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The Provincial Delegation of Agriculture in the province specified that the program covers 1244 productive structures and a total of 1278 hectares distributed between organoponic, technified plots, intensive orchards, and agricultural fields.

“During 2025 there was an average of 10.2 kg of production per square meter, a figure that confirms the validity of the model even in the midst of material limitations,” said the head in charge in the town of Vueltabajo, Lerida Maria Sanchez.

She also said that at the end of this month, 5,000 family courtyards were added, reaching a total of 65,000, contributing to the self-sufficiency of families and communities.

According to the Provincial Delegation of Agriculture, several international collaboration projects provided irrigation systems with solar panels, seeds and equipment for the production of preserves and condiments, as well as a tricycle for marketing in nearby communities.

Thirty-eight years after its creation, urban agriculture faces the challenge of overcoming its own results and responding to the growing demand of the population, consolidating itself as a strategic alternative for the nation’s food security.

abo/mem/bbb

The post Cuban province celebrates 38th anniversary of urban agriculture first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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According to local media reports, the shots came from an Israeli military position west of Tel al-Ahmar and also included machine gun fire and medium-calibre weapons.

They indicated that the attack coincided with overflights by Israeli fighters in the region, with no civilian casualties reported.

Yesterday, the occupying forces attacked a group of civilians in al-Ashah village where children and women collecting mushrooms were shot at, with no injuries reported.

An Israeli patrol of five vehicles also drove along the road between al-Ashah and al-Rafid, while another occupying force of two vehicles burst into several villages.

During these raids, soldiers searched passers-by and blocked the passage in several roads.

These attacks add to the ongoing campaign of Israeli aggression against Quneitra, which keeps local communities on alert and demonstrates the violation of international law by the occupying forces.

abo/ro/fm

The post Israeli forces attack Tel-al-Ahamar site in the Syrian province first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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According to the note of the decision taken by the head of state, published this Friday by the press office of the Kremlin, more than 190 different ethnic groups coexist in Russia, according to the data of the last population census carried out in the Slavic nation.

It should be noted that, according to the same data, the vast majority of ethnic groups are indigenous.

The Russian Constitution officially enshrines the multi-ethnic character of the State.

Let us recall that the year 2025 had been declared the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland, in commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, as well as in gratitude to veterans and participants in the special military operation.

abo/mem/gfa

The post Putin establishes 2026 as the Year of the Russian Peoples Unity first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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An imperial strategy to secure resource hegemony and silence regional sovereignty.

The geopolitical landscape of the Western Hemisphere is undergoing a seismic shift. Under the banner of “America First,” the current U.S. administration has moved beyond mere rhetoric to formalize a strategy of absolute regional hegemony.

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Monroe Doctrine: Two Centuries of Implacable Imperialism

For those of us committed to a counter-hegemonic vision for Latin America, it is vital to understand that the National Security Strategy (NSS 2025) is not just a policy document; it is a declaration of renewed imperial intent.

This article deconstructs the mechanisms of this 21st-century “Big Stick” policy, examining how a 200-year-old doctrine is being weaponized to stifle the sovereignty of our peoples.

.@SECWAR “We will also deny adversaries' ability to position forces or other threatening capabilities in our hemisphere…

The Monroe Doctrine is in effect, and it is stronger than ever…” pic.twitter.com/2cDttwimvQ

— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) December 6, 2025

The 2025 National Security Strategy: From Rhetoric to Doctrine

The NSS 2025 marks a radical departure from traditional U.S. globalism, pivoting the empire’s gaze directly toward what it historically considers its “backyard”.

For the first time in decades, Washington is explicitly prioritizing control over Latin America and the Caribbean over longstanding commitments in the Middle East or Europe, even withdrawing military support from traditional allies like NATO and Ukraine to concentrate power in the South.

This is not a strategy of cooperation, but one of “flexible realism” where every action is measured by its direct benefit to U.S. industry and security.

The NSS 2025 formalizes several pillars that threaten regional autonomy:

• Militarized Borders and Migration: Migration is no longer treated as a humanitarian issue but as a “national security threat” and an “invasion”. This justifies the use of lethal force and military operations within third countries, particularly Mexico and Caribbean nations.
• The Criminalization of Sovereignty: By designating drug cartels and non-aligned groups as “Foreign Terrorist Organizations,” the U.S. grants itself a self-styled “license to marque”. This allows for “surgical” military interventions and “precision strikes” without the consent of local states.
• Economic Coercion: The strategy establishes a rigid system of “rewards” for subservient governments and an “iron fist” of tariffs and blockades for those who seek independent paths, such as the BRICS bloc.

To enforce this vision, the administration employs a “Peace through Strength” narrative. The patrolling of the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Caribbean serves as a visual assertion of “ownership” over the Panama Canal and regional maritime routes.

Analysts suggest this is part of a calculated tactic to keep Latin American leaders in a state of “strategic paranoia,” forcing them into a defensive posture through staged conflicts and diplomatic confusion.

As part of its war of aggression against Venezuela, and its imposition of the colonial Monroe Doctrine, the US is militarizing the Caribbean.

Trinidad and Tobago just quietly announced that it will allow US military aircraft to transit its local airports.https://t.co/nfgVhPXjv5 pic.twitter.com/8jLpTuALpi

— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) December 16, 2025

The Monroe Doctrine: Two Centuries of Interventionism

The Monroe Doctrine, established in 1823 under the slogan “America for the Americans,” was never intended to protect the independence of our republics.

Instead, it served as the cornerstone of U.S. expansionism, designed to eliminate European competition and consolidate a captive market for northern industry.

While the official discourse claimed to shield the hemisphere from external monarchy, the reality was a “script of domination” that mutated through the centuries:

• The Original Shield Turned Sword: What began as a warning against future colonization by the Holy Alliance quickly became a justification for U.S. territorial theft and the “Manifest Destiny” expansion.
• The Roosevelt Corollary (1904): Theodore Roosevelt famously updated the doctrine to claim the U.S. had the right to act as “international police” in cases of “chronic wrongdoing” by Latin American nations. This led directly to the “Banana Wars” and the brutal occupation of Haiti, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.
• The Cold War Era: The doctrine was the pretext for overthrowing democratically elected governments, from Jacobo Árbenz in Guatemala (1954) to Salvador Allende in Chile (1973), simply because they challenged the U.S. “sphere of influence”.
• The Double Standard: The doctrine’s true nature was exposed during the Falklands War (1982). When an actual extra-continental power (the UK) attacked an American nation (Argentina), the U.S. betrayed its own doctrine to provide logistical support to the British, proving the policy only applies when it serves Washington’s interests.

In 2025, the Monroe Doctrine is not a relic of the past but a “living organism”. As researcher Alejandro Bruzual notes in his book Imperial “Pirates, Writing and National Territory”, it remains a tool of “imperial piracy,” allowing the U.S. to redefine the geography and history of our nations to justify the plundering of our resources.

It's not just US piracy against Venezuela that has people in South America worried. The Trump administration's announcement that it's bringing back the bloody Monroe Doctrine has set off alarms across the continent. My story @telesurenglish pic.twitter.com/wudMYrzvdM

— BrianMier (@BrianMteleSUR) December 18, 2025

The “Trump Corollary”: An Appendix of Coercion

In the same way that Theodore Roosevelt appended his 1904 corollary to justify the “Big Stick,” the 2025 administration has introduced a new doctrinal appendix.

This “Trump Corollary” explicitly states that the U.S. will no longer tolerate “foreign nations or globalist institutions” controlling the destiny of the Western Hemisphere.

This is not a policy of soft power or diplomatic persuasion; it is a shift from traditional hegemony to direct, coercive domination.

The corollary functions through several aggressive mechanisms:

• Criminalization of Politics: By declaring drug cartels and non-aligned regional groups as “Foreign Terrorist Organizations,” the U.S. creates a legal pretext to use military force within sovereign borders.
• Transactional Subjugation: Under the “America First” banner, all foreign action must provide a direct benefit to U.S. industry. This establishes a system of “rewards” for subservient governments, such as those of Milei in Argentina or Bukele in El Salvador, and an “iron fist” of tariffs and blockades for those who maintain independent alliances with the BRICS bloc.
• The New “License to Marque”: According to analysts like Alejandro Bruzual, this corollary acts as a 21st-century “license to marque,” allowing the U.S. to operate in foreign territories like the Caribbean or Mexico in violation of international law.

For the Trump administration, the sovereignty of Latin American peoples is nonexistent if it clashes with the interests of the White House.

This is literally the Monroe Doctrine on steroids; treating South America as “stolen” U.S. property & demanding they fork over their natural resources or face military consequences.

He is announcing a regime change war for oil. In real-time. Via ‘Truth Social’ post. God help us. pic.twitter.com/ftKRH3nEUf

— Andrew—#IAmTheResistance (@AmoneyResists) December 17, 2025

The First Testing Ground: Venezuela and the Escalation of Aggression

The primary laboratory for this updated doctrine is Venezuela. The NSS 2025 treats the Caribbean not as a shared sea, but as a Mare Nostrum—an American lake where naval deployments occur without consulting coastal states.

The current escalation against the Bolivarian process represents the most aggressive chapter of “imperial piracy” in recent history:

• Naval Blockades and Seizures: The U.S. has engaged in the “criminal seizure” of ships carrying Venezuelan oil, an act denounced by the Venezuelan government as a “gigantic crime of aggression” and extortion.
• The Oil Pretext: Social movements like the No Cold War collective point out that this aggression is fundamentally about resources. The U.S. seeks to overthrow the Venezuelan government not for the sake of democracy, but to secure oil for U.S. transnational companies.
• “Operation Spearhead”: There is a latent and constant threat of direct intervention under “surgical cut” operations, using naval deployment to force regime changes and control energy reserves.

The Communist Party of Cuba and other progressive forces have correctly identified these “targeted deployments” as irrefutable proof of a total disrespect for regional self-determination.

As Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil has stated, this colonial logic is driven by a desire to divide and conquer the region piece by piece.

Global Friction: China’s Strategic Alternative and the Multi-Polar Challenge

The resurgence of the Monroe Doctrine in 2025 has not occurred in a vacuum. As Washington attempts to “electrify the fence” around the continent, it faces a sophisticated counter-strategy from Beijing that prioritizes “geoeconomic seduction” over the “militaristic stick”.

While the NSS 2025 treats Latin America as a security “buffer” to be disciplined, China is promoting its Global Civilization Initiative.

This approach fosters “civilization-to-civilization” dialogues, contrasting sharply with the unilateral U.S. vision that views our region as a mere territorial extension of its own domestic security.

One of the most significant threats to the “Trump Corollary” is China’s offer of financial sovereignty. To bypass the use of the dollar as a weapon of war—manifested through sanctions and blockades—Beijing has introduced Panda Bonds.

These yuan-denominated instruments allow Latin American nations to finance their development without the suffocating conditionalities of the IMF or the threat of being severed from the Washington-led SWIFT system.

Today I had the chance to read #China’s Policy Paper on Latin America and the Caribbean, released just a few days ago.

It is the first update to this document in 9 years and it came immediately after the “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine was released. I think the timing… pic.twitter.com/2fA0Atlw00

— Imdat Oner (@imdat_oner) December 15, 2025

The Struggle for a Second Independence

The NSS 2025 and the Trump Corollary represent an “explicit neocolonialism” that strips away the diplomatic masks of the past.

By treating Latin America not as a partner but as a strategic reserve for U.S. industry, Washington is inadvertently accelerating the push for regional cohesion.

For the peoples of Our America, the choice is clear: submit to a recycled 1823 script of domination or strengthen the sovereign ties that lead toward a truly multipolar and equitable future. The “Big Stick” may have returned, but it faces a region that is no longer willing to be anyone’s backyard.

Venezuela denounced before the United Nations Security Council a plan of continental aggression by the #UnitedStates, based on the Monroe Doctrine, which seeks to divide the region in order to conquer it. pic.twitter.com/rzSkveovDe

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 23, 2025

Sources: teleSUR – Al Mayadeen – Britannica – National Archives – National Security Strategy of the United States of America – Foreign Affairs – Misión Verdad – VTV – María Fernanda Barreto – Alejandro Bruzual – Alba Movimientos

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

They fled while being transferred to a migrant shelter.

On Friday, prosecutors in the Mexican state of Tabasco confirmed that five of six minors who had been reported missing after being deported from the United States were found alive.

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The missing persons report was filed Wednesday by Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM), prompting the activation of an Amber Alert to locate the adolescents.

“The teenagers were being transferred to the Celia Gonzalez de Rovirosa shelter. However, when they were taken off the vehicle transporting them, they ran away,” the prosecutor’s office said.

The six youths are originally from the states of Tamaulipas, Chihuahua and Coahuila, but were expelled from the United States and transferred to the southern state of Chiapas.

Disappearances in Mexico are up by 13 per cent in 2025 to date, bringing the total number of missing people to over 130,000. A quarter of them are women. Our President, Comfort Ero, stood with families searching for answers. pic.twitter.com/T33xAhwxFM

— Crisis Group (@CrisisGroup) December 26, 2025

The five youths who were located are Jorge Vega, 17, from Chihuahua; Justin Torres, 17, from Coahuila; Dilan Herbert, 16, from Tamaulipas; Miguel Rodriguez, 16, from Tamaulipas; and Tadeo Moreno, 14, from Tamaulipas. Authorities said Roberto Vazquez, 14, from Tamaulipas, remains missing.

State prosecutors added that after the five youths were found, they were placed under INM custody. The agency said it is committed to “following up on the investigation until it reaches its legal conclusion.”

Mexico has more than 133,000 missing people, according to data from the National Registry of Missing and Unlocated Persons, which tracks disappearances dating back to the 1950s. Human rights defenders, however, have warned that official statistics contain a “significant undercount” of missing people from other countries.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Mexico: The Attorney General's Office reported the incineration of more than three tons of narcotic catalysts. pic.twitter.com/SXBiFXEmQr

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 25, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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It will focus on medications to treat cancer, brain diseases, autoimmune conditions, and other chronic diseases.

On Thursday, Cuba and Russia signed an agreement to create Synergy Global Biopharmaceutical, a joint venture dedicated to the development, production, and marketing of biopharmaceutical products.

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The company will focus on high-impact medications to treat cancer, brain diseases, autoimmune conditions, and other chronic non-communicable diseases. This joint venture strengthens shared technological sovereignty.

Both countries are committed to ensuring that future medications improve the health of the populations that need them most. The alliance demonstrates that cooperation between peoples is measured by the capacity to create and “share solutions that dignify human existence.”

According to BioCubaFarma, the project is the first company of its kind with Cuban participation headquartered in Russia. Beyond bilateral cooperation, it aims to benefit populations in Latin America and Eurasia.

India–Cuba Bilateral Meeting on Cooperation in Traditional Medicine and Homeopathy.
A bilateral meeting on cooperation in #traditionalmedicine and Homeopathy was held with Cuba on the sidelines of the Second WHO Global Traditional Medicine Summit 2025, (1/4) pic.twitter.com/aDbDCg9mBr

— Ministry of Ayush (@moayush) December 26, 2025

Havana confirmed that the agreement marks a strategic step in bilateral biopharmaceutical cooperation, and accelerates the research and availability of innovative medicines for patients in various regions.

The initial programs will focus on oncology and chronic illnesses, with representatives from the Cuban medicine industry who assert that the results will have a significant impact on public health.

Medical treatment includes prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care, which are essential for controlling cancer, despite the complex availability of medicines and material limitations in the country.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Cuba: The Health Ministry reported that cases of dengue and chikungunya continue to decrease for the eighth consecutive week. pic.twitter.com/Wdb7Lov52a

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 26, 2025

teleSUR: JP

Source: MINREX – ACN – Cubadebate

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Authorities granted precautionary measures in accordance with the current legal framework.

On Thursday, Venezuela’s Ministry for Penitentiary Services confirmed the release of 99 people who had been detained for their involvement in acts of violence and incitement to hatred recorded after the presidential elections of July 28, 2024.

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So far, Venezuelan authorities have released more than 2,100 citizens charged in connection with those crimes. Most of the releases took place between November 2024 and March 2025. Those freed took part in actions aimed at rejecting the mandate expressed by the Venezuelan people at the ballot box and at generating destabilizing scenarios that affected national peace.

In response to the events of 2024, the Executive and Judicial branches decided to review each case individually and to grant precautionary measures in accordance with the current legal framework.

The Penitentiary Service said these releases represent a tangible expression of the Venezuelan state’s commitment to peaceful coexistence and the exercise of balanced justice. The releases are also part of President Nicolas Maduro’s policies, which are aimed at guaranteeing full respect for human rights, including for individuals who engaged in actions against sovereignty, institutional order, and social harmony.

NOW: Supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro have begun to gather in Caracas and around the country against attempts from the opposition forces to discredit Sunday's electoral results.

Many are calling the spate of violent attacks a concerted coup attempt. pic.twitter.com/wKZGVOr6w9

— BreakThrough News (@BTnewsroom) July 30, 2024

“Even in a scenario marked by imperialist siege and multilateral aggression against the country, the Venezuelan state guarantees all detainees treatment based on respect, legality, and comprehensive care. The Bolivarian government will continue to work firmly and responsibly for peace, justice and the defense of national sovereignty,” the official statement said.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab said the release of detainees does not imply impunity, noting that authorities continue to investigate the events triggered by the so-called “Small Commandos,” criminal structures linked to the far-right opposition that carried out actions such as cold-blooded killings, attacks on public institutions, and assaults on international observers.

Saab said the Small Commandos acted in a coordinated manner with the intention of sabotaging the 2024 elections and destabilizing the country. In that process, they committed hate crimes that also targeted members of the Venezuelan security forces, including Sgts. Jose Torrents and Jormen Martinez.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Yvan Gil: "Venezuela has not committed any act that justifies this (United States) military intervention." pic.twitter.com/iqqooCffTT

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 25, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Ministry for Penitentiary Services

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By Robert Inlakesh – Dec 25, 2025

Netanyahu hailed a $34.7B gas deal with Egypt, rewarding Israeli dominance, while Cairo’s normalisation highlights economic loss and growing dependence on the US.

With a grin on his face, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced what he hailed as a historic agreement with Egypt. A deal worth $34.7 billion in gas exports asserted “Tel Aviv’s” dominance and served as a reward for its genocide against Gaza.

Despite the implications on the predicament of Palestine, which has triggered public condemnation, perhaps the most overlooked element of the gas deal is what this means for Cairo itself and the wider question of Arab normalisation.

Egypt was once the cultural and political center of the MENA region, commanding enormous power throughout the Arab World in particular and posed an active challenge to Israeli dominance. In 1973, the Egyptian army managed to temporarily retake the Sinai Peninsula, which had been under illegal occupation since 1967.

However, following the war, which eventually resulted in the Zionist regime recapturing the occupied territories from both Egypt and Syria, the two nations that had decided to launch a joint surprise attack, then went in very different directions. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat decided to use the example of Egypt’s military potential in order to sign a normalisation deal, the diplomatic path to reclaiming its territory.

Like is the case with all leaderships seeking normalisation, the desire to recognise the occupying entity is due to it being a move designed to win the favour of Washington and re-align the country with its regional agenda, usually motivated by economic and security incentives.

In Cairo’s case, its normalisation deal was the most significant of any such agreements, both in terms of territory gained and the billions in US aid it received as a result of it. Billions in US taxpayer dollars were sent to Egypt by the Carter administration, making the Arab nation the second largest recipient of foreign aid after the Israelis.

Egypt was also able to reclaim the Sinai and opened up countless investment opportunities, including removing all constraints placed upon it previously by the United States. Yet, despite Sadat effectively using his leverage and receiving tangible benefits, the desired outcome was far from what the leader purported to have envisaged.

Sadat was eventually assassinated, leading to the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak. The Egyptian leader would go on to throw himself even deeper into the Western camp, implementing neo-liberal economic reforms between the late 80s until his regime’s collapse in 2011.

These reforms led to economic growth on paper, yet widened the gap between rich and poor, consolidating wealth concentration and deepening social inequality. Most of these policies were led by the structural adjustment programs of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, meaning more privatisation, deregulation and a reduction in public spending.

Amidst this, the Mubarak regime signed a gas export deal with the Israelis. Yet, this was no regular agreement, it was a corrupt scheme coordinated between Egyptian and Israeli businessmen that resulted in the syphoning off of the nation’s natural resources for peanuts.

At the time, gas sold for up to $12.60 per million British Thermal Units (MBTU), however, Egypt was selling its gas to the East Mediterranean Gas company for as little as $1.50. The result was that corrupt business partners enriched themselves, while Egypt lost out on an estimated $11 billion. In essence, the deal was one which provided the Zionist regime with unprecedentedly cheap gas and ensured the Egyptian people would not reap the benefits.

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Now, under the current Egyptian leadership of Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, the nation reverses the gas pipeline and will now purchase it from the occupying regime to the north. This is why Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, set up a special press conference to announce it with a big grin on his face. It is the largest Israeli export deal ever signed and comes as a reward for genocide.

It’s also a sign of complete capitulation. The Israelis have violated the Camp David Accord normalisation agreement by invading Gaza’s Philadelphi corridor, committing bombing attacks in the Sinai and it has even shot dead Egyptian soldiers since October 7, 2023.

When the Egyptian military began amassing forces within the Sinai, Washington-based pro-Israeli think tanks then started to build the narrative that would justify an Israeli invasion of the territory.

In September of 2024, the Washington-based Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD) published a report accusing Cairo of aiding Hamas, through tunnel infrastructure leading into Gaza. The allegation was that the North African nation was enabling the Palestinian resistance movement to expand its military capabilities. Something that was later proven physically impossible by the Zionist army itself.

Prominent Israelis were also war mongering in late 2024, as the Israeli settlement movement continues to advocate the re-occupation of the Sinai Peninsula. Last week, a leader of the illegal settler community in occupied al-Khalil, Yishai Fleisher, even made a social media video advocating this position.

Although the current political predicament will not permit a Zionist takeover of Egyptian territory, as we have seen in southern Syria over the past year, the moment such an opportunity presents itself, the seizure of new lands will occur.

What has happened to the nation that once led the Arab World is the unfortunate inevitable tale of Israeli normalisation and capitulation to American demands. The US roped Egypt in with massive aid handouts, then demanded reforms and that the Egyptian military buy equipment in an incoherent way from a whole range of nations. The IMF and World Bank offer their loans, but then seek to reshape a nation to their model. When this goes on for long enough, combined with business dealings that rip off the people, it creates a system enslaved to the US.

Despite investments from the Arab Gulf nations and others, the construction of compounds and new communities designed for the rich and other projects ongoing inside the country, as a whole Egypt remains on a perpetual knife’s edge. It is unfortunately declining even further than it was before and the potential security risks involved in this decline grow exponentially.

Therefore Egypt serves as the model for normalisation. What is perhaps the most concerning aspect of this, is the implications on others who follow this path. Because Egypt, as mentioned above, did engage in normalisation from a position of relative strength, it did regain territory and receive massive injections of billions in foreign aid.

The Zionist entity now seeks normalisation with both Lebanon and Syria, both of which are in a position of weakness and will be forced to grant concessions to reach such an agreement, without receiving anything in return. The US will do far less to aid them than it did for Egypt, and even though the Egyptians clearly had chips to play at the time, look at where they have ended up.

(Al Mayadeen – English)

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From Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond via This RSS Feed.

They shot the 13-year-old boy in the abdomen on Mushtaha Street.

On Friday, Israeli occupation forces murdered a 13-year-old boy and injured a young man in Gaza City’s Sujaiya neighborhood.

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Israeli Settlers Injure a Palestinian Baby

The 20-year-old man arrived at the Baptist Hospital of Gaza in “moderate condition” after being shot in the back in the Sujaiya neighborhood, which is far from the so-called Yellow Line, where Israeli occupation forces withdrew after the ceasefire on October 10.

Palestinian authorities lamented the death of the 13-year-old boy after being shot by Israeli soldiers in the abdomen on Mushtaha Street, Sujaiya. Local sources indicated that the victim was Ahmed Raduan Abu al-Kas, but Israel has not yet issued an official statement on the incident.

Israeli occupation forces also detonated three car bombs in the Tuffah neighborhood on Friday, after ordering the forced evacuation of a residential block, which displaced hundreds of families to western Gaza.

🚨 A video documents the moment an Israeli settler ran over a Palestinian young man while he was praying east of Ramallah. pic.twitter.com/O2eRVvNqnI

— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) December 25, 2025

While Israeli artillery also attacked the eastern area of ​​Khan Younis in southern Gaza, and the navy fired shots off the coast, the number of wounded is unknown. Since the October 10 truce, more than 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, including nearly 70 children.

The second phase of the ceasefire calls for the disarmament of Hamas, the creation of an International Stabilization Force (ISF), and a transitional government, to which Israeli occupation forces have not intended to help.

Since the genocide in Gaza began in October 2023, Zionist forces have killed over 70,900 Palestinians in Gaza, including some 20,000 children.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Middle East: The Global Sumud Flotilla announced its return in spring 2026 with an unprecedented maritime mission involving 100 vessels and more than 3,000 participants from over 100 countries. The fleet aims to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza. pic.twitter.com/VfOKdrZdqr

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 26, 2025

teleSUR: JP

Source: EFE – Democrata

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Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova expressed her country’s firm condemnation of the escalation of the US imperialist campaign of regime change against Venezuela, carried out under the guise of the “war on drugs” narrative.

Following the Russian statement, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil thanked Russia on Thursday, December 25, for its support for Venezuela.

“On behalf of President Nicolás Maduro, we want to express our sincere gratitude to the government of the Russian Federation for its valuable support of President Maduro’s efforts in defending the sovereignty and interests of the Venezuelan people against the threats and belligerent and illegal actions of the US administration in the Caribbean,” Gil posted on social media.

He also emphasized Russia’s “unwavering support” for preserving the Caribbean as a zone of peace and promoting regional stability.

Zakharova had earlier stated that “Latin America must be a zone of peace” while commenting on recent US actions. She advocated for a de-escalation of US threats and reaffirmed Moscow’s support for Maduro’s government.

She said that Russia consistently advocates for de-escalation and for maintaining trust and predictability, adding that it is important to prevent a destructive scenario. Zakharova also reaffirmed support for the efforts of President Maduro’s government to protect Venezuela’s sovereignty and national interests.

This follows US President Donald Trump’s December 17 declaration labeling the Venezuelan government a foreign terrorist organization and announcing a total blockade of all illegally sanctioned oil tankers bound for or from Venezuela.

Putin’s letter highlights bilateral ties
On Wednesday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Gil shared a letter sent by Russian President Vladimir Putin to President Maduro, which highlighted achievements in the bilateral relationship during 2025.

The letter, dated December 17, stated, “I would like to reiterate our unwavering solidarity with the people of Venezuela who are facing unprecedented external pressure, as well as our willingness to continue working closely together on current issues on the bilateral and international agenda.”

Putin also emphasized the recent signing of a Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Treaty, which he said has “created the conditions for a qualitative and constructive increase in interaction in all areas.”

President Maduro: Overwhelming Support Against US Imperialism Despite UNSC Stalemate (+Iran)

The public display of support follows a previous United Nations Security Council meeting where Russia strongly supported Venezuelan denunciations of US imperialism.

Nicaragua voices solidarity
The Nicaraguan government also sent a Christmas message to Venezuelan authorities on Wednesday, highlighting the “unbreakable unity” between the two nations.

In a letter addressed to President Maduro and other officials, Nicaragua expressed its “revolutionary brotherhood” and emphasized the Bolivarian, Sandinista and Chavista union as a legitimate and solid alliance. It described the unity as a symbol of “better times” that must emerge from current struggles, asserting that a “just, supportive and true” future is on the horizon.

Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff

OT/JRE/SC

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The former president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya Rosales, denounced the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Honduras for a new attempt at an electoral coup, by adopting decisions without quorum and in open violation of the constitution, electoral law, and democratic principles.

In a message published on X on Tuesday, December 23, Zelaya highlighted that the CNE intends to approve de facto an administrative report issued by its General Secretariat, with the aim of canceling the special recount of the presidential elections—a move that, according to Zelaya, buries electoral truth and usurps powers that do not belong to administrative bodies.

He emphasized that any resolution adopted without quorum has no legal validity, and stressed that no candidate can be officially declared winner without completing the special recount process, a mechanism designed to guarantee transparency and respect for the people’s will.

In his denunciation, Zelaya argued that this maneuvre seeks to arbitrarily criminalize legitimate challenges filed by mayors and lawmakers, paving the way for a potential illegitimate and fraudulent presidential declaration. In his view, these actions constitute a serious rupture of the constitutional order and democratic principles.

He further warned that the institutional offensive is not limited to the presidential race, but also includes aims to invalidate the victory of local authorities, particularly the mayoralty of the Central District, led by Jorge Aldana, who is being targeted for political dispossession.

In light of this scenario, Zelaya openly called for popular mobilization, urging social and political grassroots organizations to defend the popular will in the streets, including the defense of the Central District mayoralty headed by Jorge Aldana.

Trump’s Interference Invalidates the Presidential Election in Honduras

Alongside Zelaya, Rixi Moncada, presidential candidate of the Liberty and Refoundation Party (Libre), has been among the most critical voices in the process. From early stages of the vote count, Moncada denounced a scheme prepared by the traditional two-party system to alter the results, and referred to thousands of tally sheets lacking biometric verification. According to her, these represented a significant percentage of the total and were approved without the security code guarantees of the counting system, which she argued amounted to a fraudulent manipulation of the popular will expressed at the ballot box.

Moncada and her party also publicly decried that the elimination of biometric verification on thousands of tally sheets on the eve of election day enabled vote inflation in favor of traditional parties—particularly the National Party and the Liberal Party—while Libre had far fewer tally sheets in that category. She announced that all legal avenues would be pursued during the final recount period to demand a review of those tally sheets and respect for the popular will.

In the post-election phase, the Libre Party refused to recognize the preliminary results, alleging US interference and coercion, and announcing public mobilizations, protests, and other actions to demand transparency and a clean count. Libre’s leadership declared that it would not participate in any governmental transition under the current conditions, describing the process as a possible “electoral coup in progress,” signaling an open rupture with decisions of the National Electoral Council.

At the same time, one CNE member, Marlon Ochoa, questioned the consistency of the data, denouncing the lack of public access to many physical tally sheets, technological irregularities, and the failure to process thousands of closing reports from polling stations, generating widespread debate over the transparency of the preliminary vote count (TREP) system and public confidence in the preliminary results.

The election was also marred by the explicit involvement of US President Donald Trump, who publicly expressed support for conservative candidate Nasry “Tito” Asfura and issued warnings about potential repercussions for bilateral cooperation if the outcome was unfavorable to his chosen candidate. These statements were interpreted by Libre leaders and critical sectors as direct interference in Honduran electoral sovereignty.

(Telesur)

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/CB/SC

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Indigenous communities near the Uyuni salt flat urge prior consultation and impact studies.

Indigenous communities in southwestern Bolivia are asking President Rodrigo Paz to ensure that lithium extraction projects include environmental impact studies and prior consultation with local communities.

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Bolivian Government Represses Protest Against Fuel Price Hike in La Paz

The demand is reflected in a draft bill prepared by authorities in the province of Nor Lipez, with the aim of becoming part of the projects and understanding “what awaits us over the next 10 years,” said Ivan Calcina, secretary of the Provincial Central Union of Indigenous Communities of Nor Lipez (CUPCONL).

“The most important points for us are free, prior, and informed consultation, as well as an environmental impact study, because we understand that previous laws did not stipulate this or addressed it only in general terms,” he said.

Currently, 14 Indigenous communities are located around the Uyuni salt flat, home to the country’s largest lithium deposit. They warn that lithium extraction and industrialization projects could cause serious damage to ecosystems and water sources.

“For the communities that live around the salt flat, that is their main concern. They want a hydrological study to be carried out, which will be important not only for the region but for all Bolivians,” Calcina said.

Bolivia has revealed the world’s largest battery reservoir: 23 million tonnes of lithium under Salar de Uyuni!

While this positions the nation for a green energy future, concerns over water scarcity & sustainability persist.

Can progress be balanced with eco-responsibility?… pic.twitter.com/PdtiWxf07S

— Critical Minerals Journal (@CritMinJrnl) December 24, 2025

Under the administration of President Luis Arce (2020–2025), Bolivia signed contracts with Chinese and Russian companies for the industrialization of lithium using direct lithium extraction technology. However, those projects lacked environmental impact studies.

Investments with the foreign firms were expected to reach US$2 billion but were put on hold due to strong objections to two of the contracts. In signing the agreements, Arce also did not carry out a process of prior consultation with Indigenous communities, as required under Bolivian law.

During Arce’s government, lithium reserves in Bolivia’s salt flats were estimated at 23 million tons, most of them in Uyuni, a 10,000-square-kilometer area that is also one of the country’s main tourist attractions.

In December 2023, a state-owned industrial complex was inaugurated there with an annual production capacity of 15,000 tons of lithium carbonate, operating with an evaporation pond system. However, it managed to operate at less than 20% of its capacity and suffered from design flaws. Located in the municipality of Colcha K, the industrial complex was built with an initial investment of US$96 million.

Before taking office on Nov. 8, Rodrigo Paz criticized previous governments for the lack of results in lithium extraction and industrialization. He also announced that his administration would work on the issue to deliver concrete solutions.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Bolivia: The Prosecutor's Office investigating an alleged embezzlement of the Indigenous fund has requested three months of preventive detention for former president Luis Arce. pic.twitter.com/1RbQafttUs

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 15, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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This article originally appeared in the December 26, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Mexico City. After the agreement ending the more than 18-year strike in Cananea, Sonora, was formalized this week, the national leader of the National Mining Union, Napoleón Gómez Urrutia, thanked President Claudia Sheinbaum for her support and willingness to “make the end of this difficult conflict a reality.”

He also acknowledged the “good disposition,” the attention and the openness to dialogue of the Secretary of the Interior, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, and the head of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Marath Bolaños, as well as the commitment “to just causes” of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

“Without a doubt, this triumphant resolution would not have been possible with past governments, but times have changed and we will not allow impunity and injustice,” Gómez Urrutia emphasized.

In a statement, he said that the miners of the union he leads are “very happy about the triumphant resolution that puts an end to the legitimate strike,” which broke out in July 2007 due to serious failures in safety and hygiene, as well as violations of their collective bargaining agreement.

He recalled that for almost two decades, the miners of section 65 of Cananea faced a “cruel and hard battle against Grupo México for the abuses and systematic violations” of their labor rights.

Last Tuesday in Sonora, the Secretary of the Interior, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, announced the creation of a fund of more than 2.222 billion pesos that will finance the agreement, signed the day before, which ended the Cananea strike and will also allow for compensation for the damage caused by the spill of toxic waste in the Sonora River.

President Sheinbaum’s government secured a contribution of 70.14 percent of those resources from the Grupo México consortium, equivalent to 1.5 billion pesos.

The agreement – ​​which falls within the framework of the Justice Plan for Cananea – includes settlement in accordance with the original collective agreement and access to social security and the pension system for the benefit of 650 workers and their families, as well as the widows of another 53 miners who lost their lives during this conflict.

It also includes the opening of 400 positions at the Cananea mine for workers who wish to return to work.

Gómez Urrutia emphasized, in an interview with La Jornada, that two other strikes remain in effect for more than 18 years without being resolved: the one in Taxco, Guerrero, and the one in Sombrerete, Zacatecas.

• 

  Labor | News Briefs

  Mineros’ Leader Thanks Sheinbaum for Support Resolving Cananea Strike

  December 26, 2025December 26, 2025

  Napoleón Gómez Urrutia said the union was very happy about ending the strike, which broke out in July 2007 due to serious failures in safety and hygiene, as well as labour violations by Grupo México.

• 

  Labor | News Briefs

  Delivery Drives Say Mexico’s Platform Law Meant Drop of 56% in Income

  December 26, 2025December 26, 2025

  Only 10% of drivers managed to reach the required income threshold to access the five insurances provided by the state.

• 

  Soberanía

  Soberanía’s Top 10 Stories from Mexico in 2025: #10-6

  December 24, 2025

  The opposition’s missteps, the ambitious Plan Mexico, the influence of US actors in Mexico, mass Morena demonstrations, and Claudia Sheinbaum’s impactful first year in office.

The post Mineros’ Leader Thanks Sheinbaum for Support Resolving Cananea Strike appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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President Touadera is seeking a third term amid growing security concerns.

On Sunday, the Central African Republic (CAR) will hold general elections that will serve as a barometer of the country’s political stability and security.

RELATED:

Antonio Guterres Calls for Peaceful Elections in the Central African Republic

The CAR has faced systemic violence since late 2012, when a coalition of mostly Muslim rebel groups known as the Seleka seized Bangui, the capital, and overthrew then-President Francois Bozize (2003–2013), triggering a civil war.

These are the key issues surrounding the vote, in which CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera is seeking a third term in this African country, one of the poorest in the world despite its wealth in minerals such as diamonds, gold and uranium.

1. What Is at Stake?

About 2.3 million people — out of a national population of roughly 5.5 million — are eligible to vote at some 6,700 polling stations in presidential, legislative, regional, and municipal elections, although the focus is on the presidential race.

Following a 2023 referendum, the country’s constitution extended the presidential term from five to seven years and removed term limits, allowing Touadera, who has been in power since 2016, to seek a third term.

To win the presidency in the first round, a candidate must secure more than 50% of valid votes, thereby avoiding a runoff between the two top vote-getters.

En 🇨🇫, le plan de sécurisation des élections est activé pour que les scrutins « se déroulent de manière pacifique, ordonnée, inclusive et crédible » comme l’appelle de ses vœux le SG @ONU_fr : réunions des états-majors, déploiement de renforts, intensification des patrouilles. pic.twitter.com/elOay1x51T

— MINUSCA (@UN_CAR) December 25, 2025

The text reads, “In Central Africa, the electoral security plan is being activated to ensure the elections ‘take place peacefully, orderly, inclusively, and credibly,’ as desired by the UN Secretary-General. This includes staff meetings, the deployment of reinforcements, and intensified patrols.”

2. Touadera and Six Other Presidential Candidates

Seven candidates are vying for the presidency, with Touadera considered the favorite as he seeks reelection under the banner of the United Hearts Movement (MCU).

The 68-year-old president has focused his campaign on rebuilding the state, improving security, and prioritizing cooperation with United Nations peacekeeping forces.

One of his main challengers is opposition leader and former prime minister Anicet-Georges Dologuele, 68, head of the Union for Central African Renewal (URCA). He renounced his French nationality to run and is promoting a platform centered on industrialization, youth employment and economic reconstruction.

Also notable is Henri-Marie Dondra, 59, a former finance minister and former prime minister and the founder of Republican Unity (UNIR). He is positioning himself as a candidate with experience in economic management and public administration after breaking with the ruling party.

3. A Divided and Weakened Opposition

The opposition will enter the race divided and weakened, partly due to the lingering effects of the internal conflict and operational restrictions that hamper campaigning in areas where armed groups are active.

Some opposition figures have denounced an uneven political playing field and called for a boycott of the elections, citing obstacles for candidates, administrative shortcomings and government control of the media and state resources.

Both Dologuele and Dondra were initially excluded from the race and were only approved as candidates on Nov. 14, a move some observers see as an administrative maneuver to favor Touadera.

UN peacekeepers in Central African Republic KILLED motorcyclist and FLED the scene — police source to TASS

Their commander's now REFUSING access to car and crew for local cops to establish all circumstances

So much for peacekeeping… pic.twitter.com/NzQWB0vN58

— RT (@RT_com) December 25, 2025

4. The Role of MINUSCA

U.N. peacekeeping forces, deployed in the Central African Republic since 2014, will provide logistical and technical support for the elections, particularly the transport and distribution of electoral materials and the training of polling station staff.

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), which includes just over 14,000 troops and 3,000 police officers, will also reinforce security measures to prevent election-related violence.

5. The Presence of the Wagner Group

Since 2012, the Central African Republic has experienced intermittent civil war that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. Despite several peace agreements and dialogue processes with armed groups, violence has not fully disappeared.

Hundreds of members of the Wagner Group, a private military company, have arrived in the country since 2018, when Moscow and Bangui signed a bilateral military cooperation agreement. Since then, this Russian company has been protecting the Touadera administration against rebel attacks.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Africa: At least 30 people died in a boat accident on the Kwango River, west of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). pic.twitter.com/fpN5qvObNO

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 19, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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This article by Jared Laureles and Alexia Villaseñor originally appeared in the December 26, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Just days before the pilot program to guarantee their access to social security concludes, digital platform workers accused the reform of bringing losses in their income and “limiting effective access” to their labour rights.

Representatives of these workers’ groups pointed out that, during the six-month trial period, more than one million delivery drivers and couriers were registered with the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS); however, on average, only 10 percent managed to access the five insurances established by law: illness and maternity, disability and life, retirement, unemployment in old age, and old age.

They warned that the increase in the minimum wage for 2026 will make it difficult for them to reach the required net income threshold.

Saúl Gómez, representative of Repartidores Unidos de México, pointed out that since the pilot test began (last July), those who are employed through digital platforms noticed a drop in the demand for services and orders, which directly impacted their income.

In an interview, he indicated that bicycle delivery drivers have experienced losses of between 25 and 30 percent; motorcycle drivers, up to 45 percent; and car drivers, between 48 and 56 percent.

Sergio Guerrero, leader of the National Union of App Workers (UNTA), highlighted that during the pilot test –from July to December– an exclusion percentage scheme was applied that has significantly reduced the number of workers with access to full social security.

According to data from the IMSS, he exemplified that in November, the month analyzed with more optimistic figures, of 1,199,000 people registered, only 164,205 (13.6 percent) were able to effectively access this benefit.

• 

  Labor | News Briefs

  Mineros’ Leader Thanks Sheinbaum for Support Resolving Cananea Strike

  December 26, 2025December 26, 2025

  Napoleón Gómez Urrutia said the union was very happy about ending the strike, which broke out in July 2007 due to serious failures in safety and hygiene, as well as labour violations by Grupo México.

• 

  Labor | News Briefs

  Delivery Drives Say Mexico’s Platform Law Meant Drop of 56% in Income

  December 26, 2025December 26, 2025

  Only 10% of drivers managed to reach the required income threshold to access the five insurances provided by the state.

• 

  Soberanía

  Soberanía’s Top 10 Stories from Mexico in 2025: #10-6

  December 24, 2025

  The opposition’s missteps, the ambitious Plan Mexico, the influence of US actors in Mexico, mass Morena demonstrations, and Claudia Sheinbaum’s impactful first year in office.

The post Delivery Drives Say Mexico’s Platform Law Meant Drop of 56% in Income appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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The statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasizes that resuming interstate relations requires the Japanese authorities to show, through concrete steps, a renunciation of the hostile line that does not correspond to the interests of Japan and its people. The Russia also highlighted “the importance of the Japanese side’s efforts” to preserve “the positive legacy of bilateral ties accumulated in past years,” the statement noted.

It further stated that these ties are deteriorating due to Japan’s hostile stance toward Russia.

“The parliamentarian was briefed on Russia’s approaches to current issues on the international and regional agenda, as well as certain practical aspects of interaction with Japan,” the Foreign Ministry statement said.

Japan joined the so-called Western sanctions war against Russia after the latter launched a military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, the statement noted.

On March 21, 2022, Russia announced its refusal to continue peace treaty negotiations with Japan and the dialogue on joint economic activities in the Southern Kuril Islands due to what it called the other side’s “hostile stance” regarding the conflict in Ukraine.

jdt/ro/gfa

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Corals face damage from rising temperatures, ocean acidification, pollution, invasive species, storms, and groundings.

Cuba has adopted a landmark decision to conserve coral reefs, vital ecosystems that protect coastlines, support commercial biodiversity, and generate sand to maintain the archipelago’s beaches.

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Cuba To Construct 12 Fishing Vessels

Since reefs face accelerated degradation globally due to climate change and environmental pressures, Cuba is promoting marine protected areas, scientific research, and community participation to foster a “sustainable relationship” with the sea.

The document, soon to be approved by the Council of Ministers, proposes informed decisions and effective management with community participation, which consolidates a responsible framework for protecting this strategic habitat.

The plan, led by Patricia Gonzalez, a scientist at the Center for Marine Research, incorporates the work of scientists and conservationists who have dedicated years to the matter. It also aligns with ‘Task Life’, the Government’s program against climate change.

Descubre un universo de belleza inexplorada…

Cuba te invita a sus más de 500 zonas de buceo con paisajes, cuevas y corales espectaculares.

📷 @PrensaLatina_cu pic.twitter.com/16DwSrAJo3

— CubaPLUS Magazine (@CubaPLUSMag) December 8, 2025

The text reads, “Discover a universe of unexplored beauty. Cuba invites you to its more than 500 dive sites with spectacular landscapes, caves, and coral reefs.”

A key milestone was the “Circumnavigation of Cuba” in 2023, a scientific expedition with international participation that allowed a comprehensive assessment of the reefs and provided the foundation for a conservation roadmap.

The presentation of the roadmap embodies the historical vision of Commander Fidel Castro, who called for Cuba “not to turn its back on the sea.” Coral reefs contribute thousands of dollars in recreation and tourism, provide habitat for fish, and offer coastal protection.

Although reefs have an economic value of US$10 trillion annually worldwide, corals face damage from rising temperatures, ocean acidification, pollution, invasive species, storms, and groundings, factors that have led to the loss from 30% to 50% of reefs.

Saving the reefs requires a multifaceted local-to-global approach, with more resources and efficiency in restoration, as well as rapid progress to achieve a positive ecosystem impact.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Cuba: President Miguel Diaz-Canel denounced the violations committed by the United States against the United Nations at the meeting of the Eurasian Supreme Council. pic.twitter.com/1HLDwnGzzq

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 25, 2025

teleSUR: JP

Source: Cubadebate – NOAA Fisheries

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Changes approved for 2026 aim to boost macroeconomic efficiency and gains.

On Thursday, the Bank of Ghana pledged to reform the country’s Domestic Gold Purchase Program (DGPP) to boost its macroeconomic benefits.

RELATED:

Ghana Mourns Eight Victims of Military Helicopter Crash in Ashanti Region

The board of the Bank of Ghana approved the reforms to be rolled out from January 2026, in line with budgetary provisions made in the 2026 budget to fully resource the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), ensuring the sustainability of its operations.

“Recognizing both the macroeconomic benefits and fiscal costs of the DGPP, the board recently approved reforms to improve pricing and operational efficiency in the downstream segment of the program,” the Bank of Ghana stated.

The reforms aim to reduce intermediation fees, improve cost-efficiency, and achieve competitive yet economically sound buying prices, with benefits for both the sector and the broader economy.

Africa has the resources, the youth, and the potential.
Africa can be the center of the world
if it breaks free from centuries of foreign domination and imposed systems

📊 Fun Fact
★ Africa has ~30% of the world’s mineral reserves
★ 40% of global gold
★ 90% of platinum &… https://t.co/zEmoyq4pc7 pic.twitter.com/QxPtd0bel4

— NeoGuru (@neoguru111) December 25, 2025

The DGPP is a policy tool that has helped shore up Ghana’s international reserves, supported currency stability, and enabled access to large volumes of foreign exchange without incurring new debt.

“The operational role of GoldBod as an aggregator has been important in channeling gold-based inflows from the small-scale mining sector into the official market. This collaborative structure between the Bank and GoldBod has ensured that the DGPP remains anchored in public policy objectives,” it added.

Currently, both inside and outside Africa, countries are increasingly buying gold primarily as a hedge against high inflation, rising interest rates, and concerns about global debt levels.

Another key reason for the ongoing tendency to incorporate gold into central banks’ monetary reserves is the desire to reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar and the global financial system dominated by Western institutions.

In recent years, geopolitical tensions, U.S. sanctions, and the freezing of foreign exchange reserves have highlighted the vulnerability of holding reserves in foreign currencies. By increasing gold holdings, countries can diversify their reserves and protect themselves from political or financial pressure.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Africa: At least 30 people died in a boat accident on the Kwango River, west of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). pic.twitter.com/fpN5qvObNO

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 19, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: Xinhua -.

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For the first time, using a unified methodology, researchers will present the results of their research, which not only provides crucial scientific data but also raises public awareness of the fragility and value of this ecosystem.

A key milestone in this process was the Circumnavigation of Cuba in the summer of 2023, a scientific expedition that included the participation of national and international institutions.

The study, which will be submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval, proposes a framework for a more responsible relationship with this habitat, informed decision-making, and more effective management that actively involves local communities, according to the Cubadebate website.

The leadership of Dr. Patricia Gonzalez Diaz, a researcher at the Center for Marine Research, has been fundamental to the development of this strategy, as has the years of dedication of numerous scientists and conservationists.

This effort is aligned with the State Plan for Confronting Climate Change (Tarea Vida), although it is acknowledged that progress has not been as rapid as desired.

The conservation of coral reefs is vital for the goods and services they provide, including the protection of coastlines from the onslaught of the sea—especially during extreme events—the support of high biodiversity, including commercially valuable species, and the generation of sand for the formation and maintenance of Cuban beaches.

jdt/ro/alb

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“Half of the shipment was unloaded at the port of Santiago de Cuba, to double the quotas that the WFP distributes in eastern provinces for five months,” the organization’s representation on the island stated.

The remainder of the shipment will arrive in Havana, with the aim of doubling deliveries to the priority population in the other provinces, in a bimonthly distribution system that will extend for a year.

“This international collaboration strengthens food security and guarantees national coverage for the most vulnerable sectors,” the WFP noted.

The agency also specified that the assistance will allow for expanded emergency response and support for the recovery of communities affected by recent weather events, such as Hurricane Melissa.

jdt/ro/bbb

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According to an institutional report published by the newspaper La Prensa, an average of 16 fraud complaints are filed daily in the country, concentrated mainly in the provinces of Panama, Panama Oeste, and Chiriqui.

Behind each number are similar stories—items that never arrived, payments sent to phantom accounts, promises that vanish after a block—and one constant: the feeling of having been deceived in a space that seemed safe.

The study also reveals a sustained increase in cases over the last seven years, with a marked spike following the Covid-19 pandemic.

The most significant jump, according to the report, occurred in 2020, when cases rose to 3,586 amidst health restrictions and the surge in informal digital transactions.

By 2021, the number of complaints had skyrocketed to 5,354, more than double the number reported two years earlier, confirming a trend of accelerated expansion of scams, particularly those linked to e-commerce, fake loans, and deceptive offers.

Although 2022 saw another increase, with 5,514 cases, and 2023 a slight decrease to 5,068 complaints, the data shows that the phenomenon remains at historically high levels.

jdt/arm/mem/ga

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This was proclaimed by the Cuban ambassador yo Hanoi, Rogelio Polanco, during the presentation of the special edition “Vietnam-Cuba: 65 Years of Brotherhood,” produced by the newspaper El Mundo y Vietnam, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This is a commendable contribution by this publication to the commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the diplomat emphasized, expressing his gratitude for the dedication and rigor demonstrated in the production of this work.

The relevance and representativeness of its authors, the articles, and the message included in this edition are a clear reflection of the deep bonds we have forged over these years, Polanco emphasized, adding that they reveal the broad diversity of bilateral ties and the profound impact they have had on the souls of our peoples.

The Cuban ambassador also highlighted that the published texts “not only address the unforgettable history that fills us with pride, but also provide an update on the excellent state of bilateral exchanges in all areas.”

We appreciate that the brotherhood forged in the revolutionary struggle by President Ho Chi Minh and Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro, nurtured by several generations of leaders and compatriots, remains pure and loyal, and symbolizes an exceptional example of relations between Parties, states, and peoples, he affirmed.

jdt/arm/mem/mpm

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According to the military statement published on its official Telegram channel, “decisive actions by units of the troop group South resulted in the capture of the town of Sviato-Pokrovskoe in the Donetsk People’s Republic.”

The Ministry also reported that, in the last 24 hours, enemy losses along the group’s line of operations totaled more than 215 soldiers.

These figures are in addition to over 445 casualties on the Central Group’s line of operations, up to 265 on the Northern Group, up to 235 on the Eastern Group, up to 220 on the Western Group, and over 65 incurred by the Dnieper Group.

Furthermore, Ukrainian troops lost three tanks, 18 armored fighting vehicles (including an M113), 96 cars, 18 artillery pieces (including a Paladin), two electronic warfare stations, two RADA radars, seven ammunition depots, and 13 supply depots.

Six guided bombs, one HIMARS missile, and 472 drones were also shot down.

jdt/arm/mem/gfa

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The procedure will be performed after a series of tests confirmed that he is in adequate clinical condition, according to doctors Brasil Caiado and Claudio Birolini, who are in charge of the operation.

Bolsonaro arrived at the hospital after leaving the Federal Police (PF) headquarters, where he has been held since November 22 to serve a sentence of more than 27 years for attempted coup.

According to the medical team, the former president underwent a complete cardiological evaluation, blood tests, and a coronary CT scan.

The results indicated small fatty plaques, without significant deterioration, and laboratory tests were within expected limits.

Cardiologist Caiado stated that Bolsonaro is clinically stable and fit for surgery. “He is well prepared, with all the necessary tests completed and no cardiac impediments,” he affirmed.

After the procedure, the former Army captain will be transferred to the post-anesthesia care unit, where he will remain under observation for approximately two hours before returning to his room.

jdt/arm/mem/ocs

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“A Soyuz-2.1b rocket carrying 52 satellites, including the Aist-2T 1 and 2 designed and manufactured by SRC Progress, will launch from the Vostochny Cosmodrome,” Roscosmos announced on the Telegram social network.

The Aist-2T satellites are based on the Aist-2D model, but unlike the latter, they are equipped with a propulsion system for orbital correction and stereoscopic imaging equipment.

They also have a longer operational lifespan and transmit information much faster.

Roscosmos specified that the launch is scheduled for the end of this week, at which point activities at Russian cosmodromes will cease until January 2026, when they will resume after the Slavic Christmas holidays.

jdt/arm/jcm/gfa

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