Petro calls for “peaceful resistance” against Colombia’s incoming “viceroyalty”During an Independence Day speech in the poor south of Bogota, Petro told thousands of supporters that “the next president of Colombia will be a servant to the rulers of the United States who helped him ‘get elected’.” “We move from the status of a republic to the status of a viceroyalty again, just like 216 years ago,” said Petro, who on Sunday accepted to become the political leader of the leftist opposition. " It is time to give the second cry of independence… Shout freedom and resistance!" Rather than a repetition of the 1810 revolution, the outgoing president proposed to “prepare for peaceful resistance” in defense of communities who benefited from the government’s reforms.
https://colombiareports.com/petro-calls-for-peaceful-resistance-against-colombias-incoming-viceroyalty/Ortega insists no more elections for Nicaragua“There won’t be any more elections here for them to try to seize the government and seize power,” he said during a speech on Sunday at an event commemorating the 1979 Sandinista revolution. “The days when parties backed by the Yankees and the Somocistas would return to power are over – never again,” he added, according to the Reuters news agency.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/20/ortega-insists-no-more-elections-for-nicaraguahttps://archive.ph/ic7Ox‘Front groups and fellow travelers’: state department attacks US left over CubaThe state department report alleges that the so-called campaign is “designed to turn America against itself” and singles out several left-leaning activists and organizations, including the Democratic Socialists of America, Isra Hirsi – the daughter of Minnesota Democratic representative Ilhan Omar – New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani, and journalist Amy Goodman, citing their criticism of US policy toward Cuba or participation in Cuba solidarity movements.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/20/us-state-department-list-leftists-cuba Lebanese president to meet Trump as 'pilot zones' experiment begins The idea of the so-called pilot zones is that as Israeli forces move out, the LAF will move in to take over the task of disarming Hezbollah. It's unclear how the ill-equipped Lebanese army has been determined as ready for such a task, and whether it would be willing to fight Hezbollah's soldiers. But Washington did announce a $30m boost to the LAF - which relies on US funding - last month.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/lebanese-president-meet-trump-pilot-zones-experiment-begins Despite a year and half passing | Turkish influence continues in north of Syria Despite a year and a half passed since the fall of the former regime and the rise of the Syrian Interim Government to power, where the Turkish influence continues in wide areas of northern Aleppo countryside especially in Afrin and Jarablus, where Turkish language is still used in several government institutions, Turkish Lira still being dealt with, Turkish electricity services still being used and education curriculum imposed during years of Turkish presence still used.
https://www.syriahr.com/en/384544/Yemen's Houthis declare naval blockade against Saudi ArabiaYemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday they were imposing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, drawing a warning from the Saudi-led coalition that it would respond "firmly", in a move that threatens to disrupt global energy supplies beyond the Gulf. The Houthis' armed forces in a statement said they were declaring "a maritime embargo against the criminal Saudi enemy, based on the equation of 'an eye for an eye', effective immediately".
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/yemens-houthis-declare-naval-blockade-against-saudi-arabia-statement-2026-07-20/Indian authorities clampdown on Cockroach Party protestersPolice fired tear gas and charged at protesters with batons after demonstrators tried to breach security barricades surrounding the protest site in central New Delhi, marking one of the most serious confrontations yet in the movement’s campaign against far-right Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The crowd at Jantar Mantar, a designated site for protests just a few miles from the parliament building, included students, professionals and families with young children.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/indian-authorities-clampdown-cockroach-party-protesters CPI(M) forms human chain to protest against ‘privatisation’ of government hospitals Other demands of the party included upgrading Wenlock Hospital into a super-speciality hospital, establishing units of Jayadeva Cardiology Hospital and Kidwai Cancer Hospital in Dakshina Kannada district, and regularisation of contract employees who have been serving in health centres in the city for many years.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/cpim-forms-human-chain-to-protest-against-privatisation-of-government-hospitals/article71245309.ecehttps://archive.ph/EQYJg NLMRC sues lawyers representing anti-mining communities in Nueva Vizcaya The complaint against Atty. Santos arose from a video posted on Facebook in which he questioned the company’s claim that it consulted affected communities before starting exploration. Residents say the company used an attendance sheet from another activity to support its record of consultation. The complaint against Atty. Balgos stems from his interview on local radio station DWRV, where he said the company engaged in “illegal and dishonest practices.”
https://philippinerevolution.nu/angbayan/nlmrc-sues-lawyers-representing-anti-mining-communities-in-nueva-vizcaya/Fast-moving wildfire in southern France forces evacuations, burns homes in Var region A fast-moving wildfire in southern France forced dozens of residents to evacuate on Sunday as more than 600 firefighters and water-bombing aircraft battled the blaze. Fanned by strong winds and dry vegetation, the fire near Draguignan burned 10 homes, damaged nine others and slightly injured one firefighter, authorities said.
https://www.france24.com/en/france/20260719-france-wildfire-var-evacuations-homeshttps://archive.ph/2dWtuFormer Greek Prime Minister and Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras launches new party ELASIn his founding declaration, Tsipras calls for a “new patriotism” and “a sovereign, democratic, strong and secure Greece.” He combines this crude nationalist rhetoric with a handful of social phrases about justice and democracy, designed above all to pull the wool over the eyes of young people and workers who are searching for a political alternative to the ND government.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2026/07/20/nafg-j20.htmlAndy Burnham vows to ‘bring back hope’ as he unveils his cabinetIn another senior appointment, Louise Haigh, Burnham’s right-hand woman, was made first secretary of state and chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, running a beefed-up Cabinet Office that will be the “political engine room” driving his agenda. Yvette Cooper will move from the Foreign Office to the Department of Health, where she will oversee Burnham’s plans to transform the broken social care system, while Pat McFadden stays at the Department for Work and Pensions. Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister who resigned after a row over stamp duty, was reappointed to her previous role as housing secretary.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jul/20/andy-burnham-vows-to-bring-back-hope-as-he-unveils-his-cabinet