Stories about Governance from October, 2013
Radio Licences in Zambia Cancelled Because of Opposition's Access
Zambia's President Michael Sata has publicly lambasted former Information and Broadcasting Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Mwamba for issuing national broadcasting licences to two private radio stations and non-Christian radio stations.
Egypt: Urban Constitution Document
As the “50 member-committee” meets to amend Egypt's constitution, some civil society organizations and urban activists participated in producing what they called the “urban constitution document” [Ar]: We present this document to “50 member-committee” as a comprehensive suggestion for articles we see important in being added to the constitution. What's...
A 700-Kilometer March for Missing People in Pakistan's Balochistan
Thousands of Baloch have disappeared in the last decade in war-torn Balochistan.
South Korea Wants to Regulate Online Gaming Like Drugs and Alcohol
Earlier this month, South Korean lawmakers proposed a bill that regulates online gaming in a similar fashion to drugs and alcohol because of its addictive elements.
International Organizations Call for a Swift Adoption of Marco Civil in Brazil
‘Internet Needs an Uncompromising “Marco Civil” in Brazil!‘, state international organizations that advocate for free speech and freedoms online in an open letter released on October 28, 2013 (on the eve of the vote on Brazil's ‘bill of rights’ for Internet users). Its opening paragraph reads: The “Marco Civil da Internet” is...
Opposition MPs Suspect Foul Play as Croatia Airlines Prepares for Privatization
Some members of the Croatian parliament, all of different opposition parties, have voiced their concern in past days regarding safety issues that Croatia Airlines has had in recent weeks and, in particular, the unusual media attention these incidents have received. Croatia Airlines is currently being prepared for a long-awaited privatization...
On the Kingdoms of Spain
Overnight, Catalan politics changed. Hundreds of towns in the Catalan countryside preemptively declared independence. Catalonia's Parliament passed a declaration of sovereignty. But nothing changed in Spain.
Everyone Suffers in Manila Traffic
Filipino journalist Iris Cecilia Gonzales writes about how people suffer from Manila's notorious street traffic: When one is stuck in traffic in Manila's streets, there's no escape. Everyone suffers — whether you're driving a sleek Rolls Royce or a moving piece of junk; whether it's with a red plate or...
Hungarian Student Bloggers Win Lawsuit Against University
Bloggers of Átlátszó Oktatás (Transparent Education) sued the largest Hungarian university ELTE's Law Faculty in winter 2012, in order to obtain documents on how state scholarships and bonus payments were distributed by the members of the faculty's student union. Because the university is entirely state-funded, the students demanded through a...
Journalists Fear Japan's Proposed Secret Information Protection Act
The cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved a bill [ja] on October 25, 2013 to impose tougher penalties on civil servants, lawmakers and others who leak national secrets and harm national security. The so-called Secret Information Protection Act has been unpopular among Japanese press, human rights advocates, and citizens...
VIDEO: “No Woman, No Drive” Stuns Saudi Arabia
Today, October 26, was the day Saudi activists chose to protest against the driving ban on women in the Kingdom. As social networks were buzzing under increasing number of reports of women driving across the country, a brilliant a capella remake of Bob Marley's “No Woman, No Cry” spread at...
Grenada: Remembering the Revolution
Thirty years ago this month, former Prime Minister Maurice Bishop was executed by a firing squad. It was the beginning of the end of the People's Revolutionary Government in Grenada.
Singapore Rejects Proposal to Define Poverty Line
Singapore "is known for defining everything" including "the exact number of people that constitutes an unlawful assembly." But surprisingly, the richest country in the world has not yet defined poverty
Portugal Says “Thank You Troika”, Really?
Subverting the discourse of austerity, a protest was held in Lisbon earlier this week to “thank” the International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank and European Commission for the ongoing measures to tackle the economic crisis in Portugal. The protest took place on October 21, 2013, and gained the attention of mainstream...
After Lampedusa Shipwreck, Italy Considers Decriminalizing Illegal Immigration
The tragedy, in which 350 or so African migrants were killed, has renewed debate about illegal immigration in Italy, which is a destination for many African migrants.
Malaysia Revives ‘Detention Without Trial’ Law
The government insists a tough law is needed to defeat gangs and criminal syndicates. But critics are worried that the law would lead to grave human rights abuses.
Brazilian Police Seize Activists’ ‘Subversive’ Books
"The warrant makes it clear that police are investigating the political organizations that are somehow embedded in this year's protests, trying to identify (read: forge) a conspiracy."
Overwhelmed by Syrian Refugees, Bulgaria Seeks EU Aid
Bulgaria, as the closest EU country to Syria, is seeing more than its fair share of the average 5,000 refugees that are fleeing Syria every day. Unprepared and inexperienced in dealing with this influx of refugees seeking shelter, food and protection, Bulgaria has requested assistance and financial aid from the...
Nicolás Maduro's First Six Months as President of Venezuela
Venezuela is sitting on top of the largest oil reserves in the world and has a continual flow of dollars coming in. So they are not on the brink of a collapse. But they are progressively sliding into the swamp of serious economic dysfunction that will make sustained growth difficult...
Morocco Censors the Web: Collateral Damage Allowed
A number of websites, among them popular social media platforms Instagram and Pinterest, have been blocked in Morocco. Also, one of the main independent media outlets, Lakome, has been censored.
