· February, 2012

Stories about Governance from February, 2012

Paraguay: An Interview on the Land Conflict in Alto Parana

  29 February 2012

Landowners are opposing review of land titles in the department of Alto Paraná “to determine if the lands are ‘ill-gotten,’ whose title deeds could be forged or faked or simply seized from the times of the Stroessner dictatorship” Ignacio Cirio explains. Upside Down World published a translation of Cirio's interview...

Iran: A blogger and journalist was released

  28 February 2012

Marzieh Rasouli, an Iranian blogger and journalist who was arrested 6 weeks ago, got free on bail.Marzieh writes stories and narrations of her daily life in ‘3 Rouz Pish‘ [fa]. Earlier the Iranian Revolutionary Guards has accused [fa] her of serious charges including ‘espionage’. Reporters Without Borders says [fa] Iran...

Yemen: Hadi President After 33 Years of Saleh

  27 February 2012

After 33 long years of Ali Abdullah Saleh's rule, Yemen finally inaugurated today a new President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, for the transitional phase, following a whole year of protests. Hadi had assumed his position as president according to a GCC-brokered power deal which made him the sole consensus presidential candidate in the one man election, in which he won 99.8 per cent of the votes.

Portugal: Web Users Debate Portuguese Private Copying Bill

  27 February 2012

Currently being debated in the Portuguese Parliament is a new bill (PL118) which proposes a tax on any equipment or software capable of recording, copying or storing analogue or digital content, in the name of author's rights. The online community has wasted no time in wading in on the debate, with the hashtag #PL118 duly trending on Twitter.

Singapore: Reactions to the Proposed 2012 Budget

  27 February 2012

Netizens react to the proposed 2012 budget of the Singapore government, which includes a commitment to lower the country’s dependence on foreign workforce, greater assistance to the elderly, the disabled and the lower-income families, and boosting the capacity of public transport and public hospitals.

Italy: Historic ‘Guilty’ Verdict in the Eternit Asbestos Trial

  25 February 2012

It is a historic verdict: on February 13, 2012 in Turin, northern Italy, the two top senior executives of the multinational Eternit, a producer of asbestos, were sentenced to 16 years in prison after a criminal trial began in 2009. Here are the reactions of the associations and the families of asbestos victims in Italy and Europe.

Bolivia: Disabled Protesters Clash with Police

  24 February 2012

Disabled Bolivians marching to demand higher government subsidies clashed with police on Thursday, February 23. Blogger Mario R. Durán [es] shares citizen photos of the clashes. On Twitter, netizens are using the hashtag #discapacitados [es] (“disabled”) to comment and report on the march.

Puerto Rico: Blogosphere Denounces Proposed Cybergag

  24 February 2012

The Puerto Rican blogosphere reacted to a measure undertaken by the mayor of the city of Mayagüez, José Guillermo Rodríguez, that would have been used to investigate and prosecute people who criticize his administration on social networks. Even though the Mayor has since decided not to enforce the resolution, he warned that more regulations will come soon.

Chile: Aysén Region and the Call for Decentralization

  24 February 2012

Protests, road blocks, and clashes between protesters and police continue as citizens of Chile's Aysén region demand change. For many, the conflict in Aysén boils down to one problem affecting the whole country: centralism. Chilean bloggers weigh in on the issue.

Haiti: Students in Sheds

  23 February 2012

Haiti Grassroots Watch explores the issues surrounding the non-reconstruction of the state university in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake.

Chile: Twitter Users Share Images of Aysén Protests

  23 February 2012

A social movement that demands better quality of life and lower costs has gained strength in the Aysén region in the Chilean Patagonia. The people of Aysén are uploading their photos to Twitter to show the marches, blockades and confrontations that have occurred in recent days.