Global Issues

CIVICUS speaks with Belarusian activist, blogger and journalist Mikola Dziadok about his experiences as a two-time political prisoner and the repression of dissent in Belarus. Mikola was jailed following mass protests in 2020. Read the full story, “‘Freedom Always Returns – but Only If We Hold Fast to Our Values and Sustain the Struggle’”, on globalissues.org →

UNITED NATIONS, January 23 (IPS) - Nearly four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine faces another winter marked by widespread humanitarian suffering and continued indiscriminate attacks. The final months of 2025 were particularly volatile, characterized by routine bombardment of densely populated areas and repeated strikes on residential neighborhoods, critical civilian infrastructure, and humanitarian facilities. As hostilities expanded into new territories over the past year, humanitarian needs grew sharply, with many war-torn communities residing in uninhabitable areas. Read the full story, “Systemic Infrastructure Attacks Push Ukraine Into Its Deepest Humanitarian Emergency Yet”, on globalissues.org →

CHONGWE, Zambia, January 23 (IPS) - In a quiet village known as Nkhondola, in Chongwe District, Eastern Zambia, Royd Michelo and his wife, Adasila Kanyanga, have transformed their five-acre piece of land into a self-sustaining agroecological landscape. With healthy soils built over time, the farm teems with diverse food crops, fruit trees, livestock and birds, nourishing their family and the surrounding community. Read the full story, “Moving Towards Agroecological Food Systems in Southern Africa”, on globalissues.org →

ABUJA, Nigeria, January 23 (IPS) - For the last decade, many in the foreign aid sector have emphasised the need for localisation, and in the last 5 years, the calls have been louder than ever. I am one of such voices. Read the full story, “Beyond Shifting Power: Rethinking Localisation Across the Humanitarian Sector”, on globalissues.org →

UNITED NATIONS, January 23 (IPS) - At least 21 United Nations personnel — 12 peacekeeping personnel and nine civilians — were killed in deliberate attacks in 2025, according to the United Nations Staff Union Standing Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service. Read the full story, “UN Peacekeepers and Associated Personnel Killed in Malicious Attacks in 2025”, on globalissues.org →

UNITED NATIONS, January 23 (IPS) - The two current ongoing conflicts, which have claimed the lives of hundreds and thousands of people, are between nuclear and non-nuclear states: Russia vs Ukraine and Israel vs Palestine, while some of the potential nuclear vs non-nuclear conflicts include China vs Taiwan, North Korea vs South Korea and US vs Iran (Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Cuba and Denmark). Read the full story, “The World’s Ongoing Conflicts Underline Nuclear and Non-Nuclear States”, on globalissues.org →

Disturbing details continued to emerge on Friday about Iran’s State-led crackdown against mass protests, while UN rights chief Volker Türk expressed deep concern that demonstrators could be executed.Read the full story, “World News in Brief: Iran in the Human Rights Council, Myanmar election ‘fraud’, migration chief in Cyprus, Mozambique flood update”, on globalissues.org →

As people in war-torn Ukraine face the coldest winter in more than a decade, authorities and humanitarians are working to help them stay warm, particularly the most vulnerable residents. Read the full story, “Keeping people warm amid hostilities and harsh winter weather in Ukraine”, on globalissues.org →

United Nations agencies have regained limited access to Syria’s Al Hol camp and resumed the delivery of essential supplies after days of disruption caused by a volatile security situation, the UN Deputy Spokesperson said on Friday.Read the full story, “Limited access restored to Syria’s Al Hol camp amid security concerns”, on globalissues.org →

With young people under 30 making up more than half of the global population and over 272 million children and youth still out of school, their participation in shaping education is becoming increasingly vital.Read the full story, “Young people must be ‘truly involved’ in transforming education”, on globalissues.org →