India's Democracy is Facing an Existential Threat
Vijay Prashad | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
Peaceful protests have been taking place across India. Every public event seems to be transformed into a demonstration against not only these laws, but the government itself. In Kolkata — from where I write these words — the annual Rainbow Pride Walk combined Gay Pride with opposition to these laws. Signs at the march read, 'No CAA' and 'No to Fascism.' The Indian flag — not often seen at these events — was everywhere, a symbol of the fight over how 'India' should be understood.
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/indias-democracy-is-facing-an-existential-threat/

Venezuela's Maduro Gives Message of Peace in Address To Nation
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-31
In a speech to the nation given on national TV on Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro gave a message of "peace, solidarity, and Christian spirit." | RELATED: | Putin Sends Congratulations to Maduro and Venezuela on New Year | "The media has tried to show an image of a country drowned in anarchy but we will come out victorious," he added, insisting that "the Christian spirit and solidarity" will help overcome any obstacle. | "We have overcome all the myths surrounding…
telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuelas-Maduro-Gives-Message-of-Peace-in-Address-To-Nation-20191230-0014.html

Darfur peace process suffers a jolt following violent clash
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2019-12-31
Peace negotiations between Sudan's government and armed groups was halted after a clash in West Darfur that saw the death of eight people and left several others injured. Many have gone missing…
peoplesdispatch.org/2019/12/31/darfur-peace-process-sudanese-government-signs-deal-with-armed-groups/

Crisis and Critique: Venezuela, a Paradox of Stability?
Prof. Ociel Alí López | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-31
For Venezuelans, the start of 2019 was perhaps the tensest moment in the past seventeen years. Unlike the political violence of 2017 and the electoral abstention drama of 2018, we faced a real scenario of foreign military intervention in Venezuela. …
globalresearch.ca/venezuela-paradox-stability/5699199

India's Democracy is Facing an Existential Threat
Vijay Prashad | zcomm.org | 2019-12-31
Peaceful protests have been taking place across the country. Every public event seems to be transformed into a demonstration against not only these laws, but the government itself…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/indias-democracy-is-facing-an-existential-threat/

Sudan: UN mission envoy commends signing of Darfur framework agreement
news.un.org | 2019-12-30
The joint chief mediator for the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, UNAMID, welcomed on Monday a framework agreement between the Transitional Government of Sudan and the Darfur armed movements that was signed during peace talks in Juba, South Sudan, on Saturday.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/12/1054521

Putin Sends Congratulations to Maduro and Venezuela on New Year
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-30
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his congratulations to his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro on the occasion of the New Year, RT Spanish reported on Monday. | RELATED: | Brazil to Grant Refuge to Attackers of Venezuelan Military Base | "In his message addressed to the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Putin stressed that the talks held last September in Moscow confirmed the agreement of positions between Russia and Venezuela on key issues," RT Spanish said. | Putin reaffirmed his confidence that, by 2020, Moscow and Caracas will continue to develop their strategic political and ec…
telesurenglish.net/news/Putin-Sends-Congratulations-to-Maduro-and-Venezuela-on-New-Year-20191230-0002.html

The Tail Don't Wag the Dog: Israel and the United States
Chelli Stanley | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-30
The tail don't wag the dog, and the United States government was not somehow infiltrated and manipulated into supporting the capitalistic, ever-expansive, angry, and war-like successive governments in Israel, nor was it manipulated into supporting the right-wing Israeli settlers who undermined every attempt at peace any Israeli president ever made. The United States government did these…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/30/the-tail-dont-wag-the-dog-israel-and-the-united-states/

Brazil to Grant Refuge to Attackers of Venezuelan Military Base
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-29
Brazil's far-right government announced Saturday that it "took in" the five alleged fugitive perpetrators behind the Dec. 22 attack to a Venezuelan military border garrison and will initiate the procedures to grant them refuge under Jair Bolsonaro's administration. | RELATED: | Venezuela Urges Brazil to Arrest Attackers of Military Base | According to the…
telesurenglish.net/news/Brazil-to-Grant-Refuge-to-Attackers-of-Venezuelan-Military-Base-20191229-0009.html

Taliban Council Agrees to Temporary Ceasefire in Afghanistan
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-29
The Taliban's ruling council agreed Sunday to a temporary ceasefire in Afghanistan, providing a window in which a peace agreement with the United States can be signed, officials from the insurgent group announced. | RELATED: | US Resumes Negotiations With Taliban to End 18-Year Afghan War | The ceasefire is a requirement demanded by Washington before a peace deal can be reached. However, there has been no immediate response from the U.S. | The duration nor when it would begin…
telesurenglish.net/news/Taliban-Council-Agrees-to-Temporary-Ceasefire-in-Afghanistan-20191229-0007.html

Pro-Coup Venezuelan Soldiers Who Fled to the US Now Locked Up in ICE Detention Center
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2019-12-27
In an ironic twist worthy of an Alanis Morissette song, participants in U.S.-backed coup are now in an ICE detention camp.
mintpressnews.com/pro-coup-venezuelan-soldiers-defected-to-us-locked-ice-prisons/263764/

Venezuela Repels 'Terrorist' Attack on Military Bases, 1 Soldier Dead
Ricardo Vaz | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-12-23
The assailants stormed several military installations before being engaged by the Venezuelan army.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14752

How the Pro-War "Left" Fell for the Kurds in Syria
Max Parry | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-12-23
The October decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw American troops from northeastern Syria did not only precipitate the Turkish offensive, codenamed 'Operation Peace Spring', into Kurdish-held territory which followed. It also sparked an outcry of hysteria from much of the so-called "left" that has been deeply divided during the 8-year long conflict over …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/12/how-the-pro-war-left-fell-for-the-kurds-in-syria/

Notes on a private TV newscast in Bolivia. The contrast with Venezuela is clear as day
Joe Emersberger | zcomm.org | 2019-12-20
In August, I took detailed notes a news broadcast on one of Venezuela's largest TV networks. I summarized these notes in an interview I did with the Real News Network making the point that Venezuela's private media (which reaches 60-90% of households) is remarkably free — most especially when you consider the US is openly Read…
zcomm.org/zblogs/notes-on-a-private-tv-newscast-in-bolivia-the-contrast-with-venezuela-is-clear-as-day/

UN Peacekeepers Fathered Hundreds of Babies With Girls in Haiti as Young as 11
The Mind Unleashed | theantimedia.com | 2019-12-19
Girls as young as 11 were impregnated by peacekeepers and left "in misery" to raise their children alone.

UN Peacekeepers Fathered Hundreds of Babies With Girls in Haiti as Young as 11

Venezuela: Guaido Introduces Remote Voting in Bid to Secure Reelection
Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-12-18
The opposition leader has been under fire amid recent scandals.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14749

US Venezuelan embassy protectors denied right to fair trial
The Grayzone | thegrayzone.com | 2019-12-17
Four US activists protecting Venezuela's embassy in Washington, DC face prison time after the Trump administration illegally arrested them. And now…
thegrayzone.com/2019/12/16/venezuelan-embassy-defenders-denied-right-fair-trial/

Why Elliott Abrams is Smurf villain Gargamel
Anya Parampil | thegrayzone.com | 2019-12-16
Trump Administration Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abram is not only the spitting image of Gargamel; the Smurfs are a…
thegrayzone.com/2019/12/16/elliott-abrams-smurf-villain-gargamel/

ALBA Summit: Venezuela Promises to Relaunch PetroCaribe in 2020
Paul Dobson | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-12-16
Heads of state also pledged to bolster various regional social programs including the Miracle Mission and Latin American Medical Schools.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14745

Francisco Rodriguez answers some questions I asked about Venezuela
Joe Emersberger | zcomm.org | 2019-12-16
Venezuelan economist Francisco Rodriguez, formerly of Torino Economics, answered a few questions of mine about his country. He was the economic adviser to Henri Falcon, the second place finisher in the May 2018 presidential election. His updated estimate for 2019 is that Venezuela's real GDP will contract by 25% . That's horrific, but less severe Read…
zcomm.org/zblogs/francisco-rodriguez-answers-some-questions-i-asked-him-about-venezuela/

Venezuela Oil Production Continues Slow Recovery
Ricardo Vaz | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-12-11
According to state oil company PDVSA, production is again approaching one million barrels per day.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14744

Venezuela's Civilian Militia Surpasses Target, Reaches 3.3 Million Members
Paul Dobson | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-12-09
The body is due to be legally incorporated into the Armed Forces as a "combat unit."
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14742

Venezuela: Guaido Embattled as Opposition Splits over New Corruption Scandal
Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-12-05
The latest scandal has further called into doubt Guaido's credibility as leader of the opposition.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14739

TIAR Countries Blacklist Top Venezuelan Officials as US Slaps New Sanctions
Lucas Koerner | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-12-04
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Venezuela of "hijacking" mass anti-neoliberal protests in "our own backyard."
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14737

Red Cross Chief: Venezuela Aid Being Politicized to 'Destabilize the Country'
Ricardo Vaz | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-12-04
Francesco Rocca slammed the underfunding of aid programs as a problem of "political will."
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14738

Venezuela's PDVSA Secures Temporary Lease Extension for Curacao Refinery
Paul Dobson | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-12-02
Despite the extension, refinery owners are looking to end the 34-year cooperation under pressure from US sanctions.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14736