Stories about English from October, 2015
Bangladesh Book Publishers Suffer Fatal Attacks in Wake of Blogger Killings
Both publishers had ties with Bangladeshi-American blogger and author Avijit Roy, who was attacked and killed in February 2015.
Netizens Think the Controversial Confucius Peace Prize Is Suspiciously Convenient for Chinese Authorities
The Chinese government isn't associated with the prize, which was awarded this year to Zimbabwe's President Mugabe. But that hasn't stopped censorship of critical comments or the communist party's cheerleading.
Indian Scholars Return Their National Awards to Protest Rising Intolerance
"We have never seen an atmosphere like this in India before. There never was any fear to freely voice one’s opinions."
Want to Research the Russian Internet But Don't Speak Russian? We Can Help.
Conducting open-source research is especially challenging when you don't speak the language of your research topic. Thanks to the Internet, however, even these obstacles don't make it impossible.
Ukrainian Official Dismissed for Using Russian Email Service for Official Correspondence
Ukrainian authorities believe that using Russian email services could potentially "jeopardize the country's information security" in view of the ongoing information war between Ukraine and Russia.
Mainstream Media Comes Under Fire for ‘Biased’ Coverage of Shia Religious Event
Every year, millions of Shia mark the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain bin Ali, killed 1,300 years ago. Netizens hit back on how mainstream media get it wrong.
Women Survivors Speak Out About Indonesia’s 1965 Mass Killings
“I was told I was only being taken in for questioning. It turns out I would be held for 14 years. From 1965 until December 1979. We never got justice."
Defending Gaza Using Social Media's Double-Edged Sword
Palestinian social media power user Omar Ghraieb chronicles his journey through the minefield of social media.
How Poor Service Turned Into Slut Shaming in Trinidad & Tobago
"The victim (and yes, she is a victim) is a grown woman who has every right to use her personal property in any legal way she saw fit."
Russian Lawmakers Reportedly Consider Adding ISIS to List of ‘Undesirable’ NGOs
Senators are reportedly preparing new additions to their NGO “stop-list,” seeking a ban on several new groups, including the already-outlawed extremist group ISIS.
Social Media Help Trinidad and Tobago Police Arrest Child Abuser
Trinidad and Tobago used its social media powers for good this past week, when Internet users circulated video of a child abuse incident that led to two arrests.
On Drawing Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution as a Comic Strip
One year after Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution, cartoonist Jason Li reflects on his social advocacy comic experiment.
Fans Step Up After Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei Hits Brick Wall With Lego
"No Lego on my Christmas-Burthday shopping list @LEGO_Group. Not supporting Ai Wei Wei @aiww is very disappointing"
Free Alaa Campaign Takes Social Media by Storm on the First Anniversary of His Imprisonment
Alaa Abd El Fattah has spent a year in prison for his activism. He has four more to serve. Netizens are making noise on his first year anniversary calling for his freedom.
Jailed for Anti-Monarchy Graffiti, Thai Musician Gets Support on Social Media
Opas C, a 68-year-old Thai, is serving a three-year jail term for writing an anti-monarchy graffiti in a mall toilet.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Leaves the US Without a Peep About Nukes
"Very unusual for a long joint statement to appear before the mtg is over! Obama-Sharif talks"
#FeesMustFall Hashtag in South Africa Turns Into #FeesHaveFallen. But Have They?
"The reality is that #FeesHaveFallen has been hushed into FeesHaveNotFallen. Nothing's changed; something has been prevented."
Drowning in Refuse, Lebanon's Capital Is Now Zigzagged by ‘Rivers of Garbage’
It rained in Lebanon and Beirut's rubbish, which has been pilling up alongside roads for months, turned the capital's roads into "rivers of garbage." Fears of a cholera epidemic don't seem unrealistic.
Deadly 7.5-Magnitude Earthquake Jolts South Asia
More than 260 people have been reported dead in the region.
Ukraine Goes to the Polls In Local Elections, But Not Everyone Gets a Vote
The local elections are largely seen as a test of transparency and fairness for the post-Euromaidan Ukrainian political environment, but many Ukrainians aren't getting a chance to vote at all.
Bomb Attack On Shia Gathering in Dhaka Raises Questions in Bangladesh
The Islamic State group has reportedly claimed responsibility for the Hussaini Dalan bomb attack, which killed one and injured over sixty others.