New Law in Slovakia Would Require Citizens to Report Long Stays Abroad

Slovakia's president has vetoed a controversial new law that would require citizens who plan on leaving the country for more than 90 days to inform the nearest Ministry of Interior office of their intended whereabouts during that time. The legislation has prompted highly visible anger from Slovaks on blogs and social media.

The Kremlin's Kitchen Serves Up Russia's Free Press

Novaya Gazeta has implicated Vladimir Putin’s favorite restaurant owner in a bizarre scheme to defame several of the country’s most prominent news publications, involving a conspiracy to plant false information in different newspapers, in order to convince Russians that the news is for hire.

‘V for Thailand’ Protesters Call for Ouster of Thai Prime Minister

The group which calls itself ‘V for Thailand’ has already organized three mass assemblies in Thailand’s capital this month demanding the ouster of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Wearing white Guy Fawkes masks, protesters have decried the alleged corruption in the government.

Brazilians Poke Fun at Intelligence Agency Spooks

In the face of protests that have swiped across Brazil, the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN) were summoned by the government to monitor protesters through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even WhatsApp. Brazilian netizens are in fits of giggles at the news.

PR Jingle Becomes Brazil Protest Hymn

A video showing scenes of police violence against the protests that took to the streets of Sao Paulo in the first week of June with the song “Vem Pra Rua”...

Uzbek Photography's ‘Orientalist Flavour’

Alex Ulko on NewEurasia.net explains where the “Orientalist flavour discernible in the works of many [Uzbek] artists” comes from. His well-informed comments about contemporary Uzbek photography are accompanied by beautiful...

Social Media Plays Crucial Role in Brazil's ‘Vinegar Revolt’ Protests

Citizens all across Brazil are collaboratively covering the street protests that erupted nationwide this June. A number of new websites, tools and blogs have emerged to help publicize complaints and mobilize protests throughout the country. Check out some of the platforms that have being used.

China's Undercover ‘Street Vender’ Sting Exposed

Urban management officers, also known as Chengguan, have been under much media scrutiny lately. A recent story of a Chengguan going undercover as a street vendor at night went viral...

China Announces Campaign to Weed Out Party Corruption

The Chinese Communist Party is launching a year-long campaign to clean up the party to do away with corrupt elements in its organization. But many Chinese netizens have expressed skepticism toward the campaign, arguing that democracy with the open participation of the people, and not a closed internal process, is the best way to get rid of corruption.

Inter-oceanic Canal Project Leads to Doubt and Rejection in Nicaragua

A controversial law granting a Chinese company the concession to build an inter-oceanic canal in Nicaragua has generated great discussion among the population. Although the law was passed by the National Assembly as a matter of urgency, a feasibility study of the real impact on the country has not yet been conducted.

Thousands Are Joining Bosnia's ‘Babylution’

The death of a baby girl has people in Bosnia-Herzegovina crossing the country's deep ethnic divides by the thousands to protest together against the government's failure to remedy a lapse in the law that is preventing newborns from being given an identity number and, by extension, travel papers and healthcare.

A Year of Demanding Justice in Paraguay: What Happened in Curuguaty?

A year after a clash that resulted in the death of 11 farm workers and 6 police officers in Curuguaty, Paraguay, organizations that defend human rights and farm workers point out that the criminal case investigating the incident is partial and that there were several human rights violations during the proceedings, such as executions and subjecting the farm workers to torture as acts of revenge.

Malaysia Launches Dengue Web Portal

To fight dengue, Malaysia's Ministry of Health launched a GIS-based web portal called I-Dengue, “which aims to provide the public with the latest information on dengue hotspots and preventive measures...

Peruvian Rock Band Wins Festival in Russia

The website TimonRock announced [es] that Peruvian rock band Contracorriente was awarded first place in the St. Petersburg White Nights Festival in Russia. The website also posted videos and images...

Man Disappears in Uzbekistan Police Custody

On Registan.net Noah Tucker reports that the 71-year-old father of an Uzbek opposition politician has disappeared in police custody in Uzbekistan. The authorities intimidate the elderly man (as well as...

ABRE LATAM: Open Data Unconference

Fernando Briano from Picando Código informs [es] about the upcoming unconference ABRE LATAM [es], organized by D.A.T.A. [es] and Ciudadano Inteligente [es], on June 24 and 25 in Montevideo, Uruguay....

Czech PM Resigns Amid Sex Scandal

Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas steps down after his Chief of Staff and mistress, Jana Nagyova, is arrested on charges of bribery and corruption.

Tajikistan Leader's Visits Force Road Repairs

Khujand [Sughd's capital] prepares to welcome the president again. Banners, posters, and fixed roads [are there] again. I can only be happy about the latter! I would love to see the president come to Khujand as often as possible - this would force the authorities to fix the roads. It is a pity, however, that only part of the city's roads are fixed - that part along which the president's cortege will travel. The rest of the roads have been neglected for years.

Disabled Persons ‘Disrespected’ in Kyrgyzstan

Blogger Dmitry Efremov writes [ru] about the negative attitudes that people with disabilities confront in the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan: It is terrible to realize that some people among...

‘Qandisha’, the Women's Webzine that is Ruffling Feathers in Morocco

A webzine for women in Morocco is causing a stir for its frank treatment of religion and sexuality. Global Voices recently caught up with the founder, Fedoua Miski.

As Kabul Gets a Bomb Attack, the Taliban Open an Office in Doha

A suicide bomb explosion shook a western district of Kabul, Afghanistan on June 18, killing at least three and injuring more than twenty. The explosion took place shortly before the...