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Although a top-tier performance was expected by Nuñez, a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet in London, and Reve, a guest artist with that renowned British company and principal dancer with the Queensland Ballet in Australia, the experience of seeing them dance live in this capital exceeded all expectations.

The ballet-goers enjoyed a dance brimming with nuances, the delicacy of the gestures, the fluidity of the steps, the graceful, harmonious, and natural performance, the dramatic power, the way they complemented each other as a couple, and the exquisite authenticity with which they embodied their characters.

Nuñez embodied a charismatic, sensual, tender, and communicative Quiteria, alongside Reve, a loving, attentive, and agile Basilio, precisely the characters Cervantes recorded in the pinnacle text of Spanish literature, a source of inspiration for all arts.

The presence of Marianela Nuñez and Patricio Reve on stage is a true artistic event and a delight for those privileged enough to witness them. Their technique flows flawlessly, and the dancers surrender themselves to the full enjoyment of the moment.

abo/iff/ro/msm

The post Dancers Marianela Nuñez and Patricio Reve dazzle in Cuba first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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A study identifies several regions with high emissions from both wildfires and human-caused fires.

On Monday, Environmental Science & Technology journal released a study showing that wildfires and controlled burns on wildlands worldwide emit substantially higher amounts of polluting gases and particles than previously estimated.

RELATED:

Wildfires Burn 139,000 Hectares in Portugal

The research, conducted by an international team of scientists led by Tsinghua University in Beijing, concludes that air pollution caused by fires has been underestimated for decades.

“Our new estimates increase emissions of organic compounds from wildfires by about 21%,” said Lyuyin Huang, a researcher at Tsinghua University’s School of Environment and the study’s lead author.

The study also identifies several regions with high emissions from both wildfires and human-caused fires, including equatorial Asia, countries in Africa located in the Northern Hemisphere, and Southeast Asia — a finding that, the authors warn, could pose complex challenges for air quality.

“The inventory provides a foundation for more detailed air quality modeling, health risk assessment and analysis of climate-related policies,” Huang said.

In 2023, the US & Canada saw the world’s largest rise in fine particulate pollution globally, driven by Canada’s record wildfires. Our Top #7 Chart from @UChiAir shows smoke pushed PM2.5 up 20% from 2022, hitting WI, IL, IN, OH, PA, OK & MS. #EPICTop10 https://t.co/vw8FGZi0Ht pic.twitter.com/GFiahMqn8F

— Energy Policy Institute at UChicago (@UChiEnergy) December 25, 2025

The Threat of Volatile Compounds

Each year, large areas of forests, grasslands and peatlands burn in wildfires, releasing a complex mixture of water vapor, ash and carbon-based compounds into the air.

Some of these carbon-based compounds are gases known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. Others, which evaporate and become gases at warmer temperatures, are intermediate-volatility organic compounds (IVOC), and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOC).

In the atmosphere, these partially volatile compounds form fine particles — pollutants that can be harmful when inhaled — more readily than VOCs. Until now, however, most studies assessing wildfire emissions have overlooked IVOCs and SVOCs because of their large number.

The research team, led by Shuxiao Wang of Tsinghua University’s School of Environment, set out to calculate emissions of IVOCs and SVOCs alongside VOCs to gain a better understanding of the impact of wildfires on air quality, health and climate.

To do so, the researchers accessed a global burned-area database covering wildfires in forests, grasslands and peatlands from 1997 to 2023 and compiled data on VOCs, IVOCs, SVOCs and other extremely low-volatility organic compounds released when each type of vegetation burns. For vegetation types lacking field measurements, the team relied on laboratory experiments to predict the organic compounds released.

By combining these data sets, the researchers calculated global annual emissions and estimated that wildfires released an average of 143 million metric tons of organic compounds into the air each year during the study period — 21% more than previous estimates. The findings suggest that wildfire emissions, particularly IVOCs and SVOCs, may be more polluting than previously thought.

When comparing wildfire emissions with their earlier estimates of human activities that release organic compounds into the air, the researchers found that human-caused emissions were higher overall, but both sources released comparable amounts of IVOCs and SVOCs.

The study also identified multiple emission hot spots from both wildfires and human activities in equatorial Asia, Northern Hemisphere African countries and Southeast Asia. Air pollution challenges in these regions are complex and require different strategies to reduce emissions from fires and human activities alike.

The wildfire emergency in Western Canada is forcing the evacuation of thousands of people and putting entire communities at risk. Smoke is already affecting air quality, and the situation remains critical. pic.twitter.com/huL9vTifEz

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) June 5, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

There is little sign that any major breakthrough is emerging.

On Sunday, after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the two sides are “getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to a peace deal to end the Ukraine crisis.

RELATED:

Russia Blocks Enforcement of Foreign Criminal Court Rulings

However, there is little sign that any major breakthrough is emerging, though Trump described the talks as “excellent” with “a lot of progresses” made.

WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE?

“This is not a one-day process deal. This is very complicated stuff. In a few weeks, we will know one way or the other, I think. It’s been a very difficult negotiation,” the U.S. president said.

“We discussed all the aspects of the peace framework,” Zelensky said of his meeting with Trump at the press conference, noting that the 20-point peace plan now was “90 percent” complete — the same figure he mentioned earlier this month.

Regarding security guarantees for Ukraine, Zelensky said the United States, Ukraine and Europe are close to 100 percent agreement on the terms. Trump said that he does not like to say percentages, but “thinks it could be close to 95 percent” on the security issue.

“We could be very close. There are one or two very thorny issues, very tough issues, but I think we’re doing very well,” Trump said. Neither Trump nor Zelensky specified the issues. Although Trump and Zelensky praised each other at the press conference, they provided few details on the progress made.

Zelensky looks uncomfortable as Trump argues that Russia wants Ukraine to succeed. I understand why this is not a popular argument in Ukraine, and if I were Ukrainian, I would probably make the same facial expression as Zelensky, given all the destruction caused by Russia.… pic.twitter.com/WE4cEqlgmt

— Glenn Diesen (@Glenn_Diesen) December 29, 2025

WHAT DID RELEVANT PARTIES SAY?

During the meeting, the two leaders also had a joint phone call with key European leaders, including the chiefs of NATO and the European Union. Zelensky said Trump may meet him and European leaders in Washington in January as he and Trump “agreed that our teams will meet in upcoming weeks to finalize all discussed matters.”

Just ahead of his meeting with Zelensky, Trump said he “had a good and very productive telephone call” with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Sunday morning.

Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s top foreign policy aide, said in Moscow that during the lengthy phone call, Putin and Trump agreed that a long-term peace settlement was better than the temporary ceasefire proposed by the Ukrainians and the Europeans.

Putin has agreed to a U.S. offer to create two working groups for the peace deal: one focused on security issues and the other on economic issues, Ushakov was quoted as saying in a New York Times report.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that she “welcomed” the “good progress” achieved in the talks. “Europe is ready to keep working with Ukraine and our U.S. partners to consolidate this progress,” she said, adding that “paramount to this effort is to have ironclad security guarantees from day one.”

French President Emmanuel Macron declared that allies supporting Kiev would convene in Paris next month to deliberate on security assurances, which form a component of a prospective peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.

“We will bring together the countries of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris in early January to finalize each one’s concrete contributions,” Macron said on X after speaking with Zelensky and Trump.

🚨BREAKING: Trump makes lunch with Zelensky all about himself, complaining to the press that offering them food could be spun as a “bribe” and cause a “bad story.”

Zelensky literally traveled 5,000 miles for this – to save his country.
⁰Trump is a stain on history. pic.twitter.com/CwKL5KVCZt

— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) December 28, 2025

WHAT STALEMATES STILL NEED TO BE RESOLVED?

When welcoming Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago, Trump refused to say whether he expects a peace deal will be reached by the end of this year to end the Ukraine crisis.

The most contentious issues are widely seen to include a potential timetable for a ceasefire, the establishment of a proposed demilitarized zone, the management of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and control of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.

Trump specifically cited disagreements over “land,” alluding to the deep schism between Moscow and Kiev over possible territorial concessions. He said that the issue of a possible “demilitarized zone” — or “economic zone” in the Donbas region as Zelensky has referred to it in recent weeks — remains “unresolved.”

Ukrainian forces would withdraw to establish an economic zone, provided Russian troops reciprocated, said Zelensky, noting that any such zone would have to remain officially Ukrainian territory under the oversight of an international peace force. Acknowledging the sensitivity of the matter, he emphasized that any territorial concessions would necessitate approval through a national referendum.

On Dec. 26, Zelensky said he was willing to put a peace plan to end the Ukraine crisis to a referendum if Russia agrees to a ceasefire of at least 60 days.

Putin was open to collaborating with Kiev on the contentious issue of who should control the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant — the biggest in Europe — as part of a peace deal, Trump was quoted by the Financial Times as saying. Russian forces currently control the plant in south-eastern Ukraine.

Russia has already made it clear that it will reject any amendments proposed by Ukraine to the 28-point plan drafted by Trump in the autumn. The meeting came a day after a major missile and drone attack by Russia on Kiev, which killed two people, wounded dozens and cut power and heating to more than a million of the region’s residents during freezing temperatures, said Ukraine authorities.

Zelensky said some 500 drones and 40 missiles had pounded the Ukrainian capital and its surrounding region. The same day, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin wrote on Telegram that 21 drones flying toward Moscow were destroyed.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Russia: The Eurasian Economic Union consolidated its status as one of the self-sufficient centers of the emerging multipolar world. pic.twitter.com/OdQq1AV0qK

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 24, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Xinhua

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

A decree shields Russian president Putin from ICC arrest warrant.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree banning the enforcement of rulings issued by foreign criminal courts, a move that shields him from an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

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Trump Hosts Zelenski for Talks on Ending the Conflict with Russia

The decree states that Russia will not enforce decisions by courts of foreign countries “without the participation of the Russian Federation, and by international judicial bodies whose jurisdiction is not based on an international treaty” involving Russia or on resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

President Putin’s decree introduces amendments to Article 6 of the Federal Constitutional Law on the Judicial System of the Russian Federation.

Russia withdrew its intention to accede to the Rome Statute — the legal foundation of the ICC — which in March 2023 issued an arrest warrant against Putin for the alleged forced deportation and illegal transfer of Ukrainian children to Russian territories.

Putin appoints Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN Dmitry Polyansky as Russia's permanent representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) — decree pic.twitter.com/N9QU18Dj6F

— RT (@RT_com) December 29, 2025

Russia signed the Rome Statute, the ICC’s founding document, in 2000 but never ratified it. In 2016, Moscow revoked its signature after the court described Crimea’s incorporation into Russia as a “permanent occupation.”

Despite the ICC arrest warrant, Putin later traveled to countries such as Mongolia, which are signatories to the statute and ignored calls to detain the Russian leader.

Russian authorities responded to the ICC warrant by sentencing in absentia nine ICC prosecutors and judges to prison terms ranging from 3 1/2 to 15 years. Those sentenced include ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, Costa Rican judge Sergio Ugalde and Peruvian judge Luz del Carmen Ibanez.

Russia accused the ICC judges and prosecutors of initiating a criminal prosecution against representatives of a foreign state who are entitled to international immunity.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Russia: The Eurasian Economic Union consolidated its status as one of the self-sufficient centers of the emerging multipolar world. pic.twitter.com/OdQq1AV0qK

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 24, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Protesters denounce fraud and foreign interference.

On Monday, the National Popular Resistance Front (FNRP) called for a sit-in outside the National Institute for Professional Training (INFOP) in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras.

RELATED:

Honduras: CNE Counselor Ochoa Vows to Block Any Declaration Without Full Tally Review

The mobilization seeks to demand the complete annulment of the electoral process held on Nov. 30, in which presidential candidate Nasry Asfura — who was backed by U.S. President Donald Trump — was declared the winner with 40.27% of the vote.

The call comes amid a climate of widespread discontent. Organizers are urging the Honduran population to remain permanently in the streets under slogans such as “Against the electoral coup d’etat,” “No to imperialist interference” and “Vote by vote, respect the will of the people.”

According to the demonstrators, the process lacks legitimacy due to a systematic accumulation of irregularities that altered the popular will.

Public anger intensified after the paralysis of the Preliminary Results Transmission System (TREP) and corruption allegations linked to the company ASD, which was responsible for the vote-counting software.

After a month of ballot-counting because of technical issues, allegations of fraud and foreign interference, the winner of Honduras's hotly contested presidential election was announced on Christmas Eve: Nasry "Tito" Asfura, who also happens to be Washington's choice for the job…

— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) December 27, 2025

The process was not only inefficient, organizers say, but was designed to favor one political sector through deliberately induced technical failures and a lack of transparency in the processing of tally sheets.

As a result, Honduran social organizations and progressive movements argue that the 2025 elections ended in what they describe as an “electoral coup.” Despite the criticism from opposition parties and social sectors, the National Electoral Council (CNE) ratified the results on Dec. 24.

LIBRE party candidate Rixi Moncada and Liberal Party candidate Salvador Nasralla flatly rejected the ruling. The call to take to the streets aims to pressure judicial and electoral authorities to invalidate the vote before the inauguration.

In an unexpected turn, Nasry Asfura has been declared president-elect of Honduras by the National Electoral Council, despite the lack of completion in the ballot. This action, supported by two CNE councilors, has raised alarms about the integrity of the electoral process. pic.twitter.com/xRmWhB5ndp

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 26, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: FNRP – Oloman – MinotaHN

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The new technology makes the system equal in power to a 72-qubit quantum processor.

On Monday, the Russian Quantum Center (RQC) confirmed that Russian scientists have created the country’s first ion-based quantum computer using a new type of quantum unit that works with seven energy levels.

RELATED:

Russia Condemns U.S. Actions Toward Venezuela

The new technology makes the system equal in power to a 72-qubit quantum processor and allows it to perform important calculations with very high accuracy. RQZ Director Maxim Ostras said that researchers began testing this multi-level approach in 2021 with a much smaller system.

“Over just four years, we have greatly increased the computing power and created a prototype equal to 72 qubits,” he said, noting that most existing quantum computers are built using qubits, which are quantum versions of classical computer bits.

A normal qubit has only two possible energy levels, similar to an artificial atom. However, scientists are now developing more complex quantum units such as three-level and four-level systems, and even higher-level ones, because they can store and process more information using fewer particles. These systems are more powerful but also more difficult to control.

🚨🇨🇳 BREAKING: China begins world's first mass humanoid robot delivery. pic.twitter.com/qYqwGrSZOd

— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) November 16, 2025

The new Russian quantum computer uses 26 calcium ions, with each ion acting as a seven-level quantum unit that can take values from zero to six. To build the system, the research team, led by RQC scientist Kirill Lakhmanskiy, developed special laser equipment and a complex optical structure that allows them to precisely control the quantum states and perform key logical operations.

Tests showed that the processor can perform single-qubit operations with 99.92 percent accuracy and two-qubit operations with 96.5 percent accuracy, which is a record level for quantum systems of this size.

Lakhmanskiy said the team plans to soon use the new quantum computer to run algorithms for combinatorial optimization, which are widely used in network design and other complex planning tasks.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Russia: The Eurasian Economic Union consolidated its status as one of the self-sufficient centers of the emerging multipolar world. pic.twitter.com/OdQq1AV0qK

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 24, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Xinhua

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Peru’s Congress, controlled by a group of conservative forces led by Fujimorism, votes on a motion to disqualify former left-wing PM Mirtha Vasquez .

Peru’s Congress will evaluate a motion to disqualify former Prime Minister Mirtha Vasquez from her Senate candidacy, a step her Now Nation Party (Ahora Nacion, in Spanish) has condemned as “political prosecution” calling Jose Jeri’s administration a “de facto Congressional dictatorship”.

“We denounce that the current Congress, having become an instrument of entrenched powers, has institutionalized a systematic practice of political harassment against various leaders of the democratic opposition. Today it is our colleague Vasquez; tomorrow it will be any dissenting voice”, Now Nation stated in a communiqué.

RELATED: Peruvian General Elections to Feature Unprecedented Number of Candidates

Vasquez has publicly stated that she was not formally notified about the inclusion of her case in the Permanent Commission’s agenda and that she learned of the debate through social media.

The former lawmaker further questioned why the case is only being examined now, just as she has announced her candidacy.

“This case has been pending since 2021, and only now is the Commission rushing to review it. I don’t want to speculate, but it is far too coincidental”, she stated.

Desde @Ahora_Nacion, rechazamos la maniobra política del Congreso contra Mirtha Vásquez (@MirtyVas ), basada en una denuncia sin pruebas, que ignora un informe de la @Contraloría que recomendó archivar el caso, y que vulnera el derecho a la defensa.
Quienes impulsan su… pic.twitter.com/6PkUmzI2Pv

— Alfonso López-Chau (@LopezChauNava) December 28, 2025

Text reads: “From @Ahora_Nacion we reject the political maneuver of Congress against Mirtha Vasquez (@MirtyVas), based on a complaint without evidence, which ignores a report from the Comptroller’s Office that recommended filing the case, and which violates the right to defense…”

The Case Against Vasquez

The motion document was approved last June by the Subcommittee on Constitutional Accusations with twelve votes in favor and three against. Its conclusions allege that Vasquez could have committed offenses such as irregular salary increases, personnel appointments in the final days of her term, and an alleged failure to comply with biosecurity protocols in effect during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Constitutional Accusation No. 114 argues that some of these administrative decisions may have been made without the required approval of the Legislative Steering Council.

The former legislator maintains that the facts under accusation relate to administrative promotions that were never implemented and were annulled just days later, without any worker having benefited.

Furthermore, she asserts that a report from the Office of the Comptroller General recommended dismissing that part of the case due to insufficient evidence.

En el programa Beo Noticias, expliqué las razones de mi postulación al Senado. Junto a un grupo de mujeres de izquierda decidimos dar la batalla en el próximo #Congreso bicameral. Tenemos una agenda transformadora para enfrentar a esta coalición mafiosa que gobierna el país. 💪🇵🇪 pic.twitter.com/0W9lWGbLyG

— Mirtha Vásquez (@MirtyVas) December 29, 2025

Text reads: “In the Beo Noticias program, I explained the reasons for my candidacy to the Senate. Together with a group of left-wing women we decided to fight the battle in the next bicameral Congress. We have a transformative agenda to confront this mafia coalition that rules the country”.

The attempt to disqualify for ten years the lawyer and defender of Human Rights Mirtha Vasquez Chuquilin seeks to undermine the promotion registered by Now Nation Party, described as “a cowardly and anti-democratic manoeuvre” by its National Executive Committee.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

China has launched sweeping military drills encircling Taiwan, deploying land, naval, air, and missile forces in a show of strength amid rising regional tensions.

The People’s Liberation Army of China began “Just Mission-2025” joint military exercises around Taiwan on Sunday, involving land, naval, air, and missile forces, according to the Eastern Theater Command (ETC).

RELATED: China’s Taiwan Parliament Approves Impeachment Process Targeting Lai Ching-te and Cho Jung-tai

Spokesperson Colonel Shi Yi stated that the maneuvers commenced in the strait and in areas to the north, southwest, southeast, and east of the Chinese island. Ships and aircraft are approaching the island from multiple directions to assess rapid maneuver capability, joint integrated coordination, and the execution of systematic encirclement and control.

The ETC organized search and destroy target training, simulated strikes against land targets, and live-fire against naval targets in maritime and air areas north and southwest of the island.

Additionally, exercises involving strikes against mobile land targets were conducted in the central area of the strait, with participation from fighter jets, bombers, and unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the military source.

A Chinese government spokesperson on Monday said the military drills conducted by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) are specifically targeted at "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and external interference https://t.co/guNcHn4IEF pic.twitter.com/azFNtIMkgo

— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) December 29, 2025

Shi Yi emphasized that the maneuvers constitute a severe warning to Taiwan’s separatist forces and external actors, describing them as necessary actions to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Authorities announced new live-fire exercises to take place on Monday, from 8 A.M. to 6 P.M. local time.

These maneuvers unfold during dual controversies: a diplomatic crisis with Japan over its far-right administration’s remarks on Taiwan’s status, and U.S. weaponry being transfered to Taipei.

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Israel, Greece, and Cyprus have signed a working plan and military cooperation agreement for 2026, according to the Israeli media, citing a source from the occupation army.

Reports indicate that the agreement does not involve creating a permanent force, but rather a military structure that could be rapidly deployed in the eastern Mediterranean on land, sea, and air.

RELATED: Hundreds of Thousands of Housing Units Needed to Address Gaza’s Shelter Crisis

This military group would be stationed on the Greek islands of Karpathos and Rhodes, as well as in territories of Greece, Cyprus, and the Zionist entity.

On December 22, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in occupied Jerusalem with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. In a joint statement, Netanyahu stated that the parties agreed to enhance cooperation in security and technology.

WATCH: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement at the trilateral meeting with the President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides and Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Full remarks >>https://t.co/fougFfc7Ne pic.twitter.com/nB3ZJt6YIp

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) December 22, 2025

During the signing of the agreement, Netanyahu declared: “To those who dream of restoring empires, I say that will not happen”, a warning that, given the allies Tel Aviv regimes associates with, seems to be directed to Türkiye.

Relations between Ankara, Athens, and Nicosia are characterized by persistent tension marked by rivalry and instability.

Similarly, Türkiye maintains friction with the Israeli occupation in various areas, especially since the start of the genocide on Gaza in 2023 and due to recent developments in Syria.

Even as Israel stands accused of genocide, Greece and Greek-administered Cyprus have aligned their interests with Tel Aviv, vowing to deepen military, intelligence and economic ties pic.twitter.com/gbFl46P2Bx

— TRT World (@trtworld) December 23, 2025

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Approximately 200,000 prefabricated housing units are required in the Gaza Strip to meet the most urgent needs of displaced families and provide them with safe shelter from harsh weather conditions, the Gaza Government Operations Room stated on Sunday.

Consequently, a strong appeal has been made to the United Nations and the international community, demanding that Tel Aviv’s regime allow the entry of the necessary humanitarian aid.

RELATED: Israeli Blockade Amid Winter Worsens Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

This demand follows a recent storm that flooded and destroyed thousands of tents across the territory, where the natural disaster has further deepened the already critical humanitarian emergency faced by the population because of the Israeli genocidal campaign.

The impact was particularly devastating along the coastal Al-Rasheed Street, a roughly 26-kilometer stretch where the sea surge severely damaged the precarious camps established along its edges.

The powerful waves associated with the storm swept away the fragile shelters, leaving Palestinians exposed to the elements.

Months of war and displacement forced people in #Gaza to live amid collapsing ruins in makeshift shelters or in flimsy tents.

While Storm Byron that struck Gaza from December 10 was a natural hazard, its consequences are man-made.

17 buildings are estimated to have collapsed,… pic.twitter.com/yK96rFaVVJ

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) December 29, 2025

Amid the complete devastation of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, which was thriving two years ago due to intense bombardment, and while Zionist troops continue their direct attacks against the unarmed population, Israeli border authorities are failing to comply with ceasefire agreement.

The statement added that the response capacity of aid agencies is severely compromised. The combination of a severe shortage of materials and ongoing Israeli restrictions on the entry of assistance makes it impossible to meet the demands of the displaced population.

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Across Latin America’s tapestry of cultures, New Year’s Eve unfolds a plethora of rituals. From the Andes to the Caribbean, native people, African, and European heritage merge into unique traditions.

RELATED: Cuba Celebrates 205th Anniversary of the Parrandas de Remedios

Perhaps the most cathartic one is the burning of the Año Viejo (Old Year). Practiced in nations like Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Venezuela and Cuba, this involves crafting man-sized dolls—often effigies of public figures, characters, or representations of personal woes—stuffed with sawdust, fireworks, and notes listing regrets. As midnight arrives, these effigies are set ablaze in streets and plazas, letting the flames symbolically consume the past year, making room for renewal.

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A post shared by Municipio de Tolhuin (@municipiodetolhuin)

Throughout December 31st, friends and family gather to celebrate with national dishes and never-ending conversations. The, as midnight approaches, adaptations of the Hispanic ritual of the “12 Grapes” occur in places like Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Peru. The tradition involves eating one grape for each chime of the clock before midnight, representing the twelve months of the year. Each grape symbolizes a wish or intention for the coming year.

Immediately after the clock strikes 00:00, people from countries like Mexico, Colombia, and Cuba take to the streets or walk around their homes pulling an empty suitcase, intending to attract a year filled with journeys and exciting new destinations.

Meanwhile, in Brazil, friends and families gather at the beach to jump seven waves. With each jump a wish is made for the new year, believed to attract good luck and pay homage to Yemanjá, the Afro-Brazilian and Afro-Caribandan orisha of the sea.

In this rich variety of traditions lies a unifying thread. As the region steps into the future, it is guided by shared symbols of renewal -a testament to the cultural closeness that transcends borders among Latin American nations.

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According to a statement from this institution, the front will move across the Gulf of Mexico coast, interacting with an atmospheric river and an upper-level trough over the Yucatan Peninsula, which will generate showers and heavy rain in the north, northeast, central, eastern, and southeastern parts of the country.

Experts expect very heavy rainfall with isolated intense downpours (75 to 150 mm) in the states of Veracruz (Huasteca Baja, Totonaca, Nautla, Papaloapan, Los Tuxtlas, and Olmeca), Puebla (Sierra Norte and Sierra Nororiental), Tamaulipas, Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Tabasco.

Additionally, very heavy, isolated showers (50 to 75 mm) are expected in Veracruz (Huasteca Alta, Capital, Sotavento, and Las Montañas), Puebla (Valle Serdan and Tehuacan-Sierra Negra), San Luis Potosi (Huasteca), Hidalgo (Huasteca, Sierra Alta, Sierra Baja, and Sierra de Tenango), and Queretaro (Sierra Gorda).

Furthermore, the Arctic air mass associated with the front will cause a drop in temperatures across northern, northeastern, eastern, and central Mexico, as well as strong northerly winds along the coasts of Tamaulipas and Veracruz, and the Isthmus and Gulf of Tehuantepec.

jdt/jav/ro/las

The post Mexico warns of a marked drop in temperatures first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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Both indicators place businesses and the rest of the population in a situation of uncertainty as we approach 2026, since external volatility is hitting exports, investments, and tourism—key sectors for growth, stated economist Leiner Vargas, quoted by Teletica.com.

The main problem, the expert commented, is not the specific amount of the tariffs themselves, but rather the lack of clarity and the instability of the rules of the game caused by this increase, even though inflation and interest rates remain stable.

The appreciation of the Costa Rican money (Colon) over the past three years is driven by lower demand for dollars for imports and seasonal factors such as tourism revenue and Christmas bonus payments.

This combination of a cheap dollar and unstable tariffs creates both winners and losers.

On the one hand, Vargas explains, importers and companies with costs in that currency see a reduction in their acquisition and production costs.

On the other hand, those who produce in colones and sell in foreign markets lose competitiveness, especially in agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism.

jdt/jav/ro/apb

The post Costa Rica ends 2025 impacted by US tariffs first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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Thousands of people took to the streets in several cities in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, as well as in some towns in Homs and Hama, to demand the release of former military officers detained after the overthrow of the previous government and to call for political changes, including federalism.

The demonstrations also expressed rejection of what they consider practices exclusive to the current government, and denounced acts of violence committed against members of the Alawite community, the most recent being an attack inside a mosque in the city of Homs that left eight dead.

According to official sources, security forces were deployed to contain the gatherings and protect protesters, but some protests turned violent after attacks by counter-protesters.

The Interior Ministry reported that armed groups linked to the deposed government of Bashar Al-Assad took advantage of the demonstrations to launch attacks with live ammunition, knives and grenades against members of the Internal Security Forces and civilians.

jdt/jav/ro/fm

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On the northern border, the only crossing open with Colombia is the Rumichaca International Bridge in the province of Carchi.

The closure has rendered inoperable access points used daily by the communities of Urbina, Tufino, and El Carmelo, home to some 9,000 people.

According to a report by the local television station Ecuavisa, currently, there is no vehicular traffic, and those who live in Colombia but work in agriculture and livestock farming in Ecuador are crossing on foot to reach their jobs, while goods are being carried across on their shoulders.

The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the restriction on passage is a unilateral decision by the Ecuadorian government, adopted after analyses focused on security control and combating organized crime.

On the southern border, tourism sectors expressed concern about the economic impact of the closure with Peru, whose only access is through Huaquillas.

jdt/jav/mem/avr

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The ministers summoned by the opposition are the heads of the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MAGP), Alfredo Fratti; the Ministry of the Environment, Edgardo Ortuno; the Ministry of the Interior, Carlos Negro; and the Ministry of Education and Culture, Jose Carlos Mahia.

The Minister of Economy and Finance, Gabriel Oddone, will also be called, on a date to be determined.

Ortuno will have to answer questions about the renegotiation of water infrastructure projects with the consortium that was in charge of the Arazatí project, inherited from the previous administration and which the previous government declared closed.

Fratti is being questioned over an administrative act regarding the appointment of directors at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MAGP), noted Senator Bettiana Diaz, a member of the Broad Front coalition and head of the Permanent Commission.

In the case of the Minister of the Interior, “it is basically because of the crime statistics report published at the beginning of the year,” the legislator stated.

Mahiá’s summons raises concerns due to the intention of the former president of the National Public Education Administration, Colorado Party alternate legislator Robert Silva, to convene the institution’s authorities, whose decentralized nature “requires special majorities.”

jdt/jav/ro/ool

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Also to try to control his hiccups, the former president underwent a nerve block on Saturday, but on his right side. “The treatment with a left phrenic nerve block is scheduled to be completed (this Monday), for subsequent evaluation of the results.

The patient will need to continue with physical therapy for his rehabilitation, measures to prevent venous thrombosis, and clinical care,” doctors reported.

Bolsonaro, 70, who has been hospitalized since December 24 at the DF Star hospital in Brasilia, continues his post-operative routine related to a hernia, but is suffering discomfort due to a bout of hiccups.

The contractions are not related to the surgery, but forced the far-right politician to undergo another procedure on Saturday.

The procedure was successful, according to the doctors, but further observations will be necessary to determine its effectiveness in Bolsonaro’s case.

jdt/jav/mem/ocs

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As of December 27, there had been 23 days without any fatalities, just four shy of matching the 27 days recorded in August, the second-lowest month for crime, surpassed only by July with 29.

This would also put El Salvador on track to surpass 1,100 days without crimes attributable to gangs.

Official statistics from the National Civil Police (PNC), shared on their social media account, show that December 27 marked the 300th day in 2025 without any gang-related crimes.

Constant patrols by the National Civil Police and the Armed Forces have allowed the country to maintain a social environment free of violence.

El Salvador experienced two critical periods in its homicide rates within the context of its contemporary history.

The first significant peak was recorded in 1995, when it reached a rate of 141.72 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.

jdt/jav/ro/lb

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Faced with a declining—and therefore even more dangerous—imperialism, without unity and solidarity, “they can sweep us all away,” he told Prensa Latina in Havana after participating in the commemorative events for the 65th anniversary of the Cuban Friendship Institute (ICAP).

A representative of the “Camilo Cienfuegos” Solidarity with Cuba Corporation of Medellin, Martinez emphasized the importance of peace, but warned against its “romanticism”: Peace must arise from concrete material and social conditions, not from empty rhetoric, he said.

To achieve it, he added, people must be prepared and capable of defending it, not submissive or dependent on the power of the United States.

The Camilo Cienfuegos Corporation of Solidarity with Cuba is one of the most active organizations in the solidarity movement with the Cuban Revolution in the Andean country and represents a concrete expression of South-South internationalism, rooted in a commitment to sovereignty, social justice, and Latin American integration.

Martinez praised President Gustavo Petro’s stance as “novel and enriching,” given his adoption of a dignified foreign policy toward Washington and his solidarity with causes such as that of Palestine and other peoples in struggle.

jdt/jav/ro/lld

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Spokesman Colonel Shi Yi stated that the maneuvers began in Taiwan Strait and in areas to the north, southwest, southeast, and east of the island.

He also noted that the exercise, dubbed “Just Mission-2025,” prioritizes air and naval early warning patrols, comprehensive takeover, blockade of ports and key areas, and multidimensional deterrence from external positions.

The spokesman pointed out that ships and aircraft are approaching the island from multiple directions to assess rapid maneuverability, integrated coordination, and the execution of a systematic encirclement and control operation.

According to the Eastern Theater Command, the deployed forces include units from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force, with joint attack actions among the various branches.

The command organized search and destroy exercises, simulated attacks against land targets, and live-fire exercises against naval targets in maritime and air areas north and southwest of the island.

Additionally, in the central area of ​​the strait, attack exercises against mobile land targets were conducted, involving fighter jets, bombers, and unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the military source.

jdt/jav/ro/idm

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U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodimir Zelenski discussed the Russian conflict in a two hours long Sunday meeting at Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump said that after addressing “a lot of points,” he believes they are “getting a lot closer” to a peace deal, although the Donbass matter is not yet sorted out.

RELATED: Europe Shows No Intention of Peace for Ukraine: Zakharova

Zelenski commented on the possibility of holding a popular referendum in Ukraine regarding what he frames as territorial concessions. Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia are part of Russia since 2022 following local referendums in each of these regions.

“We and the Russians have completely different positions here. When we talk about a referendum, we say that it is one of the keys. There can be a referendum, any referendum, in general, on any of the points of this plan. We can use a referendum for the plan as a whole or not use a referendum. This is just one of the keys,” Zelenski said.

Earlier, the Ukrainian president underscored that he was ready to put a peace plan to a referendum if a ceasefire is implemented for at least 60 days.

Happening Now—President Trump welcomes Zelensky to Mar-a-Lago… pic.twitter.com/Meye6YMuUu

— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) December 28, 2025

Trump further asserted that resolving the conflict in Ukraine could bring significant benefits to Kiev. He explained that Ukraine stands to gain substantial economic advantages from the extensive reconstruction required, noting that considerable wealth is available and that Ukrainians themselves possess significant resources.

Prior to the Kiev-Washington exchange, Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin where the U.S. leader “paid close attention to Russia’s assessment of the realistic prospects for an agreement,” said Aide to the Russian President Yury Ushakov.

According to Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Putin and Trump agreed to speak again by telephone promptly after the US President’s meeting with the Ukrainian delegation.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

A deadly train derailment on Mexico’s flagship Trans-Isthmian railway has left at least 13 people dead and nearly 100 injured, casting a shadow over a key national infrastructure project designed to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

A train derailment in southern Mexico on Sunday, December 28, killed at least 13 people and injured 98 others, 36 of whom required hospitalization, including five in serious condition.

The accident involved the Trans-Isthmian Train, a key passenger line of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT, in Spanish).

The Navy Secretariat (SEMAR, in Spanish), has deployed 360 naval personnel, 20 vehicles, four ground ambulances, three air ambulances, and one tactical drone, for the search and rescue efforts, according to its report.

RELATED: Mexico Launches Justice Plan for Cananea Miners

The incident occurred on Line Z of the railway, which connects Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, with Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz -a strategic segment of the flagship infrastructure project linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

One survivor traveling in the last carriage, meanwhile, reported that the train “was going very fast” and that he feared it may have lost brake control. “We felt the train was going very fast; we don’t know if the brakes failed”, he stated.

According Semar there were 250 people on board the train: 241 passengers and nine crew members, distributed across two locomotives and four carriages. After the accident, 139 people are out of danger, while 62 have no serious injuries.

#MarinaInforma pic.twitter.com/2oeIXXuRfA

— SEMAR México (@SEMAR_mx) December 28, 2025

The Attorney General’s Office (FGR, in Spanish) reported that it has already launched an investigation to clarify the causes of the train accident. Agents from the Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC, in Spanish) are working together with federal and state authorities to carry out the corresponding inquiries.

On that line, Governor of Oaxaca Salomon Jara Cruz announced through social media that his administration is working closely with federal agencies to assist the victims. “The state government reaffirms its support and accompaniment to the affected persons and their families (…) in coordination with federal and municipal authorities, until the situation is fully addressed,” he said.

Me informa la Secretaría de Marina que en el accidente del Tren Interoceánico lamentablemente fallecieron 13 personas; 98 están lesionadas, cinco de ellas de gravedad. Los heridos se encuentran en hospitales del IMSS en Matías Romero y Salina Cruz, así como de IMSS-Bienestar en…

— Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) December 29, 2025

Text reads: “I am informed by the Secretary of the Navy that in the accident of the Interoceanic Train, unfortunately, 13 people died; 98 are injured, five of them seriously. The injured are in hospitals of IMSS in Matías Romero and Salina Cruz, as well as IMSS-Bienestar in Juchitan and Ixtepec. I have given instructions for the Secretary of the Navy and the Undersecretary of Human Rights of the Ministry of the Interior to transfer to the site and attend to the families in a personal way; also the delegates from IMSS and IMSS-Bienestar. The Secretary of the Interior will coordinate the work. I thank the support of the governor of Oaxaca and his team. We continue to report.”

Second derailment of the Trans-Isthmian Train in a month

The tragic event marks the second derailment of the Trans-Isthmian Train in less than a month. The first occurred on December 8 in the municipality of Juan Rodriguez Clara, also in Veracruz. On that occasion, the train was transporting only liquid chlorine and silica sand, and although the locomotive and four carriages left the tracks, no injuries or dangerous leaks were reported.

The Trans-Isthmian Train was inaugurated on December 22, 2023, by then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and forms part of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec—a project designed to boost international trade by connecting Pacific and Atlantic ports through freight and passenger trains.

As announced at its launch, the project aims to facilitate commercial exchange between Asia, the U.S. East Coast, and Europe.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

A train derailment in southern Mexico on Sunday killed at least 13 people and injured 98 others, 36 of whom required hospitalization—including five in serious condition. The accident involved the Trans-Isthmian Train, a key passenger line of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT, in Spanish).

The Navy Secretariat (Semar, in Spanish), has deployed 360 naval personnel, 20 vehicles, four ground ambulances, three air ambulances, and one tactical drone, for the search and rescue efforts, according to its report.

RELATED: Mexico Launches Justice Plan for Cananea Miners

The incident occurred on Line Z of the railway, which connects Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, with Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz—a strategic segment of the flagship infrastructure project linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

One survivor traveling in the last carriage, meanwhile, reported that the train “was going very fast” and that he feared it may have lost brake control. “We felt the train was going very fast; we don’t know if the brakes failed,” he stated.

According Semar there were 250 people on board the train: 241 passengers and nine crew members, distributed across two locomotives and four carriages. After the accident, 139 people are out of danger, while 62 have no serious injuries.

#MarinaInforma pic.twitter.com/2oeIXXuRfA

— SEMAR México (@SEMAR_mx) December 28, 2025

The Attorney General’s Office (FGR, in Spanish) reported that it has already launched an investigation to clarify the causes of the accident. Agents from the Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC, in Spanish) are working together with federal and state authorities to carry out the corresponding inquiries.

On that line, Governor of Oaxaca Salomon Jara Cruz announced through social media that his administration is working closely with federal agencies to assist the victims. “The state government reaffirms its support and accompaniment to the affected persons and their families (…) in coordination with federal and municipal authorities, until the situation is fully addressed,” he said.

Me informa la Secretaría de Marina que en el accidente del Tren Interoceánico lamentablemente fallecieron 13 personas; 98 están lesionadas, cinco de ellas de gravedad. Los heridos se encuentran en hospitales del IMSS en Matías Romero y Salina Cruz, así como de IMSS-Bienestar en…

— Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) December 29, 2025

Second derailment of the Trans-Isthmian Train in a month

The tragic event marks the second derailment of the Trans-Isthmian Train in less than a month. The first occurred on December 8 in the municipality of Juan Rodriguez Clara, also in Veracruz. On that occasion, the train was transporting only liquid chlorine and silica sand, and although the locomotive and four carriages left the tracks, no injuries or dangerous leaks were reported.

The Trans-Isthmian Train was inaugurated on December 22, 2023, by then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and forms part of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec—a project designed to boost international trade by connecting Pacific and Atlantic ports through freight and passenger trains.

As announced at its launch, the project aims to facilitate commercial exchange between Asia, the U.S. East Coast, and Europe.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro led the message of greeting to the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) on Sunday, reaffirming the liberating and emancipatory character of Venezuela’s armed force, which remain in perfect popular-military unity to safeguard tranquility and peace.

“Our military has a glorious history as emancipatory soldiers, liberators of this land,” he said, while celebrating the 200th anniversary of the creation of the Venezuelan Army’s military academy, which was established even before the continent’s emancipatory struggles began.

“Our military is not imperialist; they do not go out to bomb and kill people and steal riches. They are liberators of this land and of all America,” he reaffirmed regarding a FANB that remains “up to the level of the comprehensive defense that Venezuela needs.”

He reiterated that the perfect popular and military unity—demonstrated once again in 2025—allows this year to be called one of an “admirable challenge” that was overcome, in a clear historical reference to the Admirable Campaign, a glorious military action in Venezuela’s wars of independence. In that sense, he affirmed that the FANB is proving to be a “united liberating army of the 21st century,” loyal to its history but full of a bright future.

President Maduro celebrated that thanks to this perfect popular and military unity, the people of Venezuela live in peace and tranquility, despite US imperialist threats that have fallen on the country in recent months.

The FANB commander recalled that Venezuela has been under attack by Goliath for 27 weeks, and in those 27 weeks it has not wasted time, but has been “deployed with intelligence, wisdom, and strategic patience” to face any aggression.

Maduro said that the actions of the FANB must be carried out under “the concept we have of the war of the whole people, learned from Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh, Ezequiel Zamora, Guaicaipuro, and the liberators of America.”

He requested the high military command to train the people in this military doctrine. “Although it is a military doctrine of the highest strategic and academic level, it is a military doctrine for the people, because they, along with the armed forces, bear the responsibility for keeping this country as it is: peaceful, free, and independent,” he said.

He also called on the FANB to do more to guarantee “a prolonged, active, and lethal popular resistance” in the case of foreign military aggression. Maduro noted that the Venezuelan people are ready to unite and defend the homeland under any circumstances.

“They must do more; they must do more within the framework of the Constitution, the laws, the territorial defense system, and the framework of preparing for a prolonged, active, and lethal popular resistance. Within the framework of the permanent offensive and the initiative in all fields … and the entire concept we have of people’s war learned from Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh, Ezequiel Zamora, Guaicaipuro, and the liberators of America,” he added.

President Maduro proposed to Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino the possibility of opening a year of basic studies at the Military Academy and then having candidates go on to the different academies of the various military components to achieve this goal.

Economic growth
President Maduro, also on Sunday, mentioned on social media the economic growth report by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). In the document, Venezuela is highlighted as one of the engines of regional economic growth.

Venezuela Accuses US of Aggression, Wants Dialogue Amid US-Led Regime Change and Oil Claims (+Somaliland)

In a video, the head of state explained that the international organization estimates growth of over 6%. However, the Venezuelan leader projected that the real increase in gross domestic product (GDP) for 2025 will be close to 9%.

The president highlighted that Venezuela is the only country in the region where retail activity has grown by 34% in 2025, driven by national productive forces and the domestic market. “It is the Venezuelan productive forces that have prospered to satisfy the needs of a people who celebrate Christmas,” the president said.

He noted that Venezuela has strategic food reserves sufficient for four months. He described this situation as unprecedented, as the products are of domestic origin. “We have never before had reserves based on our own production,” he concluded.

(Telesur) with Orinoco Tribune content

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JRE/JB

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By Utsa Patnaik – Dec 22, 2025

The real poverty line at which a bare minimum level of nutrition can be reached is at least three times the official poverty line and at least 65% of India’s population falls below it.

Of late, there have been several academic papers and media write-ups on the World Bank’s 2025 claim of steeply declining extreme poverty in the world, especially in Asia. It would be wonderful if this was true, but it is not true.

This claim is spurious, arising from a statistical legerdemain that the World Bank and governments have practiced for many decades, ignoring all criticism. For half a century, they have repeatedly underestimated poverty line expenditure until by now their poverty lines are so incredibly low that they do not permit human survival.

The World Bank has declared 5.25% of the Indian population to be in extreme poverty using a poverty line of Rs.62 per day. The NITI Aayog had arrived at its overall 5 % poverty ratio for 2022-23 by applying poverty lines of Rs.57/69 per day for rural/urban India. These sums would have bought daily a little less than 2.9/3.5 liters of the cheapest bottled drinking water, while the poverty line is supposed to meet all daily food as well as non-food (medical, utilities, manufactures, rent, transport) expenses. All except homeless beggars are dead before reaching these spending levels.

We can expect by next year the claim that India has achieved zero extreme poverty, when there are no survivors at all at the poverty line. The real poverty line at which a bare minimum level of nutrition can be reached, is at least three times the official poverty line and at least 65% of the population falls below it.

The World Bank has been sending advisors to developing countries to train their economists on poverty estimation procedure under its “capacity building program.”

China’s poverty line was set on Bank advice by taking the 1978 poverty line of 100 yuan a year updated to 1997, and adding non-food spending. China’s 2019 claim of “zero poverty” used an official poverty line of 8.8 yuan per day which would have bought 2.1 liters of bottled drinking water there, and nothing else. No survivors remained at this artificial, never actually observed spending level, and this zero number of persons observed was interpreted perversely as the achievement of “zero extreme poverty.” Immediately after this the poverty line was raised to 11 yuan a day for 2020.

Informed analysts in China say that at least one-fifth of the population is unable to spend a bare subsistence minimum which they put at about 1,000 yuan per month, three times the official poverty line. There is thus no actual achievement of 5% poverty in India and no zero poverty in China.

However, more recently, China has launched a massive project of sending many thousands of trained persons, to rural areas in particular, to physically identify, with the help of local communities, the most deprived families and has been giving large transfers to genuinely reduce and eventually eliminate poverty. On a smaller scale, Kerala in India has followed a similar policy and with its strong community networks and volunteers, has had success in identifying and rehabilitating destitute families.

The World Bank uses the national local currency poverty lines of several poor countries and merely adjusts them upward for purchasing power to US dollar, averaging to obtain its present global poverty line of $3 per day. When applying this line to an individual country, say India, it does the reverse adjustment and deflates the nominal rupee-dollar exchange rate by about 0.28 to arrive at the rupee equivalent of $3, which is always very close to the official Indian poverty line.

Why are all official poverty lines in fact artificially constructed, give spurious result of decline, and end up below survival level? Because for many decades under World Bank advice, official poverty lines have been de-linked, without any explanation, from satisfying any nutrition standard whatsoever. Only the very first estimate of poverty in each country was based correctly on obtaining a “poverty line” that enabled the population to reach a specified nutrition standard; every later estimate was incorrect because it simply applied a Laspeyres price index to the initial figure to bring it forward to later years, without ever asking the question whether the nutrition norm continued to be satisfied. The Laspeyres index is base-weighted with respect to quantities namely, the particular consumption basket of items and quantities of good and services purchased at the poverty line in the base year is held constant and its value merely updated by the change in prices.

The base year in India and China was 1973 and 1978, respectively, by now 52 years and 47 years in the past. Suppose that when making its very first poverty estimates in 1973 and 1978, the governments of India and China had announced that they were taking the updated cost of a consumption basket that prevailed in the year 1921 and 1931, respectively, they would have been laughed at. But today governments and the Bank talk glibly of current poverty on the basis of a half century old basket without arousing any criticism, because the educated public has no idea of the absurdity of the estimation procedure they use.

In 1973, in rural India Rs.49 per month per head was needed to reach a nutrition norm of 2200 calories per day, and 56.4% of persons spending less than this was the official, correct poverty ratio. By 2011-12, satisfying the same nutrition norm required Rs.1,320 per month spending and 66.8% of persons fell below this, a marked rise over the initial 56.4%. But official estimators had silently abandoned the nutrition norm after 1973, and merely price indexed the base year figure giving Rs.816 as the official poverty line with 25.7% of persons falling below it, compared with the correct Rs.1,320 and 66.8%.

Calorie intake obviously was much lower at the official poverty line, rendering the claim of poverty decline spurious, since the poor were being counted below a declining and not a constant nutrition standard.

Similarly, the correct 1973 urban poverty line of Rs.56.6 per month satisfying the 2,100 calories norm, gave a poverty ratio of 49% which by 2011-12 rose substantially to 62%, with the same 2,100 calories standard requiring Rs.2,130 to be spent. The official poverty line for 2011-12 was only Rs.1,000 yielding a mere 13.7% poverty ratio, and allowing only 1,775 calories daily, a fact never mentioned.

Every new official poverty line, over time, gave lower and lower nutritional intake, until the ultimate absurdity has been reached by now (as I predicted in a 2013 paper) of a poverty line below physical survival level. And the absence of observations because no one survives, is celebrated as zero extreme poverty!

Note, that many African countries started poverty estimation late, their base years are not more than a decade earlier, and so they register high, close to realistic levels of poverty.

Assuming a fixed consumption basket from half a century ago as in India, is equivalent to assuming away poverty, for it is precisely the changes in the availability of essential goods and services producing change in the available basket, that are important for the question of whether poverty rises or falls.

From being considered essential services that should be provided out of public funds, healthcare, utilities and education have been shifted rapidly into the sphere of private provisioning and have seen steeply higher pricing under the market-oriented reforms of the last three decades. A rising proportion of all households is unable to both meet these higher costs and maintain their nutritional standard, since their incomes have not risen adequately. The rise in household debt in India is a telling indicator.

Households that were not poor to begin with, have slipped into poverty while those already poor have suffered further nutritional decline. The National Sample Survey or NSS consumption data in India show a decline over time in average energy and protein intake per head in both rural and urban areas.

Arbitrary Sanctions Threaten Development Rights of 76 Nations, Venezuela Warns

If an Olympic high jump athlete claimed improved performance by continually lowering the bar, he would be banned for life for cheating; if a school principal claimed that the percentage of failures had fallen sharply to zero from 40%, and this was found to arise from lowering the pass mark from 50 out of 100 to 2 out of 100, the principal would be sacked. But it seems that there is no international body which can discipline the World Bank into following a logical and ethical estimation procedure, and abandon the illogical and dishonest one it actually uses, that has reduced the poverty line in Asia to below survival level.

The World Bank has already rejected the Report (2020) by Philip Alston, designated as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, which expressed concern at the unrealistic poverty lines used by the Bank.

No doubt, the World Bank will continue to mock the poor, telling them that millions of them have been “lifted out of extreme poverty” whereas in reality ever more households facing soaring medical and other costs, are sinking into indebtedness and lowered nutrition.

Professor Utsa Patnaik taught at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning in the School of Social Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, from 1973 until her retirement in 2010.

(News Click)

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