Stories about English from February, 2015
Lunar New Year Envelopes Get a Rainbow Twist for Gay Acceptance in Hong Kong
One activist group handed out the traditional envelopes, but instead of money they contained real-life stories of the challenges that gay and lesbian people face during the holiday.
Remembering Ukraine's ‘Heavenly Hundred’
"It's dangerous and frightening, and today one must be [in the east], like one had to be in Kyiv a year ago. Maidan has moved. It's now at the frontline."
The ‘Spy Cables’ Reveal Inconvenient Truths about Israel's Mossad
Al Jazeera and The Guardian newspaper have released leaks from spy agencies across the world. Here are the first few stories pertaining to Israel's Mossad.
‘Ministry of Truth’ Recruits Ukrainians for ‘Internet Army’
Ukrainian Ministry of Information Policy has launched a website to recruit Ukrainian social media users for a government-run "Internet Army."
Trinidad & Tobago Has ‘Carnival Mentality’. Is That Necessarily a Bad Thing?
Carnival mentality refers to the carefree attitude on display at Trinidad and Tobago's biggest party. Some argue the term should represent industriousness -- Carnival takes a lot of work.
Disabilities Are No Obstacle to These Spirited Cricketers in Nepal
Be it spinal injury or visual impairment, these disabilities won't ever stop dozens of spirited hearts from relishing the fervour of the World Cup.
South Korea's Young Workers Earn ‘Passion Wages’, Meaning Hardly Anything at All
The buzzword "passion wage" reflects harsh conditions young South Korean people face nowadays in the workforce -- low or no pay to pursue their passion.
Here Is What You Can Do in Kyiv if You Have One Dollar
What can a dollar buy you in Kyiv, Ukraine? Quite a few things, actually! An enterprising social media user collected the most interesting ideas in a blog post.
Cameroon Bloggers Rally Behind #StopBokoHaram Campaign
"My words, my pen, and the ease with which I express my feelings, choices and ideas in my writings, are my weapons."
The Dress Rehearsal for the Belarusian Crackdown
"Belaruskaya Pravda" chief editor Yuri Dubina says the recent crackdown in Belarus on independent online media is only "the dress rehearsal" before the presidential election this November.
Tanzanian Schools Will Teach Students in Swahili, Not English
President Jakaya Kikwete launched a new education system in Tanzania last week that, among other changes, will introduce Swahili as the language of instruction in schools.
Unlawful Deals by 5 Biggest Ebola Contractors in Sierra Leone
Five companies are said to have misappropriated funds for fighting Ebola in Sierra Leone: Here are the 5 companies who were awarded the biggest contracts to provide goods and services to Sierra Leone’s ebola response as listed in the Ebola Funds Audit Report covering the period from May – October...
Indigenous Tweets Highlight International Mother Language Day in Australia
Wamut,aka @kriolkantri on Twitter, and blogger of ten years, shared indigenous tweets on Storify: “February 21 is International Mother Language Day and this year, Australians showed off Aboriginal and Islander languages in a spectacular way and highlighted the amazing-yet-fragile linguistic diversity found across the continent”. Happy International #MotherLanguage Day! We're...
The Stale Catch in Croatia's “Fresh Start” Debt Erasure Program
Croatia's government has received praise for its decision to wipe the debt of its poorest citizens. But will this "Fresh Start" really help Croatians?
A Love Letter to Jailed Syrian-Palestinian Bassel Khartabil
As the ongoing strife in Syria fades from international headlines, Leila Nachawati writes an appeal inspired by a love letter to jailed blogger Bassel Safadi written on Valentine's Day.
Trinidad & Tobago Law Students Create Anti-Bullying Campaign
Student attorneys from various parts of the Caribbean come together to help eradicate bullying in schools, which they regard as a human rights issue.
Egyptian Blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah Sentenced to Five Years in Jail
Prominent Egyptian activist and blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah, an icon of the Egyptian revolution, was sentenced to five years in prison today.
High Hopes and Mixed Feelings About Russia's Oscar Nominee
Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev’s film "Leviathan" has been a critical darling abroad and a key Oscars contender, but in Russia, it has generated a polarizing national discussion.
A Passenger Ferry Capsizes in Bangladesh. Again.
On Sunday noon a passenger ferry reportedly packed with more than 100 passengers was hit by a cargo vessel 40 kilometres northwest of Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital. It subsequently sank. A rescue vessel located the capsized vessel and attempted to pull it up. According to reports 37 bodies have been found...
Submissions Needed for White History Month 2015
Organised by Africa is a Country blog, White History month 2015 is coming next month: Last March was the inaugural White History Month here on Africa is a Country, and without tooting too loudly on our own vuvuzela, it was kind of brilliant. So we’re going to do it again....
Kuwait Sentences Opposition Politician Mussallam Al Barrak to Two Years in Jail for “Insulting Ruler”
Kuwaiti opposition politician Mussalam Al Barrak was sentenced to two years in jail for telling the country's ruler that the people would not allow him to practice “autocratic rule.”
