Moscow: A Russian politician calling for peace in Ukraine has lost her appeal against election officials’ refusal to accept her nomination for the country’s presidential race that President Vladimir Putin is all but certain to win.

Former regional legislator Yekaterina Duntsova has promoted her vision of a “humane” Russia “that’s peaceful, friendly and ready to co-operate with everyone on the principle of respect”.

The tight control that Putin has established during 24 years in power makes his re-election in March’s presidential vote all but assured. Prominent critics who could challenge him are either in prison or living abroad, and most independent media have been banned.

Cop29, the next round of UN talks to tackle the climate crisis, will be led by another veteran of the oil and gas industry.

Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijan’s ecology and natural resources minister, has been appointed the president-in-waiting for the Cop29 climate talks when they take place in the country in November.

Before his entry into politics in the autocratic country in western Asia, once a Soviet republic, Babayev spent 26 years working for the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (Socar).

On the surface, US foreign policy seems to be utterly irrational. The US gets into one disastrous war after another — Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Ukraine, and Gaza. In recent days, the US stands globally isolated in its support of Israel’s genocidal actions against the Palestinians, voting against a UN General Assembly resolution for a Gaza ceasefire backed by 153 countries with 89% of the world population, and opposed by just the US and 9 small countries with less than 1% of the world population. 

By Jeffrey D. Sachs / Common Dreams

As soon as we elect someone, we get an autocrat in charge….

In our western constructs, the majority is often managed by a powerful minusculity — whichever majority we elect. Our choices become manipulated not by wisdom but by media, itself under control from the small gangsterous mob — and so is the new somewhat in charge subject to the pressures of this small group of devious influential grabbers. We’re stuffed.

In Russia, the majority loves Putin. The minisculity isn't powerful... That's democracy....

In China, the majority is running a single party... That's democracy....

In the West, the best person to run America isn't born yet... That's cacacracy...

There are far too many fronts on which another horrific war in the Middle East could potentially erupt, and things are far too close to the brink on all of them.

by Caitlin Johnstone

The broadcaster’s response to my editing of international news stories amounted to a show trial, reflecting a malaise within mainstream media.

In this tumultuous time of war and global conflict the ability of journalists to do their jobs effectively within mainstream media has never been more limited.

Cute bum, nice tits, gleaming teeth, lipstick at best

Dandies and dames walk on Newtown King street 

Beautiful dog… the sun polishes this lazy day of rest

All is normal in the world where we live, pay to play

Catastrophes and amusement are going all the way

Though aliens could discover Carrefour banned Pepsi

Russians are wiping the silly brainfarts of Zelensky

Germany floods — Farmers fight to save a harvest

Britain's NHS strike — doctors want more money

Nearly two years after Russia protected the Donbass 

The war is stale — believes DW made for badass 

Russia controls nearly all former Russian territories 

Ukrainian counteroffensive fizzled with no hope

Not moving the frontline for you, western dope 

Contrarily to DeeDoubleyoo falsch und getäuscht stories

World governments must declare a Climate Emergency if they are serious about science and the catastrophic effects of rising temperatures and sea levels. Colin Hughes with this oped.

“All governments have to do to address the climate and ecological emergency is just to acknowledge it is the most significant threat facing humanity, and agree to take immediate action, to address and avert the emergency.” Stephen Barlow Conservationist and Environmentalist.

    by Colin Hughes

Raised by Catholic parents and taught by nuns

How winning first prize isn’t all it’s thought to be 

When flagellation and arrows through the heart of martyrs

Were images of glorified martyrdom and circus lions

In a country where Hungarian was badly spoken.

The next antiquated school curriculum gave us the runs

The noise of civilisation being Wagner and Tchaikovsky

Until the wars improved the calibre of mortars

With victories, painful amputations, prisoners in irons

Rotting carcasses still holding guns, with bellies wide open

What was this about asked teared widows and grieving mums

The military and governments said something like duty

To obey/fight against a vicious devious enemy under orders

While a mass of Jews was gassed, others looked for asylums

To hear it from bulls, the newborn year already belongs to central banks. Reviled not long ago for letting prices surge, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and his peers have been anointed by traders as saviours of the world. Those clapping the loudest probably don’t know how right they are.

The widely predicted global recession has yet to occur, inflation is coming down quickly, and interest rate cuts are projected. As welcome as this development is, don’t imagine for a second that the lords of finance are going into repose. It’s never mission accomplished. Central banks will occupy an ever-more important position in the economic and security life of nations, if history is any guide.

Washington sees no sign of genocide in Gaza
The US State Department has dismissed allegations over Israel’s deadly military campaign in the Palestinian enclave

US President Joe Biden’s administration has rejected genocide allegations against Israel by multiple nations, including a NATO ally, insisting that Washington sees no indication that West Jerusalem’s forces are committing such acts as they pound the Gaza Strip in a campaign to destroy Hamas.

South Africa’s government filed a genocide case against Israel last week in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and NATO member Türkiye announced its official support for the charge on Wednesday. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller denounced the allegations at a press briefing later on Wednesday, saying there was no indication that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were committing genocide against the Palestinians.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has declared that the reunification of Taiwan and the Chinese mainland is a “historical inevitability,” according to Reuters. Xi made the comments as the island prepares to hold contentious parliamentary and presidential elections.

“The reunification of the motherland is a historical inevitability,” Xi said in his New Year’s address on Sunday, according to a translation by news agency. “Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” he added.

An official translation by state news outlet Xinhua used simpler phrasing, quoting Xi as saying “China will surely be reunified, and all Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose.”

A member of the Ukrainian defense industry’s new governing board has floated the idea of using an American-style “lottery” as a solution to Kiev’s conscription troubles. Former economy minister Timofey Milovanov raised the issue on Wednesday.

“Most of my readers write that the right approach to mobilization is through lottery or a draw,” Milovanov said in a Facebook post. 

“The state randomly pulls out the day and the month. People born on those dates are mobilized, others are not. And so it goes for every wave of mobilization,” he elaborated. “I don’t think this is the right approach, but what do you think?”

I've been keeping up with what's going on in education because ~children are the future~ and holy shit, we're in deep trouble. The system is currently being assaulted from multiple angles, and while COVID is a major factor in its dysfunction, it's really more of an accelerant for trends that have been ongoing for years. Here's a completely unscientific and non-comprehensive breakdown of why our future generations are going to be non-functional:

The Society

The Israel-Premier Tech (PRT) team is clearly a vehicle for advancing Israel’s image, and, indeed, advancing favourable propaganda.

Many readers will know that South Australia hosts the Santos Tour Down Under (Tour Down Under) in January each year. It is traditionally the opening event of the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) World Tour. That is the premier men’s elite road cycling tour. The Tour Down Under was established in South Australia in 1999 and has been held annually thereafter, save for the Covid induced cancellations in 2021 and 2022. In 2024 the Tour Down Under is due to take place from 12-21 January.