While regular elections that are generally free are held in Guatemala, corruption and organized crime severely impact the functioning of government. Victims of rampant violence and criminal extortion have little recourse to justice. Activists, journalists, and public officials who confront corruption, crime, and other sensitive issues risk attack and judicial persecution. Guatemala’s 2023 presidential elections […]
Guarantees of free speech are respected in general, though some laws barring defamation of state institutions still remain on the books. Media ownership is extremely concentrated. Many journalists have reported facing assault and harassment, even at the hands of police. In May 2022, three journalists sustained injuries while covering a protest in Santiago, including late […]
When Xiomara Castro had become Honduras’s first female president in 2022, she had promised a massive departure from the preceding 12 years of National Party (PN) rule. PN officials had destroyed state institutions and worked at the highest levels with organized crime as hospitals and schools languished and a large number of Hondurans fled for […]
In Cuba the formal media sector is under ownership and control of the state, and the constitution forbids privately owned media. In fact, restrictive media environment of Cuba is one of the most restrictive in the world. The nation’s independent press functions outside the law, its publications are regarded as “enemy propaganda,” and its journalists […]
The Dominica Labor Party (DLP) has been governing Dominica since 2000. As Dominica is a parliamentary democracy, majority in the legislature is a prerequisite to rule. DLP enjoys brute majority in Dominican legislature known as the House of Assembly. While the nation is committed to democratic governance and civil liberties are upheld in general, many […]
Canada’s media are free in general; journalists are mostly protected from harassment and violence in their work and express varied viewpoints. In June 2023, the federal government passed the Online News Act, requiring large tech companies to compensate media organizations when journalistic content is hosted on their platforms. As a reaction, Meta, which owns Instagram […]
Brief History Thousands of years ago, the area that is now India was home to the Indus Valley civilization. The Indus Valley civilization is one of the oldest civilizations in human history, and they are known for their great cities called Harappa and Mohenjo Daro. Around 1500 BC, the Aryan people came to India from […]
Liechtenstein is a small principality nestled between Switzerland and Austria. The tiny nation has a rich history that dates back to the early medieval period. The region originally consisted of two separate territories, Vaduz and Schellenberg, which were unified in 1719 under the rule of the Liechtenstein family, becoming a principality within the Holy Roman […]
Freedom of the press is guaranteed by the constitution, though it includes usual exceptions for interests such as public order, national security, and morality. While reporting covers quite a wide range of viewpoints in practice, journalists at times face threats, physical harassment, or assault when out for work. In the year 2022, replacement of the […]
The Kingdom of Lithuania was established in the 13th century, and under the rule of Grand Duke Gediminas in the 14th century, it became one of the largest and most influential states in Europe, forming the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1386, Lithuania entered into a dynastic union with Poland, culminating in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, […]
The cuisine of Colombia varies depending on the region. The diverse cuisine is influenced by native culture, as well as the flora and fauna of the country. Rice, corn, potato, cassava, legumes, meats, and seafood are all common ingredients in Colombian cooking. Tropical fruits, including feijoa, dragon fruit, papaya, passionfruit, guava, blackberry, and granadilla, are […]
Comoros is a group of islands off the east coast of Africa. These islands are believed to be the first place of contact between Asian and African people. The islands were inhabited by a variety of people over centuries and were first discovered by Europeans in 1505. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to visit […]
Brief History Humans have inhabited Eritrea for thousands of years. The Kunama and Nara people lived in what is now Eritrea at about 3500 BC. During 2000 BC, the Beja people came to Eritrea from southern Egypt. Eritrea borders the Red Sea and has been ruled by various powers throughout history. In 1885, Italy gained […]
Brief History Greece has been home to many different civilizations and groups throughout history, including the Minoans and Mycenaeans before the Middle Ages. Greece was divided into many small communities when it emerged from the Dark Ages in 8 BC. This time in history is called the Archaic Period. The Classical period in Greek history […]
