Latest news with #RussianLanguage
![[UPDATED] Anwar: Malaysia will not support Israel-Palestine talks without end to genocide, violence](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fimages%2Farticles%2FAnwar_1754638301.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[UPDATED] Anwar: Malaysia will not support Israel-Palestine talks without end to genocide, violence](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fassets%2FNST-Logo%402x.png%3Fid%3Db37a17055cb1ffea01f5&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
[UPDATED] Anwar: Malaysia will not support Israel-Palestine talks without end to genocide, violence
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will not support any negotiations concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict unless they are preceded by an immediate end to the occupation, violence, and genocide, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today. "Our stance is clear: stop the violence, stop the genocide, stop the killings, and stop the occupation of Gaza and Palestine. "There can be no negotiations before that," he told reporters. Anwar was speaking to the press after the launch of the Quran Printing and Translation into the Russian Language ceremony and the launch of the Mushaf Al-Ummah Al-Jami' at the Nasyrul Quran Complex here today. Earlier today, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan had said Malaysia wants to see the formation of an independent Palestine without any of the preconditions set out in the recent New York Declaration. Anwar questioned the absurdity of negotiating with a party responsible for ongoing atrocities. "You come into my home, seize it, kill my wife and children, and then ask, 'Can we negotiate?' That is simply not possible," he said. Anwar said the global community, including world leaders such as United States President Donald Trump, must act to halt the bloodshed and restore basic human values. "He (Trump) once supported our efforts to achieve peace between Cambodia and Thailand, and we believe it can be done, provided there is courage, determination, and principled conviction," Anwar added. The prime minister, reaffirming Malaysia's consistent position in condemning Israel's actions, called the situation a stain on global humanity and a failure of conscience. The declaration is a document outlining a plan to achieve a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Developed following a high-level conference in New York co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, the declaration seeks to rally United Nations member states to support "tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps" towards implementing a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel.
Russia Today
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Ukrainians making Russian more common in EU state
Ukrainian refugees have contributed to the growing use of the Russian language in Lithuania, a senior official of the Baltic state has said. For centuries, Lithuania was part of the Russian Empire, and between 1940 and 1991, it was a republic within the Soviet Union. Ethnic Russians make up around 5% of the country's population of 2.89 million. Approximately 60% of Lithuanian citizens are fluent in Russian, and nearly all Ukrainians understand the language to some extent. 'With the arrival of refugees from Ukraine, as well as migrants from Central Asia and other countries, Russian is being heard more often in public places,' Dainius Babilas, head of the Department of National Minorities, said on Friday. Babilas urged the public not to exploit the issue of language to sow division. 'We encourage society's opinion leaders … to ensure that the well-intentioned goal of strengthening the national language does not become a vehicle for inciting hatred or creating social divides, which would weaken the resilience of the state and civil society,' he said, according to national broadcaster LRT. Language has remained a point of contention since Lithuania regained independence, with Russian-speaking politicians and activists pushing back against efforts to stigmatize the language and limit its role in public life and education. The influx of Ukrainians has also posed challenges for schools and enforcement of labor laws, which require a basic knowledge of Lithuanian. In a viral Facebook post last month, veteran journalist Edmundas Jakilaitis wrote: 'The prevalence of Russian in Vilnius has become intolerable. The language is everywhere. How are we supposed to reclaim the capital now?' Lithuania is among the most vocal supporters of Ukraine in the EU and has consistently called for tougher sanctions on Moscow and increased military aid to Kiev.
Russia Today
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Putin inks new policy to fight Russian language discrimination
Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a new language policy doctrine aimed at supporting the use of the national language, both in Russia and abroad. The change was necessary as Moscow continues to fight 'attempts to restrict the use of the Russian language and 'cancel' the Russian culture… as well as discrimination against the Russian media,' according to the document. Attempts by foreign nations to restrict the use of the Russian language have been identified as one of the main threats Russia faces in the cultural sphere. It also addresses he 'unfounded' use of foreign words in public speech, especially when there are common Russian equivalents available. The new policy doctrine is aimed at preserving the Russian tongue, as well as the languages of various local ethnic groups, strengthening national unity, and promoting the use of the Russian language in the world. The list of measures outlined in the document includes increasing interest in Russian abroad and developing ties with Russian expats and foreigners speaking the language and sharing traditional Russian values. The Russian language should also be more prominent on the internet, the document says, and sets a goal of increasing the number of online resources allowing foreign nationals to study Russian and find out more about Russian culture. Last month, Putin also supported the idea of creating a centralized organization to promote and support the use of the country's language internationally. Moscow was already working on promoting the Russian language abroad 'through various channels,' but these activities would further benefit from the creation of 'a dedicated center,' the president said. A number of nations severely limited the use of Russian following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. In Ukraine, an unprecedented campaign was launched to purge anything linked to Russia. Earlier this week, Ukraine's education ombudsman advised schoolteachers to act as if they only understand Ukrainian when speaking with students. The law mandates the use of Ukrainian in most aspects of public life, despite a significant portion of the population speaking Russian as their native tongue. The Baltic States meanwhile, have ramped up enforcement actions against anyone suspected of Russian ties. Hundreds of people, primarily ethnic Russians, have reportedly been deported from Latvia for failing a Latvian language exam. A Latvian MP was also investigated for inciting hatred after he used Russian in a speech in parliament last month.
Bloomberg
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Latvia Questions Party Leader for Russian Comments in Parliament
Latvian authorities detained and questioned the leader of a political party catering to the country's Russian-speaking minority for allegedly inciting hatred in parliament earlier this month. Aleksejs Roslikovs was ejected from a parliamentary session earlier this month during a debate on restricting the public use of the Russian language, in which the party leader said 'there are many more of us' in Russian and made a vulgar gesture. The episode lays bare the tension in the Baltic nation over its biggest minority group.
Russia Today
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Russia and Republika Srpska sign education partnership deal
Russia and Republika Srpska, an autonomous region within Bosnia and Herzegovina, have signed a memorandum to expand cooperation in education. The ceremony took place on the sidelines of the Third International Forum of Ministers of Education, 'Shaping the Future', in the Russian city of Kazan. The deal was signed by Russian Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov and Republika Srpska's minister of education and culture, Zeljka Stojicic, on Wednesday. Under the agreement, both parties committed to closer cooperation in general education, vocational training, and further vocational education. They will also exchange information on international conferences, seminars, and education-related events hosted in Russia and Republika Srpska. The sides also discussed deepening bilateral ties at the forum. 'I would like to express my gratitude to the Srpska side for their active cooperation. We have already opened five Russian language open education centers in Republika Srpska. Around 500 citizens have studied in them over two years,' Kravtsov said. Stojicic noted that the two sides have made notable progress in expanding Russian language instruction in Republika Srpska. 'We have made great progress in Russian language studies. The number of schools where the Russian language is studied has increased,' she stated, noting that Russia's Tula University was helpful with this endeavor. According to Kravtsov, the university has been working with Republika Srpska's education sector, and signed agreements with the region's specialized ministries in 2023. A key part of the agreement signed by the parties includes promoting Russian language studies in Republika Srpska through competitions, Olympiads, and cultural events, as well as encouraging the use of electronic education resources. The two also pledged to support student talent development, organize children's recreation programs, and hold reciprocal fairs, seminars, and exhibitions. This year's 'Shaping the Future' forum – held June 11 to 12 – brought together delegations from 50 states, including education ministers and officials from the UAE, Belarus, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Myanmar, Laos, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, and Zimbabwe. The agenda focused on global challenges in education, including digital transformation, AI, online learning, inclusion, and the evolving role of teachers.
