Since the start of the war in Ukraine, in February 2022, Volodymyr Zelensky has been elevated to the status of a hero King, pure in thought and deed, interested only in saving humble Ukraine from the onrushing hordes of Russian Orcs. Like Aragorn from Lord of the Rings, but short, thin-skinned and with a gravelly voice. He has been completely immune from any criticism in the west, with all allegations dismissed and labelled as Kremlin talking points.

From hero to zero

BY Ian PROUD

Yet, in an instant, that illusion has been shattered.

For the first time since February 2022, Zelensky has been revealed as, in practical terms, no different from other Ukrainian Presidents who have preceded him since the country gained independence in August 1991; corrupt and authoritarian.

When the IRS announced two weeks ago that it would not enforce a section of federal law commonly called the Johnson Amendment, many clerics rejoiced. The Johnson Amendment — named for its author, then-Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson — strikes a bargain with charities. You accept tax-free dollars, you stay out of the political arena.

by Andrew P. Napolitano

Many new philosophers have adapted to the technologies of today. Gone are the simple esoteric values of behaviour. One pompously discusses the power of AI versus human intelligence with warnings and adoption. We see goodness and dangerous evil still, but not so much within ourselves.

Not so strangely, the warriors are still in front — preparing the populaces into their next fights … Even the dichotomy of war and peace is a fight — like a carousel of musical chairs in an amusement park.

I step out of my tent every morning, burdened with exhaustion, drenched in sorrow, searching for anything I might be able to buy for my family, a family worn down by hunger. Their bodies are too weak to move. Their faces have turned pale, drained of all signs of life. For two months, not a single grain of flour has entered our tent. My children still go to sleep every night with empty stomachs and unbearable pain.

Refaat Ibrahim

Prof. Aviva Chomsky teaches history and Latin American studies at Salem State University and has authored and edited numerous books including Central America’s Forgotten History, A History of the Cuban Revolution, and Undocumented: How Immigration Became Illegal. Her latest book Is Science Enough? Forty Critical Questions About Climate Justice tries to answer, in a clear and accessible way, the questions about what we ought to do to deal with the climate catastrophe. 

Aviva Chomsky on why “Science isn’t Enough” to Address Climate Change

A century after Upton Sinclair exposed journalism as a racket in The Brass Check, today’s media landscape has evolved into something even more dangerous: sanitized censorship disguised as fact-checking.

The Brass Checkers: Fact-Checkers ‘R’ the ‘New Age Censors and Parody for Brilliance. Part 1

Seth Ferris

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that his country will recognize Palestine as a state in pursuit of what he called a “historic commitment to a just and lasting peace” in the region.

In a surprise statement on X on Thursday, Macron said that he would make a formal announcement to this effect at the United Nations General Assembly in September in New York.

“The urgent need today is to end the war in Gaza and to rescue the civilian population,” he added.

While most countries around the world recognize Palestine as a nation, the United States and many of its close allies do not. With President Macron’s decision, France would be the first major country in the G7 – comprised of the US, Britain, Canada, Germany, Japan, and Italy – to officially recognize a Palestinian state. 

Australia has lifted biosecurity restrictions on beef imports from the United States, one of the key grievances that led the Trump administration to impose tariffs on Australia.

The US has been able to export its beef to Australia since 2019, but certain products were banned over concerns related to mad cow disease, including beef sourced from Canada or Mexico and slaughtered in the US.

Because the American supply chain is so integrated, it meant an effective ban on all US beef to Australia since most of it could not be reliably traced.

US Senator Lindsey Graham recently slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for weakening Ukraine’s “critical anti-corruption institutions” — the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

Why is the US senator so invested?

Gutting the Western-Built Machine

Zelensky’s new law effectively subordinates NABU and SAPO to the prosecutor general:

SAPO’s head becomes a figurehead

NABU is downgraded into a mere department

Built by the West, Controlled by the West

Albanese in China: 6 days, 1 panda, 0 shouting. (Some) media outrage level: critical.

Never mind that the trip secured new trade protocols, tourism agreements, and a fresh review of the China–Australia Free Trade Agreement. Never mind the agricultural breakthroughs, the reopening of tourism channels, or the decarbonisation talks with major iron ore exporters and Chinese steelmakers. None of that seemed to matter. The real problem, we were told, was tone.

Fred Zhang

Ukraine’s calls for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky are premature, as the two sides have yet to make progress on major points of disagreement, the Kremlin said on Thursday following the latest round of peace talks.

The negotiations, held in Istanbul the day before, lasted less than an hour. Both sides agreed on several humanitarian issues, including the exchange of prisoners of war, civilian detainees, and the repatriation of soldiers’ remains.

Russia has also proposed short-term ceasefires lasting 24 to 48 hours to facilitate the evacuation of wounded personnel and the recovery of bodies. In addition, Moscow has suggested the creation of three online working groups focused on political, humanitarian, and military issues.

The German chancellery insists the ruling coalition is united in its stance on Israel's actions in Gaza, despite differing views. A split appeared after Germany refused to add its name to a 28-country declaration.

German Chancellery Minister Thorsten Frei on Wednesday dismissed concerns of a rift within Germany's coalition government over its position on Israel.

An apparent split emerged after Germany opted not to join dozens of Western countries in signing a condemnation of the "inhumane killing" of Palestinian civilians in Gaza on Monday.

German government denies rift over Israel's conduct in Gaza
Richard Connor

Six weeks ago, legendary financial and geopolitical cycle analyst Martin Armstrong was signaling a big turn toward war.  Now, Armstrong says, “The chances of war with a nuclear exchange is at 100%. . .. Plan on it, this is coming.”

Only a complete imbecile would trust the British as allies. History offers no example of London taking serious risks for the sake of partnership. On the contrary, Britain’s favorite geopolitical sport has long been to encourage continental states to exhaust themselves in battles with stronger adversaries – only for the UK to later emerge as the diplomatic victor. Throwing allies under the bus is tradition, not exception.

Two bald men fighting over a comb: The UK-Germany ‘alliance’
The Berlin-London ‘deal’ is a farce, but one that aligns with the region’s decline
By Timofey Bordachev

French President Emmanuel Macron’s approval rating has dropped below 20% for the first time since taking office, as criticism mounts over rising defense spending and cuts to social programs. Prime Minister Francois Bayrou also performed poorly in the same poll, with the two forming the most unpopular executive pair of the Fifth Republic.

Macron’s approval rating has fallen to 19%, with Bayrou at just 18%, making a combined approval of 37% – the lowest in modern France, according to a new IFOP survey published on Monday. Even during the Yellow Vest protests – a major anti-government movement that began in 2018 over fuel taxes and economic inequality – the French leader’s lowest rating was 23%.