news

Cuba Reduces Mortality to 7.1 Children Per 1,000 Live Births

Most deaths were related to perinatal diseases, pulmonary hypertension, intrauterine growth removedation, and prematurity.

On Wednesday, Cuban authorities indicated that their country closed out 2023 with a slight decrease in infant mortality, recording 7.1 per 1,000 live births.

This figure represents 74 fewer deaths than in 2022 when a rate of 7.5 was reported, according to the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap).

The provinces with the highest rates are La Habana (7.9), Santiago de Cuba (8), Guantanamo (9), and Mayabeque (9.1). The lowest reports were from Pinar del Río (3.1), Artemisa (3.9), Holguín (4.7), Sancti Spíritus (4.8), Villa Clara (5.7), and Matanzas (6.9).

Frank Garcia, head of the Maternal and Child Care Program (PAMI), indicated that most infant deaths were related to perinatal conditions, pulmonary hypertension, delayed intrauterine growth and prematurity.

Cuba has maintained one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the Americas for years, which in 2018 it was 4.0; in 2019, it reached 5.0; and in 2020, it was 4.9.

Birth rates continued to decline in 2023 in Cuba, where 90,374 live births occurred compared to the 95,402 babies born in 2022, reinforcing the trend towards population aging and the projection that it will be one of the countries with the highest number of older adults by 2050.

Figures until 2021 have revealed that the aging rate is 21.6 percent, the birth rate is 8.9 per 1,000 inhabitants, and fertility values have reached their lowest number in the last 60 years, according to data from the Center for Population and Development Studies.

In "the west is doing great" news, 3078 Danish companies went bankrupt in 2023. This is the highest number of bankruptcies since 2010.

103 people killed, the Israeli fascists are out of their minds if they think Iran is gonna let that slide, fuckin murderous scumbags

Harvard president just resigned amidst plagiarism scandal. Is this linked to the anti-semitic accusation not too long ago?

Is this how they’re going to play it: if you don’t toe the party line, we will sink your career? And they’re making an example out of Harvard it seems.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/harvard-president-gay-resigns-harvard-crimson-student-newspaper-2024-01-02/

Daesh terror group has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attacks in the Iranian city of Kerman.

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ok so it was ISISrael

NEW: Internal CNN directives force all Israel news through the Network's Jerusalem Bureau, subjecting it to oversight by the IDF censor. CNN also hired a soldier out of the IDF Spokesperson Unit to cover the aftermath of October 7th.

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PAY BACK OK?

Swap: if Javier Milei does not negotiate, Argentina will have to pay China more than US$5 billion in 2026

Sources who participated in the last negotiation confirmed to Ámbito that the agreement expires within two years and that if it is not revalidated, the section that has already been used for the currency exchange must be paid.

A few days after Javier Milei assumed the presidency, Ámbito announced the Chinese government's decision to reverse the release of the last tranche of the swap that Sergio Massa and Alberto Fernández had negotiated. But that's not all, this medium was able to corroborate from sources who participated in that negotiation that the currency exchange expires in August 2026 and that, if a new agreement is not reached by then, Argentina would have to pay more than US$5.000 million to replace the yuan that was used. The situation caused internal friction in the Government due to ideologized diplomacy.

The bilateral relationship with China under the administration of La Libertad Avanza did not start in the best way. President Xi Jinping responded quickly to the grievances that Milei launched at the Asian giant during the campaign and backed down with the release of fresh funds that were going to provide oxygen of US$6.5 billion to the liquidity of the Central Bank to face imports or debt payments, as happened previously with the International Monetary Fund.

The snubs to the second trading partner escalated with the praise of different members of the Government for Taiwan and were reflected in the resignation from the BRICS, which was made official at the beginning of this week but what Ámbito anticipated a month before. At the same time that Argentina renounced participating in the emerging bloc, countries as dissimilar as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ethiopia and Iran joined as full partners.

This step aside, which was communicated by letter with texts copied to the presidents of the founding countries, leaves the country without the possibility of accessing funds from the New Development Bank that already finances infrastructure works for more than US$38.5 billion in everyone. It is also presumed that it would complicate the progress that had been made with the Development Bank of Brazil and would not pave the way for the arrival of Saudi dollars.

What could happen with the swap?

The economic team is not enthusiastic about the hyper-ideological view that Diana Mondino gives to foreign relations. Firstly, because several of the current officials participated in the negotiations to renew the swap during Mauricio Macri's government, but also because, if the link with China is cut, Argentina will have to replace the yuan that was used last year.

This is about US$5,000 million that the Fernández government used to accelerate imports of inputs. To this we must add the interest: the rate paid to China is confidential, but it has always been clarified that it is below what the IMF currently charges and analysts estimate that it is around 6% annually. High sources who participated in the last negotiation confirmed to Ámbito that the current agreement expires in August 2026 and that, if a new extension is not negotiated by then, you must pay.

It is not a minor fact. The accumulation of reserves is a central point of the economic program, especially if one considers eliminating exchange restrictions. Furthermore, there is so far no evidence that the markets are willing to provide the Government with fresh funds. Debt with the Monetary Fund, with the Paris Club, with private creditors, lawsuits in foreign courts and more. The maturity schedule does not look easy for the coming years.

Original article in Spanish

Hell yeah we owned these commies huh!

Iranian Minister of Interior:

• “This terrorist act will be met with a strong and decisive response from the security and military apparatus in the shortest possible time.”

• “The first explosion occurred at 3PM, and when people rushed to come & help the wounded, a second explosion occurred at 3:20PM; most of the martyrs & injured are affected by the second explosion.”

• “The situation in Kerman is normal now, and everything is under the control of the security and law enforcement forces.”

• “The enemy tried to carry out explosions in various ceremonies, which was thwarted by our intelligence forces.”

• “We have information, but we will inform people as soon as it is confirmed. People should not pay attention to rumours. I ask everyone to pay attention to the PsyOps by the enemy and not to become a victim of it.”

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A blizzard has hit Denmark, giving the largest amount of precipitation ever recorded on a single day in January. Traffic is severely affected in many parts of the country, trains ferries and busses are cancelled and emergency services are having to bring food, water and fuel to motorists who has been stuck in their cars for up to 19 hours. In the worst affected parts of the country municipal elder care is disrupted and authorities are worried about isolated elderly people but getting their medication. Military vehicles has been deployed to assists emergency services, two of the army's Piranha vehicles have got stuck themselves.

in cope news...

Hamas Used Gaza Hospital as a Command Center, U.S. Intelligence Says

this is a story in the 'paper of record' who's headline is about 'new intelligence' and literally the only 'new intelligence' is another unnamed official saying 'yeah we believe the same thing as before'. one would think that the CIA could at least ask the IDF to make something up, but they've probably lost faith since the badly faked phone intercepts and the smoking gun that was the calendar written in arabic. this shit really shows how much the lean business model has seeped into everything, including propaganda efforts. I guess it makes sense though, why waste time creating bullshit evidence if you're going to have to waste more time defending the evidence. easier to just have some anonymous drone say 'see my previous email' to the nyt

US senators say ‘arbitrary’ Israeli inspections slowing aid delivery

Two US senators have said that the delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza is being stymied by an arbitrary Israeli inspections regime.

Democratic Senators Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley visited the border between Egypt and Gaza on Saturday, where a warehouse is full of vital supplies rejected by Israeli authorities, including water testing equipment and medical goods.

“The warehouse was a testament to the arbitrariness” of the process, Van Hollen said.

“What struck me yesterday was the miles of backed-up trucks. We couldn’t count, but there were hundreds,” Merkley told a group of reporters in Cairo.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah: We are not afraid of war. We are ready for it. We are not deterred. And when it is waged against us, then our national interests lie in going all in, to those who speak of national interests.

Germany wants to send more fighter jets to Saudi Arabia

Because the Saudi fight against the Houthi rebels also helps Israel, according to Baerbock.

The previous position was articulated in this amazing, classic Baerbock speech in front of the Green party congress from 2022:

Firstly, we are not directly sending weapons to Saudi Arabia. There are no weapons deliveries from Germany to Saudi Arabia, where human rights are trampled upon. [Applause.] Secondly, yes, we, in a joint project, which is an old contract, which others before us have signed. This was *sighs* very hard for us, for Robert [Habeck] and me, but we cannot just sit there and "schwupps" *snaps fingers*, this old contract magically disappears, is gone. But it is there. And it is difficult to balance that, because we want and need more European arms cooperation, as otherwise 100 billion [special budget for the military they just passed] will in no way be enough. And I don't want to cut even more social services, and that Lisa [Paus, family minster] does not have the funds for the children, which she desperately needs.

In case you can't understand this genius: They were, in fact, sending weapons to Saudi Arabia, but it was through an old joint European arms deal, but "they had to", because money ... err ... think of the children! You wouldn't want the children to go hungry do you? They would never sign new contracts with those evil Saudis. Never! Oh would you look at that they just did.

It looks like Israel is airstriking further into Lebanon in response to Hezbollah dealing massive damage to the Meron base, which seems like a major base of operations for the Israeli military and has radars and jamming equipment that help their aerial operations. Latest airstrike is south of Tyre.

Ancap Update:

Argentine government cuts 500 employees from state radio The contracts were valid until the end of 2023 and were not renewed; the measure is part of Milei's reform package.

Weeks after Argentine President Javier Milei devalued the country's currency by 54%, investors are predicting that the Argentine peso will come under heavy pressure, a sign that the market is becoming discouraged by his initial measures.

LMAO, apparently there's a possibility Orban might replace Charles Michel as president of the European Council

From The Guardian, https://archive.is/E5RRQ

Interesting development.

According to Maldivian media reports, 2 israeli-affiliated oil tankers were targeted by unknown drones in the west and northwest of Maldives in the past few days.

Initial reports indicate that both tankers were seriously damaged by explosions. The oil tankers were supposed to pass through the Strait of Bab al-Mandab.

The oil tankers were targeted by drones at a distance of 2,000 kilometers, reportedly from thr Bab al-Mandab area.

"Mohammed bin Salman discussed the Kingdom’s relations with the United States on Saturday during a meeting with members of the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

MBS welcomed the delegation, which was headed by committee chairman Senator Mark Warner."

MBS the worm

FAIR: Media Obsession With Inflation Has Manufactured Discontent

2023 is over, and with it, the great inflation surge of the last few years has essentially come to an end. As the progressive economist Dean Baker trumpeted shortly before Christmas, “This Economy Has Landed, We Are at the Fed’s Target” (Beat the Press, 12/22/23). Inflation is now at 2.6%, according to the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure, and is trending further downward. Remarkably, since the Fed began raising interest rates in the spring of 2022, unemployment has maintained a historically low level of below 4%.

Contrast that with the US’s last experience with an extended period of elevated inflation. That was the double-digit inflation of the late 1970s/early 1980s, which the Fed fought by sending unemployment skyrocketing—from 6% in 1979 to a peak of nearly 11% in 1982. With inflation tamed in the fall of 1984—down to 4.3%—President Ronald Reagan declared “Morning in America.” At the time, the misery index, a rough gauge of societal suffering that sums inflation and unemployment, clocked in at nearly 12%. Today, the same index sits around 7%. If the fall of 1984 was morning, we’re well into the day. The dark, turbulent night is not only behind us; it’s been over for a while.

That’s not how most of the American public seems to feel, though. People continue to rate the economy stunningly poorly, given its performance of late. The University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment, for instance, most recently registered 61.3, versus 100.9 during “Morning in America.” In other words, consumer sentiment is currently 39% lower than it was at a time when the misery index was 41% higher. Meanwhile, Joe Biden has a lower approval rating than any president going back to Jimmy Carter at the equivalent stage of their presidencies (New York Times, 12/28/23). Biden is, in fact, 15 percentage points lower than Reagan, whose economy at the same period of his presidency was, in key respects, significantly worse—unemployment, for instance, was 8.3%.

...

... there’s another fundamental cause of economic discontent that should be getting more attention: corporate media’s single-minded obsession with inflation, which has left the public with an objectively inaccurate view of the economy.

FAIR has stepped up to the batting plate with their own possible explanation for why everybody hates the economy despite macroeconomic indicators being so positive - that the media has been too negative about the economy and so everybody is just seeing that analysis and going "Huh, the economy must suck even if my life personally is fine." A swing and a very large miss for FAIR.

But how could this discontent possibly be?! We have done the soft landing! Inflation is way down! Look at our GDP! Idiotic. Inventing macroeconomic figures to quell the misery index will not actually make the underlying problems go away. So now we're in a situation where the actual state of the economy isn't being measured, causing immense confusion for navel-gazing dipshit economists.

The US economy does, in fact, very much fucking suck if you aren't in the top 1-10%. Student loan repayments restarted in October. Fake job listings are inflating the figures. Delinquency rates are at their highest level in almost 30 years. 12.8% of American households were food insecure in 2022, up from 10.2% in 2021. In early 2023, there were record levels of food bank usage despite record low unemployment. US life expectancy is declining. The impact of letting coronavirus rip through the population continues to work in the background. Despite all the hopes, AI almost certainly will not deliver the bourgeoisie to the new promised land of high productivity, as the crisis there continues. Some states are trying to reintroduce child labor.

US Gross Domestic Income has been stagnant since October 2022. US manufacturing PMIs also haven't been positive since October 2022. It's been over a year straight of decline. The post-pandemic boost is well behind us. The US economy is being supported by marginal expansions in services PMI, with the composite coming at 50.9 for December 2023, or 0.9 above stagnation. The services PMI is being supported by healthcare, education, and technology - the last of which received major subsidies due to the Inflation Reduction Act and the Chips and Science Act. The most high-tech sectors are growing, but everything more fundamental is mired in the longest continuous slump in two decades. Non-financial sector corporate profits are falling.

All of this, while the US has been manipulating its vassals to try and get them the best possible economy. They started a war with Russia and then blew up Nord Stream to weaken Europe and force them to buy more energy and goods from the US. They are trying to isolate China via protectionist sanctions designed to boost the US economy instead. All of this warmongering and blood, and it gets the US an economy that is, if you're being very optimistic, merely stagnating (and in actuality is declining).

You know what hasn't declined? The stock market, which is at all-time record levels.

The blockade stops when the genocide stops.

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https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/as-initial-response--hezbollah-hits-israeli-intel-hq-with-62

In initial response, Hezbollah hits Israeli intel HQ with 62 rockets

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah targeted at 7.50 am one of two Israeli occupation forces' Air Traffic Control Base in northern occupied Palestine, with a barrage of 62 rockets, as an initial response to the assassination of Palestinian Resistance leader, martyr Sheikh Saleh al-Arouri, and his brothers in the Southern Suburb of Beirut.

can someone let me know if Hezbollah has a right to defend themselves? thanks

A video is doing its rounds showing an israeli soldier breaking & shattering the window of a bus, after wanting to get out before the bus stopped at a bus stop. Lol.

Fighting Ghosts indeed lmao

i keep reading COTW as “cock of the walk”, not country of the week

that being said however Haiti is absolutely the cock of the walk. one of my favorite things about Massachusetts is our Haitian immigrant community, and all the food and music and art they’ve brought into cities in MA over the generations. i love how totally casual and appropriate it seems to be to sing to yourself while you’re working or just out on a stroll or something. an absolutely chadlike people

Brazil to require visas from citizens of Australia, Canada, USA

Lula Resumes Visa Requirements for USA, Canada and Australia The visa waiver was determined by Bolsonaro in 2019.

President Lula decided to resume the visa requirement for tourists from the USA, Australia, and Canada to enter Brazil.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty) has already communicated the representations of these countries that their citizens will be demanded to follow the same rules established for Brazilian citizens.

The new government had been studying the impact of the measure on tourism, with the possibility of resuming the principle of reciprocity, historically adopted by the Itamaraty.

Former President Jair Bolsonaro announced the revocation of the visa requirement in March 2019, on the eve of his trip to the US to meet then-President Donald Trump.

The visa waiver applied to those traveling to Brazil for tourism, business, transit, and artistic and sports activities. It also extended to persons "in exceptional circumstances in the national interest".

The governments of Brazil and Japan had agreed on the reciprocal exemption of visitor visas for holders of regular passports traveling for a period of up to 90 days. The exemption came into effect on September 30, 2023 for an initial period of three yeas. The measure allows Brazilian and Japanese tourists to visit Japan and Brazil without a visa.

This understanding is the result of an announcement made by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's visit to Japan last May, about extending the exemption to Brazilians, thus allowing the Brazilian government to impose the same measure on Japanese citizens, in line with the Brazilian migration policy, which is founded upon the principles of reciprocity and equal treatment between States.

The exemption will contribute to strenghtening human ties and the relations between the two countries in the year marking the 115th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Brazil.

B-1 bomber crashes at South Dakota Air Force base, crew ejects safely

Their wunderwaffen sure crash a lot, curious.

Attack on Commemoration of Soleimani's Death Leaves 103 Dead

Thousands of Iranians gathered to remember Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who died as a result of a U.S. drone attack in 2020.

On Wednesday, at least 103 Iranians died and 173 people were injured due to two explosions in the cemetery of the city of Kerman, where the fourth anniversary of the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani was being commemorated.

The first explosion occurred about 700 meters from Soleimani's tomb, and the second one a kilometer away. Both bombs were remotely detonated.

Local newspapers reported that among the dead are six children, and at least a dozen of the injured are in critical condition.

Authorities in the province of Kerman stated that the explosions were a terrorist act and activated emergency measures in hospitals to receive the injured.

So far, the Red Crescent in Kerman has transported about 50 injured individuals to hospitals from the cemetery, where thousands gathered today to remember Soleimani, a martyr of the Iranian revolution who died in 2020 as a result of a U.S. drone attack at Baghdad airport.

"After serving in the Iran-Iraq War between 1980 and 1988, Soleimani quickly rose through the ranks and became head of the Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared three days of national mourning in the moment of his death," Le Monde recalled.

"Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah will speak on the occasion of the commemoration of the assassination of Gen. Soleimani, during a speech scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, a day after the assassination of a powerful Hamas leader in Beirut," it added.

Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are officially in BRICS, as of yesterday.

It's the new year and the ICJ has already proven its illegitimacy over the weekend, as the court states it could take years to determine whether or not the situation in Gaza constitutes a genocide. What it has achieved is validated the statements levied against the ICC by South Africa for the past decade. It's "complicated", or in simpler terms,

Infinite on the west. Oh and Death to America

Death to Israel

Down with the Zionist Entity

It will be destroyed. From the river to the sea Palestine will be free

"Just go to trade school, bro."

Turns out trade school is also expensive in my area, and with some of the requirements I knocked out. Getting a second degree in a STEM field would ironically be cheaper. Speaking of money, has anyone else noticed this tactic from porky where they just assume everyone is a multimillionaire? Look at all the articles where some real estate invooster is screaming at millennials "EVERYONE HAS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS DIPSHIT, IT CAME FREE WITH YOUR FUCKING BEING ALIVE!"

Russian Asset Seizure Scheming: EU and Euro as US War Proxies Would Take Most Risk; USD Assets Only $4.6 Billion

Basically, if the Russian asset seizure actually goes through, it'd be the european financial system that'd suffer the most harm as a result. Presumably why the US would be ok with it. Pretty decent strategic move by the brandon regime if it does go through, stealing russian assets while dealing further damage to the usd's european rival.

Euro zone economy likely entered recession last year

Euro zone factories ended 2023 on the back foot, with activity contracting in December for an 18th straight month, according to a survey which gave scant signs of any imminent strong bounceback in an economy likely in recession.

HCOB's final euro zone manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), compiled by S&P Global, did nudge up to 44.4 in December from November's 44.2 but remained firmly below the 50 mark separating growth in activity from contraction.

A preliminary estimate was for no change from November.

An index measuring output, which feeds into a composite PMI due on Thursday and seen as a good gauge of economic health, dipped to 44.4 from November's final reading of 44.6 but was ahead of the 44.1 flash estimate.

The pessimistic trend strongly pointed to a contraction in euro zone GDP last quarter, Hamburg Commercial Bank's chief economist Cyrus de la Rubia said. The bloc's economy contracted 0.1% in the third quarter, official data has shown, so a second quarter of contraction would meet the definition of recession.

"Amid a relentless slump in the manufacturing sector of the euro zone, the HCOB PMI has shown little improvement compared to November. It paints a bleak picture for the euro zone and would mean that the euro zone entered a recession in the third quarter," de la Rubia said.

The 20-country euro zone will endure a short and shallow winter recession, an early December Reuters poll found.

An ongoing decline in new orders did ease moderately last month but remained below 50, as it was for all of 2023. The sub-index rose to 42.0 from 41.5.

"The sluggishness of new orders echoes the gloom, retreating almost as swiftly as the previous month," added de la Rubia.

A chunk of December's activity was generated by completing old orders, the backlogs of work index showed, and suggesting that manufacturers don't expect an imminent turnaround factories cut headcount for a seventh consecutive month.

I'm not sure if the SA ICJ filing was linked here, but here is the actual link to the pdf: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20231228-app-01-00-en.pdf

page 30 discusses crimes committed since oct 7 and page 59 discusses statements of genocidal intent by israeli officials. all of it is extensively documented

The Likud Party was formed by an alliance of several parties, including the Liberal Party. Something something liberalism... fascism...

Lmfao I clicked on this Robert Reich piece so you have to too

Biden may not be perfect, but he’s not the lesser of two evils. Trump is truly evil.

Defense Secretary Austin has been hospitalized since Jan. 1, but Pentagon kept the news quiet

• due to complications following a minor elective medical procedure,