Stories about Governance from December, 2020
2020 round-up: COVID-19 in South Asia
The COVID-19 pandemic swamped our coverage in the past 12 months as we highlighted the challenges people faced and the fight against the coronavirus across the region.
Christmas in the Philippines in the time of Duterte and COVID-19
The government has discouraged family reunions, church gatherings and even prohibited the holding of Christmas parties.
In Belarus, Lukashenka's rule endures 2020 — can it survive 2021?
Belarus faces a stalemate: protesters cannot take power by force, the authorities cannot disperse them by force. But in the long term, Alyaksandr Lukashenka's rule looks precarious.
Will poetry be enough to get Czechs to embrace anti COVID-19 vaccination?
The Czech government has launched a new communication campaign aimed at overcoming the population's fear or suspicion of vaccination.
UN Security Council ends reporting on Burundi, but human rights monitors remain concerned
UN Security Council ended specific reporting on Burundi after several months of a new government, but human rights monitors remain concerned.
Rwandan governance during the pandemic: A time for introspection
Months after the implementation of the lockdown order, the Rwandan government has been mute over citizens' demand for food relief support. Is it time to reconsider its governance model?
Iconic House of Wonders collapse leaves Zanzibaris wondering about fate of cultural heritage
The House of Wonders collapse left many wondering about the fate of Zanzibar's cultural heritage.
Online backlash follows blurring of Christmas imagery on popular Chinese TV show
A Chinese online TV outlet had to pixelate its variety show's Christmas setting as the political campaign to boycott foreign festivals gained momentum.
2020 round-up: How the tragedy of COVID-19 became a success story for the China model
The year 2020 began with the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan. Throughout the year, COVID-19 was the most discussed topic on the Chinese social media.
European NGO uncovers 15-year Indian disinformation campaign
The explosive report by a Brussels-based Non-Governmental Organisation has unleashed a new war of narratives between India and Pakistan.
Uruguay’s new government is prioritising security, but is it at the cost of free speech?
The Urgent Consideration Law marks a turning point in Uruguay's changing political landscape.
Two years after Sudan's revolution, demonstrators march with demands for change
On the second anniversary of the revolution in Sudan, citizens braved the threat of the coronavirus to demonstrate and demand more rapid change from the transitional government.
After years of protests, the Islamabad Zoo will convert into an animal sanctuary
A happy ending for 2020, a year when Pakistanis debated animal abuse like never before.
Trinidad & Tobago's procurement regulation bill passes, but corruption concerns linger
On the eve of International Anti-Corruption Day, Trinidad and Tobago's Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property (Amendment) Bill 2020 was passed — by a single vote.
How will the war in Nagorno-Karabakh change Azerbaijan?
After Azerbaijan's victory in Nagorno-Karabakh, strongman President Ilham Aliyev enjoys huge popular support. But the new presence of Russian peacekeepers is causing unease, say researchers Sergey Rumyantsev and Sevil Huseynova.
Diary of a Nepali soldier in France
A diary written by a Gurkha sergeant in the British Army in 1914, during World War I, has revealed a whole new side to the Gurkha legend.
Singaporean activist who staged a solo protest with a ‘smiley’ placard charged with illegal assembly
"I barely stayed in the area for more than several seconds. Yet, what I did has been deemed as a public protest by the State."
US in Syria: What to expect of the new administration?
Humanitarian considerations will be the main distinction between the two US administrations in Syria's war, where Washington vies to curb terrorist threats and Russia's influence in a vital region.
Tanzania launches mobile app to help victims report gender-based violence
The Taarifa (Information) mobile app will allow GBV victims to report their cases and access critical information. During the pandemic, reports of GBV decreased by 30% in Tanzania.
Pressure mounts on Egypt to release prominent human rights defenders
Three senior members of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), one of Egypt’s most prominent human rights groups, were arrested earlier this month on charges of terrorism.
