Stories about Governance from November, 2017
After Authorities Evict Beijing's ‘Low-End’ Residents, Chinese Ask: Where Is the Humanity?
Just as rural migrant workers were forced out of their dwellings into the streets, Beijing’s temperature fell to below 0 degrees Celsius at night.
Journalists Face the Sharp End of Growing Violence and Insecurity in Afghanistan
Authorities are quick to hail the free press as an achievement, but slow to offer it protection.
13 Things Banned (or Strongly Discouraged) in Tajikistan
Tajikistan's people are renowned for hospitality, but their government isn't. Some locals joke the only ban left is a ban on banning things.
Malaysian Authorities Blocked Websites Reporting on Massive Personal Data Theft Scandal
"I believe that you have a right to know about it, in a timely manner. Authorities can’t sit on the data for weeks without letting you know on any pretense."
Social Media Rumors Escalate Buddhist-Muslim Violence in Sri Lanka
"Sri Lankans tend to digest media uncritically and unquestioningly. This will have to change in order to stop misinformation from spreading – and this can be done through spreading awareness."
Morocco's Deadly Stampede Tragedy Incites Anger and Criticism
"How many dramas still remind us that beyond the beautiful forums, highways, and malls, this is the Moroccan reality above all that?"
Identity Theft Risk Prompts Estonia to Block the Certificates of 760,000 ID Cards
On November 4, 2017 the Estonian authorities disabled the certificates of more than 760,000 national electronic ID cards due to a security vulnerability that could have compromised cards issued between...
In Kyrgyzstan, Sheep Sacrificed to Stem Car Crash Scourge
"We gave meat to everybody that passed, explaining that the food was from God."
Another Muslim Man Is Murdered in India's Rajasthan by Cow Vigilantes
"The term Gau Rakshak has slipped into the country’s lexicon of politics and culture over the past two years, in step with increasing activism by self-styled protectors and vigilante groups."
Women Die in Childbirth in Rural India, Where Hospitals Lack Doctors
Doctors refuse job postings to a small village in a border district of West Bengal even as people suffer due to lack of medical services.
As the MENA Region Heats Up, UN Climate Change Talks are Under Pressure
"The Arab region is currently suffering from drought, which is only the beginning of the consequences of climate change. Discussions should take into account the communities most affected."
Azerbaijani Activist Defies Government Pressure, NGO Stereotypes
"What I've seen during my lifetime is that most of the democracy and freedom fighters sold out in the end."
A Look Inside China's Propaganda Bureaucracy
How powerful is the Publicity Department of China's Communist Party? This article explores the history, functions, and expanding role of China's propaganda bureaucracy.
Toxic Smog in New Delhi Leaves Residents Coughing and Demanding Action
“I have been coughing for over a month, and it is only [recently] I realized that it’s because of the pollution. But no one is doing anything about it.”
One Nation, One Tax: The Impact of India's Goods and Services Tax
The Indian government deems the newly implemented Goods and Services Tax a success, but many small businesses have been adversely affected and protests are mounting.
Athletes, Politicians Back Georgian Soccer Player's Support for LGBT Rights
"We are far from getting there, but I see change," one Tbilisi resident commented.
Indonesian Police Go After Social Media Users for Mocking House Speaker
"What does it say about....Indonesia when a politician can continue to act with impunity, while somebody who spreads a meme about him gets arrested?"
Why Tajik Brides Live in Fear of Their In-Laws, Even Before They Get Married
Some 300 brides from the country's Khatlon region complained of abuse from their mothers-in-law in the first nine months of 2017.
Activist Faces Imprisonment For His Book Criticizing The Indian River Inter-Linking Project
"Sedition case for writing against river linking! This is a most financially, socially, environmentally disastrous idea."
