Stories about Politics from March, 2016
How Afghanistan's Politics of Ethnicity and Honour Play Out on Facebook
General Abdul Rashid Dostum and General Ata Mohammad Noor have much in common, but whether online or offline, they speak to different audiences.
Nepotism Cases Sully Both Sides of the Political Aisle in Trinidad & Tobago
"In 2016, it is long past the time for independent and transparent systems of investigation and accountability."
Mutual Self-Interest: Bahrain Celebrates 200 Years of ‘Friendship’ with Britain
Bahrain marks the 200th anniversary of its relationship with Britain with a year of celebrations—and a large dose of historical revisionism.
European Union Signs Controversial Deal to Deport Refugees to Turkey
The EU will turn asylum seekers of all nationalities except Syrian back to Turkey, and accept one Syrian refugee for each refugee turned back.
Is Exposing Corruption Becoming a Crime in Botswana?
Does it matter how journalists get hold of public information to expose corruption?
Twitter Through the Years: The RuNet Edition
For Twitter's 10-year anniversary, the Russian news outlet Kommersant collected dozens of "the most emblematic" tweets published throughout the platform's history. We picked out the ones coming from the RuNet.
Jamaicans Adopt a ‘Wait and See’ Approach to New Political Leaders
The new Jamaican voter is keeping a keen eye on the government to ensure that issues are addressed and public officials are held to a higher standard.
Georgia’s ‘Sex Wikileaks’ Revives Fear of Government Snooping
“Everything you do in your bedroom can be used against you!”
Europe Negotiates With Turkey to Slam the Door on Refugees
"Europe’s concern goes no further than guarding its external borders and containing people within Turkey – depriving vulnerable people and children fleeing war and persecution from seeking asylum in Europe..."
A List of Hope: Is Electoral Politics All That’s Left for the Iranian Opposition?
The primary question, to vote or not to vote, sparked a lot of debate in the February 2016 Iranian elections for parliament and Assembly of Experts.
How a Cyber Heist Ended the Career of Bangladesh's Respected Central Bank Governor
"Dr. Atiur has resigned, that's his bold and honest move. But what happened to nabbing the thieves? How was the server hacked? Who was looking after the cybersecurity?"
Two Writers Publicly Resign Amid the Chinese Communist Party's Tightening Grip on Culture
"Suzhou has been a place where literati gather since ancient times. It has a very good tradition of pursuing the ideal. But these traditions have almost vanished now."
Syrians Mark Fifth Anniversary of Revolution with More Protests
More than a quarter of a million Syrians have been killed since the start of anti-regime protests five years ago. Despite the killing spree, protesters are back on the streets.
Between Hashtags and Memes, Bolivian Leaders Push for Social Media Regulation
A draft law that would regulate social media -- with criminal consequences for its violators -- has sparked intense debates among Bolivian citizens.
Polarization and Dehumanization: Two Keys to Understanding the Assassination of Honduran Activist Berta Cáceres
Hedme Sierra Castro, a Honduran human rights advocate, shares context on Honduras, a land vulnerable to impunity and abuse of native communities.
Citizens Overwhelm Macedonia's Election Commission With Reports of Suspicious Voters’ Registry Data
The SEC published a new web app allowing Macedonians to report irregularities in the Voters' Registry online. Ten days later, they shut it down down because of too many reports.
Bahrain Arrests Activist Zainab Al Khawaja Along With Her One-Year-Old Baby
"#Bahrain seems to be tightening noose on dissidents, just don’t understand why one-year-old child is arrested."
How Cambodian Politics Became a Battle for Facebook ‘Likes’
"These instructions clearly show that the ruling party pushing to create fake Facebook accounts in order to provide artificial 'likes' to the [Prime Minister's] Facebook page."
Social Media's impact on the 2016 general election in Niger
Le premier tour des élections générales nigériennes de 2016 s'est déroulé le dimanche 21 février 2016. Le second tour aura lieu le 20 mars, afin d'élire le président et les membres de l'Assemblée Nationale.
Lebanese ‘You Stink’ Protesters Are Back on the Streets
Eight months after taking to the streets to protest against Lebanon's mounting rubbish problem, the issue is not solved. Protesters are back on the streets today.
Ex-South African President Mbeki Still Has His ‘Bizarre’ Beliefs on HIV and AIDS
Mbeki received criticism for a letter he wrote denying that he had ever said 'HIV does not cause AIDS'. "What I said is that 'a virus cannot cause a syndrome'."
