15426
Researcher & writer based in Hong Kong. Former academic. Longform articles archived at https://lauraruggeri.substack.com and https://laura-ruggeri.medium.com. Email: lauraru852@yandex.ru
Techno‑feudalism is calling for its own international organization, and Trump seems all too eager to oblige.
Pascal Lottaz comments on Trump’s latest feudal fantasy, the so‑called “Board of Peace,” whose permanent membership will cost each state one billion dollars. Clearly, it is an expensive pay‑to‑play scheme.
“Peace Building” — the stated goal of this Billionaires’ Club — appears to mean mostly “building” things and doing business, with little actual peace to be expected.
It seems that the Wild West version of the Multipolar Era belongs to the bold and the shameless. @LauraRuHK ➡️ https://substack.com/home/post/p-185145123
Secondo il China Belt and Road Initiative Investment Report 2025 stilato da Christoph Nedopil, la Nuova Via della Seta (Belt and Road Initiative - BRI) ha raggiunto un livello record nel 2025, con nuovi accordi per un totale di 213,5 miliardi di dollari — un aumento del 75% rispetto al 2024. Si tratta del più alto livello dalla nascita della BRI nel 2013, e porta gli investimenti e i contratti di costruzione in 150 paesi a 1,4 trilioni di dollari. L’impennata riflette un cambio strategico in risposta ai dazi statunitensi e alla guerra commerciale in corso, con le imprese cinesi concentrate sulla resilienza delle catene di approvvigionamento, sulla sicurezza delle risorse e su nuovi mercati, piuttosto che sulle tradizionali infrastrutture su larga scala.
Energia: 43% del totale, in aumento di oltre 10 punti percentuali rispetto al 2024. Le energie rinnovabili (solare, eolico) hanno raggiunto livelli record, ma la quota di combustibili fossili e' quasi triplicata, raggiungendo i 71,5 miliardi di dollari (74% degli accordi energetici all’estero, il livello più alto dal 2014).
Metalli e Settore Minerario: Record di 32,6 miliardi di dollari, con circa il 60% in Kazakistan (ricco di terre rare). Gli accordi sul rame sono aumentati alla fine del 2025, spinti dalla domanda legata all’IA e ai data center.
Tecnologia e Manifattura: Record assoluto, +27% a 28,7 miliardi di dollari, trainati da batterie al litio e semiconduttori.
Trasporti: Forte calo a 13,3 miliardi di dollari (solo il 6,2% del totale, rispetto al 12% del 2024 e al picco del 28% nel 2018) — meno megaprogetti come ferrovie, porti e autostrade.
Focus regionale:
Asia Centrale: Gli investimenti sono quasi triplicati, soprattutto nei settori metallurgico e minerario in Kazakistan.
Africa: Gli investimenti sono quasi quadruplicati; uno dei fattori citati è la minore incidenza dei dazi statunitensi in alcune aree africane rispetto a paesi come il Vietnam (ad esempio, l’azienda cinese Boway Alloy opera ora in Marocco).
Le aziende cinesi si stanno chiaramente concentrando su catene di approvvigionamento resilienti e nuovi mercati. Il rapporto suggerisce che il 2026 potrebbe vedere un livello di coinvolgimento ancora elevato (potenzialmente maggiore in energia/miniere/tecnologia) e un’a crescente attenzione rivolta ai settori strategici. @LauraRuHK ➡️https://greenfdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Nedopil-2026-China-BRI-Investment-Report-2025.pdf?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExNDh6cnNNdm1QWGk4enJHQnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4G9kLFgZm6KnH_a0FxJFnHHNmc3KFiybL5nLQBGHO5ObXl8uSLO17F3binbw_aem_3Y0G57zlPZbwKDX8Gr6sJQ
Pumping the AI bubble at Davos. Climate, diversity and woke themes have slipped down the Davos agenda, supplanted by AI and growth, as the US, led by Trump and his team, prepares to own the stage. The head of AI giant Nvidia, Jensen Huang, top executives from Microsoft, Meta, Palantir, Anthropic and OpenAI will stack meetings with firms like JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, BlackRock and Salesforce.
As Cory Doctorow writes, "If you are an exec at a dominant company with a growth stock, you have to live in constant fear that the market will decide that you are not likely to grow any further. Think of what happened to Facebook in the first quarter of 2022. They told investors that they experienced slightly slower growth in the US than they had anticipated, and investors panicked. They staged a one-day, $240bn sell-off. A quarter-trillion dollars in 24 hours! At the time, it was the largest, most precipitous drop in corporate valuation in human history.
That’s a monopolist’s worst nightmare, because once you’re presiding over a “mature” firm, the key employees you have been compensating with stock experience a precipitous pay drop and bolt for the exits, so you lose the people who might help you grow again, and you can only hire their replacements with dollars – not shares.
This is the paradox of the growth stock. While you are growing to domination, the market loves you, but once you achieve dominance, the market lops 75% or more off your value in a single stroke if they do not trust your pricing power.
Which is why growth-stock companies are always desperately pumping up one bubble or another, spending billions to hype the pivot to video or cryptocurrency or NFTs or the metaverse or AI.
I am not saying that tech bosses are making bets they do not plan on winning. But winning the bet – creating a viable metaverse – is the secondary goal. The primary goal is to keep the market convinced that your company will continue to grow, and to remain convinced until the next bubble comes along.[...] The promise of AI – the promise AI companies make to investors – is that there will be AI that can do your job, and when your boss fires you and replaces you with AI, he will keep half of your salary for himself and give the other half to the AI company.
That is the $13tn growth story that Morgan Stanley is telling. It’s why big investors are giving AI companies hundreds of billions of dollars. And because they are piling in, normies are also getting sucked in, risking their retirement savings and their family’s financial security.
So this is why they’re hyping AI: the material basis for the hundreds of billions in AI investment."
@LauraRuHK
The European Union may resort to economic sanctions, the introduction of trade tariffs, or the threat of eliminating US military bases on its territory to pressure the US over the future of Greenland, The Economist wrote on Saturday.
According to the magazine, it will be extremely difficult for Washington to project its military power into Africa and the Middle East without access to European military bases such as Ramstein. For example, the success of the recent seizures of oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela directly depended on access to resources at British military airfields. It is noted that the White House's ability to monitor and counter threats in the Arctic will require cooperation with Greenland, Iceland, the UK, and Norway, as well as other NATO allies. The magazine notes that a confrontation with the US is unlikely, as it would require the EU to rapidly increase military spending due to its dependence on American troops and the military-industrial sector. Furthermore, a trade war would place a huge burden on EU budgets.
On January 17, Trump announced on Truth Social that the Washington administration has imposed 10% duties on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, Finland and the Netherlands, which will remain in force until agreements are reached on "the full and final acquisition of Greenland" by the United States.
This decision comes into effect on February 1, Trump added. As he stressed, from June 1, the rate of these duties will increase to 25%. Furthermore, Trump criticized Europe's intention to send its forces to Greenland, calling it "a very dangerous game." He argued that possession of Greenland is necessary to strengthen US national security and the effective deployment of the American Golden Dome missile defense system.
(Source: TASS) @LauraRuHK
La produzione in serie del satellite "Зоркий" (Zorky), che in russo significa "occhio "vigile", progettato per il telerilevamento della Terra (remote sensing) inizierà in Russia nel 2026. Lo ha annunciato il 16 gennaio 2026 Dmitry Bakanov, capo di Roscosmos. Il satellite Zorky effettua riprese ad alta precisione dallo spazio.
Le immagini ottenute servono a creare mappe digitali aggiornate, utilizzate per la navigazione di veicoli autonomi e droni.
Entro il 2027 è previsto il dispiegamento di una costellazione orbitale composta da più di 300 satelliti Zorky.
Molti media russi e internazionali (tra cui Izvestia, TASS e MK) hanno descritto Zorky come "analogo russo di Starlink", enfatizzando l'obiettivo di indipendenza tecnologica nelle comunicazioni satellitari e nel supporto a veicoli autonomi/droni in zone difficili. Altre fonti sottolineano che i satelliti Zorky sarebbero principalmente dedicati al telerilevamento ottico (fotografia ad alta risoluzione per cartografia e monitoraggio), non alla fornitura diretta di internet broadband come fa Starlink. Il vero progetto russo equivalente a Starlink per connessioni internet ad alta velocità sarebbe invece la costellazione Rassvet: centinaia di satelliti previsti nei prossimi anni, con servizio commerciale atteso intorno al 2027. Zorky rappresenta un passo importante nella sovranità spaziale russa, ma non è un sistema di connettività internet globale. @LauraRuHK
For years, the US has driven tech decoupling through export controls, most notably limiting Chinese firms' access to Nvidia's cutting-edge GPUs critical for AI development. However, developments in early 2026 show Beijing shifting from being purely defensive to becoming a driver of decoupling itself by restricting US tech within its borders. Beijing has instructed domestic tech companies not to purchase Nvidia’s high-end H200 chips unless absolutely necessary.
The new rules impose caps on the total number of advanced AI chips that local firms can import, while data centres will reserve server stack space for domestic chips rather than Nvidia H200-based solutions, even when serving major clients like Alibaba Group Holding and ByteDance.
The Chinese government has also launched an official probe into Meta Platforms’ (Facebook's parent) acquisition of Chinese-founded AI start-up Manus, signaling tighter scrutiny of foreign takeovers of Chinese AI talent/tech.
Beijing is pursuing digital sovereignty by pushing toward greater technological self-reliance, effectively building its own protective "high fence" against US technology in response to, and in parallel with, American restrictions. This mutual fencing can only accelerate the bifurcation of the global tech ecosystem between the two superpowers.
@LauraRuHK ➡️ https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3340168/fighting-back-beijing-builds-its-own-small-yard-high-fence-shut-out-us-tech?module=top_story&pgtype=homepage
US manufacturing is stagnating at best, far from the industrial boom Trump touted when rolling out tariffs. Tariffs didn't protect US factories, they increased production costs because 91% of manufacturers rely on imported materials and components. Supply chains have been disrupted, reorganizing them is time-consuming and expensive, if feasible at all. Many firms are delaying hiring, investment, and expansion amid uncertainty, rising costs, and shrinking demand. Manufacturers shed 63,000 jobs over the year (per Bureau of Labor Statistics data).
The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) manufacturing index fell to 47.9 in December, marking the 10th consecutive month of contraction.
New orders remain weak.
China, on the other hand....Read more ➡️ /channel/LauraRuHK/10853
Piccolo esempio per spiegare, a chi ancora me lo chiede, il motivo per cui disattivo le traduzioni automatiche dei miei post su FB e cerco, quando il tempo me lo permette, di tradurli in italiano io stessa.
Ieri ho pubblicato quello che vedete /channel/LauraRuHK/10856. La schermata di un'affermazione delirante di Trump.
E' accompagnata da un mio commento sarcastico, frutto di un gioco di parole tra il Potere "Morbido" (Soft Power) americano e lo stato del cervello di Trump, che "e' andato in pappa" (mush).
Le traduzioni automatiche del mio commento che molti hanno condiviso in rete non rendono questa idea del rammollimento del Soft Power americano dietro alle sparate in stile "ce l'ho duro" del presidente.
Quando scrivo uso spesso espressioni idiomatiche. Le amo non solo per la loro ricchezza figurativa, ma anche perche', come insegnava Bakhtin, rappresentano la natura stratificata e dialogica della lingua.
Le parole portano con sé una memoria sociale, un'appartenenza a un certo ambiente, epoca, gruppo, vale a dire la memoria dei loro usi precedenti, siano essi usi letterari o popolari.
Ed e' proprio la loro polifonia a renderne difficile la traduzione.
Solo chi abita le lingue sa cogliere e riprodurre le sfumature, lo stridore di certe parole, la musicalita' di altre, la volgarita' e la raffinatezza intenzionale. L'Intelligenza Artificiale sta omogeneizzando la lingua e troppi omogeneizzati stanno mandando in pappa i cervelli.
Un mese fa ho ordinato la versione italiana di un libro americano, per regalarlo a un amico che non conosce l'inglese. Quando l'ho sfogliato sono inorridita. La lingua in cui e' stato tradotto era scomposta e sfigurata come un corpo precipitato dal 20esimo piano. Era inerte, non respirava piu'.
Ero cosi' furente per lo scempio commesso, che ho buttato il libro nella spazzatura.
Reazione esagerata e futile, penserete.
Non per me, che ho passato gran parte della mia vita ad abitare le lingue. E a tradurle. Se avessi avuto un braciere a portata di mano, l'avrei dato alle fiamme pronunciando quelle formule rituali che usano gli sciamani per allontanare gli spiriti maligni. In ogni caso mi sono tolta la soddisfazione con il cassonetto della differenziata. Molti dei gesti, apparentemente futili, che compiamo quotidianamente assolvono a una funzione importante. Ci ricordano chi siamo.
Quel libro era per me l'equivalente di un OGM piantato vicino a una coltivazione biodinamica e andava estirpato prima che la contaminasse. @LauraRuHK
Nella guerra commerciale in corso, la Cina è imbattibile. Nonostante i dazi imposti da Washington e un calo del 20% delle esportazioni verso gli Stati Uniti, Pechino ha registrato nel 2025 un surplus commerciale record di 1,19 trilioni di dollari, grazie alla rapida riallocazione delle spedizioni verso mercati in più rapida crescita come l’ASEAN e l’Africa.
Le esportazioni cinesi sono aumentate del 5,5% su base annua, raggiungendo i 3,77 trilioni di dollari, mentre le importazioni sono rimaste sostanzialmente stabili a 2,58 trilioni di dollari. Le spedizioni verso i paesi dell’ASEAN sono cresciute del 13,4% nell’anno (e dell’11,2% a dicembre), rendendo questo blocco il principale partner commerciale della Cina; le esportazioni verso l’Africa sono balzate di un impressionante 25,8% su base annua (21,8% a dicembre). Le esportazioni verso l’UE sono aumentate dell’8,4% e quelle verso l’America Latina del 7,4%.
Questa diversificazione strategica dimostra la maggiore potenza industriale della Cina, un migliore accesso ai mercati in crescita e una grande capacità di adattamento — qualità che gli Stati Uniti non riescono a eguagliare, affidandosi a misure protezionistiche che non sono riuscite a frenare le esportazioni cinesi. @LauraRuHK
La Cina condanna i dazi statunitensi sui partner commerciali dell’Iran e promette di adottare le misure necessarie per tutelare i propri diritti e interessi.
Dopo che Donald Trump ha annunciato dazi del 25% su qualsiasi Paese che intrattenga rapporti commerciali con l’Iran, la Cina ha espresso la sua opposizione a sanzioni unilaterali illecite e ha dichiarato che prenderà tutte le misure necessarie per salvaguardare i propri diritti e interessi legittimi.
Liu Pengyu, portavoce dell’Ambasciata cinese negli Stati Uniti, ha affermato:
"La posizione della Cina contro l’imposizione indiscriminata di dazi è coerente e chiara. Le guerre tariffarie e le guerre commerciali non hanno vincitori, e coercizione e pressioni non risolvono i problemi. Il protezionismo danneggia gli interessi di tutte le parti."
A MUST-WATCH on how armed gangs and terrorists, backed by Mossad agents, exploited the legitimate economic grievances of Iranians
@PressTV
Le fake news, amplificate dai media occidentali, insieme al dilagare di voci incontrollate e stravaganti teorie, costituiscono un ingrediente fondamentale per alimentare le rivoluzioni colorate.
L’incidente del 31 agosto 2019 alla stazione della metropolitana Prince Edward (noto come “831”) a Hong Kong ne è un esempio emblematico. Durante un’operazione di polizia, gli agenti effettuarono diversi arresti. Immediatamente si diffusero voci assurde su Telegram, LIHKG e vari social media, secondo cui la polizia avrebbe picchiato a morte i manifestanti all’interno della stazione, rimuovendo i corpi in un tentativo di insabbiamento.
Queste voci trasformarono l’“831” in una psicosi collettiva: per oltre un anno, persone si riunirono ogni mese alla stazione per veglie, deponendo fiori bianchi in memoria di vittime inesistenti. L’affermazione priva di fondamento che la polizia avesse compiuto un “massacro” contribuì all'escalation della violenza.
Tenetelo a mente quando sentite parlare di proteste in Iran. @LauraRuHK
Those watching protest porn, aka #IranRevolution2026 on X, are actually jerking off to old footage. 😅 @LauraRuHK
Читать полностью…
Svolta storica per i BRICS
Dal 9 al 16 gennaio 2026 è in corso, nelle acque sudafricane, un’esercitazione navale congiunta guidata dalla Cina e denominata “Will for Peace 2026”.
È la prima volta che i paesi BRICS si impegnano in una cooperazione militare multilaterale. Oltre a Russia, Cina e Sudafrica, partecipano alle manovre anche Iran, Indonesia ed Etiopia.
La Forza di Difesa Nazionale sudafricana descrive le esercitazioni come un programma intensivo di operazioni congiunte per la sicurezza marittima, esercizi di interoperabilità, scenari di contro‑terrorismo e soccorso, manovre anti‑attacco dal mare e iniziative per proteggere rotte di navigazione e attività economiche strategiche.
Il tema ufficiale — “Azioni congiunte per garantire la sicurezza della navigazione e delle attività economiche marittime” — sottolinea l’attenzione alla protezione delle rotte commerciali da minacce non tradizionali ma sempre piu' attuali come le azioni di pirateria. @LauraRuHK
Iran's Security Council: “It is clear that those who protested economic conditions would not do anything to cause economic damage, worsen the situation, or add insecurity alongside economic problems”.
“The presence of security and law enforcement forces is to prevent insecurity in the country, and these forces, alongside the proud and steadfast nation, neutralize the plan of insecurity by Israel and its godfather, the United States, providing a safe environment for the people's lives. In this path, security forces and the judiciary will show no leniency towards saboteurs”.
@LauraRuHK
In 2009 I couldn't get tickets for a sold out concert at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Ten years later i was in Tuva, meeting those same musicians. So much has changed since then, for instance i can longer access this old Facebook account and the discussion groups I was an administrator, or an active member of, were also deleted by Meta. All the accounts i and other administrators of those groups later opened on FB and Twitter/X are throttled, their reach deliberately stifled. What once felt like vibrant digital communities are just a pale memory. The encounters in Tuva reminded me that real engagement doesn't happen on a stage, is not measured in clicks or algorithms. It happens in presence without pretense. The richness of human connection, the stimulation of dialogue and music, cannot be replicated by feeds or timelines.
@LauraRuHK
According to the China Belt and Road Initiative Investment Report 2025 by Christoph Nedopil, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) achieved a record high in 2025, with new deals totaling US$213.5 billion—a 75% increase from 2024. This marks the highest annual engagement since the BRI's launch in 2013, bringing cumulative investment and construction contracts across 150 countries to US$1.4 trillion. The surge reflects a strategic pivot amid US tariffs and the ongoing trade war, with Chinese firms focusing on supply chain resilience, resource security, and new markets rather than traditional large-scale infrastructure. Energy: 43% of total engagement, up >10 percentage points from 2024. Clean energy (solar, wind) hit record levels, but fossil fuels exploded nearly threefold to US$71.5 billion (74% of overseas energy deals, highest since 2014).
Metals and Mining: Record US$32.6 billion, with around 60% in Kazakhstan (rich in rare earths). Copper deals surged in late 2025, driven by AI/data center demand.
Technology and Manufacturing: Record high, up 27% to US$28.7 billion, led by lithium batteries and semiconductors.
Transport: Sharp decline to US$13.3 billion (only 6.2% of total, down from 12% in 2024 and 28% peak in 2018)—fewer megaprojects like railways, ports, highways.
Regional Shifts ➡️ Central Asia: Investments nearly tripled, especially metals/mining in Kazakhstan.
Africa: Investments nearly quadrupled; one factor cited is lower US tariffs in parts of Africa vs. countries like Vietnam (e.g., Chinese firm Boway Alloy redirected plans to Morocco).
Chinese companies are clearly focusing on resilient supply chains and new markets. The report suggests 2026 could see continued high engagement (potentially more in energy/mining/tech) and sustained focus on strategic sectors.
@LauraRuHK
Read more: https://greenfdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Nedopil-2026-China-BRI-Investment-Report-2025.pdf?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExNDh6cnNNdm1QWGk4enJHQnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4G9kLFgZm6KnH_a0FxJFnHHNmc3KFiybL5nLQBGHO5ObXl8uSLO17F3binbw_aem_3Y0G57zlPZbwKDX8Gr6sJQ
L’Unione Europea potrebbe ricorrere a sanzioni economiche, all’introduzione di dazi commerciali o alla minaccia di eliminare le basi militari statunitensi sul proprio territorio per esercitare pressioni sugli Stati Uniti riguardo al futuro della Groenlandia, ha scritto The Economist sabato.
Secondo la rivista, sarà estremamente difficile per Washington proiettare la propria potenza militare in Africa e Medio Oriente senza l’accesso a basi militari europee come Ramstein. Ad esempio, il successo dei recenti sequestri di petroliere al largo delle coste del Venezuela è dipeso direttamente dall’accesso agli aeroporti militari britannici. Si osserva inoltre che la capacità della Casa Bianca di monitorare e contrastare le minacce nell’Artico richiederà la cooperazione con Groenlandia, Islanda, Regno Unito e Norvegia, oltre che con altri alleati della NATO. La rivista sottolinea che uno scontro con gli Stati Uniti è improbabile, poiché richiederebbe all’UE di aumentare rapidamente la spesa militare a causa della sua dipendenza dalle truppe americane e dal settore militare-industriale degli USA. Inoltre, una guerra commerciale graverebbe pesantemente sui bilanci dell’UE.
Il 17 gennaio Trump ha annunciato su Truth Social che l’amministrazione di Washington ha imposto dazi del 10% a Danimarca, Norvegia, Svezia, Francia, Germania, Regno Unito, Finlandia e Paesi Bassi, che resteranno in vigore fino al raggiungimento di accordi sulla “piena e definitiva acquisizione della Groenlandia” da parte degli Stati Uniti.
Questa decisione entrerà in vigore il 1° febbraio, ha aggiunto Trump. Ha inoltre sottolineato che dal 1° giugno l’aliquota di tali dazi aumenterà al 25%. Trump ha anche criticato l’intenzione dell’Europa di inviare le proprie forze in Groenlandia, definendola “un gioco molto pericoloso”. Ha sostenuto che il possesso della Groenlandia è necessario per rafforzare la sicurezza nazionale degli Stati Uniti e per il dispiegamento del sistema di difesa missilistica americano Golden Dome. (Fonte: TASS) @LauraRuHK
Russia to Begin Serial Production of Zorky Satellites in 2026
Russia will launch serial production of the “Zorky” satellite — whose name in Russian means “watchful eye” — in 2026, Roscosmos chief Dmitry Bakanov announced on January 16. Designed for Earth remote sensing, Zorky is capable of capturing high-precision images from orbit. These images will be used to generate updated digital maps, supporting navigation for autonomous vehicles and drones.
By 2027, Russia plans to deploy an orbital constellation of more than 300 Zorky satellites.
Russian media outlets including Izvestia, TASS, and MK have described Zorky as a “Russian analogue of Starlink,” highlighting its role in advancing technological independence in satellite communications and autonomous systems. However, other sources emphasize that Zorky’s primary mission is optical remote sensing — high-resolution photography for cartography and monitoring — rather than providing broadband internet access like SpaceX’s Starlink.
The actual Russian project aimed at delivering high-speed satellite internet is the planned Rassvet constellation, which envisions hundreds of satellites and commercial service expected around 2027.
Russia’s Zorky and Rassvet satellites mark a major stride in space and digital sovereignty. @LauraRuHK
🚀 Russia's Answer to Starlink is Here
Russia Launches Domestic Starlink Rival: "Zorky" Set for Serial Production in 2026 ▶️ https://thinkbrics.substack.com/p/russia-launches-domestic-starlink
Russia is launching "Zorky," its domestic satellite internet constellation to rival SpaceX's Starlink in 2026.
💡 The $5 billion "Sphere" project by Roscosmos aims to provide broadband connectivity across Russia and challenge Western space dominance. Will this reshape the global satellite internet race?
#Starlink #SpaceTech #SatelliteInternet #Russia
Un recente articolo della RAND Corporation rivela le crescenti preoccupazioni statunitensi riguardo alla traiettoria politica dell’Armenia in vista delle elezioni parlamentari di giugno 2026. Washington è particolarmente allarmata per l’impopolarità del suo “burattino”: il tasso di approvazione di Nikol Pashinyan è sceso al 13%, e una sua scarsa performance elettorale potrebbe portare a un cambio di governo più favorevole a Mosca, invertendo la deriva dell’Armenia verso l’Occidente. Poiché la Russia ha recentemente migliorato le relazioni con l’Azerbaigian, Washington teme che Mosca possa riconquistare influenza nel Caucaso meridionale, mettendo a rischio le prospettive di quel corridoio logistico progettato per bypassare Russia e Iran (Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor + Zangezur Corridor).
Per mitigare tali rischi, l'analista dlla RAND sottolinea la necessità di un impegno costante da parte di Stati Uniti e Unione Europea, ossia un aumento del sostegno alle forze, ai media e alle ONG allineate con l’Occidente in Armenia: il consueto ecosistema delle “rivoluzioni colorate”. Il rapporto della RAND lamenta la recente chiusura di USAID e sottolinea che, senza un attivo sostegno occidentale, la combinazione di bassa popolarità di Pashinyan e il rinnovato leverage russo potrebbe compromettere l’accordo tra Armenia e Azerbaigian mediato sei mesi fa da Trump. @LauraRuHK ➡️ https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2026/01/what-prospects-for-lasting-peace-between-armenia-and-azerbaijan.html
"Germany will send 13 soldiers to Greenland on Thursday as part of a reconnaissance mission with other European nations."
Something went wrong in the process of reforming NED and USAID.
Soft power turned to mush.
😅
@LauraRuHK
In the ongoing trade war, China clearly holds the upper hand. Despite Washington's tariffs and a 20% drop in exports to the US, Beijing delivered a record US$1.19 trillion trade surplus in 2025 by swiftly redirecting shipments to faster-growing markets like ASEAN and Africa
China's exports rose 5.5% year-on-year to US$3.77 trillion while imports stayed essentially flat at US$2.58 trillion.
Shipments to ASEAN countries surged 13.4% for the year (and 11.2% in December), making it China's largest trading partner bloc, while exports to Africa jumped an impressive 25.8% annually (21.8% in December). Exports to the EU were up 8.4% and Latin America up 7.4%.
This strategic diversification demonstrates China's greater industrial depth, global market access, and ability to adapt—qualities the US has struggled to match while relying on protectionist measures that have failed to curb China's exports.
@LauraRuHK
China slams US tariffs on Iran's trading partners, vows to take necessary measures to protect its rights and interests
After Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on any country that conducts business with Iran, China voiced its opposition to any illicit unilateral sanctions and vowed to take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.
Liu Pengyu, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the US, said
"China's position against the indiscriminate imposition of tariffs is consistent and clear. Tariff wars and trade wars have no winners, and coercion and pressure cannot solve problems. Protectionism harms the interests of all parties."
In a televised interview on Sunday, Iranian President Pezeshkian emphasized his administration’s determination to resolve economic hardships and ensure justice, including fair distribution of subsidies regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity.
He acknowledged complaints from business owners and bazaar merchants, invited them to government meetings, and affirmed that protests are a legitimate right. His cabinet is holding daily talks to address concerns.
He accused the US and Israel of exploiting Iran’s economic problems to incite riots, arson, and desecration of religious sites, claiming that trained outsiders and terrorists were behind violent acts.
Pezeshkian described rioters as non-Iranian criminals responsible for killings, decapitations, and burnings, stressing that such acts are unacceptable to Iranian civilization.
He urged citizens, guilds, and industry leaders to help eradicate corruption, defend neighborhoods against rioters, and attend pro-establishment rallies. He promised that Iran will overcome current challenges despite external pressures as Iran’s defense and security forces act decisively against violent rioters. @LauraRuHK
(Source: Tasnim) https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2026/01/11/3492402/rioters-trained-by-outsiders-iranian-president
Malicious fake news, amplified by biased Western media, along with rampant rumour-mongering and outlandish claims, form a core ingredient in sustaining color revolutions.
The August 31, 2019 Prince Edward metro station incident (commonly called "831") in Hong Kong is a case in point. During a police clearance operation targeting protesters, officers made several arrests. In the hours and days that followed, explosive rumors spread rapidly on platforms like Telegram, LIHKG, and social media, claiming police had beaten protesters to death inside the station, with bodies allegedly hidden or removed in a cover-up.
The rumors turned "831" into a collective psychosis: for over a year, people held monthly vigils at the station, laying white flowers for non-existent victims. The unsubstantiated claim that the police had committed a "massacre" escalated the violence.
Keep this in mind when you watch Western media coverage of protests in Iran. @LauraRuHK
Iran's national police spokesman, Saeed Montazer al-Mahdi, announced on Friday (January 9, 2026) that field observations indicate general calm has returned to cities nationwide following a wave of riots. Speaking to Tasnim News Agency, he attributed the unrest to armed groups, foreign-backed elements (primarily the United States and Israel), and terrorist actors orchestrating violence, arson, and attacks on public infrastructure. What Western media omit to mention in their glorification of the riots are the protests against the criminal actions of foreign-backed agents of chaos: ordinary Iranians reportedly prevented further violence.
Provincial reports noted no major gatherings or disturbances on Friday night despite limited attempts at disruption.
The statement highlighted deadly attacks on security personnel: Three police officers killed Friday night in Shiraz (Fars province) and surrounding areas; funerals planned with bodies to be transferred to Mazandaran, Markazi, and Fasa.
Several members of Tehran's criminal investigation police killed Thursday night by Kalashnikov fire.
Two police killed Thursday night in Qom.
Two security force members killed in Shushtar (Khuzestan province).
One Basij militia member killed Thursday night in Qazvin after confronting rioters attempting to burn a fuel station.
A local prosecutor and four security force members (two police, two Basij) killed in Esfarayen (northeastern town) after assailants set fire to the main mosque, a Qur’anic center, and a retail store.
By Thursday, at least 270 police officers had been injured (some by military-grade firearms). Montazer al-Mahdi noted police initially exercised restraint amid economic protests (triggered by inflation, price rises, and currency instability), distinguishing between legitimate protesters and rioters, but vowed a decisive response to armed terrorists going forward.
Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani, in a national TV interview, detailed unprecedented attacks Thursday night: Armed assailants targeted emergency services (hospitals, firefighters), burning more than 24 fire engines.
Over 26 banks, 10 government facilities, over 25 mosques, and at least 47 buses set on fire.
Three police stations and 25 Basij centers attacked. Over 100 rioters were arrested in Baharestan, Isfahan province. (Source: PressTV)
@LauraRuHK
Historic Shift: BRICS Advances to Multilateral Naval Cooperation
From January 9 to 16, 2026, a China-led joint naval exercise named "Will for Peace 2026" is underway in South African waters.
This is the first time BRICS countries engage in multilateral military cooperation. In addition to Russia, China, and South Africa, Iran, Indonesia, and Ethiopia participate in the exercises.
The South African National Defence Force describes the drills as an intensive program of joint maritime safety operations, interoperability exercises, counter-terrorism and rescue scenarios, anti-sea strike drills, and efforts to safeguard key shipping lanes and maritime economic activities. The official theme — "Joint Actions to Ensure the Safety of Shipping and Maritime Economic Activities" — underscores a focus on protecting trade routes from non-traditional threats like piracy, without targeting any specific third party.
@LauraRuHK
The declaration signed by the so-called Coalition of the Willing, led by the UK and France, seems designed to ensure the continuation of war in Ukraine. /channel/MFARussia/27964
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