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U.S. Seeks Government Changes in Cuba and Venezuela Through a Naval Blockade
(www.telesurenglish.net)
The measures obstruct the free trade of Venezuelan oil and target ships bound for Cuba.
On Monday, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez accused the United States of seeking government changes in Cuba and Venezuela through a naval blockade against Venezuelan oil tankers in the Caribbean Sea, which directly impacts the island.
RELATED:
Cuba Denounces Fraudulent US Terrorist Designation Against Venezuela
Rodriguez asserted that Washington intends to destroy the Cuban Revolution and overthrow the Bolivarian government by intensifying its policy of maximum pressure and economic strangulation.
He denounced that the U.S. measures obstruct the free trade of Venezuelan oil resources in the Caribbean and target ships bound for Cuba, which worsens the country’s energy crisis.
After the attack on the tanker Skipper, which was carrying crude oil destined for the island, the Foreign Minister has severely accused the U.S. of specifically targeting Venezuelan oil destined for Cuba.
Since 2000, Caracas and Havana have maintained an agreement whereby Venezuela pays for Cuban professional services, including doctors and teachers, with oil, which strengthens their economic alliance.
🚨 According to Cuba’s 2025 UN report, from March 2024 to February 2025 the U.S. blockade caused US$7.556 billion in damages — a 49 % increase compared to the previous year. And still there are people that say that the US policy against Cuba is fictitious. pic.twitter.com/HDW8ICvhmX
— Lianys Torres Rivera (@lianystr) December 2, 2025
Cuba needed between 110,000 and 120,000 barrels of oil per day in 2025, of which 40,000 came from domestic production, while the rest had to be imported to sustain the energy system and daily life.
Venezuela, which previously supplied 100,000 barrels per day, sent an average of 27,000 this year, creating an energy gap that has caused prolonged blackouts and industrial paralysis in Cuba.
Moscow contributed 6,000 barrels per day in 2025, while Mexico reduced its shipment from 23,000 to nearly 2,500 barrels. Since Cuba lacks sufficient foreign currency to purchase oil on international markets, long lines at gas stations and a production crisis have arisen nationwide.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Cuba: The Acosta Dance Company announced that two productions by dancer and choreographer Carlos Acosta will be staged in the United Kingdom in 2026. pic.twitter.com/JX9e0mvyYx
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 26, 2025
teleSUR: JP
Source: EFE
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
2230
From a preliminary selection of seven nominees, the jury, presided over by maestro Digna Guerra and musicians Marta Bonet, Cesar Lopez, Beatriz Corona, and Jose Maria Vitier, unanimously awarded the distinction to the artist.
“I believe this prize is a well-deserved prize because Amaury’s work has been deeply rooted in our people for many years, with numerous musical and literary contributions,” jury president Digna Guerra told Prensa Latina.
“Is that true? Look, April Fool’s Day was yesterday,” the artist joked incredulously upon receiving the news by phone.
“We all congratulate you, and it is a true privilege for us to have you among the National Music Award recipients of our institution,” said the President of the Cuban Book Institute Indira Fajardo.
“Thank you so much, I’m very excited, my heart is racing,” responded the renowned composer.
Jazz musician Cesar Lopez told this agency that the selection was difficult due to the quality and artistic careers of all the candidates.
jdt/mem/vnl
The post Amaury Perez Vidal, new winner of Cuba’s National Music Prize first appeared on Prensa Latina.
From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.
2231
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Mexico City’s Participatory Budget Will Increase to 2.3 Billion Pesos for 2026
(mexicosolidarity.com)
This article by Manuel Cosme originally appeared in the December 26, 2025 edition of El Sol de México.
The Participatory Budget that the 16 boroughs of Mexico City will use next year will be 2.304 billion pesos, which is 160.7 million pesos more than in 2025. This money will address the needs of the neighborhoods, towns, and districts.
Iztapalapa is the borough that will receive the largest amount of the Participatory Budget with 310 million 927 thousand pesos, followed by Gustavo A. Madero with 253 million 579 thousand pesos , both demarcations are the ones that have the largest population of Mexico City.
The Cuauhtémoc borough has the third place in the distribution of these resources with 178 million 543 thousand pesos, followed by Coyoacán with 150 million 476 thousand pesos and Venustiano Carranza is in fifth place with 148 million 550 million pesos.
The districts that will receive the least participatory budget are Milpa Alta, Cuajimalpa and Magdalena Contreras with 82 million 486 thousand pesos, 95 million 570 thousand pesos and 93 million 501 thousand pesos, respectively.
Article 17 of the Expenditure Budget decree stipulates that the resources received by the municipalities are for movable, immovable and intangible assets and public investment.
This year, the IeCM awarded recognition to the 10 innovative projects carried out with the Participatory Budget whose characteristics are innovation, replication, sustainability, equity, inclusion and that encourage social cohesion.
Actipan orchard improvement
The first place was awarded to the improvement of the Actipan orchard, in the neighbourhood of the same name, located in the Benito Juárez borough; the second place corresponded to the maintenance and reforestation of the Santa Fe ravine, in La Loma, Álvaro Obregón borough; in third place are the works of canopy and meeting space that were done in the esplanade of the Pilares de Santa Cecilia, Tláhuac borough.
The 10 projects will be added to the Participatory Budget’s Bank of Good Practices projects, so that they can serve as inspiration and reference in future consultations.
María Fernanda Fragoso and Juan Jesús Jiménez, who received the recognition, urged the residents to participate by presenting their projects in the next Citizen Consultation of the Participatory Budget to be held in 2026.
Erika Estrada, an electoral councilor, opined that the winning projects demonstrate that innovation does not always mean great technologies, but rather new forms of organization, caring for the common good, and imagining environments, and above all, they are an example that with creativity and effort it is possible to dream of new solutions and make them a reality.
Electoral Councilor Maira Melissa Guerra Pulido, a member of the Citizen Participation and Training Commission, acknowledged the effort of the participants to ensure that their proposals received the approval of the residents during the voting.
“The most interesting thing is that their projects have been chosen as replicable. What they proposed here also solves problems in my neighborhood. And that is extremely useful,” he concluded.
The municipalities will distribute the Participatory Budget they receive as follows: half will be distributed proportionally among the neighborhoods, towns and districts , the remaining 50 percent will be assigned according to the poverty index; the crime rate; the status of an Indigenous community; the status of a rural community; the population according to the most recent census carried out by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography; and the floating population in the municipalities that are impacted by that factor.
Participatory Budget Consultation. Polling station at the Guelatao Social and Sports Center Photo: Laura Lovera, El Sol de México
This budget is an instrument through which citizens exercise their right to decide on the application of the resources granted by the local government so that its inhabitants can optimize their environment with proposals for projects of works, services, equipment and urban infrastructure.
The resources will be primarily directed towards strengthening community development, coexistence, and community action that contributes to rebuilding the social fabric and solidarity among neighbors and residents.
The participatory budgeting model was first used in Mexico City in 2011 as a direct democracy mechanism, allowing residents to propose and vote on specific projects to improve their neighborhoods, towns, and districts. It will have been in place for 15 years in 2026.
Currently, the municipalities allocate four percent of the budget to projects for works, services, equipment, urban infrastructure and community improvements.
The process for choosing how that budget is used is organized annually by the Electoral Institute of Mexico City (IECM) and includes several stages: among them the registration of projects by residents, technical assessment of feasibility, and finally, the citizen vote to choose the winning projects, which are then executed by the mayoral offices.
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Mexico City’s Participatory Budget Will Increase to 2.3 Billion Pesos for 2026
December 29, 2025December 29, 2025
The participatory budgeting model was first used in 2011 as a direct democracy mechanism, allowing residents to propose and vote on specific projects to improve their neighborhoods, towns, and districts.
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People’s Mañanera December 29
December 29, 2025December 29, 2025
President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, including comments on Interoceanic train derailment, Cananea strike, Sonora River clean-up, and formal employment numbers.
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Order Without Sovereignty, Integration Without Autonomy, Stability Without Transformation
December 29, 2025
Mexico often imagines its relationship with the US as a partnership based on economic interdependence, mutual respect, and strategic cooperation. This narrative is functional for diplomacy & reassuring for national elites, but it is false.
The post Mexico City’s Participatory Budget Will Increase to 2.3 Billion Pesos for 2026 appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.
From Mexico Solidarity Media via This RSS Feed.
2232
They demand the restitution of fuel subsidies and reject price hikes.
On Sunday, Bolivian Workers’ Center (COB) confirmed it will maintain a nationwide strike as a pressure measure to demand full protection of economic and social rights.
RELATED:
Bolivians Demand Environmental Safeguards in Lithium Projects
Specifically, workers reject Decree 5503, which eliminated fuel subsidies, resulting in price increases of 86% for gasoline and 162% for diesel.
The COB called on grassroots committees to participate massively, in a disciplined and combative manner, against the elimination of fuel subsidies and other neoliberal measures promoted by President Rodrigo Paz.
Bolivia’s main labor organization sealed a unity agreement with miners, peasants, factory workers and rural teachers with the aim of intensifying protests starting in the first week of January 2026.
The National Committee of Miners’ Housewives of Bolivia (CONACMIN) said it is joining the open-ended strike promoted by the COB, which is also supported by the Federation of Bolivian Mine Workers (FSTMB).
Day 6 of Bolivia’s general strike against the new govt’s neoliberal austerity measures.
The largest union (miners) hold daily protests in the capital, while rural workers plan to march on cities. Though some smaller corrupt unions are demobilzing after signing deals with govt. pic.twitter.com/c8lAt6UnNu
— Ollie Vargas (@Ollie_Vargas_) December 28, 2025
The decision by Bolivian social organizations comes after the La Paz administration said it would not modify “a single article” of the decree approved on Dec. 17.
Jose Choque, the COB’s second secretary, said those statements sparked strong rejection among affiliated organizations, including the Unified Syndical Confederation of Rural Workers of Bolivia (CSUTCB), which decided to strengthen mobilizations nationwide starting in January under a pressure strategy inspired by the historical line of struggle of Felipe Quispe, known as “El Mallku.”
Choque also said workers will begin setting up hunger strike pickets in different regions of the country. Labor organizations will launch internal information campaigns to explain the contents of Decree 5503 to their members and define new protest actions.
He said it was also agreed to form a strike committee and a mobilization committee, which will begin operating after New Year’s celebrations in order not to affect people traveling during the year-end holidays. The union leader said at least 101 of the 121 articles of Decree 5503 contain flaws that render them unconstitutional.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Bolivia: Sectors affiliated with the Workers' Union continued protesting against a decree that eliminates subsidies for hydrocarbons and threatens the natural resources. pic.twitter.com/s820l3z8Un
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 29, 2025
teleSUR/ JF
Sources: ANF – El Ciudadano – Erbol
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
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Arab League and Somalia oppose alleged neo-colonial “population transfer” scheme.
On December 26, 2025, Israel’s recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as a sovereign nation redrew the geopolitical map of the Horn of Africa. This unprecedented move by a UN member state challenges decades of international consensus and raises critical questions about regional stability, sovereignty, and the evolving international order.
While many analysts describe the development as a triumph for democracy and self-determination, a closer reading suggests a more cynical calculus: the weaponization of statehood to fracture regional unity and secure a strategic foothold in one of the world’s most sensitive maritime corridors.
After more than three decades of peaceful self-governance, constitutional order, and democratic practice, Somaliland has received its first formal international recognition as a sovereign and independent state.
This development affirms an objective reality that has long existed.… pic.twitter.com/Kw0JrhfZKM
— Presidency | Republic of Somaliland (@Presidencysl_) December 26, 2025
Somaliland: The De Facto State at the Crossroads
Somaliland, located on the Gulf of Aden’s southern coast, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has since operated as a de facto state with its own currency, security system, and stable government. However, for 34 years, it remained unrecognized by any UN member state—until now.
Somaliland’s defining asset is geographic: it sits opposite Yemen, guarding the doorway to the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Through this narrow chokepoint pass a substantial share of global trade and energy supplies every day.
In the eyes of Western and Israeli strategists, Somaliland is no longer merely a breakaway province; it has become a permanent aircraft carrier at the edge of the Red Sea.
Israel became the first country to re-recognise #Somaliland after 35 years of being ignored by everyone. Congratulations to all Somalilanders. Soon more will follow. pic.twitter.com/e5EU3p6g1Q
— Ayan Mahamoud MBE (@Gobannimo) December 26, 2025
The Zionist Calculation: Why Now?
The timing of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement appears purposeful. It aligns with a broader reorientation of regional networks in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.
Israel has long sought alliances with non-Arab or non-Sunni partners to bypass hostile neighbors—a strategy known as the Periphery Doctrine.
Recognizing Somaliland revives and repurposes this approach for the 21st century. In this reading, Somaliland becomes a forward operating base for intelligence and military planning, a foothold in a region where control of maritime corridors translates into influence over global trade routes.
The Strategic Imperative of a Forward Presence
Following years of maritime blockades in Yemen by Houthi forces, Israel appears intent on establishing a forward presence that can surveil and influence events along the Red Sea corridor.
A base in Berbera would offer a vantage point to monitor developments across the Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Aden, effectively enabling a more agile response to regional crises and shifting alliances.
It is a strategic move framed by some as forward deterrence; others see a risk of entangling Israel in a broader theater of proxy warfare.
In April, I predicted Somaliland – a brutal British neocolony – was going to be a dumping ground for Palestinians forcibly removed from Gaza. This recognition looks like a clear step in that direction.https://t.co/31yjXlpmFJ https://t.co/nRHo7bzy1M
— Kit Klarenberg (@KitKlarenberg) December 26, 2025
A Muslim-Majority Trojan Horse
Supporters of normalization often invoke the promise of the Abraham Accords and regional peace. By incorporating Somaliland—a Muslim-majority territory—into its orbit, Israel can present itself as advancing a broader, plural coalition while continuing to pursue normalization with other regional actors.
In this context, recognition signifies legitimacy, indicating that Muslim-majority regions can engage in a new security framework without sacrificing key strategic interests.
The move also serves Ethiopia’s broader regional strategy: scholars argue it creates a geopolitical corridor linking Tel Aviv, Addis Ababa, and Hargeisa, potentially shaping the Red Sea dynamics and countering rival influences in the region.
Somaliland Muslims reject recognition of their state by Israel and raised Palestinian flags 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/1pr8EEZhS2
— Jvnior (@Jvnior) December 28, 2025
Somalia’s Response: Defending the Nation-State
The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) has firmly rejected Israel’s recognition. In response, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud convened an emergency parliamentary session in Mogadishu on December 28, 2025, resulting in a resolution that declared the recognition null and void, citing a violation of the UN Charter.
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre called the decision a reckless gamble that contravenes the African Union’s principle of uti possidetis, which seeks to prevent further fragmentation of colonial-era borders.
Somalia has also petitioned the UN Security Council, the Arab League, and the African Union to sanction any actors involved in facilitating this “illegal secession.”
Central to Mogadishu’s outrage is the rejection of any Gaza-to-Berbera pipeline or related schemes, linking Somaliland’s recognition to a broader Zionist strategy to displace Palestinians.
By reframing the conflict as a joint defense of Somali and Palestinian rights, Mogadishu casts the Hargeisa administration as a collaborator in a neo-colonial project and turns the border dispute into a rallying point across pan-Islamic circles.
The people in Somalia are angry at Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and are not holding back pic.twitter.com/darsQWqSDv
— Ryan Rozbiani (@RyanRozbiani) December 27, 2025
China and Russia: The Sovereignty Shield
Beijing and Moscow have united in opposition to the move, casting it as a challenge to the norms of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
China has warned Somaliland against complicity with external powers, framing the decision as a dangerous precedent that could undermine regional stability and cross-border cooperation in Africa.
Russia has attacked what it calls a hypocrisy in Western powers: supporting the principles of territorial integrity in Europe while endorsing secessionist arrangements elsewhere when it serves broader geopolitical aims.
Their rhetoric underscores a wider trend: the erosion of a universal rules-based order when it conflicts with powerful state interests.
The Arab League: A United Front
In a striking display of regional solidarity, the Arab League convened an extraordinary session on December 29, 2025, under the chairmanship of the United Arab Emirates.
The league issued a red-line statement, asserting that Somaliland’s recognition represents a direct threat to Arab national security.
Even signatories of the Abraham Accords, including the UAE and Morocco, found themselves compelled to address the issue in defense of their standing within the Arab and African blocs.
The diplomatic isolation of Israel in this arena, despite its new alliances elsewhere, emphasizes the precarious balance of regional interests and the limits of external patronage when tested against shared regional narratives.
#UPDATE: Global powers voiced support for #Somalia after #Israel recognized #Somaliland, a breakaway region. #Somalia called the move a violation of its sovereignty. The #UN, Arab League and others reaffirmed the territorial integrity of #Somalia. pic.twitter.com/zfnz1g1yoG
— Hortabin Media (@HortabinMedia) December 29, 2025
Does Israel Intend to Send Palestinians to Somaliland?
This question lingers as perhaps the most troubling aspect of the recognition. While some narrative emphasizes agricultural cooperation and security collaboration, several indicators suggest a demographic dimension to the decision.
The Arab League’s December 28 emergency session rejected using Somaliland’s recognition to displace Palestinians, indicating regional intelligence is monitoring relevant protocols.
Somaliland’s financial fragility, cut off from international banking for decades, adds another layer of complexity.
Critics argue that Israel could leverage recognition and investment to secure Somaliland as a humanitarian host for Gazans, a move that, in practice, would amount to reshaping Gaza’s humanitarian crisis into a wider diaspora project.
Somaliland’s levers and Somalia’s counter-mobilization reflect a broader contest over who commands the legitimacy of borders.
In Israel’s calculus, recognition may be a bid to normalize a new network of security cooperation and economic ties that challenge longstanding regional norms.
In Mogadishu, the response has been to reassert sovereignty and condemn any attempt to redraw borders through external patronage.
Yet the reality remains that the Horn of Africa is now a theater of imperial contest, where the signature of one state can tilt the balance of regional power, with implications for global markets, humanitarian futures, and the lives of people who inhabit lifelines from Djibouti to Dar es Salaam.
A New Theater of Resistance
The Somaliland gambit marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing contest over sovereignty, legitimacy, and the 21st-century strategic landscape.
It crystallizes a new form of geopolitical power, where recognition, security arrangements, and economic incentives converge to recast borders and who may claim them.
For a region long haunted by cycles of violence and external meddling, the decision to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state is neither merely a diplomatic anomaly nor a simple alliance.
As global powers recalibrate alliances and confront a multipolar order, the Horn of Africa stands as a stark reminder that sovereignty, once taken for granted, has become a contested, strategic asset in a world where maritime routes are the new battlegrounds of power.
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
2234
Every day, President Claudia Sheinbaum gives a morning presidential press conference and Mexico Solidarity Media posts English language summaries, translated by Mexico Solidarity’s Pedro Gellert Frank. Previous press conference summaries are available here.
Attention to victims and thorough investigation of the Interoceanic Train derailment
President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences and solidarity with the families of those who lost their lives in the Interoceanic Train accident. She stressed that the priority is care and assistance for the victims and their families, and that she will travel to Oaxaca to directly meet with them.
The President reported that the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) will carry out a rigorous investigation to clarify the causes and determine responsibilities for the derailment. In addition, she stated that the safety of the train and its infrastructure will be guaranteed, in coordination with the Ministry of the Navy, before its operations are resumed.
Comprehensive update: assistance and actions following the Interoceanic Train derailment
The Navy reported that 250 people were aboard the train, of whom 108 were hospitalized, 44 remain hospitalized, and 13 lost their lives (12 have already been located and a search and rescue operation is still underway for the other victim). Rescue and assistance protocols were immediately activated with 360 naval personnel, 20 vehicles, 4 ground ambulances, 3 air ambulances, and a drone. The Navy indicated that an inspection vehicle had traveled the route an hour and a half before the accident without detecting any faults.
Today, the Railway Transportation Agency, together with the FGR, will conduct the evaluation of the incident, analyze the Pulser (the train’s event recorder), and the company Ferrosur will transport two cranes to re-rail the locomotive and railcars. By presidential instruction, each family is receiving direct support from the government; passenger insurance policies have been activated, and the phone number 5522302106 has been enabled to assist the victims’ families.
Historic justice for Cananea and the Sonora River
The Government reported on progress in relation to two historic conflicts in Sonora: the Cananea mine strike (2007) and the environmental damage caused by the Sonora River spill (2014).
With the Justice Plan for Cananea —promoted since 2021— the strike was brought to a close and compensation was paid to workers, widows, and families, in addition to agreeing on actions for environmental restoration, healthcare, and access to water. The Ministry of the Environment (SEMARNAT) presented the environmental plan that will benefit more than 20,000 residents, with projects set to begin in January 2026.
The investment will exceed 2.2 billion pesos (US$120 million), with funds from Grupo México and the federal and state governments. Governor Alfonso Durazo reported that restoration of the Sonora River will begin immediately and that some Cananea workers may be reinstated at the mining company.
Strong economy and confidence in Mexico’s future
Sheinbaum stated that with its appreciation, the peso is among the strongest currencies internationally and that the country’s economy remains solid, with inflation declining. She emphasized that 2025 was a good year and affirmed that Mexico will do even better in 2026.
Formal employment at a record high and unemployment low
The President noted that Mexico has reached its highest level of formal employment and ranks as the country with the second lowest unemployment rate worldwide.
She stressed that, despite criticism, the country has fared better since the arrival of the Fourth Transformation, as a result of the new economic model and Mexico’s demographic and productive strength.
Youth aligned with the transformation and a clear path to 2026
Sheinbaum stated that it is difficult for young people to support neoliberalism or the far right because freedom lies in the transformation, and that the majority of youth stand with the 4T.
She explained that the popular support for the 4T is due to honesty and results, and reiterated the commitment to continue improving living conditions and reducing poverty and inequality. She announced that in early 2026 reports will be presented on key issues, including investment, progress on Plan México, strengthening Well-Being Programs, and the consolidation of the health care system.
-
Mexico City’s Participatory Budget Will Increase to 2.3 Billion Pesos for 2026
December 29, 2025December 29, 2025
The participatory budgeting model was first used in 2011 as a direct democracy mechanism, allowing residents to propose and vote on specific projects to improve their neighborhoods, towns, and districts.
-
People’s Mañanera December 29
December 29, 2025December 29, 2025
President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, including comments on Interoceanic train derailment, Cananea strike, Sonora River clean-up, and formal employment numbers.
-
Order Without Sovereignty, Integration Without Autonomy, Stability Without Transformation
December 29, 2025
Mexico often imagines its relationship with the US as a partnership based on economic interdependence, mutual respect, and strategic cooperation. This narrative is functional for diplomacy & reassuring for national elites, but it is false.
The post People’s Mañanera December 29 appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.
From Mexico Solidarity Media via This RSS Feed.
2235
Gen. Ekenge’s speech propagates the ideology that led to the 1994 genocide.
On Monday, the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) suspended their spokesperson, Gen. Sylvain Ekenge, for discriminatory comments on national television against Tutsi women.
RELATED:
Mapping Her Way: African Women Reclaim their Landscape
The FARDC General Staff clarified that Ekenge’s statements do not represent the position of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the security of all citizens without distinction.
The official statement called on the population to remain united, reject hate speech, and support the FARDC in its mission, underscoring the importance of national cohesion at a critical time.
Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe accused Ekenge, who claimed that marrying Tutsi women involves risks of infidelity, of promoting a genocidal ideology attributed to the Congolese government.
At this point, there is no difference between the FARDC and the FDLR.
On national television, FARDC spokesperson Maj. Gen. Ekenge made a statement that goes beyond hate speech, it was a call to action targeting Tutsi women.
This was not a personal remark; it was made in the… pic.twitter.com/wEZsJCIGGa
— Noel Kambanda (@NoelKambanda) December 28, 2025
Rwanda maintains that the DRC keeps propagating the ideology that led to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis, while the Congolese government denies this accusation and blames Rwanda for supporting the March 23 Movement (M23).
In the 1994 genocide, Hutu extremists murdered approximately 800,000 people, primarily Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Rwanda also experienced widespread sexual violence, with between 250,000 and 500,000 women raped.
Rwanda also accuses the Congolese army of cooperating with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which was founded in 2000 by perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide and exiles, to regain political power in Rwanda.
Since 1998, eastern DRC has experienced a protracted conflict between rebel groups and the army, despite the deployment of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Africa: At least 30 people died in a boat accident on the Kwango River, west of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). pic.twitter.com/fpN5qvObNO
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 19, 2025
teleSUR: JP
Source: EFE
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
2236
Russia will revise its negotiating stance after this terrorist attack.
Early Monday, Russia confirmed that Ukrainian forces launched a drone attack against the state residence of President Vladimir Putin.
RELATED:
Russia Blocks Enforcement of Foreign Criminal Court Rulings
“Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Ukraine fired 91 drones at Putin’s official residence in the Novgorod region Sunday night into Monday, adding that all of them were destroyed by air defenses,” The Associated Press reported.
As a result of this terrorist attack, Russian authorities said they will review the positions the country has maintained so far in negotiations aimed at ending the Ukrainian conflict.
“We have no intention of withdrawing from the negotiation process with the United States. However, given the final degeneration of the criminal regime in Kiev, which has turned toward a policy of state terrorism, Russia’s negotiating positions will be reviewed,” Lavrov said.
🇷🇺🇺🇸 Putin and Trump held another call, Ushakov confirmed. Key points:
🔸️Putin drew Trump’s attention to Kiev’s drone attack on his state residence in the Novgorod region;
🔸️Trump was shocked and outraged by Kiev’s attack on Putin’s state residence, saying he could not have… https://t.co/GmMyWrve6L pic.twitter.com/nMNbhnDMyF
— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) December 29, 2025
In a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump, Putin also confirmed his intention to review his country’s stance and some agreements reached during an earlier stage of negotiations on Ukraine.
Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin’s foreign policy adviser, said that Trump was “indignant” over what happened and said he “could not even imagine such a reckless action” by Kiev.
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of lying about the existence of an attack on one of Putin’s residences.
“Now the Russians have invented an obviously false story about some kind of attack on the residence… in order to have an excuse to continue attacks against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in a message posted on Telegram.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Russia: The Eurasian Economic Union consolidated its status as one of the self-sufficient centers of the emerging multipolar world. pic.twitter.com/OdQq1AV0qK
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 24, 2025
teleSUR/ JF
Sources: EFE – AP
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
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Since the outbreak of the border conflict, China has been engaging in mediation and providing good offices.
On Monday, foreign ministers Wang Yi (China), Sihasak Phuangketkeow (Thailand) and Prak Sokhonn (Cambodia) held a meeting in Yunnan where they worked to consolidate the ceasefire agreement, revive exchanges and rebuild mutual political trust between Thailand and Cambodia.
RELATED:
Thailand and Cambodia Agree to Ceasefire After Weeks of Border Clashes
Since the outbreak of conflict on the Cambodia-Thailand border, China has been engaging in mediation and providing good offices. China has on four occasions dispatched its special envoy for Asian affairs to conduct shuttle diplomacy, accommodating the legitimate concerns of both sides to resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation.
Wang said that China is glad to see the recent ceasefire agreement reached between Cambodia and Thailand. He mentioned that foreign affairs and military authorities of Cambodia and Thailand have held in-depth exchanges on this matter, and both sides are committed to de-escalating the situation and are willing to improve bilateral relations on the basis of the ceasefire.
Wang added that the discussions among the three parties have been constructive and productive, leading to important consensuses as following:
A widowed woman is suffering greatly because of the Cambodia-Thailand conflict. She stood looking at her home, destroyed and flattened to the ground by the Thai military. She said, "I lost everything."#socialinclusioncambodia pic.twitter.com/2ecRum4G2C
— Sochea (@hongsochea) December 29, 2025
First, all parties should look ahead and move forward together. The ceasefire agreement has not been easily achieved; it must not be abandoned halfway, let alone lead to the resumption of hostilities.
Second, progress should be steady and incremental, avoiding stagnation. Implementing the ceasefire arrangements requires sustained communication and consultation, and the restoration of bilateral relations must also be gradually advanced.
Third, rebuilding mutual trust is paramount. The conflict has caused a loss of trust, but Cambodia and Thailand are eternal neighbors. It is hoped that this meeting in Yunnan will help overcome the estrangement between the two sides, and this serves the interests of the Cambodian and Thai people and reflects the shared aspirations of all relevant parties.
China will facilitate the development of Cambodia-Thailand relations, and stands ready to provide all necessary assistance and support, including ceasefire monitoring, humanitarian aid and mine-clearance cooperation.
The Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers expressed their gratitude to China for providing this platform for dialogue, and spoke highly of China’s constructive role in de-escalating the conflict, in easing tensions, and in promoting dialogue.
Both sides emphasized the value of peace, and expressed readiness to implement the ceasefire agreement, make good use of dialogue mechanisms at all levels to manage and address disputes, and work together to maintain peace and tranquility along the border between the two countries.
After the meeting, the three sides made it clear that Cambodia and Thailand will further enhance communication, deepen understanding, and gradually consolidate the ceasefire situation, restore mutual exchanges, rebuild political mutual trust, achieve a turnaround in relations, and maintain regional peace.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | China: The Foreign Affairs Ministry called the United States detention of a Venezuelan oil tanker arbitrary and a serious violation of international law. pic.twitter.com/IJKMpCJccn
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 25, 2025
teleSUR/ JF
Source: Xinhua
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Order Without Sovereignty, Integration Without Autonomy, Stability Without Transformation
(mexicosolidarity.com)
This article by José Romero originally appeared in the December 19, 2025 edition ofLa Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those ofMexico Solidarity Media*, or the Mexico Solidarity Project.*
Mexico often imagines its relationship with the United States as a partnership based on economic interdependence, mutual respect, and strategic cooperation. This narrative is functional for diplomacy and reassuring for national elites, but it is false. It does not describe how the United States truly views Mexico. In the spaces where power is defined— security think tanks, military academies, defense departments, and realist currents of international policy—Mexico does not appear as a partner, ally, or nation with its own project, but rather as a strategic territory whose function is to serve the internal stability and power projection of the United States.
John Mearsheimer has been clear: great powers are not driven by values, discourses, or cultural affinities, but by the brutal logic of power. They seek to maximize their security, preserve their regional primacy, and prevent neighboring actors from developing capabilities that would limit their room for maneuver. Cooperation exists only as long as it reinforces this structure. From this perspective, the United States does not evaluate Mexico based on its well-being, but on its usefulness. Its value lies not in its development, but in its functional subordination.
Mexico is integrated into the international economic order, yet restricted. It is given access to markets, but denied strategic technology. It is required to maintain macroeconomic stability, but punished for any attempt at autonomous industrial planning. This is not an accident: it is by design.
Geography is a double-edged sword. A land border of over 3,000 kilometers, access to the Gulf of Mexico, immediate proximity to the U.S. industrial heartland, and control over migration flows make Mexico a vital space. The United States can abandon distant allies, sacrifice entire regions, or tolerate instability on other continents, but it cannot afford uncertainty south of its immediate border. Douglas MacGregor has stated it unequivocally: U.S. security begins outside its borders, and Mexico acts as a strategic buffer. It is not an equal; it is a perimeter.
Hence the central truth that is rarely stated: a stable, but not strong, Mexico is in the United States’ best interest. A weak Mexico generates unacceptable risks—mass migration, violence, disorder—but a strong, industrialized Mexico, with an independent foreign policy and a long-term national project, would pose a geopolitical problem. It would disrupt the regional balance and reduce U.S. control. For this reason, Mexican development has always been tolerated only up to a certain point.
Jeffrey Sachs has pointed out that the international economic order is designed to prevent middle-income countries from achieving full sovereign development. Mexico is a prime example. It is integrated, yet restricted. It is given access to markets, but denied strategic technology. It is required to maintain macroeconomic stability, but punished for any attempt at autonomous industrial planning. This is not an accident: it is by design.
The USMCA, nearshoring, and regional value chains are about ensuring that design, innovation, intellectual property, & profits remain in the North, while Mexico contributes territory, cheap labor, fiscal discipline, & political compliance.
The USMCA, nearshoring, and regional value chains are not about creating Mexican national capabilities. They are not about industrial champions or technological autonomy. They are about ensuring that design, innovation, intellectual property, and profits remain in the North, while Mexico contributes territory, cheap labor, fiscal discipline, and political compliance. It is controlled relocation, not development. It is subordinate integration, not convergence.
From this perspective, Mexican sovereignty is tolerated only as long as it is not exercised. It can be proclaimed in speeches, but it generates a reaction when it translates into concrete policies: strengthening national companies, strategic regulation, genuine diversification of alliances, and an active industrial policy. As Mearsheimer warns, powerful nations react when a subordinate actor attempts to modify the implicit rules of the system.
From a realistic American perspective, Mexico is not a historical subject with the right to transform itself, but rather a variable to be managed. Its function is to guarantee internal stability in the United States, reduce risks posed by China, and serve as a dependent production platform. A sovereign Mexico is not desirable; it is inconvenient. The United States does not seek Mexico’s collapse, but neither does it seek its emancipation. It seeks order without sovereignty, integration without autonomy, and stability without transformation. That is the reality.
José Romero is Director General of the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE), appointed by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. CIDE is a publicly-financed social sciences research center aiming to impact Mexico’s social, economic and political development.
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Order Without Sovereignty, Integration Without Autonomy, Stability Without Transformation
December 29, 2025
Mexico often imagines its relationship with the US as a partnership based on economic interdependence, mutual respect, and strategic cooperation. This narrative is functional for diplomacy & reassuring for national elites, but it is false.
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Delivery Union Rejects Government’s App Worker Law Modifications
December 29, 2025December 29, 2025
Only 14% of workers last year were able to access the full benefits of social security, while the union believes changes are insufficient to remedy the hundreds of thousands of workers in precarity.
-
Presidents of Cuba & Venezuela Express Solidarity & Send Condolences After Train Derailment
December 29, 2025December 29, 2025
At least 13 people were killed after an Interoceanic Train carrying 250 people derailed in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca.
The post Order Without Sovereignty, Integration Without Autonomy, Stability Without Transformation appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.
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Israel’s decision could have serious repercussions in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
On Monday, Pakistan condemned Israel’s recognition of Somaliland’s independence from Somalia, and called it a violation of international law and a threat to the stability of the Horn of Africa.
RELATED:
US Consultancy Proposed Relocation of Gazans to Somalia and Somaliland
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi rejected Israel’s decision and stated that it undermines the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
On Dec. 26, the Pakistani ministry had already that the Israeli action was illegal and provocative, which jeopardized peace and regional stability. Pakistan also urged the international community to reject the move, as it weakens Mogadishu’s efforts to achieve lasting security.
Pakistan issued a joint statement with twenty Islamic and Arab countries, warning that Israel’s decision would have serious repercussions in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre says that Netanyahu, instead of recognizing Somaliland as an independent country, should recognize the State of Palestine and stop killing its people every day. pic.twitter.com/ZP1AT0mVMN
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 27, 2025
While Somaliland was a British protectorate until 1960, it has its own constitution, currency, and government. The state has shown greater economic development than Somalia, although it lacks international recognition.
The region declared its separation from Somalia, a former Italian colony, in 1991 after the overthrow of Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre. This started decades of unsuccessful attempts at dialogue regarding its independence.
Somalia has remained in conflict since Barre’s dismissal, without an effective government and under the control of warlords and Islamist militias such as Al-Shabaab, which further weakens regional stability.
#Africa | Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso strengthen regional integration. pic.twitter.com/CwFhZaoU5y
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 26, 2025
teleSUR: JP
Source: EFE
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This article by María del Pilar Martínez originally appeared in the December 28, 2025 edition of El Economista.
Just days before the start of the new year, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) published in the Official Gazette of the Federation the agreement that modifies the rules for determining the net income of delivery drivers and couriers, adjusting the exclusion factors that will come into full effect for the year 2026.
It should be noted that only 14.12% of the workers in the pilot test have managed to access the full benefits of social security; that is, 141,220 on average.
This new scheme, the STPS reported, is the result of the analysis of the pilot test carried out during the first and second quarters of the year, where the need to adjust the parameters to more accurately reflect the intensity of work and the economic reality of the sector was observed.
According to the official document, the authority considered the substantial increase to the minimum wage for 2026 announced by CONASAMI, in order to guarantee that the calculation of income is proportional and viable in the face of the new employer obligations.
Furthermore, a fundamental change lies in the redefinition of gross monthly income. From now on, this will be comprised of the sum of payments for tasks, projects, or services, including bonuses, gratuities, and incentives of any kind, but excluding tips. This clarification aims to provide legal certainty for both companies and workers regarding compliance with their social security contributions.
Regarding the reduction in exclusion percentages, the Cars category saw a decrease of 7 percentage points, falling from 55% at the end of 2025 to 48% next year. Meanwhile, the Motorcycles category registered an 8 percentage point reduction, dropping from 40% to 32%. Finally, Non-Motorized Workers experienced the largest reduction, with a decrease of 9 percentage points, from 12% to just 3% exclusion.
Despite these reductions in percentages, the gross amount that workers must generate to access social security remains almost identical due to the adjustment of the minimum wage to 9,582.47 pesos.
This means that, in nominal terms, a car driver must generate 18,427 pesos, a motorcyclist 14,092 pesos, and a non-motorized delivery person 9,877 pesos in order to be able to contribute.
Only 10% of workers will be able to comply with the new rules
Given this scenario, the position of the National Union of App and Delivery Workers of Mexico (UNTA) is one of rejection, as it maintains that the partial reduction is insufficient and does not solve the underlying problem.
The organization points out that the current design conditions the right to health on generating income well above the legal minimum, which has resulted in only about 10% of workers managing to join the IMSS during the pilot test.
For UNTA, the definitive structural solution consists of completely eliminating exclusion percentages and recognizing the total income of workers as the basis for their social security.
Meanwhile, United Delivery Drivers and Couriers of Mexico are concerned about the establishment of percentages that lack technical and logical support… “these percentages put the model as it is known at risk, as well as the income of thousands of Mexican families who earn through platforms.”
Finally, the authority warned that from 2026 onwards it will intensify surveillance and enforcement actions to ensure effective compliance with these new provisions throughout the national territory.
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Delivery Union Rejects Government’s App Worker Law Modifications
December 29, 2025December 29, 2025
Only 14% of workers last year were able to access the full benefits of social security, while the union believes changes are insufficient to remedy the hundreds of thousands of workers in precarity.
-
Presidents of Cuba & Venezuela Express Solidarity & Send Condolences After Train Derailment
December 29, 2025December 29, 2025
At least 13 people were killed after an Interoceanic Train carrying 250 people derailed in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca.
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Morena Senators Call on Mexican Government to Protect Migrants from Bounty Hunters
December 28, 2025
Huerta Ladrón de Guevara & Chavira de la Rosa denounced Trump’s strategy of hatred against migrants and citizens of the world, and said they would assess what measures to take in response.
The post Delivery Union Rejects Government’s App Worker Law Modifications appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.
From Mexico Solidarity Media via This RSS Feed.
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The Bolivarian nation reiterates support for the ‘One China’ policy.
On Monday, Venezuela rejected the possibility that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump could carry out large-scale arms sales to Taiwan.
RELATED:
China Launches Major Military Drills Encircling Taiwan
On Dec. 18, Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026. Currently, this law includes about US$1 billion earmarked for security cooperation initiatives with Taiwan and strengthens the legal framework for future weapons sales to Taipei.
In response to this new threat to peace in the Asia-Pacific region and the world, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry issued the following statement:
China perfect time to move on Taiwan as record Pentagon ships sent to Venezuela — Defender Dome https://t.co/aQyUNdNYY1 pic.twitter.com/ELCRvTbq00
— RT (@RT_com) December 29, 2025
“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, faithful to the principles of respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law, firmly and categorically rejects the dangerous announcement by the U.S. government to carry out large-scale arms sales to Taiwan.
This unilateral action constitutes a serious interference in the internal affairs of the People’s Republic of China and a flagrant violation of the international commitments assumed by Washington.
Such action directly undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, erodes strategic stability and represents a brazen threat that puts peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region at risk.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reiterates its unwavering adherence to the principle of ‘One China,’ recognizing that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory.
Likewise, we reaffirm our full support for the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate government representing the entire nation, including the Taiwan region.
Venezuela expresses its solidarity and fraternal support for the Chinese people and government, and trusts that, within the framework of international law and under the wise leadership of President Xi Jinping, they will be able to overcome this new attack orchestrated from Washington and that, sooner rather than later, Taiwan will be reunified with the People’s Republic of China, despite the irresponsible actions of third parties.”
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Japan: Peace activists rallied outside the National Diet building, demanding that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi retract her recent provocative remarks about Taiwan. pic.twitter.com/WlBIcmS58w
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 24, 2025
teleSUR/JF
Source: EFE – VFAM
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Presidents of Cuba & Venezuela Express Solidarity & Send Condolences After Train Derailment
(mexicosolidarity.com)
This article originally appeared in the December 28, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.
Mexico City. The derailment of the Interoceanic train caused various reactions from political parties, governors, senators, deputies, and even condolences from the presidents of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, and Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro.
In addition to expressing their solidarity and sorrow for the deaths and injuries on social media, some public figures demanded a thorough investigation and the suspension of operations until the causes of the accident are known; others criticized the infrastructure and lack of planning; and still others considered evaluating the continued involvement of the Secretariat of the Navy (SEMAR) in the railway management of this train.
Salomón Jara, Governor of Oaxaca, deeply regretted the accident and offered his full support to the affected families. Kenia López Rabadán, President of the Chamber of Deputies, sent her deepest condolences to the victims’ families and called for a thorough investigation.
Meanwhile, Díaz-Canel conveyed his government’s condolences “to the people and government of Mexico” and expressed solidarity, as did the Maduro government.
The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to providing “transparent” service, as it is the entity responsible for the Interoceanic Corridor.
After lamenting the loss of life, as well as the impact on the injured, the President of the Senate of the Republic, Laura Itzel Castillo, expressed her confidence that a thorough investigation will be carried out to clarify what happened.
The Morena party in the Chamber of Deputies stated that, once the investigations into the Interoceanic Train derailment are complete, the underlying causes must be addressed. Meanwhile, the PAN party demanded a permanent halt to train operations and the creation of a legislative commission to investigate the project, which, they indicated, has cost over 60 billion pesos.
The economic vice-coordinator of the National Action Party (PAN), Héctor Saúl Téllez, recalled that his party has questioned the series of irregularities in the project initiated during the previous six-year term. He proposed that the Superior Audit Office of the Federation conduct a special investigation and that operations be resumed only after an independent technical audit, with international participation, certifies the safety of the tracks and locomotives.
He stated that in the audits carried out on the train, the ASF “has reported irregularities of approximately 57.75 million pesos, with overpayments of 28.85 million in the rehabilitation of Line Z, where the accident occurred.
The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) demanded a thorough investigation and punishment for those responsible for the accident. On his social media accounts, the party’s national leader, Alejandro Moreno, asserted that this project “lacks maintenance, oversight, and seriousness. It’s all propaganda, corruption, and pure lies.”
Referring to the accident, he said that “this is the direct consequence of the improvisation, negligence and contempt with which they govern.”
The national leader of the National Action Party (PAN), Jorge Romero, expressed his condolences and acknowledged the efforts of the emergency teams that attended to the injured.
-
Delivery Union Rejects Government’s App Worker Law Modifications
December 29, 2025December 29, 2025
Only 14% of workers last year were able to access the full benefits of social security, while the union believes changes are insufficient to remedy the hundreds of thousands of workers in precarity.
-
Presidents of Cuba & Venezuela Express Solidarity & Send Condolences After Train Derailment
December 29, 2025December 29, 2025
At least 13 people were killed after an Interoceanic Train carrying 250 people derailed in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca.
-
Morena Senators Call on Mexican Government to Protect Migrants from Bounty Hunters
December 28, 2025
Huerta Ladrón de Guevara & Chavira de la Rosa denounced Trump’s strategy of hatred against migrants and citizens of the world, and said they would assess what measures to take in response.
The post Presidents of Cuba & Venezuela Express Solidarity & Send Condolences After Train Derailment appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.
From Mexico Solidarity Media via This RSS Feed.
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On Saturday, they also liberated the cities of Huliaipole and Mirnohrad.
On Monday, Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces, reported that his forces have managed to push into Krasni Liman, in eastern Donetsk, from several directions.
RELATED:
Are Ukraine And U.S. Close to a Final Peace Deal To End Conflict?
“Military units of the Zapad group are actively advancing in the city of Krasni Liman,” he said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russian authorities also reported that earlier Monday they had completed the liberation of the towns of Bohuslavka and Dibrova, near Krasni Liman, one of the most important railway hubs in the Donbas region.
The liberation of these towns improves the position of Russian troops, which continue to move closer to the Ukrainian stronghold of Sloviansk, a city that was the scene of some of the first fighting in eastern Ukraine in 2014. In this way, Russia continues its efforts to fully liberate the Donetsk region.
‼️🇷🇺🇺🇦 The Russian army liberated the settlement of Dibrova in the Donetsk People's Republic, – Ministry of Defense
▪️Units of the "West" group of troops are increasing the pace of their offensive towards Slavyansk, as a result of which the soldiers of the Armed Forces of… pic.twitter.com/wuZzP3cC42
— 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐙 🇷🇺 🇮🇪 (@SMO_VZ) December 29, 2025
On Monday, Putin held his second meeting with Russia’s top military leadership in the past two days. At the previous meeting held on Saturday, the chief of the General Staff informed him about the liberation of the town of Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region and the city of Mirnohrad in Donetsk.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and territories currently controlled by Russia remain unresolved points in the peace plan discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday.
“They are two issues that were left unresolved in the 20-point document. That’s why I said the plan is 90% ready, because there is no agreement on two points,” he said, referring to his meeting with Trump in Florida.
On Sunday, Zelenskiy and Trump projected a message of progress toward peace, although they did not finalize an agreement and did not resolve the remaining “thorny issues.”
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Russia called the talks with United States envoys on Ukraine constructive. pic.twitter.com/JvVMo4xRIZ
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 24, 2025
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
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Authorities highlighted the growing adherence of products to the Organic Products Law.
On Sunday, the Mexican Agriculture Ministry (SADER) informed that some 40,000 small and medium-sized producers managed to cultivate 210,504 hectares with organic products in the states of Chiapas, Sonora, Jalisco, Sinaloa, Baja California, Michoacan and Oaxaca during 2025.
RELATED:
Mexico Expands Measures Against Cattle Screwworm
From those crops, they consolidated an offering of some 370 fresh products of plant and animal origin and more than 1,700 processed products.
The Organic Certification Bodies (OCO) conduct assessments to prevent product counterfeiting, provide assurance to consumers, and add value, which facilitates access to better national and international markets with recognized standards.
Organic foods include coffee, honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, eggs, chicken, goat milk, cow milk, and beef, all produced without pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, or genetically modified organisms.
Organic production remains dynamic thanks to the collaboration between the SADER, 40,000 producers, and 21 OCOs, which achieved more than 370 certified fresh products and 1,700 processed goods in 2025.
🌍 La @FAO lidera nuevos proyectos para hacer la agricultura más resiliente y sostenible en apoyo a +1 millón de personas.
💰 USD 58.8 millones del Fondo para el Medio Ambiente Mundial impulsan acciones en varios países, entre ellos México 🇲🇽.
🔗 https://t.co/vAQkUu9P09 pic.twitter.com/saT1NrJcqS
— FAO México (@FAOMexico) December 18, 2025
The text reads, “FAO leads new projects to make agriculture more resilient and sustainable, supporting over 1 million people. US$58.8 million from the Global Environment Fund drives actions in several countries, including Mexico.”
At the Tenth Annual Meeting of the National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA), authorities also highlighted the growing adherence of products to the Organic Products Law (LPO), which provides guarantees regarding the integrity of food.
Thanks to this law, Mexico and Canada exchange organic products without dual certification, as their systems are equivalent. Currently, 33% of production corresponds to coffee, while avocado, orange, mango, and agave approach it in market relevance.
Certified wild harvesting covers 271,799 hectares, of which Quintana Roo and Campeche lead with chicle, Jalisco with agave, and Baja California with yucca.
There are 1,700 certified processed products, including juices, beverages, essential oils, edible oils and fats, ice cream, popsicles, flours, dairy products, sauces, condiments, dried fruits, dehydrated vegetables, cereals, and grains.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Mexico: The Attorney General's Office reported the incineration of more than three tons of narcotic catalysts. pic.twitter.com/SXBiFXEmQr
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 25, 2025
teleSUR: JP
Source: EFE
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