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Where are the most endangered languages in the world?

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  More than 7,000 languages are spoken around the world today and at least 3,000 of them, or 40 percent, are endangered. English is the most widely spoken language, with approximately 1.5 billion speakers in 186 countries. Two out of every 10 English speakers are native, while the remaining 80 percent speak English as their second, third or higher language, according to Ethnologue, a database which catalogues the world’s languages. Recommended Stories list of 4 items list 1 of 4 From A for algebra to T for tariffs: Arabic words used in English speech list 2 of 4 Nobel winner joins push to boycott German cultural institutions over Gaza list 3 of 4 Man jailed for ‘smash and grab’ theft of Banksy’s Girl with Balloon print list 4 of 4 Shutting down writers in Sudan end of list Mandarin Chinese is the second most spoken language with almost 1.2 billion speakers. However, when accounting for native speakers, it is the largest language in the world, owing to China’s large population. Hind...
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Iran-US tensions: What would blocking Strait of Hormuz mean for oil, LNG?

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  Whenever tensions rise between Iran and the United States, one narrow waterway moves to the centre of global attention – the Strait of Hormuz. The world’s largest warship, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford, is heading to the Gulf, joining one of the largest US military  build-ups  in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. This time, Iran is in Washington’s crosshairs. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 Trump ‘considering’ limited strikes on Iran list 2 of 3 Iran demands ‘evidence’ as Trump, UN experts highlight protest killings list 3 of 3 Iran will not bow down to US pressure in nuclear talks, Pezeshkian says end of list This month, Tehran signalled how it might respond to an attack when it announced the temporary closure of sections of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow gateway linking the Gulf to open seas. Iranian authorities carried out live-fire military drills in the corridor, through which about 20 percent of global oil suppl...
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Modi’s Israel visit: Timeline of India’s relations with Israel, Palestine

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  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to begin his two-day visit to Israel on February 25, nine years after his first trip to the country. His 2017 trip was the first ever by an Indian prime minister to Israel. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 Trump launches Board of Peace at signing ceremony in Davos list 2 of 3 Strong support in Pakistan for Gaza peacekeeping force but questions linger list 3 of 3 Epstein’s shadow: Why Bill Gates pulled out of Modi’s AI summit end of list His upcoming visit also comes just days after India, together with more than 100 other nations, condemned Israel’s de facto expansion in the occupied West Bank after New Delhi initially appeared to hesitate about adding its name to the criticism. From defence and security to trade and technology, India and Israel have forged tight ties in recent years, even as New Delhi has turned cool towards the plight of Palestinians, despite decades of support for their struggle for a sovereign na...
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