Stories about Politics from August, 2019
How Hungary-funded news sites helped a false story travel all the way from Slovenia through Greece to North Macedonia
Fact-checkers in North Macedonia have traced the original source of the bribe article and uncovered a complex trail of disinformation spanning at least four countries.
On activism and the self

"Behind the instagrammable image of the fierce-looking individual with a clenched fist is a person who is constantly rationalizing and reaffirming their fidelity to radical politics."
Beijing says Hong Kong anti-extradition protests show signs of ‘terrorism’
"The bloody crackdown is extending and you cannot see the border or a definitive sign in Hong Kong’s version of June 4..."
A Brazilian journalist uses deepfake to make political satire
"They are not made to forge a reality, but a certain situation, with humour and in a critical way."
Cambodia reduces number of public holidays to attract jobs, but activists are concerned it could undermine democracy
"Omitting the Paris Peace Agreement and Human Rights days from the public-holiday list reflects that the government is unwilling to promote democracy any longer."
Beijing’s loyalists from Fujian province vow to beat up anti-extradition protesters in Hong Kong
Both local media outlets and police authorities have been notified of the Fujianese plan to pick fights with protesters. But only Beijing can stop such violence.
Remembering the '88 uprising’ for democracy in Myanmar
"Government newspapers said over 300 died in the crackdown but independent sources estimated that the actual figure was ten times that."
Dubious CIA plot theory by former Yugoslav army colonel finds a platform in Serbian media
“Fake news, fake media, fake journalists, fake analysts – they have flooded the Serbian media space.”
China’s hunger for minerals stirs resistance in rural Thailand
Chinese efforts to obtain a cheap source of a crop-boosting mineral are raising fears of an environmental crisis among farming communities in Thailand.