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Wednesday, November 11, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
Active Citizens
INDONESIA-MEDIA: Banned Publications Make a Comeback on Internet
Banned publications in Indonesia are making a comeback through the Internet, for the moment safe from the government's heavy-handed censorship.AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIA: No ‘Bosnian’ Solutions For Nagorno-Karabakh
The prospect of new fighting over the Armenian-held enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan has widened the gap between Russia and the United States, which have different views of the best route to peace in the disputed territory.UZBEKISTAN: Would-Be ‘Tiger’ Burns Bright In Central Asian Forests
While Russia is hastily trying to reassert its influence in the five former Soviet Central Asian republics, one -- Uzbekistan -- has begun an ambitious effort to establish itself as the key political and economic power in the region.RUSSIA: Russia Supplies U.S. With Rocket Engines
Not only the Cold War, but the Space Race is now officially over. The United States' largest missile manufacturers are turning to Russian rocket scientists to drive a new generation of U.S. satellite boosters.TAJIKISTAN: Regional and Global Powers Queue To ‘Help’ Dushanbe
Talks on options to end the civil conflict in Tajikistan at a special session of the Tajik parliament have seen unprecedented international involvement in what is the thorniest problem troubling post-Soviet Central Asia.UKRAINE: Last Chernobyl ‘Incident’ Was More Serious Than Admitted
A November 1995 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear plant earlier described as 'insignificant' has proven to be more serious than first claimed -- raising new fears about safety at the plant, still running a decade on from the 1986 disaster.RUSSIA-SCIENCE: An End to Science?
Russian scientists say the foundations of scientific activity could be ruptured unless the government increased support for suffering scientists and underfunded laboratories.RUSSIA: Illegal Fishing Causes Growing Concern In Far East
Local authorities in Russia's far eastern Maritime Territory plan to create an 'inspection corridor' to catch illegally operating Russian fishing fleets selling their catches direct to Japanese and South Korean traders.RUSSIA-TAIWAN: Russian Bids For Nuclear Waste Contracts Defy Law
Taiwanese nuclear power managers are still considering plans to ship up to 5,000 litres of low level nuclear waste for disposal at a plant near Moscow, a deal that would break both Russia's environment law and its supposed waste import policy.RUSSIA-CHECHNYA: Floundering Yeltsin Torn Between Chechen Options
Russian president Boris Yeltsin continues to flounder over his next steps in the breakaway state of Chechnya, as the conflict crosses the border into neighbouring republics and his plans for peace or victory are derided by the opposition.RUSSIA: Diamond Industry Chief Fired As De Beers Wrangle Goes On
The dismissal by presidential decree of Russian diamond industry chief official Yevgeny Bychkov is only the latest twist in Russia's tortuous talks to ease the grip of South African trading giant De Beers on the sale of Russian diamonds.RUSSIA: IMF’s Camdessus Untroubled By Yeltsin’s Appeals To Masses
International Monetary Fund managing director Michel Camdessus Friday expressed confidence in Russia's ability to stick to its economic reforms -- safe in the knowledge that if its will weakens, the cash tap can quickly be turned off.HUMAN RIGHTS-RUSSIA: Jailed Environmentalist Denied Lawyer
A retired Russian naval captain who helped a Norwegian NGO prepare a report on environmental damage at Arctic nuclear naval facilities has been arrested on suspicion of treason, a charge that if proven, could carry the death penalty.INDONESIA-MEDIA: Press Struggles to Wriggle Free of State Censors
The Indonesian press, lumbering under the weight of state censorship, wants to redefine its role as Indonesia girds for the 21st century. But recent remarks by officials suggest government is not about to release its grip.RUSSIA-DEBT: IMF And Moscow Close To Deal on Giant Loan Package
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Michel Camdessus is to visit Moscow before the end of February to give his final blessing to a nine billion dollar loan to Russia.DISARMAMENT: New Russian Scepticism On START II Running Deep
President Boris Yeltsin's claim that the START II disarmament treaty is essential to Russian defence is falling on sceptical ears at the parliament (Duma) where deputies' doubts are putting a Mar. 22 ratification deadline in doubt.RUSSIA: Precious Ecosystem Of Lake Baikal Threatened By Pulp Plant
Scientists seeking the closure of a wood pulp and paper plant on the shores of Lake Baikal are warring with plant managers who say they can keep working and slow pollutant damage to its precious ecosystems with new funds from the West.UKRAINE: Russia Chosen to Build Nuclear Fuel Plant
Ukraine's State Committee for Nuclear Power, Goskomatom, has provisionally awarded a contract for construction of a nuclear fuel assembly plant to the Russian company TVEL, a joint stock firm within the Russian Ministry of Atomic Power.TAJIKISTAN: Double Jeopardy for Embattled Regime
The spectre of a new civil war which could affect the balance of power in post-Soviet Central Asia looms large over Tajikistan.RUSSIA-DISARMAMENT: Destroying Chemical Weapons is Costly
Russia plans to start building later this year its first facility for the destruction of chemical weapons, officials said.LITHUANIA: Winter of Discontent Holds No Promise of a Thaw
The last time Lithuania encountered weather as cold, snowy and excruciatingly bitter as the current Big Freeze was seven years ago.« Previous Page — Next Page »
Global Citizen Festival in New York. Credit: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Active citizens are committed to social change because they know that it is achievable. However, major political challenges face active citizens across the world. For example, in authoritarian regimes in Latin America where the hegemonic party has been in power for decades on end, protestors and human rights activists face enormous repression and struggle to materialize their advocacy into concrete results. The same can be said for Africans, where a shift towards elected government in recent decades has yet to translate into an effective voice in decision-making. Now, the Strengthening Citizen Demand for Good Governance, which uses evidence-based approaches – funded by DFID's Governance and Transparency Fund – seeks to raise their voices.
In 2025, the CIVICUS Monitor’s People Power Under Attack report revealed that civic freedoms are severely limited in 122 of 198 countries and territories, and only 7.2% of the global population now lives in countries where civic space is open. Through partnership with the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and CIVICUS, IPS reporters across the continent will seek to define the extent and limits of state capability, government accountability and the responsiveness of leaders to the needs of citizens.
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