Stories about Governance from June, 2012
Tajikistan: The Role of Intellectuals in Running a Country
Should poets have a bigger say in how the countries they live in are run? Adash Istad writes [tj] that Tajik intellectuals have stayed out of government affairs too long. The blogger argues that it is time for intellectuals to understand that they have a particular ‘mission’ which consists of educating...
Slovakia: Teachers Call for Help in Open Letter to Education Minister
Two elementary school teachers wrote an open letter to the Slovak Minister of Education, highlighting the problems they face with their students who are “significantly maladjusted socially, [and] are almost exclusively students of the Romani origin,” sparking controversy.
China: Support for ObamaCare
At Tea Leaf Nation, David Wertime looks at reactions to the US Supreme Court's vote yesterday in support of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). “Evil capitalism. Why can’t Chinese socialism be as evil?” retorts one microblogger.
Yemen: Electricity Woes in Yemen
Electricity, food and water are basic human rights and have been the main demands of the majority of Yemenis long before the revolution started and still continue to be so. Nothing seems to have changed with the overthrow of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and living conditions only seem to get worse under the new National Consensus Government.
Armenia: Online Petition to Support LGBT Rights
Following the recent firebombing of a gay-friendly bar in Yerevan as well as homophobic comments from government officials and politicians setting the scene for the aggressive disruption of a diversity rally in the Armenian capital two weeks later, Unzipped draws its readers attention to a new online petition calling for...
China: Guangdong Village Riots over Land Sale
China Digital Times translates a Caijing news story about a village riot in Guangdong province against local government's secret land sale deal.
Singapore Versus Hong Kong
Singapore Armchair Critic compares the economic, financial, governance, and press freedom indicators of Hong Kong and Singapore. The two cities are the major financial centers of East Asia
Sri Lanka: State Of The Government Hospitals
Nanadasiri Wanninayaka writes about the state of the government officials in Sri Lanka.
China: Local Residents Clash with Police in Shaxi, Guangdong
Police from Shaxi, a city in China Guangdong Province, confirmed on their official Weibo account a barrage of police officers during a public protest. The protest was sparked on Monday, by the beating of a local elementary school students by a teenager from Chongqing. The local officers came to tie...
Bolivia: Tensions Rise as Police Mutiny Continues
A police mutiny is into its sixth day in Bolivia as low-ranked policemen are demanding levelling up their wages to the same amount military officers currently earn. Violent demonstrations occurred in the country's main cities, even reaching the square right in front of the Presidential Palace. As negotiations are still underway, Bolivia's cities remain without guard or police assistance for the sixth day.
Trinidad & Tobago: The Real Political Losers
Bloggers continue their discussion about the government's recent Cabinet reshuffle, suggesting that the real losers in the equation are the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
China: Victim of Late Term Abortion Labelled as Traitor
The father of the aborted seven-month-old fetus, Deng Jiyuan, upon interviewed with a German reporter was labelled as traitor of the country and the local government mobilized residents to protest outside his house. David Wertime from Tea Leaf Nation has the full story.
Malaysia Plans To Expand Cash Transfer Program
Khoo Kay Peng advises the Malaysian government to review its plan to further expand the cash transfer program known as Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia (BR1M). The author insists the money can be used instead to stimulate the local economy
Thailand: Google Asked To Remove 374 YouTube Videos in 2011
According to Google's Transparency Report, the Thai Ministry of Information requested Google to take down 374 YouTube videos in 2011 for allegedly insulting the monarchy in violation of Thailand’s lèse-majesté law.
Egypt: Introducing the MorsiMeter
After 32 years of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt has a new president and a new application to monitor the performance of its newly elected president Mohamed Morsi and the progress in the achievement of the 64 main promises he made during his election campaign.
Senegal: Inaugural Use of Gender Parity in Upcoming Elections
This July 1, the Senegalese will be called again to the polls for parliamentary elections. These forthcoming elections are a first for West Africa as the law on absolute gender parity in electoral lists will be applied for the first time.
South Korea: Broadcasters’ Battle for Fair Journalism Continues
In South Korea, an indefinite strike by broadcasters has continued for almost five months in the nation's largest TV network, MBC. Journalists and producers are urging the company president to step down, accusing him of incapacitating investigative new programs that criticize the government by firing or reprimanding reporters and producers.
Brazil: Anti-Corruption Bill Revoked
The Brazilian anti-corruption bill known as Ficha Limpa (No Criminal Record), had its immediate effect revoked by the Supreme Federal Court with 6 votes against 5, as Marcos Bahé, from the blog Acerto de Contas, informs [pt].
Puerto Rico: Impunity Island
Blogger Ed Morales comments on recently released American Civil Liberty Union's (ACLU) report (PDF) on police brutality in Puerto Rico: “The report echoes a previous, scathing one on police brutality and abuse of civil rights in Puerto Rico released last September (PDF) by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which put the island commonwealth’s...
Armenia: A Slow Descent Into Fascism?
Following the 8 May firebombing of a gay-friendly bar in Yerevan and the disruption by ultra-nationalists of a march for diversity two weeks later, the Huffington Posts asks if Armenia is slowly sliding towards fascism? In recent months nationalist actions have become more evident in the predominantly mono-ethnic country, including...
Will a Unified Time Zone Work for Indonesia?
Indonesia, the world's largest archipelagic country, plans to synchronize its three time zones on October. The business sector is supporting the plan but netizens and religious leaders have many questions.
