Stories about Governance from April, 2016
As UN Decides Future of Western Sahara Peacekeeping Mission, Sahrawis Press for Human Rights
While international diplomats met this week to determine the future of the UN’s peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, demonstrators throughout the occupied territory are calling for self-determination and human rights.
Iraqi Protestors Storm Parliament; State of Emergency Declared
Hundreds of Iraqi protestors stormed the Parliament building, in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, in protest against a deadlock in approving a new government today. A state of emergency was declared.
Five Cameroonian Data Journalists Take Stock of Paul Biya's 33 Governments
A data journalism project sheds light on all 33 different governing bodies during the Paul Biya administration in Cameroon.
#MedeHollín: The Campaign Against Pollution That Changed the Name of a Colombian City
"No need for words. #Medehollin I'm so sorry, These people don't love you as much as they say."
Mexico’s Controversial ‘Telecom Law’ Is Now in the Supreme Court’s Court
"In a country with a serious democratic deficit and in which public officials are responsible for attacks on journalists and dissidents, these measures could be used to pursue uncomfortable opinions."
Xulhaz Mannan, an LGBT Activist in Bangladesh, Is the Latest Victim in a String of Brutal Killings
Since 2005, at least 23 bloggers and activists have been killed and scores of others attacked or threatened with death for their progressive and secular views.
A Little-Known Perspective on the Life of Homeless People in France—Their Own
"Why would a homeless person make a website? ...I will say that I am a computer programmer first and a homeless person second."
The Most Powerful Man in Pakistan Just Did Something ‘Unprecedented and Bold’
In a move that's being called both “unprecedented and bold,” the most powerful man in Pakistan has dismissed half a dozen army officers over allegations of corruption.
Pakistan Confronts Qadri Protestors, But It’s Anybody’s Guess How, Thanks to Media Blackout
The government maintains that limiting or even eliminating media coverage of civil unrest helps curb violence. But not everyone agrees with this approach.
Ugandans Blast Government's Porn Detector Priorities After the Country's Only Radiotherapy Machine Breaks
"That 2.6bn for the pornography machine, maybe could buy a bloody cancer machine. Lokodo, that's the ethical thing to do."
Tajikistan and Iran: Bound by a Shared Heritage, Torn by a Shared Mistrust
Relations between the two countries appear back on track after a winter of discontent. Or are they?
‘I Don't Want to be Burned Alive’: A Doctor’s Account of the US Airstrike That Destroyed MSF Hospital in Afghanistan
"The things that were constant in my nightmares were the roaring sound and panels of wood crashing down on us. And screams. Mine."
The #PanamaPapers Ensnare Hundreds of Indians, Including Bollywood Royalty
"500 Indian names in #panamapapers leak. Celebs, Industrialists but no Politician. Our Politicians hide their money with leak-less 'Jugaard'."
After Panama Papers Bombshell Drops, Latin Americans Laugh to Not Cry
Latin Americans are trying to make sense of the Panama Papers leaks the best way they know how: through humor.
Women Flood Polish Prime Minister's Facebook With Vivid Menstruation Descriptions to Protest Abortion Ban
Polish citizens react with satire to their government's attempts to control their bodies. Their approach: extreme obedience to the prime minister meddling in their reproductive health.
Macedonia's Academy of Arts and Sciences Pulls Its Public Debt Clock Following Political Pressure
The issue of public debt in Macedonia, one of Europe's poorest countries, is a touchy one.
Afro-Chileans Aren’t Done Fighting for Representation on the Next National Census
With a new refusal of the National Institute of Statistics, the Afro-descendants in Chile open another chapter in their struggle for the inclusion of their community in the 2017 census.
South Africa's Court Orders President Zuma to Pay Back Public Funds
South Africa's Constitutional Court rules that President Jacob Zuma violated the constitution when he refused to pay back public funds as recommended by the country's public protector.
No, Bangladesh's High Court Didn't Uphold Islam as State Religion
"Unfortunately, for both sides, this was kind of a draw. The battle did not even take place. The match was cancelled."
