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In a publication on its website, the United Nations (UN) warned that, in addition to attacks on schools, hospitals, and residential centers in Gaza, homes and refugee camps are being destroyed in the other occupied Palestinian territory.

The multilateral organization indicated that new orders from Tel Aviv will take effect this week, threatening the Nur Shams refugee center and some 25 other buildings, which will force hundreds of people into displacement.

According to Roland Friedrich, the representative of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, satellite images show that 48% of all buildings in the camp had already been damaged or destroyed before this latest directive.

“This new demolition order fits a pattern seen all too often this year, with Israeli forces destroying homes to enable their long-term control in the northern West Bank, permanently altering its topography,” he noted. Justified by a supposed “military necessity,” these actions do not make anyone safer, he added.

Friedrich said that the forced displacement of more than 32,000 Palestinian refugees in the northern West Bank must not become permanent and reiterated that people are anxiously waiting to return to their homes.

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Both regions are currently under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), following a paramilitary offensive in the last few weeks.

Yasser al-Atta, assistant commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces and a member of the Sovereign Council, affirmed in a speech broadcast by local television that the troops have been fully trained using advanced weaponry capable of turning the tide of the fighting.

The intensity of the clashes between the two sides in the Kordofan region has increased in the last few days, and several casualties were reported.

Since mid-April 2023, this nation has been embroiled in an internal war, following a power struggle between Army Chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF leader, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

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A statement from the organization cited the new declaration by the US president ordering “a total and complete blockade against all oil tankers entering or leaving” the Bolivarian Republic.

It affirmed that the measure shows that the world is facing a criminal and unscrupulous state logic on the part of the Donald Trump administration.

“Far from being reduced to mere delusion, it is clear that imperialism, in its thirst for resources, seeks to exercise power without limits or regard for international law, diplomacy, or the sovereignty of other peoples,” the statement indicated.

The REDH (Network of Human Rights) pointed out that this is “an arbitrary imposition that no longer even attempts to disguise its actions as piracy.”

It emphasized that, with open contempt for humanity and the norms of international coexistence, these actions unambiguously reveal the intention to plunder Venezuelan oil, even going so far as to refer to it in the declaration as “THEIR” oil and alleging the absurd and false excuse of “recovering” it.

“This discourse,” it stated, “not only exposes imperial voracity but also reveals the danger of a leadership that seeks to justify the plunder with implausible arguments.”

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This was revealed during a meeting on Tuesday between Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermúdez and health experts and scientists, according to the Granma newspaper.

Dr. Julio Baldomero Hernandez, director of clinical research at the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), indicated that one of the trials is being carried out at the Diez de Octubre Clinical Surgical Hospital in Havana, on patients with joint symptoms.

According to the CIGB director, the study has good adherence to the protocol and the drug has been well accepted by the 174 patients included.

He added that statistical and periodic reports on the clinical results will be available later.

Among the objectives set, he said, is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of the drug in patients, as well as its durability over time, so that it does not progress to a chronic condition.

Another trial is being conducted at the Faustino Perez Clinical Surgical Hospital in Matanzas province, with 120 patients in the chronic stage of the disease.

Hernandez indicated that the drug has shown a good safety profile, and its clinical results will be evaluated gradually.

The essential purpose, he said, is to determine how the use of Jusvinza impacts the improvement of clinical symptoms.

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They denounce U.S. maritime blockade as illegal and imperialist.

On Tuesday, Venezuela’s United Socialist Party (PSUV) issued a statement confirming its commitment to the unrestricted defense of Venezuelan sovereignty in the face of U.S. military threats.

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U.S. Lawmakers Reject Trump’s Push for Total Blockade of Venezuela

This occurred just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened a total embargo on Venezuela to recover assets he claims belong to the United States. The following is the statement released by the PSUV’s national leadership:

“The United Socialist Party addresses the Venezuelan people, our party members, and the free peoples of the world to denounce and firmly reject the extremely serious and reckless threat issued by the U.S. President Donald Trump on the night of Dec. 16, 2025.

In a clear violation of international law, free trade and navigation freedom, Trump has made public his intention to carry out a total maritime blockade of Venezuela, with the absurd and unhinged warning that he will order such action ‘until they return to the U.S. all of the oil, land and other assets that they previously stole from us.’

We’re in Congress today delivering a simple message: the American people do not want another war.
Nearly 70% of the public opposes U.S. military intervention in Venezuela and is exhausted by endless wars that destroy lives and destabilize entire regions. pic.twitter.com/bavR4G47gy

— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) December 16, 2025

This statement, as implausible as it is irrational, nevertheless reveals the true imperial intentions to steal the wealth that legitimately belongs to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, birthplace of the Liberator Simon Bolivar.

The PSUV, as the vanguard of the Bolivarian Revolution, reaffirms its unbreakable commitment to the defense of national sovereignty.

In perfect popular, military and police unity, the people of Venezuela — forged in the struggle for independence — will know how to defend their historic rights and prevail along the path of peace and dignity. Venezuela will never again be a colony of an empire or of any foreign power whatsoever.

‘Our project aims for peace among free, rebellious, independent, and sovereign peoples. A colony? Never again. Slaves? Never. Free and independent forever. Bolivar is a people united in battle and in victory,’ President Nicolas Maduro stressed.”

Venezuela's permanent representative to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, calls on the #UN Security Council to immediately release the kidnapped crew, as well as the Venezuelan #oil illegally confiscated on the high seas, and to cease any interventionist action against the… pic.twitter.com/JYA1DycQd6

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 16, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: PSUV

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The Foreign and Defense Committee of the Knesset (Parliament) yesterday approved by six votes in favour and none against moving forward on an initiative already adopted at first reading, that it would cut off electricity and water to facilities owned or operated by UNRWA in the occupied territories.

That UN agency has provided, for decades, education, healthcare, and aid to millions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, as well as in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

The new legislation would also allow the Government to confiscate properties in East Jerusalem leased to UNRWA “without the need to initiate legal or administrative proceedings.”

Last week, the Army raided its headquarters in that city and seized all the material inside, amid Government accusations against the institution for its alleged support of the Islamic Resistance Movement and the October 7, 2023 attack.

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“We have not received it,” affirmed the spokesperson, to whom he was asked when the next round of talks with Russian participation could be expected.

“First, we need to familiarize ourselves with the outcome of the negotiations being conducted by US and Ukrainian representatives, with European participation, and then see what the result is,” Peskov clarified.

The meetings between the US and Ukrainian delegations regarding the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine were held in Berlin on December 14-15.

The December 14 meeting lasted approximately five hours, and the December 15 meeting lasted approximately two hours.

Several European leaders, as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Mark Rutte, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), analyzed on December 15 the progress of the negotiations.

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They warn of an unconstitutional war aimed at controlling energy resources.

On Tuesday, several U.S. lawmakers rejected President Donald Trump’s decision to move toward a total military and naval blockade of Venezuela.

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“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America. It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before — until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the oil, land, and other assets that they previously stole from us,” the Republican leader posted on social media.

Lawmakers warned that the current U.S. military escalation is aimed at forcing “regime change” in the South American nation and seizing its energy resources.

“Deeply alarming. Donald Trump is preparing for a regime change war in Venezuela — a war that the American people don’t want and that Congress hasn’t authorized. This is reckless and criminal,” Rep. Yassamin Ansari said on social media.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen said the narrative of combating drug trafficking is a pretext to conceal military actions whose ultimate goal is the appropriation of Venezuela’s natural resources.

“As I’ve said, Trump’s warmongering with Venezuela is not about stopping drug traffickers. The real goal: regime change to grab Venezuelan oil and gas reserves for his billionaire buddies. Putting Americans in harm’s way for the thing Trump cares about most — profits,” Van Hollen said, referring to the U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean and the threat to seize Venezuelan oil tankers in international waters.

🚨🇺🇸 BREAKING — Trump's Illegal War on Venezuela Has Cost US Taxpayers $800,000,000 and It Hasn't Even Started. pic.twitter.com/w3euUTxyLB

— Pamphlets (@PamphletsY) December 17, 2025

The criticism comes as Trump faces a growing loss of support at home due to the consequences of his international economic policy and the scandal surrounding the Epstein documents.

“The year before Trump took office, the U.S. averaged plus-168,000 jobs per month. It added just 119,000 jobs total in seven months since Trump’s tariffs began. The unemployment rate just hit its highest level in more than four years. Even Trump’s chief of staff admits his tariffs hurt our economy,” Rep. Don Beyer recalled.

“The lives of American soldiers should not be risked in an illegal war with Venezuela for regime change, or for oil, or on any other pretext,” he said.

The escalation of U.S. aggression against Venezuela is being described as a distraction from domestic economic difficulties and as opening the door to an unconstitutional military confrontation because it lacks authorization from the U.S. Congress.

In late October, Sen. Bernie Sanders had already warned about the situation. “Trump is illegally threatening war with Venezuela — after killing more than 50 people in unauthorized strikes at sea. The Constitution is clear: Only Congress can declare war. Congress must defend the law and end Trump’s militarism,” he said.

“Health care costs are soaring. Housing costs are soaring. Grocery costs are soaring. No. We do not need Trump to take us into an illegal and unconstitutional war with Venezuela to deflect attention away from the crises our country faces. What happened to ‘America First?’” Sanders asked on Dec. 13.

People in the U.S. do not want a war in Venezuela.

On the latest episode of Empire on the Rocks, Medea Benjamin and Marcy Winograd talk about the congressional investigations on Trump's illegal attacks in the Caribbean. pic.twitter.com/kkbXeW1L6m

— CODEPINK (@codepink) December 17, 2025

Statements by Sanders, Ansari, Beyer and Van Hollen reflect growing unease within the U.S. political class following Trump’s announcement that he would block the entry and exit of Venezuelan oil tankers, a decision the Bolivarian government has denounced as an act of international piracy.

U.S. citizens have also warned that a war in the Caribbean would not only be illegal but also politically costly and morally indefensible. They have further cautioned that U.S. military actions against Venezuela could escalate to uncontrollable levels. In that context, CodePink sharply criticized the threatening and arbitrary tone of Trump’s latest statements.

“Claiming that Venezuela is ‘surrounded by the largest armada ever assembled’ and promising a ‘shock like nothing they have ever seen’ is an explicit threat of force designed to compel submission. Announcing a ‘total and complete blockade’ of Venezuelan oil tankers is, under international law, an act of war,” the progressive organization said.

“Trump’s assertion that Venezuela must ‘return’ oil, land, and other assets to the United States exposes the true objective of the recent aggression. Venezuela did not steal anything from the United States. What Trump describes as ‘theft’ is Venezuela’s lawful assertion of sovereignty over its own natural resources and its refusal to allow U.S. corporations to control its economy. Hands off Venezuela!” CodePink said.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | United States: Senior Democratic lawmakers condemned the increasingly aggressive military actions of President Donald Trump's administration in the Caribbean, following the seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker off the South American country’s coast. pic.twitter.com/RcdDqwWDlJ

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 15, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: teleSUR – X

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This article by Emir Olivares and Alma E. Muñoz originally appeared in the December 17, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Mexico City. “No to intervention,” declared Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo in response to the escalating tensions in Venezuela following the threat from US President Donald Trump, who yesterday declared the government of Nicolás Maduro a “foreign terrorist organization.”

The Mexican president criticized the United Nations (UN) for its “absence” in the face of the risk of Washington’s intervention in the South American nation, and called on the international organization to assume its role in preventing conflict and bloodshed.

Beyond the Maduro regime, she said, the position of any Mexican president should be non-intervention, the peaceful resolution of conflicts, and the self-determination of peoples.

This morning, in her press conference at the National Palace, the head of the Executive Branch opened with a message regarding the risk: “Because of President Trump’s declaration and the situation in Venezuela, we reiterate Mexico’s position, in accordance with the Constitution, of non-intervention or foreign interference, self-determination of peoples and peaceful resolution of disputes.”

She urged that any international controversy or dispute be resolved through dialogue, peace, and the principle of non-intervention.

“This is our position, based on conviction and the Constitution. It must be the position of any Mexican president, regardless of the opinions of the Venezuelan regime and the Maduro presidency. Beyond that, the position must be no to intervention, no to foreign interference, and for the peaceful resolution of conflicts.”

“And a call for the United Nations to assume its role has not been seen. It must assume its role to prevent any bloodshed and always seek peaceful solutions to conflicts. That is our position.”

• 

  News Briefs

  President Sheinbaum Calls for “Non-intervention” in Face of Trump’s Aggression Against Venezuela

  December 17, 2025December 17, 2025

  The Mexican President criticized the United Nations for its “absence”, calling on the international organization to assume its role in preventing conflict and bloodshed.

• 

  Labor | News Briefs

  Christmas Without a Bonus for 13.7 Million Workers

  December 16, 2025December 16, 2025

  Mexico’s Scrooge-like employers evade their legal obligation because most employees are informal workers.

• 

  Analysis | Labor

  A Bosses’ Trap?

  December 16, 2025December 16, 2025

  Mexico’s much-touted 40 hour workweek reform does not bring about a real reduction in the working day; on the contrary, it will become a more effective tool of exploitation and is an initiative designed for the benefit of employers and against the dignity of workers.

The post President Sheinbaum Calls for “Non-intervention” in Face of Trump’s Aggression Against Venezuela appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that Japan’s actions reveal a persistent tendency to falsify facts, deny mistakes, and falsely portray itself as an innocent victim on the international stage.

Guo underscored that sectors of the Japanese right have downplayed war crimes, such as the looting of Nanjing, which they call the “Nanjing Incident,” and have whitewashed the atrocities of Unit 731 and the forced sexual and labor slavery during World War II.

The spokesperson added that, despite its rhetoric of “exclusive self-defense,” Japan has progressively expanded its military capabilities, relaxed restrictions on arms exports, and considered revising its anti-nuclear principles.

Guo indicated that the statements made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan have generated outrage in China and criticism both within Japan and in other countries.

Beijing considers any foreign interference in the Taiwan issue a violation of its sovereignty.

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President Putin claims military gains and praises combat readiness.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that if diplomacy fails, the Russian military will liberate historic Russian territories in Ukraine.

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“We would prefer to address the root causes of the conflict through diplomacy. If the adversary and its foreign sponsors refuse to talk about it, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historic territories by military means,” he said, addressing the top brass of the military and the Defense Ministry.

“Without a doubt, Russia will achieve all the objectives of the special military operation,” he said, adding that Russian troops have liberated more than 300 localities over the past year.

Putin also highlighted the high combat capability of Russian soldiers despite Ukraine having “the potential of the member countries of the largest political-military bloc in the world: NATO.”

Putin:

The Russian Army firmly maintains the strategic initiative along the entire line of contact.

Russian forces are successfully wearing down, among others, elite units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including formations trained in the West.

The Russian Army is capable of… pic.twitter.com/7QpCytHld8

— Clash Report (@clashreport) December 17, 2025

“The year that is ending has been an important stage in fulfilling the missions of the special military operation. The Russian army maintains the strategic initiative along the entire front line,” the Russian leader said.

Putin highlighted said that Russian forces are “pummeling” elite Ukrainian units trained at Western instruction centers and equipped with modern foreign weaponry. He also confirmed that Russia will continue to expand the security buffer zone in the regions of Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Sumy.

At the same time, the Russian president called for “equal-footing” cooperation with the United States and European countries “to form a single security system in the Eurasian space.”

“We welcome the progress made in the dialogue with the new U.S. administration, which, unfortunately, cannot be said about the current leaders of most European countries,” Putin concluded.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Russia: An apartment building was damaged after a nighttime drone attack in the province of Tver, less than 200 kilometers northwest of Moscow. pic.twitter.com/CfTYyz5KSl

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 15, 2025

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Source: EFE

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In 2024, the market for this herbicide reached US$352 million in this country.

Experts urged Mexico to ban glyphosate herbicide after discovering flaws in an article that served as an excuse for the agribusiness sector for 25 years. The article lacks scientific rigor, which raises alarms about its safety for human health.

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Transnational corporations such as Bayer-Monsanto, Syngenta, and DuPont market glyphosate, which the World Health Organization (WHO) classified as a possible carcinogen in 2015. Used in Mexico since 1980, this herbicide is commonly applied to crops such as corn, citrus, sorghum, cotton, sugar cane, avocado, soybeans, and agave.

Producers use it for weed control to reduce costs, as well as for cleaning rural roads, which increases their economic dependence. Silvia Ribeiro, research coordinator for the Biodiversity Alliance, remarked that the most cited study was false and that Mexico should ban the herbicide immediately.

While researchers at the University of Guadalajara found toxic residues in water and people’s urine, more than a thousand scientific studies document kidney, liver, nervous system, and reproductive damage associated with glyphosate use.

In 2005, during the presidency of Vicente Fox, the Biosafety Law for Genetically Modified Organisms, known as the “Monsanto Law,” was passed, which favored genetically modified seeds for large corporations.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador attempted to gradually ban glyphosate through two presidential decrees, but failed due to pressure from the agribusiness sector and a lack of proven substitutes.

🚨Glyphosate “Safety” Study Ghostwritten by Monsanto Retracted After 25 Years of Deception

Millions of pounds of glyphosate were approved, defended & sprayed worldwide based on a paper now exposed as fundamentally compromised and scientifically invalid ⬇️

📌Monsanto employees… https://t.co/KxUbb5qZnI pic.twitter.com/ZTG6RFvPFY

— Nicolas Hulscher, MPH (@NicHulscher) December 4, 2025

In 2022, Senators Ana Lilia Rivera and Margarita Valdez proposed reforms to gradually ban pesticides. While Morena Party legislators Fernando Espino and Nancy Sanchez proposed extending the restriction for another three years.

However, the Supreme Justice Court has upheld the suspension of genetically modified corn crops, to which Bayer-Monsanto corporations sought to halt the presidential decree through legal injunctions.

The government of President Claudia Sheinbaum banned 35 pesticides in September, but it excluded glyphosate. The Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) indicated that this was the first of three phases, with further bans planned for 2026, though it avoided providing detailed information.

The Environment Secretariat informed that 86,449 tons of glyphosate were imported in 2019 by five companies that controlled 84% of the Mexican herbicide market and were consolidating their commercial dominance.

In 2024, the Mexican glyphosate market reached US$352 million. Peter Rosset, a former professor from El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, stated that banning the herbicide would be “an economic blow” and set an international example.

At her morning press conference, Mexican President #ClaudiaSheinbaum calls for reflection on the unity of popular movements in #LatinAmerica and cites #Mexico as an example, since its movement is committed to the people, delivers results, and thus gains popular support. pic.twitter.com/gy25fAqtkU

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 15, 2025

teleSUR: JP

Source: La Jornada

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FM Araghchi reiterated that a peaceful solution to Iran’s nuclear issue is completely attainable.

On Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said if the United States launches attacks on Iran again, U.S. military bases in the Middle East will be targeted.

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He made the remarks in an interview with Qatar’s Al Jazeera, while commenting on Iran’s retaliatory missile attack in June on a U.S. air base in Qatar after the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites.

“We did not attack Qatar, but the U.S. base in Qatar. If a war erupts between us and the United States, and the Americans attack our nuclear facilities, they must definitely expect that we attack their military bases. It makes no difference where those bases are located,” Araghchi said.

“We live in utter friendship with our neighbors and have no problem with Qatar and other regional countries. However, the U.S. bases are located on certain countries’ territory,” he added.

Araghchi reiterated that a peaceful solution to Iran’s nuclear issue is completely attainable, provided that both sides respect one another’s rights and are ready to achieve an agreement based on mutual interests.

On June 22, U.S. forces bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities, joining Israeli strikes on Iran which triggered a 12-day conflict.

It came as Iran and the United States had held five rounds of indirect talks on Tehran’s nuclear program and the removal of U.S. sanctions.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | India: Debates began in New Delhi for the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO. pic.twitter.com/6cCdfMZRAO

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 12, 2025

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Source: Xinhua

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Such a talk would imply a serious and flagrant violation of the State policy that has historically guided Chile’s international actions, regardless of the government in power, a statement noted in this capital.

This policy is based on strict compliance with International Law, the promotion and defense of Human Rights, and the unrestricted respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

The text warns that Netanyahu is currently wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, and holding a political conversation with him would represent a break with the diplomatic and legal tradition of the State of Chile.

The Palestinian community called on all political leaders to act responsibly, consistently, and with respect for the principles that have guided the country’s foreign relations, avoiding gestures that could be interpreted as endorsing serious human rights violations.

In a post, Netanyahu congratulated Kast on his election, and several media outlets here reported that the Israeli Foreign Ministry was preparing for a telephone conversation between the two.

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The high-ranking diplomat affirmed on his Telegram channel that there is a “worrying distancing of the UN system from the genuine defense of human rights.”

Gil pointed out that this aligns more with the interests of powerful nations that condition their funding on political favors, thus jeopardizing the fundamental principles established in the United Nations Charter.

The foreign minister stated that it is a moral obligation to strongly reject the actions made by the High Commissioner, who, while ignoring the United States’ attack on a Venezuelan oil tanker, “draws up a report riddled with falsehoods that adds to the attacks on our country.”

Gil noted that this situation not only undermines the credibility of the UN but also discredits its commitment to justice and equity in the international arena.

Addressing the forum in Geneva, Venezuela’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Alexander Yanez, told Turk that “credibility is the fundamental key to defending human rights.”

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The sanctions and the blockade are instruments of collective punishment and have direct and painful consequences for the daily lives of the people, not due to natural disasters or mismanagement, but due to deliberate external aggression, Mafa emphasized in an article in Modern Ghana and regional media.

The professor stated that Cuba’s power grid, already under pressure due to decades of US blockade and restricted access to technology and finance, is further weakened by these hostile actions.

The boarding and seizure of the oil tanker in international waters of the Caribbean Sea on December 10 marks a dangerous and revealing escalation in the prolonged economic war waged against the Caribbean nation.

The use of military force to interfere in sovereign exchanges between Cuba and Venezuela reveals Washington’s true nature: not a policy of law enforcement or regional stability, but one of domination and economic strangulation.

The moral dimension of this aggression cannot be ignored. For more than six decades, Cuba has suffered an economic blockade that the overwhelming majority of the world’s countries condemn year after year in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

However, Mafa stated, history also teaches that Cuba’s resistance is based on a profound sense of dignity and sovereignty, in defense of the right to self-determination, social justice, and international solidarity.

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“From Casa de las Americas, we support the Bolivarian Government’s denunciation and join in its rejection of Mr. Trump’s grotesque threat,” Abel Prieto, president of the prestigious cultural institution, wrote on his X profile.

On his behalf, the Cuban intellectual reiterated Cuba’s solidarity “with the brave Venezuelan people and their legitimate President Nicolas Maduro. They shall not pass!!!,” he concluded.

The denunciation responds to the announcement made by US President Donald Trump on Truth Social, in which he declared Venezuela a foreign terrorist organization and ordered a total and complete blockade of all oil tankers entering or leaving the country.

The measure, adopted six days after the seizure of a tanker off the Venezuelan coast, significantly increases Washington’s pressure on the Bolivarian government.

Trump, in his message, accused Caracas of drug trafficking, terrorism, and the illegitimate appropriation of US assets, and asserted that Venezuela is “surrounded by the largest Navy ever assembled in the history of South America.”

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WikiLeaks founder alleges war crimes facilitation tied to prize granted to Maria Corina Machado.

On Wednesday, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange filed a criminal complaint in Stockholm against the Nobel Foundation, accusing it of facilitating the commission of war crimes by awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to far-right Venezuelan activist Maria Corina Machado.

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The complaint alleges that 30 individuals linked to the Nobel Foundation committed crimes including aggravated misappropriation of funds, facilitation of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and financing the crime of aggression.

By honoring Machado, the Nobel Foundation — including its chair, Astrid Soderbergh Widding, and its chief executive officer, Hanna Stjarne — has turned “an instrument of peace into an instrument of war,” Assange said.

The Nobel Foundation’s decision runs counter to the binding provisions of Alfred Nobel’s will, which stipulates that the prize should be awarded to the person who has done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations.

JULIAN ASSANGE FILES CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST NOBEL FOUNDATION OVER “INSTRUMENT OF WAR” PEACE PRIZE

WikiLeaks Founder Alleges 2025 Award to María Corina Machado Constitutes Misappropriation, Facilitation of War Crimes Under Swedish Law, Seeks Freeze of 11 million SEK ($1.18… pic.twitter.com/OAH4mmvsph

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) December 17, 2025

By contrast, Machado’s “incitement” of what Assange described as the largest U.S. military buildup since the Iraq war makes her “categorically ineligible” for the Nobel Peace Prize, he argued.

“Machado has continued to incite the Trump administration to stay on its path of escalation. By using her elevated position as a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Machado may well have tipped the balance in favor of war, facilitated by the named suspects,” Assange stated, referring to members of the Nobel Foundation.

The complaint includes as evidence statements in which Machado encouraged Washington to intervene militarily in Venezuela and justified U.S. attacks on civilian ships off the coast of the Caribbean nation.

For 50 years, the Nobel committee has rejected the candidacies of dissidents from the Western world. Julian Assange and Edward Snowden have worked for peace in a different way from Machado. But they possess one flaw: they expose our own dirty secrets. https://t.co/mPFnxVED4y

— Le Monde diplomatique in English (@LMdiplo) October 29, 2025

In this context, awarding the prize to the Venezuelan opposition figure — including the pending disbursement of 1 million euros — would constitute the crime of aggravated misappropriation of funds.

The complaint also warns of a “real risk” that the funds could be diverted in ways that indirectly contribute to financing U.S. war crimes, thereby violating Sweden’s state obligations under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Assange is therefore asking Swedish authorities to freeze the transfer of the prize money to Machado, demand the return of the medal, and investigate the Nobel Foundation for the alleged crimes.

Machado is currently in Norway, where she arrived on Dec. 11 after a trip that prevented her from arriving in time for the award ceremony. She nonetheless took part in several official events in Oslo accompanied by her family and other far-right activists.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Nobel Peace Prize winner, Adolf Perez Esquivel, questioned the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Corina Machado, an extremist who calls for a military invasion of her own. pic.twitter.com/GS3P7KANNd

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 15, 2025

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Source: EFE

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He called on external actors to avoid prolonging the war and instead focus on a sustainable diplomatic solution.

On Wednesday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that the conflict in Ukraine will eventually end in peace, but emphasized that an early resolution is crucial to prevent further loss of life.

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In an interview with Newsmax TV, Lukashenko expressed strong concerns about the humanitarian cost of prolonged fighting, noting the high number of casualties and severely wounded individuals returning from the front lines.

The Belarusian leader pointed out that a peaceful resolution depends on multiple parties, not just the efforts of a single country, noting that the U.S. president alone cannot resolve the conflict, which directly involves Russia, Ukraine, and neighboring states like Belarus.

Lukashenko underscored that a quick agreement would be unlikely. He reiterated that the key to peace talks is first establishing a complete ceasefire to ensure no side uses the pause to rearm.

‘Ukraine Could Cease to EXIST’ If War Continues — Lukashenko

Belarusian President Lukashenko said Putin wants peace and Zelensky wants peace, but their visions of how the war should end differ.

He said Trump is right to “proceed from reality,” urging decisions based on the… pic.twitter.com/kBVQuwCrTw

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) December 17, 2025

He warned that continued escalation could lead to broader mobilization and even a global conflict and urged all sides to seize the current opportunity for negotiation.

Strong guarantees were needed to ensure a lasting peace. Lukashenko called on external actors to avoid prolonging the war and instead focus on a sustainable diplomatic solution.

“My advice to the leaders of Ukraine.. If you live next to a sleeping bear, do not wake it,” the Belarusian leader stated.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Russia: An apartment building was damaged after a nighttime drone attack in the province of Tver, less than 200 kilometers northwest of Moscow. pic.twitter.com/CfTYyz5KSl

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 15, 2025

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Source: Xinhua

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The European Commission opened two antitrust investigations into Google and Meta.

On Thursday, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) threatened to take countermeasures against the European Union (EU) over what it described as the bloc’s controversial regulations on service providers.

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“If the EU and EU Member States insist on continuing to restrict, limit, and deter the competitiveness of U.S. service providers through discriminatory means, the United States will have no choice but to begin using every tool at its disposal to counter these unreasonable measures,” the USTR posted on X.

Potential countermeasures could include assessing fees or imposing restrictions on foreign services. The agency also warned that it could adopt a similar approach toward other countries pursuing what it called an EU-style regulatory strategy in this area.

The USTR alleged that the EU and certain member states have pursued a sustained pattern of discriminatory and harassing lawsuits, taxes, fines, and directives targeting U.S. service providers.

US threatens retaliation on EU firms including Accenture, Siemens, Spotify, DHL, and SAP over digital taxes hitting Google, Meta, and Amazon. USTR calls EU measures “discriminatory” and warns of escalation if enforcement continues. pic.twitter.com/WTwzzXLpBc

— MKTNews (@MKTNews_Global) December 16, 2025

“The United States has raised concerns with the EU for years on these matters without meaningful engagement or basic acknowledgement of U.S. concerns,” the USTR added.

The USTR also said EU service providers have operated freely in the United States for decades, benefiting from access to the U.S. market and consumers, while naming several European technology giants with expansive presence in the country.

The latest remarks reflect growing frustration among U.S. officials over the EU’s tightening technology regulations and lawsuits targeting U.S. tech giants.

The European Commission has recently opened two antitrust investigations into U.S. tech giants Google and Meta, and fined Elon Musk’s platform X 120 million euros (US$140 million) in its first non-compliance decision under the Digital Services Act.

#US President Donald Trump confirms at a press conference his interference in the general elections held in #Chile on December 14 and in #Honduras on November 30. pic.twitter.com/Y2yydXRAma

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 16, 2025

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Source: Xinhua

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Rabbi Eli Schlanger was one of the 16 people who lost their lives in a terrorist attack inspired by the Islamic State, according to the government, as several flags of that group were found by police in the attackers’ van.

The commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, Krissy Barrett, highlighted the ideological beliefs of the suspects, a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son.

Both opened fire on the afternoon of December 14 on Bondi Beach, Australia’s most popular beach resort, located in Sydney, during a Hanukkah celebration.

The father died during a confrontation with law enforcement, while his son is hospitalized under police custody.

Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a thorough review of intelligence systems on Wednesday after acknowledging operational failures following the Bondi bombing.

The Prime Minister also emphasized the need for improved inter-agency coordination and reaffirmed his commitment to continue combating antisemitism with evolving reports.

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The ministry added that, in addition to serious damage, the armed aggression injured 77 civilians and displaced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.

The ministry also called on the international community to “strongly condemn Thailand’s violations of the Joint Declaration and its repeated war crimes and illegal activities,” and demanded that the neighboring nation “assume full responsibility for these blatant violations.”

Cambodia urged Thailand to immediately cease all hostile activities, withdraw its forces from its territory, and refrain from acts of aggression that threaten peace and stability in the region, the statement added.

Meanwhile, at a press conference Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, spokesperson for the Kingdom’s Ministry of National Defense, revealed that Thai forces deployed a new weapon, identified as the DTI-2, in their attacks against Cambodia’s territorial integrity.

She detailed that the new weapon was used to launch attacks on the battlefields of Preah Vihear province.

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In referring to the event, Co-President Rosario Murillo extold the enduring relevance of the thought and legacy of the “Liberator of Liberators,” Simon Bolivar, whom she described as an inspiration to General Augusto C. Sandino.

The copresident stressed that the tribute also extends to the heroes and founding fathers of the continent, while quoting an essay by Nicaragua’s ambassador to Panama, Carlos Midence, on Ruben Dario and Bolivar, which reflects the Nicaraguan poet’s perspective on the Liberator’s historical and moral significance.

Murillo emphasized that Dario had a complete understanding of who Bolivar was, what he represented for Latin America, and how his actions, courage, and thought continue to inspire the peoples of the continent.

In her remarks, she affirmed that Bolivar, Dario, Sandino, and the heroes and martyrs of the nation are remembered daily as beacons of dignity, conscience, and commitment to prosperity and collective happiness, while reaffirming his confidence in building a future of peace, security, and a good life for the Nicaraguan people. jdt/jav/rgh/ybv

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“We strongly reject the naval blockade of Venezuela by the US government,” declared Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in a message on X.

“We firmly support President Nicolas Maduro, the Bolivarian and Chavista Revolution, and its Popular-Military Union,” added the head of state.

On the same social media platform, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez expressed “full support for the statement published by the Venezuelan government,” which denounces and challenges the US measure.

He also commented that “the naval blockade against Venezuela announced by the US government is a grave violation of international law and an escalation of aggression against the Bolivarian government.”

“Our full and unwavering support for the constitutional President Nicolas Maduro, the Bolivarian and Chavista Revolution, and its Popular-Military Union,” proclaimed the Cuban Foreign Minister.

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This result represents a significant improvement compared to the $1.46 billion deficit recorded in October of this year and marks a considerable improvement over the $780 million deficit for the same month in 2024. Exports totaled $62.74 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 6.1 percent, while imports reached $60.65 billion, with a more moderate increase of 1.3 percent.

By trading partner, trade with China resulted in a deficit of five billion dollars, 13.8 percent higher than in November 2024.

With the United States, Japan posted a surplus of four billion eight hundred million dollars, 11.3 percent higher than a year earlier, driven by the reduction of tariffs on automotive products.

As for the European Union, the balance was negative by 840 million dollars, although this figure represents a 38.5 percent decrease compared to the previous year’s deficit.

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