Russian court rejects liberal politician’s appeal contesting his removal from presidential race

MOSCOW (AP) — A liberal Russian politician has lost another appeal against election officials’ decision to bar him from running in next month’s vote in which President Vladimir Putin is all but certain to win another six-year term. Boris Nadezhdin had made a call for halting the conflict in Ukraine his main campaign slogan and authorities’ refusal to register him for the race underlined the Kremlin’s repugnance of any public opposition to its action. Wednesday’s court verdict that turned down Nadezhdin’s appeal follows Friday’s death of chief Kremlin foe Alexei Navalny in a remote Arctic prison that caused global outrage. Russia’s Supreme Court rejected Nadezhdin’s appeal against the Central Election Commission’s decision to bar him from the March 15-17 presidential election.