Stories about LANGUAGES from August, 2017
Is Cameroonian Journalist Ahmed Abba’s Imprisonment Because of Security, or Is It an Attack on the Press?
"This is an attack on the press. It's as if they want to criminalize journalism as an occupation in Cameroon. All they're accusing Ahmed Abba of is being a professional."
India’s Latest Internet Shutdown Hits Haryana and Punjab

According to the New Delhi-based Software Freedom Law Centre, India has seen 106 internet shutdowns since 2012.
‘Massacre’ of Suspected Gang Members Has Mozambicans Asking: What's the Role of Police?
Police maintained their intention was "to neutralize" the men, who died in a shootout. Some Mozambicans were quick to say police shouldn't be in the business of killing people.
India’s Supreme Court Says Privacy Is a Fundamental Right. How Did This Happen?

A series of citizen petitions attempting to challenge the implementation of India's Aadhaar biometric ID system preceded the historic court decision.
An Indian Transgender Couple Receives Death Threats After Announcing Plans to Marry and Adopt
"We too have the same rights to live in this world, as you all are having...We aren't disturbing anyone else. In fact, we've to fight a lot to survive itself."
Macedonian ‘Moby-Dick’ Translator Ognen Čemerski, 42, Was a Meticulous Linguist and Engaged Educator
Čemerski passed away on August 25 of cancer. Beyond literature, he was remembered as someone who made thoughtful commentary about the tense state of affairs in Macedonia.
Rape Conviction of an Indian Cult Chief Leaves Millions of Followers in Limbo
As the chief headed to court in Panchkula with a convoy of 700 cars, thousands of followers gathered on the streets of Haryana and Punjab in support of their 'godman.'
Provisional Election Results Show Angola's Longtime Ruling Party Is Staying Put
On 23 August, more than 9 million Angolans were called to elect the new president.
The Evolution of China's Great Firewall: 21 Years of Censorship

Technically speaking, circumvention technologies have outwitted the Great Firewall. Yet the new legal regime has changed the rules of the game.
Russia's Blind Footballers Overcome Underfunding and Doping Scrutiny to Become European Champions
The victory comes a year after the team was disqualified from the Paralympic Games due to the ban levied as part of the wider doping scandal.
Thousands of Rohingyas Fleeing Violence Are Stranded on the Bangladesh-Myanmar Border
"Desperate scenes at Bangladesh's border as Border Guard try to prevent entry to fleeing #Rohingya"
New Zealand Artists Launch ‘We Are Beneficiaries’ Social Media Campaign to Highlight Welfare Concerns

My wish for Work and Income New Zealand is that they treat our older citizens with deep respect, especially if they are caring for grandchildren."
Nigeria's President Surprises With a Speech Not About His Health, but About Ethnic Tensions
President Muhammadu Buhari finally returned after three months in the UK on medical vacation, and his first public address flagged online comments that "question[ed] our collective existence as a nation."
30km Protest ‘Swim’ from Tobago to Trinidad Turns Into ‘Another Post-Colonial Tale’
"Those Tobago transport woes are real. Maybe it's a PR stunt, but it's a bold move to draw necessary attention to travel challenges between Trinidad and Tobago."
Chinese Tech Firms Are at the Cutting Edge of Artificial Intelligence — But at What Cost?

China has a more open attitude toward new technology, but is their success built upon a lack of awareness of individual rights?
Shanty Towns in Conakry and Freetown: Mismanagement and Vulnerability in Africa's Booming Capitals
For several days now, bulldozers have been demolishing houses in Démoudoula, Conakry, leaving men, women and children on the streets.
After the Catalonia Attacks: Hate Messages and Social Network Confrontations
"This cannot be just another story. We have to learn from it, we have to make a better world. Leading by example, educating in non-violence, conveying non-hatred, equality."
Cambodia Shutdown of Media Outlets: Tax and Licensing Issue or Censorship?

"It appears that the Cambodian government has been using legal technicalities to hide behind its real aim of silencing independent voices."
China to Ban Anonymous Online Comments, Blacklist Users

"With or without real name registration, they know who you are. What they intend to do is to make you fearful."