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Dieudonne Kasereka, communications officer for the 34th Military Region, stated that armed men abducted 42 women from the central area of Bukombo, in the Rutshuru territory.

According to residents, the women were first tortured.

Their exact destination or whereabouts is difficult to determine, the officer told Radio Okapi station, and added that this is not the first such act attributed to the AFC/M23 rebels.

Kasereka commented that other acts of violence against civilians have been committed in Mushoro (Bwito Chiefdom), Pitango and Musinde (Batangi Chiefdom), and Kahongole (Katsiru village, also in Bwito).

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Currently, everyone is receiving free care and medication.

On Monday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a second financial aid package of US$1,670 for each of the people affected by the derailment of the Interoceanic Train. This amount that is intended to cover immediate and funeral expenses.

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Derailment on Mexico’s Key Trans-Isthmian Line Leaves 13 Dead

She explained that the second round of financial aid will be provided once the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) clarifies the causes of the accident. The president visited hospitals of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) and the Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE).

Some patients were transferred to Oaxaca, and others may be sent to Mexico City for specialized medical care as needed. Sheinbaum lamented the deaths of thirteen people.

In response to complaints from family members regarding alleged medical negligence, Sheinbaum assured that everyone is receiving free care and medication. Personnel from the National Commission for Victims and the Servants of the Nation are also assisting the affected families.

Navy Secretary Raymundo Morales informed that 250 people were on board, 108 of whom were hospitalized, and 44 remain hospitalized. There are scheduled surgeries for at least four people, and one has already been carried out on a minor.

#MañaneraDelPueblo | La presidenta @Claudiashein informa prioridades del Gobierno de México tras accidente del Tren Interoceánico: atender a víctimas y familias de manera directa, esclarecer los hechos, así como garantizar la seguridad de vías e infraestructura. Sigue el trabajo… pic.twitter.com/7lu5ipQsUR

— Gobierno de México (@GobiernoMX) December 29, 2025

The text reads, “President Claudia Sheinbaum informs of the Mexican government’s priorities following the Interoceanic Train accident: providing direct assistance to victims and their families, clarifying the facts, and ensuring the safety of tracks and infrastructure. Coordinated efforts continue.”

A Hi-Rail type scout vehicle had previously inspected the route and reported that the tracks were in normal condition. Human Rights Undersecretary Felix Medina announced a telephone hotline and public servants for affected family members.

IMSS-Bienestar Director Alejandro Svarch also indicated that care protocols had been activated at various hospitals. The Mexican president attended the funeral of a victim in Asuncion Ixtaltepec and reiterated that the government’s priority is to attend to the injured and their families.

Sheinbaum clarified that she prioritized hospitals and families and did not visit the accident site because it was part of the investigation. She confirmed that the train driver was not injured and that his statement will be taken by the FGR.

The president emphasized that the Trans-Isthmus Railway tracks meet technical requirements and safety certifications. She reiterated that these reviews are ongoing for railway projects and will not be initiated solely because of this accident.

In #Mexico, at least 13 people died and 98 were injured after the Transistmico train derailed on Sunday, December 28, on Line Z, which connects Salina Cruz, #Oaxaca, with Coatzacoalcos, #Veracruz, within the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. pic.twitter.com/ysIdYyKNQs

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 30, 2025

teleSUR: JP

Source: EFE

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The Republican leader is ‘not concerned’ about Israel’s actions under the ceasefire.

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump issued warnings to Hamas and Iran, as the second phase of the Gaza peace plan and concerns over Tehran’s missile program dominated his closed-door talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida.

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Analysts said Trump’s remarks were aimed at projecting leverage on both Gaza and Iran, but cautioned that rhetoric alone is unlikely to resolve the underlying challenges.

HAMAS DISARMAMENT

Trump said Hamas would be given only a “very short period of time to disarm” and warned there would be “hell to pay” if it failed to comply.

“They’re going to be given a very short period of time to disarm,” Trump told reporters after meeting with Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago residence, adding that his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner would oversee the disarmament process.

“If they don’t disarm as they agreed to do … then there will be hell to pay for them,” Trump said. “But we don’t want that. We’re not looking for that.”

Trump said earlier that he would try to launch the second phase of the Gaza peace plan “as quickly as we can,” stressing that Hamas’ disarmament would be a central condition.

Trump also said he was “not concerned” about Israel’s actions under the ceasefire, claiming Israel had “lived up to the plan 100 percent,” while acknowledging differences with Netanyahu over how to address settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

Netanyahu has reportedly indicated he will not rush the transition to the next phase of the peace plan while the remains of Ran Gvili — believed to be the last unrecovered Israeli hostage — remain in Gaza.

The ceasefire remains in the first of three phases outlined in the plan, with details of the second phase yet to be finalized. The second phase is expected to include Hamas’ disarmament, the start of reconstruction, and new governance arrangements for Gaza, potentially overseen by an international “Board of Peace” led by Trump.

On Saturday, Gaza health authorities said that 414 Palestinians have been killed and 1,142 wounded since the latest ceasefire began on Oct. 10. Analysts said that even if a phase-two agreement is announced, core issues, including who governs Gaza, security arrangements, and the absence of a clear path toward Palestinian statehood, would remain unresolved.

🚨BREAKING: Trump announces he has lobbied the president of Israel to give a full pardon to Benjamin Netanyahu and a “pardon is on its way.”

You’re looking at two disgusting criminals obsessed with evading accountability.
pic.twitter.com/5Q8qw8Yq79

— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) December 29, 2025

IRAN MISSILE PROGRAM

Trump said that Iran may be attempting to expand its weapons capabilities at new sites, warning of “very powerful” consequences if Tehran proceeds. “I hope Iran is not trying to build up, as I’ve been reading, that they’re building up weapons,” Trump said at a joint appearance with Netanyahu.

“If they are, they’re not using the sites that we obliterated, but they’re using possibly different sites. If it’s confirmed, there will be consequences. Maybe more powerful than last time,” he said, warning that his administration would support another swift military strike if Iran attempts to redevelop its ballistic missile program.

“I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down,” Trump said, urging Iran to pursue a “deal” with Washington, saying it would be “smarter.”

In response, Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, said any aggression would receive a strong, immediate response that goes beyond what the attacker expects, Iran’s state-run Nour News agency reported.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said last week that Iran’s missile program is defensive and “non-negotiable,” criticizing what he called Western “hypocrisy.”

On June 13, Israel launched surprise airstrikes on multiple targets in Iran, killing senior commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. On June 22, U.S. forces bombed Iranian nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan –an operation Trump has since described as a major military success.

Censorship at one of the United States' most prominent news programs, as President Donald Trump's allies further consolidate their control of U.S. media. pic.twitter.com/u29ryKtoOK

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 24, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Xinhua

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In neighborhoods of the coastal city of Latakia, pro-government youth groups launched simultaneous attacks against businesses and civilian vehicles in areas inhabited by Alawites.

The incidents included shots fired into the air, the throwing of stun grenades, acts of vandalism, and the burning of public and private property, accompanied by sectarian slogans and insults.

Local sources confirmed that at least three people were injured, one of them seriously, raising fears of a possible escalation of violence.

According to the official SANA news agency, security forces were deployed in the affected areas to prevent further clashes and maintain order.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported similar incidents in the Jabal al-Ward area, north of Damascus, where groups of young men rode motorcycles and behaved provocatively, creating tension among residents. In this context, one man was stabbed and taken to a hospital.

The Observatory also reported the deaths of three young men: two from the town of Tayr Jamla, west of Hama province, and one from the village of Saboura, after being attacked by armed groups for sectarian reasons.

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The post Srua reports sectarian riots in several areas first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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“Vladimir Putin sent Christmas and New Year 2026 greetings to foreign heads of state and government.

Among them are the President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the President of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel, and the President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro,” the statement published on the Kremlin’s official website reads.

The statement also highlights Putin’s Christmas and New Year greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian President Droupadi Murmu, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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Growing numbers of Americans blame Trump for their financial difficulties.

A poll conducted for Britain’s Guardian newspaper shows that nearly half of Americans believe their financial security is getting worse, while a majority say the United States is experiencing an economic recession.

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The survey, carried out by the Harris Poll between Dec. 11 and 13 among 2,180 nationally representative U.S. adults, found that economic pessimism has deepened over the past year, with growing numbers of Americans blaming the White House for their financial difficulties.

According to the poll, 45 percent of respondents said their financial security is deteriorating, compared with just 20 percent who said it is improving. Meanwhile, 57 percent said the U.S. economy is undergoing a recession, up 11 percentage points from a similar poll conducted in February.

The results underscore an “economically tumultuous year.” Many Americans reported feeling “shaken” by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, mass government layoffs and a crackdown on immigration, even as official data recently showed stronger-than-expected economic growth. Consumer confidence, as measured by the Conference Board, has declined for five consecutive months.

‘Deadly New Disease’: 1998 Poll of Americans’ Predictions for Future Were ‘Surprisingly Prescient’ https://t.co/jUkSOIdXYO

— Mediaite (@Mediaite) December 30, 2025

The poll highlighted sharp political divisions in perceptions of economic conditions. Democrats were almost twice as likely as Republicans to say their financial security is getting worse, at 52 percent versus 27 percent.

Concerns were also pronounced among independent voters, with 54 percent saying their finances are deteriorating, up nine percentage points from February. A majority of independents, 58 percent, also believe the country is in recession.

At the same time, more of the blame is being placed on the White House than ever before. When asked who is most responsible for increasing prices, 76 percent of Democrats and 72 percent of independents pointed to government management of the economy. Republicans were more divided, though a majority of 55 percent also blamed the government rather than corporate practices.

Differences in economic sentiment were also evident across gender, race and income groups. Women expressed significantly greater pessimism than men, with half saying their financial security is worsening, compared with 39 percent of men.

About two-thirds of Black and Hispanic respondents said the U.S. economy is in recession, compared with just over half of white respondents.

Income disparities further reflected what some economists describe as a “K-shaped” economy. Among respondents earning less than US$50,000 a year, 59 percent said their financial security is getting worse, up 13 percentage points from February. By contrast, 37 percent of those earning more than 100,000 dollars said things are getting worse.

Censorship at one of the United States' most prominent news programs, as President Donald Trump's allies further consolidate their control of U.S. media. pic.twitter.com/u29ryKtoOK

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 24, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Xinhua

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Addressing the Seminar on the International Situation and China’s Diplomacy 2025, Wang noted that this year marked the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations, in a context of deep changes on the international arena.

The diplomat said that China will act under the leadership of the Communist Party Central Committee, with President Xi Jinping at its core, and will maintain the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity as its central focus.

The foreign minister affirmed that Chinese diplomacy will seek to unite the world’s progressive forces and concentrate efforts on preserving peace and promoting common development.

Upon summarizing the diplomatic year, he underscored that Beijing acted as a stabilizing factor in the face of conflicts affecting world peace.

Wang pointed out that the nation played a central role in its regional environment, strengthening ties with neighboring countries and advancing the construction of communities with a shared future.

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“Such actions represent a threat to stability and security, particularly in the context of efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace,” Mirziyoev stated, as quoted by his press office.

According to the Kremlin, “the President of Uzbekistan expressed his outrage at the attack” and “condemned the reckless terrorist actions of the Kyiv regime.”

On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Ukraine of launching an attack on the presidential residence in the Novgorod region using 91 drones. He claimed that all the drones involved in the attack were intercepted by air defenses.

Lavrov pointed out that Russia does not intend to abandon the negotiation process with the United States following the Ukrainian attack, but will review its position in those talks.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the failed Ukrainian drone attack against Putin’s residence was “an act of terrorism” intended to derail the peace negotiations.

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The report on combat operations, broadcast on the military’s official Telegram channel, specifies that “units of the Dnieper Troop Group occupied, through forceful actions, the village of Lukyanovskoe in the Zaporizhzhe Oblast.”

The Ministry also estimated that Ukrainian Armed Forces suffered approximately 1,330 casualties in the last 24 hours in the area of ​​the Russian special military operation.

According to the report, the Central Troop Group inflicted the highest number of enemy casualties, more than 470, followed by the Southern Troop Group, with up to 220 casualties.

The Eastern Troop Group inflicted more than 210 casualties. In the Northern Group’s area of ​​operations, Ukraine lost up to 200 soldiers; in the Western Group, more than 190; and in the Dnieper Group, up to 40.

The Ukrainian Army also lost 21 armored fighting vehicles, 79 cars, eight artillery pieces, two electronic warfare stations, and 10 ammunition depots.

In addition, Russian air defenses intercepted three projectiles from the Himars multiple rocket launcher system and 18 unmanned aerial vehicles.

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But Easy is not the only one affected by the collapse in consumption that has decimated sales and bankrupted hundreds of businesses across the country.

Other long-established chains are also closing their doors and leaving employees jobless, such as Vea, Yaguar, Ecomar, and Fravega.

The marked drop in sales is compounded by increased operating costs and a forced reconfiguration of the business throughout the country.

The news outlet Urgente24 notes that for three decades, Easy La Tablada was much more than just a store. Located at a strategic point in La Matanza, on Camino de Cintura and the iconic roundabout, it served as a landmark for families, business owners, and construction workers.

According to data provided by the Union of Commercial Employees and Workers of the Western Zone, the supermarket registered a sustained drop in sales of 30 to 50 percent during the last two years of Javier Milei’s neoliberal government.

These numbers show a clear trend: The year is ending, and mass consumption has failed to recover, with the austerity measures being felt by both households and businesses. Added to this is the sustained increase in commercial rents, one of the costs that most pressures the profitability of businesses.

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“Behind these numbers is the effort of millions of Venezuelan workers, business owners, entrepreneurs, farmers, fishermen, and community members,” the Vice President wrote on her Telegram account.

Rodriguez emphasized that, united as one, they are determined with unwavering resolve not to succumb to the brutal economic blockade imposed by the United States and its allies.

“In 2026 we will continue to be victorious!!” she affirmed.

The Bolivarian Government foresees a 9 percent growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by the end of the year.

According to ECLAC, the Bolivarian Republic will close this year with a GDP of 6.5 percent and projects 3.0 percent for 2026.

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The leftist leader supports the constitutional right of citizens to protest.

On Monday, LIBRE party presidential candidate Rixi Moncada sharply criticized Honduras’ Nov. 30 elections, calling them illegitimate and tainted by fraudulent practices and manipulation of results.

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Moncada Calls Asfura’s Proclamation Fraudulent

Her remarks came amid a mobilization called by LIBRE Party coordinator Manuel Zelaya in support of Central District Mayor Jorge Aldana, who remains at the electoral warehouses of the National Institute for Professional Training in protest over authorities’ refusal to recognize his electoral victory.

Moncada voiced support for the protest and said Hondurans must not yield to what she described as external impositions or internal decisions that betray the popular will.

She directly criticized the National Electoral Council (CNE), accusing it of acting in favor of the country’s traditional two-party system and of violating constitutional and legal principles.

The political leader warned that those responsible for alleged irregularities will have to face justice, regardless of how much time passes or what power they seek to shelter behind.

#Honduras | Former President Manuel Zelaya calls for protests over electoral fraud committed during the November 30 presidential elections. pic.twitter.com/5hzp8JtE0J

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 29, 2025

Moncada said that in response to electoral fraud and the imposition of a president, civic struggle is a duty, not an option, because giving up citizen mobilization would amount to surrendering popular sovereignty.

“We do not recognize the president of fraud. The elections are null because not all the votes, biometric devices and voter booklets were counted. The CNE violated popular sovereignty,” Moncada said, stressing that the Honduran Constitution upholds citizens’ right to defend the democratic order when it is violated.

“Honduran laws provide for criminal, civil and administrative liability” in cases of electoral fraud, Moncada stated, addressing the Organization of American States, the European Union and countries that have recognized the alleged winner of the presidential elections.

“We will remain firm and strong against organized crime and against those who, through fraud, coercion and threats, have imposed an electoral result that does not reflect the popular will,” she concluded.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Honduras: Several social organizations declared themselves on alert due to the potential return of the National Party to power, which they accuse of serious human rights violations. pic.twitter.com/ESjOksCNzh

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 29, 2025

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Sources: teleSUR – LatitudDHN

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The company, declared a Cultural Heritage of the Nation in 2018, performs the classic Don Quixote, a season dedicated to Cuban prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso on her 105th birthday.

Nunez and Reve captivated the audience on December 28 at the Teatro Nacional de Cuba with charm, vibrant chemistry, and supreme technical mastery.

Nunez is a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet in London, and Reve is a guest artist with that renowned British company and a principal dancer with the Queensland Ballet in Australia, who has never lost the habit of returning to his roots and honoring them with respect and affection.

The BNC will open 2026 with another performance of Don Quixote on January 1 at the Teatro Nacional de Cuba, with first dancers Anette Delgado and Anyelo Montero in the leading roles.

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Founded on February 10, 1980, by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the political organization, the largest left-wing party in Latin America, has maintained its leadership continuously since late 1990s and has retained stability under the current administration.

The second position is held by the conservative Liberal Party (PL), led by former President Jair Bolsonaro, which reached its historical high with 12 percent approval.

Its growth intensified as of December 2021, reaching double digits in October 2022.

Before the PL’s rise, the second position was contested by the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) and the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB), which were overtaken by the Social Liberal Party (PSL) in 2018 following the attack against Bolsonaro.

The PT, throughout its existence, has left a profound print on the national political scene, symbolizing the struggle for social inclusion, redistributive justice, and the active participation of the popular sectors.

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The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has sharply criticized new Israeli legislation restricting UNRWA’s activities, warning that it directly undermines international law and the agency’s mandate.

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West Bank Situation Worst in Decades as Child Casualties Mount: UNRWA

Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), described as “outrageous” the vote by Israel’s parliament approving new legal measures against the humanitarian agency. In a post on X, Lazzarini said the legislation “constitutes a direct affront to the mandate given to the Agency by the UN General Assembly” and violates rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Israel’s Knesset approved on Monday, in second and third readings, an amendment to a January 2025 law that bans UNRWA’s activities within Israeli territory. The measure passed with 59 votes in favor and seven against. Lazzarini stated that “the legislation cuts off the supply of water, electricity, fuel and communications to UNRWA and grants the Government of Israel the authority to expropriate UN properties in East Jerusalem, including UNRWA’s headquarters and its main vocational training center.”

“The vote by the Israeli parliament on 29 December 2025 passing new legislation against UNRWA is outrageous. It is a direct affront to the mandate granted to the Agency by the UN General Assembly and contrary to findings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which… pic.twitter.com/6tomQEoldS

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) December 30, 2025

He also noted that the law explicitly excludes UNRWA from Israeli legislation recognizing UN privileges and immunities, which he described as “a clear violation of the obligations of the State of Israel under the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.”

During the parliamentary debate, Israeli lawmaker Boaz Bismut accused UNRWA of being “an arm of Hamas,” alleging involvement of agency staff in the events of October 7. However, the ICJ has indicated that Israel has not presented sufficient evidence to demonstrate a lack of neutrality by the agency or to substantiate claims that a significant portion of its staff is linked to armed groups.

Lazzarini further denounced unilateral actions on the ground, including Israeli officials entering UNRWA facilities in East Jerusalem and the forced closure of its schools, which deprived hundreds of refugee children of their right to education. Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, described the law on X as “another violation of international law.”

The new legislation expands restrictions imposed since January 2025, which had already banned UNRWA operations in occupied East Jerusalem and suspended all contact between Israeli officials and the agency. Lazzarini emphasized that “the ICJ has ruled that UNRWA’s services are essential for the fulfillment of the UN’s commitment to the rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination.”

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Iran designates the Royal Canadian Navy as a terrorist organization in response to the “illegal decision” by the Canadian government targeting part of the Iranian Armed Forces.

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The Iranian foreign minister says the Venezuelan people will safeguard their country’s independence and national interests in the face of illegal moves by the United States.

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According to the agency, those arrested include four members of the National Police, two agents of the Technical Investigation Corps (CTI), and three private citizens who were formerly with the Criminal Investigation Section and the National Penitentiary and Prison Institute (Inpec).

The Attorney General’s Office added that the accused profitted from their positions and demanded between 400 million and 1 billion pesos (between US$108,000 and US$270,000 at the current exchange rate) from a citizen who had served a sentence in the United States and from his family members.

The demand for money was intended to prevent the imposition of precautionary measures aimed at seizing his assets, to prevent the execution of arrest warrants, and to halt other legal actions against him.

It was also revealed that those allegedly involved in the illicit activities managed to destroy evidence to obstruct the investigation and coerce witnesses into providing false information about the relatives of the man who served time in the United States, in retaliation for their refusal to pay the requested sums.

They are also accused of intimidating one of the lead investigators to gain access to details of the cases they were interested in; for all of this, they will be charged with several crimes.

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Lawyer Sonia Vera warned in an interview with FM Mundo radio that Glas, whose request for transfer to a hospital was denied by a judge, is taking 21 medications with more than 45 doses daily, without adequate medical supervision.

“The problem is not the medication itself, but the extreme polypharmacy he is being subjected to,” the lawyer stated, noting that there are no evaluations to determine whether the combination of medications is counterproductive.

Following the denial of the habeas corpus petition for his transfer to a hospital, the lawyer maintained that the government is creating conditions that could lead to her client’s death, and questioned the medical care provided in the detention centers where he is being held.

He explained that for years he unsuccessfully requested that the internist treating Glas be allowed entry, until the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) issued precautionary measures, which granted him access in December to the maximum-security prison located in the coastal province of Santa Elena.

Vera emphasized that Glas suffers from 18 medical conditions and takes opioids, antihistamines, muscle relaxants, and other medications, making him a drug-dependent patient.

She warned that the abrupt discontinuation of any of these medications could cause severe anxiety and even death. He also reported a 70 percent reduction in Glas’s food intake, a situation that has led to malnutrition, further aggravating his health.

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  The operation took place in the state of Amazonas, in southern Venezuela, as part of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces’ (FANB) Strategic Operation Bolivarian Shield Independence 200, he revealed on his Instagram account.

  The operation was carried out in the Alto Orinoco municipality, a border area with the Federative Republic of Brazil, and was in response to direct instructions from the constitutional president and commander-in-chief of the FANB, Nicolas Maduro, in a frontal offensive against the trafficking of narcotics and psychotropic substances throughout the nation, he specified.

Hernandez said that the aircraft were operating from illegal clandestine airstrips, flagrantly violating the Law for the Comprehensive Defense of Airspace Control, as well as the Law of National Security and Defense.

  He stated that they lacked authorized flight plans, visible identification, and transponder systems for transiting through national airspace.

  The commander-in-chief of the FANB emphasized that, with this latest achievement, Venezuela has now disabled a total of 39 aircraft so far in 2025 and 430 since 2012, “consolidating an insurmountable barrier against organized crime.”

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Khaleda Zia, a dominant figure in Bangladesh’s politics for four decades and leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), died on Tuesday in Dhaka at the age of 80, bringing to a close the long and bitter rivalry with Sheikh Hasina that shaped the country’s political life.

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Zia died at 6:00 a.m. local time (00:00 GMT) at Evercare Hospital, where she was receiving treatment from an international medical team. Her health had steadily declined after years marked by cirrhosis, diabetes and prolonged confinement. Her death comes one year and four months after the collapse of the government led by Hasina, and five days after her son and political heir, Tarique Rahman, returned from exile.

She died free and cleared by the courts, though physically weakened by years of imprisonment. Zia’s political career began abruptly after the assassination of her husband, General and President Ziaur Rahman, in 1981. She stepped into the leadership of the BNP and emerged as a central figure in street protests against the military dictatorship of H.M. Ershad. Her reputation for defiance was cemented in 1987, when she challenged a military curfew and declared, “I am ready to die.”

Deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in Dhaka.

Our sincerest condolences to her family and all the people of Bangladesh. May the Almighty grant her family the fortitude to bear this tragic loss.

As the… pic.twitter.com/BLg6K52vak

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2025

That posture carried her to power in 1991, when she became the first woman to serve as prime minister of Bangladesh. Her government expanded free education for girls and advanced economic liberalization policies that reshaped the country’s labor demographics. At the same time, her tenure deepened political polarization.

In 2001, Zia returned to office at the head of a coalition that included the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, securing a large parliamentary majority while drawing criticism abroad for empowering religious radicalism. Allegations of widespread corruption within her inner circle followed, focusing on the political office known as Hawa Bhaban, from which her son Tarique was accused of operating a “parallel government.” These accusations later became the basis of judicial cases against her.

Her exit from power in 2006 marked the start of a sustained decline. After months of street violence and an army-backed emergency administration, Zia suffered a decisive defeat in the 2008 elections to Hasina’s Awami League. The BNP’s decision to boycott the 2014 elections left the party outside parliament and exposed Zia to renewed corruption prosecutions that resulted in her conviction.

Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who many believed would sweep elections next year to lead her country once again, died on Tuesday aged 80, her Bangladesh Nationalist Party said.https://t.co/Ki6tLDnlT9 pic.twitter.com/aY7RkhVsWt

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 30, 2025

Imprisoned in 2018 in an abandoned colonial-era jail, Zia became a symbol of passive resistance as her health deteriorated. She repeatedly rejected government proposals that would have allowed her release in exchange for exile in London. “I have nowhere to go. This is my country and here I will die,” she told those close to her during the most critical moments of her detention.

Her refusal to leave the country sustained her political standing until the 2024 student uprising. After her release, in her final public appearance, Zia called for restraint toward her political opponents, saying, “No to destruction, no to revenge. Let us build a society based on peace.”

Khaleda Zia leaves a Bangladesh in transition, approaching national elections scheduled for 2026, and a political legacy that defined the country’s nationalist identity and decades of confrontation at the highest levels of power.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Dozens of businesses were destroyed on Monday by a fire at a densely populated market in San Pedro Sula, Honduras’ second-largest city, after flames broke out in a stall storing fireworks, according to preliminary reports from the Fire Department.

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Firefighters said the blaze originated in a business that kept rockets and firecrackers, allowing the fire to spread rapidly through the market. An officer participating in the firefighting operations told reporters, “Fireworks should never have been stored here in the market; look at the tragedy that has just occurred. Many families will be left on the street before the end of the year. This is lamentable.”

The same source said that many vendors have failed to comply with Fire Department orders prohibiting the storage of hazardous products such as gunpowder-based items. Authorities said the total number of businesses affected by the fire has not yet been determined.

Fire officials also reported repeated resistance during safety inspections. According to the officer, when authorities have carried out checks in markets to verify compliance with safety measures, some business owners “have even pulled machetes on authorities when they were asked not to keep gunpowder, to prevent this type of incident.”

🤝🔥 #LoÚltimo | Sampedranos se unen para salvar lo rescatable de los negocios que fueron consumidos por las llamas, tras el incendio que afectó más de 100 locales en SPS

Entre cenizas y pérdidas, la ayuda ciudadana se hace presente en la zona, mientras el Cuerpo de Bomberos… pic.twitter.com/fxolf6Eyc5

— Diario La Prensa (@DiarioLaPrensa) December 30, 2025

Preliminary information indicates that the fire spread across businesses located on a site of approximately 10,000 square meters. Firefighters stressed that authorities should apply stricter oversight of vendors who sell fireworks and firecrackers in popular markets.

After the fire was reported, Honduras’ president-elect, Nasry ‘Tito’ Asfura, announced that he would donate 1.5 million lempiras, about 56,818 U.S. dollars, to support those affected. “We will be watching over them, including the injured,” Asfura said in statements to the television channel Hable Como Habla (HCH) in Tegucigalpa.

Asfura urged affected merchants to “organize themselves” to facilitate the delivery of the funds and ensure their distribution “is fair.” “These are my own resources to serve the people,” he added. Asfura won the presidency under the banner of the conservative National Party.

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By Misión Verdad  –  Dec 29, 2025

The maximum pressure operation launched by the Trump administration against Venezuela—centered in the Caribbean during the last quarter of 2025—is a strategic failure and a comprehensive defeat: diplomatically, militarily, legally, and symbolically.

What began as a multisectoral offensive to fracture the Venezuelan state and force a regime change in favor of its economic subordination has resulted in a crisis of legitimacy for Washington, a consolidation of a certain degree of regional and global resistance, and the exposure of criminal practices that threaten to destabilize the US power apparatus from within.

The offensive and its components: military coercion, false narrative, extrajudicial lethality
The strategy was deployed on three intertwined fronts, under the premise of US exceptionalism and the permanent invocation of an alleged “existential emergency.”

In military terms, tens of thousands of troops were concentrated in the Caribbean Basin—the largest presence since the Cold War. Operation Southern Spear was presented as a “humanitarian mission” by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

However, the contrast between the rhetorical facade and the operational practice is abysmal: without verification processes, gradual warnings, or captures, the US Armed Forces have carried out over 20 airstrikes against small boats allegedly linked to drug trafficking. These strikes have left a toll of over 100 civilians dead—among them Venezuelan, Colombian, and Trinidadian fishermen and crew members—in just four months.

The total absence of military courts, proportionality reviews, or accountability mechanisms turns each operation into an act of extrajudicial execution.

This pattern is not accidental; it is rooted in an institutional architecture that, as Parker Yesko’s research demonstrates, has normalized systematic impunity since Iraq and Afghanistan.

To give just one example: The September 2 strike—where two survivors, already out of action and clinging to the wreckage of their boat, were killed in the water—was not an operational deviation, but the materialization of a deliberate policy. Former military legal advisors (JAGs) have denounced orders such as “leave no survivors,” issued or validated by Hegseth. Under Title 18, §2441 of the US Code, these actions constitute conduct that can be classified as a war crime.

The Pentagon’s refusal to release the full video of that attack, despite having already released over 20 edited clips, reinforces the hypothesis that this is not a tactical failure, but a deliberate concealment strategy, where illegal violence is the central instrument of geopolitical control.

Geopolitical costs: hemispheric isolation and multipolar counterweight
Far from isolating Venezuela, the escalation has produced an unprecedented convergence in Latin America. Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico—three actors with divergent political agendas and historically tense relations with Caracas—have clearly condemned the military deployment.

Brazilian President Lula described it as a threat to regional peace, and Colombian President Petro suspended intelligence cooperation and condemned the attacks as assassinations. Meanwhile, Mexico demanded an immediate end to all armed pressure.

This regional triangulation does not respond to ideological affinities but to a shared perception of strategic risk. The US operation threatens Venezuelan sovereignty and undermines the principle of nonintervention that has sustained the South American security architecture since the Santiago Declaration (1986) and the Treaty of Tlatelolco.

The impact transcends the hemisphere. Russia and China have reaffirmed their support for Venezuela as part of a structural dispute over the configuration of the world order.

Speaking at the Security Council, Russian UN Ambassador Nebenzya condemned “unprecedented pressure” and warned that any attack would be an “irreparable mistake.” Meanwhile, Beijing insisted that Venezuela’s internal affairs should be resolved without sanctions or intervention.

This convergence is not circumstantial; it reflects the consolidation of a multipolar axis that offers alternative financial, energy, and diplomatic routes to unilateral dependence on Washington.

In this context, the Caribbean offensive not only fails to isolate Venezuela but accelerates its integration into value chains and alliances that erode US hegemony in the Global South. This is a strategic paradox that underlines the blindness of imperial planning.

Political costs: institutional breakdown and erosion of consensus
The operation has generated a governance crisis within the United States, fueling an institutional conflict that transcends partisan polarization. The bipartisan Congress has questioned the legality and transparency of the operations. A clause in the National Defense Authorization Act withholds part of the Pentagon’s budget until the full video of the September 2 attack is released. The measure was approved with 77 votes in favor and only 20 against, demonstrating widespread rejection.

Even senators like Lindsey Graham, a longtime advocate of armed intervention, implicitly acknowledged the overtly military nature of the operation by comparing it to the 1989 invasion of Panama. Meanwhile, Rand Paul condemned the violation of due process, and Chris Van Hollen called the second attack a “very likely war crime.”

These criticisms are not due to a sudden “humanist turn” but to a logic of internal dispute. In a context of deep fragmentation of the Republican Party—between MAGA, neoconservatives, and moderates—and with a presidential approval rating at historic lows (36%), the operation in the Caribbean has become a symbolic battleground.

As Senator Chris Murphy pointed out, the briefing given by Hegseth and Rubio lasted barely 50 minutes, with little time for questions and no clarity on the ultimate goal—to overthrow Maduro, to control the oil, or both. This exposes a strategic vacuum that undermines even the internal coherence of the executive branch.

The militarization of foreign policy, far from consolidating support, has generated an institutional boomerang effect. Each escalation increases the risk of litigation, formal investigations, and legislative obstacles that threaten to paralyze the White House’s energy, budgetary, and sanctions agenda.

Failure to achieve the core objectives: there is no surrender, no fracture, no subordination
The stated and underlying objectives of the US operation have not only failed to materialize but have actually backfired. The “psychological pressure” exerted against the Venezuelan Armed Force (FANB) and political leadership has not created fractures. On the contrary, it has strengthened institutional cohesion and the government’s internal legitimacy.

Maduro remains in power with significant popular support, evidenced in the recent regional and municipal elections, and with a growing capacity for diplomatic projection.

Trump’s rhetorical openness to “dialogue” in November, which disappeared in December (we will see soon in January), was not a sign of a willingness to understand but a tacit recognition of stalemate. When coercion does not produce surrender, the language of dialogue is instrumentalized as a last tactical resource to reposition oneself without de-escalating.

In economic terms, the “maximum pressure” strategy has also failed to achieve its central objective: control over strategic resources. Although Washington has seized oil tankers carrying millions of barrels of crude, this does not alter Venezuela’s ownership structure or energy sovereignty.

The US corporations, such as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, have not returned to Venezuela, and any future negotiations will necessarily have to go through the current government.

Trump’s admission: “They took all our oil… We want it back”—is not bravado, but desperation. It is a confession that the strategy of strangulation has not generated concessions, and that the only possible way is the direct recognition of the interlocutor that was intended to be eliminated.

In that sense, the operation has achieved exactly the opposite of its intention. It has not weakened Venezuela, but has forced the US to confront it as a sovereign power on an equal footing—a symbolic defeat of the first order.

The symptom of a decline
This disaster is structural, not circumstantial. It reflects the collapse of a strategy based on unilateralism, blackmail, and legalized piracy—a strategy that no longer resonates even with Washington’s traditional allies.

Yesko’s investigation into war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan demonstrates that systematic impunity is an entrenched pattern. What is new is that, today, the pattern is being broken in real time, with public condemnations, leaks, and demands for accountability from within the system.

Russia Reaffirms Unwavering Support for Venezuela Amid US Imperialist Aggression

The difference lies not in the violence—which remains brutal—but in the world’s ability to name it, document it, and resist it.

Trump’s crude verbalization on December 16—”give back our oil, our land, our assets”—is no minor provocation. It is the brutal transparency of an imperial doctrine that no longer needs to pretend.

However, this frankness is not a sign of strength, but narrative exhaustion. When the story of the “fight against narcoterrorism” fades in the face of the evidence of hundreds of murdered civilians, all that remains is the naked confession of recolonization.

The problem is that the world no longer accepts that script. What the US has achieved is not the subjugation of Venezuela, but the construction of a new balance of power: a more sovereign region (for the time being), a more cohesive Global South, and an empire that, by exposing its war crimes as a tactic, has shed its last mask of moral exceptionalism.

The US disaster in the Caribbean is evidence that the era of unipolar hegemony has entered its terminal phase.

(Misión Verdad)

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JRE/SF

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

Caracas, December 30, 2025 (venezuelanalysis.com) – The United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has reportedly bombed a target inside Venezuelan territory.

According to CNN, citing “sources familiar with the matter,” the CIA carried out a drone strike against a “remote dock on the Venezuelan.” US officials allegedly believed the facility was being used for drug storage and shipping.

There was reportedly no one present on site during the attack, which is only specified to have taken place “earlier this month.” A New York Times report, likewise relying on anonymous sources, presented similar claims and added that the strike took place last Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump first alluded to a purported strike inside Venezuelan territory during an interview on Friday, claiming that US forces had destroyed a “big facility where ships come from” two days earlier.

Trump elaborated on a Monday press conference, adding that the site was along the Venezuelan shore and that there was a “big explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs.”

US agencies have not confirmed the attack, with the CIA, the White House and the Pentagon refusing comment. Analysts relying on open source data tracked no signs of an explosion on the Venezuelan coast in recent days.

For its part, Venezuelan authorities have not released any statements on the matter.

If confirmed, the land strikes would mark a significant escalation in the US’ military campaign against Venezuela. Since August, the Trump administration has amassed the largest build-up in decades in the Caribbean and launched dozens of strikes against small boats accused of narcotics trafficking, killing over 100 civilians in the process.

Trump has repeatedly vowed to bomb purported drug targets inside Venezuelan territory while escalating regime change threats against the Nicolás Maduro government. The White House allegedly approved lethal CIA operations in the country in October.

Despite recurrent “narcoterrorism” accusations against Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan officials, Washington has not provided court-tested evidence to back the claims. Specialized agencies have consistently shown Venezuela to play a marginal role in global drug trafficking.

In recent weeks, Trump has turned his discourse toward Venezuelan oil, claiming that the Caribbean nation had “stolen” oil rights from US corporations during nationalization processes in the 2000s and 1970s.

The US president ordered a naval blockade against Venezuelan oil exports, with US forces seizing two oil tankers carrying Venezuelan crude in international waters earlier this month. A third vessel reportedly refused to be boarded and headed toward the Atlantic Ocean. According to Reuters, US forces have been ordered to enforce a “quarantine” of Venezuelan oil in the next two months in order to exacerbate the South American country’s economic struggles.

A group of UN experts issued a statement on December 24 condemning the US’ maritime blockade as “violating fundamental rules of international law.”

“The illegal use of force, and threats to use further force at sea and on land, gravely endanger the human right to life and other rights in Venezuela and the region,” the experts affirmed, while urging UN member-states to take measures to stop the blockade and the vessel bombings.

The attempted blockade builds on widespread US economic sanctions, particularly targeting the Venezuelan oil industry, the country’s most important revenue source. US coercive measures have been classified as “collective punishment” and found responsible for tens of thousands of civilian deaths.

For its part, the Maduro government has condemned US “acts of piracy” in capturing oil tankers and blasted the Trump administration’s actions as blatant attempts to seize Venezuela’s natural resources.

Caracas has received diplomatic backing from its main allies, with China and Russia both condemning Washington’s military escalations as violations of international law. However, a recent UN Security Council meeting convened by Venezuela produced no resolutions.

The post CIA Claimed to Have Launched Strike on “Remote Dock” on Venezuelan Coast appeared first on Venezuelanalysis.

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US forces attacked a boat in the eastern Pacific on Monday, killing two more people in another deadly attack as part of Operation Southern Spear, under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.

“On December 29, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike against a vessel operated by designated terrorist organizations in international waters,” reported the Southern Command.

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According to the Southcom post, which refers to the two victims as “narco-terrorists,” intelligence confirmed that the vessel was traveling along known drug trafficking routes in the eastern Pacific and was involved in drug trafficking operations. The video released shows a small boat, and no visible debris remains after the explosion.

Since August 14, the U.S. Department of Defense has ordered the deployment of air and naval units to the southern Caribbean, ostensibly to “combat drug trafficking” and “curb the trafficking of synthetic drugs.” This operation has been questioned and denounced as illegal, and is seen as a direct attempt to pressure Venezuela and control the South American country’s natural resources.

Since September 2, more than 30 vessels have been destroyed and at least 107 people have died in the lethal attacks carried out by the United States in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific.

On Dec. 29, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known… pic.twitter.com/69ywxXk30N

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 29, 2025

The actions of the United States in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific, along with the escalation of aggression and threats against Latin American nations, primarily Venezuela and Colombia, have been condemned internationally by countries, organizations, and political leaders, including members of Congress and legal experts in the U.S. Despite this, the White House has maintained its pressure in the region, escalating the threat by seizing ships transporting Venezuelan oil in Caribbean waters.

Governments and organizations have emphasized the need to preserve Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace, as proclaimed at the Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in Havana in 2014, and have warned that Washington’s military deployment and hostility generate instability in the region and violate international law.

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