Auburndale, FL – Over 150 community members gathered at the intersection of US Highway 92 and Old Dixie Highway on Jan. 5 to demand Polk County Florida commissioners take action for public safety for high school students.

Havana, Cuba – Cuba ended 2013 with an infant mortality rate of 4.2 per 1000 live births, the lowest level in the socialist island's history. Cuba’s infant mortality rate was significantly better than neighboring Caribbean and Latin American countries and even better than the U.S. infant mortality rate, which was estimated at 5.2 for 2013.

Jacksonville, FL – On Jan. 3, UPS abruptly discontinued its seasonal golf cart delivery program in Florida, after a worker filed a grievance on management for breaking state statutes. UPS management continued assigning normal golf cart delivery assignments to workers after Dec. 31, which violated state regulations on golf carts and placed its workforce at risk.

More Israeli aggression against Lebanon

A statement from the Lebanese Army states that an Israeli reconnaissance plane breached the Lebanese airspace for nine hours, Jan 1. “The enemy plane circled over the South region, Beirut and its suburbs, Riyaq and Baalbek for 9 hours, and then left at 4:15 p.m. from above the aforementioned town,” stated the army communiqué.

Minneapolis, MN – Jess Sundin, a spokesperson of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression and an anti-war leader, hailed the Dec. 31 release of jailed attorney Lynne Stewart. Sundin stated, “People's attorney, Lynne Stewart, is a hero who was imprisoned for doing the right thing. She has always stood up for the oppressed and this is why people around the world have been speaking up to demand her freedom. After countless letters, phone calls and protests, we are overjoyed that Lynne's freedom has finally been won. I am so happy she's finally home with her family today. May this be the first of many freedoms in 2014.”

As 2013 comes to an end, we pause to look back at some of the most important Fight Back! stories of the past year. 2013 has seen an upsurge in many struggles – and Fight Back! News has been there on the front lines with on-the-spot reporting and timely analysis.

Jacksonville, FL – Many UPS customers woke up on Christmas morning with a few packages missing under the tree. On Dec. 25, UPS management admitted that they failed to deliver many packages to expectant customers due to a surge of late holiday orders. FedEx customers reported similar delays in package delivery.

Washington D.C. – According to widespread media reports, the U.S. is sending Hellfire missiles and surveillance drones to the government of Iraq. The arms shipments come amidst growing turmoil in Iraq.

According to the New China News Agency (Xinhua), Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Dec. 26 that the Communist Party of China (CPC) will hold high the banner of Mao Zedong Thought “forever” in pursuing the Chinese nation's rejuvenation.

Washington, DC – The Washington Post, in a major Dec. 21 article entitled “Covert Action in Colombia” confirmed the role of U.S. intelligence agencies in the systematic murder of at least 24 leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), as well as a smaller rebel group. The FARC, Latin America’s largest and oldest insurgent movement, is fighting for social justice and to free the country from foreign domination.

Minneapolis, MN – On Dec. 19, MIRAc’s No More Deportations campaign and Occupy Homes MN joined together to protest deportations and evictions in Hennepin County. They demanded that Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek stop evicting people from their homes and stop cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport immigrants from the county jail.

Tampa, FL – On Dec 17, a new immigrant rights group, Raíces en Tampa, met with community members and students to launch a movement to demand driver licenses for undocumented immigrants in Florida.

St. Paul, MN – Organized by the Welfare Rights Committee, low-income people gathered in front of Governor Mark Dayton’s mansion, Dec 18, to demand the state budget surplus be used to meet the needs of the poor and for an increase in the welfare grants. Protesters did a spoken word version of the song Twelve Days of Christmas, called Twelve Days of Poverty. Building on the Christmas theme of the event, they threw brightly colored packages adorned with slogans over the mansion fence.

School was named for KKK grand wizard

Jacksonville, FL – With more than 50 activists and community members present, the Duval County School Board voted unanimously, Dec. 16, to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. The historic vote by the school board comes at the end of a six-month campaign by the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) and other forces to drop the local high school's racist namesake.

West Allis, WI – Family and friends of Corey Stingley organized a rally outside VJ's Food Mart, Dec. 15, where the 16-year-old was strangled by white vigilantes one year ago. Supporters demanded charges be filed against the people responsible for killing Stingley.

The People’s Republic of China carried out a successful moon landing, Dec. 14, with the soft landing of the lunar probe Chang'e-3. The probe includes a moon rover called Jade Rabbit, a figure in a Chinese myth.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 30 people came together here, Dec 12, for a community dinner to build support for Chicago Palestinian activist Rasmea Odeh. Odeh, who is facing a trumped immigration case in Detroit, is at risk for prison and deportation.

Miami, FL- On Dec. 7, about 20 anti-war activists attended a workshop entitled, “So, You Think You Can Organize?” that was put on by People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR). The event took place at in the Graham Center at Florida International University and included presentations by organizers in POWIR, Students for a Democratic Society and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).

Chicago, IL – Despite being the target of a major political attack by the U.S. government, Rasmea Odeh continues to work for the Palestinian people. This is why the 22nd Annual People’s Thanksgiving Dinner, held in Chicago Dec. 8, honored her with the “Nelson Mandela Award: Opposing Israeli Apartheid is not a Crime.”

Chicago, IL – Since 1992, activists with Fight Back! news, some of whom are members of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, have held a People’s Thanksgiving dinner. According to Joe Iosbaker, “It was started as part of a movement to protest 500 years of colonialism and to celebrate the resistance of the indigenous people.”