Iran revives hostage diplomacy in key year for nuclear talks
Tehran uses the arbitrary imprisonment of Westerners as a foreign policy tool. The latest case is that of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala
Putin, Trump and the shaking of Europe’s political map
The expansionism of the presidents of Russia and the United States sets a dangerous example for less powerful countries that have open territorial disputes with Ukraine
Modern cotton slaves in 18 countries work for large textile companies and many are children
A recent investigation reveals that child exploitation and forced labor are being used to pick cotton on dozens of farms in India. This investigation adds to those in countries such as China, which is accused of enslaving ethnic minorities to provide this raw material to dozens of brands
A critical look at the Trump Doctrine
The inauguration speech of the new U.S. president has already provided a colossal shock, a stress test for American democracy and the international liberal order
The dangers of a broken world order shake up the Davos Forum
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warns of growing impunity, and the head of the Atomic Energy Agency denounces the expansion of nuclear arsenals
Crypto, lies and torture: Inside the scam compounds of Southeast Asia
Tens of thousands of cyber slaves are held captive in Southeast Asia’s scam compounds, working around the clock to defraud love-seeking victims through dating apps and social media
Keys to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas
The plan, divided into three phases, provides for an imminent return of 33 Israeli hostages. In exchange, Israel will release more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners
Captagon, the drug that turned Syria into a narco-state under Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorship
The fall of the regime brings to light the scheme by which Damascus produced 80% of this substance during the war. The rebel authorities are burning the pills, which they discovered in workshops and mansions during their lightning advance
Drug traffickers, illegal miners and dissidents: The triple alliance devastating the Amazon
Juanita Vélez|Leticia, Amazonas (Colombia)|
On the border between Peru, Colombia, and Brazil, a common front comprised of Colombian dissidents, Brazilian organized crime groups and Peruvian drug traffickers is overwhelming the authorities
On the Syrian border with Israel: ‘The troops threatened to do the same thing to us as in Gaza’
Residents of Syrian villages near the occupied Golan Heights, where the Israeli army has now advanced, report that the military even fires on the population
Indigenous leaders lift the veil on gender-based violence in El Salvador
A group of 25 activists from the Nahuat Pipil, Lenka, and Kakawira communities are working together to highlight abuse. More than half of Indigenous women in the country have suffered from some type of aggression
Ukraine seeks return of up to 10 million refugees and migrants fleeing Russia’s war
The government has created a Ministry of National Unity that hopes to attract residents abroad and ease the demographic crisis to address the reconstruction of the country
Colombia, the world’s largest exporter of mercenaries: ‘We’re like soccer players. Headhunters look at your work and make you an offer’
Thousands of former military personnel are hired for large sums to fight in wars or to serve as private security abroad. The network behind this business is in the government’s sights
No end in sight to the war on the Donetsk front
Military personnel and civilians who have experienced the hell of the front line are wary of any peace agreement with Russia
Sofía Petro: ‘Sexist violence permeates the government’
The daughter of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a declared feminist, maintains that some bad decisions overshadow the executive’s efforts to advance public policies with a gender focus
Survivors of the Douma ghetto: ‘Syria will not forget the crimes of Bashar al-Assad’
Residents of the main opposition stronghold in Damascus province, who have suffered from famine, chemical attacks, and brutal repression, are demanding punishment for the regime’s leaders
Wave of Russian attacks in Zaporizhzhia raises fears of a larger offensive
Two strikes on the city killed 21 people and left 50 injured in early December
From gasoline to plastic: The oil companies’ business strategy that blocks environmental treaties
Saudi Arabia is leading opposition at the UN to a treaty to curb polymer production that would jeopardize the fossil fuel sector’s plans to offset the decline in gasoline use due to the rise of electric cars
Israel takes advantage of Assad’s fall to gain ground in Syria: ‘We got rid of one problem and woke up with another’
Israeli forces have entered the Arab country for the first time in half a century to try to prevent the new authorities from using military capabilities against the Jewish State
Thousands of Syrians search for relatives in the ‘human slaughterhouse,’ the prison that is a symbol of Assad’s repression: ‘He could be dying underground’
The Sednaya military prison is filled with desperate people seeking news of their loved ones, clinging to the rumor that thousands of prisoners remain in underground cells
Terror, massacre and voodoo in the latest episode of gang violence in Haiti
The murder of more than 180 elderly people in Wharf Jérémie, fueled by accusations of witchcraft, exposes the brutality of gangs, the historical persecution of voodoo and the desperation of a people caught between violence and state neglect
Who’s who in Donald Trump’s cabinet
The president-elect has begun announcing the names of the people who will occupy the top White House positions when he assumes office for a second term on January 20
Amnesty International investigation concludes that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza
The NGO is reporting this crime for the first time in the context of an armed conflict after 14 months of gathering evidence and hopes that the international courts will investigate
Ukraine strengthens its energy infrastructure as Russian attacks intensify
Kyiv seeks to increase anti-aircraft defenses at strategic points such as electrical substations before the arrival of winter
Jineth Bedoya: ‘I fill my schedule because I feel like at any moment they’re going to kill me’
The Colombian journalist criticizes President Gustavo Petro’s plan for total peace, the reintegration of rapists and violence against female reporters, and has launched a documentary on sexual exploitation in Cartagena
Sudan is bleeding out in the worst spiral of violence since the start of the civil war
Research estimates the conflict has claimed over 61,000 lives since April 2023, three times the UN figure. Chances of a ceasefire are increasingly slim
Arrest warrant puts Netanyahu in orbit of disgraced leaders
The International Criminal Court’s ruling places Israel’s allies in a difficult position, as they will face the dilemma of having to arrest the Israeli prime minister and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant if they travel to their countries