Stories about Governance from November, 2011
China's Real Estate Bubbles
Sascha from Chengdu Living has written down some frontline observations of the real estate bubble in China.
Argentina: New Foreign Exchange Controls
At the end of October 2011 the Argentine government launched a series of regulatory measures designed to control foreign exchange. The country's bloggers comment on and analyse the measures, which aim to slow the inflationary tendency of the US dollar against the peso.
India: A Murder Convict's Parole Stirs Up Controversy
The Delhi High Court's decision to grant parole to Mr. Manu Sharma - currently serving life imprisonment for the murder of Jessica Lal - has led to public outrage in India. Netizens are engaged in heated discussions online on this issue.
Brazil: Toxic Documentary on the Amazon
Brazilian journalist Felipe Milanez (@felipedjeguaka) published [pt, en] a documentary about the Amazon in the series Toxic – “the various ways in which we detonate our planet” – of the Vice website. The documentary features the environmental activist Zé Claudio Ribeiro da Silva who was killed in May 2011.
Jamaica: Lessons from “Occupy” Protests
Pray, laugh, love! says that there are valuable business lessons to be learned from the the Occupy Wall Street protests: “Ultimately…the protestors would’ve been able to call public attention to their plight and send a very strong message to corporations that enough is enough. Importantly, it shows what can happen...
China: Suicide Civil Servants in Depression or ‘Being Depressed'?
It is well-known that ordinary people who petition against injustice and corruption have been diagnosed as having mental illnesses in China. Recently, a similar diagnosis, this time depression, has been given to civil servants and government officials who have committed suicide.
Russia: Hidden Camera Reveals Illegal Electioneering in School
A scandal caused by a hidden camera recording at a school in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, has highlighted a serious problem in Russian schools: teachers campaigning for the ruling United Russia party.
Trinidad & Tobago: Bull S**t Artists
Plain Talk explains why he thinks that Trinidad and Tobago needs a National Bullshit Council.
Haiti: Cholera Compensation or Opportunism?
Stanley Lucas has a few questions about a court case that is seeking to compensate Haitian cholera victims, saying: “At worst, it seems an opportunistic attempt to capitalize on a tragic situation for fund raising purposes. What is equally concerning is [the] approach to this challenge. Rather than offer the...
Trinidad & Tobago: Fight at Project Launch
B.C. Pires comments on a fracas that broke out, allegedly among rival gang members, at the launch of a government project: “It would be shocking if it wasn’t par for the course. The shameless use of the UNC-yellow-like orange in the attempt to, um, curry the favour of the semi-literate/fully...
Georgia: Voting in absentia
Tamada Tales comments on a video posted on an online site of parliamentarians voting for absentee colleagues. The blog notes that while the practice is common elsewhere, it is taken to new levels in Georgia with one parliamentary faction leader even having his vote made by an underling sitting next...
Eurozone Crisis: Where Will the Economy Go?
Economists would be hard pressed to forecast the future of Europe's bailouts and the consequences of the current financial crisis. While opinions differ, reactions abound online to try to make sense of what future awaits the Eurozone.
Trinidad & Tobago: You're No Batman
Outlish says that Ian Alleyne (the TV host suspended for airing footage of a child being sexually assaulted) “thinks he's Batman” but that “his story has more parallels with Booster Gold’s”, explaining: “Any champion for the people, super hero or non-super hero, can never let his cause be about him....
Mexico: Citizen Detained Over Politician Helicopter Crash Joke Tweet
The Mexican Twittersphere exploded on November 13 demanding the release of Mario Flores, who was detained without an arrest order allegedly because of a joke he tweeted last Thursday, November 10. Geraldine Juarez takes a closer look at this case.
Sri Lanka: Perils Of Promising Jobs
Serendipity is concerned that the Sri Lankan government is unable to create the promised jobs for graduates and the blogger asks “whose responsibility is it to provide jobs for all unemployed Graduates?”
Sahel Region: Slavery still very much a Reality for Some
In an interview carried out by François Mauger with Mme Sophia Lakhdar [fr], Director of the Comité Contre l’Esclavage Moderne (Comittee Against Modern Slavery) published on the mondomix.com blog, she states: “Today human trafficking has taken over as the notion of modern slavery, which is a bit contrived. However it helps...
Italy: End of the Road for Berlusconi
Amidst scandals and controversies, the Italian Prime Minister resigned on Saturday, after losing his parliamentary majority during a crucial budget vote. As the technocrat Mario Monti is appointed as head of the new government, many Italians celebrate (on the streets and online) this historic event.
Slovenia: Election Campaign Updates
Updates on the Dec. 4 parliamentary elections campaign in Slovenia – at Sleeping With Pengovsky, here and here.
Russia: Badminton and the Army
Siberian Light writes about the usefulness of badminton for the Russian “shooters and snipers,” which President Dmitry Medvedev seems to have recently helped to discover.
Iran: Uncertainty After Deadly Blast at Arms Depot
A huge explosion at a military base near Iran's capital Tehran, killed at least 17 soldiers including one high-ranking Revolutionary Guard official on November 12. Officials say it was an accident, while bloggers speculate on other possibilities.
Liberia: Who Did Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Win Against?
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf won re-election on Thursday in a presidential run-off boycotted by the opposition in Liberia. The main opposition figure, Winston Tubman, is seeking legal options to have President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's re-election annulled.
