(2024-12-17). In Syria Dirty War, 'Our Side' Has Won. popularresistance.org In his first remarks on the ouster of Syrian president Basher al-Assad, President Biden made the case that he deserves a share of the credit. | Assad's "main allies" ⚪ Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia ⚪ "are far weaker today than they were when I took office," Biden said. Therefore, their inability to save Assad from the Turkish-backed insurgents' sweeping advance was "a direct result of the blows that Ukraine, Israel have delivered upon their own self-defense, with unflagging support of the United States." Beyond the blows inflicted by US client states, Biden also noted that he had maintained crushing US sanctions;…
(2024-12-17). Israel To Deploy Remotely Operated Machine Guns Against Palestinians. popularresistance.org The Israeli army is preparing to deploy automated, remotely monitored machine guns to protect illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, Israeli Army Radio reported on 15 December. | The automated weapons, developed by Rafael Combat Systems, will be installed on watch towers around dozens of settlements and near their entrances. They will be controlled remotely from command centers "to prevent armed attacks and infiltration operations." | The same system was installed on the Gaza border in 2008 and operated by spotters in bases. However, it failed to prevent fighters from the Islamic Resistance movemen…
(2024-12-17). FightBackBetter Cheers the Zero Time Zero Dollar Sentence for Uhuru 3 After Fraudulent Prosecution for Exercising Free Speech by Biden Admin. fightbackbetter.com Report from Lisa Davis of NJ who was in attendance at the trial in St, Petersburg Florida. TREMENDOUS VICTORY FOR…
(2024-12-17). Ajamu Baraka On The US-Backed Coup In Syria And Anti-Anti-Imperialism. popularresistance.org On December 8, the United States and Israel, with support from Turkey, succeeded in overthrowing the Syrian government using Islamic jihadist militants as proxies. Some people in the United States are claiming this as a victory for the Syrian people even though the proxies are Al Qaeda terrorists. Clearing the FOG speaks with Ajamu Baraka about the coup, the history of resistance in Syria and in the region, and what this means for the Syrian people. Baraka discusses Israel's immediate expansion of its occupation in Syria and its quest for a 'Greater Israel.' He also discusses a tendency for some Left forces in th…
(2024-12-17). Finding the Unmentionable: Amnesty International, Israel and the Genocide. scheerpost.com 
(2024-12-17). Is Ireland really anti-Israel? electronicintifada.net Dublin hosts bonds that finance genocide.
(2024-12-17). One year of denouncing the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. fidh.org One year ago, the elected representatives of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), voted on a resolution describing as genocide the crimes committed by the State of Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza. As evidence of the crimes keeps accumulating, the Israeli authorities continue to encourage and organise this genocide. Those responsible must be brought to justice. FIDH condemns the absence of a permanent ceasefire, and consequently the absence of any basic prospect (…) | – |
(2024-12-17). Longtime Professor Resigns Over University Support For Gaza Genocide. popularresistance.org Please accept this as my letter of resignation from SJSU effective December 20, 2024. I have been teaching here for the past 20 years and I can no longer ethically or morally consent to use my labor in any way that supports an institution that is explicitly manufacturing consent for the unrestrained, illegal, "apocalyptic" ongoing series of "calculated" genocides to destroy the people of Palestine. I believe that neither our tax dollars nor students' tuition ought to be funding genocides. Over the last 14 months, SJSU students and faculty along with our local community have been trying to hold up a moral and ethi…
(2024-12-17). Genocide in the name of security, according to Israeli settler narratives. thealtworld.com Israeli settler leaders are calling upon the Israeli government to emulate the genocidal strategy used against Palestinians in Gaza to displace and ethnically cleanse Palestinians from the occupied West Bank. In a letter to the Israeli security cabinet, Yisrael Ganz, head of the Yesha Council which deals with settlement affairs, together with other settler leaders and mayors, called for the demolition of buildings and refugee camps in the occupied West Bank. All of Israel's settlers and the settlements in which they live are, of course, illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention. | Israelis, though treat internat…
(2024-12-17). FACT SHEET: Genocide in Gaza — the Biden Administration's Role and Legacy. ips-dc.org
(2024-12-17). UN veto power abused to carry on genocide in Gaza: Saudi Arabia. ummid.com Saudi Arabia said the abuse of veto power by some UN members led to the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and other occupied lands.
(2024-12-17). How HTS' Ground Strategy Intersected With America, 'Israel's' Project in Syria. orinocotribune.com By Julia Kassem — Dec 12, 2024 | What opened up the prime chance for the complete destabilization of Syria was the years-long eroding of its own economy and military and potential productive forces inhibited by the occupation of oil fields and illegal US bases in Syria's northeast. | Immediately after Hezbollah's post-ceasefire period marking a victory for the Resistance group, the US and "Israel" immediately activated the next step of their follow-up plan, leading to the sudden sweep through Aleppo by the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) counterinsurgency. | HTS is led by Muhammad al-Jolani, the former leader of…
(2024-12-17). President Biden should certify the Equal Rights Amendment. mronline.org The ERA will help restore abortion access, protect women from violence, and help build a gender-equitable future. Biden should certify it while he still has the power to do so.
(2024-12-17). Laos: States should ask "Where is Sombath?" at upcoming review of human rights record. fidh.org
(2024-12-17). Headlines for December 17, 2024. democracynow.org Israeli Forces Attack Gaza "Safe Zone" and Again Assault Kamal Adwan Hospital, Family Asks Blinken to Launch Independent Probe of Israel's Killing of Ay≈üenur Ezgi Eygi, "Nobody Is Going to Silence Ireland": Irish PM Blasts Israel's Closure of Dublin Embassy, U.S. Officials Warn Turkey Is Preparing Invasion of Syrian Kurdish Autonomous Region, Rights Groups Warn Mass Graves in Syria Could Hold Over 100,000 Victims of Assad Family, Kyiv Says It Killed Russian General Responsible for Chemical Weapons Attacks in Ukraine, 15-Year-Old Girl Guns Down Student and Teacher Be…
(2024-12-17). What's the fallout of the HTS takeover of Syria? | Ep. 56. thealtworld.com What's the fallout of the HTS takeover of Syria? | Ep. 56…
(2024-12-17). Conservative MPs Want to Scrap Workers' Rights to Paid Holiday and Annual Leave. bylinetimes.com The Conservative MPs on the bill's scrutiny committee, the Shadow Business Minister Greg Smith, Assistant Whips Nick Timothy and Sir Ashley Fox and Peter Bedford — have sought to table amendments to Labour's Employment Rights Bill that would strip workplace protections from millions of British workers, including the complete removal of maximum working hours regulations. | The efforts would revoke the Working Time Regulations 1998, which currently ensure British workers have rights to paid holidays, rest breaks, and a 48-hour maximum working week. | The rights are already a watered-down version of tough…
(2024-12-17). Sanctions, Syria and the need for solidarity. workers.org 
The following article is based on a talk given at the "Americas Without Sanctions" hybrid meeting. This program was held in-person at the historic Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, D.C., on December 10, 2024 — Human Rights Day. In addition, more than 400 people registered for the Zoom. The program . . . |
(2024-12-17). Egypt: Asylum Bill Threatens Refugee Rights. hrw.org Click to expand Image | Refugees fleeing conflict in Sudan cross into Egypt through the Argeen Land Port on May 12, 2023. | © 2023 Khaled Desouki/AFP via Getty Images | (Beirut) — Egypt's draft asylum law, if enacted, risks violating the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, Human Rights Watch said today. The law would hinder the work of United Nations agencies and others providing vital services and breach Egypt's obligations under international law.Egypt's parliament approved the Law Regarding the Asylum of Foreigners on November 19, 2024, in a rushed process without meaningful consultation with…
(2024-12-17). New York City action defends Syria from U.S.-Israeli occupation. workers.org 
New York If the Israeli settler-colonialist and U.S. imperialist leaders believe that the recent setback in Syria has crushed the axis of resistance to Zionism, the protest Dec. 15 in Manhattan's Union Square in New York City countered that claim. Union Square protest, Dec. 15, 2024. WW Photo: Toni Arenstein . . . |
(2024-12-17). Privatizing Syria: US Plans to Sell Off a Nation's Wealth After Assad. mintpressnews.com In the immediate wake of the Syrian government's abrupt collapse, much remains uncertain about the country's future — including whether it can survive as a unitary state or will splinter into smaller states as did Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, a move that ultimately led to a bloody NATO intervention. Moreover, who or what may
(2024-12-17). Inside 'Greater Israel': myths and truths behind the long-time Zionist fantasy. mondoweiss.net 
The expansive territorial ambitions of creating a "Greater Israel" once seemed only to be a right-wing Zionist fantasy. Today, current events in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria show it might be closer than many ever thought possible.
(2024-12-17). Liberian Warlord-Politician's Death and the Search for Justice. hrw.org Click to expand Image | Prince Y. Johnson attends a political rally in Liberia in 2017. | © 2017 Zoom Dosso/AFP via Getty Images | Liberia's Prince Y. Johnson, who rose to prominence first as a warlord and then politician, was implicated in serious abuses during the country's two civil wars between 1989 and 2003. His death on November 28, without ever being prosecuted, highlights the need to bring those responsible for international crimes to account and uphold the promise of justice.Johnson was a member of former Liberian President Charles Taylor's rebel armed group, the National Patriotic Front of Liber…
(2024-12-17). Lights, Camera, Legislation: The Blurred Lines Between Politics and Entertainment in the Philippine Congress. asia-pacificresearch.com
(2024-12-17). Colombian airline Avianca resumes flights to Cuba. plenglish.com Havana, Dec 17 (Prensa Latina) The Colombian company Avianca resumed its daily flights to Cuba on Monday, with a plane from Bogotá that arrived at the José Martí international airport in this capital.
(2024-12-17). How the Braiding Seeds Fellowship Works to Uproot Racism in the Food System. pressenza.com This Petersburgh, New York, organization fights racial injustice in the food system. | By Damon Orion | Racism has been embedded in America's food and agriculture systems since European colonizers began enslaving Black and Indigenous people for farm and plantation labor. A notable example of how this injustice continued throughout history is the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) In 202…
(2024-12-17). All is not quite what it seems with Cumbria Safari Zoo's alleged 'closure'. thecanary.co 
On Monday 16 December, Cumbria Safari Zoo announced its plans to close after stacking up years worth of failures and animal rights abuses. However, all is not quite as it seems: üì£ South Lakes Safari Zoo Closure: A Step Towards a Better Future? What will happen to the animals they hold captive? üö® Read our […] | By
(2024-12-17). SATIRE: God Locks Heavenly Gates After Spotting Mormon Missionaries Milling Around Outside. theonion.com THE HEAVENS—Groaning to Himself as the professionally dressed evangelists rounded the corner, the Lord God Almighty reportedly locked the gates of heaven Tuesday after spotting Mormon missionaries milling around outside. "Maybe if we turn off all the lights and pretend no one's here we can get rid of them," said the Creator of the Universe, …
(2024-12-17). US-Based Advocate Claims Syrian Mass Grave Holds 100,000 Bodies. themedialine.org 
(2024-12-17). Syria: Transitional Justice and Building an Independent Judiciary. pressenza.com With the coup of March 8, 1963, and the declaration of a state of emergency, the phase of assassinating the independence of the judiciary began. The Syrian League for Human Rights and the lawyers' unions faced unjust decisions against judges and professional unions. With the assassination of the independent judiciary, the security junta monopolized the executive, legislative, and judicial powers: a judiciary with instructions to draw the tyrant, a people's assembly without an elected people, and ministers who manage the affairs of the kidnapped state. | Sixty years of tyranny of civil resistance… We all suffere…
(2024-12-17). Syria: Will the United States Try to Stop Israeli Militarism in the Middle East? counterpunch.org 
For the past several decades, the United States and Israel have tried to isolate Syria in the Middle East. Only U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, after the October War in 1973, tried and succeeded in bringing Syria into the step-by-step peace process negotiations with Israel. Since then, however, U.S. efforts to negotiate a peace such as the Reagan plan in 1982 or the unsuccessful efforts to arrange an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon have ignored any role for Syria. Currently, U.S. tolerance of Israeli military power against Syria complicates the task of reducing the violence and allowing the Syrian rebels…
(2024-12-17). Official death toll in Gaza genocide tops 45,000. wsws.org Over 45,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its war of extermination in October 2023, Gaza's Health Ministry said Monday.
(2024-12-17). Turkish government bans metalworkers' strike as war in Middle East deepens. wsws.org The metalworkers defending their right to strike and the millions of others demanding a decent minimum wage must be mobilized on the basis of a programme of struggle against war and genocide and in defence of democratic rights.
(2024-12-17). Two million in Gaza face 'acute' hunger, warns WFP. presstv.ir WFP has warned that two million people in Gaza are facing "acute hunger", as Israel prevents humanitarian missions from reaching the besieged strip.
(2024-12-17). Gaza ministry recounts toll taken by Israeli war on chronic disease patients. presstv.ir The ministry of heath in the Gaza Strip recounts the toll being taken by Israeli war on chronic disease, cancer, and kidney failure patients.
(2024-12-17). Iran: Zionist criminals render United Nations ineffectual as genocide continues apace. presstv.ir The head of Iran's atomic energy agency says criminal Zionists have in effect rendered the United Nations inoperative.
(2024-12-17). Haiti gang massacres at least 110 people in Cite Soleil: Rights group. presstv.ir National Human Right Defense Network says at least 110 were killed in Haiti's Cite Soleil by gang led by Monel Felix.
(2024-12-17). Rights groups file complaint against French-Israeli soldier. newarab.com 
Several rights groups have filed a civil party complaint with the War Crimes Unit of the Paris Tribunal against a Franco-Israeli soldier who served in the army amidst The rights groups accuse Yoel O. of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, torture and complicity in crimes committed against Palestinians held in Israeli custody. | The complaint was issued by the International Federation for Human Rights as well as Al Haq, Al Mezan, the Palestinian Centre…
(2024-12-17). Blinken 'deferential to Israelis' over US activist's killing. newarab.com 
The family of an American human rights activist killed by Israel in the occupied West Bank pleaded with Secretary of State Speaking to reporters after…
(2024-12-17). Framing the Narrative in Post-Assad Syria. counterpunch.org 
(2024-12-17). Reopening of Iran's Embassy in Syria on Agenda. tn.ai TEHRAN (Tasnim) — Iran is considering plans to reopen its embassy in Damascus, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said, without giving a precise date.
(2024-12-17). TG 1756: The Gaggle Talks To Vanessa Beeley. thealtworld.com George Szamuely and Peter Lavelle discuss latest developments in Syria with blogger and podcaster Vanessa Beeley.
(2024-12-17). Statement by President Bashar al-Assad on the Circumstances Leading to His Departure from Syria. globalresearch.ca As terrorism spread across Syria and ultimately reached the capital, Damascus, on the evening of Saturday, December 7, 2024, questions began to arise about the president's fate and whereabouts. This occurred amidst a torrent of misinformation and narratives far removed …
(2024-12-17). Syria's. Sednaya Prison or How to Occult Israeli Crimes. globalresearch.ca In recent days, official medias of Western-Arab-Zionist countries and malicious users of social network have attempted, once again, to lobotomize people by claiming, with supporting photos and videos, that the Syrian president is indeed the butcher of the people and …
(2024-12-17). 'Dialogue Works' edition of 17 December: Russia's Strategy in Syria and Ukraine. gilbertdoctorow.com Today's chat with host Nima Alkhorshid centered on expectations with respect to Donald Trump. His appointment of loud-mouthed Neocons to key military and foreign policy positions leaves most everyone confused. Is his purpose to bring these hawks together in one room where he can control them and bring them to heel? Or has he truly …
(2024-12-17). From South Africa to Syria, rising perils for Palestine solidarity. cadtm.org
(2024-12-17). Villagers in Syrian Golan worry Israeli stay in demilitarized zone will be long-term occupation. haaretz.com 'Israeli tanks move freely' without 'Syrian army forces in the area,' a resident of one of the villages told Haaretz. Some say worry stems from the fact that neither the new Syrian leadership nor other Arab states have shown much interest in the IDF's actions since Assad's ouster…
(2024-12-17). Report: Hamas lifts demand for war's end amid truce talks, submits list of living hostages. haaretz.com ISRAEL: U.S. military strikes Houthi command-and-control facility in Yemen after missile fired toward Israel ‚ñ GAZA: 45,059 Palestinians killed in Strip since Oct.7, Health Ministry says ‚ñ SYRIA: U.S. officials warn Turkey's military buildup may signal imminent incursion into Syria, WSJ reports ‚ñ LEBANON: Lebanon's caretaker PM orders the reopening of the country's embassy in Damascus…
(2024-12-17). Economic rehabilitation of Lebanon and Syria will determine their regional strategic standing. haaretz.com The Lebanese government and Hezbollah have committed to help repair the war damage in the country, but it's not clear that they can really do so and Syria's strategic importance might make that country a higher international priority…
(2024-12-17). Villagers on Syrian Golan worry that Israeli buffer zone will become long-term occupation. haaretz.com 'We're used to the fact that in Israel's view, there is no free withdrawal; it's mainly to extort the new government in Damascus,' a resident of one of the villages told Haaretz. According to residents, Israeli annexation Israel is off the table — but the IDF reports of continuous contact with the leadership in the villages and even cooperation in Israeli operations to collect weapons…
(2024-12-17). Defense Minister Katz: Israel will have full security control over Gaza after war, like in West Bank. haaretz.com ISRAEL: U.S. attacks Houthi targets after IDF intercepts drone, missile fired from Yemen; Defense chief says 'closest we've been to hostage deal since previous one' ‚ñ GAZA: Gaza death toll since starts of war passes 45,000 ‚ñ SYRIA: Syrian war monitor reports 'most violent' Israeli strikes on missile warehouses ‚ñ LEBANON: Israeli military says it struck launchers positioned to fire at Israel…
(2024-12-17). Villagers in Syrian Golan worry Israeli stay in buffer zone will be long-term occupation. haaretz.com 'Israeli tanks move freely' without 'Syrian army forces in the area,' a resident of one of the villages told Haaretz. Some say worry stems from the fact that neither the new Syrian leadership nor other Arab states have shown much interest in the IDF's actions since Assad's ouster…
(2024-12-17). Defense Minister Katz: Israel will have full security control in Gaza after war, like in West Bank. haaretz.com ISRAEL: U.S. military strikes Houthi command-and-control facility in Yemen after missile fired toward Israel ‚ñ GAZA: Death toll since start of war passes 45,000 ‚ñ SYRIA: U.S. Officials warn Turkey's military buildup may signal imminent incursion into Syria, WSJ reports ‚ñ LEBANON: Lebanon's caretaker PM Mikati orders the reopening of the country's embassy in Damascus…
(2024-12-17). Do you have a missing family member in Syria? icrc.org
(2024-12-17). Syria: 35,000 registered missing in 13 years of conflict as ICRC helps families seek answers. icrc.org The following is a statement attributable to Stephan Sakalian, head of the delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Syria.
(2024-12-17). Syria: ICRC is calling for safe humanitarian access and protection of civilians. icrc.org The following quote is from ICRC's head of delegation in Syria Stephan Sakalian on the humanitarian situation:…
(2024-12-17). Assad Downfall Alters Old Regional Alliances. ummid.com The striking developments in Syria over the past 13 days leading to the rapid fall of the Assad regime have transfixed the world.
(2024-12-17). Trump praises 'mighty' Türkiye for Syria takeover. ummid.com U.S. President Elect Donald Trump praised, what he called, 'smart' Tayyip Erdogan and 'mighty' Türkiye for Syria takeover.
(2024-12-17). Pictures & Videos: Umayyad Mosque Damascus 1st Friday after fall of Assad regime. ummid.com Hundreds of thousands thronged the Umayyad Mosque in Syrian Capital Damascus on December 13, 2024 — the first Friday after the fall of brutal regime of Bashar al Assad, to offer Special Afternoon Prayers.
(2024-12-17). UK government delegation meets wanted terrorist leader in show of massive hypocrisy. thecanary.co Jihadists with links to Al-Qaeda are now in charge in Syria. And a British delegation has just met with the wanted terrorist at its helm — Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani (now trying to shake off his past by calling himself Ahmed al-Sharaa). According to journalist Ibrahim Hamidi, this was "the most senior western meeting" yet. British […] | By
(2024-12-17). CNN tries to dodge blame for its fake 'freed Syrian prisoner' story. thecanary.co CNN recently released a report claiming to show a Syrian prisoner coming out of his prison cell and seeing sunlight for the first time in months. Many people watching this immediately raised questions about how realistic the report was. But then, fact checkers revealed that the man in question was actually "a former intelligence officer […] | By
(2024-12-17). U.S. Officials Take Credit for Regime Change in Syria. fpif.org
(2024-12-17). Richard Black and Vanessa Beeley on The Reality in Syria. thealtworld.com Diane Sare, President of the LaRouche Organization, discusses with Senator Black and Vanessa Beeley the background to the recent developments in Syria and their strategic implications for the region and world. | Black and Beeley both stressed the media lies and the terrorist nature of Abu Mohammad al- Jolani. Beeley reviewed the longer history of the strife in the region, going back to Zionist Vladimir Jabotinsky and his collaborators, who, among other things, worked closely with certain Ukrainians against the Soviet Union. This interesting account came in answer to Sare's question, why is it that Israel, ISIS, a…
(2024-12-17). The Global South Is On The Brink Of A Disastrous Debt Crisis. popularresistance.org Countries across the Global South are experiencing climate, poverty and development crises — all made worse by the unbearable costs of debt servicing. Indeed, according to Development Finance International, "Citizens of the Global South now face the worst debt crisis since global records began." Low-income countries, which have seen the amount paid on foreign debt payment increase by 150 percent since 2011, are being hit especially hard. | In the exclusive interview for Truthout that follows, Ilene Grabel, a leading economist in global finance and global financial governance, sheds light on the roots of the…
(2024-12-17). The Global South Is on the Brink of a Disastrous Debt Crisis. Reform Is Urgent. scheerpost.com 
(2024-12-17). The Arakan Army's Capture Of The Bangladeshi Border Could Prompt A Crisis With Dhaka. pressenza.com China, Pakistan, and the US could take advantage of this to expand their military influence in Bangladesh at the expense of India's legitimate national security interests. | Lost amidst the news of
(2024-12-17). The Arakan Army's Capture of the Bangladeshi Border Could Prompt a Crisis with Dhaka. asia-pacificresearch.com
(2024-12-17). Palestine: The food, land, and water crisis in the context of the Zionist extermination of the Palestinian people in Gaza. cadtm.org
(2024-12-17). Sanders Derides Congress for Fully Funding Military Amid Housing Crisis. truthout.org Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday derided those of his colleagues who claim it's too expensive for the federal government to take ambitious action on national crises in housing and healthcare while simultaneously supporting a military budget that's approaching $1 trillion a year. "I find it amusing that any time we come to the floor and members point out that we have a housing crisis… |
(2024-12-17). "Massacre of journalists": Four Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza in just five days. mronline.org 
Gaza (Quds News Network)- Four Palestinian journalists were killed in separate Israeli attacks within five days amid the ongoing assault in Gaza, with media freedom organizations accusing Israel of committing "war crimes" against journalists there.
(2024-12-17). Coalition officials: Ben-Gvir's vote against state budget that passed makes clear we're not dependent on him. haaretz.com Although National Security Minister Ben-Gvir violated the government's working regulations, Netanyahu plans to keep him and his party in the coalition. But the general feeling among members is that the minister has shown that 'his threats are worthless'…
(2024-12-17). Netanyahu's far-right coalition plans pseudo-hearing for Israeli attorney general. haaretz.com Coalition leaders are preparing to present the attorney general with a document detailing cases in which she allegedly acted contrary to the government's position and to summon her for a 'firing hearing'…
(2024-12-17). Netanyahu has to get Trump to start threatening Iran. haaretz.com Another military method for handling the menace of a nuclear Iran has opened up: not bombing the nuclear facilities but an Israeli-American attack aimed at threatening the regime with collapse…
(2024-12-17). Now Iran's turn. The spectre of a new "1989" mronline.org 
Iran is now the key to the world.
(2024-12-17). Democracy Now! 2024-12-17 Tuesday. democracynow.org Headlines for December 17, 2024; "It Broke Him": Mother Who Lost Son in "Kids for Cash" Scheme Slams Biden's Clemency for Corrupt Judge; Astra Taylor: "It's Still Not Too Late for Biden to Deliver Debt Relief"; Alex Gibney on "The Bibi Files," Netanyahu's Corruption Case & How Endless War Keeps Him in Power | Headlines for December 17, 2024; "It Broke Him": Mother Who Lost Son in "Kids for Cash" Scheme Slams Biden's Clemency for Corrupt Judge; Astra Taylor: "It's Still Not Too Late for Biden to Deliver Debt R…
(2024-12-17). Mr President, Will Netanyahu Mousetrap You Into War With Iran? scheerpost.com By Ray McGovern and Robert Scheer / Original to ScheerPost In this week's episode of "Playing President," Ray McGovern, 27-year CIA veteran and briefer of five presidents, continues to make sense of the world to "President" Scheer, who prepared for this role through his decades as a journalist, including in-depth interviews with five presidents from …
(2024-12-17). Alex Gibney on "The Bibi Files," Netanyahu's Corruption Case & How Endless War Keeps Him in Power. democracynow.org 
As the official death toll in Gaza tops 45,000 and Israel's wars throughout the Middle East continue, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in court for a long-awaited corruption trial, making him the country's first sitting leader to face criminal charges. He is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases. For more on this extraordinary case, we speak with acclaimed filmmaker Alex Gibney, whose latest documentary The Bibi Files features leaked behind-the-scenes footage of police interrogations of Netanyahu, his wife and those accused of bribing him. The film has be…
(2024-12-17). Defend Montclair Imam Kevin Dawud Amin who is being targeted for criticizing Zionism, Montclair, Tue 12/17 6:45pm. fightbackbetter.com 
Fightbackbetter is seeking additional details about this case but for now here is the information of protest to defend our…
(2024-12-17). Israeli Forces Demolish Homes, Greenhouses, and Shops in Tulkarem, Jerusalem, and Hebron. imemc.org 
Israeli forces demolished dozens of homes, commercial shops, and greenhouses, on Monday, in the Tulkarem, Jerusalem, and Hebron governorates in the occupied West Bank. On Monday, Israeli forces demolished agricultural greenhouses in the towns of Deir al-Ghusun and Attil, northeast of Tulkarem in the northwestern part of the West Bank. Media sources said that occupation …
(2024-12-17). 'Soul of my soul': Iconic Palestinian grandfather killed by Israel in Gaza. imemc.org from the Middle East Eye A Palestinian man whose touching tribute to his dead granddaughter went viral on social media last year has now also been killed by the Israeli military. According to Palestinian journalists and social media activists, Khaled Nabhan was killed during Israel's bombardment of the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza. Nabhan became well known after his granddaughter was …
(2024-12-17). Voters accept Rachel Reeves's £40bn of tax rises in order to improve public services, research shows. leftfootforward.org "People are willing to pay more in tax if that means improvements to public services. They recognise that our schools, hospitals and other essential services are under huge strain and in need of investment."
(2024-12-17). Thousands of US Amazon workers on verge of holiday season strike. wsws.org The overwhelming strike votes at three facilities demonstrate the widespread opposition to Amazon's notorious regime of brutal exploitation and dangerous working conditions.
(2024-12-17). All parties back war and cuts as German Chancellor Scholz loses confidence vote. wsws.org The early election does not serve to let voters decide on the big issues of the future, but to bring a government into power that is stable enough to enforce highly unpopular measures—social cuts, mass layoffs, lower wages and longer working hours, the deportation of migrants, more rearmament and a further escalation of war.
(2024-12-17). Los Angeles City Council's minimum wage vote: A band-aid over a deep wound. wsws.org The "Olympic wage" is a measure targeting hospitality and service workers in the lead-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. These events have transformed from international sporting events into platforms for large-scale profiteering, corruption and exploitation.
(2024-12-17). Workers Struggles: The Americas. wsws.org Boluarte skipped a meeting in Ayacucho in South Central Peru in the face of protests, while 483 city workers in Duluth Minnesota have voted to authorize a strike.
(2024-12-17). Teamsters force through sellout deal at Detroit Marathon refinery after snap vote. wsws.org The 250 striking workers were given just 48-hours notice to vote on a lengthy seven-year contract that failed to meet their key demands.
(2024-12-17). Ghana's historic election: a vote for change. peoplesdispatch.org Ghana's Electoral Commission declared on Monday, December 9, that former President and opposition leader John Dramani Mahama was the winner in the presidential election held on December 7, securing 56.55% of the vote, according to provisional results. The election marked a political comeback for the 66-year-old leader, who served as Ghana's president from 2012 to 2016. His rival, incumbent Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat on Sunday, putting an end to the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) eight-year rule under President Nana Akufo-Addo. The election results could mark a shift in Ghana's politics, which t…
(2024-12-17). Far-right Israeli party votes against own government on budget, citing 'reckless' hostage deal. haaretz.com Otzma Yehudit rejects coalition position and opposes state budget for 2025 – which was passed by parliament in its first reading…
(2024-12-17). The LGBTQ+ People Fleeing Donald Trump's America. bylinetimes.com Brad Shreve and his husband had often talked about leaving the United States. To start with, it was just an idea. | But when their fellow citizens returned Donald Trump for a second term as president this November, they began to pack their bags in earnest. | "We don't feel safe here. It's not just Trump, it's the fact half our country voted for him," Brad said. | They had seen the tide of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment rising in America over the last decade. Nevertheless, they were shocked into silence when broadcasters confirmed the former president's return to the Oval Office. | "We were almost completely silent for…
(2024-12-17). Amazon Hit With Potential Strike and Damning Senate Report Ahead of Holiday Rush. truthout.org Thousands of Teamster workers overwhelmingly voted in the past week to authorize strikes at two major Amazon warehouses in New York City and one near Chicago at the height of the holiday shopping season in an effort to force the company to recognize their union and come to the bargaining table. The Teamsters, a major labor union, says Amazon is violating federal labor law by refusing to… |
(2024-12-17). Complaint filed against Franco-Israeli soldier: the French judiciary must open an investigation. fidh.org
(2024-12-17). Israel's Wartime Budget Approved Despite Right-Wing Coalition Fallout. themedialine.org 
(2024-12-17). Trump And Israel Can't Wait To Start Bombing Iran. caitlinjohnstone.com.au Both Israel and the incoming Trump administration are reportedly eager to start bombing Iran ASAP now that Assad's out of the way.
(2024-12-17). Video: Khaled Nabhan, whose grandkids Israel murdered in 2023, has been murdered by Israel. skwawkbox.org 
Man known as 'Grandpa' to millions for his dignity and peace despite the horrors his family suffered is 'together' with the 'souls of his soul' again In November 2023, Khaled Nabhan became known to millions around the world after footage circulated of him hugging the body of his granddaughter Reem, whom he called 'the soul …
(2024-12-17). Iran Raps US, German Support for Israeli Genocidal Crimes. tn.ai TEHRAN (Tasnim) — The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry cited a report from the UN special rapporteur who has disclosed that the US and Germany supply 99% of the weapons exported to Israel, saying Washington and Berlin are fully complicit in the genocidal crimes in Gaza.
(2024-12-17). Ayatollah Khamenei: Israel Will Be Eradicated. tn.ai TEHRAN (Tasnim) — Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said the Zionist regime is doomed to eradication, while the spirit of resistance continues to exist.
(2024-12-17). WHO: Gaza's Kamal Adwan hospital in 'appalling' conditions amid Israeli attacks. presstv.ir WHO warns conditions are "appalling" at the northern Gaza hospital of Kamal Adwan, which has come under Israeli attacks on a daily basis in recent weeks.
(2024-12-17). Israel attacks Gaza City amid attempts to reach ceasefire deal. aljazeera.com Ten killed in Israeli attack on a house in Gaza City as the US says negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza are continuing.
(2024-12-17). Nearly 30 percent of Israel's population lives below poverty line, new report finds. haaretz.com According to a new report by Israeli nonprofit Latet, 80 percent of those receiving aid from the organization cannot afford to buy enough food, and half of parents had to give up baby formula…
(2024-12-17). 'People simply vaporized': Israeli attacks on the south Gaza humanitarian zone have killed scores of Palestinians. haaretz.com The Israeli army classified Mawasi as a humanitarian zone and directed Gaza's civilian population there. But despite its humanitarian classification, the IDF has never refrained from striking it — and the UN says attacks there have intensified recently…
(2024-12-17). Prime Minister's Office takes over public spaces in Jerusalem and the municipality is silent. haaretz.com Dozens of roadblocks, fences, walls and guard posts have been set up in Jerusalem's Rehavia neighborhood and the government compound in recent years, restricting movement and turning the city ugly. 'It's absurd that thoroughfares in the city are blocked and the municipality has no information about it'…
(2024-12-17). Likud MK: Bill to decriminalize leaking classified material to PM aims to free key BibiLeaks suspect. haaretz.com "We haven't succeeded through other means," said Deputy Knesset Speaker Hanoch Milwidsky in a session on the bill he introduced after the BibiLeaks arrests. MK Eisenkot: The prime minister has access to the broadest intelligence and can request any material at any time…
(2024-12-17). IDF shows off Lebanese ruins to encourage Israelis to return to their homes in the north. haaretz.com Military presence in villages close to the border fence is visible everywhere, and the military makes it clear it has eliminated Hezbollah's capability to invade Israel. However, the military admits that the return of residents home depends on rebuilding trust: 'It will not be rebuilt in a day or two'…
(2024-12-17). Two Israeli soldiers killed in building collapse in southern Gaza's Rafah. haaretz.com The soldiers were named as Captain (res.) Moshiko Maxim Rozenwald, 35, and Sergeant First Class (res.) Alexander Anosov, 26…
(2024-12-17). Is rise in Israel's West Bank raids rehearsal for annexation. newarab.com 
In recent months, Palestinians say there has been a dramatic increase in This has prompted concerns among residents over whether Israel is rehearsing for long-proposed plans to
(2024-12-17). Family of Turkish-US activist killed by Israel seek US probe. newarab.com 
(2024-12-17). Israeli negotiators head to Qatar for Gaza ceasefire deal. newarab.com 
According to the Palestinian Wafa news agency, dozens were wounded in the attack that cause…
(2024-12-17). Israel's Katz says to maintain Gaza 'security control' after war. newarab.com 
Israel's Defence Minister "After eliminating Hamas's military and governmental capabilities in Gaza, Israel would have security control over Gaza with complete freedom of action" for the Israeli military, Katz said in a post on X, noting that it was his own "position". | Katz said that Israel's future control over Gaza shou…
(2024-12-17). UK MPs call for Israel arms embargo in demo outside parliament. newarab.com 
A group of UK MPs urged Britain to MPs, including the Labour Party's Diane Abbott and Independents
(2024-12-17). Israeli forces plant bombs around Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital. newarab.com 
Israeli forces have attacked Kamal Adwan Hospital in According to reports from local correspondents and medical staff, the hospital has been hit repeatedly, resulting in catastrophic damage to its infrastructure and endangering dozens of patients and staff.
(2024-12-17). As ceasefire negotiations go on, Israel boosts attacks on Gaza. newarab.com 
(2024-12-17). First weeks of Gaza war 'most destructive' month this century. newarab.com 
The first month of Israel's bombing campaign in Gaza inflicted the greatest toll on civilians of any conflict in the 21st century, according to Airwars research. | More than 5,100 civilian deaths were recorded during the first month of Israel's war on Gaza, the conflict monitor said in its latest report published last week, adding that it was by far the most devastating period for civilians it had ever recorded. | The number was almost four times that of civilian deaths recorded in March 2017 during the battle against the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq's Mosul, which before the current war in Gaza was the de…
(2024-12-17). The corporate media IGNORES dozens of MPs debating an arms ban on Israel. thecanary.co MPs have just debated two massively important issues. But the mainstream media is nowhere. So here are a few key interventions from the event — one specifically from John McDonnell over an arms ban on Israel and Palestine Action that everyone needs to watch. Recognise Palestine. Arms ban on Israel. Politicians went to Westminster Hall […] | By
(2024-12-17). Do YOU know if your Christmas pudding comes from an illegal Israeli settlement? Probably not. thecanary.co The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) has written to the Department for Energy, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) calling for stronger government policy on ensuring that UK supermarkets don't sell products from illegal Israeli settlements. It comes just as supermarkets enter their busiest period of the year — not least around Christmas pudding, […] | By
(2024-12-17). Aysenur Ezgi Eygi's Family After Blinken Meeting: US Isn't Holding Israel Accountable. truthout.org The family of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi has said that they left a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday with doubt that the U.S. will ever hold her killers accountable after the American pro-Palestinian activist was killed by Israeli forces in September. In interviews with various news outlets, Eygi's family has said that Blinken did not offer any hope for U.S. action on her death… |
(2024-12-17). Iran's Nuclear Technology Progress Unstoppable: Eslami. tn.ai TEHRAN (Tasnim) — The hegemonic powers can never stop Iran from making progress in the nuclear industry, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mohammad Eslami said.
(2024-12-17). Chief of Russia's nuclear protection forces killed in Moscow bomb blast. aljazeera.com Chief of Russia's Troops of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence killed outside an apartment building.
(2024-12-17). Bomb blast kills Russian chief of nuclear protection forces in Moscow. aljazeera.com The chief of Russian nuclear protection forces, Igor Kirillov has been killed in a bomb blast in Moscow.
(2024-12-17). Russian General Accused Of Using Chemical Weapons Assassinated By Ukraine. twz.com 
Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov was killed one day after Ukrainian state prosecutors charged him in absentia with the alleged use of chemical weapons in Ukraine.
(2024-12-17). US Congress Revives Cold War Tactics With New Anti-Communism School Curriculum. orinocotribune.com By Alan Macleod — Dec 13, 2024 | Congress has just passed a new bill that will see the U.S. spend huge sums of money redesigning much of the public school system around the ideology of anti-communism. The " The Crucial Communism Teaching Act, in its own words, is designed to teach children that "certain politica…
(2024-12-17). America's Gangster-Empire Destroying the U.N. dissidentvoice.org Virtually all of the U.S. Government's economic sanctions violate the U.N.'s Charter — and do it with impunity. No legal case exists justifying America's hundreds of economic sanctions laws that have been passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by the U.S. President but not authorized by the U.N. — which latter entity is the …
(2024-12-17). A Gift America Can't Return. dissidentvoice.org The American police state has become America's new crime boss. Thirty years after then-President Bill Clinton signed the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act into law, its legacy of mass incarceration, police militarization, and over-criminalization continues to haunt us. It has become the gift that America can't seem to return. We are now suffering …
(2024-12-17). Project Harmony Misfires. dissidentvoice.org The case that began on September 17 concerning the control of the Murdoch family trust has been decided. It saw a dicey attempt by the one of the most ruthless newspaper and media moguls in history to limit influence and control of his publishing and broadcasting empire after his death. The relevant parties? The children, …
(2024-12-17). Petro Asks Biden To Pardon Colombian Political Prisoner Simón Trinidad. popularresistance.org A few weeks ago, media reports revealed that the government of Gustavo Petro asked President Biden to pardon Simón Trinidad, a former Colombian guerrilla fighter who was sentenced to 60 years in prison in the United States after being captured in Ecuador in 2004 when he was on his way to meet with a United Nations delegate. | According to the Colombian Executive, Trinidad's release would contribute to building a reconciled Colombia after decades of civil war. It was even known that the Colombian ambassador in Washington, Daniel García, sent a note to the US government requesting the pardon.
(2024-12-17). Virginia Prisoners are Setting Themselves on Fire to Escape 'Unbearable Conditions'. thealtworld.com 
Poet, organizer, and host of the Black Myths Podcast, Too Black, joins the show to discuss the string of self-immolations at Virginia's Red Onion State Prison, where prisoners have set themselves on fire to protest systemic abuse and inhumane conditions. | He dives into the brutality of mass incarceration and explores themes from his book, Laundering Black Rage: The Washing of Black Death, People, Property, and Profits, which examines how Black rage is subjugated and co-opted under capitalism.
(2024-12-17). Stop deportations of Haitians from Dominican Republic! workers.org 
About half a million Haitians — many of them undocumented — live in the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. They supply essential labor in sugar, coffee and cocoa production, as well as in construction and parts of the Dominican Republic's tourism sector. Hispaniola lies between . . . |
(2024-12-17). Houston's Brown Berets celebrate 10th anniversary. workers.org 
Houston The Southeast Tejas Brown Berets celebrated their 10th anniversary on Dec. 8 at the Chicano Boulevard Center on Houston's East Side with food, music, history and literature. Houston participants, Dec. 8, 2024. Credit: Brown Berets The lead chef Moses Maldonado, with tacos de fajitas, nopales, salsa and all the . . . |
(2024-12-17). Houthi Missile Intercepted Over Tel Aviv, Yemeni Minister Urges Global Action Against Iran. themedialine.org
(2024-12-17). US strikes Houthi command and control facility in Yemen. newarab.com 
American forces carried out an air strike on Monday against a The Houthis began striking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in November 2023, part of the region-wide fallout from "The targeted facility was a hub for coordinating…
(2024-12-17). Lebanon: Displaced and trading innocence for resilience in the suburbs of Beirut. icrc.org
(2024-12-17). Buildings 'pancaked' in Vanuatu as 7.3 magnitude quake strikes off capital Port Vila. asiapacificreport.nz 
By Stefan Armbruster and Harry Pearl of BenarNews A strong 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Vanuatu today, US geologists said, severely damaging a number of buildings in the capital, crushing cars and briefly triggering a tsunami warning. Witnesses described a "violent shake" and widespread damage to Port Vila, located about 1900km northeast…
(2024-12-17). Powerful 7.3 magnitude quake strikes Vanuatu — serious damage in Vila. asiapacificreport.nz RNZ Pacific A large 7.3 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Vanuatu's capital Port Vila , shortly after 3pm NZT today. The US Geological Survey says the quake was recorded at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles). Locals have been sharing footage of serious damage to infrastructure in Port Vila. READ MORE:…
(2024-12-17). Vanuatu quake: Death toll rises — 14 dead, hundreds hurt in 7.3 disaster. asiapacificreport.nz RNZ News The death toll from Vanuatu's 7.3 earthquake is expected to rise because concrete buildings have collapsed with people inside in the capital Port Vila. International Federation of Red Cross Pacific head of delegation Katie Greenwood posted on X that the Vanuatu government was reporting 14 confirmed fatalities and 200 people were treated for…
(2024-12-17). Magnitude 7.4 earthquake strikes near Vanuatu capital. aljazeera.com Tsunami threat has passed for nearby islands after earthquake struck near Vanuatu's capital Porta Vila.
(2024-12-17). When suffering becomes an affirmation of life. electronicintifada.net Our defiance, our survival, our resistance all speak to a deeper truth — that life, in all its pain and beauty, is worth defending.
(2024-12-17). Easing Gaza's pain . electronicintifada.net A Jordanian psychiatrist is trying to relieve depression.
(2024-12-17). Hamas slams PA security operation in Jenin, urges 'mobilisation'. newarab.com 
In a Telegram statement on Monday, the group called for "popular mobilisation to break the siege and protect resistance fighters, as well as to confront this security operation, which only serves the occ…
(2024-12-17). Senators Urge Biden to Grant Palestinians Special Status to Avoid Deportation. truthout.org A group of senators is urging President Joe Biden to designate the occupied Palestinian territories for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in order to grant Palestinians in the U.S. the "strongest possible protection" against moves like deportation. In a letter effort led by Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vermont), the senators say that neither Gaza nor the occupied West Bank are safe for Palestinians to… |
(2024-12-17). Sri Lanka: Reading the General Election 2024. cadtm.org
(2024-12-17). Sri Lanka's People Have Kicked Out the Old Political Class. cadtm.org
(2024-12-17). The CADTM International network condemns the cowardice of Northern governments in response to the climate emergency. cadtm.org
(2024-12-17). Ireland election: its economic model under threat? cadtm.org
(2024-12-17). Iran Resolved to Broaden Ties with Qatar: President. tn.ai TEHRAN (Tasnim) — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed the country's determination to employ all capacities to promote cooperation with Qatar in various fields.
(2024-12-17). Iranian President, Foreign Minister to Visit Egypt for D8 Meeting. tn.ai TEHRAN (Tasnim) — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will visit Egypt for a meeting of the Developing Eight (D8) countries.
(2024-12-17). Brazil sets record in tourism sector. tvbrics.com 
Foreign investment reached R$526 million (US$85,4 million), up 278% compared to the same period in 2023…
(2024-12-17). China completes comprehensive agricultural germplasm survey with groundbreaking discoveries. tvbrics.com 
51 new local species were identified, while 10 species previously believed to be extinct were rediscovered…
(2024-12-17). Dubai welcomes 14.96 million international tourists from January to October 2024. tvbrics.com 
Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) held its second city briefing of the year, bringing together more than 1,300 industry leaders…
(2024-12-17). After NATO's Romanian Coup, Where Next? thealtworld.com In an effort to keep a popularly-elected, Russia-friendly president from taking office, Romania has canceled the results of its election and passed laws allowing for foreign, i.e. NATO, military occupation.
(2024-12-17). Guns are silent, but war lingers for Ogaden's former women rebel fighters. aljazeera.com Rebels from Ethiopia's Somali region have had a rocky transition to civilian life, even years after the 2018 peace deal.
(2024-12-17). Judge rejects Trump's bid to throw out Stormy Daniels hush money conviction. aljazeera.com
(2024-12-17). North Korean soldiers reported killed fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine. aljazeera.com Russia and North Korea have not commented on Ukraine's claim some 30 North Korean troops have been killed or injured.
(2024-12-17). Philippines Senate ratifies new defence pact with Japan. aljazeera.com New pact cements deepening military ties between the Philippines and Japan as tensions with China grow in the region.
(2024-12-17). Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,027. aljazeera.com Here are the key developments on the 1,027th day of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
(2024-12-17). Two charged over US tech used in deadly drone attack on soldiers in Jordan. aljazeera.com An Iranian American and a Swiss Iranian have been arrested for allegedly exporting sensitive US technology to Iran.
(2024-12-17). Women bear brunt of war in Sudan. aljazeera.com Sexual violence has been widespread, impacting many women and girls in Sudan.
(2024-12-17). Bumrah, India avoid follow-on as third Australia Test heads for draw. aljazeera.com
(2024-12-17). Stokes not blaming injury on workload as New Zealand thump England. aljazeera.com New Zealand claim consolation 423-run victory in third and final Test as injured England captain Ben Stokes watched on.
(2024-12-17). The Indian Model of Financial Multipolarity Is the Most Relevant for the Global South. globalresearch.ca Few can afford to be massively tariffed by the US, let alone sanctioned, and most aren't willing to burn their bridges with the US for ideological reasons at the expense of their immediate economic interests. | Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. …
(2024-12-17). Last Acts: Time for Biden to Pardon Assange. globalresearch.ca Since making what was likely a life-saving plea deal to spare himself from the medieval barbarities of the US prison system, Julian Assange, and his campaign intimates, are now focusing on the next step. Having been directly targeted by …
(2024-12-17). Tribute to Simón Bolívar in Venezuela on the anniversary of his death. plenglish.com Caracas, Dec 17 (Prensa Latina) With the raising of the tricolor flag at the National Pantheon in Caracas, Venezuelan civilian and military authorities commemorated today the 194th anniversary of the passing to immortality of Liberator Simón Bolívar.
(2024-12-17). AI breakthroughs, ethical challenges mark tech in 2024. america.cgtn.com 
In 2024, technology took a gigantic leap forward, especially in artificial intelligence. But rapid advancements also have governments and the industry strategizing how to best keep it safe. Mark Niu reports.
(2024-12-17). Mpox cases in Uganda surpass 1,000 mark. independent.co.ug 
KAMPALA, UGANDA | Xinhua | The cumulative number of confirmed mpox cases in Uganda has surpassed 1,000, with six deaths reported since the outbreak was declared five months ago in the East African country, the Ministry of Health said on Monday. A total of 17 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours, bringing …
(2024-12-17). 2024 Breakfast with Christmas, Sunset with Hanukkah and Midnight with Kwanzaa – Celebrate. indybay.org Our 26th Annual, California State Capitol Kwanzaa continues to push the agenda towards expanded "Black Agriculture Production" throughout all aspects of California Agriculture and beyond.
(2024-12-17). Peter Thiel Reveals How Scared Oligarchs Are Of The People. caitlinjohnstone.com.au Plutocrats like Thiel are constantly thinking about the fact that ordinary people vastly outnumber them and can kill them at any time. They think about it way more often than ordinary people do.
(2024-12-17). Peter Thiel Reveals How Scared Oligarchs Are Of The People. thealtworld.com 
Billionaire Peter Thiel had a "And to those who think this shooter is a hero, because he did it because he said this healthcare executive is presiding over a healthcare system which kills thousa…
(2024-12-17). Political turmoil, the Moon Sect and US bases: South Korea, Asia's 'Ukraine'. unitedworldint.com Since decades, the Moon Sect has played a crucial role in US plans regarding South Korea and beyond. By Oràßun Gà∂ktàºrk, Beijing / China The Korean War, one of the most brutal scenes of the Cold War in East Asia, is undoubtedly a historical turning point that shaped South Korea's destiny. The Korean Peninsula, divided …
(2024-12-17). Port of Los Angeles sets record amid tariff concerns. america.cgtn.com 
The Port of Los Angeles recently became the first U.S. seaport, airport or border crossing to top $30 billion in two-way trade in one month, according to an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. China accounts for nearly 37% of that trade, but ahead of President-elect Donald Trump taking office, economists are warning of a ripple effect if Trump makes good on threats to impose new tariffs. CGTN's Ediz Tiyansan reports.
(2024-12-17). The "China Threat" Theory and Okinawa. asia-pacificresearch.com
(2024-12-17). China: The 18th IHL Moot Court concludes in Guilin, CUPL claims victory for the sixth time. icrc.org
(2024-12-17). China: Experts discuss paths to bring peace and stability in Africa. icrc.org
(2024-12-17). China: Journalists discuss impact of harmful information and media's role during humanitarian crises. icrc.org
(2024-12-17). Extension of China-U.S. sci-tech agreement strengthens cooperation : foreign ministry. ecns.cn The extension of the Agreement Between the United States and China on Cooperation in Science and Technology (STA) is in the interest of both peoples, and what the international community hopes to see, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday.
(2024-12-17). Visa-free transit in China extends to 240 hours. ecns.cn China's National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced on Tuesday that starting from this day, the permitted stay for foreign nationals has been extended from the original 72 hours and 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days) under the new visa-free transit policy.
(2024-12-17). China contributes $300 mln to AIIB Special Fund Window for less developed members. ecns.cn China has signed a contribution agreement with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), donating $300 million (about $2184.69 mln) to its Bank's Special Fund Window for less developed members, according to reports on Monday.
(2024-12-17). Chinese team transforms straw into new bio-based high-fiber food thickener. ecns.cn A research team led by academician Yu Shuhong developed a new bio-based high-fiber food thickener by isolating cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) from straw, opening up new possibilities for the efficient utilization of agricultural waste, according to the Institute of Advanced Technology of the University of Science and Technology of China on Tuesday.
(2024-12-17). Sino-French cultural exhibition kicks off to celebrate bilateral diplomatic ties. ecns.cn A special exhibition titled "The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles ⚪ China-France Cultural Encounters in the 17th-18th Centuries" opened on Monday at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic ties as well as the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism.
(2024-12-17). New dinosaur genus discovered in Yunnan. ecns.cn A dinosaur fossil discovered in 2007 in southwest China's Yunnan Province has been identified as a new genus of Lishulong wangi, a species of early Jurassic sauropodomorph.
(2024-12-17). China, U.S. financial regulators bolster cooperation in insurance sector. ecns.cn China and U.S. financial regulators have agreed to strengthen cooperation in the insurance sector as they convened a regular working meeting despite intensified uncertainties brought by the incoming U.S. administration.
(2024-12-17). China-U.S. Financial Working Group holds 'professional, pragmatic, candid and constructive' talks. ecns.cn The China-U.S. financial working group held its seventh meeting in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province from Sunday to Monday, during which the two sides had "professional, pragmatic, candid and constructive" discussions.
(2024-12-17). China-U.S. financial working group holds seventh meeting. ecns.cn The China-U.S. financial working group held its seventh meeting in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, on Sunday and Monday, China's central bank announced Tuesday.
(2024-12-17). China allows the Philippines' resupply to its illegally grounded warship. ecns.cn The Philippines carried out a replenishment operation to the illegally grounded warship at Ren'ai Reef on Dec 12 with the permission of the Chinese side, while the Chinese coast guard closely monitored the whole process.
(2024-12-17). China's visa-free policy to allow stays of up to 240 hours at 60 ports. ecns.cn China expands visa-free policy to allow stays of up to 240 hours at 60 ports in 24 provincial regions starting from Tuesday.
(2024-12-17). China sends new satellite group into space. ecns.cn A Long March 2D carrier rocket carrying the PIESAT-2 09~12 satellite blasts off from the Taiyuan Space Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, Dec. 17, 2024.
(2024-12-17). China launches new satellite group. ecns.cn China sent a new group of satellites into space on Tuesday from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province."ÄÄ…
(2024-12-17). Innovation seen as 'core element' of new drivers. ecns.cn China's emphasis on bolstering the development of new quality productive forces through scientific and technological innovation will inject strong impetus into high-quality economic growth.
(2024-12-17). China launches low-orbit internet satellites. ecns.cn The first group of low Earth orbit satellites for a satellite internet constellation was launched by the Long March-5B carrier rocket on Monday…
(2024-12-17). China-U.S. economic working group holds 'candid, in-depth and constructive'talks. ecns.cn The China-U.S. economic working group held the 7th meeting on December 12 in Johannesburg, South Africa, during which the two sides had candid, in-depth and constructive communication over macroeconomic situations and policies of the two countries and other topics of global challenges.
(2024-12-17). China sets 12 travel routes to boost ice and snow economy. ecns.cn On Monday, China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) announced plans for 12 winter tourism-themed travel routes across the country, aiming to further activate the ice and snow economy during the 2024-25 winter season.
(2024-12-17). China to boost Indian Ocean region. ecns.cn China is seeking to deepen cooperation with countries in the Indian Ocean region to boost the blue economy and explore new maritime economic collaboration models, a senior Chinese official said on Monday.
(2024-12-17). Xi delivers important speech at Central Economic Work Conference. ecns.cn Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), attended the conference and delivered an important speech.
(2024-12-17). Hainan cracks down on criminal gang of trading in endangered wildlife products. ecns.cn Police in South China's Hainan Province recently dismantled a criminal gang suspected of endangering rare and endangered wildlife, with seized items valued at 1.5 million yuan ($206,000).
(2024-12-17). Safety violations caused deadly explosion in Jiangsu, report says. ecns.cn Authorities in eastern China have concluded that a deadly dust explosion at a metal-processing facility in January was the result of deliberate efforts by the company to evade safety regulations.
(2024-12-17). Suspects caught trying to work with foreign spies. ecns.cn State security organs across China have recently handled cases involving several suspects who attempted to sell classified information to foreign spy and intelligence agencies.
(2024-12-17). Targeted visa-free travel policy boosts tourism. ecns.cn An increasing number of tourists from South Korea are visiting Zhangjiajie, Hunan province since China allowed visa-free travel for those from the neighboring country since last month, according to local authorities.
(2024-12-17). Courts tighten noose around illegal fishing. ecns.cn While calling for a sustained crackdown on illegal fishing, China's top court has also urged courts nationwide to prioritize environmental restoration, aiming to provide stronger legal protection for fishery resources.
(2024-12-17). Trump, Christian Fundamentalism and Lemmings. counterpunch.org 
Lemmings are small rodents who live in underground tunnels in far northern climes. They are pretty successful from an evolutionary standpoint. They spend the snowy winters breeding and this sometimes leads to food shortages in the Spring. Food shortages, in turn, can lead to migration to new territories. It is the migration behavior that has led
(2024-12-17). The Democratic Party Faces Its Day of Reckoning. counterpunch.org 
Following its crushing defeat in the 2024 election, the Democratic Party might finally face its day of reckoning. The party markets itself as the champion of the working class and a bulwark against the party of the plutocrats. But this has been a lie for at least three decades. The Democratic Party has partnered with
(2024-12-17). Quincy Jones Should be Prominently Featured in US Music Education ‚àí His Absence Reflects How Racial Segregation Still Shapes American Classrooms. counterpunch.org 
Quincy Jones, who died on Nov. 3, 2024, at the age of 91, was one of the most influential musicians in U.S. history. You might think such a notable figure would factor prominently in American music classrooms. Yet my research shows that Jones, who was Black, is rarely mentioned in mainstream U.S. music curricula. As
(2024-12-17). I Heartily Agree With Donald Trump (and It's About Time). counterpunch.org 
On December 13, president-elect Donald Trump pledged on Truth Social that in his coming term the Republican Party will "use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time." It's not very often I agree with US presidents, but I like to give credit where credit is due, and I'm 100% with Trump on this. It's long past
(2024-12-17). Need for Anticipatory Strategies for Oncoming Trumpism. counterpunch.org 
Now is the time to prepare anticipatory strategies against what the vengeful, avaricious, lawless Trump and his Trumpsters have boasted out loud about daily. Don't wait until Trump's inauguration. A short list of suggestions follows: The civil servants and their unions better organize a personal presentation to their new bosses, most of whom are ignorant
(2024-12-17). Old Documents Reveal Roots of Modern-Day American Surveillance State. covertactionmagazine.com Church League of America developed a surveillance network, in collaboration with FBI offshoot Wackenhut, of American leftists during the Cold War. With Dylan's self-professed quasi-anarchistic philosophy, he may not be a member of any organized radical left movement. However, as history has proven, the credulous dupe has performed much more services to the collective cause …
(2024-12-17). House select committee gives bipartisan approval to the Wuhan "Lab leak" lies about the origins of COVID-19. wsws.org The report of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic embraces the baseless campaign fomented by the fascist right blaming a Chinese lab for starting the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2024-12-17). The Covid Day of Reflection is a disgrace and an ill-advised insult to millions of people. thecanary.co The Canary has given me the chance to write an article on Lisa Nandy's ill-advised decision to hold a UK wide Covid Day of Reflection to mark the end of the Covid pandemic. The reason I'm writing this is because the Covid pandemic is very much ongoing. So, we're going to give a platform to […] | By
(2024-12-17). Astra Taylor: "It's Still Not Too Late for Biden to Deliver Debt Relief" democracynow.org 
We speak with organizer Astra Taylor of the Debt Collective, which is urging President Joe Biden to cancel more student debt, including for older debtors, before the end of his term. According to the White House, the administration has approved $175 billion in student debt relief for nearly 5 million borrowers over the past four years, but advocates say Biden can still do more in his final weeks as president. "This is a Titanic moment for the Biden administration. They have crashed into the authoritarian iceberg of the Trump administration, and it is their duty to fill as many lifeboats as possible,"…
(2024-12-17). "It Broke Him": Mother Who Lost Son in "Kids for Cash" Scheme Slams Biden's Clemency for Corrupt Judge. democracynow.org 
President Joe Biden's decision to grant clemency to a corrupt former judge has sparked widespread outrage, including from members of his own party. Biden announced nearly 1,500 commutations and pardons last week in what the White House described as the largest single-day act of clemency from a president, but among those whose sentences were reduced is former Pennsylvania Judge Michael Conahan — one of two judges in the notorious "kids for cash" scandal. In 2011, Conahan was sentenced to 17.5 years for accepting nearly $3 million in kickbacks for sending 2,300 children, some as young as 8 y…
(2024-12-17). Multiple Drone Incursions Confirmed Over Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. twz.com 
Marine Corps Base Between Dec. 9 and 15, "there were six instances of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) observed entering Camp Pendleton's airspace, with no threat to installation operations," Capt James C. Sartain, a base spokesman, told The War Zone in response to our query on the matter. | Sartain could not immediately provide details about how many drones flew over the installation,…
(2024-12-17). Potala Palace moving to preserve ancient texts. ecns.cn The Potala Palace in the Xizang autonomous region has achieved notable results in phases in the protection and utilization of ancient texts.
(2024-12-17). Shanghai Songjiang Railway Station nears completion for opening. ecns.cn Shanghai Songjiang Railway Station is gearing up for its official opening, marking a significant milestone in the city's transportation network.
(2024-12-17). Sand dunes turned to winter wonderland after snow in Xinjiang. ecns.cn Huludao, or Calabash Island, named for its shape, sits along the eastern edge of the Taklamakan Desert, where the Tarim River winds through sands, creating anapproximately 133-hectare oasis.
(2024-12-17). Guangzhou unveils green, intelligent urban rail train. ecns.cn The train incorporates 38 leading new technologies and features safety, reliability, advanced intelligence and green energy efficiency.
(2024-12-17). Macao prepares for celebration of 25th anniversary of return to motherland. ecns.cn This year marks the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland…
(2024-12-17). Harbin Ice-Snow World introduces this year's mascots. ecns.cn Bingbing, one of the Harbin Ice and Snow World mascots, is unveiled at a signing ceremony for the 26th Harbin Ice and Snow World in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, on Sunday.
(2024-12-17). Xi urges Macao youth to shape next chapter of Macao's story. ecns.cn Over the years, President Xi Jinping has been deeply concerned about the development of Macao and its young people.
(2024-12-17). Closer ASEAN+3 economic ties urged. ecns.cn To maintain sustainable growth amid evolving challenges, the ASEAN+3 countries should develop closer economic and financial cooperation, policymakers and experts said on Monday.
(2024-12-17). Hainan launch center to carry out 2nd mission. ecns.cn The Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Center in Wenchang, Hainan province, is set to conduct its second mission, this time with a Long March 8 carrier rocket, according to the new spaceport.
(2024-12-17). Rare Terracotta Warrior resembling senior military officer unearthed at Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. ecns.cn Archaeologists have discovered a rare Terracotta Warrior figure resembling a senior military officer in the No. 2 pit nearby the tomb of Qinshihuang, the First Qin Emperor.
(2024-12-17). Refinancing enables local governments to battle debts. ecns.cn The lawmakers approved an increase of 6 trillion yuan in the debt ceiling to swap local governments' hidden debt.
(2024-12-17). Village doctor dedicated to rural community. ecns.cn Born in 1999 in another village in Yichun, Hu is the sole medical provider serving Tongmu.
(2024-12-17). Cities adding charging facilities for HK, Macao EVs. ecns.cn Mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area are accelerating the construction of charging facilities tailored for Hong Kong and Macao electric vehicles.
(2024-12-17). Researchers Challenge Media's Handling of Gaza Casualty Reports. themedialine.org 
(2024-12-17). US, British strikes target Yemeni Defense Ministry premises in Sana'a. presstv.ir American and British fighter jets have conducted a new act of aggression against Yemen, targeting the premises of the Defense Ministry in the capital Sana'a.
(2024-12-17). Gaza's economy shrinks by 85 percent amid unprecedented collapse. newarab.com 
The World Bank has warned about the According to a recent report from the financial authority, the Palestinian economy is expected to shrink by 26 percent in 2024, marking the sharpest contraction in two decades. |
(2024-12-17). Hundreds Dying in Mayotte Cyclone Indicating Years of Neglect in This French Territory. globalresearch.ca While several reports on the Mayotte cyclone have spoken of hundreds of people dying, other reports, which have also quoted local officials, have expressed the apprehension that the number of dead may even be in the thousands. (See Reuters report …
(2024-12-17). Mainstream Propaganda Machine. Galvanizing US Public for War with Iran. Worldwide Military Escalation? globalresearch.ca As we all know,
(2024-12-17). "7 Countries in 5 Years" — Regime Change in Iran Coming Soon? globalresearch.ca Bashar al-Assad came to an end in dramatic fashion. | Beginning just 11 days previously, an offensive led by the Western-backed …
(2024-12-17). Canada's Restaurant industry is doing worse today than at any time in recent history, including the pandemic. globalresearch.ca Restaurants Canada is pleased by today's announcement from the federal government of a two-month GST holiday on restaurant meals, among other products. This is a big win for the restaurant industry and comes after months of relentless advocacy from Restaurants …
(2024-12-17). "Theater Iran Near Term" (TIRANNT). The Ongoing Planning of War against Iran. globalresearch.ca "Theater Iran Near Term" (TIRANNT) has identified several thousand targets inside Iran as part of a "Shock and Awe" Blitzkrieg, which is now in its final planning stages.
(2024-12-17). Selected Articles: Mainstream Propaganda Machine Galvanizing US Public for War with Iran. globalresearch.ca 
(2024-12-17). From the classroom to the courtroom: The journey of Bangladesh law students advocating for international humanitarian law. icrc.org
(2024-12-17). Iraq: Humanitarian Call for Witnesses from the Gulf War 1990-1991. icrc.org
(2024-12-17). War and international humanitarian law. icrc.org Overview…
(2024-12-17). Egypt: Al-Azhar University and ICRC explore similarities between International Humanitarian Law and Islamic Sharia. icrc.org
(2024-12-17). Egypt: Completion of the Regional Arabic course on International Humanitarian Law in Sharm El-Sheikh. icrc.org
(2024-12-17). ICRC: "We have the chance to improve the lives of millions" icrc.org Delivered by Ms. Laetitia Courtois, Permanent Observer and Head of Delegation, UN General Assembly debate on strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance…
(2024-12-17). Bangladesh: Hopeful embrace ends eight years of despair as Mariam is reunited with her husband. icrc.org
(2024-12-17). Afghanistan: Helping a record number of children with cerebral palsy. icrc.org
(2024-12-17). South Africa: The 23rd Southern Africa and Indian Ocean States Regional IHL Seminar. icrc.org spotlighting "the 75th Anniversary of the Geneva Conventions — strengthening humanity"
(2024-12-17). South Africa: Global Military Personnel Identification Conference. icrc.org Convening State armed forces to create "international guidelines for identifying military personnel and preventing them from going missing"
(2024-12-17). Thailand: ICRC and Thammasat University screen film, host discussion on IHL and South-East Asian history. icrc.org
(2024-12-17). Venezuela: Medical equipment — a matter of life and death. icrc.org
(2024-12-17). Geneva: ICRC reinforces financial support to National Society Investment Alliance (NSIA). icrc.org
(2024-12-17). OEWG: ICRC Statement on International Law. icrc.org Delivered by Kosuke Onishi, Legal Adviser, at the 9th Substantive Session of the Open-Ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies 2021-2025, New York…
(2024-12-17). OEWG: ICRC Statement on Threats. icrc.org Delivered by Kosuke Onishi, Legal Adviser, at the 9th Substantive Session of the Open-Ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies 2021-2025, New York…
(2024-12-17). Evaluation of the ICRC Learning Culture. icrc.org
(2024-12-17). Peru: Two years after the repression of protests, justice for the victims is still pending. fidh.org Today marks two years since the first death occurred during the lethal repression of the 2022 and 2023 protests in Peru. During these mobilisations, the Peruvian police and army fired bullets, pellets and tear gas, causing the death of 50 people and leaving more than 1400 people injured. These actions were marked with a clear racist bias against people from indigenous and peasant communities. There are indications that the repression was an intentional and coordinated strategy, which would (…) | – |
(2024-12-17). Starmer visits British-NATO troops in Estonia, pushes war agenda. wsws.org Starmer has made 16 international trips since Labour formed a government in July, with the most common reason being to escalate the imperialist-backed war against Russia.
(2024-12-17). An ethical Christmas gift guide that gives back to Palestine. newarab.com 
As usual, the lead-up to Christmas is both exciting and overwhelming filled with hours spent online or lost in thought, frantically brainstorming gift ideas for loved ones. | Add the But who says Christmas gift shopping, considering all these factors, has to be such a tedious task? | Carefully curated to suit different personalities and interests, The New Arab (T…
(2024-12-17). Seattle Planned to Close Up to 21 Public Schools — Here's How We Stopped Them. truthout.org From coast to coast, school districts are proposing closures, as pandemic-era funds have long since dried up and gentrification has driven families out of increasingly unaffordable neighborhoods. Yet in a time when budget cuts threaten public education nationwide, Seattle organizers have shown that communities can fight back — and win. After initially proposing in spring to close up to 21… |
(2024-12-17). Nursing in Brazil: a story of super-exploitation. peoplesdispatch.org 
Nurses in Brazil have taken to the streets over the past two years to demand a living wage. Despite only partial victories due to judicial setbacks, their mobilization—representing a group of 3 million workers—has drawn significant attention to the poor working conditions they face. These challenges also extend to other segments of the health sector. | But the notorious difficulties nurses face in Brazil go far beyond low wages: they also deal with long hours, juggling multiple jobs just to make ends meet, and increasingly precarious employment arrangements. For a research group in Rio de Janeiro, one…
(2024-12-17). Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office raids house of spokesman. plenglish.com Lima, Dec 17 (Prensa Latina) The house of the Peruvian presidential spokesman, Fredy Hinojosa, was arrested today as part of investigations into the supply of horse meat to state schools and in the midst of several allegations against the president and her entourage.
(2024-12-17). New solidarity container from Valencia to Cuba. plenglish.com Madrid, Dec 17 (Prensa Latina) Solidarity with Cuba continues in Spain and Bétera, Valencia, where a new container with various sanitary materials is ready for shipment, it was learned on Monday.
(2024-12-17). Tobacco harvest in Cuban province contributes to growth. plenglish.com Sancti Spíritus, Cuba, Dec 17 (Prensa Latina) As the final stage of the 2024-2025 tobacco harvest is starting in this central Cuban province, access to foreign currency is recognized for producers of the sun-on-stick technology.
(2024-12-17). Ambassadors of the Russian Language Program again in Cuba. plenglish.com Moscow, Dec 17 (Prensa Latina) The second educational expedition of the program of Ambassadors of the Russian Language in the World is in Cuba until December 20, reported the channel TVBrics.
(2024-12-17). Nicaraguan president highlighted Fidel Castro's solidarity. plenglish.com Managua, Dec 17 (Prensa Latina) Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega stressed here the solidarity of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro (1926-2016), during the struggle against the Somoza dictatorship in this Central American nation.
(2024-12-17). Veneration to St. Lázaro, an example of religious syncretism in Cuba. plenglish.com Havana, Dec 17 (Prensa Latina) Hundreds of Cubans are making the pilgrimage to the Sanctuary or Church of San Lazaro in El Rincón, located on the outskirts of Havana, a tradition in the country's syncretism.
(2024-12-17). Key areas of mutual interest on Ethiopia-European Union dialogue. plenglish.com Addis Ababa, Dec 17 (Prensa Latina) The government of Ethiopia and the European Union (EU), together with the member states of that political community represented in the country, held their second Structured Dialogue today to discuss key areas of mutual interest.
(2024-12-17). Mexican authorities report reduction in high-impact crimes. plenglish.com Mexico City, Dec 17 (Prensa Latina) The executive secretary of the National Public Security System of Mexico, Marcela Figueroa, reported today on a 37.6 percent reduction in the daily average of high-impact crimes between 2018 and 2024.
(2024-12-17). Worldwide study on forced displacements presented. plenglish.com Violent confrontations and natural disasters are among the triggers of forced movements, according to the report presented this Tuesday by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). | According to the new study, in the first instances, at least 60 percent of those internally displaced by conflicts or disasters already prefer to stay in the places where they are, instead of returning to their communities. | These conclusions, the organization said, challenge the common belief that what is always preferred is to return to the area of origin. | Among those displaced…
(2024-12-17). Bowel cancer increases in young people globally. plenglish.com Washington, Dec 17 (Prensa Latina) The incidence of colorectal cancer continues its upward pace in adults under the age of 50 in many high-income countries, a study released today with data up to 2017 in 50 territories indicates.
(2024-12-17). Transformation of science under debate in Cuba's Parliament. plenglish.com Havana, Dec 17 (Prensa Latina) The transformation of Cuba's science, technology, and innovation system and the search for financing for the sector will be the focus of debates today at the National People's Power Assembly before the Fourth Ordinary Session of the 10th Legislature.
(2024-12-17). Nuevamente en Cuba embajadores del programa de Lengua Rusa. radiohc.cu La Habana, 17 dic (RHC) Hasta el próximo 20 de diciembre se encuentra en Cuba la segunda expedición educativa del programa de Embajadores de la Lengua Rusa en el Mundo, informó hoy el canal TVBrics.
(2024-12-17). Presidente de Nicaragua destacó solidaridad de líder Fidel Castro. radiohc.cu La Habana, 17 dic (RHC) El presidente nicaragàºense, Daniel Ortega, destacó la solidaridad del líder histórico de la Revolución cubana, Fidel Castro, durante la lucha contra la dictadura somocista en esta nación centroamericana.
(2024-12-17). Financialization meltdown could be imminent. thesiriusreport.com 
We assess why the stock market is the biggest bubble in financial history and why this is totally unsustainable and suggests a meltdown in financialization could be imminent.
(2024-12-17). Russian military's chemical weapons chief killed in Moscow blast. newarab.com 
The head of the Igor Kirillov was killed along with his assistant when an explosive device attached to a scooter went off…
(2024-12-17). 30 N. Korean soldiers killed, wounded in Russia's Kursk region. newarab.com 
(2024-12-17). Will Putin Fight or Surrender? thealtworld.com In his meeting the other day with the Russian Defense Ministry Board, Putin discussed the accomplishments of the past year and measures needed to ensure Russia's security from Washington's aspirations for world dominance. "We see the US administration and the collective West relentlessly trying to preserve their dominance, pushing their rules on the global community and manipulating them as they see fit." Washington, Putin said, is engaged "in an effort to weaken our country and inflict a strategic defeat." | That is true, but why is Putin helping Washington succeed? Putin complains about the growing instability…
(2024-12-17). The West Will Regret Abandoning the Georgian People to the Clutches of Russia. bylinetimes.com One of my proudest achievements as a British diplomat was to instigate the creation of a new strategic partnership between the UK and Georgia during my time there as Ambassador, in 2015. This became known as "The Wardrop Dialogue" in honour of the British diplomat, Sir Oliver Wardrop, who was the first British Chief Commissioner to the TransCaucasus in 1919, and his sister, Marjory, who became a champion of Georgian culture. | Under the partnership, the UK supported Georgia in three broad areas — security, economy and good governance. | Examples of our security cooperation included the conduct of joint…
(2024-12-17). Health Insurance Killing: Economics Does Have Something to Say. scheerpost.com 
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(2024-12-17). In Unprecedented Move, Judge Keeps CIA Employee Facing Espionage Act Charges in Jail. scheerpost.com 
(2024-12-17). South Korea Impeaches President as Demand Grows for Democratic Reforms. scheerpost.com 
(2024-12-17). Why Bidenomics Was Such a Bust. scheerpost.com 
(2024-12-17). David North addresses book launches in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. wsws.org The meetings were well attended, testifying to a growing interest in a socialist and revolutionary perspective.
(2024-12-17). How Union Democracy Builds Labor's Strike Power. dissentmagazine.org 
The UAW's reform movement brought membership back into the fold, harnessing their energy and forging it into a weapon that could force the companies to bend.
(2024-12-17). Similarities between Taliban and Hindu Nationalism that Tavleen Singh fails to see. ummid.com Tavleen Singh is right in detesting 'Hindu religiosity' but she needs to delve deeper to understand that this is the same pattern which 'Jihadi Islam' and 'Islamic Fundamentalists' follow.
(2024-12-17). Mother Who Lost Son in "Kids for Cash" Scheme Slams Biden's Clemency for Judge. truthout.org President Joe Biden's decision to grant clemency to a corrupt former judge has sparked widespread outrage, including from members of his own party. Biden announced nearly 1,500 commutations and pardons last week in what the White House described as the largest single-day act of clemency from a president, but among those whose sentences were reduced is former Pennsylvania Judge Michael Conahan… |
(2024-12-17). Opioid Maker Avoids Massive Federal Penalty Through Bankruptcy, Slow-Moving DOJ. truthout.org This spring, the Justice Department announced a major victory against a drug firm that manufactured billions of opioid painkillers. Endo Health Solutions, the agency said, would face $1.5 billion in fines and forfeitures and plead guilty to a corporate criminal charge. Prosecutors said the massive fine would hold accountable a suburban Philadelphia company that profited by "misrepresenting… |
(2024-12-17). Trump's Picks for Top Federal Health Agencies Look Like "Team of Opponents" truthout.org Many of President-elect Donald Trump's candidates for federal health agencies have promoted policies and goals that put them at odds with one another or with Trump's choice to run the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., setting the stage for internal friction over public health initiatives. The picks hold different views on matters such as limits on abortion… |
(2024-12-17). Disney's wage theft settlement: A drop in the bucket amid corporate exploitation. wsws.org For workers, this payout represents an infinitesimal fraction of the wealth they generate and will not change unbearable living conditions.
(2024-12-17). US high official visits Sri Lanka to enhance strategic ties. wsws.org The JVP, a petty bourgeois organisation based on a mixture of Maoism, Castroism and Sinhala populism, jettisoned its pro-Chinese and anti-US rhetoric long ago.
(2024-12-17). Unelected Canada Industrial Relations Board orders postal workers back to work from Tuesday. wsws.org Postal workers must defy this anti-democratic edict, but this requires the mobilization of the broadest sections of the working class—public and private sector alike—across Canada and internationally.
(2024-12-17). Biden administration places profits over lives, fueling the spread of H5N1 bird flu. wsws.org The Biden administration's response to the spread of the bird flu among dairy cattle across the US over the past year amounts to nothing short of criminal negligence.
(2024-12-17). Workers and young people speak at book launches by David North in Australia. wsws.org "What struck me was the emphasis on the urgency to pave a new way forward for the working class because the alternative is catastrophe."
(2024-12-17). Yet again, horror in an American school: Two dead, six injured in Madison, Wisconsin shooting. wsws.org The alleged killer's case paints a chilling portrait of a deeply pessimistic and fascistic worldview.
(2024-12-17). Macron names new French minority government based on New Popular Front support. wsws.org The installation of Franàßois Bayrou as prime minister with the support of the NFP hands the mantle of official parliamentary opposition to Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally.
(2024-12-17). Most congregations avoid discussing politics, new study shows. anabaptistworld.org Despite the incessant tracking of evangelical Christian, Latino Catholic, Muslim and other religious groups through the recently ended election season, a study released on Election Day by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research showed that most congregations are politically inactive, with nearly half actively avoiding discussing politics at their gatherings. The Hartford report, "Politics in …
(2024-12-17). Messy world, tenacious peacemakers. anabaptistworld.org A politically polarized ≠country that just held an election needs Christian peacemakers more than ever, Brethren in Christ pastors and lay people heard at a study conference Nov. 15 in Grantham, Pa.
(2024-12-17). Honduran churches respond to floods. anabaptistworld.org A series of tropical storms in November caused extensive flooding that damaged infrastructure and displaced vulnerable populations in Honduras.
(2024-12-17). INTERVIEW: France and the Colonial Roots of Black Citizenship, Maboula Soumohoro, 2021. mronline.org 
For more than 500 years, Europeans have controlled the world, enforcing their rule through genocidal violence.
(2024-12-17). Carbon capture: False hopes and harsh realities. mronline.org 
Do not buy the fossil-fuel industry's hype about carbon-capture technology, even the schemes that work cannot be scaled up to the necessary levels, explains John Clarke.
(2024-12-17). How a Small Chinese Company Tricked the German State | DW Investigation. wattsupwiththat.com DW uncovered that dozens of Chinese climate projects, certified by the German authorities as carbon credits under the upstream emission reduction scheme, failed to deliver on promises to save millions of tons of carbon emissions. A joint investigation by DW and ZDF reveals how Germany was deceived — and exposes the shadowy company Beijing Karbon behind the alleged fraud.
(2024-12-17). Niger: Prominent civil society activist arbitrarily arrested. fidh.org
(2024-12-17). Italy: Draft bill 1236 targeting peaceful environmental activism. fidh.org
(2024-12-17). As the madness of "Net Zero" accelerates, time has already run out for many of UK's most vulnerable citizens. expose-news.com The UK's reckless and futile "Net Zero" policy is not only going to cost taxpayers trillions of pounds to implement an unreliable energy supply but it is also going to cost lives. …
(2024-12-17). How to address chronic inflammation naturally. expose-news.com Chronic inflammation, a persistent and low-grade immune response, is a major driver of modern diseases. By aligning lifestyle choices with the body's innate requirements for optimal function, including nutrition, sleep, exercise, light …
(2024-12-17). CPJ, partners report uptick in targeted attacks on minority journalists during 2024 Brazilian election campaign. emdefesadojornalismo.org.br
(2024-12-17). Government-Granted Patent Monopolies Lead to Corruption #47,284. cepr.net The New York Times ran an important investigative piece on how the opioid manufacturers gave kickbacks to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to push their drugs, even in cases where they knew they could lead to addiction by patients. According to the piece, the PBMs recognized the danger of addiction, but encouraged doctors to ignore risks …
(2024-12-17). Minors to be reunited with families in Mozambique. sanews.gov.za Minors to be reunited with families in Mozambique | Twenty-seven teenage boys are set to be repatriated home to Mozambique after resurfacing from the Stilfontein unused mines more than a month ago, the Department of Social Development in the North West said. | In a statement on Tuesday, the department said among the 27 undocumented children, 15 were found by the police in Matlosana and 12 others resurfaced from the abandoned mines and were placed in temporary safe care in Mahikeng for two weeks. | | Last month, the Department of Social Development (DSD) said that about 96 undocumented children have been detai…
(2024-12-17). Arctic Tundra Goes From Carbon Sink to Carbon Source for the First Time in Millennia: NOAA Report. pressenza.com According to the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s 2024 Arctic Report Card, tundra in the Arctic is becoming a net source of carbon dioxide, rather than the climate-beneficial carbon sink it has been for millennia. By Cristen Hemingway Jaynes This year was the…
(2024-12-17). Ding dong, Australia's misinformation-disinformation bill is dead. onlineopinion.com.au The very idea that speech requires ordering and control is the first step to preventing its exercise. Death, in this case to freedom of thought and political expression, is bound to follow.
(2024-12-17). ANU Migration Hub — immigration gaslighter of the year. onlineopinion.com.au The Migration Hub has excelled in 2024, with misleading takes on immigration policy and numbers. Their Xmas brief 'proves' the Albanese immigration deluge isn't happening. You probably imagined it.
(2024-12-17). Rand Water completes maintenance work at Eikenhof. sanews.gov.za Rand Water completes maintenance work at Eikenhof | Rand Water has completed maintenance work at its Eikenhof system and pumping has resumed at the station. | In a statement issued on Monday, Johannesburg Water said the system will start to recover progressively. | | The water utility said water supply will not be noticed immediately but will gradually increase as the system builds capacity. | Low lying areas will recover first, with high lying areas recovering later. | | "This recovery is also impacted by demand, so we need to observe water consumption. Pumping to Johannesburg Water affected towers will o…
(2024-12-17). RTMC calls on motorists to exercise extreme caution on the roads. sanews.gov.za RTMC calls on motorists to exercise extreme caution on the roads | The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has called on motorists to exercise extreme caution on the roads. | The call follows a major collision that claimed 15 lives in the Eastern Cape on Monday morning. | In a statement issued, the RTMC said the collision occurred when a minibus crashed head-on with an SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) at approximately 5: 30am on Monday on the N9 between Graaff-Reinett and Middelburg. | A Mazda CX5 SUV with six occupants and a fully loaded minibus travelling from the Western Cape collided head-on early on Monda…
(2024-12-17). A Journey of Discovery. pressenza.com 
"Exploring Inner Peace and Global Harmony: A Tale of Enrichment": | by Sabrina Khan, Uttara Center | I was a good friend of Sheikh Mohammad Arif. I first met him in mid-2006. It can be said that I came to know about the Humanist Movement from that time. That year, the Asian Regional Meeting of the Humanist Movement was held in Dhaka. Several observers from the Asian region as well as Europe and America joined this regional meeting. I got an invitation from Sheikh Mohammad Arif, I joined that conference out of curiosity and learned a lot about this international organization. Later, due to my marriage to S…
(2024-12-17). A Prison the Size of the State, A Police to Control the World. publicbooks.org Two new books examine how colonial logic has long been embedded within US carceral systems.
(2024-12-17). SATIRE: Doctor Warns Of Damaging Effects Child Obesity Having On Mall Santas. theonion.com
(2024-12-17). SATIRE: FEMA Administrator Resigns After Accidentally Playing Porn On Emergency Alert System. theonion.com WASHINGTON—Apologizing for the terrifying series of events that left shocked, confused, and disgusted citizens screaming, crying, and searching for cover, Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Daniel Gilroy announced his resignation Tuesday after accidentally playing porn on the nation's Emergency Alert System. "This morning at 11: 21 a.m. EDT, I opened up a pornographic video on my laptop, …
(2024-12-17). Employment Opportunities with Onondaga County. urbancny.com 
We are seeking candidates to fill the following positions: Sanitarian 1 in our Health Department and Park Ranger 1 in our Parks Department. If you're interested, please send resumes to Monica Williams at by 4: 00 PM on Monday, December 23. | Image by Pixabay…
(2024-12-17). Climate takes its toll on the 'cherry capital of the world'. grist.org 
This coverage is made possible in part through a partnership with Grist and Interlochen Public Radio in northern Michigan. | Traverse City is known as "the Cherry Capital of the World," and the Wunsch family has been growing the small stone fruit for six generations. The farm that bears their name sits on about 1,000 acres in the middle of Old Mission Peninsula, a spit of land poking into a bay at the northern end of Lake Michigan. This region has long been considered a cherry haven where long rows of trees teem with red fruit. But as the planet warms, things are beginning to change. | As he walked rows of dor…
(2024-12-17). Not Just a Showman: Raj Kapoor Gave Us Four All-time Great Films Within Six Years. asia-pacificresearch.com
(2024-12-17). Why it's so hard to create a truly recyclable Keurig coffee pod. grist.org 
There's a Keurig machine in some Inevitably, this leads to a lot of trash. | Every cup of java brewed creates a conundrum: what to do with the coffee pod that produced it. To start, can it be recycled? The answer, in Keurig's case, is not…
(2024-12-17). Law enforcement bolstered with 123 traffic officers. sanews.gov.za Law enforcement bolstered with 123 traffic officers | Deputy Minister for Transport Mkhuleko Hlengwa has welcomed the newly graduated 123 traffic officers and 56 road safety officers. | "As traffic and road safety officers, you are custodians of safety on our roads. Your presence is a testament to our nation's commitment to reducing road accidents, saving lives, and fostering a culture of respect and responsibility among road users," the Deputy Minister said. | He was addressing the recent Passing Out and Graduation Ceremony of Traffic Officers and Road Safety Officers at the Boekenhoutkloof Traffic Academy in Ts…
(2024-12-17). SANRAL advises motorists of toll fees on major routes. sanews.gov.za SANRAL advises motorists of toll fees on major routes | With some of the major routes anticipated to experience heavy traffic during the festive season, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) has advised motorists on toll fees on some of the country's major routes. | | Some of the key routes anticipated to experience heavy traffic in the SANRAL Northern Region include the N1 from Gauteng to the Musina (in Limpopo) border post, the N3 Gauteng to KwaZulu-Natal and the N4 from Gauteng to the Lebombo (in Mpumalanga) border post. | | N1 Gauteng — Musina border post | | The N1 is a…
(2024-12-17). Campaigners to protest outside the High Court over £3 billion Thames Water bailout plea. leftfootforward.org Protests will take place at the High Court this morning as Thames Water seeks approval for a £3 billion temporary bailout. | Campaigners are set to gather outside the Royal Courts of Justice to oppose the bailout plea, which We Own It has said will rack up £300 million in interest a year over two and a half years, and add an extra £250 a year to customers' bills. | Groups including We Own It, Windrush Against Sewage Pollution and the Henley Mermaids are calling for Thames Water to be brought back into public ownership instead of receiving the bailout at customers' expense. | A letter from Cat…
(2024-12-17). Environmental groups to support Just Stop Oil M25 protestors appeal sentences. leftfootforward.org Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth have revealed they will work together to help five Just Stop Oil activists appeal their 'record-length' sentences. | In July, Five Just Stop Oil activists were handed four and five-year jail sentences for joining a Zoom call to discuss a planned protest on the M25 motorway. | Founder of JSO, Roger Hallam, was sentenced to five years in prison in July while activists Daniel Shaw, Louise Lancaster, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, and Cressida Gethin received four-year sentences. | The protestors were sentenced under the 'conspiracy to cause a public nuisance' offence which was intr…
(2024-12-17). Spending Christmas with 'Dr. Doom'. grist.org 
I was 11 years old the year my older stepsister brought her high school boyfriend home for the first time. It was Thanksgiving in 2006, and his Southern manners fit right in as we bantered between mouthfuls of cornbread stuffing, fried okra, and marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole. Then, in the overstuffed lull before the desserts were served, my dad plunked his laptop in the center of the table. He opened it up and began clicking through a PowerPoint presentation chock full of data on ice sheet melt and global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. | My stepsister's eyes grew wide with embarrassment.
(2024-12-17). Transcript of Press TV, Iran interview on delivery of U.S. tanks to Taiwan. gilbertdoctorow.com Transcript submitted by a reader PressTV: 0: 00Gilbert Doctor is an independent international affairs analyst who joins us from Brussels. Welcome. So the fact that this has not happened in quite some time, this delivery of this type of equipment, the Abraham tanks, what do you think it means in terms of the timing? Gilbert Doctorow, …
(2024-12-17). A basic principle regarding worship. salaficentre.com In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy. Shaikh Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: Indeed, there has been much confusion in this subject matter, just as it is the case in the subject matter of halal and haram. A group of people make permissible some of …
(2024-12-17). Biden administration announces US Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan. nationofchange.org The strategies in the Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan provide actions that the federal government and private sector can take to see through to net-zero maratime emissions.
(2024-12-17). Trump's Cabinet picks aren't just unqualified and inexperienced—they're morally bankrupt. nationofchange.org While every president has a right to select their own Cabinet appointees, the Senate also has the Constitutional authority to decide whether each nominee is fit to serve.
(2024-12-17). Native American patients are sent to collections for debts the government owes. nationofchange.org Native communities are twice as likely to have medical debt in collections, agency finds.
(2024-12-17). A history of success drives the ongoing struggle to clean up Cancer Alley. nationofchange.org Cancer Alley communities in Louisiana are still fighting for a healthier environment for everyone.
(2024-12-17). Egypt celebrates Semsemiah and Henna on UNESCO Heritage list. newarab.com 
Earlier this month, during a meeting in Asunción, Paraguay, the Among the
(2024-12-17). Backlash grows among Egyptians over damage to Pyramids of Giza. newarab.com 
(2024-12-17). France denies recruiting IS fighters to destabilise Algeria. newarab.com 
Over the weekend, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noà´l Barrot
(2024-12-17). HRW accuses RSF of widespread sexual violence in south Sudan. newarab.com 
(2024-12-17). Muslim man sues UK pub over sign showing beheaded Arab figure. newarab.com 
(2024-12-17). Collage of images falsely circulated as idols found in Sambhal mosque. ummid.com A collage of four images are falsely being circulated online claiming to be that of idols found during the survey of Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, it is found after fact check analysis.
(2024-12-17). Maharashtra cabinet expansion delayed further. ummid.com The much awaited cabinet expansion of the newly formed government in Maharashtra has been delayed further.
(2024-12-17). Raj Kapoor: The Legend who wove stories that united hearts. ummid.com As we celebrate the Raj Kapoor 100th Birth Anniversary, it is a fitting occasion to contemplate a cinematic legacy that surpasses time, boundaries, and generations.
(2024-12-17). Suchir Balaji, who took OpenAI to task, found dead; Suicide suspected. ummid.com Suchir Balaji, Indian-American Whistleblower, who had raised serious concerns about the OpenAI policies, is found dead in his apartment in San Francisco.
(2024-12-17). AI powered vehicles by 2035: IBM Study. ummid.com Tech giant IBM in a latest study found that come 2035 and vehicles will be software defined and AI powered.
(2024-12-17). Gemini 2.0 Available Now. ummid.com Tech giant Google has launched Gemini 2.0, the latest iteration of the company's AI technology.
(2024-12-17). Henna inscribed on UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. ummid.com 'Henna' has been inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage 2024.
(2024-12-17). Migration of Indians to UAE all time high. ummid.com The migration of Indians to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the past year reached all-time high, according to the latest embassy data.
(2024-12-17). BPSC Prelims 2024 held at Patna Centre cancelled. ummid.com The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has cancelled the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 Prelims held at Patna's Bapu Pariksha Bhavan.
(2024-12-17). Discovered: Batch of asteroids between Mars, Jupiter. ummid.com Asteroids that have been found recently by James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) range in size from that of a bus to several stadiums.
(2024-12-17). Last date of payment for Hajj 2025 waiting list pilgrims extended. ummid.com The last date of payment for the pilgrims, who have been selected from the Hajj 2025 waiting list, has been extended.
(2024-12-17). Saudi announces Hajj Conference in January 2025. ummid.com Saudi Arabia has announced to hold Hajj Conference to discuss ways to improve Hajj related services in the month of January 2025.
(2024-12-17). GUJCET 2025 Registration Starts, Last Date to Apply Dec 31. ummid.com Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSEB) has started receiving Online Applications for GUJCET 2025 through its official website gujcet.gseb.org from today i.e. Tuesday December 17, 2025.
(2024-12-17). One Nation One Election Bill referred to JPC. ummid.com Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal Tuesday introduced The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, also referred as the 'One Nation, One Election' Bill, requesting the Speaker to refer it to Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).
(2024-12-17). BPSC 70th Prelims 2024 held amid chaos, paper leak rumours. ummid.com The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 Preliminary was held today i.e. Friday December 13, 2024 amid chaos and paper leak "rumours".
(2024-12-17). U.S. releases strategy to combat anti-Muslim, anti-Arab hate. ummid.com The United States Friday December 13, 2024 released its first ever national strategy to combat Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate.
(2024-12-17). Africa: A tomato, sex and HIV. independent.co.ug 
The high cost of inequalities that symbolise the deep vulnerabilities that fuel the HIV epidemic in our region COMMENT | ANNE GTHUKU — SHONGWE | This World AIDS Day, Dec.01, we had some good news. Our collective efforts are yielding results. There has been major progress in the HIV response in East and Southern Africa, the …
(2024-12-17). Bulambuli: Gov't to relocate over 5000 households following landslide. independent.co.ug 
KAMPALA, Uganda | Xinhua | Uganda has allocated 50 billion shillings (about 14 million U.S. dollars) for the immediate relocation of over 5,000 households in the mountainous eastern part of the country, where landslides killed more than 30 people last month, a senior official said Sunday. The funds will be used to relocate people from …
(2024-12-17). Court orders Govt to compensate victims of ex-LRA commander Kwoyelo. independent.co.ug 
Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The International Crimes Division of the high Court of Uganda has ordered the government to compensate the victims of convicted former Lord's Resistance Army rebel commander Thomas Kwoyelo. The ruling delivered on Monday at the Gulu High Court follows an application filed by the victim's counsel and 103 …
(2024-12-17). Inzu Yamasaba stops Kadodi on main roads as Museveni visits. independent.co.ug 
Mbale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Inzu Yamasaba cultural institution has announced a ban on traditional Kadodi processions along major routes in Mbale, Bududa, and Manafwa districts ahead of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni's visit to the Bugisu region today. The president is scheduled to visit Bududa to engage with stakeholders and promote the wealth creation program, …
(2024-12-17). IRA launches 2024 Annual Insurance Innovation Awards. independent.co.ug 
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Insurance Regulatory Authority of Uganda (IRA) has officially launched the 2024 Annual Insurance Innovation Awards (AIIA). The Authority is inviting all licensed industry players to participate. Now in its fifth year, the AIIA aims to recognize innovators who are reshaping the role of insurance in people's lives and businesses, …
(2024-12-17). Lula vows to "severely punish" coup plotters after recovery. independent.co.ug 
SAO PAULO, Brazil | Xinhua | Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva vowed on Sunday at a press conference to "severely punish" those involved in the 2022 coup attempt. "I believe that General Braga has every right to the presumption of innocence," Lula said, referring to the detained retired general Walter Braga Netto, who served …
(2024-12-17). Luwero Reverend jailed 12 years for murdering wife. independent.co.ug 
As witnesses turned up to testify against Sekibaala, he applied for a plea bargain in exchange for a lenient sentence Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The High Court in Luwero has sentenced a former priest to serve 12 years in jail for killing his wife. Reverend David Sekibaala of Luwero Anglican Diocese was sentenced …
(2024-12-17). Reimagining the role of Ambassadors & High Commissioners in economic diplomacy. independent.co.ug 
OPINION | George Arodi | On a warm May afternoon in 2007, during a critical dialogue between the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the late Hon. David Nalo, then Permanent Secretary for Trade, made a thought-provoking remark: "Our embassies should be more than ceremonial. They must drive our economic …
(2024-12-17). UBOS transfers 60,247 census tablets to ICT Ministry. independent.co.ug 
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has transferred 60,247 of 120,000 census tablets it bought this year, to the Ministry of ICT for use in other government operations. The bureau however refrained from commenting on where the remaining devices are. Chris Mukiza, the UBOS Executive Director, declined to answer …
(2024-12-17). Examiners abandon New Curriculum marking, want pay rise. independent.co.ug 
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Panic has gripped Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) as several examiners marking the first Senior Four national examinations under the new lower secondary curriculum abandoned marking centers over a pay dispute. The walkout that occurred over the weekend involved examiners who had been confined at Namugongo Secondary …
(2024-12-17). Maracha district council recommends punishment of teachers for mishandling PLE. independent.co.ug 
Maracha, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Maracha District Council has recommended deterrent punishment to eight primary school teachers for allegedly mismanaging the recently concluded PLE. The eight teachers were assigned to manage the 2024 PLE in Ombinyiri and Oribani primary schools in Kijomoro Sub County as Chief Invigilators and Invigilators The teachers, during the two …
(2024-12-17). Superpower rivalry makes Pacific aid a bargaining chip — vulnerable nations still lose out. asiapacificreport.nz 
ANALYSIS: By Sione Tekiteki, Auckland University of Technology The A$140 million aid agreement between Australia and Nauru signed last week is a prime example of the geopolitical tightrope vulnerable Pacific nations are walking in the 21st century. The deal provides Nauru with direct budgetary support, stable banking services, and policing and security resources. In return,…
(2024-12-17). Thousands of people are facing eviction in the run up to Christmas. thecanary.co Latest figures have revealed that thousands of people across England and Wales are facing eviction in the lead up to Christmas due to their property being repossessed. Rental tenants facing eviction The analysis comes from Tlyfe, the UK's number one tenant app launched by OpenBrix, who analysed government data on landlord possessions across England and […] | By
(2024-12-17). Tuesday 12/17: Holding Hasslers Against the Homeless Accountable. indybay.org 115 Coral St. in front of "Housing Matters"
(2024-12-17). Japan begins trial for gene therapy drug to grow new teeth in people who have missing teeth. expose-news.com
(2024-12-17). 2024 streaming biz: Bracing for AI and deregulation as the media challenge. peoplesworld.org 
The year in media, both in the streaming business and in broadcasting as a whole, saw and will continue to see wholescale changes, many of them negative, some positive. The main story in streaming and in television is the new preponderance of Artificial Intelligence, as its use by the film and television industry threatens not …
(2024-12-17). Biden: Cries of workers burning in 1911 fire heard in today's struggles. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—The valedictory journey to Joe Biden's presidency and its meaning for workers began on March 25, 1911, when a young social worker in Manhattan, Frances Perkins, heard sirens and screams and raced to a tragic scene. What she saw that sunny afternoon was the horrifying fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, an eighth-floor sweatshop employing …
(2024-12-17). Kemi Badenoch slammed for supporting 'massive tax cuts for the rich' after proposing single tax rate on all incomes. leftfootforward.org Labour accused the Tory leader of being "a reverse Robin Hood" because the policy would mean "massive" tax cuts for the rich.
(2024-12-17). The Deadly Consequences Of UnitedHealth's Unchecked Growth. levernews.com 
(2024-12-17). El enigma sirio. radiohc.cu Después medio siglo en el que el Gobierno de Bashar Al-Assad, con el apoyo de Rusia, sorteó todo tipo de agresiones encubiertas y directas por parte de EEUU, Francia y Reino Unido, tras 13 años de guerra civil, una supuesta "ofensiva relámpago", de las fuerzas opositoras armadas lideradas por el grupo "terrorista", Hayat Tahrir al Shams (HTS) y sus facciones aliadas, cambió la correlación de fuerzas del país de la noche a la mañana y derrocó al "hombre de hierro sirio".
(2024-12-17). Emergencia en Trópico de Cochabamba: pedirán prisión de Evo Morales. radiohc.cu La Habana, 17 dic (RHC) Mientras el Trópico de Cochabamba permanece hoy en emergencia en torno al expresidente de Bolivia Evo Morales, el Ministerio Público confirmó que pedirá seis meses de detención preventiva contra el líder indígena, aseguró una fuente oficial.
(2024-12-17). Veneración a San Lázaro, muestra del sincretismo religioso en Cuba. radiohc.cu La Habana, 17 dic (RHC) Cientos de cubanos realizan hoy una peregrinación hasta el Santuario o Iglesia de San Lázaro en El Rincón, ubicado en las afueras de La Habana, una tradición que es muestra del sincretismo religioso en el país.
(2024-12-17). Diez años del regreso de los cinco luchadores antiterroristas cubanos. radiohc.cu Hace diez años la Patria abrazó finalmente a los cinco luchadores antiterroristas cubanos que guardaron injusta prisión en Estados Unidos. El retorno el 17 de diciembre de 2014 de Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino y Antonio Guerrero puso fin a años de lucha, resistencia y perseverancia por su liberación.
(2024-12-17). Cae otro notorio pandillero en Haití en operación policial. radiohc.cu Puerto Príncipe, 17 dic (RHC) La Policía Nacional de Haití (PNH) eliminó a dos líderes pandilleros gracias a las operaciones que adelanta hoy la institución para poner fin al caos que vive la nación caribeña.
(2024-12-17). Prevé Cuba 2 600 000 arribos de visitantes extranjeros en 2025. radiohc.cu La Habana, 17 dic (RHC) Para el año 2025 se pronostican 2 600 000 arribos de visitantes extranjeros, lo que significa crecer un 18 % sobre lo estimado para el calendario que concluye.
(2024-12-17). Cuba-Estados Unidos, una década después del regreso de los Cinco. radiohc.cu La Habana, 17 dic (RHC) El 17 de diciembre del 2014 los presidentes Barack Obama y Raúl Castro anunciaron que Estados Unidos y Cuba retomarían los nexos diplomáticos, pero hoy, una década después, lejos de avances, hay retroceso.
(2024-12-17). Hoy en la Mesa Redonda: Cinco héroes, cinco hombres. mesaredonda.cubadebate.cu A diez años del regreso de Gerardo, Ramón y Antonio y el reencuentro de los 5 en la Patria, la Mesa Redonda dedica una emisión especial a estos 5 Patriotas que sacrificaron sus vidas para intentar proteger a nuestro pueblo del terrorismo.
(2024-12-17). De husos y zonas horarias. cubadebate.cu Hoy vamos a conversar del tiempo, pero no del tiempo meteorológico, sino del cronológico y las peculiaridades de la forma en que queda organizado. Los husos horarios son franjas "verticales", es decir orientadas norte-sur e igualmente espaciadas, en las que "debe" regir una misma hora oficial, producto de la velocidad de rotación de la Tierra.
(2024-12-17). ANPP: No se alcanzan los resultados esperados en los rubros exportables ni en la inversión extranjera. cubadebate.cu Al evaluar la situación de los principales rubros exportables y de la inversión extranjera en el país, el ministro de Comercio Exterior y la Inversión Extranjera, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, afirmó que "no se alcanzan los resultados esperados y ambos son decisivos para recuperarnos de la compleja situación económica que atraviesa la nación".
(2024-12-17). Comisión de Atención a los Servicios aborda situación de viales y proyecciones del sector de transporte. cubadebate.cu Sobre el cumplimiento del programa de recuperación de viales y las proyecciones del sector de transporte para 2025 debatieron este martes los diputados de la Comisión de Atención a los Servicios. El ministro de Transporte, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, afirmó que "contamos con una estructura vial deteriorada y, aunque se han ejecutado acciones, la recuperación de los viales no avanza como se esperaba".
(2024-12-17). Desempeño fiscal en 2025 será mejor que el año que concluye. cubadebate.cu El presidente cubano, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, afirmó que los resultados estimados en la ejecución de la Ley del Presupuesto del actual año muestran un discreto resultado, pero un muy importante resultado al disminuir el déficit fiscal planificado, lo cual forma parte del programa de estabilización macroeconómica, y ratifica que en un año complejo, existen muchas reservas para poder avanzar.
(2024-12-17). Transformación de la ciencia a debate en Parlamento de Cuba. radiohc.cu La Habana, 17 dic (RHC) La transformación del sistema cubano de ciencia, tecnología e innovación y la búsqueda de financiamiento del sector centrarán hoy los debates en la Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular, previa al IV Período Ordinario de Sesiones, en su X Legislatura.
(2024-12-17). Una marcha contra la ignominia imperial. radiohc.cu La Habana, 17 dic (RHC) El 20 de diciembre le quedarán a la actual administración estadounidense 30 días exactos para finalizar su mandato.
(2024-12-17). La Unión Eléctrica estima una afectación de 1180 MW en horario pico de este 17 de diciembre. cubadebate.cu La Unión Eléctrica estima para el horario pico de este 17 de diciembre una afectación de 1180 MW, informó la empresa en su parte habitual. Se estima para la hora pico una disponibilidad de 1940 MW y una demanda máxima de 3050 MW, para un déficit de 1110 MW.
(2024-12-17). Una marcha contra la ignominia imperial. cubadebate.cu El 20 de diciembre le quedarán a la actual administración estadounidense 30 días exactos para finalizar su mandato. Cuba sigue sufriendo como consecuencia de su exclusión cínica, cruel e ilegal de la economía y las finanzas internacionales, dada su permanencia en la arbitraria lista de supuestos patrocinadores del terrorismo. El presidente Biden puede acabar con esa mentira y atender el reclamo de decenas de gobiernos, numerosos expresidentes y primeros ministros, cientos de parlamentarios, la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Estados Unidos y otros líderes religiosos, y de miles de organizaciones de todo el mu…
(2024-12-17). Israel mató a más de 12 mil estudiantes palestinos en 14 meses. radiohc.cu Ramala, 17 dic (RHC) El ejército israelí mató a 12 mil 799 estudiantes e hirió a 20 mil 942 en los territorios ocupados desde el estallido del actual ciclo de violencia, en octubre del pasado año, denunció este martes una fuente oficial palestina.
(2024-12-17). Casi un millón de palestinos amenazados por el frío en Gaza. radiohc.cu La Habana, 17 dic (RHC) Casi un millón de palestinos están hoy amenazados por la llegada del invierno en Gaza debido a las carencias materiales y los refugios inadecuados para enfrentar el frío tras 14 meses de ataques israelíes, denunció hoy una ONG.
(2024-12-17). Russia, Cina e Trump. strategic-culture.su Trump riuscirà a rompere l'alleanza senza limiti russo-cinese? | Segue nostro Poche settimane fa, l'autorevole quotidiano britannico "The Guardian" ha puntualizzato quelle che sarebbero le condizioni della nuova Amministrazione statunitense per porre fine alla guerra in Ucraina: "Trump negozierà con Kiev i termini della Russia se Mosca interromperà le relazioni militari con la Cina". | Si tratta di una suggestione comprensibile se la gua…
(2024-12-17). Díaz-Canel reitera convocatoria a marcha por el fin del bloqueo. cubadebate.cu Miguel Díaz-Canel, Primer Secretario del Comité Central del Partido Comunista de Cuba (PCC) y Presidente de la República, reiteró hoy la convocatoria para una marcha combatiente este viernes, 20 de diciembre, por el cese de la hostilidad de Estados Unidos contra la isla.
(2024-12-17). China rechaza sanciones de UE y defiende nexos comerciales con Rusia. radiohc.cu Beijing, 17 dic (RHC) China criticó este martes las últimas sanciones de la Unión Europea (UE) contra Rusia, las cuales incluyen por primera vez la congelación de activos a empresas chinas.
(2024-12-17). Los costos del colonialismo. radiohc.cu Si hoy día usted tiene la oportunidad de ir a Europa, digamos a Francia, y se le ocurre preguntar si transcurrida ya casi la tercera parte del siglo XXI existe el colonialismo y si ese país practica esa infame política en algún lugar del planeta, seguramente le van a responder con un categórico NO.
(2024-12-17). Recuerdan en Cuba regreso de Los Cinco antiterroristas presos en EEUU. radiohc.cu La Habana, 17 dic (RHC) El décimo aniversario del retorno a Cuba de cinco antiterroristas presos en Estados Unidos, y del restablecimiento de relaciones diplomáticas con el país norteño, genera reacciones este martes, entre ellas las del presidente Miguel Díaz-Canel.
(2024-12-17). Kennedy Jr. intenta disipar dudas en Capitolio de Estados Unidos. radiohc.cu La Habana, 17 dic (RHC) Robert F. Kennedy Jr., el candidato del presidente electo de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, para secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos, busca hoy disipar preocupaciones de los republicanos y tendrá semana de gira por el Capitolio.
(2024-12-17). Conmemorará Ballet Nacional de Cuba importantes fechas con tres funciones de Cascanueces. cubadebate.cu El Ballet Nacional de Cuba, bajo la dirección de Viengsay Valdés, ofrecerá tres funciones del clásico "Cascanueces", los días 28 y 29 de diciembre y el primero de enero, en la Sala Avellaneda del Teatro Nacional.
(2024-12-17). Ministro de Energía y Minas presenta plan gubernamental para la recuperación del sistema eléctrico. cubadebate.cu El ministro de Energía y Minas, Vicente de la O Levy, presentó este martes el programa del Gobierno para la recuperación del sistema electroenergético nacional (SEN) en la Comisión de Industria, Construcciones y Energía.
(2024-12-17). Cuba recuerda el regreso de los Cinco Héroes. cubadebate.cu El presidente cubano Miguel Díaz-Canel, la vice primera ministra Inés María Chapman, el canciller Bruno Rodríguez e instituciones de Cuba rememoran hoy el décimo aniversario de la liberación de los héroes cubanos presos en Estados Unidos.