Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from March, 2018
How English-Language Pronouns Are Taught Around the World
Globally, close to 1 billion people are learning English as a Foreign Language and all of them encounter binary gender pronouns from the earliest lessons.
In the Wake of a Fatal Fire in Russia, Official Numbness and Online Trolling Stoke Outrage
The tragic Kemerovo incident exposed not only the Russian officials' numbness to grief and poor crisis management skills, but also the society's susceptibility to online trolling, both state-sponsored and external.
A Romanian in the UK: On the Thin Line Between ‘Undesirable Migrant’ and ‘Welcomed Contributor’
"No more "bad migrant"-"good migrant" division games. People's lives do not fit in a tickbox. Politicians should listen to more real migrant stories to understand."
What Were Global Voices’ Readers up to Last Week?
During the week of March 12-18, 2018, our stories and translations attracted readers from the majority of the world's countries. Number 99 on the list? Ghana. And number 20? Madagascar.
Despite Resignation of Slovakian Prime Minister, Thousands of Protesters Continue to Demand Justice for Murdered Journalist
An estimated 65,000 protesters demanding early elections gathered in the capital city of Bratislava while thousands more rallied in the streets of other cities.
Women Reporters Accuse a Prominent Russian Lawmaker of Sexual Harassment, but His Colleagues Stand by Him
At least three Russian women reporters have accused Leonid Slutsky, a populist parliament member, of sexual harassment. Most of his politician colleagues, even women, are rallying behind him.
From Graffiti to Politics, Anti-Semitic and Neo-Nazi Speech Is Becoming More Visible in Eastern Europe
Activists in the region have been sounding the alarm about increasingly emboldened hate speech against Jewish people and apology for perpetrators of the Holocaust.
Millions of People Take to the Streets in the Largest Show of Support for the Feminist Struggle in Spain's History
Almost six million people joined the international strike on March 8, and hundreds of thousands took to the streets to demand firm measures against gender discrimination and sexist violence.
What Were Global Voices’ Readers up to Last Week?
During the week of March 5-11, 2018, our stories and translations attracted readers from 208 countries. Number 159 on the list? Guyana. And number 15? Kazakhstan.
How Greek Anti-Nationalist Satire Was Misunderstood as Hate Speech in Macedonian Media
"...the problem is we are so alienated from each other as peoples and as individuals that we are prepared to expect the worst in each other..."
Slovak Bloggers and European Leaders Demand Justice for Slain Journalist Ján Kuciak
"Supranational law enforcement tools must be established urgently to punish the killers. Strong words won't deliver justice."
What Were Global Voices’ Readers up to Last Week?
During the week of February 26-March 4, 2018, our stories and translations attracted readers from 204 countries. Number 129 on the list? Martinique. And number 13? Taiwan.
Murder of Investigative Journalist Ján Kuciak Shakes Slovak Society
"Judging by the past affairs in Slovakia, as well as experience with similar events in the world, it is very unlikely that we have will see justice. However, in order to keep my own mental health, I remain optimist ..."
Did the Macedonian Orthodox Church Really Start a ‘Crusade’ Against a UNESCO-Protected World-Heritage Custom?
An attempt to preach against UNESCO-protected wearing traditional white and red good luck charms by the Macedonian Orthodox Church seems to have backfired.
Russian Authorities Are Trying Really Hard to Boost Turnout in the Upcoming Election, Good Taste Be Damned
"There's no doubt about the importance they’re attaching to the turnout...The money poured into this campaign is being squandered, because these campaign ads are cooked up by amateurs, not professionals."
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