https://www.economist.com/international/2025/10/30/what-will-it-cost-to-make-vladimir-putin-stop (https://archive.ph/7Wds2)

https://archive.is/NXgX0

Colombian media reported that companies operating at Madrid-Barajas Airport refused to refuel the plane of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, which was traveling to Saudi Arabia.

The reason for this refusal lies in the fact that Petro is on the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list, popularly known as the 'Clinton List'. This list includes individuals whom the U.S. government considers linked to illicit activities, such as drug trafficking. In the case of the Colombian head of state, and without any evidence, attempts have been made to link him to this crime.

According to these press reports, companies responsible for supplying fuel to the presidential plane have US capital and, therefore, decided not to provide the fuel to avoid violating the regulations imposed by OFAC , and the US repercussions that this action could have.

Despite the airlines' refusal, President Petro's plane was able to refuel after being transferred to a military base in Madrid. This allowed the plane to continue its journey to Saudi Arabia.

The Colombian president, for his part, had previously thanked the Kingdom of Spain for its help with his trip.

This event occurs amid a climate of escalating threats from Washington against Bogotá. The U.S. Treasury Department recently added Petro, his wife Verónica Alcocer, his son Nicolás Petro, and Colombian Interior Minister Armando Benedetti to the OFAC list. This measure entails the freezing of their assets in the United States, as well as a prohibition on transactions with them. Petro responded that he owns no property in the U.S.

The controversy intensified further last month when the United States removed Colombia from its list of cooperating nations in the fight against drug trafficking. Moreover, in September, the U.S. government revoked President Petro's visa after his participation in an event in support of the Palestinian people in New York during the United Nations General Assembly, marking another point of contention between the two countries.

Petro has exposed the hypocrisy of the U.S. in the fight against drug trafficking. He stated that the Cartel of the Suns does not exist , and that it is a narrative invented by the White House to try to delegitimize President Nicolás Maduro and portray Venezuela as a narco-state. Petro clearly stated that it is a fabrication used to attack sovereign states .

The Colombian president asserted that the lucrative drug trade is headed by the Narcotics Cartel, whose leaders are millionaires living in New York, Miami, Madrid, and Dubai. Among other points, he affirmed that drug trafficking is combated with international cooperation and public policies, not with military deployments in the Caribbean —ordered by Washington, which threatens the peace of Venezuela and Latin America—nor by perpetrating extrajudicial killings, alluding to attacks against alleged drug-running boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific.

This is the same evil woman who wants to cut disability benefits and make them impossible to obtain. She rented out homes without a landlord license. Rules say this means she should have to pay the tenants back but the PM has decided to let her get away with it an pay nothing back. This government are just corrupt to the core.

https://www.gbnews.com/politics/keir-starmer-rachel-reeves-housing-rules

Israeli occupation forces raided the town of Blida in southern Lebanon , where they carried out a series of bombings and killed one person, in an action that violates the ceasefire agreement in force since November 2024 and was condemned by the country's top authorities.

At dawn on Thursday, an Israeli force comprised of several military vehicles and accompanied by drones entered the municipal building in Blida. Gunfire was heard during the incursion, and one civil servant was killed.

According to local media reports, the Zionist entity's military operations extended to other areas of southern Lebanon . The Mahmoudiya and Al Jarmaq areas were targeted by multiple airstrikes in less than twenty minutes.

The Israeli army justified the incursion by claiming that its troops "responded to an imminent threat" during a mission to destroy alleged infrastructure of the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack as a "criminal act and a flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty ," part of "aggressive Israeli practices against civilians ." During a meeting with army commander Rudolph Heikel, he ordered that "any Israeli incursion be met with resistance . "

For his part, the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, warned that "what happened in Blida cannot be contained with mere condemnation" and called for national unity to respond firmly to an escalation that "goes beyond any international resolution . "

The Lebanese Army Command stated that the action constitutes a direct violation of the ceasefire agreement signed on November 27, 2024. In a statement, it denounced that " the enemy's pretexts are false and seek to justify their aggression."

In immediate response, Lebanese Army units mobilized to the area to confront Israeli forces and requested additional reinforcements. The Army Command confirmed the deployment and notified the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Mechanism of the violation.

According to local sources, at least 15 people have been killed in the past week as a result of Israeli actions, which have also included drone flights in sensitive areas such as the Bekaa Valley and the southern suburbs of Beirut.

Despite the agreement reached, Israel maintains five military bases on Lebanese territory, violating one of the clauses of the November pact. The attacks and armed incursions, under the pretext of “neutralizing Hezbollah threats ,” demonstrate the continuation of a policy of aggression that jeopardizes regional stability.

Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a militia group backed by the United Arab Emirates and Israel, are committing “genocide” in Sudan’s El Fasher, says a Sudanese analyst.

Speaking to the Press TV website, Khartoum-based writer and strategic affairs analyst Makkawi Elmalik urged the international community to take action against both the perpetrators and their foreign backers.

“What occurred and is currently happening in El Fasher is not a regular military battle, but a systematic extermination committed by the RSF, supported by the UAE and Israel," he said.

Elmalik added that both the UAE and the Israeli regime have participated in planning the militia’s attacks on civilians in the Sudanese city and provided them with weapons and intelligence.

His remarks came as the paramilitary fighters on Tuesday announced the capture of El Fasher, the Sudanese military’s last stronghold in Darfur, killing and detaining thousands of people.

Amid reports that more than 2,000 people were killed within 48 hours of the RSF’s takeover of the city, Elmalik, citing eyewitness accounts, noted that the actual death toll “far exceeds this figure”.

Satellite imagery viewed by Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) and testimonies from surviving civilians document mass executions on roads and in residential areas, and the targeting of civilians while attempting to flee for their lives.

The analyst added that the RSF applies “the scorched-earth policy” because “it knows it will lose a prolonged war and seeks to achieve a quick media victory at the expense of civilian lives."

Possible repercussions of El Fasher’s fall

Referring to the possible repercussions of the fall of El Fasher, Elmalik stated that it could lead to a “temporary” division of areas in Darfur between the army and the RSF, as the military still controls other areas in North Darfur, resulting in “a prolonged war of attrition.”

He warned that the fall of El Fasher would also lead to mass displacement and acute food and medical crises, and exacerbate the poverty and suffering of the people of Darfur.

The Sudanese analyst also referred to the RSF’s loss of international legitimacy and potential isolation as a possible consequence, noting that its supporters will face increased diplomatic pressure.

He noted that the UAE and other countries provide the RSF with weapons and mercenaries, along with financial support, while Israel offers logistical and intelligence assistance, amid American silence.

Elmalik further stated that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and other African states support the legitimate armed forces of Sudan, which is enhancing its strategic cooperation with Iran, Russia and Turkey to achieve “a balance in influence”.

The analyst decried the international community’s “silence and ineffective, symbolic actions” regarding the simmering crisis, and its failure to implement UN Security Council resolutions or impose strict sanctions.

He described attempts to equate the army with the RSF as a “false comparison”.

“As a result, civilian suffering will be entrenched and political and military divisions in Sudan will increase," Elmalik told the Press TV website.

Blatantly biased media coverage

Regarding the international media coverage of the crisis, Elmalik decried it as “blatantly biased”.

“The media coverage is delayed and biased, ignoring the crimes committed by the militia over the past two years and covering up the role of its supporters,” he noted.

Elmalik stressed the importance of “a comprehensive and integrated” strategic solution to the crisis across all levels: military, diplomatic, humanitarian, media, and political.

The solution, he said, should involve enhancing the capabilities of the Sudanese army, launching a war of attrition against the RSF, and forming supportive regional alliances.

He also called for exposing the supporters of the RSF on the international stage, imposing sanctions on the militia group and isolating it at all levels.

Elmalik urged the opening of safe humanitarian corridors, the documentation of war crimes, and the conveying of the truth to the world as part of the solution to the crisis.

Politically, he emphasized the significance of an “inclusive national dialogue excluding the militia” and establishing a genuine transitional plan for the post-victory stage.

Sudanese state to emerge victorious

The analyst exuded confidence that the Sudanese state will ultimately emerge victorious.

“Sudan, which triumphed in the battles of Khartoum, Al-Jazirah, Sennar, White Nile, and parts of Kordofan — territories as vast as countries — is capable of liberating every inch of its land with a long-term strategy," he told the Press TV website.

“El Fasher is not the end; rather, it’s the true beginning of the collapse of the destructive project and the start of a new phase in combating domestic terrorism and restoring the state."

In 2023, a conflict broke out between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which has since resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands, displaced over 12 million people, and led the International Rescue Committee to characterize it as “the largest humanitarian crisis ever documented.”

Khartoum has held the UAE responsible for backing the RSF in what it calls genocide against the non-Arab Masalit people in Sudan’s Darfur region.

The Sudanese government demands that the UAE cease its support for the RSF and provide “full reparations,” including compensation for the war’s victims.

Last April, Sudan took legal action against the UAE at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for being the “driving force” behind the ongoing “genocide” in Sudan.

Normal country

President Donald Trump said the US would accelerate its nuclear weapons testing, after Russia in recent days announced trials of a nuclear-powered underwater drone and nuclear-capable cruise missile.

“Because of other countries’ testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis,” Trump said in a social media post. “That process will begin immediately.”

📍The countries that voted against were:

• ❌🇦🇷Argentina
• ❌🇭🇺Hungary
• ❌🇮🇱Israel
• ❌🇲🇰North Macedonia
• ❌🇵🇾Paraguay
• ❌🇺🇦Ukraine
• ❌🇺🇸United States

The resolution, adopted for the 33rd consecutive year, “once again urges the states that have applied and continue to apply such laws and measures to take the necessary steps to repeal or invalidate them as soon as possible.”

At least 132 people lost their lives during the massive police operation in Rio de Janeiro, the deadliest in the city's recent history. So far, 72 bodies have been taken to São Lucas Square , while the official state government count is 64 dead . Of the victims, only four are police officers; the rest have not yet been identified.

Considered disastrous by specialists, the actions of the police under the command of Governor Cláudio Castro (PL) surpassed in lethality previous tragedies that until then were considered the bloodiest in Rio, such as Operation Jacarezinho in 2021, with 28 dead, and Operation Vila Cruzeiro in 2022, which left 24 victims.

The vast majority are young Black men . Reports are emerging of gunshot wounds to the face and bodies found bound . Rio's governor, Claudio Castro, called the operation a "success," reported teleSUR correspondent Nacho Lemus.

The National Network of Popular Lawyers (RENAP) condemned the operation and stated that Governor Castro's security policy "normalizes death" and replaces investigations with summary executions.

“What we are seeing is the increasingly normalized policy of death carried out by police forces against all residents of the favelas and peripheries of the state of Rio de Janeiro ,” the organization warned in a statement.

The Penha complex remains a scene of terror following the police operation. From the early hours of the morning, residents attempted to recover bodies abandoned in the Serra da Misericórdia forest , where armed clashes also took place.

Lawyer Mariana Rodrigues, a member of RENAP, warned about the possible existence of more bodies on the hilltop and denounced that units of the Special Operations Battalion (BOPE) could return to the area.

For its part, the Human Rights Commission of the Legislative Assembly (Alerj) launched an investigation in the Complexo do Alemão to monitor police actions and determine responsibilities.

Governor Cláudio Castro defended the operation and criticized the Supreme Court's decision limiting police actions in the favelas —known as the "ADPF of the Favelas "—calling it a "cursed legacy . "

Meanwhile, RENAP responded that the ruling represents a milestone in the fight against institutional violence and warned that current policy “institutionalizes barbarity , ” primarily affecting young black people and those from low-income backgrounds in Rio de Janeiro.

Nothing says you're a sovereign republic like presenting a golden crown and its highest honor to the Emperor.

Washington unsuccessfully attempted to execute a sophisticated plan to recruit the Venezuelan president's pilot in an attempt to arrest Maduro, AP reveals.

The Associated Press (AP) revealed Tuesday that the operation focused on Nicolás Maduro's personal pilot, Brigadier General Bitner Villegas, who was tasked with diverting the presidential plane to a location where U.S. authorities could arrest him.

According to the AP, the information comes from three current and former U.S. officials and a Maduro opponent, in addition to messages allegedly exchanged between Villegas and agent Edwin López, who was in charge of the operation.

How they intended to recruit the pilot

National Security agent Edwin López was reportedly authorized by his superiors and Dominican authorities to hold talks with the Venezuelan pilots of the aircraft, paying special attention to Villegas.

The outlet claimed that the U.S. federal agent met with Maduro's pilot in the Dominican Republic in 2024 and allegedly offered Villegas money and protection in exchange for diverting Maduro's plane.

At the end of the conversation, López reportedly made his proposal: he promised Villegas a significant financial reward and the chance to win "the affection of millions of his compatriots." Among the possible destinations for Maduro's capture were the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. According to sources, the pilot left without making any commitments, but gave the agent his cell phone number.

Useless insistence

López concentrated his efforts on contacting the pilot by phone, but according to AP, despite exchanging messages a dozen times, the conversations weren't producing the results the American agent had hoped for.

In July 2025, López retired but continued with the plan, contacting Venezuelan opposition politicians abroad, who agreed to collaborate.

López cited a U.S. Department of Justice announcement doubling the reward for Maduro's capture to $50 million, urging Villegas to "be Venezuela's hero."

In the last contact the agent made on September 18, the pilot finally refused, calling López a "coward" and writing, "Venezuelans are of a different kind. The last thing we are is traitors." As a last resort, López sent him a photo of the two taken during their conversation in the Dominican Republic and mentioned Villegas's children by name, suggesting a better future awaited them in the U.S. In response, Villegas blocked his number.

Seeing that the pilot wouldn't join the plan, the organizers attempted to intimidate him by spreading allegedly compromising messages on social media in an operation led by Marshal Billingslea, a former U.S. national security official described by the AP as "a close ally of the Venezuelan opposition" and known for sending disparaging messages against Maduro.

There is no desertion here

A video released in September by Venezuelan Defense Minister Padrino López suggests that the US plan to capture presidential pilot Bitner Villegas failed. During an event at the Fuerte Tiuna air base, the minister stated that "the commitment of Venezuelan commanders is stronger than ever" and denounced the US "cognitive warfare" against the Armed Forces and democracy.

Villegas also appeared on the program Con el Mazo Dando, where Minister Diosdado Cabello denied rumors about his alleged desertion, calling him and another general “true patriots, foolproof” and showing that they continued to work alongside the people.

Since his return to the White House, US President Donald Trump has adopted a tougher stance toward Venezuela.

Since last September, the United States has attacked small boats in the Caribbean near Venezuela, alleging suspected drug trafficking. Under this pretext, Trump also authorized the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela.

These attacks come amid rising tensions, as Trump strengthens the US military presence in the Caribbean, including guided-missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine, and around 6,500 troops.

Caracas denounces these actions as "an armed aggression to impose regime change" and warns that they seek to "seize Venezuela's oil, gas, gold, and all of its natural resources."

President Nicolás Maduro announced ambitious goals for the expansion of communal power in Venezuela, establishing the activation of 4,000 communes by December 2025 and 6,000 by January 2027 .

The President also emphasized that this growth is part of the strengthening of participatory democracy and grassroots organizing throughout the country.

Preparations for Popular Consultation

Maduro also called for an active day of citizen participation prior to the fourth neighborhood and community consultation on November 23, 2025, where two projects for the development of popular sectors will be selected.

" A good day of motivation, agitation, propaganda, and opening up the debate on the projects ," the President urged.

Resources for the people

Reiterating his social commitment, Maduro stated: " The people are worth more than oil, gas, and gold ." He assured that all resources generated by economic growth will be allocated to projects that benefit the people.

For her part, Mayor Carmen Meléndez reported the execution of 1,292 projects through the Obratón program, an initiative that promotes grassroots participation in the transformation of territories.

In this regard, Minister Ángel Prado confirmed that the CNE has already announced the schedule for the Popular Consultation on November 23, which will feature the experience of adults and the energy of young people.

Social movements in Brazil have joined forces to organize a solidarity flotilla with Cuba , in preparation for the IV Continental Assembly of ALBA Movements , to be held in Havana in May 2026.

The initiative, launched in Guararema by the Florestan Fernandes National School (ENFF) of the Landless Workers' Movement of Brazil, has brought together more than 20 grassroots organizations in an effort to articulate international solidarity with Cuba and strengthen Latin American integration.

The flotilla proposal, inspired by historic acts of international solidarity such as those that brought humanitarian aid to Gaza, has a symbolic character with a strong political message : to denounce the economic blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba and to express the support of the peoples of Latin America for the Caribbean country .

Giovanni Del Preti , a member of the national coordination of the Popular Brazil Movement, emphasized that the flotilla would be a "historic event," highlighting the active role of people in shaping history at the international level.

The national plenary session of the Brazil Chapter of Alba Movimentos, which included the participation of organizations such as the Landless Workers' Movement (MST), the Homeless Workers' Movement (MTST), and the World March of Women, consolidated the foundation for this flotilla and other resistance efforts against the threats of imperialism.

In addition to the flotilla, the Brazilian movements agreed to organize international solidarity activities, such as debate series and cultural exhibitions, with the aim of continuing to denounce the impact of the U.S. blockade and imperialist offensives against Cuba and the region.

The meeting also reaffirmed Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, and Palestine as priorities for Latin American solidarity. The movements reaffirmed their commitment to building autonomous regional integration, free from imperialist interests and centered on social justice and mutual cooperation.

This commitment was expressed by Ana Priscila Alves of the World March of Women, who highlighted the need to strengthen the struggle against the imperialist offensive and to create mechanisms of common resistance among the peoples of Latin America.

Over the years, Alba Movimentos has maintained its commitment to internationalist solidarity and resistance against imperialism . The third Assembly, held in 2022 in Argentina, marked the return of in-person meetings and consolidated the position of social movements in defense of a popular and anti-imperialist regional integration project.

The Fourth Assembly, to be held in Cuba in 2026, will focus on strategies of resistance to the growing US aggression in the region.

In this context, the Brazilian movements also highlighted the importance of self-financing to ensure the participation of all grassroots delegations, without economic criteria impeding the representation of the various organizations. "Self-financing is a political task, one of solidarity and commitment," Alves affirmed, emphasizing that it is a gesture of support for both the Cuban people and the continental struggle for sovereignty.

Finally, the Brazilian movements have emphasized that the struggle for the sovereignty and rights of the Latin American peoples is a collective task that requires the unity of the region's progressive forces. As Giovanni Del Preti put it, "Internationalism is a value and a strategy of struggle. If Cuba does well, Brazil will too . "

Stage 6 of the Tour du Faso: Belgian De Boes wins, the yellow jersey remains with Daumont

Po, Oct. 29, 2025 (AIB)-Belgian rider De Boes Timmy won the sprint on Wednesday, the 6th stage of the Tour du Faso run between Ouagadougou and Po (144.200km) ahead of his compatriot De Cabooter Lance and the Moroccan Ed-Doghmy Achraf, AIB observed.

Belgian rider De Boes completed the distance in 3 hours, 24 minutes, and 15 seconds, for an average speed of 42.296 km/h. It was a victory for pride, as it posed no threat to Daumont's yellow jersey.

The strategy was clear from the start in Ouagadougou to protect Daumont's yellow jersey: prevent his direct rivals (Moroccan El Alouani Driss and Belgian Yaxano Smet) from gaining time bonuses in the intermediate sprints. Mission accomplished, as Mahamadi Ilboudo (1st intermediate sprint), Soumaila Ilboudo (2nd intermediate sprint), and Wahabou Bouda (3rd intermediate sprint) all did their job.

The most dangerous players for the yellow jersey, El Alouani Driss and Yaxano Smet, were surrounded by the men of league leader Paul Daumont, preventing them from breaking free. "The strategy worked," National Technical Director Martin Sawadogo told us.

“My teammates pedaled well today to protect the jersey. I’m always next to Paul so that if there’s an attack, I can respond to liven up the race. We’re no longer worried about the yellow jersey but we remain focused,” said Paul Daumont’s right-hand man, Saturnin Yaméogo.

Stage winner Timmy De Boes said, “We have a good team, unfortunately we lost the jersey due to bad luck (in Bobo, during the 3rd stage where he had 3 punctures). We have two fast riders, namely Lance and Timmy. Today Timmy led out Lance for the sprint and we won. We will now try to protect the 3rd place of our young rider Yaxano Smet for the rest of the race.”

In the general classification, Paul Daumont retains his prestigious yellow and green jerseys with a lead of 21 seconds over Moroccan El Alouani Driss and 31 seconds over Belgian Yaxano Smet.

The 7th stage, the shortest of the competition, between Guiba and Garango, covering 71.630km, will take place tomorrow, October 30th. It's a distance for sprinters to shine.

“If we have not publicly called for the peoples of the world to organize to defend our country, I take this opportunity to do so from this moment. From anywhere in the world, here is Venezuela, which is being attacked, and any help you can give us is welcome,” Cabello answered. “Here you will be received as brothers of life. Brothers of life. Love is repaid with love. That is what they say around here.”