Stories about English from November, 2016
No Surprise: Backdoors and Spyware on Smartphones is the Norm in China
"We are so used to the leaking of personal data. We don’t care about government surveillance anymore. We are nobody."
Sharing the Untold Stories of Child Abuse to Raise Awareness in Bangladesh
"She used to cry in fear seeing strangers, 'Uncle is coming, uncle is coming..' Her family thought she was possessed by Djinns."
Despite Suppression, Founder of Prize-winning Chinese Citizen Journalism Website Remains Optimistic
This post was written by Catherine Lai and originally published on Hong Kong Free Press on November 12, 2016. The version below is published on Global Voices under a partnership agreement. Despite the continued detention of his reporters and having been imprisoned twice, the founder of the citizen news site...
Under a Fiscal Control Board, Puerto Rican Voter Abstention Is at an All-Time High
"If the problem is properly looked at, the 2016 elections could be a good moment to initiate a massive movement of indignant people in favor of CHANGING the electoral system..."
A Mother’s Fight for Her Son Exposes Lebanon’s Institutionalized Sexism
Fatima Ali Hamze was arrested for refusing to give up custody of her son, sparking what could signal a new women's rights movement in Lebanon.
In Trump's New America, San Francisco Is Building ‘Walls of Empathy’
An interview with one of the organizers behind the collaborative "Wall of Empathy" project in San Francisco, which offers group therapy after a divisive and polarizing election season.
The Uphill Battle of Protecting Syrian Antiquities Amidst War
"In every military faction, including the regime’s army, you find a group involved in facilitating excavations and smuggling operations."
Winners Galore at the 34th Athens Classic Marathon
The 34th Athens Classic Marathon came to Greece last weekend, and there were more than a few big winners.
Sleeping or Dead – Part 3: Thought is the Crime
"Even if they don’t torture you, the mere act of waiting does. Have they forgotten us? Are we going to stay in here forever? Why haven’t they called us today?"
Chinese Authorities Execute an Anti-Land Seizure Folk Hero for Murder
"He is no criminal...He was just taking up his role as a man to safeguard his family. But the excavators have been ruining Chinese people’s homes…"
Bulgaria Elects a New President, But Who Knows What Happens Now to Its Prime Minister
Following Bulgaria's presidential election earlier this month and Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's subsequent decision to submit his resignation to parliament, the country finds itself in a tense political situation.
The World According to Russian Stereotypes
RuNet Echo explores popular stereotypes about foreigners gleaned from autocomplete suggestions generated by the website Yandex, Russia’s most popular Internet search engine.
Omani Film Critic Sentenced to Jail Over Facebook Posts
"As long as there is a human being exploiting a human being, there are revolutionary dreams, and dreams make the future."
Civil Society Slow to Pressure Trinidad & Tobago's President on Misconduct Allegations
A recent Auditor General's report flagged concerns about state bodies, including the Office of the President. While one social media user pushes for an investigation, civil society is more cautious.
#NotMyPrince Hashtag Uses Prince Harry's Upcoming Caribbean Visit to Resist ‘Colonisation of the Mind’
"Why is it necessary for the Crown to have any symbolic, ceremonial or constitutional role in the 21st century Caribbean?"
Expand Your YouTube Horizons With These Award-Winning African Online Video Creators
From music videos and animated cartoons to a 6-year-old comedian, discover the winners of the inaugural Sub-Saharan African YouTube Awards.
Cameroonian Government Launches Campaign Against Social Media, Calls It “A New Form of Terrorism”
The government of Cameroon considers social media “a new form of terrorism.”
Chinese State Media CEO Challenges Tencent’s Power Over Online News
Xu, who has 33 years of experience working in media, is now openly expressing concern that Internet corporates may soon be more powerful than the state and the party.
Four Animated Videos That Advocate Religious Tolerance and Protection of Child Refugees in Myanmar
There have been intermittent clashes between Buddhist nationalists and Muslim minority groups in several communities, especially in the western part of Myanmar.
Putin's Adversaries in Russia Wonder How Much Worse Things Will Be Thanks to Trump
“America really did a lot for the development of democracy around the world, but everything changes like inside a kaleidoscope with a leader like this,” Vladimir Milov says of Trump.
After 200,000 Join Violent Protest in Indonesia, Questions Follow About Defending Islam
The rally, organized by the conservative Islamic Defenders Front, turned violent, and many have since compared the unrest to riots that rocked Jakarta, the country’s capital, in 1998.