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Another success of Brazilian diplomacy

The so-called “Peace Summit” held in Switzerland had an obvious outcome. It didn't lead anywhere. It could, since from the beginning the failure of the alleged negotiations was imminent. Convened at the request of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, the high-level meeting was not attended by Russia. As the Brazilian government rightly argued, a meeting that wants to discuss the steps to end a conflict cannot take place without all sides of the conflict being represented and with the same rights to speak. Russia was not invited. He had also already said that he would not participate in a meeting in Switzerland anyway, since the country abandoned its traditional neutrality status by joining the United States and Europe's campaign against the Russians.




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Dreamteam Albania

Albania’s football team is to be congratulated on some very entertaining football, taking the game to their powerful opponents in the most difficult group at UEFA 2024 Group B, the Group of Death. Spain, Italy, Croatia, and…Albania, present in the UEFA finals for only the second time (2016 was the first). Along with everyone else, when I saw the group, I groaned and said “Poor Albania, they are going to get thrashed”. Well, they didn’t. The game against Italy surprised and shocked everyone as the reigning champions were outplayed by a spirited Albania for much of the game, managing to hold on to their 2-.1 lead in a game which Albania should have drawn.  Spirit and grit For those who thought this was a fluke, they were wrong. This was already obvious in the first game with Albania’s passing and movement off the ball, the team spirit and what we call grit, saw wave after wave of Albanian attacks, intelligent attacks favouring incursions down both flanks or through the middle, depending on where there were better positioned players with all the Albanian team able to read the game as it developed. The passing was not only intelligent, it was accurate, fast-paced and sophisticated, denoting remarkable maturity.




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The U.S. Strategic Miscalculation with India in the 2nd Cold War

The current Sinophobia in the 2nd Cold War between the U. S. and China has contributed to the 2nd strategic mistake that the U. S. is making by allying with India against China (without examining thoroughly its long-term consequences) -- just as the U. S. made the 1st strategic mistake by aligning with China against the U. S. S.R. in the 1st Cold War (also without examining thoroughly its long-term consequences). In global geopolitics, a friend of today can become an enemy of tomorrow. Therefore, is it too late for the U. S. to correct this 2nd strategic mistake by handling India with great care, due to the latter's hegemonic ambition as a new world power, which will then lead to the coming of what I call "Indophobia” in the next decade(s)? 1. Introduction: Historical Background In my 1999 book titled "The Future of Human Civilization” (published in 1999), I had already untimely predicted the emergence of China as the dominant global power on Earth in the following decades, as it was based on the untimely prediction made in my 1995 doctoral dissertation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.). In my 2007 book titled "Beyond the World of Titans, and the Remaking of World Order” (published in 2007), I had already untimely predicted the emergence of China and India as the two "hyper-empires” in the top (1st) tier of global politics, with the U. S. and the EU falling to the 2nd tier (as the two "meso-empires”).




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Fearing Le Pen, the left saves Macron and recovers "pink neoliberalism"

The big loser in the French elections was not the far right. It's true that if it hadn't been for the spurious agreements between the New Popular Front and the Macronists, the National Regroupment would have grown even more. But the result of the second round is not exactly a victory for the left. After Marine Le Pen's RN led the first round of the elections, the leaders of the NFP fell into the trap of the French press and Emmanuel Macron, abandoning numerous candidates of their own to increase the chances of the neoliberal right linked to the Renaissance party beating the far right.  The French big bourgeoisie called for a "republican front" to create a "cordon sanitaire" made up of the left and the neoliberal right in order to prevent a landslide victory for the RN, which led to agreements in around 220 constituencies for the candidate with supposedly the least chance of winning the RN to abandon the race in favour of the candidate with the greatest chance. Except that most of the abandonments were by the NFP so that Macron's allies could beat Le Pen's allies, even though the NFP came second in the first round, far ahead of Macron's coalition.




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Kamala Harris is neither 'comrade' nor 'communist'

US Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris unveiled her platform. Predictably, Karris advocates for more migrants and more rights for those representing the LGBT* community.   Unpredictably, though, Kamala Harris proposed to introduce state regulation of prices. Donald Trump has recently called Kamala Harris a "communist", but she is as far from Marxism as Adolf Hitler was far from pacifism. Modern American pseudo-Marxism and leftism has nothing to do with social justice at all. It is not corporations, not financial monsters, but the middle classes that are supposed to become its victims.




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An Existential Dilemma for the Black American Identity

By the 2020s, in spite of centuries after the Emancipation Proclamation (in 1863) and decades or generations of Black empowerment, there is still something fundamentally missing in the Black American identity, because the latter has failed to substantially "de-colonize" the violent colonial legacy (like the ruthless importation of Black slaves, not just the near-extermination of Native Americans) in the Thirteen British Colonies (and later the United States) in early American history. A good beginning for a long-term solution (de-colonization) is to understand in what ways the "average" Black American mindset has lost its average Black "African" roots, with the resultant effect of "inferiority complex" among Black Americans (involving both "self-hatred" within the oppressed and "anger" or "hatred" towards the oppressor, which vary in degree from person to person), on "average." Although this essay uses the case of Black Americans for analysis, the logical implication is much broader, since the same reasoning can be applied to Black communities around the world (outside sub-Saharan Africa), be they in Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Northern Europe, Southern Europe, North Africa, the Oceania, and the like.




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Energy (In)-Security: The Implications of the Middle East Crisis

The recent flare-up of conflict in the Middle East, particularly triggered by the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran by a suspected Israeli airstrike, represents not only a humanitarian and political crisis but also a looming energy crisis ahead. As tensions between Israel, backed by the United States, and Iran, along with its allies like Hezbollah and other Middle Eastern states, intensify, the risks to energy resources and supply routes, both on land and at sea, are becoming increasingly evident. The region's significant oil and gas reserves, crucial to global markets, are now under threat, and any disruption of these supplies could have far-reaching consequences for energy security worldwide. The assassination of Haniyeh, a central figure in Hamas, has ignited a dangerous new phase in the already volatile Middle East. Iran, a key supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah, has found itself at the heart of a growing coalition of Middle Eastern countries rallying against Israel. This development risks drawing the entire region into a broader confrontation, with profound implications not just for regional stability but also for global energy markets.




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Rentrée 2024: Shock and Horror

After the Summer holidays, back to work. And what do we find? A worsening shock and horror story on Planet Dearth ‘24 Twenty-five years ago, as the new millennium approached, I, along with many others, was brimming with hope and optimism for the new century, expecting a multilateral approach to international affairs and the full implementation of the rule of law on the international stage. The warning sign, Albanian terrorists 9/11 had not yet happened. But Kosovo had and I suppose this was a tell-tale warning sign of what was already in motion, the behind-the-scenes scheming of a new world order controlled by those who pull the strings behind the scenes in Washington DC and therefore its troupe of yapping chihuahuas across the Pond.




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The Media, the Full Truth and Western Fascism

We are in a dangerous place, the black and white areas defined by The Global Thinking Project…and the Fake News story.  We are in a dangerous place, where the term Fake News has been hijacked to censor out everything that does not follow the Global Thinking Project, which is basically a unilateral straight-.line-on-a-map dogma defining This Is How We All Think. The Internet was praised for bringing us a wide range of information in real time, enabling us to think for ourselves and choose our sources. I myself was one of the pioneers of Intervention Journalism, telling it as it is, as it really is, including my opinion sometimes, but outside the tidy little news package edited to follow the editorial line of the Mainstream Media, funded and financed and made viable by media companies which would not toss a cent to any publication deemed outside the little box. I would take great offence at being classified over the years as a vendor of Fake News, since I do a lot of reading and listening before starting to write and speak and only write when I am sure I know what I am speaking about.




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Western Foreign Policy: Russia’s enemy is our friend

Unethical, as amoral as it is immoral, puerile, unprofessional,  criminal, shallow, devious and Lite. Western foreign policy. In short, it is a policy which is puerile, Lite and criminal. When I was twelve years old in 1970, I wrote a letter to Leonid Brezhnev, warning the USSR that Western foreign policy was all of the above and if I remember correctly, I used exactly these same words. The answer from the Kremlin was a very polite and agreeable letter in which it was stated the Soviet Union followed international law and favoured a multilateral world in which everyone played by the same set of weights and measures, or words to that effect.




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Evolving landscape of LNG trade: Opportunities and challenges for Russia and India

India's strategic pivot towards liquefied natural gas (LNG) is set to redefine its energy landscape, especially amid the shifting dynamics of global energy trade. Earlier this year, GAIL (India) Ltd, the country's largest government-owned natural gas company, secured a 10-year LNG purchase agreement with Vitol, a global energy trader with extensive operations in Russia. This deal, which begins in 2026, will ensure approximately 1 million metric tons (mt) of LNG annually, including gas sourced from Russia. This agreement is instrumental for India as it strives to elevate natural gas consumption to 15% of its energy mix by 2030. India's LNG imports have demonstrated considerable variability, reflecting its dependence on this critical energy source. Imports surged to 3,516 million standard cubic meters (MMSCM) in May but fell to 2,794 MMSCM in July. Over the first four months of the year, LNG accounted for a substantial 12,269 MMSCM out of a total gas consumption of 24,210 MMSCM, underscoring the country's reliance on imported LNG to meet its growing energy needs. This volatility highlights the strategic importance of agreements, like the one with Vitol and the one between Novatek and Deepak Fertilisers, signed in February 2023, for both spot and long-term supply contract markets in securing energy stability. Russia, for its part, has been adapting its LNG export strategy in response to global pressures and the evolving market landscape. In the first half of 2024, Russian LNG imports to Europe rose by 11% from last year, with Russia supplying 69.95 million mt so far. Despite a general decline in European gas consumption and a shift toward long-term contracts, Russian LNG remained a significant portion of imports, with France alone seeing a 110% increase. This demonstrates the resilience of Russian LNG in maintaining its foothold in European markets. Additionally, Russia's LNG exports to China have also seen growth, with 1.648 million mt shipped in the first quarter of 2024-a 2% increase from the previous year.




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China-Brazil peace plan for Ukraine based on their national inte

The Russian leadership verbally approves and supports the China-Brazil peace plan for Ukraine. In reality, it is just diplomacy so as not to offend the "allies". China and Brazil peace plan for Ukraine The plan to establish peace in Ukraine called "Common Understandings Between China and Brazil on Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis" will be presented on September 27 in New York with the participation of delegations from 20 countries of the Global South, including Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UAE. Representatives of European countries and the United States were not invited to the meeting.




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UK to transfer 100 Brimstone air-to-ground missiles for Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets

London will additionally transfer about a hundred Brimstone missiles, artillery guns and ammunition, British Secretary of State for Defence John Healey said earlier. It was previously reported that the UK would transfer 100 missiles for F-16 aircraft to Ukraine at the end of the summer. The transfer of the fighters has allegedly begun. In the fall of 2022, London transferred Brimstone-2 missiles with increased range and laser guidance to the Armed Forces o Ukraine. In February 2024, the UK announced plans to transfer another 200 homing Brimstone missiles to Ukraine. The Brimstone family includes several modifications of missiles. They are launched mainly from aircraft, helicopters or unmanned vehicles to strike sea and land targets, including moving ones. One Brimstone missile costs about 175,000 pounds sterling ($234,500).




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Yars nuclear deterrent missile designed to cool Western hot heads

Not that long ago, the Teikovo missile unit (Guards Order of Kutuzov missile division) took mobile ground-based Yars missile systems for exercises. The manoeuvres included marches at a distance of up to 100 kilometers, dispersal and change of positions, organization of combat security and camouflage. The goal of the exercises was to improve the training and coherence of personnel of the Strategic Missile Forces.




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Let's face it: Iran shows feeble power with its ballistic attack on Israel

Iran's unprecedented ballistic missile attack on Israel on October 1 shocked the world. Benjamin Netanyahu's hands were shaking shook as he read out the counter threats. This is an important signal for Russia. Iran shows everyone what's what Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran, by striking Israel on the evening of October 1, exercised its right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. He stressed that the attack was carried out only to strike military and security facilities "responsible for the genocide in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon." "Our action is concluded unless Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation. In that scenario, our response will be stronger and more powerful. Israel's enablers now have a heightened responsibility to rein in the warmongers in Tel Aviv instead of getting involved in their folly," the minister wrote on X platform.




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Fattah-2: New generation of Iranian weapons to respond to aggressor

On the first day of October, Iran fired more than 200 missiles at Israel. The missiles reached their targets in 10-12 minutes. According to the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces said, the attacks were conducted to hit Navatim and Netzarim air bases, where F-35 aircraft, radars and tank assembly centers are based. It is believed that Iran used new Fattah-2 hypersonic missiles for the attack. The hypersonic ballistic missile flies at a speed of about 6,000 km per hour (up to 5 Mach); its flight range amounts to 1,400 km.




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Israel and US to invade Iran not to let it build nuclear bomb

Did Iran conduct an underground nuclear test on October 5? Iran will build a nuclear bomb anyway, and the US and Israel will have to occupy it not to let it happen. Iran May Have Conducted an Underground Nuclear Explosion An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale was recorded in the desert of Iran's Semnan province at 10:45 a. m. on October 5, Iranian news agency Mehr reported. The US Geological Survey said that the epicenter of the earthquake was only 10 kilometers below the ground. Iranian sources announced different number — 12 kilometers. What puzzles experts most is that the earthquake had no early warning issued.




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CIS Summit highlights Russia's role of a strong, dominating power

The summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was a formality, but the issue at hand is the security of the Russian Federation. Moscow needs to change its attitude towards its neighbours before it is too late. The following leaders attended the CIS summit at the personal invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Moldovan President Maia Sandu did not attend.




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France and Germany cut aid to Ukraine due to budget problems

The West has been cutting its funding for Ukraine. Next year loans remain doubtful. European heavyweights have announced a reduction in funding for Ukraine. France, which promised 3 billion euros in aid to Ukraine this year, has cut it by 1 billion, or by one-third. This is due to budget problems — budget deficit for 2024 may amount to about six percent of France's GDP, which is unacceptable according to EU rules. French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu clarified in an interview with Politico that he did not plan to request additional funds for Kyiv from parliament until the end of this year.




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Can Ukraine build a nuclear bomb in a few weeks?

Ukraine is considering a possibility of creating nuclear weapons, Bild said citing a high-ranking Ukrainian official. The republic has the resources necessary to restore its nuclear arsenal, the official claimed. A high-ranking Ukrainian official told Bild that Kyiv has the materials and knowledge to build nuclear weapons. It would take Ukraine "only a few weeks" to make an A-bomb if relevant agreements could be reached quickly. Not too long ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told former US President Donald Trump that Ukraine should have nuclear weapons or become a NATO member.




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Moldova's European referendum: The people should save their nation from EU claws

Marginal result with diaspora fake votes calls the legitimacy of the constitutional referendum in Moldova into question. The next two weeks before the second round of the presidential elections will be dangerous. Constitutional referendum in Moldova is illegitimate The EU spent huge amounts of money to promote the idea of European course in Moldova. In a nutshell, the essence of this idea is about the "Anti-Russia" project: Visits of European ambassadors, "Citizens for Europe" rallies, campaign trips in blue minibuses, all kinds of concerts demonstrations and other events with blue flags. The pro-Western media machine was trying to convince the Moldovans that the idea of the European integration would receive the support of 70 percent of voters.




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South and North Koreas to unite in Ukraine

On October 8, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun announced that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, commonly known as North Korea) had transferred troops to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later announced that the DPRK had effectively become a party to the conflict. First reports about the transfer of North Korean troops to Ukraine appeared after Russia and the DPRK signed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty. The parties agreed to immediately provide mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of them. Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine was in a state of war with the DPRK.




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Cuban leaders try to sweep major blackout problem under the worn-out rug

The October 18 blackout paralyzed Cuba completely. The Cuban government tries to shrug the problem off by making references to the economic blockade, although the leadership of the island of freedom with no electricity should rather look at its own effectiveness. Total blackout in Cuba: three days without electricity and water Blackout, or apagon in Spanish, is a long-standing problem in Cuba that the island nation has been living with since the 1970s. Yet, this is the first time when the country experienced such a large-scale accident. On Friday, October 18, the Cuban electrical system was completely shut down as a result of an emergency at its main thermal power plant Antonio Guteras in Matanzas. This thermal power plant has not been modernized since 1988. The Cubans had to live without electricity and water for three days. All institutions and industries stopped and thus put the country's security in jeopardy.




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Brazil explains contradictions in BRICS and why not everyone will be accepted

The fact that President of Brazil Lula is not attending the BRICS summit in Kazan has given rise to rumours of internal contradictions within the bloc. Brazilian sources debunk this myth and explain why there is a queue to join BRICS. According to Western media, Brazil was against the participation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the BRICS summit in Kazan, since Brazil did not recognise the presidential election in this country. In an interview with the O Globo, Celso Amorim, special adviser to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on foreign policy, said that Brazil's position on Venezuela "is not a moral or political judgment." "I am not concerned about Venezuela's accession, we do not make moral or political judgments about the country itself. BRICS has countries that practice different types of regimes, the question is whether they have the potential to contribute to a more peaceful world, given their political weight and ability to form relationships," Amorim said.




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BRICS Summit brings Russia recognition as established world leader

The BRICS summit in Kazan has formalized Russia's leadership in real decolonization and creation of developed economies based on its own strength. First steps have been named and are clear to everyone. Russia accepted as a new leader in the world The fact that 32 heads of state and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres gathered in Kazan, Russia, during the times of the special military operation has demonstrated the decline of US influence in the world and the emergence of Russia as its leader. A country with 3.5 percent of global GDP in purchasing power parity was able to withstand harsh sanctions and three years of war with NATO at the hands of Ukrainians. The West that dominates the world economy with 40 percent is clearly losing the game to Russia on all fronts. It is about the ability, desire and readiness to defend one's national interests on the battlefield and mobilize one's economy. This is valued and respected in the world, and no one saw this in the Western camp.




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Moment of Israel's strike on Iran getting closer. Jericho II nuclear missiles ready

It appears that the moment when Israel is going to strike Iran is getting closer. Ten US Air Force KC-135R tanker aircraft are heading towards the Middle East with at least 20 F-16 fighters escorting them. French all purpose landing ship L9013 Mistral arrived in Larnaca, Cyprus. US has transferred new combat aircraft to its base in Qatar. A curious event was noticed in the sky over Cambridge: three US tanker aircraft and a C-5M Super Galaxy military transport aircraft were spotted airborne. According to The New York Times, Iranian leader Ali Khamenei ordered the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic to prepare for a state of war with Israel. Khamenei instructed the army to present several plans of response to Israel's imminent attack on Iran, depending on the scale of the strike.




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Israel, Genocide, and the Curse of Unchecked Power

The current Israeli escalation of violent conflicts with multiple adversaries in the Middle East, in a way which is both excessive in scale and emotional in tone, while under the unconditional support of the United States, spells trouble for Western power politics in years to come. This is a classic example of the self-destructiveness of power politics in the long term, when power is unchecked in wreaking havoc on others for short-term "feel good" gains, under the temptation of unrealistic goals (wishful thinking).  1. Introduction: Israel, the United States, and Western Power Politics There are 3 important factors contributing to the unconditional support of Israel by the United States in recent decades.




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Slovak Prime Minister appears on Russian TV accusing NATO and EU of supporting Ukraine

Robert Fico became the first NATO leader to have given an interview to Russian media after the start of the special military operation and he made some very bold statements in it. The West fails to bring Russia to its knees Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico gave an interview to Russian journalist Olga Skabeeva on the state-run Rossiya-1 TV channel. He started his interview with a Slovak proverb that says that "no one on their knees can be considered defeated — perhaps they are just tying their shoelaces."




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Why Does Kamala Harris Hate Black Men?

Craw-Dadding. Actually, Craw-Daddin'. The first time I used it the blonde with me had no conception.




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Tim Walz — Chinese Liberator, War Hero, Renegade Outlaw

Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Walz has led a charmed life. This He-Man has been in more scrapes than a cheese grater and come out for the better. And while I might regale you with innumerable tales of his derring-do, we must stick to the highlight reel of that figure who no doubt would have been Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers had he not nobly sacrificed those ambitions to care for we urchins of a petrifying nation who needed him most.




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The American Economy is Totally Fine…For Seriously, You Guise!

The American stock market has approximately 250 trading days a year. Of which, there are around 60 trading days remaining. At present, the market has reached more than 45 "New All-Time Highs!” in 2024.




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Turn The Page - Good Writers, Bad Speeches & Cocktail Conversationalists

“Truth is the first casualty of war!” It’s a good line. Not mine. That belongs to George Orwell in the 1940s…or perhaps Arthur Ponsonby in 1928…or maybe United States Senator Hiram Johnson in 1918…or probably Samuel Johnson in 1758…or possibly, as with most things, Aeschylus in 500 B.C. Actually, no one is aware of the origin as even with first documented uses it is referenced as “an ancient proverb”.




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Make US-Russian relations great again!

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he was unaware of Russian President Vladimir Putin's plans to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory in the US presidential election. "As for congratulations, I am unaware of the president's plans to congratulate Trump on the election," he said, RIA Novosti reports. The voting in the US presidential election ended. Trump is leading by a solid margin while getting the majority of votes from both voters and electors.




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Trump Wins in a Blowout!

America woke up in shock Wednesday morning to maps of a red United States.  Donald Trump had pulled off the unthinkable.  He won by a landslide instead of a tight squeaker.   Think about it, Trump has been indicted 91 times!  We saw him sitting in court and then convicted.  He was impeached twice while president.  Many think he tried to thwart democracy by declaring the 2020 election had been stolen.  He said he had fallen in love with Kim Jong Un.  He openly praised Turkey's Orban.  He hurled defamatory slurs at his opponents that were unthinkable.  He said immigrants were eating cats and dogs.  They accused him of leading an insurrection.  And, this man, Donald J. Trump won the American presidency by a landslide.  What to make of this?  The Democrats need to do some deep soul-searching.   The Democrats hid from the American people the fact that Joe Biden was in cognitive decline. We could clearly see it, yet their media mouthpieces said he was "sharp as a tack" with "energy to spare."  One week before the election, Kamala was asked why she did not say something about Biden's decline, and she replied that he was not in decline. Immigation is a top concern of Americans. When Haris was asked about our southern border, she responded that we had no problem there; it was under control. She lost credibility by playing loose with the truth.  




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There Has To Be A Morning After

Your author is a peculiar individual and not only for his love of Loly Hardcore. (Incidentally, VLAD, you keep giving speeches about repopulating Russia but no Loly on my doorstep yet…it was my understanding Russian shills were compensated spectacularly!?!…*sigh*…) Anyway — as your Humble Correspondent was reminiscing — the more I exist the more unusual I become.




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Decentralization, corruption, negligence: Causes of humanitarian disaster in Spain

The Spanish authorities allowed a humanitarian disaster to occur in Valencia when a catastrophic flood hit the region. The government of Spain pays first priority to Ukraine, rather to its own people. Humanitarian crisis in Valencia due to government inaction On October 29, torrential rains hit Valencia inundating dry riverbeds and ravines filled with dead wood and debris. Floodwaters went upstream under pressure trapping thousands of people. To date, 217 bodies have been identified. According to European satellite emergency assistance system Copernicus EMS, the floods affected 15,633 hectares of land, including 3,249 kilometers of streets and roads. Over 190,000 people were affected, 17,597 residential buildings were ruined or partially damaged. Hospitals of the region work in overdrive due to disrupted logistics.




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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz puts Germany's problems aside

Olaf Scholz's nerves gave out after Trump's victory. By saving Ukraine, the German Chancellor has ruined the ruling coalition of Germany and will now build it with the CDU, putting Germany's problems aside. Scholz ruins ruling coalition by saving Zelensky Germany's ruling coalition fell apart on Wednesday, November 6, after which Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) fired Finance Minister Christian Lindner, who represented the Free Democratic Party (FDP) in the "traffic light" coalition. Three other FDP ministers resigned soon afterwards. Scholz plans to hold early elections in March, and his government will operate in a minority until then. The leader of the opposition CDU party, Friedrich Merz, demands that elections be scheduled for January.




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Unlocking the Arctic: The Northern Sea Route as the Future of Global Sea Trade

In October 2024, Russia announced plans to significantly increase year-round shipping through the Northern Sea Route (NSR), aiming a boost in cargo volume to over 200 million tons annually by 2030 — a critical step in transforming the Arctic into a global trade corridor. With 2023's cargo volume already reaching 36.254 million tons, despite a slight dip this year so far mainly due to delays in launching major raw material projects like Arctic LNG 2, the route continues to demonstrate its growing role in Russia's trade and energy strategy. The Northern Sea Route, stretching across Russia's Arctic coastline, has long been eyed as a potential alternative to the Suez Canal for connecting Europe and Asia. With shorter transit times — promising to reduce the distance between Asia and Europe by 10 to 14 days compared to the Suez Canal route — and bypassing congested chokepoints, the NSR offers the promise of a more direct, efficient maritime route between the two continents. This October's decision is only the latest in a series of strategic moves by Russia to establish the NSR as a primary passage for international sea-based trade, catalyzed by Russia's growing ties with both China and India, who are actively seeking reliable access to the Arctic. Amid escalating tensions, particularly the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, which has the potential to severely disrupt sea trade along the Suez Canal, the NSR's strategic importance becomes even more pronounced.




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MMA fighter faces up to seven years in prison for assaulting another fighter

Notorious pop MMA fighter Nabi Nabiev faces seven years in prison for assaulting another pop fighter, Arkady Osipyan. Law enforcement officers detained Nabi Nabiev at a Moscow airport as he was returning from filming a sports reality show. Law-enforcers told Nabiev that Osipyan filed a statement against him after the fight. Nabiev was charged with hooliganism and placed under house arrest. Nabiev's upcoming fights have been canceled. In April 2024, Nabi Nabiev was expelled from Hardcore Fighting after he started a mass brawl at one of the shows. Then the promotion terminated the contract with Nabi and kicked him out for unsportsmanlike behaviour. Nabiev thus ended up in the reality show of another promotion in Thailand.




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Man drifts for 67 days in rubber boat with bodies of his two relatives

A Russian man who had been drifting for two months in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk with the bodies of his relatives was rescued. His boat was discovered by the crew of the fishing vessel "Angel". When the fishermen found the boat, the man was conscious and was even able to shout a few words. The first phrase spoken by the survivor was: "Not enough strength." In response, the crew of the vessel that found the man, a Sakhalin resident, said that they had taken this information into account and promised to save him quickly.




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Kazan authorities reportedly prohibit using old rusty cars not to spoil city looks for BRICS summit

In Kazan, employees of several companies were asked not to use their old cars during the days of the BRICS summit. People were also asked to minimize the use of personal cars, since "their old, rusty and excessively loud cars will tarnish the look of the city," 116.ru reports. According to an unnamed employee of one of the companies, the management suggested that employees should use public transport and leave their personal cars in garages or at least park them further away. In addition, students of one of Kazan technical schools were advised not to drive their "rattlers with loud music on not to disgrace the city."




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Lions attack and kill woman in Crimea safari park

A woman entered an enclosure with three lions to clean it, but did not close the door bar. The predators attacked and killed her, the Investigative Committee said. In 2021, a tiger bit a one-year-old child in the same park. An employee of Taigan Lion Park in Crimea died after predators attacked and mauled her. A criminal case was opened into the incident. On the afternoon of October 16, the woman who had worked in the park for almost 17 years entered the enclosure with three lions to clean it. However, she did not close the bolt of the door between the two sections of the cage, and the predators attacked her. The woman died. The case was opened into violation of labor protection requirements that resulted in the death of a person through negligence.




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Musical road markings appear on Russian highway

Russia's first musical marking appeared on a section of the M-11 Neva Highway (connects Moscow and St. Petersburg). When driving along the 653rd kilometer of the highway at the permitted speed, motorists can hear a fragment of the world-famous Kalinka Malinka song. Musical markings will prevent drivers from falling asleep at the wheel. They will encourage them to concentrate on the road when approaching an accident-prone section, for instance. The musical markings will serve an important purpose to reduce the number of car accidents. Such markings have not been used on Russian roads before, the press service of Avtodor (Russian Highways) said.




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About 100 armed men seize Archangel Michael Cathedral in Cherkassy

As many as 100 armed men tried to seize the Archangel Michael Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in the city of Cherkassy. The attackers smashed windows, broke doors, played songs about Stepan Bandera and threatened parishioners who were standing inside during the liturgy. One of the priests was injured. The invaders were wearing military uniforms. They managed to get to the altar in an attempt to force the believers out of the church, but the people fought back fiercely.  Metropolitan Theodosius of the UOC arrived to the cathedral with parishioners, the situation calmed down for a while, but the fights resumed soon. Theodosius was hurt during one of them.




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Fisherman finds pike inside bigger pike he caught – Video

In the Astrakhan region of Russia, fishermen showed what can be found inside a huge pike. The men said that they thus wanted to dispel the myth about jewelry, watches and other valuable items that other fishermen allegedly find in the pike that they catch. The video appeared on pages of The Astrakhan Hunting and Fishing community. "Many have seen fake videos online in which they find watches, chains, lures, jewelry inside the pike. Here, there is indeed a fish in the belly, we even know what kind, because its tail is sticking out of the throat," the fisherman said.




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Brazilian journalist admires streets of Moscow

Brazilian journalist and geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar admired the streets of Moscow and praised the city for its cleanliness. Escobar shared his impressions of the Russian capital on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, Moskovskiye Novosti (Moscow News) Telegram channel said. Escobar noted that he very much enjoyed walking along the streets of Moscow, especially at night. "I never take a taxi in the center, I always walk there. And it's a beautiful city: everything is clean, everything works. Fantastic. This is something that people in the West have no idea about,” the journalist said.




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Cosmonaut writers letter to Putin after being dismissed due to runny nose

Cosmonaut candidate Andrei Babkin, who was dismissed from his flight position in September due to a runny nose, wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In his address to the head of state, Babkin wrote that he would like independent experts to assess his health condition. In response, the Roscosmos Cosmonaut Training Center (CTC) said that an extended consultation was held on July 12. Members of the ENT section of the Main Medical Commission, as well as specialists who had previously treated the cosmonaut, were present at the meeting. As a result, no grounds were found for revising the previous medical conclusion in relation to the cosmonaut candidate.




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Woman downs 20 shots of strong drinks and falls into coma at Moscow bar

A young woman fell into a coma after having 20 shots in a Moscow bar. It was said that the woman went out for a drink after her boyfriend broke up with her. On Sunday night, October 27, the 24-year-old woman named only as Tanya came to the bar at Sergei Zhukov's Ruki Vverkh Bar (Hands Up!) on Tverskaya Street in Moscow. She ordered 20 shots of various strong drinks — vodka, whiskey, rum, tequila, sambuca and absinthe — and downed them all one after another while her friend and the bartender were filming her drinking. The woman felt sick and collapsed soon afterwards. She was rushed to intensive care in serious condition.




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Blogger with biggest lips found dead in sewer

Blogger Kristina Ray was found dead in Sochi. Her body was found in a sewer. Kristina Ray (real name Kristina Kozhevnikova), the former holder of the title "Biggest Lips in Russia" went missing in Sochi. The woman stopped communicating with friends and family on September 28. Kristina's relatives told the police that she had suffered from drug addiction for a long time. A few days before her disappearance, Kristina found out that they wanted to put her in a rehab clinic. The police were able to find out that on the day of her disappearance, the woman went to get drugs. She was 35.




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Lotus births all the rage in Russia

The practice of "lotus births" has grown by 30 percent in Russia lately. When practicing lotus delivery, women leave the umbilical cord uncut after childbirth and wait for it to dry off naturally. It is believed that the child builds a connection with space and becomes less aggressive. Lotus births can be found on the list of services provided by private clinics. Newborns are left connected to the placenta for the period of time that they "need.” This period of time can last from a few hours to 10 days. The followers of the lotus birth practice believe that they thus do not disrupt the natural course of events. In classic childbirth, one allegedly programs an incorrect code of life into the baby, "where breathing is associated with aggression."