Stories about English from August, 2014
China Will Let Hong Kongers Vote for Their Next Leader — But Only If a Pro-Beijing Committee Selects the Candidates
"We urge all Hong Kong citizens to stand up and speak out. The fact that they refuse to hear us does not mean that we don't exist."
Indian Security Forces Open Fire on Peaceful Protestors in Manipur
The Nagas in Ukhrul are protesting the ban on rallies and the militarisation of their home, which defies decade-long ceasefire between Naga separatists and the Indian Government.
A Home-Grown Campaign in Bhutan Is Giving Refurbished Shoes to Thousands Who Need Them
Bhutanese entrepreneur Dawa Drakpa cleans and recycles old footwear and distributes them to those who can't afford a decent pair. Nearly 1 percent of the country's population have received shoes.
As Bombs Go Silent, Testimonies Mount That Israeli Soldiers Used Gazans as Human Shields
Accusation made by Palestinians, several NGOs, and the United Nations against Israel for its use of Palestinian civilians as human shields.
Bahraini Activist Maryam Al Khawaja Denied Entry to Her Country, Goes On Hunger Strike
Bahraini human rights activists Maryam Al-Khawaja was denied entry to Bahrain upon her arrival at the airport. Now in detention, she has started a hunger strike.
Stop Complaining About the Government! Instead, India Wants Citizens to Help
India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has launched the “MyGov” website, which invites Indian citizens to participate actively in the country's governance and development.
Between Bombs and Rebuilding in Gaza, Palestinian Activists are Fighting for the Environment
What is it like to be a climate activist in Palestine living under occupation? We speak to a West Bank-based environmental activist.
Ukraine Asks Facebook’s Zuckerberg to Discipline Kremlin Bots
Ukrainian Facebook users have complained to Mark Zuckerberg himself that their accounts are being blocked on the site in droves—and they're blaming the Kremlin's bot army.
From a “Gaza Stripper” in Texas to Chinese Migrants in Egypt, Kim Badawi Photographs Intercultural Encounters
In this interview, photographer Kim Badawi discusses his work on cultural encounters, and on the role of social media when mainstream news fails to report stories that matter to communities.
Powerful Video Shows a Syrian Toddler's ‘Rebirth’ From Under the Rubble of a Bombed Building
A barrel bomb destroyed little Ghina's home and killed her mother. She survived, despite being buried in rubble herself.
Shame and Outrage in Algeria After Cameroon Footballer Albert Ebossé Is Killed by an Object Tossed from the Stands
"No desire to resume the league after the death of #Ebosse! #Disgusted. Our lives are worth more than this rubbish."
Activist Blogger in Vietnam Gets 3 Years Behind Bars for ‘Obstructing Traffic’
A court has sentenced a prominent Vietnamese activist blogger to three years in prison for posing a “serious obstruction to traffic.” Her two other companions will join her behind bars.
Locusts Invade Madagascar's Capital City
#valala pic.twitter.com/YHzOx5Q8QU — Vaintche Rahouli (@vincraholi) August 28, 2014 Twitter and Facebook users from Madagascar's capital city, Antananarivo, have posted several photos of locusts invading the city. Locust invasions are...
Macau Authorities Crack Down on Pro-Democracy Activists Who Want the Right to Vote for Their Next Leader
Macau, a special administrative region of China, elects its top leader via a committee. Three pro-democracy groups have organized an unofficial referendum on the right to vote in 2019.
Ukraine Blows Up Twitter with News of Russian Invasion
As Russia expanded its push across the Ukrainian border in what the media described as a stealth invasion, Ukrainian Twitter users replied with thousands of posts and trending hashtags.
Ebola Scare: Trapped on the Cameroon/Nigeria Border for Over 40 Hours
On August 19, 2014, the Republic of Cameroon closed its borders with Nigeria in a bid to halt the spread of the Ebola virus. However, the government made this decision...
Former Prime Minister Feeds the Meme Machine With Rejection of Trinidad & Tobago's Highest Honour
Patrick Manning doesn't want the Order of Trinidad and Tobago from current Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who he accused of breaking proper award protocol and attacking him in the past.
A Private Hospital in Bangaldesh Held a Patient's Body Ransom Because the Family Couldn't Pay Up Immediately
The deficiencies in Bangladesh's government hospitals and the uncertainties regarding service prompts people to chose private hospitals -- at a huge expense.
Why Activists Sent 128 Tomatoes to Every Single Member of Lebanon's Parliament
Fearing that lawmakers will once again extend their term without elections, Lebanese are saying #NotoExtension in protests on and offline.
‘Citizen Lawmakers’ in the Philippines Are Organizing a Campaign To Do What Politicians Won't: Abolish Pork Barrel
Hundreds of organizations hailing from various sectors have united in a historic attempt to collect enough signatures for a law abolishing the corruption-tainted presidential and congressional pork barrel.
In Defense of the National Gallery of Jamaica's Director
Over the last month, the National Gallery of Jamaica's executive director's leadership was the target of criticism, first via an anonymous letter written to the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper, and then...
