Photo, screen grab Politicians playing the desk in the assemblies of many countries is a normal thing, but if it goes too far, it becomes both news and record. India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a budget of 550 billion dollars yesterday, which seems to have pleased Prime Minister Narendra Modi very much. According to…
The rise and impact of hate speech is being amplified, at an unprecedented scale, by new communications technologies, one of the most common ways of spreading divisive rhetoric on a global scale, threatening peace around the world. According to leading international human rights organization, Minority Rights Group, one analysis records a 400-fold increase in the…
Costa Rica is known for its strong democracy, pro-human rights stance, and deep respect of the rule of law, so it was a shock when the 2018 general elections ushered in an unprecedented polarization of Costa Rican society. Allegra Baiocchi, the UN resident coordinator in Costa Rica, witnessed the unprecedented polarization of society, and the…
A US Congressman has read a speech prepared by computer software for the first time. Photo: File Washington: In an interesting incident, the US congressman delivered a software-generated speech at a congressional session that has drawn mixed reactions from the public. U.S. Congressman and Democratic Representative Jack Akonclose on Wednesday read a short speech in…
Hate speech is having a demonstrable effect on society: one of the many similarities between the January attacks on Brazil’s government buildings, and the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, is that each occurred after certain groups repeatedly directed dangerous rhetoric and false claims against others. Concerns over the growing phenomenon have…
