Stories about LANGUAGES from December, 2016
Lives Without Dignity in Thailand’s Female Prisons
"Prisons in Thailand still fail to recognize the basic rights of female prisoners, depriving women of essential health services and goods from sanitary pads to bras."
Spokeswoman for Russia's Foreign Ministry Accuses Facebook of Working With ISIS
Maria Zakharova, the colorful spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, accused Facebook administrators of working for the Islamic State, after the network temporarily unpublished one of her posts on Monday.
Domestic-Murder Spree Clouds Christmas in Jamaica
"The system of patriarchy continues to socialize men into a false belief that they have the right to control women. Consequently, gender-based violence [...] seems almost ‘normal.'"
Chinese Authorities Are Burying Their Heads Not in Sand, But in Smog
"The problem of the smog has been solved!...We have deleted all posts about the smog, banned people from wearing masks and arrested those who wrote about the smog!”
Educators Respond to Plans to Expand Orthodox Education in Russian Schools
The proposed course was designed to replace the existing religion curriculum entirely, leaving parents without control over their children’s religious education.
Ode to Fallen Dreamers: Syria's Young Revolutionaries
Palestinian revolutionary Budour Hassan remembers the Syrian Revolutionary Youth who chanted for bread, freedom and social justice.
In Addition to Innovation, Journalism Needs Trusted Communities
A friend donates part of a grant to Global Voices, because "infrastructure, communities and trust take a long time to build—and without support, those gains can all too quickly disappear."
Is Nepal No Country for Women?
Nepal's constitution has failed to bring equality to the country's women, but human rights advocates haven't given up.
Remembering Castro’s Commitment to Healthcare and Beating Ebola in Africa
Political leaders and citizens worldwide have reacted in different ways to the recent passing Fidel Castro, and Cuba and Africa were closest on healthcare.
That Fake U.S. Embassy in Ghana Issued Real Visas for a Decade
For ten years, a U.S. embassy operated quietly in Accra, the capital of the West African country of Ghana. But the embassy wasn't an embassy at all.
‘Keyboard Warriors’ Want To #TakeBackKenya
Even though police used teargas to disperse participants at the #TakeBackKenya walk in Nairobi, Kenyans are determined to speak out against corruption and bad governance.
Masaki C. Matsumoto: English-Speaking, LGBT, Queer and Feminist in Japan
Masaki C. Matsumoto writes in both Japanese and English about LGBTQ+ issues in Japan. He was recently interviewed by Anime Feminist about the portrayal of LGBTQ in manga and anime.
Syrian Women Thank Russian Soldiers in New Sexy Calendar Funded by the Kremlin
Thanks to Kremlin grants, there's now a glossy calendar featuring a dozen beautiful Syrian women, posing beside flirty captions that praise Moscow’s armed intervention in the Middle East.
Social Media Sites Blocked in Kazakhstan on 25th Anniversary of Independence
Activists reported that Facebook, YouTube, and other social media websites were inaccessible in Kazakhstan on Friday, the 25th anniversary of the country's independence from the Soviet Union.
#FreeMaxenceMelo: Authorities Charge Tanzanian Whistleblowing Website Owner Under Cybercrimes Law
"Mentioning 'Tanzania' and 'democracy' in the same sentence amounts to subjecting the term 'democracy' to ridicule."
Student Leaders Spark Hope for Change on Iran’s National Student Day
"Iran’s civil society and student movements remain a ray of hope, and indeed pride, for a nation that continues to struggle for change."
Controversial Trinidad Carnival Fete Frustrates Fans Seeking Fun
The organisers of Soaka 2017 may have thought they were being Internet-savvy by asking patrons to go through a five-step ticketing process, but it struck some as elitist and discriminatory.
2016 Was the Caribbean's Year of Loss
For bloggers in the Caribbean, “2016” has nearly become an obscenity. Adjectives now used to describe this "annus horribilis" include "sucky", "terrible" and "the worst".
Lebanon Deports Prominent Unionist, Testing Migrant Workers’ Resolve
Law enforcement officers in Lebanon are cracking down on unionists committed to organizing the country's migrant workers, and labor activists find themselves squeezed and left with few options.
Taiwanese Wonder If They're Just a Chip for Donald Trump in Negotiating With China
"What Trump is doing now might be a maneuver...He tries to make China nervous by befriending Taiwan, and then he can get a better deal with China."
Albanians From Macedonia Cross Ethnic Lines to Vote Against Ruling Parties
Ethnicity plays a big role in Macedonian politics, and Albanians are the country's second-largest ethnic community.