Stories about English from September, 2016
‘Convenient Outrage’ in Trinidad & Tobago Over Demolition of Dance Pioneer Beryl McBurnie's House
"What's the point of outrage now if you didn't actually give any thought to the deterioration of this historical building over the years?"
Why Do So Many Eritreans Risk Their Lives Fleeing the Country?
"Eritrea is an authoritarian state. There is no independent justice system, no parliament, no democratic institutions to speak of. "
Singapore Debates Whether Paralympic and Olympic Gold Medalists Should Receive the Same Rewards
"We cannot measure (or reward) human endeavour by money alone but withholding it sends a wrong message to society too."
Meet the Street Kids of India Who Have Their Own Paper
"Do media think what a child thinks? Do you know what children want? Do you ever consider these questions?"
Malaysian Animal Lovers Launch Online Petition Against Malacca State Law Banning Dogs at Terrace Houses
"Take action only [against] dog owners who do not comply through fines or means other than forcing them to give up the dogs."
It's September, and That Means It's Time for Software Freedom Day
Do you use free and open source software?
Zimbabweans Can't Stop Giggling About a ‘Hideous’ Statue of Longtime President Mugabe
"Good thing Dominic #Benhura made this ugly statue of #Mugabe. Citizens will enjoy knocking it down when he falls."
That Time Russia Banned Online Porn (Again)
The two pornographic metropolises of the Internet, PornHub and YouPorn, were banned in Russia this week. ISPs are required to comply with the ban within 24 hours.
Parents’ Group in Greece Says No to Integrating Refugee Children in Schools
Members of a parents' group are protesting the Greek government's decision to integrate more than 15,000 children from refugee and migrant families into the national education system.
Skopje Authorities Bulldoze Roma Families’ Homes, Then Ignore Their Plight
"Without electricity, water supply or sewage, with high risk from infectious diseases due to the floods and lack of minimal hygiene conditions, they dread the coming of winter."
A Former Street Child in Mumbai Builds a Cafe-Cum-Library for Homeless Youth
"I sold books for nearly three years to collect funds to set up this cafe. We will always be open to street children and never reject their entry..."
Ghanaian President Vows Not to Shut Down Social Media During Elections
Ghanaian president John Mahama has assured the nation that social media will not be shut down during elections due to take place on December 7.
The Feud Between Two Indian States Over Water Has Taken a Violent Turn
"If you set fire to things to protest the scarcity of water, then the protest goes from agitation to irony."
Vladimir Putin and the Fake Brides of Red Square
Last holiday weekend, Moscow wasn't the only thing being celebrated: part of the spectacle appears to have been arranged to remind Russians that their president is a virile, red-blooded man.
Chinese Police Violently Crack Down on Protests Against an Elected Village Leader's Imprisonment
Residents believe Lin Zuluan was forced into confessing that he took a bribe because he had planned to protest land seizures taking place without the village's consent.
Macedonia’s Amazing Disappearing Interior Minister
Macedonian politicians appoint a placeholder crony to ensure that party loyalists get the Interior Ministry's top positions ahead of snap parliamentary elections.
Many See Ethnicity-Based Discrimination in Nepali Ministry’s Ban on Using an Imported Holy Scarf
"I totally agree if the ban is imposed on all unnecessary imported goods, but taking a target only on Khada is outrageous and unacceptable."
How Beijing Manipulates Legislative Elections in Hong Kong
Mainland China is doing its best to rig Hong Kong democracy, but risks a popular backlash in the process.
Filipinos Find Ingenious Ways to Build Their Own Basketball Hoops
"It still amazes me to see these makeshift courts everywhere and anywhere and people of all ages playing – sometimes in only flip flops."
How Fake Stories Reported in Russia's News Media Regularly Fool Everyone
In August, something all too typical happened in Russia's news media: a perfect example of where fake news stories originate, how they’re spread, who is responsible, and who believes them.
Egyptian Mothers Take On Female Genital Mutilation, Pinning Hopes on Younger Generations
Mothers are leading the fight against Female Genital Mutilation in Egypt, pinning their hopes on younger and future generations.