(2021-01-19). Covid-19: Palestinians to receive first batch of Russian vaccine by weekend. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Palestinians to receive first batch of Russian vaccine by weekend | The Palestinian health ministry has approved Sputnik V vaccine for domestic use, making it 'the first country in the Middle East' to do so | Tue, 01/19/2021 – 14: 15 | Palestinian health workers collect random swab samples from people to test for the Covid-19 coronavirus in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on 1…
(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…
(2021-01-19). Rolling Out The Dystopian Nightmare: World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos Agenda. globalresearch.ca Founded in 1971, the Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF) meets annually in Davos, Switzerland. | It brings together top business and political leaders, along with likeminded pro-New World Order economists and pseudo-journalists. | Calling itself "an independent international organization committed to improving …
(2021-01-19). US Makes Aggressive Opening Move on Russian Chessboard. globalresearch.ca A regime change project in Russia was launched on Sunday with the return of political activist Alexei Navalny to Moscow. It was a highly symbolic event — except that Navalny was travelling by an aeroplane from Germany and not in …
(2021-01-19). Turkey hits Twitter and Pinterest with ad ban for resisting new social media law. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey hits Twitter and Pinterest with ad ban for resisting new social media law | Twitter and Pinterest have yet to assign a legal representative in Turkey, leading ministers to warn of 'digital fascism' | Tue, 01/19/2021 – 11: 29 | Twitter risks having its bandwidth reduced in Turkey, under regulations introduced last year (AFP) | Turkey has imposed an advertisement ban on social media giants Twitter a…
(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…
(2021-01-19). Israeli Settlement Expansion Condemned by PA, EU and Numerous Countries. imemc.org 
In response to Israel's announcement that they have approved an additional 780 colonial settlement units, a number of countries have issued statements condemning the move. They include the UK, Egypt, Ireland, Jordan, the European Union (EU) and the Palestinian Authority (PA). A spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, stated that it is clear …
(2021-01-19). Why Did Alexei Navalny Return to the Same Country that He Claimed Tried to Kill Him? globalresearch.ca Russian anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny inexplicably decided to return to the same country that he claimed had unsuccessfully tried to kill him, curiously timing his trip to coincide with the immediate run-up to Biden's inauguration in what some suspect is …
(2021-01-19). China Health Experts Call for Suspension of COVID Vaccines as Norway Investigates 33 Deaths, Germany Probes 10 Deaths. globalresearch.ca Norway upped the number of deaths under investigation, from 23 last week to 33, while in Germany, health officials said they are investigating 10 deaths that occurred among elderly patients who received the COVID vaccine. | *** | China health experts say …
(2021-01-19). America's First Revolution Is Happening Now. thealtworld.com Hear me out and you will understand the title. | There is a difference between a rebellion and a revolution. A rebellion is what occurred in the thirteen colonies in the late 18th century. A revolution is what occurred in Russia in 1917. | A rebellion occurred in the colonies, because the subjects of the king in the colonies were treated differently constitutionally and in law from subjects of the king in England. The colonists had no representation in Parliament and no voice in how they were ruled. | The rebellion resulted in political independence but not in a change in the belief system. The colonists held to…
(2021-01-19). Ukraine begs Europe for coronavirus vaccine. wsws.org While still providing military backing to the Kiev government in its ongoing civil war with Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, US and European imperialism have refused to provide even minimal vaccine assistance to the poorest country in Europe.
(2021-01-19). UN Urged to Take Action Against France over 'Entrenching Islamophobia'. globalresearch.ca A coalition of civil society organisations has written to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to request that it opens formal infringement procedures against France's government for entrenching Islamophobia and structural discrimination against Muslims. | In a 28-page document seen …
(2021-01-18). Massive rise in unemployment in Germany during the pandemic. wsws.org The German employment agency published the official unemployment figures for December 2020, reporting an increase to 2.7 million unemployed, 480,000 more than in the same month last year.
(2021-01-18). Meeting Between Moldovan and Ukrainian Leaders Was to Coordinate Actions Against Russia. globalresearch.ca The visit of Moldovan President Maia Sandu to Ukraine last week is the first interaction between the two neighboring countries at the highest level in recent years. For Sandu, this trip became her foreign policy premiere since she became president …
(2021-01-18). What 'Democracy' Is Under Attack? Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com To stop the exacerbation of Trumpism the talking heads are recommending internet censorship, regulations on media, new domestic terror laws, literally anything they can possibly think of except changing the conditions which gave rise to Trumpism. | ‚ùñ | The most imminent threat to US democracy is not Russia, nor fascist insurrectionists, but the fact that US democracy is entirely fictional. | Saying US democracy is being threatened is like saying Grinches are a critically endangered species. | ‚ùñ | The previous president intervened in the primary to appoint his right-hand…
(2021-01-18). New Japanese PM hints at end to dispute with Russia over Kuril Islands that's kept the two countries technically at war since 1945. rt.com 
Yoshihide Suga, Japan's new prime minister, has told his country's parliament that an end to its long-running territorial row with Russia might soon be in sight, potentially signaling closer ties between the two nations. | Speaking at the opening of the parliamentary session on Monday, Suga said the over half-a-century-long diplomatic tensions over the Kuril Islands, "should not be passed on to future generations." The prime minister added that "there should now be a final resolution to it… We will move forward on the basis of previous agreements between the two countries." Later on that day, Russia's Foreig…
(2021-01-18). Germany considers extended lockdown as new Covid-19 variants emerge, Merkel spokesperson warns of 'risk of mutation'. rt.com 
The German government is considering the extension of the country's lockdown into February following the detection of new variants of Covid-19 and persistently high numbers of infections. | "We still have a big risk… that is the risk of mutation," Steffen Seibert, Angela Merkel's spokesman, said at a news conference, revealing that the chancellor had brought forward a meeting with the leaders of Germany's 16 states to Tuesday. | The country has reported multiple cases of the Covid-19 variant discovered in the UK, and on Monday three people in the southeastern state of Bavaria were found to have tested positi…
(2021-01-18). Ukrainian Railways records losses of up to $500 million after Moscow-Kiev train connection is closed due to Covid-19. rt.com 
The lack of railway connection between Moscow and Kiev has so severely affected the state-owned Ukrainian Railways company that its losses may have reached around 14 billion hryvnia ($500 million) in 2020 alone. | That's according to CEO Vladimir Zhmak, who told the Ukraine 24 TV channel that the Kiev-Moscow route was one of its most profitable. In 2019, four of his companies top five money-making destinations were in Russia, helping to subsidise many uneconomical domestic services. | Rail service between the countries was suspended in March 2020 and has subsequently left a considerable hole in the state budge…
(2021-01-18). UN urged to take action against France over 'entrenching Islamophobia'. middleeasteye.net 
UN urged to take action against France over 'entrenching Islamophobia' | Coalition of 36 organisations submits complaint to UN Human Rights Council, accusing France of violating international law over treatment of Muslims | Mon, 01/18/2021 – 12: 59 | French police outside the Great Mosque in Paris amid a heightened risk of terror attacks on places of worship, October 2020 (AFP/File photo) | A coalitio…
(2021-01-18). Saudi executions at record low as five convicted as minors still on death row. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi executions at record low as five convicted as minors still on death row | Rights groups fear that five people convicted as juveniles could still face the death penalty despite changes in law
| Mon, 01/18/2021 – 12: 06 | Supporters in Greece protesting the execution of prominent Saudi Shiite cleric and activist Nimr al-Nimr during a demonstration near Saudi Arabia's embassy i…
(2021-01-18). Italy on Brink of Civil Disobedience as Public Defies Absurd Virus Decrees. anti-empire.com 
(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
(2021-01-18). Peace in Nagorno-Karabakh Remains Fragile, With Key Issues Unresolved. counterpunch.org 
As Armenia ends its annual two-week holiday period, the mood in the country is sombre. The former Soviet state is continuing to reckon with its losses from the six-week war it waged last year with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. The Nagorno-Karabakh region, or Artsakh to Armenians, lies within Azerbaijan's international border. However, up until last year,
(2021-01-18). No Evidence COVID-19 Vaccines Will Block Spread of Coronavirus. globalresearch.ca On Nov. 9, 2020, Pfizer, Inc. announced that the experimental messenger RNA (mRNA) BNT162b2 vaccine for COVID-19 it developed in partnership with Germany's BioNTech SE had an efficacy rate of 90 percent, based on the results of human clinical trials …
(2021-01-18). United Kingdom COVID-19 variant reaches New Zealand. wsws.org The arrival of the more contagious UK and South African strains underscores the global nature of the virus, which cannot be contained within national borders.
(2021-01-18). Argentina Begins To Distribute the Second Dose of Sputnik V. telesurenglish.net Argentina began on Monday the distribution of 300,000 Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines to complete the vaccination of those who received the first dose on December 29. | RELATED: | As of Friday, this South American nation had applied 200,759 out of 300,000 doses of the Russian vaccine it received last year. | The national vaccination campaign's first stage is focused on citizens between the ages of 18 and 59 who work in hospitals,…
(2021-01-18). Spanish hospitals on brink of collapse as COVID-19 cases explode. wsws.org As COVID-19 infections reach new highs, medical professionals in Spain warn that hospitals will soon be overwhelmed by admissions to intensive care units.
(2021-01-18). After COVID-19 kills tram driver in Berlin, transit workers in Germany demand more security. wsws.org Every day, the 15,000 employees of the Berlin transport association BVG and tens of thousands of passengers risk infection with the coronavirus.
(2021-01-18). Trump Issues Proclamation Lifting Travel Restrictions on Schengen Area, UK, Ireland, and Brazil. sputniknews.com This step was taken in coordination with the Ministry of Health and takes into account the order dated January 12, which requires those entering the United States to test negative for the coronavirus, the proclamation says.
(2021-01-18). Four People Missing After Avalanche at Ski Resort in Russia Found Alive – Emergency Services. sputniknews.com PYATIGORSK (Sputnik) – Four of the people missing after an avalanche in Russia's Dombay have been found alive, local emergency services have announced.
(2021-01-18). Many Overheated Forests May Soon Release More Carbon Than They Absorb. popularresistance.org The last decades have been filled with dire warning signs from forests. Global warming has contributed to thinning canopies in European forests and to sudden die-offs of aspen trees in Colorado, as well as insect outbreaks that are killing trees around the world. In many places, forests are not growing back. | New research shows that Earth's overheated climate will alter forests at a global scale even more fundamentally, by flipping a critical greenhouse gas switch in the next few decades. The study suggests that, by 2040, forests will take up only half as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they do now, i…
(2021-01-18). UN rights office 'deeply troubled' by Russian activist Aleksei Navalny's arrest. news.un.org The UN human rights office (OHCHR) have raised alarm over the arrest of Russian opposition activist Aleksei Navalny and called for his immediate release. The office said in a tweet that they were "deeply troubled" by the arrest and called on the Government to respect his right to legal due process.
(2021-01-18). Western Society in Crisis: Repression and Impoverishment of Their Own People. globalresearch.ca Ever since at least the Iraq War of 2003, the fundamental alternatives facing North American and European elites have been constant. One alternative might have been to accept a certain loss of global power so as to share global influence …
(2021-01-18). Protests continue in France against Global Security Bill. peoplesdispatch.org Tens of thousands of people hit the streets across France on Saturday in another major protest against the draconian Global Security bill proposed by Emmanuel Macron's government in November last year…
(2021-01-18). Medvedev To Americans: 'Only You Can Put Aside Your National Selfishness'! oneworld.press Former Russian President, Prime Minister, and current Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev published a scathing analysis over the weekend about America's electoral system, the dystopian censorship role that Big Tech has appointed itself to play in the country's political process, and the global consequences of the resultant turmoil, which concludes with the exhortation that "only Americans themselves can decide whether to put aside their national selfishness and launch the voting system reform, and, consequently, the reform of political life, or not."
(2021-01-18). An Ordinary German Neo-Nazi. counterpunch.org In 2017, a new German political party semi Neo-Nazi called AfD — Alternative for Germany — swept into Germany's federal parliament winning 12.6% of the popular vote. By the end of 2020, the AfD entered all sixteen state parliaments, even though its support declined to 9% in recent months. Among the state legislatures in which
(2021-01-17). Health Experts Call for Suspension of Pfizer Vaccination Among Elderly After Norway Deaths. globalresearch.ca Update (1630ET): In what can only be described as a somewhat concerning turn of events, health experts from Wuhan, China, called on Norway and other countries to suspend the use of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines produced by companies such as …
(2021-01-17). Russia's FM spokeswoman urges US & other countries decrying Navalny's detention 'not to interfere' with Russian law. rt.com 
Instead of rushing to condemn the detention of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny upon his return to Moscow, foreign politicians should focus on domestic issues at hand and respect the Russian law, Maria Zakharova has said. | In a Facebook
(2021-01-17). WATCH Russian opposition figure Navalny leave plane in Moscow before being detained. rt.com 
Alexey Navalny has arrived in Moscow after spending several months recuperating in Berlin. He was detained at the airport for violating probation terms. | The plane carrying Navalny was due to land in Moscow's Vnukovo Airport, but it was instead diverted to the capital's Sheremetyevo Airport. The airliner told the media that the last-minute change happened due to "technical issues" on the ground. | The activist left the plane and entered the airport via shuttle bus. He was then detained by police during documents check at the arrivals terminal. | The Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) confirmed to the medi…
(2021-01-17). 'Absolute nonsense': Iranian FM rejects French claim that Tehran is building up nuclear weapons capacity. rt.com 
Iran's FM Javad Zarif has blasted France for its continuous support of "Saudi war criminals," dismissing French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian's claims that Tehran is building up nuclear weapons capacity as "absolute nonsense." | The top Iranian diplomat took to Twitter on Sunday, sending an angry message to France's foreign minister. Zarif signaled that Paris is in no position to lecture Tehran on anything, pointing fingers at French arms sales to Saudi Arabia — and getting quite personal with Le Drian as well. | Dear colleague: You kick-started your cabinet career with arms sales to Saudi war criminals.
(2021-01-17). Russian opposition figure Navalny detained at passport control after returning to Moscow following almost five months in Germany. rt.com 
Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny has been detained by police at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport after returning from Germany, where he had been recovering following an alleged poisoning attempt last summer. | Navalny and his wife Yulia left the plane together on Sunday evening with the rest of the passengers and drove to the terminal in a bus. The activist was arrested at the immigration desk. | Russia's prison authority has confirmed the detention. Navalny, who was wanted for breaching the terms of his probation from a previous criminal case, will remain in custody until the court rules on pre-trial res…
(2021-01-17). Austrians must wear FFP2 respirators in malls & on public transport, govt says amid lockdown extension. rt.com 
Austria has introduced tighter rules on social distancing and mask-wearing, with a nationwide lockdown extended until February 7. Life will hopefully return to normal in the summer, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has said. | The new rules "don't make anyone happy and are anything but popular, yet they are necessary, even if everyone is already fed up," Kurz said on Sunday. | Beginning January 25, Austrians will have to wear respirator-type FFP2 masks in supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations, and on public transport. The FFP2s offer better protection against airborne infections than cheaper, single-use surgical mas…
(2021-01-17). Zakharova Calls For Respecting International Law After Sullivan Comments on Navalny. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – In response to comments on the detention of Russian opposition vlogger Alexey Navalny made by Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor for US President-elect Joe Biden, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova advised foreign officials to respect international law and focus on domestic issues.
(2021-01-17). European Council President Calls on Russia to Release Opposition Vlogger Navalny. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The European Council president, Charles Michel, on Sunday urged Russian authorities to release Russian political opposition vlogger Alexey Navalny.
(2021-01-17). Call for Action: The Necessary Struggle of the Personal Conscience Against "The New World Order" globalresearch.ca What could be more natural than to enjoy and draw strength from the wisdom of great European poets and thinkers such as Goethe, Schiller, Rolland or Camus? Are we not all — every single one! — urgently called upon to …
(2021-01-17). The Russian Revolution: Separating Truth From Myth. dissidentvoice.org There is a deceitful and ahistorical myth that frequently resurfaces in right-wing circles seeking to discredit socialism with lies about the Russian Revolution. No matter how many times it has been invalidated as fabrication, the reactionary mythos endures. As might be expected, the author is referring to the preposterous claim that American capitalists — or …
(2021-01-16). UK to face short-term delay in delivery of the Pfizer vaccine. thecanary.co 
The UK is set to face short-term delays in delivery of the Pfizer coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine as the pharmaceutical company upgrades its production capacity.Delays: Pfizer is upscaling production at its plant in Puurs, Belgium. This is in an to produce more doses than originally planned for 2021 — temporarily reducing deliveries to all European countries. Shipments of the vaccine, produced in partnership with Germany's BioNTech, to the UK are set to be affected during January. But the overall number of doses due to be delivered between January and March will remain the same, according to the US fir…
(2021-01-16). Argentina receives second batch of Russian Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19 (VIDEO). rt.com 
A plane carrying 300,000 more doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus has landed in Argentina's capital Buenos Aires to allow the country to complete immunization of its frontline medics. | The refrigerated containers with the vaccine were delivered on Saturday from Moscow by a special flight of the Latin American country's flagship carrier, Aerolineas Argentinas. | "Those new doses represent the second component needed to conclude the vaccination after the first stage," Gines Gonzalez Garcia, Argentina's health minister, wrote on Twitter. | Llegaron al país 300.000 nuevas dosis de vacun…
(2021-01-16). Belarus risks angering US over order of advanced Russian S-400 missile system that has sparked worries for NATO warplanes. rt.com 
The Ministry of Defense in Belarus announced on Thursday that it is at an advanced stage of negotiations with Russia to obtain one of the world's most sophisticated anti-aircraft missile systems. | Igor Golub, the commander of the country's Air Force, told reporters that "we are continuing pre-contract work to equip our missile units that are currently using the S-300 systems with the new S-400," its more modern successor. He added that "we have already signed contracts [with Russia] for the supply of Mi-35 multifunctional attack helicopters and the second batch of Su-30SM fighter jets." | Commenting on recent…
(2021-01-16). If you want the jab, raise your Hans: German vaccine officials left with no choice but to guess people's ages from their names. rt.com 
German privacy law is rigorous. Forced to improvise, officials in one state sent letters to people with old-sounding names, in the hopes of inviting them to get vaccinated. | The German state of Lower Saxony began vaccinating citizens against Covid-19 at the end of December, with priority given to the elderly and vulnerable. People over the age of 80 have been sent invitations urging them to make a vaccination appointment, but the state's strict privacy laws have hampered this effort. | So, guessing based on the names' popularity, those named Hans, Klaus, or Ilse may have received invitations to get vaccinated…