Stories about Governance from January, 2023
First victims of anti-LGBTQ+ law in Russia are trans persons and books
Openly trans Tiktokers, a publishing house, movies and TV shows feel the weight of the Russian anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda law.
Amid fears of contamination, Japan will soon dump treated water from Fukushima Nuclear Plant into the Pacific
"(The plan) shows direct disregard for the sovereignty and self-determination of Pacific peoples and the ocean their livelihoods depend upon."
Public self-immolation puts the spotlight on mental health issues in Nepal
A Nepali entrepreneur set himself on fire in front of the federal parliament building to bring attention to the challenges in Nepal's private sector and the state's mental health crisis.
Georgia facing backlash over possible flight resumption with Russia
Flights between Georgia and Russia have been banned since 2019, on President Putin's orders. After Russian lawmaker, Sergey Gavrilov, visited the country in June 2019, and a bout of violence followed.
New era in Czech politics as Petr Pavel wins presidential election
General Petr Pavel, a former NATO official, won the presidential election in the Czech Republic. He will strengthen ties with Brussels in contrast to current president Miloš Zeman.
Bollywood’s ‘Faraaz’ raises questions about trauma exploitation in art
The upcoming Bollywood thriller “Faraaz” sparked controversy in Bangladesh and a legal battle in India because of the incorrect portrayal of the key characters and the victims’ right to privacy.
Sweden and Turkey relations sour after far-right politician burns the Koran
Following the torching of a Koran, a series of protests were held outside the Swedish Consulate General in Istanbul where participants burned the Swedish flag and chanted slogans against Sweden.
May 14 will determine the future of Turkey
Pundits who have been watching the country's political turmoil brought by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) describe the upcoming May vote as crucial.
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen orders police to find Facebook beach ‘insulter’
Cambodian prime minister's Facebook post attracted more than 19,000 comments, mostly fawning deferentially to the prime minister. But Facebook user “Ver To” went against the tide.
Over 40,000 tons of neurotoxin were stored without any protection in North Macedonia
Skopje primary schools used the area for day trips "in nature" for years, until watchdog journalists uncovered the dark secret lurking under the green meadows: toxic waste from the 1970s.
How Belize’s bright biodiversity is inextricably linked to blue carbon
Leveraging blue carbon will require ambitious, conservation-forward policies to maintain and restore coastal and marine ecosystems in order to mitigate the crippling effects of the climate crisis.
Are youth in India, now more than ever, disinterested in politics?
It is challenging for millennials and gen-Zers to claim an "interest" in politics when the system is rife with corruption, nepotism, and chauvinism.
Usain Bolt and many other Jamaicans have been the victims of major financial fraud—and now they want answers
The fact that of Usain Bolt is one of its victims has made this fraud scandal personal for many Jamaicans.
Azerbaijan's forgotten schools
According to available statistics, there are 4,427 primary and secondary schools in Azerbaijan. 900 of them are in the state of emergency, either requiring renovation or full reconstruction.
The Southern Caucasus has a brain drain problem
Young people and professionals from Southern Caucasus are increasingly turning towards opportunities abroad citing local unemployment, lack of feasible opportunities and prospects for future in their home countries.
Cambodia bans music video of police attacking workers in 2014
"It is LICADHO’s belief that the music video is not incitement, and is protected speech under the Cambodian Constitution. We are saddened by this restriction on freedom of expression."
The present and persistent problem of domestic violence in Georgia
While activists note the country is making progress fighting the problem, a deadly mix of cultural taboos and limited resources complicate the reform.
The unprotected: Police offer scant safety for Azerbaijan’s LGBTQ+ community
Many LGBTQ+ individuals who face discrimination and violence in Azerbaijan see little recourse through the police or any official judicial channels.
Relatives of drafted soldiers in Russia do not know if they are dead or alive
In the Russian region of Samara, a petition to publish names of mobilized soldiers who died after the shelling of Makeevka on the 31st of December, 2022, gathered 50,000 signatures. The army officials refused.
Bolsonaro supporters attempt coup, storming Brazil's three powers headquarters
Jan. 8, 2023, is now a date to remember in Brazil: the day when a bolsonarista mob invaded the nation's top state buildings in an attempted coup, one week after Lula's inauguration.
Czech presidential elections 2023: The rector, the oligarch and the general
The Czech republic will hold presidential elections on January 13-14 with 3 candidates dominating the polls: Danuše Nerudová, an economist; Andrej Babiš, a populist oligarch; and General Petr Pavel, formerly with NATO.