In an unexpected turn of events, Romania is heading toward a repeated presidential election after the constitutional court annulled the first round held at the end of November two days before the second round.

The annulled vote saw right-wing “sovereignist” Călin Georgescu take the lead, followed by Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union (SRU), another right-wing candidate, championing neoliberal policies.

The court’s decision followed allegations of election manipulation, with some alleging Russian interference in the electoral process in favor of Georgescu.
📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/09/no-winners-in-romanias-election-as-court-annuls-presidential-race/

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed hope that “conflict and violence” in Syria would end soon and Syrian people would soon be able to decide their fate without any external interference.

Iran’s foreign ministry issued a statement claiming the “Islamic Republic of Iran closely monitors developments in Syria and the region and will adopt appropriate approaches and positions while taking into account the behaviour and performance of influential players in the Syrian political and security scene.”

📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/10/irans-future-approach-to-syria-depends-on-the-policies-adopted-by-the-new-regime/

🇦🇷 One year of Javier Milei.

The people of Argentina have paid a heavy price for Milei's chainsaw neoliberalism. Today over 50% of Argentines live in poverty. Retirees and students face tanks, tear gas, and arrests in their brave attempt to defend their rights and their survival.

On our latest episode of #DisputarElAlba, we spoke with Rodolfo Aguiar (@rodoaguiar) of the Association of State Workers - ATE (@ateprensa) about what the presidency of Milei has meant for Argentina.

☀️#DisputarElALBA is a program brought to you by @deraizmedia, @barricadatv and Peoples Dispatch every Monday at 19h Mexico and 22h Argentina. Tune in!
https://youtu.be/iLlFBHeGCTI?si=4rPcI5QcqGPbXt-y

Thousands of Volkswagen workers across Germany escalated actions, staging warning strikes to protest the company’s plans for cost-cutting measures, including plant closures, wage reductions, and mass layoffs.

The strikes come amidst ongoing negotiations between Volkswagen management and trade unions, with the stakes rising every day.

📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/10/volkswagen-workers-in-germany-strike-amid-dispute-with-management/

Jordan Neely’s death, as well as the subsequent arrest, indictment, and acquittal of his killer, has drawn attention to the lack of social services and affordable housing available to New York City residents—despite the city being a beacon of concentrated wealth and having the most billionaires of any city in the world.

📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/10/outrage-mounts-following-acquittal-of-ex-marine-who-strangled-black-youth-to-death-in-nyc/

As the IOF’s incursion into the buffer zone is considered a flagrant violation of a 1974 disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria, any incursion beyond the buffer zone is also considered an assault on the sovereignty of the Syrian state.

Israel’s seizure of the Golan Heights buffer zone was widely condemned by the United Nations, Arab countries, and Iran.

📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/10/israel-advances-in-syria-with-blessing-of-us/

Scores of women held candlelight vigils in support of over a hundred farmer leaders arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police in India.

Near New Delhi, farmers have been agitating for months. Their demands include proper compensation for land acquired for the development of large townships, the return of 10% of developed lands to those affected, and adequate rehabilitation for families who have lost their only source of income under the Land Acquisition Act of 2013.
📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/11/farmers-in-india-intensify-mobilization-despite-government-crackdown/

Patients in northern Gaza hospitals are at risk of starvation as Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid and attacks on healthcare facilities persist.

📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/11/gaza-hospital-patients-face-starvation-amid-israeli-blockade/

Ribhi al-Shalabi (19) was shot dead in Jenin, in the northern occupied West Bank on Monday, December 9. His cousin Hassan al-Shalabi (15) sustained an injury in the eye.

The Palestinian Authority continues to target Palestinians in the West Bank and abort hopes of the Palestinian people for national unity.

Ribhi’s family accused the Palestinian security forces of deliberately killing their son, describing the incident as a “field execution,” and announced that they will maintain their right to legally prosecute the perpetrators.
📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/11/palestinian-authority-kills-teenager-in-jenin/

“The people experienced a taste of their power in their defense to uphold democracy. It is now up to them to decide whether this movement will end here or will lead to the creation of a new, transformative power that will finally complete the democratization of South Korea.”

Steven Lee, of the International Strategy Center, writes about the situation in South Korea.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/12/with-martial-law-defeated-now-is-a-decisive-moment-for-change-in-south-korea/

🇳🇪 From the small peasants to farmers with relatively large land-holding, Niger’s farming community explains to Peoples Dispatch why they support the popular anti-France military government.

📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/11/nigers-new-government-is-a-blessing-for-us-farmers/

The surprise victory of HTS had been predicted in November by Iranian officials, who informed Assad about the weakness of the state’s defenses because of the sustained Israeli attacks on Syrian army positions.

📲 Vijay Prashad explains the fall of the Assad Government.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/11/the-fall-of-the-assad-government-in-syria/

Ayatollah Khamenei accused the US and Israel of driving Syria’s crisis while expressing hope that Syrian youth will liberate all occupied territories and strengthen resistance against imperialism in the region.

📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/12/irans-khamenei-blames-us-and-israel-for-syrian-crisis-predicts-liberation/

Biden commutes sentences of roughly 1,500 and pardons 39, but includes no current political prisoners who continue to languish behind bars.

📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/12/biden-commutes-sentences-of-roughly-1500-and-pardons-39-as-human-rights-organizations-demand-death-penalty-pardons/

🇧🇫”All those who dream of seeing Burkina Faso on its knees to hope to bring us back into slavery must understand that they have failed.”

Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traore gave an address on the country’s Republic Day and vowed that the country will not bend to foreign meddling and attacks. Burkina Faso is part of the recently formed Alliance of Sahel States (AES) along with Niger and Mali, which seeks to defend the region against French and Western neo-colonialist and imperialist ambitions and promote sovereign development in the region that was pillaged by such powers for decades.

🇰🇷Following the shocking declaration of martial law in South Korea by President Yoon Suk Yeol, opposition lawmakers are alleging that a months-long plot was in the works to trigger a “limited war” with North Korea.

📲 Ju-Hyun Park, organizer with Nodutdol, explains the situation. Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/13/was-south-koreas-coup-an-attempt-to-restart-the-korean-war/

On December 10, International Human Rights Day, women and human rights activists took to the streets in Kenya to protest the alarming rise in femicide cases.

A recent report revealed that in the last three months, a record 97 femicides were recorded in Kenya – a rate of roughly one woman per day.

📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/13/activists-denounce-kenyan-government-for-inaction-on-femicide-crisis/

Activists from the left movement Potere al Popolo are shaping a new bold political and action program, set to build an Italy centered on participation, equity, and care.

📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/13/potere-al-popolo-dares-to-dream-of-a-more-equitable-future-for-italy/

Opposition parties in India led by Congress and the left parties have demanded independent investigations into one of India’s largest corporate groups Adani and its head Gautam Adani over corruption allegations.

They allege that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is shielding and promoting the businessman due to its own links with the corporate giant, at the cost of the interests of the country.
📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/14/indias-opposition-accuses-government-of-links-with-adani-calls-for-investigation/

Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, claiming dozens of lives and leaving around one hundred others injured or reportedly missing. The majority of the airstrikes targeted the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/15/israel-continues-to-kill-dozens-of-palestinians-amid-uncertainty-regarding-ceasefire-talks/

Israel announced it would close its embassy in Dublin after Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin declared that Ireland would intervene in South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Irish authorities have warned against a narrow interpretation of the Genocide Convention, arguing that such an approach creates “a culture of impunity in which the protection of civilians is minimized.” Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed more than 45,000 people in the Gaza Strip, the majority of whom are women, children, and elderly people.
📲 Read the full article on our website.
https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/12/16/israel-to-shut-dublin-embassy-over-irish-intervention-at-icj/