Stories about English from February, 2016
A House in the Hills Raises Temperatures in Jamaica's Election Campaign
With elections scheduled to take place in about a week, the two main political parties bicker over a national debate while the electorate -- and Jamaica's democracy -- suffer.
This Writer and Activist Wants to Rescue the West's Knowledge of Russia, One Translation at a Time
Translator Thomas Campbell tries to bridge the gap through his blog. Last week, he visited NYU, where he described the experience of running his website and monitoring the Russian blogosphere.
The Racist Portrayal of the Philippines in Historical Cartoons as US Troops Invaded
The cartoons portrayed Filipinos as uncivilized people who needed to be educated by the invading United States army.
It's Finally Official: Port of Spain's Mayor Resigns Over His Victim-Blaming Remarks
"Some of these old dogmatic doctrines of […] rural Trinidad and, and the Trinidadian society of the 50s and the 60s are no longer relevant in a modern world."
Three Important Hashtags Muslim Women Used to Battle Islamophobia and Sexism
Increasingly, Muslim women are turning to Twitter to take on people who use them as pawns to justify misogyny, racism, imperialism, and militarism.
How the Diplomatic Crisis Between Iran and Saudi Arabia Killed Sara Masry’s Blog
The diplomatic crisis between Saudi Arabia and Iran has meant the end of Saudi citizen Sara Masry's blog, launched after seven months of studying in Tehran.
One Man's Harrowing Experience Spurs Bangladesh's High Court to Ensure Emergency Treatment for All
Saif Kamal detailed in a Facebook post how he tried in vain to save a man who had been run over, but was turned away by hospital after hospital.
In Bahrain, Journalism Is a Crime
American journalist Anna Therese Day was arrested, along with her crew, and deported from the restive country as it marked its fifth anniversary of anti-government protests.
How Syrian Activists in Raqqa Are Resisting ISIS
A group of citizen journalists are documenting life under ISIS in the Syrian city of Raqqa. Find out how Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently is resisting the militant group
Bangladeshi Authorities Arrest Publisher and Shut Down Book Fair Booth for ‘Hurting Religious Sentiments’
Bangladesh’s constitution enshrines the right to free expression, and atheists have the same rights as other citizens. But authorities have done little to stop attacks against those critical of religion.
Kyrgyz Journalist Loses ‘One Som’ Court Case Against His Country's President
When it comes to conflicts between the state and journalists, Kyrgyz defamation suits are not a two way street.
Remember When the Mayor of Port of Spain Promised to Resign for Victim-Shaming a Murdered Woman? He Doesn’t.
Port of Spain's mayor promised to step down after blaming a woman's murder on her choice to wear a bikini. Then he un-promised, refusing to leave office.
In Trinidad and Tobago, Violence Has Been ‘Normal Normal’ For Way Too Long
In Trinidad and Tobago people have come—at their peril—to accept that violence is a part of life. But maybe it's time to push back against this idea?
‘An Unapologetic Independent Thinker': A Conversation With St. Lucian Poet Vladimir Lucien
"Caribbean literature nowadays is very much a mixed bag [...] I think it is several Caribbeans that we are seeing."
Bahrain's Government Continues to Strangle Dissent Five Years After Uprising Began
"Despite pledges from the authorities to prosecute security forces responsible for human rights violations in 2011, the Bahraini people are still waiting for justice."
Abandoned Shoes Protest Calls Attention to Macedonia's Massive Emigration Problem
"The scene was sad. We only have short time to make things better, to keep our youth here. To make everybody understand: We deserve better."
Serbia's Ombudsman Wants a Belgrade Police Chief Fired for Obstructing Journalists
“There was an unlawful use of force, there were threats...Many bad things were done,”
Teenager's Death After Police Questioning Leads to Review of Crime Investigation Procedure in Singapore
"We find it absurd that while public spaces are heavily surveilled with security cameras, interrogation rooms are not fitted with any cameras to allow for transparency of the interrogation process."
Citizens Protest Against Trinidad Mayor's ‘Vulgar’ Victim-Blaming Statements
"Clothing does not cause violence. Dark streets do not cause violence. Walking alone at night does not cause violence."
From Madagascar, Four Poems on Impossible Love for Valentine's Day
"My whole heart has been driven wild as well, and refuses to forget. Silence remains around the one whom I love, but I continue to believe."
When They Lock Up the Truth: Khadija Ismayilova and the Latin America Connection
Journalist Khadija Ismayilova's sentencing to seven-and-a-half years in prison in Azerbaijan has enraged rights activists all over the world, including in Latin America.
