Stories about English from February, 2013
Macedonian Anti-Fascists Protest Against Harassment
On Feb. 16, World War II veterans and their supporters protested against the forced neglect of the Allied Forces' achievements (which include the founding of the Macedonian state), and the continuous harassment of the veterans' organization by the current government at all levels. Filip Stojanovski reports.
God Exists and He Serves the Kremlin
Though the Pussy Riot trial is over, the culture war it launched in Russia drags on unabated. Pope Benedict's abdication sparked the latest conflagration, when political analyst Stanislav Belkovsky addressed the Catholic leader's decision, calling it a path the Orthodox Patriarch ought to follow. In response, Parliament members have asked federal investigators to consider a criminal case against Belkovsky.
Kazakhstan to ‘Work Closely’ with Bloggers
Marat Tazhin, a senior government official in Kazakhstan ordered [ru] yesterday the creation of a database of the most popular bloggers and moderators of major social media networks in the country. He also ordered state-run media and press services of key ministries to “work closely” with the bloggers and use their...
Trinidad & Tobago's Take on The Harlem Shake
The latest Internet meme craze, the Harlem Shake, in which people dance to the song "Harlem Shake" by Baauer, has now taken Trinidad and Tobago – the other side of the world from where the meme began, in Queensland, Australia – by storm. This post checks out a few of the videos...
MDG Consultations Held in Tajikistan
Blogger Teocrat calls [ru] on Tajikistan's young people to contribute to public consultations on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The aim of the consultations is to review progress towards the MDGs and hear from people what they think should come after 2015, the deadline set for achieving the Goals. Many users...
South Korea: Ex-Police Chief Jailed for Defaming Deceased President
A former South Korean police chief was sentenced to 10 months in jail for falsely accusing the deceased former president of maintaining slush fund bank accounts under assumed names.
SenseCamp Berlin: a Social Entrepreneurship Gathering
Berlin held its second SenseCamp on February 8 and 9, 2013, a barcamp dedicated to social entrepreneurship. The program included workshops, meetings and conferences, to raise the impact of social entrepreneurial start-ups. Creative types, entrepreneurs and those who were interested, were invited to register in order to participate in this...
Bolivia's President to Seek a Second (or Third?) Term
After Bolivia's ruling party announced that President Evo Morales will seek re-election in the next president contest scheduled for December 2014, debate ensued over whether his current term counts as his first or second, and whether the country's four-year-old constitution would allow him to run again.
Bangladesh Raises Voice to End Violence Against Women
With fists raised to the sky, thousands of Bangladeshis throughout the country stood together in city streets and plazas last week chanting "no more, no more!" to demand an end to violence against women as part of the "One Billion Rising" movement.
Journalists Under Pressure in the Gambia Turn to Blogs
The hostile media landscape in the Gambia, marred by aggressive laws and regulatory measures that have almost crippled mainstream outlets, has some journalists in the country turning to blogs to report the news. Here is a guide to some of the most active and popular blogs.
Evacuate the Children of Fukushima
Parents, residents and lawyers are taking to the streets demanding that their children by evacuated from Japan's Fukushima region, where they claim radiation levels continue to be high.
In Pictures: The Polluted Rivers of China
Tencent News recently put together a photo story about the “colorful waters of China“, Offbeat China has translated the captions of the pictures.
A Timeline of Colombian Peace Talks
Adam Isacson has been updating a timeline on the peace talks between the Colombian government and the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia). The timeline includes relevant links with more information on each event.
Indonesia’s New Law on Mass Organizations Ignites Protest
The Indonesian Parliament is set to approve a bill that would amend the law governing mass organizations but human rights groups and experts have warned against its repressive provisions.
Taiwan Politician Tries, Quits Sina Weibo
Frank Hsieh, former presidential nominee of Taiwan’s pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), opened an account on Sina Weibo on February 19, 2013. However, the account was deleted less than 24 hours later. More from China Beat.
Will High Speed Rail Improve Singapore-Malaysia Ties?
The Prime Ministers of Malaysia and Singapore announced a high speed train project which will provide a mere 90 minute link between the two countries. The rail link is expected to improve economic and social ties between the two neighbors which used to be part of a single federation.
Is Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Spread Racist?
Mitch Blatt from China Hush takes a look at debate over the appropriateness of Sports Illustrated magazine's set of photos for its swimsuit edition that feature ethnic minorities in China. While some think that the photos disparage minority culture in China, the blogger argues that such comments stem from a desire...
Hope on Horizon for Gays in China
Chengdu Living looks into the mindset of young people who, surprisingly, demonstrated an open attitude toward homosexuality despite their Chinese cultural background.
Haiti: The Politics of Identity
Tande blogs about “the relationship between cultural identity and belonging” and recommends a Haitian musician whose work goes beyond the identity politics and “offers a compelling example of how some of these tensions play out.”
Media Freedom Still Murky in Myanmar Despite Progress
Myanmar's decision to dissolve its notorious censorship board was praised by many groups as a step forward in promoting media freedom in the country. But press freedom watchdogs also highlighted the continuing threats and attacks faced by Myanmar-based journalists.
Honduran President vs. Freedom of the Press
We make no claim that the Honduran press is exceptionally reliable, or lacking in bias. But Lobo Sosa wants to stop the press from doing anything that makes his government uncomfortable, even though part of the role of a free press is just that: making the powerful uncomfortable. RNS from...