Barred from China and silenced in the US, this beauty queen isn't backing down
By James Griffiths, CNN
Anastasia Lin just wanted her father to see her face.
When she entered Miss World 2016, the Canadian was under no illusions about coming home with the crown. Getting on stage would be enough: the final is broadcast around the globe, including in her native China, where her father has been harassed and prevented from leaving since 2015.
In the end she appeared on screen for all of six seconds, during her introduction. For the rest of the show she was tucked away at the back of the crowd of contestants, or at the corners of the stage.
Disappearances spark fears of crackdown on leftwing dissent in Pakistan
Four prominent online campaigners with anti-military views believed abducted since Friday
Four social media activists with outspoken, secular and anti-military views have gone missing in Pakistan in recent days, sparking fears of a crackdown on leftwing dissenters.
Pakistan’s intelligence agencies have a history of illegal detentions and of not notifying relatives about where they are or why they are being held. However, such “forced disappearances” are usually directed against those suspected of involvement in terrorism or violent separatism.
Government quietly launched ‘assault on freedom’ while distracting people, say campaigners behind legal challenge
The Investigatory Powers Act became law at the end of last year, and gives spies the power to read through everyone’s entire internet history
The Government passed an “assault on freedom” while people were afraid and distracted, according to campaigners.
Campaign group Liberty is requesting a High Court judicial review of the wide-ranging new spying tactics in the Investigatory Powers Act.
That law was passed at the end of last year and gives spies – and a range of other organisations including the Food Standards Agency – the power to see anyone’s entire internet history, alongside other unprecedented rules. The Liberty challenge will focus on bulk powers, which let intelligence agencies collect up huge amount of data in case it needs to be used in future, meaning that people not under investigation have their information watched.Illegal water trade springs up as taps run dry in Zimbabwe
It Zimbabwe, it is not uncommon to have your water shut off — and it is happening to more and more people as the country slips further into economic crisis. When their taps run dry at home, Zimbabweans have to collect water at the nearest well. However, this comes at a price: 20 litres of well water usually sells for about a euro. While a minority are making money from the “water business” that has sprung up in light of shortages, it poses public health risks.
Zimbabwe is one of the poorest countries in the world and it is also prone to extreme drought. The effect on agriculture has been disastrous, and the east African country has been in a state of natural disaster since February 2016. As if that weren’t enough, for the past few years, the country has been engulfed in a severe economic crisis caused by hyperinflation. This has only contributed to the already high rates of poverty.
Legal minefield
As the country looks to attract foreign money to boost the economy, a sketchy and opaque legal system makes investors think twice
JANUARY 10, 2017 11:02 AM (UTC+8)
One year after the National League for Democracy ‘s landslide win in Myanmar’s historical elections, many were hoping the country would witness an economic boom, helped by a new international image. State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi cleaned up the country’s troubled past in September when President Barack Obama announced the lifting of remaining US sanctions. A month later, a new Investment Law was ready to hit Parliament. But even so, all the lights are not green and the economy will have a hard time meeting expectations.
The country’s opening in 2011 under the semi-civilian government of President Thein Sein was economically welcomed. Enthusiasm sprung up as Myanmar reached 8.5% growth in 2013-2014. But it died down slowly, as structural challenges have yet to be overcome.
New candidate for 'missing element' in Earth's core
Japanese scientists believe they have established the identity of a "missing element" within the Earth's core.
They have been searching for the element for decades, believing it makes up a significant proportion of our planet's centre, after iron and nickel.
Now by recreating the high temperatures and pressures found in the deep interior, experiments suggest the most likely candidate is silicon.
The discovery could help us to better understand how our world formed.
Lead researcher Eiji Ohtani from the University of Tokyo told BBC News: "We believe that silicon is a major element - about 5% [of the Earth's inner core] by weight could be silicon dissolved into the iron-nickel alloys."
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