Stories about War & Conflict from August, 2024
Azerbaijan clears out critics ahead of COP29
Azerbaijan has had one of the lowest international rankings on citizens’ rights and freedoms. Even so, Azerbaijani President Aliyev has insisted persecutions against civil society are justified.
Tech giants criticized for silencing Pro-Palestinian narratives
Social media platforms are accused of suppressing Palestinian voices, raising concerns about the impact on democratic debate and freedom of expression globally.
From Myanmar to Thailand: Displaced journalists tell their stories
"I still have concerns that police will raid our office and arrest us because we have no permit to operate a news agency."
Through the lens of Czech-British photographer Liba Taylor: The power of photography
“People don’t just sit and wait for aid, but when there’s no condition to survive, they don’t have another choice” explains documentary photographer Liba Taylor, famous for documenting human resilience to adversity.
How LGBTQ+ people live in Russia after being labeled an extremist community
How has life changed for queer people across different regions of Russia after the ban on the LGBTQ+ "movement?" What do they fear and dream about?
‘Buddha is with us!’ How the war in Ukraine has changed Russian Buddhism
While some Buddhists are making anti-war statements and emigrating abroad, others are going to the front lines, despite Buddhist values.
How online disinformation fuels religious, ethnic and sociopolitical tensions during Bangladesh’s regime change
The month-long student-led mass movement that led to the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was marred not only with violence, but also a surge in mis- and disinformation.
Starlink in Sudan: A lifeline or war facilitator?
Sudan's conflict has crippled telecommunication as both sides leverage and disrupt internet services to gain control.
Life in Gaza is even harder than it appears on screen
Two weeks ago, I drank some water, and my stomach still hurts. The water was supposed to be potable just as Gaza is supposed to be liveable.
Turkey is committed to undermining NATO
"Hesitation to hold Turkey accountable is partially understandable. NATO was created to counter the systemic threat posed by the Soviet Union. It has no developed mechanisms to counter internal threats ..."
Internet shutdowns in Sudan allow the bypass of regulations
Sudan’s internet shutdowns bypass legal frameworks, raising concerns about human rights and highlighting the growing influence of decentralized technologies like Starlink.
Bangladesh 2.0: Youth-led movement ends Sheikh Hasina's 16-year rule, seeks reform
A student-led uprising, supported by hundreds of thousands of citizens, defied PM Sheikh Hasina's heavy-handed measures. The escalating unrest led to anarchy, resulting in her resignation and departure from the country.
Covering Gaza: The deadliest war for journalists
Israel’s ongoing attack has tragically become the deadliest conflict for journalists ever recorded.
Dear international left: Stop telling Venezuelans what to think
While their intentions to defend a Latin American movement are understandable, their silence years later on the egregious human rights violations in Venezuela is painful.
Hip-hop artist recalls her husband’s execution in Myanmar
"At this moment, my sadness is there … I want to say that my loss is [of] one person, and it is incomparable to the losses of [many] others every day."
Women are paying the ultimate price in Cameroon’s armed conflict
Since 2016, when the crisis in the West African country erupted, cases of gender-based violence have skyrocketed. Between February and December 2020, the UN documented about 4,300 cases of gender-based violence in Cameroon’s conflict regions.
Activist: ‘It is not Russophobia, but a lack of awareness among employees’
An interview with a political refugee from Russia, now living in Italy who has experienced the problems that a Russian passport brings in the EU after the Russian invasion of Ukraine started.
Turkey blocks access to Instagram
According to the most recent Internet Censorship report produced by the Free Web Turkey platform, in total, “access to 219,059 URLs, including 197,907 domain names were blocked in Turkey in 2023.”
How the war in Ukraine prompted an exodus of Chechens from Russia
Every day spent in Chechnya is similar to gambling, and your life is at stake.
Turkey and Armenia resume talks, marking historic diplomatic breakthrough
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 during the first Karabakh war in a show of solidarity with its long-time ally Azerbaijan. Since then, ties between Turkey and Armenia have remained strained.
Erdoğan threatens to intervene in Israel, though pundits call it an empty threat
Since October 2023, Turkey went from trying to mediate between Israel and Hamas to recalling its ambassador to Tel Aviv and announcing total restrictions on all trade with Israel until the war on Gaza ends.
