Global headlines - 3 January, 2020

## Global Ponzi meltdown/House of Cards/global cooling/deflationary collapse ##
"Dire" European Manufacturing Downturn Deepens In December
China cuts banks' reserve ratios again, frees up $115 billion to spur economy

These 6 charts compare the US and China economies in the second year of their trade war

The wealth of the 500 richest people in the world grew by an astronomic 25% in 2019

Here are the billionaires who made the most money this year.

Sydney house prices set to top $1 million again

"Tail-End Of A Big Bull Market" - Wine, Diamonds, Classic Cars Are Now Money-Losing Investments For Ultra-Rich

Negative Rates, The Destruction Of Money: Sweden Ends Its Experiment

## War on cash/cashless society/cryptocurrencies ##
Britain's Lloyds Banking Group suffers hours-long online outage

For a "cashless" society to work, networks and their power sources must be up and running 24/7/365. -- RF

Gaming firm Razer joins Singapore digital bank race

China's Ant Financial applies for Singapore digital banking license

## Airline death spiral ##
Airplanes are energy gluttons. Shut down the airports. Refine crude for ships, trains, and trucks.

## Fault lines/flashpoints/powder kegs/military/war drums ##

India Is Teetering on the Brink of Fascism

Captain, 7 crew abducted from Greek oil tanker in Cameroon port

Officials: Taliban Target Afghan Security Forces, Killing 26

Turkey approves deployment of troops to Libya in high-stakes battle across Mediterranean

Libyan Rebels Shoot Down Turkish Plane Moments After Ankara Approves Sending Troops

U.S. consulate warns employees as gun battles rock Mexican border city

• Iraq

China's foreign minister accuses US of 'bullying practices' during meeting with Iran counterpart

Trump’s ‘Maximum Pressure’ Campaign Is Blowing Up in Iraq

Protesters in Iraq surround U.S. embassy for a second day

Battalion of 750 Paratroopers Heads to Middle East after Embassy Breach in Iraq

Back to Iraq: US Prepares Mini-Surge Into Region

Ayatollah taunts Trump after US embassy breached

But an Iraqi security source told the Asia Times that the agency had in fact refused to intervene to control the angry demonstration.

Missile attack hits Baghdad airport amid rising tensions

## Migrants/refugees ##
Fourfold rise in migrants rescued in English Channel: authorities

## Global unrest/mob rule/angry people/torches and pitchforks ##
A Year Of Resistance: How Youth Protests Shaped The Discussion On Climate Change

Protest Songs: Paris Opera Musicians Chime In With Strike Concert

Hong Kong begins 2020 just like 2019 ended – with protest chaos

## Energy/resources ##
Burn, Pay, Or Shut It Down: Three Evils For Permian Drillers

U.S. shale producers to tap brakes in 2020 after years of rapid growth

## Got food? ##
Bird flu kills 25,000 farmed turkeys in eastern Poland, thousands more culled

## Environment/health ##
Thousands To Sleep At Beaches As Fires Encircle Australian Towns

Nearly half a billion animals have been killed in Australia's devastating bushfires

US atomic waste dump in Marshall Islands to be investigated

Mealworms can effectively degrade toxic additives in plastics

Study measures river ice loss caused by global warming

3 mountain lions killed after feeding on human remains

My guess is that mountain lions view all humans as potential meals. In nature's view, we're not special. -- RF

The missing 99%: why can't we find the vast majority of ocean plastic?

## Intelligence/security/internet/cyberwar ##
Chelsea Manning's Detention Amounts to 'Torture': U.N. Expert

The Syrian conflict is awash with propaganda – chemical warfare bodies should not be caught up in it

"I'm Not Recommending Anyone Use It": First 5G Rollout Fails To Live Up To The Hype

## Systemic breakdown/collapse/unsustainability ##
The US military ran the largest stress test of its sealift fleet in years. It’s in big trouble.

75% of young want to escape South Korean ‘Hell’

## Japan ##
Vertical farming takes off in aging Japan

Unsustainable! -- RF

## China ##
China’s central bank frees up US$115 billion to support growth
People’s Bank of China to cut banks’ reserve ratio by 0.5 percentage points from January 6, it announces

The New Colonization: China Is Building Enormous Self-Sustaining Chinese Cities All Over The African Continent

The Chinese are building a lot of stuff, but a major flaw in thinking exposes itself here. Cities by nature are not self-sustaining. They sustain themselves by maintaining constant flows of resources and energy from other places, and by dumping their wastes in other places. And that is why, sooner or later, every city turns into a wasteland. Smart people will see past the anti-China rhetoric and perceive the real problem here. -- RF

## UK ##

UK economy in stagnation at end of 2019, survey shows
Online banking down: Lloyds, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland customers locked out of accounts on New Year’s Day

Highlands likely to have broken UK record for hottest December

## US ##

With births down, U.S. had slowest growth rate in a century

The Fed's "Not-QE" and the $33 Trillion Stock Market in Three Charts

Baltimore City Breaks Murder Record Of The Century

Welcome to Gilead? Onward, Christian Fascists

Localism in the 2020s (Part 1) – The 2nd Amendment Sanctuary Movement

People couldn’t wait to leave New Jersey in 2019

Amazon threatens to fire employees who speak out on climate change

Used Heavy Duty Truck Prices Collapse As Much As 50% As Ugly Outlook To Continue

California could lose a congressional district following 2020 census count