slams India's Judgmental Journalist
"I wasn’t abused, I wasn’t beaten, I wasn’t molested, I wasn’t raped.” Actor Sunny Leone has moved beyond her porn star past -- why can't the journalist who interviewed her?
Ugandans Take a Dig at President Museveni With 30-Year-Old Photos
As President Museveni seeks to be re-elected for a sixth term, Ugandans are using the hashtag #1986pictures to share their memories of that time -- and their political discontent.
Chinese Netizens Climb Over the Great Firewall to Go After Advocates of Taiwanese Independence
A mainland Chinese netizens’ movement aimed at silencing pro-independence Taiwanese "through civilized methods” has become a humourous emoji battle and a tech lesson in scaling the Great Firewall of China.
Viewers in Trinidad and Tobago Ready the Toilet Paper for This Year’s Soca Music Competition
The International Soca Monarch competition has become a popular aspect of Trinidad and Tobago's annual Carnival celebrations, but this year's semi-finals left a lot to be desired.
The Only Hero in Russia Who Isn't Named Putin
While Ramzan Kadyrov isn’t Russia’s president, he is far more than a mere regional figure, and the past few weeks have offered only the latest evidence of his “talents.”
Get a Glimpse of Life in ‘Fair Japan’
Japanophiles, rejoice! Many amazing images of the country can be found in the New York Public Library's digital image archive, now in the public domain.
Russian LGBT Activist Fined for ‘Propaganda of Homosexuality’ Online
LGBT activist Sergey Alekseenko was accused of "gay propaganda" after posting a quote from a state regulator's report describing another LGBT community on social media.
Can Our Children Be Safe? Pakistanis Ask After University Attack
"This is going to be a test.. a harsh one.. comparisons will be drawn.. you can't have winners when children have been snatched from parents"
Photos of a Misty Morning Sun Rising Over Myanmar's Last Royal Capital
Photographer Zaw Zaw captured the beauty of Mandalay during one morning above Myanmar's last royal capital.
The Air Pollution in Macedonia Is Bringing People Into the Streets, And There’s an App for That
The open data app "My Air" has helped spark massive protests, making Macedonian citizens aware of the results of air-pollution monitoring. Then came the DDoS attacks and government pressure.
The Ever-Blurring Line Between Entertainment and Politics in China and Taiwan
A teenage K-pop performer's apology for waving a Republic of China flag—interpreted as supporting Taiwanese independence—recently went viral.
‘Hands Off Our Privacy': Polish Citizens Speak Out Against Surveillance Law
Poland's parliament adopted a surveillance law that would give authorities fast access to citizens' Internet and telecommunication usage data, without prior approval from a judge.
Two Separate Acts of Kindness Demonstrate the Best of Humanity in Peru
"Thanks, Brando, because without knowing you weren't just returning a wallet... you were returning hope to the country!!"
Venezuela's Indigenous Pemón Community Waits for the Day Germany Returns Their Grandmother Kueka
Grandmother Kueka is the genesis, the first mother in the Pemon culture, but the huge jasper stone was never returned after it was taken for an art exhibit.
A New Wave of Protests Sweeps São Paulo Against Public Transportation Fare Hikes
One study found that public transport in 21 Brazilian cities are among the most costly in the world in relation to average salary, outranking London, Tokyo and New York.
Vintage Postcards Show Life in Vietnam in the Early 20th Century
The postcards are part of the digital collection of The New York Public Library, which recently released more than 180,000 digitized items into the public domain.
You Don't Know Noise, If You Don't Know Trinidad and Tobago
From unbearably loud music to illegal fireworks, one civic-minded social media user in Trinidad and Tobago is taking on the "noise polluters who yearly get away with decibel crime".
In Photos: Farmers Harvest Buckets of Glimmering Sea Salt in Myanmar
Many salt farmers in Myanmar are already migrating to other countries in search of better opportunities. This photo montage features salt farming along Myanmar's southeast coast.
First Russian Pastafarian Gets Driver's License Photo Wearing A Colander
Russian Pastafarians are celebrating: for the first time, an adherent of the religion managed to get his driver's license photo taken wearing a pasta strainer—Pastafarians' obligatory headgear.
