During the cordial and mutually respectful conversation, the Head of State expressed his pleasure at receiving the visit and emphasized that Cuba welcomes and supports Archbishop Santiago’s proposal to organize an International Conference on Religious Freedom in 2026, according to a publication on the Cuban presidency’s website.

This event would coincide with three significant anniversaries: the Centenary of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro, the 30th anniversary of the Metropolis, and the 35th anniversary of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

Diaz-Canel, through the archbishop, extended a formal invitation to Patriarch Bartholomew to visit the island whenever he deems it appropriate, assuring him that he would be received “with the utmost appreciation.”

For his part, Archbishop Santiago expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and emphasized the honor of being in Cuba, a nation with which he is always close.

He exoressed that he also includes President Diaz-Canel’s name in his homilies, given the way in which he has maintained the relationship, and highlighted the constant support of the Cuban state.

Archbishop Santiago’s visit, part of a pastoral program linked to the celebrations of Saint Nicholas of Myra, included meetings with Orthodox communities in the provinces of Holguín, Las Tunas, and Santiago de Cuba.

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This date commemorates the birth of Cuban martyr Raul Gomez Garcia (1928-1953), known as the poet of the Centennial Generation and author of the lyrical work “Ya estamos en combate” (We Are Already in Combat) and drafter of the Moncada Manifesto.

Institutions and organizations throughout the country shared their congratulations on social media, recognizing the work of creators, promoters, intellectuals, and technicians.

From December 10 to 14, Cuba celebrated those who make culture a daily dedication and commitment; during these days, experiences were shared, careers were recognized, and the value of culture as a public good and a right for all was reaffirmed, shared the Recording and Musical Editions Company, EGREM.

The dedication of all of them guarantees that culture continues to be a vital force and a bridge to identity; their often silent work becomes the foundation of tradition and the engine of renewal, commented the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba on its Facebook profile.

The National Council of Performing Arts expressed its gratitude for their daily effort, their courage to create, and their unwavering commitment to culture, highlighting how the workers in the sector are the soul and heart of the performing arts.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the Cuban Fund for Cultural Assets, the National Council of Visual Arts, and the National Ballet School, which will offer a special performance this Sunday, also commemorated the date with celebratory messages.

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Brown University shooting leaves 2 dead, 9 wounded during exams; person of interest detained after 400-officer manhunt. Ivy League campus lockdown lifted amid U.S. gun violence surge.

Related: Sydney Terrorist Attack: 12 Dead, 29 Injured in Ruthless Assault on Jewish Community at Bondi Beach

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Person of Interest Captured After 2 Dead, 9 Wounded in Audacious Campus Rampage

Providence police detained a person of interest Sunday morning following the Brown University shooting that killed 2 and wounded 9, including 7 critically, at the Ivy League campus.

Colonel Oscar Perez confirmed no additional suspects remain at large. The gunman entered the Barus and Holley building Saturday afternoon during exams, sparking a massive response.

Campus lockdown lifted, but Minden Hall stays restricted as an active crime scene.

Telesur English: Brown University Shooting Suspect Detained

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Manhunt Details in Brown University Shooting

Over 400 officers, including FBI and ATF agents, hunted the suspect—a male in his 30s dressed in black, possibly masked. He fled via a busy restaurant street after firing, leaving shell casings behind.

Students hid under desks for hours post 4:05 p.m. alert. Video showed the gunman entering the engineering/physics building.

Mayor Brett Smiley stated no ongoing threat persists. Motive investigation ongoing.

EFE: Massive Manhunt Ends in Brown University Shooting Arrest

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Victims and Campus Impact

Two killed, likely students per President Christina Paxson; identities pending. Nine wounded—eight from bullets, one from fragments.

11,000-student Brown, founded 1764, locked down neighborhoods too. 5% acceptance rate underscores elite status now scarred by violence.

This marks the second U.S. university shooting recently, after Kentucky State.

Al Jazeera: What We Know About Brown University Shooting

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Geopolitical Context

The Brown University shooting amplifies U.S. gun violence crisis, with 389 mass shootings in 2025 per Gun Violence Archive—exceeding 500 last year. As the second campus attack in days, it fuels global scrutiny of America’s Second Amendment debates amid rising school incidents (6+ this year).

Internationally, it strains U.S. credibility on public safety exports, contrasting strict gun laws in allies like Canada, UK, Australia. Trump’s response—praying for victims while retracting premature arrest claims—highlights polarized discourse, potentially impacting diplomatic narratives on domestic stability.

For higher education, Ivy League prestige faces security reevaluation, echoing global concerns over youth radicalization and mental health amid U.S. firearm proliferation (43,000+ gun deaths yearly). Europe and Asia monitor for policy shifts; domestically, it pressures 2026 midterms on gun control.

Xinhua: U.S. Campus Shootings Spark Global Concern

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Official Reactions and Broader Trends

President Trump called it “terrible,” urging prayers before correcting his platform post. University resumed limited access Sunday.

Gun Violence Archive tracks incidents with 4+ shot; universities increasingly vulnerable.

The latest campus shooting in the United States has reignited national debate over gun control, yet again exposing the deep institutional paralysis that has turned educational spaces into potential kill zones. In the immediate aftermath, former President Donald Trump described the incident as “terrible” and called for “prayers for the victims”—a familiar refrain in America’s ritualized response to mass violence. Notably, Trump later edited a social media post that initially mischaracterized the event, underscoring the volatile mix of political messaging and crisis in the country’s digital public sphere.

Meanwhile, the affected university moved to resume limited campus access by Sunday, signaling an institutional urgency to project normalcy—even as grief counselors, law enforcement, and forensic teams remained on-site. For students and faculty, the return was not to safety, but to a traumatized routine, emblematic of a broader normalization of gun violence in American public life.

This incident aligns with a disturbing and accelerating trend: U.S. schools and universities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to armed attacks. According to the nonpartisan Gun Violence Archive (GVA), which defines a “mass shooting” as any incident in which four or more people are shot (excluding the shooter), educational institutions have seen a steady rise in such events over the past decade. In 2024 alone, GVA documented 27 mass shootings on school or university grounds—the highest annual figure since the organization began systematic tracking.

What makes this trend especially alarming is not just the frequency, but the structural impunity that sustains it. Despite overwhelming public support for universal background checks—consistently polling above 80% across party lines—Congress has failed to pass comprehensive federal gun reform in over three decades. The paralysis is rooted in the outsized influence of the gun lobby, particularly the National Rifle Association (NRA), which has successfully framed gun regulation as a threat to individual liberty rather than a public health imperative.

From a Latin American perspective, the U.S. gun crisis presents a stark contradiction. While Washington frequently imposes sanctions or intervenes in regional affairs under the banner of “human rights” or “security,” it tolerates a domestic epidemic that claims over 48,000 lives annually—a death toll that exceeds the combined homicide rates of most countries in the Americas. In fact, U.S. civilian gun ownership (120 firearms per 100 residents) is the highest in the world, dwarfing even conflict zones.

Moreover, the militarization of campus security—increasingly reliant on armed police, metal detectors, and active-shooter drills—reflects a broader societal shift: the transformation of public institutions into fortresses. Students in America now rehearse how to survive gunfire with the same regularity as fire drills, a reality that would be unthinkable in nations with stricter gun laws, such as Canada, Germany, or Uruguay.

Critics argue that this cycle of violence, reaction, and inaction reveals a deeper crisis: the commodification of safety. In the absence of legislative solutions, schools and families are forced to invest in bulletproof backpacks, panic-button apps, and private security—solutions that are both inequitable and ineffective at addressing root causes. Meanwhile, gun manufacturers continue to profit, with stock prices of major arms companies often rising after mass shootings due to fears of imminent regulation.

As the university community begins its slow process of healing, the larger question remains: how many more campuses must bleed before policy catches up with pain? For observers across Latin America and the Global South, the U.S. gun crisis is not just a domestic tragedy—it is a cautionary tale about the cost of prioritizing corporate interests and ideological dogma over the right to life.

X (Twitter): Providence Police Confirms Detention

X (Twitter): Brown University Lockdown Lifted

Sputnik: Another U.S. Campus Massacre

Al Mayadeen: Ivy League Under Siege

Cubadebate: U.S. Gun Violence Epidemic Continues

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

In a press conference after casting her vote, Jara noted that two different models are at stake today: hers and that of her opponent, Jose Antonio Kast, and that each person can choose the option they prefer.

The important thing, Jara said, is to encourage participation because politics generates change and influences people’s lives, even though many are unaware of this.

Nominated by a coalition of left-wing, progressive, and social democratic forces, along with the Christian Democrats, the presidential hopeful reiterated that if elected today, she will resign her membership in the Communist Party to represent all Chileans.

When asked about her future role should she not win the election, she stated that she would work to maintain the unity of the nine parties and groups that support her in order to move forward with this political project.

She admitted that maintaining unity is easier when elections are favorable than when they are not, but that a potential defeat would not change her, and she would continue to play the role assigned to her by the people.

When asked by an Argentine media outlet about what relations with Javier Milei’s government would be like if she were to reach La Moneda (the presidential palace), Jara admitted the differences between them, but said that as head of state, she would seek the best possible relations with neighboring countries.

“I’m not missing a beat,” Jeannette Jara affirmed, emphasizing that she will do everything necessary for the welbeing of her country.

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By Islam Khatib  –  Dec 111, 2025

Israel’s BlueBird Aero Systems, considered a leader in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), made headlines with its expansion into Morocco. The company, which specializes in tactical drones and loitering munitions, has inaugurated a production facility in Morocco to manufacture its new SpyX “kamikaze” drone. This move marks a milestone in Israel-Morocco defense cooperation on the heels of their recent normalization of relations.

Morocco’s 2026 defense budget, projected at $15.7 billion, reflects both an internal arms buildup and a recalibrated military doctrine aimed at consolidating territorial control and projecting regional influence. The increase in spending is tied to its occupation of and counterinsurgency operations in Western Sahara, but extends beyond. Rabat is increasingly asserting itself as a militarized power, importing weapons and doctrine and exporting the very tactics and tools refined through years of operations in occupied Western Sahara.

Central to this evolution is its integration of unmanned systems, surveillance infrastructure, and precision strike capabilities tailored to the demands of asymmetrical conflict. This latest Israeli expansion into Morocco is hardly unexpected. Liberation movements in occupied Western Sahara have long sounded the alarm, especially as the Moroccan Armed Forces have been deploying BlueBird UAVs over the land since at least 2022.

The impact of Israeli drone technology on Sahrawi people and fighters has been repeatedly documented. Between 2021 and 2024, Moroccan forces killed 86 people using drone strikes, including two children, with another 170 others injured or displaced. In 2021, Polisario fighters described Israeli drones as their most feared weapon, with one commander stating: “I have only this Kalashnikov when I’m shooting at the base, and they have all this new technology. Most frightening of all are the drones.” The constant aerial surveillance has fundamentally altered Sahrawi life, forcing nomadic people to abandon traditional tactics, instead traveling at night without lights through the desert to evade detection. The establishment of the BlueBird production facility represents an escalation that will make these capabilities permanent and locally sustainable.

BlueBird and the transfer of Israeli drone doctrine
BlueBird Aero Systems’ expansion into Morocco reflects a strategic alignment between Rabat’s defense industrial ambitions and Israel’s growing security architecture in North Africa. The local production of the SpyX loitering munition, combined with the transfer of Israeli UAV doctrine, allows Morocco to absorb and reproduce drone warfare capabilities that were once the domain of advanced militaries.

Established in 2002, BlueBird is a private Israeli manufacturer of micro, mini, and tactical UAVs designed for ISR and precision engagement. The SpyX, its most strategic asset, is a compact loitering munition engineered for preemptive strikes and surgical neutralization of high-value targets. Its integration into Moroccan production lines signals a shift in the regional defense calculus.

BlueBird Aero Systems built its reputation on battlefield application. Its systems include the SpyLite and ThunderB, which have been deployed in multiple contexts by the Israeli military: first in the 2006 Lebanon War, then in its wars on Gaza and operations in the West Bank. During the 2014 war on Gaza, the company’s SpyLite UAVs logged over 700 ISR sorties, which are intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance flights used to locate, track, and direct fire on ground targets, each lasting more than three hours. These platforms have since become fixtures in Israeli drone doctrine, marketed unapologetically as “combat-proven” tools tested across the Palestinian territories and southern Lebanon.

The company’s operational track record made it a natural target for strategic consolidation. In 2020, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) acquired a 50% stake in BlueBird. The move formalized what had long been an alignment of priorities, pairing BlueBird’s agility in tactical UAV development with IAI’s industrial-scale production and global reach. The IAI partnership accelerated BlueBird’s expansion into international markets and laid the groundwork for projects like the Morocco venture, where battlefield-tested Israeli technology now feeds directly into North Africa’s emerging defense infrastructure.

BlueBird’s export record reveals a calculated diffusion of Israeli drone warfare architecture into varied security ecosystems worldwide. Its systems have been absorbed by both conventional militaries and internal security forces operating under the banner of border control, counterinsurgency, and territorial surveillance. In Greece, the Hellenic Police acquired the SpyLite as early as 2013 for EU-framed Frontex operations, later expanding to ThunderB platforms. In Latin America and East Africa, BlueBird drones have entered the arsenals of the Chilean and Ethiopian armies, and at least one additional African military, according to the company website, whose identity remains undisclosed, has deployed BlueBird systems operationally.

BlueBird Aero Systems has not publicly announced any projects in other Arab countries so far. Unlike larger Israeli contractors (IAI, Rafael, Elbit) that have inked deals in the UAE and Bahrain, BlueBird’s most significant foray in the Arab world to date is the Moroccan project. It’s worth noting that BlueBird’s partial owner, IAI, has been active in the UAE (even before formal ties, IAI reportedly sold some drones to the UAE via third parties, and after 2020 it signed collaborations like anti-drone defenses with Emirati firms). It’s conceivable that BlueBird’s UAVs may eventually find their way to Gulf states as part of Israel’s expanding defense exports, but if so, it’s being kept discreet for now.

SpyX loitering munition
The centerpiece of BlueBird’s Moroccan venture is the SpyX loitering munition, a compact, precision-guided strike drone built for asymmetric conflict. Unlike traditional UAVs that return after reconnaissance, the SpyX is a disposable system, designed to hover over a battlefield, identify a target, and dive directly into it with an explosive payload. It combines surveillance and strike in a single platform, giving front-line units a weapon that acts like a smart missile with eyes.

With a 50 kilometer operational range and up to two hours of loiter time, the SpyX gives ground forces the ability to monitor and strike deep inside any territory without relying on traditional air support. In contexts like Gaza and Lebanon, this means maintaining constant surveillance over densely populated or irregular terrain including refugee camps and hilltop villages while waiting for a target to appear. In Western Sahara, it enables overwatch across vast expanses and populated neighborhoods.

The drone’s silent electric motor minimizes acoustic detection, crucial in civilian-dense areas or open landscapes where early warning could allow “targets” to evade. Its dual-sensor payload, which fuses high-resolution daylight optics with infrared thermal imaging, allows operators to identify and track individuals or vehicles under varied lighting and weather conditions. Whether it’s tracking people or vehicles, the real-time video tracker provides the precision needed to execute or abort a strike within seconds, according to company marketing and brochures made available on their website.

The SpyX system is built for mobility and discretion. Man-portable and launchable without a runway, it is designed for low-signature operations by special forces, counterinsurgency teams, and border units operating in terrain where infrastructure is limited or non-existent. This is a battlefield tool made for reach and deniability. Its transfer to Moroccan production lines gives Israel a regional manufacturing foothold capable of supplying allied regimes across Africa. The strategic calculus is to preempt the emergence or strengthening of resistance movements in neighboring regions, from Western Sahara to the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, by ensuring rapid access to precision strike capabilities built and deployed close to the field.

The Irreversible Balance: Israel’s Ledger, 2025

Normalization for sovereignty
Following the 2020 normalization agreement under the US-brokered Abraham Accords, Rabat secured the US recognition of Moroccan ‘sovereignty’ over Western Sahara. In July 2023, Israel followed suit, becoming the second country to formally recognize Rabat’s claim and signaling its long-term strategic investment in Moroccan security architecture.

In November 2021, the two countries signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding on Defense, enabling arms deals, intelligence sharing, and technology transfer. By early 2022, Morocco had signed a $500 million contract with IAI for the Barak MX air and missile defense system, and acquired the Dome anti-drone system from Israeli firm Skylock, part of the Avnon Group.

That same year, Rabat purchased at least 150 WanderB-VTOL and ThunderB-VTOL drones from BlueBird Aero Systems, and had already taken delivery of three IAI Heron UAVs, medium-altitude, long-endurance drones used for surveillance in Western Sahara. These procurements made Israel one of Morocco’s top arms suppliers, now accounting for 11% of Rabat’s total arms imports, according to SIPRI, which is a dramatic shift from its traditional reliance on the US and France. Morocco has also launched production partnerships with India (via Tata Advanced Systems Maroc, opened in 2023), Turkey (a Baykar UAV factory now under construction in Benslimane), and the United States (cooperation with General Dynamics on Abrams tank support). These developments have direct implications for the people of occupied Western Sahara, where these drones are likely to be deployed.

A North African security landscape beyond Egypt?
The recent Moroccan‑Israeli defense partnership should be seen as part of Israel’s broader effort to extend its reach beyond the traditional Cairo axis. While Egypt “remains central” to the Zionist project, Israel is building multiple pillars.

Following the breakdown in ceasefire talks, Egypt and Qatar have found themselves vying for the role of chief mediator in an attempt to both provide a so-called ‘humanitarian solution’ to the genocidal war in Gaza and appeasing Israeli security demands. Yet, in Israeli strategic thinking, no matter how much Cairo or Doha deliver in terms of de-escalation channels or negotiations, their engagement is still viewed with suspicion. Both are seen as mediators too close to the “other side,” too embedded in regional currents that Israel considers threatening, particularly when it comes to their long-standing ties with Palestinian factions. Morocco, by contrast, carries none of that baggage. Israeli-aligned think tanks are explicit about this. They note that the partnership with Morocco “provides a particular presence and potential influence in North Africa, an arena that has historically remained distant.”

Egypt’s response to this new dynamic reveals a complex hedging strategy. Egypt’s government has publicly welcomed Rabat’s closer ties to Israel. In May 2025, Egyptian and Moroccan ministers even launched new bilateral committees to coordinate on Middle East, African and Mediterranean issues. Both states emphasize a “shared Arab stance on Palestine” as they jointly reaffirmed support for a ‘two-state solution’. Simultaneously, Cairo and Rabat are deepening their economic ties. The 2025 Egypt-Morocco Investment and Trade Forum set a target of $500 million in Moroccan exports to Egypt by 2026. These economic moves reinforce high-level political coordination, including joint statements at the 162nd Arab League session affirming “mutual solidarity, shared destiny, and common objectives.”

What emerges is a new duality in the Maghreb. The Israel-Morocco defense axis introduces a competing power center in North Africa that is more agile, less burdened by legacy politics, and far more open to Israeli military and industrial integration. While Egypt’s influence has traditionally oriented toward East Africa, Morocco now extends westward into the Sahel and Atlantic, carving out distinct strategic space. For Israel, Morocco provides a second African pillar that is more diplomatically unencumbered than Cairo.

BlueBird’s Morocco facility marks a watershed in Israel’s post-normalization defense diplomacy. The significance extends well beyond bilateral relations. What we are witnessing is the operationalization of a new regional security architecture in which technological transfer doubles as strategic entrenchment. Morocco has moved from a discreet intelligence liaison to a host nation for Israeli military-industrial infrastructure. This is a qualitative leap that fundamentally alters the North African defense landscape. This model is capable of hardening a two-tiered regional order: states aligned with Israel gain access to advanced strike systems and battlefield autonomy, while those who reject normalization become targets of those very systems. For example, in response to Morocco’s new technologies, Algeria has compensated by acquiring Russian Iskander-E ballistic missiles and Chinese VT-4 tanks, positioning itself as North Africa’s largest military power, yet it faces American export restrictions on advanced UAV systems and struggles with supplier diversification, relying on Russia for approximately 75% of its military equipment.

This is precisely the dynamic Israel seeks to institutionalize across the region, normalization rewarded with advanced military capabilities and manufacturing autonomy, while rejection or in Algeria’s case, shy or hesitant rejection, results in strategic isolation and dependence on less integrated supply chains from countries increasingly constrained by Western pressure.

(Al-Akhbar English)

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

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro recently highlighted the role of the National Council for Productive Economy in driving the growth of a new, self-sustaining economy.

During a meeting on Friday, December 13, which brought together the government, the banking sector, and representatives of the country’s main business chambers, he presented the year-end gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast of 9%, surpassing the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) projections and marking 18 consecutive quarters of sustained economic growth.

The president emphasized the urgency of “fine-tuning the complete substitution of imports” as a path toward exchange rate stabilization and the construction of an autonomous economic model.

“We must accelerate the transition to an autonomous model that generates its own products, its own wealth, and has the necessary foreign exchange for perfect stability of the exchange rate system,” he underscored.

In this context of evaluation and projection, Sputnik spoke with Venezuelan economist Katiuska López, who analyzed the scope of this council, the evolution of the Venezuelan national economic model, and the recent geopolitical challenges.

Tangible results
According to López, the mere convening of the council and the results presented are, in themselves, “wonderful news.” She emphasized that the presence and active participation of the national private sector lends incontestable legitimacy to the shared data.

“No one can come and say that the data is biased or that it only comes from the government or the state, that the figures are doctored or made up,” the economist said.

This diagnosis of synergy and productive unity was endorsed during the council by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who declared that “there is not a single productive sector in Venezuela that is not showing growth today.”

Rodríguez congratulated business owners and workers for their “great effort of cohesion and national unity” to overcome the effects of the economic blockade.

But how did this come about? López pointed out that there has been a structural paradigm shift in the Venezuelan economy. In her view, the main achievement of the process has been the transition from a rentier economy dependent on imports to one focused on domestic production.

“Having gone from importing 85% of what we consumed to producing 90% of what we consume domestically already gives us, in a way, a total shift in the functioning of the economic structure,” she explained.

This figure, in her view, constitutes one of the “great medals” won by the Venezuelan people and government because it breaks with the historical logic of dependence.

President Maduro framed this transformation within the Bolivarian Economic Agenda and its 14 engines, a model that, in his words, is “admired around the world” for demonstrating how a country under “economic warfare, blockade, and sanctions” found its path to development.

This new pattern not only covers domestic demand. López highlighted that non-oil exports have increased by 14% this year, with shipments abroad of products such as rice, flour, cocoa, and coffee. “That represents a significant shift in Venezuela’s economic engagement with the world,” she said.

Venezuela Defied Blockade With Economic Growth in 2025 (+Statistics)

Productive reconciliation
One noteworthy aspect is the committed participation of business chambers, which have historically been opposed to the economic policies of the Bolivarian Revolution. According to the economist, this adjustment is the result of an evolution on both sides.

On the one hand, she pointed out that the business sector “has had to acknowledge that, indeed, public policy and the path set by the Bolivarian Revolution does lead to the development of society.”

On the other hand, the government has worked to simplify procedures for production and export, generating greater confidence among investors.

“We are pursuing societal development along the same path,” she added. At the same time, there are tangible improvements in areas such as security, which, in her view, has created a virtuous synergy with the potential for businesses to expand.

Resilience amid new economic aggressions
Sputnik’s interview with the expert took place against the backdrop of escalating US pressure, following the recent hijacking of an oil tanker from near the Venezuelan coast by the United States.

López said that these bellicose actions are aimed at halting the progress of the Venezuelan economy. However, “now it is not the same as how we would have been impacted in 2014 or 2015, when we still depended entirely on oil revenues and imports … We have overcome that dependence,” she added.

She used a metaphor to illustrate the current resilience of the national economy.

“We have to consider the economy as a living organism. Earlier it has been stopped, and we cannot expect it to take off running right now, of course, but it is not at its worst,” she said.

A unique model for the present
The economist considered that the Venezuelan economy is undergoing an accelerated transition, having been able to internalize its production and consumption chains, diversify its exports, and build bridges with domestic economic sectors that were previously adversaries.

The data presented by the government—the projected 9% GDP growth, the 18 consecutive quarters of growth, and the increase in non-traditional exports—serve as the basis for its argument about a sui generis model forged under the pressure of sanctions.

This model, according to López, is not a theoretical recipe imported from abroad, but one that has been adapted to the idiosyncrasies of a “consumer society” that now produces what it consumes.

The immediate challenge, as pointed out by President Maduro himself at the council, is to deepen the “radical import substitution” in order to safeguard exchange rate stability and consolidate autonomy.

(Sputnik) by José Negrón Valera

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/SC/DZ

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In his remarks following the Angelus prayer, delivered from the window of his study in the Apostolic Palace before thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the pontiff stated that “I am following the renewed fighting with deep concern.”

Leo XIV noted that “in expressing my closeness to the people, I urge the parties in conflict to cease all forms of violence and to seek constructive dialogue, respecting the ongoing peace processes,” according to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office.

A report published on the Vatican News website points out that, with his statement on the complex situation in the DRC, the Pope highlighted the seriousness of the renewed conflict following the agreement reached on December 4th.

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In a statement, the Palestinian leader described Huckabee’s justification of the Benjamin Netanyahu government’s decision to legalize 19 outposts—the precursors to Israeli settlements in the West Bank—as a “flagrant violation of international law.”

All settlements, whether approved by the Israeli government or not, are illegal under international law and several UN Security Council resolutions, he emphasized.

The claim that these measures do not constitute annexation or a declaration of sovereignty is an attempt to manipulate legal and political terminology, he stressed.

Fattouh denounced the settlements as an integral part of the Israeli occupation and an undermining of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

No one in the world is authorized to legitimize the occupation or its colonial policies, he insisted.

On the contrary, he stressed, international law and the UN Security Council resolutions on the matter, which reject the settlement policy, must be respected.

The head of the Palestinian National Council called on the US administration to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities, respect UN resolutions, and cease its support for such violations.

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The Ipsos-BVA survey for La Tribune Dimanche asked respondents whether they would be happy or upset if one of nearly thirty potential candidates for the Elysee Palace were to win, with 33% expressing satisfaction if Bardella were to win and 30% if Le Pen, convicted and barred from holding public office for misappropriating public funds, were to win.

The congresswoman, who is the natural presidential candidate for RN, awaits the court’s decision following her appeal against the sentence against her. This explains why the MEP and his political protege represent the party’s plan B, given its polarizing stances against immigrants and nationalism.

In the opinion poll, 43% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction should Bardella win in 2027, and 45% should Le Pen win. These far-right figures have topped the polls in recent months. Following behind in the preferences were three government figures: former prime ministers Gabriel Attal and Edouard Philippe, and the Minister of Justice, Gerald Darmanin.

Attal received a 19% approval rating and a 46% disapproval rating, while Philippe and Darmanin finished with 18% and 45%, respectively.

On the left, the Ipsos-BVA poll placed the Socialists Raphael Glucksmann (14-46) and former President Francois Hollande (14-53) as the best positioned, followed by Francois Ruffin (13-45) and the leader of the Unbowed Movement and multiple presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon (13-66).

Regarding the performance of the leaders, only 18% expressed a favorable opinion of President Emmanuel Macron, while 77% expressed a negative one. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, however, enjoyed greater support (29-58).

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The oldest active guerrilla group on the continent asked citizens to refrain from traveling on “roads and navigable rivers,” while announcing that its road control units “will respect civilians and their property.”

“The Colombian popular forces protest against the threats of imperialist intervention in our country, as a new phase of Trump [Donald]’s neocolonial plan, which aims to sink its claws even deeper into territories of Latin America and the Caribbean,” the armed group stated in its communication.

The ELN also asked civilians not to mix with the military “to avoid accidents.”

The Ministry of Defense rejected the announcement and considered what the ELN called an armed strike, which will end on December 17 at 6:00 a.m. (local time) according to the insurgent group, “nothing more than criminal coercion.”

The Ministry announced a full deployment of capabilities, whereby military and police personnel will remain on high alert to prevent violent actions and guarantee the mobility and security of communities.

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Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani stated in a message posted on the social network X that Damascus categorically rejects this type of violent action. The Foreign Minister conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded.

Earlier, the Interior Ministry provided details of the armed attack that occurred against a joint patrol of Syrian and US forces in the vicinity of Palmyra.

The spokesman for the Ministry of Internal Security, Nour al-Din al-Baba, told state-run Ikhbariya TV that the perpetrator of the attack did not hold a command position or have any responsibilities within the security structure.

Al-Baba pointed out that investigations are ongoing to determine any possible links between the attacker and the Daesh terrorist group.

He specified that the investigation is focused on analyzing the attacker’s digital data and his social and family environment to establish whether there was a direct organizational connection or if it was a case of individual radicalization.

The spokesman added that the Internal Security Forces had issued prior warnings to the international coalition forces, based on preliminary information alerting them to the possibility of a terrorist attack in the area—warnings that, he asserted, were not adequately heeded.

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Far from breaking the will of its inhabitants, the violence strengthened the determination of the residents of this town to resist, remain on their land, and cling to life.

Despite the magnitude of the bombing and the pain caused by the loss of loved ones, the residents insist on continuing with their daily lives as a form of defiance against the aggression and in defense of their right to live in peace in their own territory.

According to testimonies gathered by the Prensa Latina news agency, Israeli military forces directly attacked the residents of Beit Jinn, sparking clashes with the villagers, who resisted the incursion until the aggressor force was forced to withdraw from Syrian territory.

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Voters, electoral service personnel, and poll workers had to leave the premises pending an inspection by the Special Operations Group of the Carabineros (Chilean police force).

According to authorities, an initial search did not detect anything suspicious, but specialized teams must determine whether or not there is any danger.

Voters were moved away from the polling station while it is determined whether voting can continue.

Meanwhile, the electoral materials and ballot boxes were placed under the protection of Army personnel. jdt/oda/car/eam

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In a statement at the reach of Prensa Latina, they emphasized that the US blockade “continues to strangle the daily lives of millions of families,” while many remain silent or normalize an injustice that has lasted for more than 60 years.

They urged people not to remain indifferent to a policy that transcends ideological debates, as it manifests itself in undelivered medicine, banks closing their doors for fear of sanctions, children waiting for medical technology that is not authorized, and the elderly suffering from deliberately created shortages.

“This economic violence has a clear guilty one. It is not abstract, it is not ambiguous, it is not ‘on both sides.’ It has an executioner: the United States government, which maintains a policy designed to subdue an entire people through hunger and destitution. That is the truth that many do not dare to name. And without truth, there is no dignity,” the document stated.

Faced with this “outrage,” they called on every Cuban, wherever they may be, to defend the families of the Caribbean nation from “the most prolonged economic punishment in contemporary history.”

“Diversity of opinion is no excuse for indifference. Criticism is no excuse for passivity,” while urging everyone “not to allow the executioners to hide behind speeches of ‘freedom’ or ‘democracy’ while they violate the fundamental rights of an entire nation,” and to take a stand for Cuba.

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Venezuela oil tanker seizure by U.S. forces ignites nationwide protests as Maduro celebrates “sovereign force” mobilizations rejecting “piracy.” International allies condemn violation of international law.

Related: Brazilian Communist Party Supports Venezuela, Condemns U.S. Caribbean Presence

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Venezuela Oil Tanker Seizure Sparks Massive Protests: Maduro Hails 1M “Sovereign Force” Rally Against U.S. Piracy

The Venezuela oil tanker seizure by U.S. military forces in Caribbean waters triggered massive nationwide protests, with President Nicolás Maduro celebrating the mobilizations as the “Sovereign Force” of Venezuela.

Maduro shared images via Telegram of crowds filling streets across every state, rejecting what he called “Yankee piracy.” He emphasized: “The oil belongs to Venezuelans—whoever wants it must pay!“

Protesters carried flags, banners, and patriotic symbols, denouncing U.S. interference and affirming national dignity amid the Venezuela oil tanker seizure controversy.

Telesur English: Maduro Celebrates Anti-U.S. Protests After Oil Seizure

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Maduro Declares Protests as “True People’s Voice”

Maduro praised the “genuine, grassroots participation” in every region, distinguishing it from online bots: “Real people in the streets—noble, dignified, brave, combative!“

The demonstrations responded to the U.S. action, justified under federal mandates but decried in Venezuela as extraterritorial violation of international law.

Over 1 million participants reportedly joined, showcasing unified rejection of the Venezuela oil tanker seizure.

EFE: Venezuela Mobilizes Against U.S. Tanker Seizure

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International Condemnation Mounts Over Venezuela Oil Tanker Seizure

The Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter labeled the U.S. act a “grave aggression” breaching sovereign equality, freedom of navigation, and non-intervention.

The Network of Intellectuals, Artists, and Social Movements condemned “modern piracy” violating the UN Charter, UNCLOS 1982, and Rome Statute.

These voices join heads of state, governments, and activists worldwide supporting Venezuela against imperialist aggression in Caribbean waters.

Al Jazeera: Global Backlash to U.S. Oil Tanker Seizure in Venezuela

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Geopolitical Context

The Venezuela oil tanker seizure escalates U.S.-Latin America tensions, testing regional alliances amid Trump’s return. It revives historical disputes over unilateral sanctions, echoing 2019’s PDVSA asset seizures and Chevron disputes, potentially isolating Washington from CELAC and ALBA blocs.

A progressive front from Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico may convene emergency CELAC sessions, demanding UNCLOS enforcement and challenging U.S. extraterritorial claims in the Caribbean—vital for 60% of global oil transit.

China and Russia, key Venezuelan partners, could leverage this at the UN Security Council, framing it as resource imperialism while boosting BRICS energy alternatives. For Europe, it pressures neutral stances on Venezuelan oil amid energy crises.

Regionally, it heightens Caribbean sovereignty fears, risking migration surges and trade disruptions via Puerto La Cruz routes. Globally, the incident signals eroding multilateral norms, pitting U.S. unilateralism against rising Global South resistance.

Xinhua: Geopolitical Fallout from Venezuela Oil Seizure

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Broader Solidarity and Next Steps

Leaders worldwide echo Maduro’s call, urging peoples to repudiate U.S. actions. Venezuela vows diplomatic escalation at the UN and OAS.

Protests continue, reinforcing Bolivarian unity against perceived economic warfare.

X (Twitter): Maduro Shares Protest Images

X (Twitter): Intellectuals Network Condemns U.S. Piracy

Sputnik: International Reactions to Tanker Seizure

Al Mayadeen: Caribbean Piracy Denounced

Cubadebate: Global Support for Venezuelan Sovereignty

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Our weekly roundup of stories in the English and Spanish language press on Mexico and Mexican politics.

David Raby, Sheinbaum turns the tide: mass mobilisation and reform drive Mexico’s Transformation forward Morning Star. Ten days after right-wing destabilisation attempts, Mexico’s leadership has emerged strengthened, securing historic labour and wage agreements, while opposition-backed protests have crumbled under scrutiny.

La Dua: cuando México es más mercancía que cultura El Machete. Eventos promocionales, lanzamientos, colaboraciones, pop-ups gastronómicos: todos se concentran en las mismas cuatro colonias —Roma, Condesa, Juárez y Polanco— como si la ciudad terminara donde terminan los murales fotogénicos y los departamentos remodelados para Airbnb.

Rick Sterling, Mexico is Transforming for the Good Resumen. Despite Mexico being the U.S.’s largest trading partner and the world’s ninth most populous country, there is very little coverage of the big changes that have taken place in Mexico over the past seven years. The New York Times failed to even report the December 6 celebration.

México y EE.UU. alcanzan acuerdo sobre reparto de agua y evitan aranceles anunciados por Trump Telesur. Con el acuerdo se cumplirá el Tratado de Aguas 1944 y evitará arancel del 5% anunciado por Trump.

Jorge Barrera, Next year’s Mexico trade mission may be biggest ever launched by Canada CBC News. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in regular contact, says ambassador.

Anahí Del Ángel, Plaguicidas provocan muerte masiva de abejas en 15 entidades Revista Contralínea. Esta crisis ya provocó la pérdida de casi 300 mil colonias entre 2013 y 2024.

China urges Mexico to promptly correct unilateralist, protectionist tariff measure; initiates trade, investment barrier probe Global Times. To safeguard the interests of relevant Chinese industries, the MOFCOM initiated a trade and investment barrier investigation against Mexico in accordance with the law at the end of September, and the investigation is ongoing.

Obed Rosas, Maestro forzado a las armas, Lucio Cabañas ha cobrado nueva dimensión Sin Embargo. Su movimiento, de base campesina, buscó “derrocar a los ricos y formar un gobierno de campesinos y obreros,” lo que provocó una brutal represión militar por parte del gobierno mexicano.

Water Dispute Resolution Prevents Higher U.S. Tariffs on Mexican Exports Telesur. A last-minute agreement over shared water rights has averted a 5% tariff on Mexican exports to the United States, with Mexico committing to release nearly 250 million cubic meters of water under the 1944 treaty.

Mario Patrón, Derechos humanos cuesta arriba La Jornada. Claros avances en derechos laborales y económicos contrastan notablemente con los retrocesos y contradicciones que se observan en otros ámbitos.

• 

  Analysis

  China: An Outstretched Hand

  December 14, 2025December 14, 2025

  While Trump carries on a policy of aggression, China proposes to cooperate without interfering in the internal politics of its counterparts, while possessing the technological and financial capabilities to contribute to Latin America & the Caribbean’s sustainable development.

• 

  News Briefs

  Clicks December 14

  December 14, 2025December 14, 2025

  Our weekly roundup of Mexican political news from the Spanish & English language press.

• 

  Analysis

  An Exclusionary & Elitist World Cup

  December 12, 2025December 12, 2025

  The World Cup is a business and does not benefit the working class in any way. On the contrary, resources are lost to football stadiums that should be used for education and health.

The post Clicks December 14 appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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This editorial by La Jornada’s editorial board originally appeared in the December 14, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper. The views expressed in this article are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those ofMexico Solidarity Media*, or theMexico Solidarity Project.*

The Xi Jinping government presented an updated version of China’s Policy Document on Latin America and the Caribbean, outlining cooperation in more than 40 areas grouped into five programs: solidarity, development, civilizations, peace, and peoples. This new version of the comprehensive plan, first published in 2008 and revised in 2016, is notable for its broad scope and fraternal spirit, emphasizing their shared belonging to the Global South and referring to China and Latin American and Caribbean countries as a community with a shared future—a concept Beijing also applies to all of humanity.

Among the many areas in which China says it is willing to collaborate or strengthen existing ties are openness to technology transfer, scientific and technological training, combating climate change, energy—both fossil and renewable—Latin American integration, “accelerating the implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” the use of local currencies (not explicitly stated, but understood to be in place of the dollar), and support for the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) as a Zone of Peace. Also noteworthy is its willingness to “adequately address trade frictions for healthy and balanced development and structural diversification of trade,” a major concern for some countries that fear being overwhelmed by China’s production capacity.

The document presents an obvious and unavoidable contrast with the statements of US President Donald Trump, Washington’s interventionist policy throughout the region, and the recently released White House National Security Strategy. Thus, while Trumpism has decided to deny “non-hemispheric competitors the ability to position forces or other threatening capabilities, to seize or strategically control vital assets in our hemisphere,” disregarding Latin America and the Caribbean’s autonomy to engage with any state or non-state actors it chooses and to determine the use of its natural resources, Beijing reaffirms that “China-Latin America relations are not directed against, do not exclude, and are not conditioned by any third party.” While the White House announces the application of the Monroe Doctrine “to restore US preeminence in the Western Hemisphere” and protect “our access to its territories,” the Asian giant refers to Latin America and the Caribbean as “a region with a glorious tradition of independence and self-strengthening through unity.”

But the United States is not the only country that falls short in this comparison. Since the outbreak of NATO’s war against Russia on Ukrainian soil, Europe has been abandoning all the pillars upon which it based its claim to be a beacon of civilization and a bastion of the rule of law: to sustain the war effort and benefit its corporations, it has rendered its environmental and fiscal commitments meaningless, while simultaneously deploying a dangerous arms buildup and fueling a rhetoric of perpetual war. Under the pretext of appeasing the far right, traditional conservatives have embraced its xenophobic agendas, and their active complicity in the genocide against the Palestinian people has stripped them of the last vestige of moral authority they could cling to.

In this context, China emerges as a trading partner that proposes to cooperate without interfering in the internal politics of its counterparts and that possesses the technological and financial capabilities to contribute to the region’s sustainable development. As the document itself points out, these ties must be adapted to the realities and needs of each country, but without a doubt, the leaders of Latin America and the Caribbean must consider them as a tool for simultaneously strengthening sovereignty and well-being.

• 

  Analysis

  China: An Outstretched Hand

  December 14, 2025December 14, 2025

  While Trump carries on a policy of aggression, China proposes to cooperate without interfering in the internal politics of its counterparts, while possessing the technological and financial capabilities to contribute to Latin America & the Caribbean’s sustainable development.

• 

  News Briefs

  Clicks December 14

  December 14, 2025December 14, 2025

  Our weekly roundup of Mexican political news from the Spanish & English language press.

• 

  Analysis

  An Exclusionary & Elitist World Cup

  December 12, 2025December 12, 2025

  The World Cup is a business and does not benefit the working class in any way. On the contrary, resources are lost to football stadiums that should be used for education and health.

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In his message commemorating the seventieth anniversary of Italy’s accession to the UN on December 14, 1955, Mattarella underscored the role of this institution, “born from the ruins of the Second World War with the declared objective of saving future generations from the scourge of war.”

In the document, published on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic, the Italian leader stressed that the United Nations is the “indispensable cornerstone of an international order founded on respect for the rule of law and authoritative multilateral institutions.”

On December 12, in his address during the New Year’s Greetings ceremony for the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Italy, the president asserted that “we live in a time when the international order we knew is faltering, with no immediate alternative in sight.”

“The logic of power and oppression seeks to prevail, while the values ​​we believed to be established, such as human dignity, human rights, equality among peoples and states, and solidarity, are often relegated,” he lamented.

The head of State argued that “it is the prevalence of law, respect for the norms established by the international community, that prevents conflict and promotes the overcoming of inequalities,” and that “national or particular interests cannot prevail over the protection of the universal value of the human person.”

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In its regular operations report published on its official Telegram channel, the military body specified that the units of the Troop Group East continued to go deep into enemy defenses and completed the capture of Varvarovka, a town located in the Zaporozhe region.

The Ministry also reported approximately 1,450 casualties suffered by the Ukrainian Army in the area of ​​the special military operation in the last 24 hours. A third of these casualties, 495, resulted from operations by the Troop Group Center.

For its part, the Troop Group East inflicted 300 casualties on the enemy during the last 24 hours; the Troop Group North, 240; The Western group, 220; the Southern group, 150; and the Dnieper group, 45.

Ukrainian losses of military equipment in the last day include four armored vehicles, six artillery pieces, 43 military vehicles, two electronic warfare stations, seven ammunition, equipment, and fuel depots, and 290 unmanned aerial vehicles.

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In a statement released on the social media platform X, the insurgents pointed out that on Friday and Saturday, the DRC Armed Forces and their allies launched a premeditated and systematic extermination campaign focused on Tutsi populations, with bombs dropped with the direct participation of the Burundian Army.

Sukhoi-25 fighter jets, combat helicopters, and military drones, launched from Burundian territory, bombed the densely populated Banyamulenge communes of Mikenke and Rwesankuku, the document stated, categorizing these attacks as a flagrant and repeated violation of international humanitarian law.

They added that this population has long been the target of a campaign of ethnic cleansing and emphasized that the extreme gravity of these acts could qualify as war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The AFC/M23 also published a statement related to the UN Security Council meeting on Friday, which analyzed the deteriorating security situation in the DRC.

In this regard, the rebels clarified that their organization is a “liberation movement” acting “in the absence of state authority” and with the collaboration and sponsorship of the “Kinshasa regime” with “local and foreign armed groups, including remnants of Rwandan genocidal forces.”

They accused the government of sponsoring white ethnic cleansing against Congolese Tutsis and other tribes such as the Banyamulenge and the Hema; they also asserted the existence of poor governance, characterized by a prison state where the opposition and its leading figures are silenced, imprisoned, murdered, or forced into exile.

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At least 12 killed and 29 injured in the Sydney terrorist attack at Bondi Beach. Police confirm antisemitic motive targeting Jewish community celebrating Hanukkah.

Related: Australia Begins Enforcing Under-16 Social Media Ban Amid Questions Over Compliance and Global Interest

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Sydney Terrorist Attack: 12 Dead, 29 Injured in Ruthless Assault on Jewish Community at Bondi Beach

The Sydney terrorist attack on Sunday night left at least 12 people dead and 29 injured, including two police officers, in what authorities described as a “cowardly and terrifying act of violence” targeting the Jewish community.

The New South Wales Police confirmed that the assault occurred around 6:47 p.m. local time (7:47 GMT) at Archer Park, near Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, where nearly 1,000 people were gathered for a Hanukkah celebration.

Telesur English: Sydney Declares Bondi Shooting a Terrorist Attack

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Police Confirm Sydney Terrorist Attack Motive

During a press briefing, Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon formally declared the incident a terrorist act at 9:36 p.m., activating special counterterrorism powers across the state. Two suspected assailants were identified—one was killed on-site and another detained, while investigators search for a possible third suspect.

Authorities also confirmed the discovery of an improvised explosive device (IED) near the area, prompting bomb squad deployment and extended security measures across the coastal zone.

EFE: Police Confirm Antisemitic Motive in Sydney Terror Attack

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Leaders Condemn “Cowardly and Terrifying” Violence

New South Wales Premier Christopher Minns denounced the attack, stating: “What should have been a night of peace and celebration was destroyed by a malicious and horrifying assault.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the Sydney terrorist attack as “distressing and deeply painful,” urging unity against hate-fueled violence.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog called on Canberra to act decisively against “the rising wave of antisemitism.” Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer conveyed condolences, labeling the Bondi Beach scenes “deeply distressing.”

The British Board of Deputies of Jews also expressed solidarity, warning that the event reflected a “global spread of antisemitic extremism.”

Al Jazeera: Global Leaders Condemn Bondi Beach Attack

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Scene of Chaos and Early Investigation

Footage shared on social media showed attackers dressed in black, shooting indiscriminately as chaos erupted on the beachfront. Civilians were seen fleeing as paramedics tended to victims on the sand.

The police urged residents to avoid the area and seek shelter, labeling the situation “still active and high-risk.” Emergency services, including air ambulances, patrolled the scene until late night.

Graphics disseminated online suggest the attack was carefully premeditated, coinciding with the second night of Hanukkah, a symbolically significant date for Sydney’s Jewish population.

Al Mayadeen: Bondi Beach Shooting Declared Terror Incident

X (Twitter): NSW Police Statement on Bondi Terror Attack

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Expanded Geopolitical Context

The Sydney terrorist attack has drawn international attention to rising antisemitic incidents worldwide and the interconnection between extremist networks. Australia, traditionally distant from Europe and U.S. conflicts, now confronts its first large-scale religiously motivated terror attack in decades.

The global pattern of antisemitic violence

Security analysts point to a global surge in antisemitic rhetoric since the escalation of conflicts in the Middle East. The Bondi assault carries echoes of attacks on synagogues in Pittsburgh, Marseille, and Copenhagen, suggesting copycat patterns fueled by online extremism.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and ASIO are investigating whether the attackers maintained links to foreign extremist cells or local radicalized groups aligned with online propaganda channels. Counterterrorism agencies warned earlier this year about increasing threats to Jewish cultural sites and schools across Sydney and Melbourne.

Diplomatic and political repercussions

The attack may reshape Australia’s security policies and reopen debates on migration, extremism, and online radicalization. Authorities in Israel, the UK, and the United States offered joint intelligence cooperation to trace digital footprints possibly tied to international terrorism networks.

Within Asia-Pacific diplomacy, Israel’s embassy in Canberra urged regional governments to strengthen counterterror collaboration, particularly with Indonesia and the Philippines, where similar radicalized cells operate.

Sputnik: Australia’s Counterterrorism Cooperation After Bondi Attack

Xinhua: Global Condemnation Over Sydney Terrorist Attack

Impact on domestic politics

The tragedy could influence Australia’s internal political landscape. Opposition parties are calling for expanded surveillance powers and community risk profiling, while advocacy groups warn against stigmatizing Muslim and Arab communities.

Human rights observers note that this event could test Australia’s delicate balance between national security and civil liberties as it strengthens its counterterror architecture under pressure from U.S. and U.K. intelligence alliances.

Cubadebate: Australia Debates National Security After Bondi Attack

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Regional and Global Reactions

Global institutions such as the United Nations and European Union condemned the Sydney terrorist attack, urging vigilance against extremism targeting religious minorities. The Australian Jewish Association and international organizations called for enhanced protection during holidays and cultural events.

Regional allies including New Zealand and Singapore increased public security levels, signaling concern over potential copycat incidents.

In the Middle East, both Palestinian and Israeli officials expressed sorrow for the victims, though differing narratives surfaced over the politicization of the tragedy.

Protests and vigils spread across Sydney, Melbourne, London, and Tel Aviv under the slogan “Stand Against Fear”, with interfaith leaders calling for unity.

X (Twitter): Candlelight Vigil for Victims in Bondi Beach

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In a statement, the Islamist militia, which has controlled the enclave since 2007, also warned against any attempt to displace Palestinians from the territory, devastated after two years of Israeli aggression.

“Only our people have the right to decide who runs them and manage their affairs,” the group stated.

It also reiterated that Palestinians have the right to defend themselves, free their occupied land, and establish an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Hamas called on the international community, and especially Arab countries, to pressure Israel to comply with the terms of the current truce, open Gaza’s border crossings, and halt its attacks.

Yesterday, the army killed Raed Saad, considered the second-in-command of the group’s military wing in Gaza Strip, and this morning they killed Ahmed Zamzam, head of internal security in the central part of the territory.

Hamas’s statements coincide with talks to deploy an international force to the area as part of a second phase of the ceasefire agreement, in effect since October 10.

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The fire was brought under control with the assistance of several fire detachments and support from forestry brigades and helicopters from the Ministry of the Interior equipped with water buckets.

“The situation is under control, and preventive monitoring is being maintained in the area to avoid flare-ups. Work continues on mop-up operations,” Fire Department officials stated.

No injuries or damage to homes were reported.

The cause of the fire is unknown, but its spread may have been linked to the prevailing high temperatures.

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In an interview with the Rossiya 1 television channel, Ushakov stated that the Ukrainian and European contributions to these documents will hardly be constructive. “That’s the problem,” the advisor added, although he admitted that he has not yet seen the documents.

“We haven’t seen them, but if there are amendments there, we will raise very strong objections, because we had clearly stated our position, and apparently, the Americans understood it well,” Ushakov said.

The Russian president’s advisor then surmised that the amended version “will contain completely unacceptable provisions, particularly regarding the territorial issue.”

“The issue of territories has been actively discussed in Moscow, so the Americans know and understand our position,” he said.

“I don’t know how this will turn out on paper after those consultations; I doubt anything good will come of it,” Ushakov commented.

When asked if the option of establishing a demilitarized zone in Donbas, by analogy with the one on the Korean Peninsula, had been raised in the recent negotiations, the advisor replied: “Not once.”

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The head of Russian diplomacy made these remarks in an article written for the Serbian newspaper Politika on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Accords.

Lavrov emphasized that the Western parties in Kosovo have ignored the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 for many years, which is fundamental to the solution in that Serbian region and guarantees Serbia’s territorial integrity.

After recognizing the region’s unilaterally declared national “independence,” they continue to foster the Serb-phobic anarchy perpetrated by the leaders in Pristina, including the formation of an illegal Kosovo Albanian army.

They are initiating the creation of military alliances in which Pristina participates on equal footing with sovereign states.

The dangerous trends toward increased military potential and a shift in the balance of power in the Balkans are evident, the diplomat noted.

We consider this a direct violation of the Dayton Accords, particularly those enshrined in Appendices 1-A, “On the Military Aspects of the Peaceful Settlement,” and 1-B, “On Stabilization in the Region,” Lavrov concluded.

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