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Independent researcher/writer based in Hong Kong since 1997. Reformed academic. My long-form, analytical articles are collected here https://laura-ruggeri.medium.com/ email: lauraru852@yandex.ru
NATO wants EU countries to cut pensions, public health care and social benefits to increase military spending.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for the first time called for diverting part of social spending to the production of weapons, arguing that the military spending of NATO member countries should exceed 3% of GDP. He expressed this position in a speech at the European branch of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Rutte said European countries "spend a quarter of their money on pensions, health and social benefits and they only need to use part of these funds to build a strong defense."
Rutte tried to justify his calls for increased defense spending by citing "Russian and Chinese threats to NATO."▪️ In 2014, NATO Heads of State and Government agreed to commit 2% of their national GDP to defence but most countries are struggling to even meet that target. @LauraRuHK https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2024/12/to-prevent-war-nato-must-dial-up-its-defenses-a-conversation-with-nato-secretary-general-mark-rutte?lang=en
I often receive requests from people and organizations exploring potential collaborative opportunities. The most amazing thing is that, apart from a few laudable exceptions, they seem to have a very vague idea of who i am and what i do. They have never read my long articles but for some mysterious reason think i would make a "valuable contribution" to their project. They expect me to jump at the chance of reaching a wider audience and making some money. Well, I might be in the minority, but i am not driven by the pursuit of profit and celebrity. Of course i would appreciate a wider circulation of my work, but not at the cost of my privacy. Becoming a public persona would have a detrimental effect on my research. I'd rather be read by a few, well informed people than gather "followers" on social media - AI influencers can already do that job after profiling their target audience and giving it exactly what it wants. Please note, i would only consider collaboration with people and entities i can vet. Yes, unlike most media, i do due diligence. I want to be able to verify what these individuals were writing or saying 10 years ago. People can change their opinions, but if they seem to have sprung up out of nowhere, that's a red flag. I am old enough not to take anything at face value. @LauraRuHK
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Internet speed on the little island where i live. Now you know why i'd rather read than watch videos.😉
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Russia tells citizens to avoid visiting US - Travelers risk being arrested under false pretenses on American soil
Russian nationals should avoid making non-essential trips to the US and allied countries, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said, warning that they could be “hunted down” by the American authorities for political reasons.
Travelling to the US poses “serious risks” due to “the increasing confrontation in the Russian-American relations,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a regular press briefing on Wednesday.
She stated that more Russian nationals were being “hunted down by American authorities, especially by secret services,” with Washington utilizing “fraudulent schemes” to lure Russians abroad in order to prosecute them for “political reasons.”
“For the upcoming holidays and beyond, we strongly advise to avoid non-emergency visits to the US and allied countries, especially Canada and, with rare exception, the countries of the European Union,” Zakharova said.
“When staying abroad, you should avoid situations, in which you can become a victim of provocations and be detained under the pretense of supposedly violating local laws,” the spokeswoman added. https://swentr.site/russia/609223-russia-warns-avoid-travel/
South Korea - The plot thickens
Democratic Party lawmaker Park Beom-kye revealed that he received a tip-off from a military whistleblower that the unmanned drones North Korea claimed Seoul had sent to Pyongyang in October were indeed sent on orders of the South Korean military — more specifically, on the orders of the former defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun, to justify the declaration of martial law. North Korea showed much restraint and didn't react to the provocation. ▪️ US complicity is highly likely given that its surveillance covers the demilitarized zone between the two countries. The former defence minister tried to kill himself shortly before he was formally arrested over his role in this month's martial law operation.
https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1172239.html
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, is in Beijing. Yesterday Indian Defense Minister Singh held talks with president Putin and Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov in Moscow to discuss defense and security cooperation between the two countries.
During the meeting, Singh said that "despite the geopolitical challenges and immense public and private pressure on India, India has made a conscious decision to not only continue close contacts with Russia but also to deepen and expand our cooperation. We will always stand together with our Russian colleagues." ▪️Most likely what happened in Syria featured prominently on the agenda. The West has never had any qualms about using terrorists and proscribed extremist organizations to destabilize countries and extend its control. There is no question it will continue to ignore international law in its desperate attempts to prevent the creation of a multipolar world. Now the real question is, what can the global majority do to defend itself from the chaos and destruction unleashed by the hegemon? The UN is toothless, its resolutions are shrugged off, while the US and its side kicks target any country that refuses to be dominated, any government that doesn't toe the line, any leader that can't be bought or blackmailed. @LauraRuHK
The flag of the Syrian Arab Republic was hastily replaced on the masts of Syrian embassies. Delivered by incredibly fast couriers? The emoji flag on social media hasn't changed 🇸🇾
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Syrian transitional government talks with ousted officials to transfer power
Syrian ministers from the newly formed transitional government met with members of the ousted Bashar al-Assad's administration on Tuesday to organize the transfer of state institutions and ensure the continuity of public services, according to the Syrian national TV. (Source: Xinhua) Chaotic scene 👉 https://x.com/drhossamsamy65/status/1866679222238146689 @LauraRuHK
Vanessa Beeley recounts how she had to leave her home in Syria and the sense of loss she experienced, which is not only personal. As Israel invades the country, destroying Syrian military and defence infrastructure, and armed groups terrorize the population, tragedy becomes collective. Here is the long version of the text she shared on Telegram. https://beeley.substack.com/p/safe-while-syria-burns?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=716517&post_id=152882937&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=3ogpak&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
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When the EU blocked its airspace to Russian airlines Russia's response was symmetrical.
Only four European carriers offer flights to Russia - they didn't close their airspace and maintained civilized relations with Moscow: Air Serbia, Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines and Belavia.
As a result of the EU unwise decision, European flights to Asia have become longer, more expensive and harder to find as more and more airlines cancelled routes. Chinese airlines have been meeting the demand. Currently China has the largest number of airlines using Russian airspace.
Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways are also still operating in Russian airspace and have increased routes and flights. Chinese airlines now account for 77% of traffic between China and Europe. In some markets, like Italy and the U.K., Chinese carriers hold as much as 100% and 95% of the market, respectively. @LauraRuHK
Israeli occupation forces are just 20 km south of Damascus, taking over areas in the countryside, after the new regime came to power.
https://en.mdn.tv/8ERp
Iran's Press TV reports that Sayyidah Zaynab, one of the most important destinations for Shī‘a Muslim pilgrims in Syria, is secure. /channel/presstv/121437
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Russian telegram channel V8 suggests Russia should provide shelter not only to the Assad family, but also cadets of military academies, students from universities, and in general the intelligentsia and qualified specialists from Syria. That's an excellent suggestion. /channel/vault8pro/52201
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Li Xinggang (Institute for Studies on the Mediterranean Rim at Zhejiang International Studies University) told the Global Times on Sunday that Syria is highly likely to fall into long-term turmoil in the future. "Because different regional armed forces have different goals and demands in the highly complicated Syrian issue. Assad's government cannot withstand the current change, and no power can build up new order or create a new balance of power immediately," he said.
For a long time, multiple foreign forces have been supporting Syrian anti-government forces to weaken and fight the Assad regime, with US troops still occupying oil fields and key transportation routes, which have seriously damaged Syria's reconstruction process and economy, Li noted.
Wang Jin (Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at Northwest University in Xi'an) told the Global Times on Sunday that "economic problems are the fundamental reason. Syria used to have reliable military forces to make sure the situation remained essentially under control, but economic problems have undermined the country's ability to maintain military strength, which is why the government forces fled or surrendered quickly." Syria's sudden change shocks the world, ‘might worsen chaotic Middle East situation’ - Global Times
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202412/1324602.shtml
Chinese President Xi Jinping won't attend the inauguration of Donald Trump, CBS News reported. A delegation of senior Chinese officials is expected to attend in place of Xi.
Extending the invitation to the Chinese president was pretty odd to start with. Was it a provocation? An attempt to put him in a "double bind", as defined by CIA-friendly Gregory Bateson? Traditionally, heads of state do not make international visits to Washington for the inauguration of an American president.
Donald Trump, eager to turn his inauguration into a global event, personally extended invitations to some foreign leaders - CNN mentioned El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Argentinean President Javier Milei. They are all Trump's aficionados. That definition can hardly be applied to Xi Jinping. @LauraRuHK
China to bolster bilateral relations with Russia, Xi Jinping told Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council as they held talks in Beijing.
“China is willing to work with Russia to strengthen the strategic synergy and lead global governance,” Xi told Medvedev, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Xi added that his country hoped to tap into the “driving force of cooperation between the two countries, and continuously benefit the two countries and their peoples.”
Medvedev:
"Ill-wishers generally see a threat to themselves in the development of relations between Russia and China.They try to divide us, to drive a wedge between us. Frankly speaking, the entire policy of the Anglo-Saxon world is aimed at this. And I believe that this pressure, these attempts to divide us, will not diminish. But they will not succeed in dividing us, because our relations have stood the test of time".
In the "Indo-Pacific" region, the US is strengthening its military presence and drawing allies into its geopolitical framework, thereby driving a new round of space arms races. According to Japan's Asahi Shimbun, a US Space Command opened at the US Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo on December 4, aiming to "strengthen Japan-US cooperation." The US is expanding its space influence through military alliances, seeking to leverage Japan's technological and economic strength to help secure its space dominance.
At the same time, however, the US seeks to limit Japan's technological independence, wary that any significant advancement could challenge its global hegemony.
The anonymous expert said the US' attempt to control Japan's space technology significantly limits Japan's ability to independently develop its space capabilities. For instance, in order to monitor Chinese satellites, the US has required Japan to deploy American-made sensors on the QZSS satellites, Japan's version of GPS. This not only compromises Japan's technological autonomy but also gives the US substantial control over Japan's space activities, the expert said, noting that the US' involvement in Japan's high-tech fields, including aerospace, will help ensure the US' total dominance over space technology. https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202412/1324840.shtml
Senior military representatives, scholars and experts from all around the world came to China for a symposium on Sun Tzu's The Art of War and shared their insights on the connection between the Chinese timeless masterpiece of military strategy and the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which was first proposed by Xi Jinping at the Boao Forum for Asia in April 2022.
At the core of the GSI are the six commitments: stay committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security; stay committed to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries; stay committed to abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter; stay committed to taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously; stay committed to peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation; and stay committed to maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional domains. Read more 👉https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202412/1324837.shtml
Russia's Defence Ministry said that Ukraine had attacked a military airfield in the southern Russian city of Taganrog on Wednesday morning with six U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles and promised retaliation.
The ministry said in a statement that all six missiles had been shot down or intercepted, but that falling missile debris had caused injuries among personnel.
"This attack by Western long-range weapons will not go unanswered and appropriate measures will be taken," it said. @LauraRuHK
‼️🇸🇾 🇮🇷 Iranian military adviser who returned from Syria 24 hours ago: We warned the Syrians about the impending attack 3 months before it began - Pars
➖ We were on high alert 3 months before the events, as we received information that an attack on Aleppo was planned from Idlib. This place became the center of concentration of all armed groups supported by Israel and Turkey. We informed the Syrian side about this, - said Emir Hussein Haji Nasiri.
➖On the second day of Assad's visit to Russia, the battle for Aleppo began. Various units of the Syrian army retreated without resistance, and only Shiite forces began to fight. Never before have we seen such a retreat by the Syrians.
➖ All the equipment of the Syrian armed opposition was American. In 2015, we fought in Syria against opponents who had only torn jeans and Kalashnikovs. Now we saw them with professional military gear and American weapons. Their equipment was armored, indicating long-term preparation for combat.
➖Syria was not ours (Iran's) to negotiate about. We went there to stop our enemy 2000 km away from our borders, ensuring the safety of our people. The future will show what will happen to the situation in Syria.
After the first victory people were hopeful and dreamed of rebuilding, but US occupation of important economic areas and brutal sanctions destroyed that dream. Reality was Assad could fight but after all the death and destruction what could he offer Syrians in return. Seems like he decided the best solution was to not fight and to go into exile.
@Slavyangrad
📈🇨🇳 Chinese car exports to the US hit historic high - statistics
Exports of passenger cars from China to the US reached a historic high of $2.9 billion in the first 10 months of this year, Sputnik has calculated. This is the highest value for such a period since 1992. Previously, such statistics were not kept.
Golf cars, snowmobiles, hybrid cars, electric buses and tractors - the US buys all this from China in addition to ordinary passenger cars.
📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt
Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin: interview to ‘Razvedchik’ (‘Intelligence Officer’) news magazine
One of the possible scenarios in the medium term envisions the Western countries attempting to unleash a global armed conflict with an epicentre in Eurasia. That would be the global capital’s tried and true strategy of dealing with a crisis. It is encouraging, however, that Washington and London are by no means the only ones who are bound by what they call shared values. There are new, equally resilient groups of countries in the world. There are more responsible players who, if united, will be able to resist the West’s adventurous plans and resolve any problems independently, keeping the planet from sliding toward World War III. Keep reading 👉 https://globalsouth.co/2024/12/10/director-of-russias-foreign-intelligence-service-sergey-naryshkin-interview-to-razvedchik-intelligence-officer-news-magazine/
At long last! Russian Railways is resuming passenger rail service with China and North Korea after it was suspended in 2020, the holding announced on its official Telegram channel.
"We are resuming passenger rail service with China and the DPRK. With the introduction of the 2024-2027 schedule, international trains of China Railways on the route Suifenhe-Grodekovo and those of the DPRK Ministry of Railways on the route Tumangang-Khasan will resume service," the statement said.
Member of Iran's Expediency Discernment Council and former IRGC Commander, Mohsen Rezaei, warned on Tuesday that "terrorists are preparing to launch attacks on Iraq."
He stated that 11,000 ISIS militants have been trained at a US military camp in northern Syria, raising concerns that they may target Iraqi cities such as Mosul or Tikrit in the coming months.
In related comments, Rezaei reported that "Israel" had struck 250 military sites and infrastructure targets in Syria within the past 24 hours, while accusing the US and militants of destroying all military sites in the country.
He further suggested that the recent developments in Lebanon, Syria, and potentially Iraq reflect the enemies' growing fear of the region's independence and their efforts to weaken its populations. (Source: Al Mayadeen) @LauraRuHK
My personal opinion: The fall of the Syrian Arab Republic ruled by Assad is a tragedy. Analyst opinion: without political reforms it was inevitable.
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One of the most absurd claims i hear is that Russia and Iran were caught unaware in Syria, that their intelligence was flawed. That's nonsense. Moscow and Teheran knew perfectly well what was going on. But they didn't run Syria, didn't make policy decisions. Assad ruled the country. Admittedly it wasn't easy. After being targeted by a colour revolution in 2011, Syria has been at war and under Western sanctions for over a decade, the economy is on its knees, part of the country is under foreign occupation depriving Syria of crucial oil and wheat revenues, the population has shrunk as millions fled and among those who stayed discontent kept mounting. Supporting a government whose policies eventually alienated the majority of the population is not sustainable in the long term. If Assad had accepted the idea of sharing power with some opposition forces through political reforms, he could have maintained leverage as the burden and the responsibility would have been shared too. At some point it became clear that without a process of national reconciliation the country would become ungovernable. Unfortunately Assad didn't give priority to such an urgent task. No one will be able to rule the country without starting that process. And there is no guarantee of success. As some analysts have pointed out, Syria could prove very toxic for those who are now claiming victory. @LauraRuHK
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Syria - The "blame game" is not just a waste of time, it is toxic and risks damaging the same actors that some of you claim to support. This is not a time for recriminations and defeatism, both of which play into the hands of the enemy. If you believe that a fairer world order is worth fighting for, then keep fighting. It won't be served to you on a silver plate. /channel/LauraRuHK/9422
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❗️Now that Damascus has fallen, what does this mean for Russia?
One practical issue is the Central Asian jihadists.
What will happen to the many thousands of Central Asian jihadists? Mostly Uzbeks, Tajiks and Uyghurs, will they stay in Syria? Will they attempt to go home? Or will they be prepared for use in another area, presumably Russia?
As we discussed a week ago, the Central Asian countries should be seriously re-evaluating their relationship with their "big brother" Turkey. Erdogan has an army, thousands?, tens of thousands?, of Central Asian militants who are beholden to Turkey and violently opposed to their regimes, especially in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, bit also the other Central Asian countries. Instability in Central Asia means instability for Russia.
But even more important, these militants are also violently opposed to Russia.
And we mustn't forget the Chechens who are part of this HTS mercenary group. Some were fighting in Ukraine where they learned modern military craft, including the use of drones, which they have been imparting to their Central Asian "brothers".
Do we have any doubts that the anglo overlords of HTS would love to unleash these forces on Russia? In Ukraine? A new front in Central Asia? In the Caucasus?
Or will these Uzbek and Tajik jihadists be infiltrated as "workers" into Russia to act as terrorist cells?
⚡️ Two Majors
Ex-Syrian President Bashar Assad and his family are in Moscow, where they have been granted asylum out of humanitarian concerns, a source in the Kremlin told RIA Novosti. The flag of the Syrian Arab Republic has been removed from the building of the country's embassy in Moscow.
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