Stories about English from December, 2021
Turkey announces new steps to normalize ties with Armenia
During his address at the national parliament on December 13, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu said Turkey was ready to normalize ties with Armenia.
The Turkish Lira continues to lose value at a breakneck pace
Turkey's largest business group urged President Erdoğan's government to "return to rules of economic science."
Hong Kong sees record-low voter turnout in its ‘patriot-only’ Legislative Council elections
Hong Kong had a record-low 30.2 percent voter turnout in its first "patriot-only" Legislative Council elections on December 19, 2021. Instead of casting ballots, many took the day off and traveled the city.
Russian peacekeepers promise to oversee return of all Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan
While both parties pledged to return all prisoners as part of the ceasefire signed on November 9, 2020, the number of Armenian POWs still in Azerbaijan remains unknown.
The International Court of Justice orders Armenia and Azerbaijan to prevent racial hatred
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), ordered Armenia and Azerbaijan to “prevent the incitement and promotion of racial hatred” following last year's 44-day war.
China's top propagandist Hu Xijin steps down as The Global Times’ chief editor
Hu’s departure is unlikely to change the course of China’s wolf warrior diplomacy, but after the restructuring, many expect the paper to become even more aligned with the “party spirit.”
2021 in review, from a Caribbean point of view
While the Caribbean was primarily focused on rising COVID-19 infection rates, a steady stream of variants, and strong vaccine hesitancy, the pandemic wasn't the only story affecting the region in 2021.
Turkish prosecutor general closes investigation into death of Azerbaijan’s ‘graffiti prisoner,’ Bayram Mammadov
Six months after Azerbaijani activist Bayram Mammadov's body was found by the Turkish coast guards, the prosecutor general's office has issued the final autopsy report.
New Caledonia votes to stay with France in referendum boycotted by the Indigenous population
"The future of New Caledonia cannot be built without its indigenous people. The Kanak voice is the cornerstone of New Caledonia’s common destiny."
Georgian authorities fail to produce autopsy five months after journalist’s death
The authorities in Georgia have failed to produce the results of an autopsy into the death of TV Pirveli camera operator Aleksandre (Lekso) Lashkarava.
2021 in retrospective: Authoritarian practices threatened journalists and restricted media freedom in South Asia
In this retrospective, we will review issues of online and press freedom, censorship, the safety of journalists and digital rights in South Asia that we covered during the year.
In Sudan, the court stands on the side of unrestricted access to the internet
In Sudan a judge ruled to restore the internet service to the Sudanese after it was cut off in the aftermath of the October 25 coup.
July 7 declared World Kiswahili Language Day: A new project seeks to better understand present day dialectal variations in Swahili
"Our hope is also for Swahili to be celebrated in its complexity — with its many varieties and dialects, with the diverse groups of Swahili speakers..." –The Project Team.
Lost and found: Repatriation of Laxmi-Narayan's statue to Kathmandu Valley’s Patan
The reinstallation of the half male and half female statue of Laxmi-Narayan in Patan’s Patko is the latest example of the homecoming of stolen idols.
How did Vietnam do on human rights in 2021?
"As 2021 draws to a close, we ask that the international human rights community remain vigilant and continue working with their respective governments to demand that Vietnam respect its international obligations."
Russian filmmaker Sergei Solovyov dies at 77
Solovyov is best known for films portraying the turbulent transformations in Russian and Soviet society that occurred during the late 1980s during the perestroika and glasnost era.
In the midst of floods and climate change, these are the local systems that hold the fabric of Assam together
Flooding leaves devastation in its wake every year in Assam. As climate change erodes an already vulnerable landscape, people band together to adapt and save each other.
Arrest of activist Khurram Parvez shows ‘a new hostility towards civil society in Kashmir’
Arrested and charged under the much-criticized Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for “terror-funding” and “conspiracy,” Khurram’ Parvez's internationally acclaimed body of work is being tarnished by allegations of terrorism.
Myanmar’s ‘silent strike’ delivers loud condemnation of continuing military rule
"The people showed that the revolution and popular defiance of the military council have not lost momentum."
St Lucia announces it will host a ‘vaxxed’ Carnival in 2022, but is it realistic?
"We have to ensure that we preserve the health of St. Lucia while creating an economic activity for our people to benefit from.”
Namibian activists maximize social media to expose unlawful jurisdiction and homophobic legislature
LGBTQ+ and feminist activists in Namibia use social media as a tool to gain international attention and put pressure on their government to ensure equal rights.
