Stories from December, 2018
The last residents of a dying Armenian village
Economic pressures and isolation have left one of Lernagyugh's two remaining families on the verge of leaving.
China's campaign against Christmas makes celebrating a difficult choice for citizens
"Are all these measures to enhance and promote Chinese culture or a sign of losing confidence on one’s own culture?"
Report says hackers detected online protest-sniffing software in Kazakhstan
The software was allegedly developed with help from Russia's security services.
Netizen Report: Bangladeshis see censorship on all sides as elections approach
Bangladesh is blocking websites, Sudanese telcos are blocking WhatsApp and Slack is kicking Iranians off the platform, even when they're not in Iran.
PHOTOS: Drone delivers vaccines to a remote island in Vanuatu
Vanuatu, a Pacific archipelago nation of 83 islands spread along 12,189 square kilometers, became the first country in the world to use drones for transporting vaccines to its remote communities.
Defying the odds as a woman entrepreneur in Afghanistan
After years of struggle Shukria Attaye owns a successful dairy farm that counts her elder brother among its employees.
Student protester in Hungary: ‘I don’t want to go to jail for something I haven’t done’
"...now I get scared sometimes. I don’t want to go to jail for something I haven’t done. That’s not really my plan for the new year."
Nagorno Karabakh mothers’ protest puts Azerbaijan's regime on the back foot
The state made a promise to compensate families whose sacrifices are lauded in official rhetoric. Then it let them down.
In Cardinal George Pell's sexual abuse trial, Australian court fails to suppress the ‘nation's worst kept secret’
"The alleged suppression order on #georgepell is allowing fake news and hearsay and speculation take the place of reputable news sources."
Ten quintessential Christmas tunes from Trinidad & Tobago
Some seasonal songs from Trinidad and Tobago that are sure to put you in a Christmas kind of mood — and that you won't hear anywhere else!
Over 500 women accuse superstar psychic in Brazil of sexual abuse
João de Deus attracted hundreds of people to his spiritual center every day and once counseled North American TV host Oprah Winfrey.
For the first time, an Angolan president meets with the government's staunchest critics
The meeting appears to signal a pivot from his predecessor José Eduardo dos Santos, whose administration was notorious for the ill-treatment of activists, journalists, and international NGOs.
In Hungary, protests continue at the public broadcast building where opposition MPs were removed by force
Protests continued in the Hungarian capital in front of the public broadcasting service building with opposition MP's ejected for demanding an end to the so-called "slavery law".
The case for the mate emoji and why it's important for South America
This South American drink beloved by millions is very close to making its way into the emoji lexicon.
Oaxacan women learn essential photo skills to reframe their lives
Over a weekend in November 2018, 25 young girls from Oaxaca learned about photography techniques from instructors of the Museum of Photographic Arts.
Hungarians stage nightly protests against new court system and so-called ‘slavery law’
This article is based on the story “Hungarians protest against the government in front of Parliament every night” written by Anita Kőműves, with photos by Márk Tremmel and Áron Halász for Atlatszo.hu, Hungary’s first investigative journalism non-profit. It is republished here in edited form through a partnership with Global Voices....
What do Chinese internet users think of Google's ‘Dragonfly’ project?
Internet users remain divided over whether or not Google's supposed return to China is a good thing -- or not.
100 days for Alaa: Family of Egyptian activist counts the days until his release from prison
Alaa has been jailed or investigated under every Egyptian head of state who has served during his lifetime.
Will the reinstatement of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe end Sri Lanka's political crisis?
" We will have to wait and see if the key players in the drama can rise above their personal and political agenda..."
Anti-violence protests continue in Belgrade, after journalist survives assassination attempt
Protests are estimated to have doubled in size after Serbian president vows "never" to meet demonstrators' demands.
It’s official: 2018 in Japan was a ‘disaster’
Given Japan's year of natural catastrophes, the Japanese Kanji Proficiency Society thought that “disaster” was a suitable symbol for 2018.