Stories about English from June, 2019
In pictures: Nepal holds parade during international Pride Month
Participants demanded equal rights, including same-sex marriage, and were able to educate people about the diversity of the queer community, well beyond the term LGBTQ+.
Will Barbados be the first Caribbean nation to abolish the secondary school entrance exam?
"Every child deserves a good-quality education. Why we have a system that making our children feel they stupid if they don't pass for ‘a good school'?"
‘Stand with Hong Kong': Appeal to G20 leaders on extradition law crisis appears in major international newspapers
Proposed legal amendments would allow Hong Kong residents to be extradited to mainland China's judicial system. Protesters are appealing to G20 leaders for support.
Detergent ad causes uproar among conservative audiences in Pakistan
The advert ends with Pakistan's women's cricket team captain Bisma Maroof saying “these are not statements but stains."
Playing against patriarchy: Muslim girls in India own the ‘male Space’ by playing football
While many think that gender equality in sport is utopian, there has been a growing movement where people are coming forward to talk and fix the problem of patriarchy.
Myanmar unites against anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination after tragic death of a young gay librarian
Kyaw Zin Win wrote in his last note, "[Myanmar] is a country that mocks the identity and existence of a person".
What will it take to combat digital authoritarianism in Southeast Asia?
"Applied to the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia, digital authoritarianism refers to how the internet has been weaponized in aid of existing authoritarian regimes."
China's censored histories: The evolving blacklist on Tiananmen Massacre
The blacklist shows an ongoing struggle between those vowing never to forget and authorities attempting to erase this piece of history from collective memory.
Trinidad & Tobago's ‘Bike Man’ takes cycling to new heights
Trinidad and Tobago loves its "heights" -- and a skilful cyclist on a homemade bike that reaches 10-12 feet in height does not disappoint.
Climber who captured viral image of Mount Everest traffic is on a quest to conquer the world's 14 highest peaks in record-breaking time
There are only 14 mountains that are higher than 8,000 meters and former British Gurkha soldier Nirmal Purja is on a record-breaking mission to climb all 14 peaks in just 7 months.
Myanmar disables internet access in conflict areas of Rakhine and Chin states
The government and operators did not specify when access to the internet will be restored.
Parents, students threaten to sue Bhutanese employment agency after ‘learn and earn’ debacle in Japan
Many students became sick from physical and mental stress. There were also reports of forced labor, and passport theft and illegal wage deductions by employers in Japan.
New documentary explores the roots of Myanmar’s persecution of the Rohingya community
"I wish people in Myanmar see this film, since it is not only about Rohingya, it is about all ethnic minorities, who have faced persecution for years."
Trinidad & Tobago walks the talk for World Conversation Day
For the first time, Trinidad and Tobago took part in World Conversation Day via a series of offline talks about topics from creativity to aging — all streamed online, of course.
Hong Kong anti-extradition protesters paralyze government and police operations
Among the demands made by Hong Kong's anti-extradition protesters is an independent investigation of police brutality in relation to the clashes on June 12.
For Albania and North Macedonia, are the European Union's doors half-open or half-closed?
Both Western Balkan countries were hopeful for a positive outcome from the EU foreign ministers' meeting on June 18.
Years after eviction by an oil extraction project, a Ugandan community waits for justice
Uganda’s oil reserves can potentially bring in revenue of over US$50 billion over 25 years, but extraction projects are happening in areas where land rights and tenure are not clearly defined.
Bangladeshi surfer girls are pushing back against conservative gender norms
Surfing has not only allowed them to retain a piece of their childhood but they now confidently dream of securing a bright future for themselves – dignified jobs, a good education.
Is China headed towards another Cultural Revolution?: An interview with Professor Xu Youyu
"Justice has not been served to those who were killed, suppressed and jailed. Those who were exiled still can not return to their homeland."
Hong Kong police remove ‘riot’ label from June 12 protests, but citizens still demand justice
A coalition of civil society groups has called for an independent investigation into the excessive use of force by police during the June 12 protests.
I won't climb Everest: a graphic travel journal
"From our eyes shine excitement and the (heavy) cultural baggage of the West around the legendary 'roof of the world'."