CIVICUS speaks with Julia Grix, founder and executive director of Climate Defenders Australia (CDA), about the growing repression of climate activism and rise of anti-protest laws in Australia, and how her organisation is providing essential legal support to climate activists.

CIVICUS discusses the campaign for better AI regulation with Gabriel Wang, data scientist and AI solution architect for AI4NGO, an international organisation that seeks to empower civil society to harness the transformative potential of AI to increase its impact and address critical global and local challenges.

CIVICUS discusses US civil society action under the second Trump administration with Bridget Moix, General Secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, the oldest faith-based lobbying organisation in the USA, advocating for peace, justice and environmental stewardship.

CIVICUS discusses the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the International Criminal Court (ICC) with Ottilia Anna Maunganidze, Head of Special Projects at the Institute for Security Studies, an African organisation that builds knowledge and skills to enable sustainable peace, development and prosperity in Africa.

CIVICUS discusses recent Palestine solidarity protests in Spain with representatives of SODePAZ, a civil society organisation that supports political mobilisation and people’s empowerment.

CIVICUS discusses the closing of civic space under Burkina Faso’s military junta with a Burkinabe civil society representative who has asked to remain anonymous for security reasons.

CIVICUS discusses the rise of foreign agents laws and their impact on civil society and media with Kathryn Beck, Acting Director of Access to Law at the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

CIVICUS speaks about Generation Z-led protests in Madagascar with six members of the Youth Empowerment Madagascar association: Hanson Andriamahazo, Heritoky Mahasedra, Elie Rakotoarimanana, Jessica Rakotoarison, Daniellà Ramanambohitra and Roméo Tovonantenaina.

CIVICUS speaks with Rene Parker, Board Chair of AfriLabs and Co-founder and Director of RLabs, about how young people in Africa are driving change through innovation, entrepreneurship and technology.

CIVICUS discusses the growing challenges of sustaining independent journalism in South Africa with Styli Charalambous, co-founder and CEO of Daily Maverick.

CIVICUS speaks with ‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, about the state of digital rights and online civic space in Africa.

CIVICUS discusses Thailand’s decision to grant the right to work to Myanmar refugees living in border camps with Mic Chawaratt, Asia-Pacific Regional Manager at the International Detention Coalition, a civil society organisation that works to end immigration detention and support migrants and refugees around the world.

CIVICUS discusses the results of Norway’s recent election with Johannes Bergh, Research Director for Politics, Democracy and Civil Society at the Institute for Social Research, an independent research institute based in Oslo.

CIVICUS discusses Syria’s political transition and the implications of its new parliament with Fadel Abdulghany, founder and head of the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR).

CIVICUS speaks to Jessie Krafft, president and CEO of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) about the challenges and opportunities facing civil society today.

CIVICUS discusses protests in Ecuador caused by the elimination of diesel subsidies and the resulting social unrest with Micaela Estefanía Puente Betancourt.

CIVICUS discusses Maldives’ new media bill with Naaif Ahmed, President of Maldives Journalists Association, a civil society organisation that promotes journalistic professional rights, supports local media and advocates for a safe and free working environment.

CIVICUS discusses the United Nations (UN) Convention against Cybercrime with Pavlina Pavlova, Cybercrime Working Group Lead at the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.

CIVICUS speaks about the disappearance of Turkmen activists Abdulla Orusov and Alisher Sahatov with human rights defender Diana Dadasheva from the civil movement DAYANÇ/Turkmenistan and with Gülala Hasanova, wife of Alisher Sahatov.

CIVICUS discusses the wave of Gen Z-led protests in Peru with young Peruvian activist Wildalr Lozano.

CIVICUS speaks about US counterterrorism laws and their impact on civil society with Poorvika Mehra, Howard S.

CIVICUS speaks with Shamil Idriss, CEO of Search for Common Ground, about the rising impacts of conflict and new approaches to peacebuilding.

CIVICUS discusses Colombia’s recent wave of political violence with Andrés Preciado, director of Conflict and Security at the Ideas for Peace Foundation (FIP).

CIVICUS discusses Italy’s protests in solidarity with Palestine with an activist with Cambiare Rotta (‘Change Course’), a leftist youth organisation that campaigns against war, fascism and neoliberal policies on university campuses.

CIVICUS discusses far-right mobilisation in the United Kingdom with Chris Jones, Director of Statewatch, a civil society organisation that monitors and exposes state actions that threaten civil liberties, democracy and human rights.

CIVICUS discusses civic space and the prospects for democracy in Belarus with a representative of the Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House (BHRH) who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons.

CIVICUS discusses Malawi’s presidential election results with Michael Simon Kaiyatsa, Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation, a civil society organisation that promotes democracy, good governance and human rights.

CIVICUS discusses recent protests in Timor-Leste with Domingos de Andrade, known as Ameu, Case Coordinator of the civil society organisation Rede ba Rai (‘Network for Land’) and Nelson Roldão, an activist involved in several campaigns, including in support of the right to self-determination in West Papua.

CIVICUS discusses Côte d’Ivoire’s upcoming presidential election with Kaberu Tairu, country representative for Côte d’Ivoire at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, a West African think tank specialising in media innovation and development.

CIVICUS discusses AI governance challenges with Federica Marconi, researcher in the multilateralism and global governance programme at Italy’s Institute of International Affairs, a non-profit think tank that promotes awareness of international politics and contributes to the advancement of European integration and multilateral cooperation.

CIVICUS discusses Guyana’s recent election and the challenges of managing its oil wealth with Thomas Singh, Director of the University of Guyana’s Green Institute.

CIVICUS discusses Moldova’s recent election with Nicolae Panfil, Programme Director of Promo-LEX and head of its election observation mission.

Read in Portuguese CIVICUS discusses a recent crackdown on foreign media and the conditions for journalists in Guinea-Bissau with Indira Correia Baldé, president of the Union of Journalists and Media Technicians, an organisation that protects, defends and promotes freedom of expression, press freedom and labour rights of media professionals On 15 August, the government of Guinea-Bissau suspended the activities of three Portuguese media outlets, ordering their journalists to leave the country by 19 August.

CIVICUS discusses a recent crackdown on foreign media and the conditions for journalists in Guinea-Bissau with Indira Correia Baldé, president of the Union of Journalists and Media Technicians, an organisation that protects, defends and promotes freedom of expression, press freedom and labour rights of media professionals On 15 August, the government of Guinea-Bissau suspended the activities of three Portuguese media outlets, ordering their journalists to leave the country by 19 August.

CIVICUS discusses enforced disappearances in Mexico with a member of the International Network of Associations of Missing Persons.

CIVICUS discusses Somalia’s possible move towards direct elections with Mahad Wasuge, Executive Director of Somali Public Agenda, a civil society organisation that works on public policy and administration research.

CIVICUS discusses the Czech Republic’s parliamentary election with Lukáš Hilpert, president of Million Moments for Democracy, a Czech civic movement that mobilises people to defend democracy and demand government accountability.

CIVICUS discusses recent protests that led to a change of government in Nepal with Dikpal Khatri Chhetri, co-founder of Youth in Federal Discourse (YFD).

CIVICUS discusses recent protests that led to a change of government in Nepal with Dikpal Khatri Chhetry, co-founder of Youth in Federal Discourse (YFD).

CIVICUS discusses Facebook owner Meta’s political ad ban in the European Union (EU) with Filip Stojanovski, Director for Partnership and Resource Development at the Metamorphosis Foundation, a civil society organisation (CSO) that works to empower citizens and civil society to defend democracy.

CIVICUS discusses the appointment of Thailand’s new prime minister with Sunai Phasuk, Senior Researcher for Thailand at Human Rights Watch’s Asia division.

CIVICUS speaks about the political context ahead of Tanzania’s October general election with a civil society activist who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons.

CIVICUS discusses Greece’s new migration and asylum policies with Minos Mouzourakis, a lawyer and Legal and Advocacy Officer with Refugee Support Aegean, a leading civil society organisation (CSO) that provides free legal aid to refugees and asylum seekers in Greece.

CIVICUS discusses Samoa’s recent election with Lucia S Chung Kwan, a history lecturer at the National University of Samoa.

CIVICUS discusses the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) recent advisory opinion on climate change with Abdul Mufeez Shaheed, campaigner with Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change.

CIVICUS discusses recent protests in Indonesia with Yati Andriyani, a lawyer, human rights defender and board member of Indonesia for Humanity (Untuk Kemanusiaan, IKa).

CIVICUS discusses the Inter-American Court of Human Rights’ (IACtHR) recognition of the right to care with Jeffrey Vogt, international labour law expert and chair of the International Lawyers Assisting Workers Network (ILAW Network).

CIVICUS discusses North Korea’s closed civic space with Hanna Song, Executive Director of the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB).

CIVICUS discusses Facebook owner Meta’s political ad ban and the European Union (EU)’s regulations with Anna Sienicka, Senior Vice President at TechSoup Europe.

CIVICUS discusses the recent peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan with Konul De Moor, political analyst for International Crisis Group, an independent organisation that works to prevent wars and shape policies to build a more peaceful world.