The PEN Pod: Confronting the Shadow of Our Mortality with David L. Ulin
“Somehow, maybe if we’re lucky in those moments where we can step outside of the dread, it allows us to kind of be more present in the moment.” More
Russia Moves to Track Residents Under Cover of Coronavirus
For weeks, the Russian government has failed to undertake serious measures in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and tackling it efficiently. More
PEN World Voices 2020: A Festival Reading List
PEN America’s World Voices Festival is proud to share these books, newly and soon-to-be published by authors due to appear at the 2020 World Voices Festival. More
Stop Treating Trump’s Press Conferences As Must-See TV
The cable networks should stop treating President Trump’s news conferences as must-see television with banner coverage. More
The PEN Pod: Tough Questions with Suzanne Nossel
“What we’re seeing amidst this pandemic is an incredible premium on accurate, factual, unadulterated, unskewed information that people need as a matter of life and death.” More
Navy Relieves Captain Who Raised Alarm About Coronavirus
(New York, NY) – The U.S. Navy announced today that it has relieved of duty Capt. Brett Crozier, who raised the alarm about a coronavirus outbreak aboard the ship… More
The PEN Pod: It’s a Magnificent Time to Be a Writer with Parnaz Foroutan
“I think our stories can show that human beings have courage and they are resilient and that hope is a key factor in surviving this period. And the stories… More
Iran Bans Print Media in Response to COVID-19
(New York, NY) – In response to an Iranian coronavirus task force's wholesale ban on print media, Summer Lopez, PEN America's senior director of free expression programs, issued the following… More
Turkmenistan Bans Use of Word Coronavirus
(Washington, DC) – The Turkmen government has reportedly banned the use of the word coronavirus at the direction of long-time president of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. PEN America’s Washington director… More
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The ruling Chinese Communist Party has targeted thousands of people for speaking out about the coronavirus epidemic in the country since it began in late December in the central city of Wuhan, an overseas-based rights group has said. https://bit.ly/2XgnExs
#Malaysia has arrested more than 4,000 people for violating virus lockdown orders, marking the toughest law enforcement action in Southeast Asia after the Philippines, where the president encourages police to shoot offenders. https://bit.ly/2Rg000k
This op-ed from the @latimes suggests that independent bookstores should be considered essential businesses, like newspapers, media, and magazines, because books themselves are essential to the health of the nation. https://lat.ms/2Ri1pU5