(2024-12-31). Azerbaijan: Arbitrary detention and judicial harassment against Rufat Safarov. fidh.org
(2024-12-31). Fighting Between Turkey, Syrian Kurds Escalates, at Least 31 Killed. news.antiwar.com Fighting has been raging off and on for weeks, but seems to be picking up intensity this weekend along the Syria-Turkey border, with Turkey and its affiliates fighting against the Kurdish SDF in and around Manbij. At least 31 combatants between the two sides have been killed since Sunday. Turkey had been building up forces …
(2024-12-31). Turkey jails 7 journalists and media workers, places one under house arrest. evrensel.net
(2024-12-31). How Turkey's diplomacy in the Horn of Africa challenges Egypt. newarab.com 
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey Relations between the two Horn of Africa nations have
(2024-12-31). SOS-defenders platform: Expose arbitrary detention of human rights defenders worldwide. fidh.org A collective of local, regional and international human rights organisations unveils SOS-Defenders, an action platform that exposes the alarming scale of arbitrary detention of human rights defenders worldwide.
Geneva, 13 December 2024. This information hub, which will progressively expand to cover more countries, has already documented 274 cases of arbitrarily detained human rights defenders across 17 countries (Bahrain, Belarus, Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Iran, Jordan, (…) | – |
(2024-12-31). Concerns mounting over new energy crisis in EU as Russian gas transit via Ukraine ends. presstv.ir As the agreement allowing Russian gas transit through Ukraine to Europe expires on Tuesday, concerns are mounting over new energy crisis in EU.
(2024-12-31). 'We must have a more relaxed view of our past': Hanging out with Germany's extremist AfD party. haaretz.com At a well-attended speech by Alternative for Germany co-founder Alexander Gauland, there was much talk of immigration, Israel-Gaza, Trump and Putin — and the Nazi Party. 'We cannot live properly if we are told that our past is one of crime,' one AfD lawmaker tells Haaretz…
(2024-12-31). 2025 Might Be A Tumultuous Year For South Asia. thealtworld.com The future of Indo-US relations under Trump 2.0 will ultimately play the largest role in determining the degree of tumult that South Asia experiences next year. | South Asia is generally thought of as a comparatively stable region whose primary problems are socio-economic development, which shouldn't be underestimated but isn't the same as the geopolitical turbulence that West Asia and Europe have recently experienced. That might be about to change. From Afghanistan to Myanmar, the latter of which can be included in South Asia due to its former role in the British Raj, the entire region is bracing itself for a tu…
(2024-12-31). Italy: Draft bill 1236 targeting peaceful environmental activism. fidh.org
(2024-12-31). Govt assists families who lost homes in Cape Town fires. sanews.gov.za Govt assists families who lost homes in Cape Town fires | Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli on Monday joined the Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane and Deputy Minister Tandi Mahambehlala to hand over building materials to households affected by the recent fires in the City of Cape Town. | Mhlauli joined various teams led by the Minister and Deputy Minister. | The hand over was in line with government's emergency housing guidelines to rebuild damaged structures. | The response programme covers Du Noon where fires started on Christmas Eve and the Masiphemelele, Nomzamo and Kosovo informa…
(2024-12-31). China's Xi highlights 'world peace' in New Year's message to Russia's Putin. aljazeera.com Chinese leader underscores 'rapidly evolving changes not seen in a century and the turbulent international situation'.
(2024-12-31). The change of strategy. indybay.org Any attack from Ukraine on Russia carried out by any of these powers could provoke a nuclear counterstrike‚Ää—‚Ääand it is not clear against whom this strike would be directed. However, this nuclear doctrine has not dampened the West's ambitions. They declared that they were prepared for a nuclear war. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock boasted they would not be intimidated.
(2024-12-31). Russia, Ukraine trade dozens of attacks as sea drone downs Mi-8 helicopter. aljazeera.com Flurry of attacks on Kyiv and elsewhere comes as Ukraine says it shot down a Russian Mi-8 helicopter for the first time.
(2024-12-31). Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,041. aljazeera.com Here are the key developments on the 1,041st day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
(2024-12-31). Xi, Putin exchange New Year greetings. independent.co.ug 
BEIJING, CHINA | Xinhua | Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday exchanged New Year greetings with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi extended sincere congratulations and best wishes to Putin and the Russian people. Xi said that 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of China-Russia …
(2024-12-31). 189 Ukrainians return from Russian captivity under prisoner swap. independent.co.ug 
KIEV | Xinhua | A total of 189 Ukrainians returned from Russian captivity on Monday as a part of a new prisoner swap, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Among those released were 187 servicemen, including officers, soldiers and sergeants, along with two civilians, Zelensky wrote in a post on Telegram. The freed troops included military …
(2024-12-31). Culture (as Art) Is a Very Complex Thing … smoothiex12.blogspot.com here is one of the greatest Russian piano players who ever walked this earth, Denis Matsuev, giving an incredible classic music concert in … jazz and blues tones. When you have the whole orchestra … rocking. What can I say, enjoy. Including the conclusion with Sviridov's Time Forward going into the Christmas Tree. Blues and Jazz, which are purely American art forms, are immortal … Yes, remember these guys saying to Bethoven to roll over …It is universal …
(2024-12-31). Binding Treaty: Civil society decries corporate influence at the UN. cadtm.org
(2024-12-31). War Crimes in Ukraine: Should President Zelensky Be Held Accountable Before the Internatio. indybay.org The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine not only raise geopolitical issues, but also serious legal and ethical problems. In particular, reports of extrajudicial killings by the Ukrainian secret service SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) should raise international concern. These killings concern suspected collaborators, civilians, military personnel, journalists, bloggers and political activists – in short, ordinary citizens. People who are not involved in hostilities, such as military personnel who are not actively participating in combat operations, are also affected. Such killings endanger the protection of civilia…
(2024-12-31). North Korea's Kim hails 'comrade' Putin in New Year's greeting. aljazeera.com North Korean leader expresses hope that Moscow will defeat 'neo-Nazism and achieve a great victory' in Ukraine.
(2024-12-31). Biden Administration Announces Nearly $6 Billion in New Ukraine Aid. scheerpost.com 
(2024-12-31). CPJ urges Ukraine president to halt media intimidation, allow journalists to work freely. cpj.org/feed/atom/
(2024-12-30). Headlines for December 30, 2024. democracynow.org Sixth Palestinian Child Dies of Hypothermia in Gaza as Israel Continues Unrelenting Attacks , Family Blames Palestinian Security Forces for Killing of West Bank Journalist Shatha al-Sabbagh, Syria's De Facto Leader Says It Could Take Four Years to Organize Elections, Israelis Hold Nationwide Rallies to Demand Gaza Ceasefire Deal and Netanyahu Resignation, South Korean Airliner Crash Kills All But Two of 181 People Aboard, Azerbaijan's Leader Calls on Putin to Admit Russia Shot Down Airliner, Georgia's Outgoing President Refuses to Quit as Mikheil Kavelashvili Is Inaugurated, Former President Jim…
(2024-12-30). Azerbaijan: Arbitrary detention and judicial harassment against Rufat Safarov. fidh.org
(2024-12-30). UN Expert Urges Medical Boycott of Israel After It Detains Hospital Director. truthout.org The UN's top expert on the occupied Palestinian territories has called for medical professionals worldwide to cut ties with Israel after it destroyed northern Gaza's last operational hospital and abducted its director, sparking an outcry. UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese called on the medical community to act on Monday, as reports emerged that… |
(2024-12-30). Macron appoints Zombie government in France. mronline.org 
After the fall of right-wing PM Michel Barnier to a no-confidence vote, Emmanuel Macron has appointed a new Prime Minister, Franàßois Bayrou, to attempt to apply the same policies. The Left Berlin spoke to Paris activist, John Mullen.
(2024-12-30). Israeli Enemy Continues Violating South Lebanon Ceasefire amid Silence of Monitor Committee. english.almanar.com.lb The Israeli enemy continued on Monday violating the ceasefire in South Lebanon, disregarding the indirect agreement brokered by the UN, US, and France and the recommendations of the monitor committee which shows indifference about the Zionist attacks. In this regard, the Israeli occupation forces detonated and burned a number of houses in Taybeh village before …
(2024-12-30). France's Covid-19 pandemic investrigation handling closed. plenglish.com Paris, Dec 30 (Prensa Latina) The Court of Justice of the French Republic (CJR) has closed the investigation into handling the Covid-19 pandemic, which involved high-ranking authorities, the press reports today.
(2024-12-30). Petition against the frame-up of the Socialist Laborers Party in Turkey. wsws.org The Socialist Laborers Party in Turkey has launched a petition against the frame-up "terror" charges targeting its leader and many members. The World Socialist Web Site and the Sosyalist Eşitlik Grubu, notwithstanding their political differences with the SLP, oppose this sham police operation and support the petition.
(2024-12-30). Clueless in Gaza. strategic-culture.su If we review the hard powers resisting Israel's Gazan turkey shoot, the first thing we notice is that almost all of these have been armed by Iran or its proxies, with the major exception being the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and its derivatives, which were headquartered in the former Syrian Arab Republic, whose new rulers are literally spreading their hind cheeks to accommodate Israel's expansionist designs.
(2024-12-30). Turkey jails 7 journalists and media workers, places one under house arrest. evrensel.net
(2024-12-30). Jailed PKK leader says 'ready' to support Turkey peace drive. newarab.com 
(2024-12-30). Turkey announces $14b development plan for Kurdish southeast. newarab.com 
The announcement comes amid increased hopes for an end to a decades-long insurgency waged by the outlawed
(2024-12-30). Croatia's Milanovic to face rival in election run-off next month. aljazeera.com Incumbent president narrowly missed an outright win, securing 49.1% of the vote, while rival Primorac garnered 19.35%.
(2024-12-30). Croatia's presidential race heads to second round. peoplesdispatch.org Incumbent president Zoran Milanoviƒá fell just short of securing a first-round victory in Croatia's The race featured six other candidates in addition to Primorac and Milanoviƒá, who comes from the ranks of the Soc…
(2024-12-30). South Africa's G20 Chairmanship: Unique Opportunity for Optimizing Economic Partnership With Africa. pressenza.com The Group of 20 (G20) is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 sovereign countries, the European Union (EU), and the African Union (AU). It works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change mitigation, and sustainable development, through annual meetings of Heads of State and Heads of Government. The G20 was created in 1999 in response to several world economic crises, and South Africa has been the only African member in the Group. However, in September 2023, at the 18th G20 Summit, Indian PM Narendra Modi announced that the African Union (AU…
(2024-12-30). Israel imposes new barrier on travelers amid sharp decline in inbound tourism. haaretz.com A new mandatory entry permit will affect visitors from visa-exempt countries — including the U.S., U.K. and most European Union member states — at a time when visitors are desperately needed…
(2024-12-30). Is Israel's diplomatic isolation in Europe growing? independent.co.ug 
Standoff over closure of embassy in Dublin is unlikely to make Israel's complicated relations with the EU any easier COMMENT | DAVID EHL | After criticism from Ireland, Israel has closed its embassy in Dublin for the time being. It may be a sign that Israel's influence in Europe is waning. Even if a two-state solution …
(2024-12-30). El derrumbe europeo. cubadebate.cu Europa Occidental se resiste a admitir la derrota militar de la OTAN en Ucrania, al tiempo que vacila sobre su lugar en el nuevo orden global que tiene a la Federación rusa como un actor central junto a China y los Brics+. Los cambios se están sucediendo con una velocidad que la institucionalidad tradicional de los países colonizadores no logra procesar con sensatez y cordura.
(2024-12-30). Acuerdo Mercosur-UE, øun nuevo ALCA? strategic-culture.su Esperemos que las contradicciones internas de la Unión Europea se desarrollen y generen más malestar entre los agricultores de varios países, obligando a los gobiernos a dar marcha atrás. | àönete a nosotros en , y . | Escríbenos:…
(2024-12-30). Elon Musk Op-Ed in German Newspaper Prompts Editor to Resign in Protest. truthout.org An editor for a prominent newspaper in Germany has resigned in protest after the paper published an op-ed in which billionaire Elon Musk endorsed a far right political party. Earlier this month, Musk signaled his support for Alternative for Germany (AfD) ahead of elections set to be held in that country in February. AfD is widely recognized as a reactionary political party… |
(2024-12-30). Israel no longer needs to appease Russia. It's time to commit to Ukraine. haaretz.com Netanyahu promised Putin he wouldn't intervene in Russia's war on Ukraine, based on Israel's need for Russia's 'permission' to strike Syria against Hezbollah and Iran. But with the Middle East's new geopolitical landscape, and Putin ramping up antisemitism, there's no longer any need to bargain with the Kremlin…
(2024-12-30). Selected Articles: The "Oreshnik" Missile System: Moscow's Unrivaled Hypersonic Capabilities. Implications of Russia's "Non-Nuclear Deterrence". Drago Bosnic. globalresearch.ca 
(2024-12-30). Washington's Unstoppable Superweapon. popularresistance.org In recent months, even across the collective West's media, growing admissions are being made about both Russia and China's superior military industrial capacity. With Russia's first use of the intermediate-range ballistic missile, the Oreshnik, it is admitted that Russia (and likely China) possess formidable military capabilities the collective West currently lacks. | Despite the collective efforts of NATO in arming, training, and backing Ukraine, Ukrainian forces continue to give ground at an accelerated rate across the entire line of contact amid the ongoing Russian Special Military Operation (SMO).
(2024-12-30). Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,040. aljazeera.com Here are the key developments on the 1,040th day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
(2024-12-30). "Yes. The CIA entered Afghanistan Before the Russians" Zbigniew Brzezinski. globalresearch.ca According to this Nouvel Observateur (1998) interview with Zbigniew Brzezinski, the CIA's intervention in Afghanistan preceded the 1979 Soviet invasion. This decision of the Carter Administration in 1979 to intervene and destabilise Afghanistan is the root cause of Afghanistan's …
(2024-12-30). Should Russia cut a real estate deal with Ukraine to end the war? strategic-culture.su
(2024-12-30). Binding Treaty: Civil society decries corporate influence at the UN. cadtm.org
(2024-12-30). 2025: My New Year's Resolutions. pressenza.com 
As the new year begins, I am taking this opportunity to make fresh personal commitments. I want to reflect on what is outdated or unhelpful in my life and envision the type of future I desire by implementing the necessary lifestyle changes. | One of my most profound realizations is this: I am done with war. For over 40 years, I have marched, protested, and spoken out against wars. From now on, the issue of war belongs to the past for me. I will no longer think, write, or talk about war. As an editor at Pressenza, I will not publish articles covering wars in Ukraine, Gaza, or the potential conflicts with China.
(2024-12-30). Ukraine Fights To Reunite Thousands of Abducted Children With Their Families. themedialine.org 
(2024-12-30). CPJ urges Ukraine president to halt media intimidation, allow journalists to work freely. cpj.org/feed/atom/
(2024-12-30). White House: President Joe Biden announces new $2.5 billion military aid package for Ukraine. english.almanar.com.lb
The Russian leader called his Azerbaijani counterpart 
The The jet crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday, killing 38 of the 67 people on board, after 
A delegation from Turkey's main The visit would be the party's first in almost 10 years. | DEM's predecessor, the "The delegation left in the mornin…
By Stavroula Pabst / Responsible Statecraft As Islamist, al-Qaida-linked group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) overruns Syria amid President Assad's sudden ouster, evidence suggesting Ukraine has assisted the group's triumph continues to mount. Namely, the Washington Post reported Tuesday that Ukraine sent 150 first-person-view drones and 20 drone operators to Idlib about a month ago. The New York Times …