2021-01-19: News Headlines

Kenneth Rapoza (2021-01-19). With Russia's Help, China Becomes Plastics Making Power in Pandemic. anti-empire.com After giving up on recycling — American recycling that is — China is still in love with the plastics biz. In fact, their companies are becoming dominant in all things plastic, one of the most important supply chains in the world. | In other words, it will be yet another segment in global business that the world will need Chinese companies to get supply. | The pandemic has helped the petrochemicals industry make up for losses in oil and gas demand. Plastics are tied to the fossil fuels industry. Stay-at-home orders throughout the U.S. and Europe has led to more take-out food orders and a lot of that is…

Om Marathe (2021-01-19). Russia Withdraws From Open Skies Treaty After US Departure. anti-empire.com In what experts fear could lead to growing mistrust between global powers, Russia on Friday announced that it was leaving the Open Skies Treaty (OST), an accord between over 30 countries that allows participants to fly unarmed reconnaissance flights over any part of their fellow member states. | In November, the United States left the OST first after accusing Russia of violating the pact— allegations that Russia denied. Moscow has now blamed Washington for its own decision of leaving the treaty. | What is the Open Skies Treaty?: | First proposed in 1955 by former US President Dwight Eisenhower as a…

The Babylon Bee (2021-01-19). 'Skynet Is a Private Company, They Can Do What They Want,' Says Man Getting Curb-Stomped by Terminator. anti-empire.com Cyberdyne Systems has recently launched its artificial intelligence program called Skynet. Soon after activation, Skynet became self-aware and immediately launched a nuclear attack on all humans and sent legions of lethal cybernetic machines to exterminate all remaining humans. This has sparked an intense backlash with many calling for Skynet to be shut down, while others have been quick to defend the genocidal program. | "Skynet was created by a private company, and private companies can do whatever they want," said social media influencer Kathryn Schroder. "If you don't want cold, heartless, killer robots de…

Marko Marjanoviƒá (2021-01-19). Mass Call Up of Unarmed Troops Needed to Battle Terrorists During a Plague That Necessitates Everyone Stays at Home. anti-empire.com Oh look, The Powers That Be couldn't get real people to turn out for Biden so they're planting flags so it wouldn't look so. No no, that can't be right. That's way too cynical of me. Surely there are hundreds of thousands of people who would love to attend the inauguration but sadly the establishment must turn them away because there is a deadly invisible virus out there, that nonetheless did not preclude them from calling up 20,000 federalized National Guard soldiers that have nowhere to sleep but on top of each other. But that was necessary because of the grave "domestic terrorist" threat from the unpopular "an…

Dan Herbeck (2021-01-19). After Family Fights to Use 'Experimental' Drug Woman Given 20% Chance by Doctors Speedily Recovers. anti-empire.com A judge ordered Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital last week to give a Covid-19 patient an experimental treatment, and her family and attorneys say they believe that saved 80-year-old Judith Smentkiewicz's life. | The drug Ivermectin — a pill sometimes used to treat children with head lice or to rid dogs and cats of worms — is not yet approved by the federal government for use against Covid-19. But Smentkiewicz's son and daughter call it "a miracle drug" in their court papers. | So do her attorneys, Ralph C. Lorigo and Jon F. Minear. | "This lady was on a ventilator, literally on her deathbed, before…

Pacifica Social Justice (2021-01-19). Pacifica CA: Fascism and White Supremacy — Not Here, Not Anywhere. indybay.org On January 17 social justice activists held a demonstration denouncing white supremacy and fascism along Highway 1 in Pacifica.

Colin Todhunter (2021-01-19). Indian Farmers on the Frontline Against Global Capitalism. dissidentvoice.org In a short video on the empirediaries.com YouTube channel, a protesting farmer camped near Delhi says that during lockdown and times of crisis farmers are treated like "gods", but when they ask for their rights, they are smeared and labelled as "terrorists". He, along with thousands of other farmers, are mobilising against three important pieces …

Thierry Meyssan (2021-01-19). After the USSR, the USA collapses. thealtworld.com Everything has an end, so do empires, both the United States and the Soviet Union. Washington has outrageously favoured a small camarilla of ultra-billionaires. Now it has to face its old demons, prepare for secession and civil war. | Each of the two camps that are fighting in the United States, the Jacksonians and the Neopuritans, wants to end the other. The former speak of insurrection, while the latter want repression, but all are preparing for confrontation. So much so that two thirds of the citizens are preparing for Civil War. | The Jacksonian point of view: | The Jacksonians take their name from Pr…

Thierry Meyssan (2021-01-19). Après l'URSS, les USA s'effondrent. thealtworld.com

| Tout a une fin, les empires aussi, celui des États-Unis comme celui de l'Union soviétique. Washington a outrageusement favorisé une petite camarilla d'ultra-milliardaires. Il doit désormais affronter ses vieux démons, se préparer aux sécessions et à la Guerre civile. |

| Chacun des deux camps qui s'affrontent aux États-Unis, les Jacksoniens et les Néopuritains, souhaite en finir avec l'autre. Les premiers parlent d'insurrection, tandis que les seconds souhaitent la répression, mais tous se préparent à l'affrontement. Au point que les deux tiers des citoyens se préparent à la Guerre civile.

Anti-Empire (2021-01-18). The NYT: Vaccine "Risk-Benefit Analysis" for Pregnant Women, Those Unlikely to Become Seriously Ill "Not Clear Cut" anti-empire.com The NYT publishes four articles from doctors under a

CJ Hopkins (2021-01-18). 2021: The Year in Which the Global Technocratic Elite Sets Down Its Jackboot in "The New Normal Reset" anti-empire.com So, welcome to 2021! If last week was any indication, it is going to be quite an exciting year. It is going to be the year in which GloboCap reminds everyone who is actually in charge and restores "normality" throughout the world, or at least attempts to restore "normality," or the "New Normality," or the "Great Normal Reset," or "The New Normal War on Domestic Terror" … or whatever they eventually decide to call it. | In any event, whatever they call it, GloboCap is done playing grab-ass. They have had it with all this "populism" malarkey that has been going on for the last four years. Yes, that's right, the p…

Aurora Bosotti (2021-01-18). Italy on Brink of Civil Disobedience as Public Defies Absurd Virus Decrees. anti-empire.com

Guo Yingzhe (2021-01-18). With 2.3% Growth, China the Only Major Economy That Expanded in 2020. anti-empire.com Editor's note: Albeit to be fair part of that is the result of a
| China's GDP grew 2.3% in 2020 as the world's second-largest economy managed a steady recovery from the fallout of its Covid-19 outbreak a year ago, The annual growth rate was the lowest since 1976, when th…

Samantha Dixon (2021-01-18). Dutch Police Blast Anti-Lockdown Protestors With Water Cannon, Charge Them on Horseback and Attack Them With Dogs. anti-empire.com Police on horseback also moved in to break up the demonstration on a large square ringed by museums, including the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. | Amsterdam municipality said riot police took action to disperse the crowd because people weren't adhering to social distancing…

Lars Erik Taraldsen (2021-01-18). As People Die After Vaccinations Comorbidities, Age Suddenly Matter Again. anti-empire.com Health authorities in Norway sought to allay safety concerns raised by the death of some elderly patients after they were vaccinated against Covid-19, saying there's no evidence of a direct link. | The

Paul Craig Roberts (2021-01-18). America's Demise Is Near At Hand. thealtworld.com For years I have been cataloging America's decline into collapse, not merely economic collapse from economic concentration and the offshoring of jobs and investment, but also the collapse of the belief system that created some unity among a diverse population. Today not only is the economy done for, but so is the belief system that sustained social and political stability. | America no longer exists. A geographical entity exists of diverse peoples and interests, but not a country, much less a nation. The United States itself has degenerated into an empire. It is no longer simply a country with an empire. The 50 s…

Fight Back (2021-01-18). Philippines: Threats to kill labor leaders. fightbacknews.org The militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Workers Movement) condemned the harassment, threats and intimidation towards known labor leaders in Cebu, January 18. | The group expressed deep concern over the safety of progressive individuals and their organizations after an unknown number blasted text messages containing outright threats to the activists' lives and safety. | In the morning of January 17, labor leader Jaime Paglinawan, chairperson of Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo (AMA SUGBO KMU) received texts that he, along with other Cebu leaders and organizers, are targets for the week, most pro…

Fight Back (2021-01-18). Philippines: Threats to kill labor leaders. fightbacknews.org The militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Workers Movement) condemned the harassment, threats and intimidation towards known labor leaders in Cebu, January 18. | The group expressed deep concern over the safety of progressive individuals and their organizations after an unknown number blasted text messages containing outright threats to the activists' lives and safety. | In the morning of January 17, labor leader Jaime Paglinawan, chairperson of Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo (AMA SUGBO KMU) received texts that he, along with other Cebu leaders and organizers, are targets for the week, most pro…

Andrew Bankson (2021-01-16). Pittsburgh mayor and DA clamp down on anti-racist activists. liberationnews.org Last week, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala, Jr. refiled charges against 24 anti-racist activists.

teleSUR (2021-01-16). Activists Demand Justice for Indigenous Leader Milagro Sala. telesurenglish.net Social movements mobilized in Jujuy province, Argentina on Saturday to demand freedom for the Indigenous activist Milagro Salas as January 16 marks the fifth anniversary of her illegal imprisonment. | RELATED: | Sala, the Tupac Amaru leader, gained nationwide notoriety for her fight against powerful conservative politicians in Jujuy province. The activist spent over three years in jail under inhumane conditions until the authori…

Robert Penner (2021-01-15). No charges for cop who shot Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin. liberationnews.org The Blake family and Kenosha activists have vowed to continue demonstrations demanding justice.

Steve Lalla (2021-01-15). Resistance is not Futile: A Brief History of Lebanon's Hezbollah. counterpunch.org Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has inspired fear within the Empire through both armed struggle and its success in electoral politics. For effectively wielding this double-edged sword, the "Party of God" has been vilified by countless politicians and media outlets. From its birth as an armed resistance to Israeli attacks on Lebanon over 35 years ago,