Stories about Governance from May, 2014
Rwanda: The Good, the Bad and the Hopeful
Although Rwanda has made great strides in recovering from the 1994 genocide, advocacy groups continue to report human rights violations.
Information Hub for Humanitarian Aid for Bosnia and Herzegovina Floods
POINT, the international conference on political accountability and new technologies in Sarajevo, has used its skills to aid in relief of the ongoing disaster affecting three Balkan countries – Bosnia, Serbia, and Croatia. BosniaFloods.org, the first tool developed by the participants, specifically targets Bosnia, because the situation in this country...
Now Russia Wants to Tighten the Noose Around News-Aggregation Sites
Russian lawmakers are taking steps to classify news-aggregating websites as mass media, which would require companies like Yandex to register with the government and face stricter regulations.
Chavs, on UK Working Class
Dani @El_Taquillero writes [es] on Sólo por molestar about the book Chavs. The Demonization of the Working Class, by Owen Jones. Chav is a term used to name a sub class within working class. […] Would someone be proud of feeling part of the working class if from the media, the...
Balochistan Marches for School Safety as Panjgur Braves Boko Haram-type Threats
Thousands marched chanting “we want education, education is our basic right, save education," after threats from militants forced dozens of private schools in the town Panjgur to close.
Dominican Republic and Open Government
[All links direct to pages in Spanish.] After a recent trip, Spanish Alberto Ortíz de Zárate writes [es] on Administraciones en Red about Open Government in Dominican Republic: In Dominican Republic, the Ministry of the Presidence has created the General Direction of Ethics and Government Integrity (DIGEIG by its Spanish...
“How are We Malagasy Supposed to Provide School Supplies and Medications for our Children ?”
Malagasy blogger Tojo Fehizoro posted a spreadsheet that summarized the minimum cost of basic supplies for a Malagasy family of 4 with 2 children, 10 and 7 years old respectively. The spreadsheet lists the cost and description of each item [mg] and the combined salary of both parents: Monthly Income Monthly...
Jamaica Blog Day: Environment or Development?
Development at the expense of the environment is a hot topic as Jamaica tries to find ways to ensure economic viability...but must it be an either/or proposition?
Should the Family and Friends of Terrorists in China Be Punished Too?
Some Chinese are calling for the use of “lianzuo”, a form of collective punishment, for acts of terrorism in the wake of the latest attack that left 39 people dead.
What is Really Ailing France ?
The inability of the French economy to rebound from the Euro zone crisis, the loss of corporate champions like Alstom and Arcelor and the forceful rise of the far right party (Front National) at the latest European elections [fr] are seen by many observers as tell-tale signs of the country’s relative decline. Yet...
Serbian Bloggers Censored for Criticizing Flood Relief Efforts
Bloggers, journalists and rights-conscious Internet users have flooded the Serbian web with republications of a blog post condemning the government for stifling free expression during the country's state of emergency.
Pakistan’s Nawaz Sharif Will Attend Narendra Modi’s Swearing-In
India's new Prime Minister Modi invited all member nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in a strategic move some speculated lets him dive head-first into diplomacy.
Internet Policy In India – Which Way?
The newly elected Bharatya Janata Party headed by Narendra Modi is expected to implement policies and regulatory reforms that will augment economic growth in India. Avantika Banerjee at India Law and Technology blog opines that there is a strong correlation between economic growth and internet access/internet freedom and the expected...
Intrigue and Drama as Malawians Await Election Results
After it became clear that she was losing, incumbent President Dr. Joyce Banda accused the opposition of tampering with the election. Meanwhile, a local politician who lost was found dead.
Trinidad & Tobago's World Cup Players Still Owed Money
You know it is business as usual when you see a dodgy salesman holding the purse strings. Wired868 holds no brief for the political party that will possibly form Trinidad and Tobago's next government, expressing displeasure with its choice of treasurer – the same man who currently heads the Trinidad...
Russian Digital Sovereignty Is Here and, Yes, It Includes Schoolgirls
No sooner than Basov announced the search engine's moral superiority did Russian bloggers begin posting screen captures of curious search queries conducted using Sputnik.ru.
Bermuda's Premier Hopes to Regain Public Trust
The Bajan Reporter, following the story of the Bermudian premier's resignation, is intrigued by the interim premier's prediction that the governing party will regain the electorate's trust.
An Open Letter to the President of Madagascar on Land Leases to Microsoft and the Zurich Zoo
In an open letter to the new President of Madagascar Hery Rajaonarimampianina and other elected officials, the Association for the protection of Malagasy Lands asks that several aspects of the contracts regarding the recent land leases be clarified to the general public [fr] : nous demandons une clarification de la part des autorités...
Video on Murder and Corruption in Trinidad Goes Viral
Vice News produces a damning video about the level of corruption in Trinidad and Tobago, alleging that high-level players involved in international drug trafficking are driving the country's gang wars.
“JetGate” Forces Resignation of Bermuda's Premier
An alleged corruption scandal has prompted the resignation of Bermuda's premier, leaving the island in the midst of political upheaval and the ruling party with an uncertain future.
Only in Thailand: Coup Without a Coup
The Thai army declared martial law across Thailand to solve the country's political crisis but it insisted that there was no coup.