(2024-12-26). BRICS Expands With Nine New Partner Countries. popularresistance.org With its nine members and nine partners, BRICS now makes up roughly half of the global population and more than 41% of world GDP (PPP). | The group is an economic powerhouse, including top producers of key commodities like oil, gas, grains, meat, and minerals. | At the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia in October 2024, 13 countries were invited to become BRICS partners, meaning they are on the path to full membership in the near future. | Nine of these 13 nations accepted the invitation. The remaining four did not give a formal response as of the end of 2024. These were Algeria, Nigeria, Türkiye, Vietnam.
(2024-12-26). Japan Airlines hit by cyber attack, delaying some flights. aljazeera.com JAL says it has suspended ticket sales for all services on Thursday following incident.
(2024-12-26). Negative impacts from U.S. tariff move stressed. ecns.cn As the United States prepares for a new administration, business leaders and trade experts are sounding the alarm about the potential consequences of President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs, particularly on China.
(2024-12-26). The FCC Under Trump. counterpunch.org President-elect Donald Trump announced that he will replace the current FCC Chair, Jessica Rosenworcel, with Commissioned Brendan Carr as the next agency Chair. "Commissioner Carr is a warrior for Free Speech, and has fought against the regulatory Lawfare that has stifled Americans' Freedoms, and held back our Economy," Trump noted. "He will end the regulatory
(2024-12-26). Property sector showing signs of bottoming out. ecns.cn The property market has exhibited clear signs of bottoming out and stabilizing due to a recent forceful policy package aimed at easing access for and reducing the financial burden on homebuyers.
(2024-12-26). MLF rate no longer carries policy intention, say sources. ecns.cn The interest rate of the medium-term lending facility (MLF) operations — a central bank tool to manage liquidity — is no longer indicative of policy intentions, as policymakers gradually shift to new liquidity tools.
(2024-12-26). Navigating 2024's economic landscape. america.cgtn.com 
The saying that elections are ultimately about the economy has never been more fitting for the U.S. in 2024. Economic growth largely outperformed expectations, and the forecast for 2025 remains robust. However, recession risks are still elevated heading into 2025, according to analysts who cite inflation and tariffs as the biggest threats to economic stability. CGTN's Owen Fairclough reports.
(2024-12-26). Bethlehem's Christians Struggle To Survive Economic Crisis and Conflict. themedialine.org 
(2024-12-26). Ireland election: its economic model under threat? cadtm.org
(2024-12-26). (W.E. Talk) How China leads regional development against global economic headwind. ecns.cn In the latest W.E. Talk, Zhang Yansheng, researcher of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, pointed out that China's strategy to boost domestic demand, promote high-level opening-up, and accelerate the development of new quality productive forces will profoundly reshape its role and position in the world and the Asia-Pacific region.
(2024-12-26). Innovation drives transformation of Zhejiang economic development zones. ecns.cn
(2024-12-26). 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…
(2024-12-26). India in BRICS: Eyeing New Alliances and Global Influence. infobrics.org As BRICS gets ready to welcome its new members, India is expected to strengthen its position within the bloc. With the inclusion of Argentina, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, the group is evolving from a coalition focused on development and trade to an organisation with potential geopolitical clout. In this shifting landscape, India's strategic positioning and economic significance make it a key player in steering the future direction of BRICS…
(2024-12-26). G20: A win for South Africa; a win for Africa. sanews.gov.za G20: A win for South Africa; a win for Africa | South Africa's Presidency of the G20 is a first for the African continent and provides a platform for the African continent's voice to be better heard, writes Neo Semono. | | A few weeks ago, on 01 December 2024, South Africa took over the Group of 20 baton from its fellow BRICS sister country Brazil. | | While the G20 is an international forum of developed and developing countries seeking solutions to the globe's economic and financial issues, I, like many others, feel a sense of pride knowing that an event of such magnitude is to be held on African soil come next…
(2024-12-26). Making America Healthy Again. counterpunch.org Yes. In the wealthiest country on Earth let us Make America Healthy Again. We should be leading the world in terms of life-expectancy, happiness, and productivity. This is some of what we have to do. Medicare for All. Every American, regardless of age or income, must be entitled to health care as a human right. It
(2024-12-26). SF Unite Here 2 Hotel Workers Win Their Strike for a Contract & Union Healthcare Benefits. indybay.org San Francisco Unite Here Local 2 Hilton hotel workers went to the union hall to vote on a new proposed contract and talked about their issues on December 24, 2024 after a 93 day strike. | Workers were happy they were able to keep their union healthcare plan and talked about their struggle.
(2024-12-26). Starbucks Workers Begin Five Day Strike In Seattle. popularresistance.org Seattle, Washington — On Friday, December 20, Starbucks workers at five stores in Seattle went on strike. Anchored by the 24 hour picket line at the Reserve Roastery, one of Starbucks' premiere stores, workers on these picket lines are planning to strike through December 24. | Baristas are on an unfair labor practice strike after the company has continually stalled negotiations and engaged in bad faith bargaining. Starbucks workers say the company has not been willing to agree to pay that meets workers' needs. | "We make our store so much money, we make Starbucks so much money," said Bruce Halstead, a strik…
(2024-12-26). Iran and Russia strengthen media collaboration to enhance bilateral relations. tvbrics.com 
The sides discussed facilitating journalist visas and promoting the dissemination of professional and accurate information…
(2024-12-26). AI: The machine intelligence of imperialism-Part 4. iacenter.org By Daphne Barroeta December 24, 2024 Part 1 discussed "Digital labor and material." Part 2 discussed "Labor under surveillance." Part 3 discussed "The media of digital capital." (This part takes up a discussion of how algorithmic technologies are used in the context of imperialist exploitation and military operations. Graphic: Zoran Svilar: fromprinttopixel.ch/en/the-power-of-images/digital-colonialism In a digital landscape marked by leaks from people like Edward Snowden, Thomas Tamm, Mark Klein and Julian Assange, it comes as no surprise that the ruling class is continuously devising and upgrading new systems t…
(2024-12-26). China: Humanitarian and development actors must collaborate to restore people's dignity in protracted crises. icrc.org
(2024-12-26). Ecuador's Judiciary Authorizes Vice President Abad to Resume Duties of Office. orinocotribune.com Nubia Vera, a judge belonging to the Family, Women, Children, and Adolescents Judicial Unit of Ecuador, has granted the protection action filed by Vice President Verónica Abad and authorized her to resume her duties as vice president of Ecuador. Vera also ordered that as a measure of reparation, the minister of labor, Ivonne Núñez, publicly apologize to Abad through a message to the nation within 72 hours. | This Monday, December 23, following a month of hearings and an administrative summary process against her for alleged failure to comply with a presidential order, the courts annulled the administrative sancti…
(2024-12-26). Apta planta de asfalto para seguir produciendo. radiohc.cu La Habana, 26 dic (RHC) Si rápida y efectiva fue la inserción de fuerzas especializadas para sofocar en breve tiempo el incendio causado por la explosión de un tanque de almacenamiento en la planta de asfalto ubicada en las afueras de la ciudad espirituana, en la noche del martes, no menos ágil fue la participación de ese colectivo, temprano este miércoles, en labores para resarcir daños…
(2024-12-26). Minimum wage in Colombia up 9.5% in 2025. colombiareports.com Colombia's government decreed a 9.5% minimum wage hike after employers and labor unions failed to reach agreement. The wage hike that will take force in January is significantly higher than…
(2024-12-26). Entregarán viviendas a damnificados por desastres naturales en Guantánamo. cubadebate.cu El próximo año continuarán con la labor, Epmalco construirá siete viviendas más y Epcons cinco, para completar las 30 propuestas; no obstante, según indican, prevén un aumento en los esfuerzos constructivos para trasladar a las personas que habitan cerca del río y evitar futuras incidencias.
(2024-12-26). Geneva: ICRC reinforces financial support to National Society Investment Alliance (NSIA). icrc.org
(2024-12-26). Knesset advances bill barring Palestinian university graduates from teaching in schools. haaretz.com A new law would enable the Education Ministry to block graduates from receiving teaching licenses and employment certificates. 'Courses at these institutions include antisemitic content … and serious incitement,' says an explanatory note…
(2024-12-26). Changes urged on documents for ex-convicts. ecns.cn China's top legislature has urged improvements or optimizations of some normative documents that restrict employment opportunities for people with criminal records, so as to uphold the Constitution and ensure its implementation.
(2024-12-26). Who is Pete Hegseth? aclu.org President-elect Donald Trump has nominated the Fox News Channel host Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense (DOD). If confirmed, the military veteran will lead the nation's armed forces in what will be his first appointment to a political office. | Hegseth was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Army National Guard and he served in Afghanistan and Iraq after 9/11. Prior to his stint as a talk show host on Fox News, he led the nonprofits Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America. | The ACLU has spent more than 100 years holding power accountable. While as a matter of policy the ACLU doe…
(2024-12-26). Israeli Industrial Zone in Asqalan Targeted in Yemeni Drone Attack. tn.ai TEHRAN (Tasnim) — A fresh drone operation was carried out by Yemen targeting an industrial zone in the occupied Asqalan area.
(2024-12-26). Yemeni drone operation targets Israeli industrial zone. presstv.ir Yemen's army says it has conducted another drone operation targeting the "industrial zone of the Israeli enemy" in the occupied Asqalan area.
(2024-12-26). No. 1 Hair is number one in haircare. sanews.gov.za No. 1 Hair is number one in haircare | By: Bongani Lukhele | | In 1993 Andrew Lebitsa, a Free State Black Industrialist, participated in an empowerment and capacity building project that he said was initiated by South Africa's first Black President, Nelson Mandela, and New York's first Black Mayor, David Dinkins. | | The objective of the programme was to develop a pool of black corporate bank managers to equip them with skills, knowledge and information that would empower them to play a critical role in the transformation of the banking industry after the country had transitioned to democracy. | | Lebitsa spent six…
(2024-12-26). Quella Siria che non ci hanno raccontato. strategic-culture.su Questa è la testimonianza di un siriano che ha combattuto per il suo paese e il suo popolo e che ora subisce la sconfitta più terribile della sua vita. | Segue nostro Questo articolo nasce da una conversazione che ho avuto con un vecchio amico che è stato un comandante delle Forze Armate siriane, il cui coraggio è stato apprezzato e riconosciuto in tutto il Medio Oriente. Un vero socialista di altri tempi, che mai ha avuto paura di dire…
(2024-12-26). A general strike in fascist Portugal 1944: how can it succeed? iacenter.org By John Catalinotto December 23, 2024 Review: "Until Tomorrow Comrades," by Manuel Tiago (àÅlvaro Cunhal), translated by Eric A. Gordon and published April 7, 2023, by International Publishers, Co., Inc. I remember June 13, 2005. On that day I heard the news on the radio after returning from the park: àÅlvaro Cunhal, secretary general of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) for more than 30 years, had just died at the age of 91. Cunhal had spent some 15 years in the fascist prisons of Prime Minister António de Oliveira Salazar's Portugal. He devoted his entire life to building workers' struggles and t…
(2024-12-25). China's NPC Standing Committee adopts law on value-added tax. ecns.cn China's top lawmakers on Wednesday voted to adopt a specific law on value-added tax, marking a major step in enforcing the principle of law-based taxation.
(2024-12-25). BRICS expands with 9 new partner countries. Now it's half of world population, 41% of global economy. geopoliticaleconomy.com 
BRICS keeps expanding, adding 9 partner countries in January 2025, after admitting 4 new members in 2024. It now makes up roughly half of the global population and more than 41% of world GDP (PPP). It's an economic powerhouse, with top producers of key commodities like oil, gas, grains, meat, and minerals.
(2024-12-25). How To Start A Free Store In Your Community. popularresistance.org If you are moved by the abundance of waste in your neighborhood, are concerned about your neighbors in need, are a fan of building and strengthening community, want to take action to reject capitalism, or just enjoy the mystery of seeing colorful displays of random items, each with a story, you're not alone! And that's great news because teamwork is the dreamwork for creating a free store or neighborhood sharing hub. Free stores are an extension of the gift economy, where all items are available to anyone at no charge.
(2024-12-25). IMF, Egypt reach deal to unlock $1.2bn to shore up strained public finances. aljazeera.com Washington-based lender says Cairo agreed to raise tax-to-revenue ratio and accelerate divestment of state-owned firms.
(2024-12-25). Taiwan struggles to reconcile climate ambitions and chip manufacturing. aljazeera.com The island's semiconductor industry represents one-quarter of GDP but is a major source of carbon emissions.
(2024-12-25). Experts mull potential impact of higher tariffs. ecns.cn Experts expressed concern over the path of U.S.-China trade ahead of Donald Trump's second term in the White House, as the president-elect has said he would impose wide tariffs on Chinese imports.
(2024-12-25). Countermeasures to safeguard China interests. ecns.cn China stands ready to take necessary countermeasures against United States' tightening export controls on the semiconductor sector, but favors a "long-term, strategic approach" to its technological rivalry with Washington.
(2024-12-25). Green energy spending to top $1 trillion by 2030. ecns.cn China's investment in its energy transition is expected to surpass $1 trillion by 2030, with a focus on enhancing energy efficiency and accelerating electrification, according to a think tank.
(2024-12-25). Shanghai records 68,000 patents. ecns.cn Shanghai has recently completed a comprehensive inventory of altogether 68,000 patents from its universities, research institutions and medical facilities, the Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration said at a media briefing on Tuesday.
(2024-12-25). Conference hailed for emphasis on reforms. ecns.cn The meeting, which set the stage for 2025 and beyond, has drawn international attention for its emphasis on domestic consumption, sectoral reforms and sustainability.
(2024-12-25). Better policy seen as driving innovation. ecns.cn More policies are expected to stimulate innovation among businesses, enabling them to cultivate unique competitive advantages in response to the intense price-focused competition prevalent in certain industries, said analysts.
(2024-12-25). Across The Middle East, The BDS Movement Is Thriving. popularresistance.org In the bustling streets of Cairo, a bold banner hangs outside the Writers' Syndicate, confronting passersby with a piercing statement: "Every pound you spend on their products returns as a bullet in your brother's back." This message critiques the economic and political ties between the listed multinational products and Israel. The visual captures the spirit of a region-wide movement, where ordinary people are transforming everyday choices into acts of defiance against forces that fuel war and perpetuate conflict.
(2024-12-25). Nigeria's celebratory 'detty December' turns sombre amid economic woes. aljazeera.com Amid high inflation and soaring costs, the monthlong annual entertainment extravaganza is taking a toll on many.
(2024-12-25). (W.E. Talk) Protectionism makes global economic environment different. ecns.cn
(2024-12-25). 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…
(2024-12-25). A Global Minimum Wage Would Reduce Poverty and Corporate Power. counterpunch.org 
In today's world of widespread poverty and unprecedented wealth, how about raising the wages of the most poorly paid workers? This October, the World Bank reported that "8.5 percent of the global population―almost 700 million people―live today on less than $2.15 per day," while "44 percent of the global population―around 3.5 billion people―live today on less than
(2024-12-25). A Tribute to Blacklisted Lyricist Yip Harburg: The Man Who Put the Rainbow in The Wizard of Oz. democracynow.org 
His name might not be familiar to many, but his songs are sung by millions around the world. Today, we take a journey through the life and work of Yip Harburg, the Broadway lyricist who wrote such hits as "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" and who put the music into The Wizard of Oz, the movie that inspired the hit Broadway musical and now Hollywood blockbuster, Wicked. Born into poverty on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Harburg always included a strong social and political component to his work, fighting racism and poverty. A lifelong socialist, Harburg was blacklisted and hounded throughout much of…
(2024-12-25). How Union Democracy Builds Labor's Strike Power. popularresistance.org Scott Houldieson had some questions. He had worked at Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant, United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 551, since 1989, but in the late 2000s the company was in a financial hole following the Great Recession, and the leaders of the UAW told him and his fellow coworkers that they were going to have to give up some of the benefits that had long made auto work a good blue-collar job. | Houldieson understood that times were hard; he'd seen the quarterly reports showing gigantic losses for the company, even if it wasn't facing bankruptcy like its competitors, but something still didn't compute.
(2024-12-25). China: Humanitarian and development actors must collaborate to restore people's dignity in protracted crises. icrc.org
(2024-12-25). Greenland Hits Back As Trump Reveals Next Target After Panama Canal; Son Eric Drops 'Shopping List'. hindustantimes.com Days after Donald Trump's renewed wish for U.S. to own Greenland, Denmark has announced an increase in military spending for the gigantic island. Greenland is a semi-autonomous region with its foreign and military policy under the Danish government. Meanwhile, according to the President-Elect, it is a necessity for the U.S. to own the world's biggest island "for purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the world". Trump did not elaborate on his statement. Watch the video to know more.
(2024-12-25). Energy crisis worsening in Europe. infobrics.org Many EU countries are running out of gas reserves, raising concerns among experts. warns Financial Times.
(2024-12-25). Geneva: ICRC reinforces financial support to National Society Investment Alliance (NSIA). icrc.org
(2024-12-25). Madi West Nile Diocese unveils shs14 billion budget for 2025. independent.co.ug 
Madi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The administration of Madi West Nile Diocese has unveiled a UGX 14 Billion Budget for the year 2025. This is a significant growth up from the UGX 10 Billion this ending year. According to the Diocesan administrators, the priorities for next financial year are focused on five thematic areas …
(2024-12-25). We Must Build International Solidarity Against US-China Imperial Rivalry. truthout.org Increasingly, understanding the inter-imperialist competition between the United States and China is becoming essential to understanding the dynamics of the modern capitalist system. With the goal of broadening our understanding of the dynamics at play, Ashley Smith, along with co-authors Eli Friedman, Kevin Lin, and Rosa Liu, have published China in Global Capitalism: Building International… |
(2024-12-25). SATIRE: Rand Paul Floats Elon Musk For House Speaker. theonion.com 
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is floating Elon Musk to be Speaker of the House after the powerful tech billionaire helped torpedo a bipartisan agreement on a short-term spending bill, a move made possible by the fact that the Constitution does not specify that the House Speaker must be a member of the chamber. What do …
(2024-12-25). Apple Is Accused Of Profiting From War Crimes In Congo. popularresistance.org By every subjective measure, Apple is one of the most successful public companies in history. Its brand perception is synonymous with innovation and its corporate ethos is to make the world a safer, more equitable place. But lofty credos can often be misleading. In the Great Lakes region of Africa, which is ground zero in the global supply chain for Big Tech, Apple appears to have betrayed its vision. The company stands accused of deceiving consumers, laundering Congolese minerals and profiting from war crimes, according to criminal complaints filed against Apple subsidiaries in France and Belgium.
(2024-12-25). How Fascism Came. popularresistance.org President-elect Donald Trump does not herald the advent of fascism. He heralds the collapse of the veneer that masked the corruption within the ruling class and their pretense of democracy. He is the symptom, not the disease. The loss of basic democratic norms began long before Trump, which paved the road to an American totalitarianism. Deindustrialization, deregulation, austerity, unchecked predatory corporations, including the health-care industry, wholesale surveillance of every American, social inequality, an electoral system that is plagued by legalized bribery, endless and futile wars, the largest prison po…
(2024-12-25). Colombian workers pleased with minimum wage hike. plenglish.com The president of the Central Unitaria Trabajadores de Colombia (CUT), Fabio Arias, said, for example, that the increase will allow Colombians to have greater purchasing power. | This, he said, considering that the real increase is more than 200,000 pesos (about 45 dollars at the current exchange rate), which means an average increase of 11% over last year. | "We have called on the central workers to reduce the wage gap that we have with the previous decisions of the neoliberal and business governments," the union leader said. | Meanwhile, the president of the Confederation of Workers of Colombia, Jhon Caicedo, e…
(2024-12-25). A Note on Trade and Inequality. counterpunch.org 
We saw millions of workers displaced in manufacturing, as our trade deficit ballooned from 1997 to 2007. Communities across the industrial heartland were devastated as the factories that supported them downsized or shut altogether. We can have lengthy debates about the motives of working-class people who switched from Democrats to Trump voters, but the fact that Democratic presidents pushed trade policies that destroyed millions of good paying jobs for non-college educated workers is not really in dispute.
(2024-12-25). Yemeni UAV force carried out two drone attacks against on a vital Israeli target in Jaffa (Tel Aviv) and the industrial zone in Ashkelon: statement. english.almanar.com.lb
(2024-12-25). What's Left in Latin American and the Caribbean: Year 2024 in Review. pressenza.com The progressive regional current, the "Pink Tide," could be better called "troubled waters" in 2024. The tide had already slackened by 2023 compared to its rise in 2022, when it was buoyed by big wins in Colombia and Brazil. Then, progressive alternatives had sailed into power replacing failed neoliberal policies. Since, they have had to govern under circumstances that they inherited but were not their own making. | By Roger D. Harris and John Perry | Brazil's "