Stories about Governance from June, 2015
What Does India’s Smart Cities Project Mean for the Poor?
Some argue that the infrastructure is coming at the expense of farmers and the cities will be designed to keep the poor out.
Hope for a Nuclear-Free Taiwan
Many Taiwanese wish to reduce the risks of nuclear power, but if President Ma's administration represses their voices instead of listening, the problems of nuclear waste could be deadlocked.
Local Chinese Authorities Use Internet Slang ‘Ziganwu’ in Their Propaganda Recruitment
'Ziganwu' are Internet commenters not officially affiliated with authorities but who nevertheless ardently defend the government. China's Sichuan education office has adopted the term as part of recruitment efforts.
Djibouti: At the Heart of the Fight Against Islamic Extremism in the Horn of Africa
Regional instability is a weight around strategically-located Djibouti's neck. But it is also a key source of income for the impoverished country.
In Search of Integrity in Trinidad and Tobago
The country's Integrity Commission, a constitutional organ created to fight corruption, is a place of perennial scandal and intrigue.
Indonesian Groups Rally Online to Demand Justice for Slain Environmentalist
Following a controversial statement by a spokesperson from Indonesia's Navy, various groups united to form "Solidaritas4Jopi," refuting speculation that Peranginangin's killer could have acted in self-defense.
Zambian Musician Charged Over Song Lampooning President Edgar Lungu
A musician has been taken to court for a song depicting the Zambian president, known for drinking habits, ascending to power with a suitcase full of Jameson whisky.
What Do Global Voices Contributors Think of Turkey's General Election Results?
"Many people, including non-Muslims, Kurds, and women have entered the parliament, which signals the chance for a more respectful, hardworking and equal politics."
Life Stops For Many Quetta Residents When the Prime Minister of Pakistan Visits
According to estimates, hundreds of thousands are affected every time road blocks are put up for the security of important people in Quetta, home to about 1 million.
Monitoring Mexico's Midterm Elections with #BreakTheFear
During last Sunday's elections in Mexico, the free-speech organization ARTICLE 19 ran a campaign called #RompeElMiedo (#BreakTheFear) to monitor the safety of journalists and human rights activists
Spain's ‘Indignados’ Make the Leap From City Squares to City Councils
New parties born as a result of social movements against austerity, inequality and corruption made strong showings in Spain's local and regional elections in May 2015.
Iran Increases Internet Surveillance Ahead of Parliamentary Elections
Iran's Deputy Interior Minister Zolfaghari announces heightened security in anticipation of upcoming elections.
Veterans of Croatia's War of Independence Are Still Knocking on the Government's Door
Veterans from the Croatian War of Independence remain a significant lobby in the Balkan country, and one with some sticking power.
After Citizen Uprising in Burkina Faso and Burundi, Are Niger and Togo Next?
20,000 Nigeriens took to the streets in Niamey, Niger on June, 6. There are multiple causes for the protests: endemic poverty, mediocre governance and restricted free speech are among the main grievances from Nigerien civil society. These protests come on the hill of similar uprisings in Burkina Faso, Burundi...
India’s Heat Wave Is Now the 5th Deadliest in the World
"If heat wave in Andhra Pradesh were a flood or earthquake, it would be trending. People would go. 'OMG 2000 dead, hang in there. Praying...'"
Mexico Votes Against a Background of Disenchantment and Violence
"The underlying feeling is one of profound deception."
Taking Russia’s Troll Factories to Court
Last week, a woman named Lyudmila Savchuk announced that she is suing Russia’s most famous “troll factory." Savchuk says she worked for this office until March as an undercover reporter.
Pakistani Journalists Left in Limbo Amid Vicious Media War
"If you can not give employment to 2200 media workers, you have no right to take away 2,200 jobs."
How Safe Are Internet Search Engines from Russian Censorship?
Saddling Internet search engines in Russia with new regulations raises special concerns, given Moscow's recent track record for reinterpreting Internet laws in ways that inhibit civic freedoms online.
The Dangerous Lack of Health Care Facilities in Pasni, Pakistan
When the residents of Pasni are in need of any serious medical help, they have to travel more than a hundred kilometers to other cities because local facilitates are dilapidated.
Is Vladimir Kara-Murza's Hospitalization a Fluke or Part of a Violent Pattern?
A Russian political activist remains in critical condition after suddenly collapsing in his office last week, the day after his organization aired a hard-hitting exposé on lawlessness in Chechnya.