Stories about LANGUAGES from August, 2021
Space for peaceful protests is vanishing in Hong Kong as pro-democracy coalition is disbanded
Throughout its tenure, the umbrella organization frequently hosted major mass rallies in Hong Kong, including the 2019 anti-China extradition protests.
Australia's iconic Kosciuszko National Park faces threats on two fronts
"...commercial interests will be dictating developments within the park with scant attention to nature conservation, landscape, and heritage values for which the park was dedicated."
The evil of banal censorship
Images of peaceful protesters do not fit the narrative that continues to portray the protesters as violent, irrational and emotional.
Venezuela and China: Strong bond or empty words?
Venezuelan authorities claim that the strategic partnership with China remains as strong as ever, but they have reaped little economic benefits from it since 2016.
Blogger gets prison sentence for branding Kazakhstan's language policies “russophobic”
According to Taichimbekov, the Kazakh state has been "sourcing Russian individuals who speak out in favor of banning Russian television, banning Russian language, excluding it from the Constitution."
Kanal Istanbul, Turkey's Middle Corridor, and the Belt and Road Initiative
The Middle Corridor, formally known as the Trans-Caspian East-West-Middle Corridor Initiative, reflects Turkey’s dream of building links to China via the Caucasus and Central Asia.
More independent media added to Russia's “foreign agent” roster
"As for the list of foreign agents, by now it has so many decent people and publications on it that not to be on this list is simply indecent."
With attacks on Ukrainian activists on the rise, civic pressure is key to ensuring justice
Harassment and attacks against civic activists in Ukraine are on the rise, say human rights defenders. Anti-corruption work, environmentalism, and LGBT rights remain the most dangerous spheres of activism.
Chinese investments in Nigeria flourish on a Silk Road of corruption
The willingness of corrupt Chinese businesspeople to bribe equally fraudulent Nigerian government officials is rarely captured by the simplistic mutual understanding narrative pushed by Chinese diplomats.
Russian authorities declare independent election monitor Golos a “foreign agent”
Golos has vowed to continue training Russian citizens as observers and commissioners at polling stations, and said it believes independent citizen observation is key to ensuring a transparent election.
Russia blames Azerbaijan for violating ceasefire
The Russian Ministry of Defence accused Azerbaijan of violating the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh as tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan continue to rise.
France's regional languages, patois, dialects: what was that again?
In that sense, the so-called "regional" languages area also minority languages in terms of their number of speakers, and even 'minoritised' by the fact of their historical marginalisation.
An eight-year-old boy is the youngest person ever accused of blasphemy in Pakistan’s history
An eight-year-old Hindu boy has become the youngest person ever to be charged under Pakistan's blasphemy laws after he intentionally urinated in an Islamic religious school library.
After Dutch Literary Prize winner says Suriname ‘needed’ former president Bouterse, organisers cancel her award ceremony
In 2019, Dési Bouterse, who first came to power in a coup, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after he was convicted for the execution 15 dissidents in 1982.
What’s wrong with the political analogy comparing Taiwan to Afghanistan?
Following the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from Afghanistan, Chinese commentators comparing Taiwan with Kabul have flooded social media questioning the credibility of the United States' commitment to Taiwan.
Journalists call for the release of Cheng Lei who has spent a year in detention in China
"We are concerned about the chilling affect her arrest has on the practice of journalism, which has never been more critical."
How did Chinese propaganda force Hong Kong's largest teachers union to disband?
Besides HKPTU, Chinese state media outlets have also attacked the HK Bar Association, the Law Society of HK, HK Journalists Association, Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions and more.
Supporting witnesses: First step towards ending impunity for war crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina
"What is often overlooked is the most important precursor to ending impunity: a secure environment in which survivors can testify, free from intimidation, severe retraumatization, and threats of physical harm."
Déjà vu as bauxite company pollutes an iconic Jamaican river, yet again
"The repeated nature of these offences suggests a lack of respect for Jamaica’s environmental laws and regulations and the human rights of those who have been negatively affected."
Dissecting the ‘win-win’ of Chinese investment in Greece
On the surface, Sino-Greek economic relations, largely centered around shipping, are seen as bilateral ‘win-win’. But this narrative becomes more complex if one examines Greek media and political actors.
China: Parents and teachers are divided amid crackdown on private tutoring
To ensure that the policy is fully enforced, the education authorities encouraged parents and students to report schools and teachers that violate the policy guidelines.