Stories about English from May, 2019
In Myanmar, Buddhists offer white roses to Muslims during Ramadan
"There is no place for religious extremists in our country."
Russia: Kommersant staff walk out in protest of censorship, triggering journalism ethics debate
The entire politics desk of Kommersant, several dozen people in total, has since resigned out of solidarity with their colleagues.
Right to Information: With its new law in place, will Ghana go the way of Nigeria?
Nearly two dozen African countries have passed Right to Information laws. But while strong in principle, many have faltered in practice.
North Macedonia to hold first-ever pride parade in June 2019
North Macedonia’s first pride parade is yet another testament to the country's recent political transition. Homophobic violence was markedly tolerated by the previous government.
China arrests filmmaker for retweeting an image of a liquor bottle referencing Tiananmen Massacre
The bottle label carries the image of "Tank Man" with the description "Never forget, never give up".
How Chinese tech workers are organizing the online #996 labor movement, despite risks of censorship
In contrast to other social movements and memes on the Chinese internet, #996 has taken shape largely on GitHub.
‘Conservation or community rights’? Bangladesh bans fishing for 65 days
The two-month fishing ban aims to boost fish stocks but it could lead to hunger and displacement in coastal communities.
Papua New Guinea PM pushes proposal for social media regulation, citing need to stop ‘fake news’
"The fact is you can't control platforms were information is circulated, attempts to do such undermines the role of democracy and freedom that is enshrined under the constitution."
30 years after the Tiananmen Massacre: The troubled history of the Goddess of Democracy
The Goddess of Democracy stood for five days in the Tiananmen Square in 1989 before the bloody massacre of June 4.
Russian website attempts to impersonate established news outlet covering the Balkans
"The purpose of publishing under the name Balkanist in Russian is to confuse readers at home, in Russia and elsewhere into questioning our sincerity, what and who we support."
North Macedonia vows to remedy injustices against NGOs, closes legal loopholes abused by former government
"NGOs were penalized and unjustly fined for mistakes they had not made," said Deputy Prime Minister Radmilla Šekerinska.
Inflatable Tank Man sculpture appears in Taiwan ahead of Tiananmen Massacre anniversary
"I think it is important to the Taiwanese people to continue discussing this topic – preventing people from forgetting this event"
India's Lok Sabha 2019: Results are in after a weeks-long election process
People have taken to Twitter to vent out their anticipation. Many have taken the exit polls results to be completely reflective of the actual results and have started congratulating Narendra Modi.
Kami Rita Sherpa breaks record as he climbs Mount Everest for the 24th time
Defying all odds, the Nepali Sherpa guide climbed the world’s highest peak twice in a week this year – making 24 ascents to Mt. Everest.
Western Balkan countries look at the past and the future at the Venice Biennale 2019
Among the participants at the Venice Biennale are the Western Balkan countries, which see it as an excellent opportunity to showcase the art and promote their artists, beyond their borders.
Why are Colombian indigenous peoples protesting against President Ivan Duque?
Indigenous people in Colombia have organized national protests against President Duque's new development plan, joining forces with other civil society groups like afro-Colombians, small-scale farmers, labor unions and students.
Jamaica’s ‘Voices for Climate Change’ spreads its message with music
One forward-thinking NGO is promoting smart environmental practices by harnessing artistic talent to do outreach and raise awareness about climate change.
30 years after the Tiananmen Massacre: An interview with survivor Zhou Fengsuo
"It is becoming more and more difficult to demand responsibility for June 4th. Do you still have any hope?"
Anti-Muslim attacks stoke tensions and incite fear amongst mourning Sri Lankans
On 12 May Sunday, anti-muslim violence started over a Facebook post by a Muslim trader in coastal Chilaw town in Puttalam District, North Western Province of Sri Lanka.
In Hong Kong, the sexual connotation of Ikea's new tofu ice cream ad creates controversy
"[The ad] generates the image of a woman wishing for her body to be eaten like tofu."
Singapore parliament approves ‘anti-fake news’ law — will this curtail free speech?
The law gives broad, unchecked powers to government ministers to determine what online information is "false" and should thus be censored or corrected.