David Dobrodt

In a beautiful expression of scientific and technological optimism, on Oct. 9 the governments of Argentina and Mexico, through their respective Foreign Ministers, signed a “Declaration on the Constitution of a Regional Mechanism for Cooperation in Space,” ultimately leading to the creation of a regional space agency. Signed by Argentine Foreign Minister Felipe Sola and Mexico’s Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard during a virtual ceremony, the declaration states it intends to create a platform to “invite the rest of the membership of CELAC [Community of Latin American and Caribbean States] to become part of this effort.

In attendance were each nation’s diplomats, academics and government officials responsible for the areas of science and technology, including the director of Argentina’s Space Activities Commission (CONAE), the director of Mexico’s Space Agency (AEM), and the dean of Colombia’s National University, Dolly Montoya Castano, who also represents a network of Ibero-American universities.

Following the ceremony, Secretary Ebrard tweeted “we’ve signed the agreement with Argentina to create the Latin American and Caribbean space agency (ALCE). Thanks to Felipe Sola and the government of [President] Alberto Fernandez and the members of CELAC. We’re building the future today with our own technology. Good News!” Ebrard said it wasn’t clear, given the Covid-19 pandemic, that the signing ceremony would occur. But what the pandemic has proven, he said, is that cooperation “is not only desirable, but also the most intelligent and practical way” to proceed, the daily {Infobae} reported him as saying. He celebrated that “we’ve reactivated CELAC” with this initiative, even in the midst of a pandemic!

As described in an Argentine government press release, Felipe Sola stressed that “this is a message to the world: a region that is a bit backward globally, thinking in terms of other regions of the world, makes an effort to change, and to send a different message….This is a step forward in every sense: scientifically, it demonstrates our mutual capability for collaboration; politically, because it’s a message for the rest of the world.”

Diego Hurtado, Argentina’s Secretary of Policy and Planning in Science, Technology and Innovation, explained that for Argentina, the “space sector is one that has been considered strategic now for many decades. We see it as an `industrializing’ industry…understanding that the space sector is a great vector for building capacities for our economic sector.” His country looks forward to sharing its decades of experience in satellite and space activities with the rest of the region, he said. “Our region has an extensive trajectory of scientific cooperation,” he said. But, “we have a pending debt in the technological field in what we would call strategic projects. In this sense, the space sector has an enormous projection for a great number of applications considered to be indispensable to meet the needs of the region.” He particularly emphasized that the process of regional integration “must incorporate the scientific-technological dimension and pay attention to advancing strategic technologies, combining our efforts to multiply the individual abilities of our nations.”

The Declaration calls for creating a regional mechanism for space cooperation, responsible for coordinating activities with the relevant institutions of Ibero-American and Caribbean nations, ensuring it has the necessary ability “to operate as a catalyst for regional efforts, privileging the development of space-related projects, whose results will support the wellbeing and prosperity of the region.” Noting the many scientific and economic benefits that such coordination will yield, the declaration underscores the intention of increasing the number of space projects “by attracting the talent of Latin American and Caribbean youth, and making efficient use of available resources.” Minister Sola thanked Mexico for its collaboration, and expressed the hope that “we can multiply our joint efforts.”

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador used his daily morning press briefing on Jan. 8 to warn the world that the censorship taking place in the U.S. is a danger for the world, a new “Holy Inquisition” designed to “create a world government with the power to control social networks, a world media power.” The exchange occurred in response to a question from respected journalist Daniel Marmolejo.

A three-minute video excerpt of the exchange, subtitled in English, was played on today’s LaRouche Manhattan Project Meeting, hosted by The LaRouche Organization (TLO).

Daniel Marmolejo: “With the desire to not only be on social networks and in the struggle, but also—since the social networks have owners and we’ve just seen how they create blackouts, and that there is also ‘info-demia,’ and that alternative communicators are also monitored and censored…

President López Obrador: “What you have just correctly identified as a blackout, what they just did a few days ago in the U.S., is a bad sign, it’s a bad omen: that private companies decide to silence, to censor. That is an attack on freedom. So, let’s not be creating a world government with the power to control social networks, a world media power. And also a censorship court, like the Holy Inquisition, but in order to shape public opinion, that is really serious. Of course we have to be thinking about options, alternatives, because yes: I think that what happened a few days ago is a turning point regarding social networks. Then I read the letter of the owner of Facebook, and I thought it was really high-handed, very arrogant, speaking about their rules. And what ever happened to freedom and the right to information? And the role of the legally and legitimately constituted authorities?…

“We should continue creating alternative media, so that it will always be allowed to inform the people, to guarantee the right to information. So that is how I answer your question.”

Germany saw its electricity export surplus shrink by 46.2% in 2020 to 18.9 terawatt hours (TWh), implying that its dependency on imports from neighbors will rise as it switches off more coal and nuclear power stations in the future, official data showed.

On the other hand, less power generation in Europe’s biggest economy, which shares borders with nine countries, implies uncertainties and unreliabilities for the functioning of the European energy supply system, which regulates exports and imports between countries. German exports of power fell by 11.6% to 52.5 TWh last year, from 59.4 TWh in 2019.

Meanwhile, German electricity imports in 2020 increased by 38.8% to 33.6 TWh, from 24.2 TWh in the prior year. Cross-border trade is especially strong with France, where the nuclear power sector secures 70 percent of national needs. This dependency on imports of power from France is going to increase if, under the German nuclear exit, three reactors out of the remaining six are due to close at the end of 2021.

Continuing his trip to Africa, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has added two more African nations who have signed an MOU on cooperation with the Belt and Road Initiative, namely, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Botswana, bringing the number of African countries who are part of the BRI to 46. Wang Yi also visited Nigeria, which has already benefited from its participation in the BRI. And during the visit, Wang Yi signed a series of agreements with Nigeria and promised to aid in helping the country fight the COVID epidemic. China and Nigeria have a lengthy and multifaceted economic relationship with cooperation in railway construction, free trade zones, currency swaps, satellite launches, and other fields.

Speaking at a joint press conference together with his Nigerian counterpart, Wang Yi said, “We will set up an intergovernmental committee to be led by the two countries’ foreign ministers that will coordinate and advance mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields; we will deepen the Belt and Road cooperation by closely aligning China’s new development paradigm with Nigeria’s new national development plan; we will vigorously promote the construction of key projects in Nigeria so as to help Nigeria accelerate industrialization and improve its independent development capabilities; we will continue to extend cooperation into areas including digital economy and green economy so as to achieve diversified development.” China is also cooperating with Nigeria in the realm of military security.

In the DRC, China agreed that, given the COVID epidemic, the DRC did not have to repay the loans to China that were due at the end of 2020. China is also prepared to work with the DRC in order to help them overcome the pandemic. The DRC will also hold the chairmanship of the African Union this year.

Then, in his visit to Botswana, Wang Yi signed an additional BRI MOU. In his comments, Wang said, “The joint construction of the BRI will provide new opportunities for the two countries to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, expand new fields, open up new prospects, help Botswana’s infrastructure construction and national modernization process, and better benefit the two peoples.”

As the Congress convenes on January 6, to determine the outcome of the fight against the theft of the 2020 election, there are still powerful options which President Trump has, to break out of the game which has been rigged against him. Helga Zepp LaRouche identified some of these options, in her weekly dialogue. He can — and should — pardon Julian Assange, after the British Judge’s denied him bail today, which means he must remain in prison while the appeal by the U.S. DOJ for his extradition proceeds. He can pardon Edward Snowden, and exonerate Lyndon LaRouche. He can release publicly all the suppressed documents related to Russiagate, and appoint a special counsel, to pursue the charges of vote fraud, which have not yet been investigated.

And he can respond positively to President Putin’s call for an emergency summit, to address the deepening global crises, which if not addressed by the great powers acting as sovereign nations, will lead to depression, a worsening of the COVID pandemic and starvation in Africa, and likely mean new wars, possibly a thermonuclear war. The Great Reset, pushed by corporate fascists associated with the Davos World Economic Forum, would impose a Green agenda which threatens the survival of mankind. A move to a new credit system, as designed by her husband, is the only alternative, and a P5 summit, with Trump’s involvement, is the place to begin creating that alternative.

How can President Trump flip over the chessboard at this late hour and outflank those who are pushing for global war? An announcement that he is freeing Assange, pardoning Snowden, and exonerating the late Lyndon LaRouche would send shockwaves around the world. Helga Zepp-LaRouche and Harley Schlanger elaborate on the urgency of such an action. For more background, watch the feature documentary “The Case for the Exoneration of Lyndon LaRouche”.

British Judge Vanessa Baraitser today rejected the extradition request of the U.S. government for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and ruled that it would be oppressive to extradite him to the United States where he might commit suicide in prison, Kevin Gosztola, managing editor of Shadowproof website, reported on Twitter and Jaclyn Diaz on NPR today. Judge Baraitser set a bail hearing for Wednesday, and Assange’s supporters welcomed a victory; but the judge otherwise accepted the U.S. Justice Departments indictment charges against Assange lock, stock and barrel, and even implied he could be charged under the British Official Secrets Act as well. All involved understand that a pardon by President Donald Trump is the only way to end the physical and mental depression of Assange’s health under indefinite imprisonment, which caused Baraitser’s surprise denial of extradition.

Baraitser said that she believed  that Julian Assange would likely be imprisoned at a U.S. supermax prison, with Special Administrative Measures. According to Gosztola’s article, Baraitser stated, “I am satisfied that, in these harsh conditions, Mr. Assange’s mental health would deteriorate, causing him to commit suicide with the ‘single-minded determination’ of his autism spectrum disorder”  (only recently  diagnosed in prison). Baraitser then declared, “I find that the mental condition of Mr. Assange is such that it would be oppressive to extradite him to the United States of America.” She  pointed to a suicide attempt by Chelsea Manning in the Alexandria, Virginia Detention Center where Assange would be held before and during trial.

The Newcastle Herald reported that Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor-in-chief of Wikileaks, said, “It is a day with a win for Julian Assange but we have to be cautious, it’s not necessarily a win for journalism. I am concerned that instantly upon giving her decision, the US lawyers indicated they would appeal but they should not.” Assange’s partner Stella Moris, at an impromptu rally, called to Trump: “Mr president, tear down these prison walls. Let our little boys have their father. Free Julian, free the press, free us all.” 

   The U.S. government, Gosztola reported, will submit an appeal with the High Court of Justice, and Assange will have an opportunity to apply for bail from Belmarsh, where he has been imprisoned since April 2019. Assange was charged there with 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act, and one count of conspiracy to commit a computer intrusion that contains elements of an Espionage Act offense. Then a superseding indictment in 2020 contained new general allegations that targeted Assange’s speeches at conferences and the role he allegedly played helping whistleblower Edward Snowden leave Hong Kong. While press organizations worldwide condemned the charges against Assange as simply common newspaper practices, Baraitser accepted all U.S. government charges.

 Many prominent supporters, members of Congress from Matt Gaetz and Rand Paul to Tulsi Gabbard, many organizations including The LaRouche Organization have called for Assange’s pardon by President Trump. One of those supporters, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, said today, “I’m going to ask the foreign minister to ask the UK government about the possibility that Mr. Assange go free and that Mexico offer him political asylum.” He called the denial of extradition “a triumph of justice,” but said “Assange is a journalist” and deserves his freedom.

On January 3 India gave emergency authorization for two COVID-19 vaccines, those of AstraZeneca of England and Bharat Biotech of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “It would make every Indian proud that the two vaccines that have been given emergency use approval are made in India!” He called it a “decisive turning point to strengthen a spirited fight.” India’s Serum Institute is producing one billion doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, which they call Covishield.  The Pune-based facility, the world’s largest vaccine production facility, has already produced 50 – 75 million doses for immediate distribution, and plans to reach 500 million doses by July.

India’s plan is to first vaccinate healthcare workers, front-line staff such as police, and those who are vulnerable, due to age or pre-existing conditions. This involves 300 million people and is to be completed by August.

Both vaccines are given in two doses and both can be stored in normal refrigerators. AstraZeneca’s vaccine has shown an efficacy of around 70%. Bharat Biotech’s vaccine, called COVAXIN, has been shown to be safe, but it is not known whether enough data exists to estimate its efficacy level.  The Health Ministry’s statement emphasized that COVAXIN’s permission was granted in the “public interest as an abundant precaution in clinical trial mode, especially in the context of infection by mutant strains.”

The traditional Africa visit as “first trip” of the New Year by a senior Chinese official, began today as Foreign Minister Wang Yi was welcomed in the embattled country of Nigeria. This year marks the 30th year (starting in 1991) that China has chosen Africa for this “most-favored nation” honor. In addition to Nigeria, Wang will also visit the Democratic Republic of Congo, Botswana, Tanzania and Seychelles between now and January 9.

Wang’s visit comes as many nations on the continent are struggling with the re-emerging Covid-19 virus, which has already contributed to an emergence of famine conditions in places, and brought even the sturdier countries to the brink of collapse. In response, Nigerian head of Parliament Femi Gbajabiamila convened a Conference of Speakers and Heads of African Parliaments (CoSAP, so-far involving seven nations) this summer, in an effort to set the groundwork for {debt forgiveness} on the entire continent, a movement which, if China got behind it, could take on major significance. On December 10, Gbajabiamila presented his proposals for a Debt Cancellation Campaign Initiative to a virtual conference which reportedly included representatives from the United Nations, World Bank and European Union, among others, explaining to them that, “if all your money is going toward servicing debt, then how are we serious about this [recovery] agenda?”

For possibly the first time, Wang’s upcoming visits made headlines in an American publication, {Newsweek}, who took notice of the 30-year history of good Africa-China relations, and — although they felt duty-bound to mention that China is where Covid-19 “was first detected” — otherwise noted that China has made a “speedy recovery” which puts them ahead of western nations in regard to helping Africa.