Stories about English from June, 2016
The Wild World of Telegram Stickers
It’s Friday and today we’re going to write about stickers—not just any stickers, but the stickers that have been flooding the instant messenger app Telegram for the past year.
As President Faces Impeachment, Brazil’s ‘Royal Family’ Wants to Play ‘Game of Thrones’ For Real
It's been 127 years since Brazil was a monarchy, but President Rousseff's possible impeachment has presented the country's last royal family with an opportunity to appeal to supporters.
Tajik Facebookers Make Persian Poetry Political
"I left, because now there is no place for love there. I left, because there was no use in staying there. I left, because oppression and pain crossed all lines."
Hong Kong Bookseller Says He Was Forced to Confess on TV During Eight-Month Detention in China
"This is not just my personal matter or Causeway Bay Books, this is about the human rights of Hong Kong people."
‘Mother, Don’t Cry If They Couldn’t Find My Body’: Remembering the 4,000 Syrian Refugees Who Died En Route to Europe
A humanitarian agency is working to increase global awareness about the refugees from Syria who have died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea, releasing a film called “The Sea Cemetery.”
Local Chinese Officials Promise They Won't Let the Yulin Dog Meat Festival Happen This Year
"Being humane to animals is not a western value. China has had laws against animal abuse since the Qing Dynasty."
One Photographer’s Mission to Change People’s Perception of Burn Survivors
"For me all of them are inspiring. They are not victims. They are survivors. Fighters. Literally, they are happy."
Ramadan in Sri Lanka Is More Than You Think
Although Sri Lanka has grappled with divisions along ethnic and religious lines, in challenging times citizens do come together to help each other, casting aside their differences.
Following Complaints, Singapore Removes Same-Sex Kiss Scene in Les Misérables Production
"It is nothing more than a triumph of ignorance and hysteria over common sense and sober reflection."
Blood on Campus: How the Killing of a Student Sparked Nationwide Protests in Sudan
Sudan has a long tradition of student protest, but the government appears bent on suppressing the latest wave, triggered by the killing of a student from the contested Nuba region.
Jamaica's Attorney General Condemns the Orlando Massacre, But Thinks the Rainbow Flag Goes Too Far
Her tweet saying it was "disrespectful of Jamaica's laws" for the US Embassy to fly the rainbow flag sparked a discussion on Twitter of LGBT rights in Jamaica.
Helping Refugees in Europe Get Connected to the Internet
"Connecting with family is a top priority for newly arrived refugees who want their loved ones to know they are safe."
Most of the Lives Lost During the Orlando Massacre Were Puerto Ricans
Puerto Ricans mourn the loss of loved ones in one of the most popular destinations for Puerto Ricans who emigrate to the US looking for better opportunities.
Harold La Borde, the First Trinidadian to Sail the World, Remembered for His Sense of Adventure
"There are heroes in name and then there are heroes in legend who will live on through the ages. The late Harold La Borde was the latter."
China’s LGBTQ Community Tells Orlando Shooting Victims: You're Not Alone
"So many friends came and showed their love...I saw everyone cried, I saw everyone’s eyes, don’t cry my dears, let’s be strong and hold each other’s hands."
What Can China Do to Stop the ‘Epidemic’ of Suicides Among Government Officials?
Some say tougher anti-graft measures are necessary. Others think judicial independence could make a difference.
Singapore Plans to Pull the Plug on Internet Access for Public Servants
"Computer security is important in the modern workplace, but it should not be an excuse to revert to dumb or blind practice."
Israelis React With Outpouring of Support for LGBTQ Community After Orlando Massacre
"It doesn’t matter exactly which religion made him hate us to death...It’s always the fear of those who are different, those who challenge the existing order."
A Joint Photo Exhibition Between Greece and Turkey Brings These Neighbors Closer Together
They believe that peace and friendship is the best way to overcome problems and that art, especially photography, is a medium that can bring people closer together.
‘There Are Increasingly More and More Positive, Strong and Motivating Representations of Black Women’
The author interviews American filmmaker, scholar and activist, Beti Ellerson.
‘HiviSasa’, a Kenyan Citizen Media Project for Mobile Web
"Accessible, diverse, transparent information empowers both governments and citizens. Better informed citizens make better decisions about their lives and their government."