Stories about English from June, 2021
Pro-democracy Apple Daily continues its operations despite raid, seizures and arrests
Among the five senior executives arrested, two were officially charged with with conspiracy to collude with external elements on June 18
Roland Watson-Grant, Caribbean regional winner of the 2021 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, tells a tale of rural Jamaica
"I think the collective Jamaican experience can be summed up in the words of Paulo Coelho: ‘We all have one foot in a fairytale, and the other in the abyss.’"
Nepal’s wild elephants are also on the move
This year, because of the lack of human movement caused by COVID-19 restrictions, elephant herds shifted the path of annual migration from India into Nepal, marching right through villages.
Trinidad & Tobago marks World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, even as some seniors struggle at vaccine centres
The country's president advocated for the protection of the elderly, saying that their recent treatment at health centres is a "less than subtle form of elder abuse."
How will Armenians with COVID-19 vote on election day?
On March 18, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that he had come to an agreement with the parliamentary opposition parties to hold an early election on June 20.
Privacy and IP concerns as Kenyans find new ways to cash in on their internet fame
However, concerns are arising regarding the right to privacy, copyright legalities, value to content creators, and the unintended consequences of such overnight fame and success
Green playlist: Asian short films on protecting the environment
These films feature the struggles of various communities across the Asia-Pacific region as they defend their lands, environment and cultural heritage.
Size matters: US donation to Trinidad & Tobago sparks conversation on vaccine equity
The US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago's decision to tweet about its donation of 80 vials of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine to Trinidad and Tobago has received severe online backlash.
New report details gross violations of humanitarian law in Second Nagorno-Karabakh War
A new report details extensive violations by Armenian and Azerbaijani forces of international humanitarian law during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, including unlawful bombing, extrajudicial killings, and torture.
Alleviating hunger in Bangladesh during Covid-19 restrictions
The Covid-19 restrictions in Bangladesh have impacted the livelihoods of people who earn daily wages and several citizen-driven aid efforts are ensuring that the hungry get fed.
Final verdict against war criminal Ratko Mladić brings relief, denialism, but not closure
Serbian tabloids rushed to denounce the decision as evidence of anti-Serb bias and hailed Mladic as a hero.
Organiser of online map protest in Russia fined for crowdsourced obscenities
Unlike street protests, which require prior authorisation from local authorities, online rallies aren't technically subject to the same restrictions.
China's wandering elephant herd show. Not as ‘lovable’ as it looks.
"Finally an expert has provided an explanation about the herd’s northbound journey. Local officials avoided addressing the truth."
‘Lying down flat’ as passive resistance in China
"You can’t stand up. But you don’t want to kneel down. Then you can only lie down flat."
Armenia and Azerbaijan exchange detainees and critical information in breakthrough diplomatic deal
The deal was brokered by the US, Europe and Georgia was hailed as a "first step towards renewing confidence."
Spate of attacks against LGBTQ+ people in Azerbaijan
"When he called the police, the officer told him, 'If I could, I would burn homosexuals myself'."
Remembering Asia’s first Pride march in Manila
Two organizers of the historic 1994 Manila Pride shared their reflections about the legacy of the protest and the continuing struggle to fight for LGBT+ rights
Pro-Beijing lawmakers in Hong Kong slam Gay Games as ‘disgraceful’
"It's civil society’s business if they want to do it, but it’s wrong [for government] to throw money at this."
Vaccine hesitancy in smaller Caribbean islands benefits larger neighbours with high COVID-19 rates
Rather than have vaccine doses expire, regional governments have been donating part of their allocations to larger Caribbean Community (CARICOM) neighbours who need them.
Illegal logging, poaching and waste dumping endanger nature in North Macedonia
North Macedonia's great and varied biological diversity is seriously endangered and was significantly impacted by COVID-19, as protected areas in the country, and national parks' income were impacted.
Germany recognizes colonial-era genocide in Namibia, but survivors say it's not enough
More than 100 years after the genocide of Namibia’s Ovaherero and Nama ethnic groups, Germany acknowledges its guilt and will fund projects in Namibia over a period of thirty years.