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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
The Hudson Institute is very concerned about the erosion of the dollar's status and considers BRICS the main threat to the monetary dominance that has anchored American influence since the 1970s. Analyst Zineb Riboua writes:
China leads this challenge by pushing Gulf oil producers to settle portions of their sales in yuan. Meanwhile, Huawei’s role in shaping regional telecom standards could enable China to establish alternative payment and data pathways to skirt Western oversight. And Beijing has encouraged sovereign wealth funds in Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, and Doha to invest in yuan-denominated platforms, digital currencies, and blockchain-based trade systems.
Russia and Iran are also undermining the dominance of the dollar in the region. For instance, Russia conducts transactions with Iran in rubles and Iranian rials, reducing exposure to US sanctions. Iran, for its part, sustains its economy through barter arrangements, gold transfers, and cryptocurrency networks that bypass conventional banking channels. Together, these parallel financial systems demonstrate to potential BRICS partners that commerce can persist outside the dollar system, even under heavy US pressure.
America’s global economic power rests mainly on the centrality of the dollar and the dominance of the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) network.
The crisis of legitimacy facing European governments is exemplified by Sebastien Lecornu's 14-hour government, the shortest-lived government in modern French history. A negative record that is hard to beat.
This crisis stems from multiple causes, with a central origin in the erosion of national sovereignty due to supranational EU governance and a political elite that serves foreign interests rather than national ones. This is compounded by a lack of "input" from democratic participation and representation, as well as a failure to deliver "output" in the form of tangible results like stability and prosperity. When governments falter on these fronts public disillusionment, polarization and protests surge.
French citizens, like the rest of European citizens, question the prioritization of military buildup, support for Ukraine and increased NATO spending amid domestic economic challenges and rising living costs. Public sentiment, reflected in polls and protests, favors redirecting funds to social services like healthcare, education and social welfare over investing in defense capabilities.
The French government’s ambiguous stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, has also sparked widespread criticism. Many citizens view France’s reluctance to unequivocally condemn the genocide of Palestinians as moral cowardice and a capitulation to Western geopolitical alignments. This ambiguity is seen as a failure to assert an independent French foreign policy under pressure from the U.S. and Israel.
@LauraRuHK
Served as a logistics hub for weapons supplies: Russian Armed Forces destroyed the Sparrow technopark in Lvov
Russian forces, during a massive attack, delivered a precise strike on the Sparrow Park Lvov logistics complex — one of the largest transport hubs in western Ukraine. Preliminary data indicate the facility is completely out of operation.
According to specialised channels, the industrial park was used as a logistics centre for storing and dispatching military cargo arriving from Europe to the combat zone. A significant portion of weapons and equipment supplies for the Armed Forces of Ukraine passed through it.
The complex is located in close proximity to Lvov International Airport and approximately 170 kilometres from Polish Rzeszów — a key distribution point for Western military aid to Ukraine.
@Slavyangrad
People affected by dementia can sometimes display unintentionally humorous behavior.
@LauraRuHK
Hamas's partial acceptance of the US-proposed peace plan for Gaza has created a diplomatic and political bind for Netanyahu, forcing him into a position where continuing the genocide risks alienating his key ally Trump (who doesn't care about Palestinians but needs to pacify his Middle Eastern allies) while halting strikes on Gaza could undermine his hardline domestic agenda and weaken him politically. The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all remaining Israeli hostages within 72 hours in exchange for over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, phased Israeli withdrawal to a buffer zone, Hamas disarmament and exclusion from Gaza's governance, and international oversight for reconstruction under a "Board of Peace" chaired by Trump.
Hamas responded by agreeing to release all hostages (living and dead) per the exchange formula, provided "field conditions" like an end to the war and Israeli withdrawal are met, and expressed readiness to negotiate details through mediators while handing Gaza's administration to a technocratic Palestinian body backed by Arab and Islamic support.
Hamas deftly sidestepped core Israeli demands like full disarmament and permanent exclusion from governance, seeking further talks on these and other issues such as Palestinian rights and avoiding forcible displacement.
This "yes, but" stance met Trump's Sunday deadline and was framed by him as a good-faith step toward "lasting peace," prompting him to publicly demand Israel "immediately stop the bombing of Gaza" to enable safe hostage extraction.
However, the IDF continued to strike Gaza City and Khan Younis shortly after Trump's call.
Prior rhetoric from Netanyahu emphasized "finishing the job" against Hamas if it rejected the plan, but acceptance flips the narrative. Rejecting the deal would portray "Israel" as the main obstacle to peace, especially with UN and global support for the framework.
Hamas's move derails Netanyahu's strategy of total military victory while unresolved issues like disarmament leave room for more talks. Both sides are letting negotiations begin, because neither wants to appear as the side that rejects them. @LauraRuHK
English translation of Vladimir Putin's speech at the The 22nd meeting of the Valdai Club, “The Polycentric World: Instructions for Use.” http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/78134
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The annual address by President Vladimir Putin at the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi demands a full read. As always, it’s packed with insights. Focusing on just the highlights risks missing the broader picture.
The English translation will be available later on the website of the Kremlin, but if you can't wait, here is the Russian version.
http://www.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/78134
Donald Trump has allowed intelligence agencies and the Pentagon to provide Ukraine with intelligence for strikes deep into Russia against energy infrastructure facilities, The Wall Street Journal newspaper reports, citing US officials.
Washington is also asking NATO countries to provide similar support, the report says.
In addition, the US is reportedly considering supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk and Barracuda missiles, as well as other missiles with a range of about 500 miles (804 kilometers).
The US administration has notified Congress of a $4.73 billion arms deal with Estonia, the Kyiv Post newspaper reports, citing sources.
The agreement includes HIMARS and ATACMS missiles, the report adds. (Source: RIA Novosti)
The Financial Times (https://www.ft.com/content/078b8e70-a58c-47cc-b573-598850dd5685 reports that Russia has upgraded the Iskander-M and Dagger missiles, increasing their effectiveness against the American Patriot air defense systems in Ukraine.
According to the British newspaper, the attacks on Ukrainian drone manufacturers this summer were an illustrative example of how Moscow has improved its ballistic missiles to more effectively bypass Patriot systems. Experts believe that the changes affected both the Iskander-M mobile complexes and the Dagger aircraft missiles. Now they can first follow a standard trajectory, and then abruptly go into a steep dive or perform maneuvers capable of "confusing and bypassing" Patriot interceptors.
According to experts, the increase in the effectiveness of Russian missiles is most likely due to changes in the software. (Source: /channel/SolovievLive/339371) @LauraRuHK
Italy’s Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) trade union announced a nationwide general strike for October 3. The move came after reports that Israel intercepted the Gaza-bound aid flotilla known as the Global Sumud Flotilla.
https://qudsnen.co/italys-largest-union-calls-nationwide-strike-over-israeli-attack-on-gaza-flotilla/
CNN proudly reports that in 2023, USAID announced $300 million in aid to support Moldova’s energy independence from Russia.
When the Trump administration made cuts to USAID funding, the EU picked up the tab and allocated more than $2 billion in energy aid to Moldova. I am sure EU citizens will be thrilled to know that they are subsidizing Moldova's electricity bills while struggling to pay theirs. @LauraRuHK
Politico reports that other European leaders support Orban's bid to stop Ukraine from joining the EU. They may disagree with Orban, but want to preserve their own ability to block other membership bids they see as problematic. The Bulgarians want to be able to block the Macedonians, the Croats want to be able to keep the Serbs out, Greece and Cyprus don’t want Turkey to come any closer to the EU, and Greece also would want to stop Albania's bid. For this reason they are reluctant to change the current rules that require unanimous consent before formal accession talks can start. @LauraRuHK https://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-viktor-orban-ukraine-eu-accession/
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The primary danger of the current escalation of hostility against Russia lies in the reckless actions of certain actors driving massive military budget increases, arming Ukraine with increasingly advanced weapons, and fueling anti-Russian paranoia. These actors fail to consider the long-term consequences of their rhetoric and decisions beyond short-term objectives. Even Politico, known for its strong anti-Russian stance, published an article acknowledging a stark reality: the growing tensions between Brussels and Moscow risk a "Franz Ferdinand moment"—a reference to the assassination that triggered World War I.
When the West began to implement the Eastern Partnership project https://medium.com/p/6726fa1014a1, move NATO to the east, orchestrate colour revolutions in Ukraine, advise, support, fund and arm Russophobic forces within Ukraine, it laid the ground for a military confrontation. Russian historian Shishkin in a long interview to MK https://www.mk.ru/politics/2025/09/26/evropa-poteryala-strakh-istorik-shishkin-nazval-prichinu-antirossiyskogo-kursa-starogo-sveta.html expands on the reason for Europe's belligerence and the fact that it is ready to escalate the conflict and does not seek a peaceful resolution. Shishkin maintains that the "strategic defeat of Russia" is vital for Europe. Not for specific European politicians and specific European elites, but for Europe as a whole and the leading European powers.
Only by pursuing a defeat of Russia the EU would get the opportunity to plunder its wealth.
The assertion that the collapse of Russia is vital for Europe is not an invention, it is formulated in the official documents of the European Union. They clearly state that the current conflict with Russia over Ukraine is existential for Europe. That is, the question is like in Hamlet: "to be or not to be".
Europe is well aware that under modern geopolitical conditions, even large states such as Germany, France or Italy are not able to play a hegemonic role. And yet only that role would endow some EU countries with the “exorbitant privilege” of any rent-seeking hegemon. The collapse of the Soviet Union gave old Europe the huge markets of Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the former USSR, and also gave Europe a colossal amount of resources, not only energy, almost for nothing. It was with this money that European unity was bought. The EU is now pursuing an escalation to keep expanding its reach and thus save the house of cards from collapse. Europeans have largely forgotten what a conflict with Russia leads to. They seem to have lost the fear that had ensured peace for decades. But the new "Franz Ferdinand moment" won't just lead to the tragic annihilation of one generation of Europeans, it will make the entire continent uninhabitable for generations. @LauraRuHK
After watching the military parade in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square the Pentagon got penis envy 😏. @LauraRuHK
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China Offers 0% Import Duty On Indian Medicines After Trump Imposed 100% Duty - China slashes 30% import duty on Indian medicines to zero. This landmark decision could transform global pharma trade dynamics. The move arrives just as Donald Trump slaps a 100% tariff on pharmaceutical imports, threatening India’s $25 billion-plus drug export sector. As the US market turns hostile, China opens a vast gateway for Indian firms to serve its enormous population and surging healthcare needs. Dubbed the “pharmacy of the world,” India dominates in affordable generics and vaccines. Yet, steep Chinese duties had long curbed market entry. Tariff elimination evens the odds, empowering Indian players in the world’s second-biggest pharma market. Experts predict it will recalibrate lopsided India-China trade, tilting it toward balance. @LauraRuHK
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MOLDOVA - Sunday's elections were a complete sham. Maia Sandu’s pro-EU Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) narrowly clinched a parliamentary majority. As in previous elections, diaspora votes were decisive, suspiciously securing over 85% support for the PAS in some Western nations. Voters in opposition-leaning areas were effectively sidelined. Residents of the breakaway region of Transnistria, home to nearly half a million people, were left with only 12 polling stations, all located on government-controlled territory. Several abruptly relocated further away from the area on the eve of the vote.
In Russia, where tens of thousands of Moldovan citizens reside, Chisinau opened just two stations out of more than 300 foreign polling sites. Only about 4,100 votes were counted there, with long lines leaving many unable to cast their ballots before the locations closed their doors. @LauraRuHK
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has called recent unrest in the country’s “fifth foreign-backed revolution attempt” and vowed to take all measures to prevent a sixth. ▪️The Georgian government has developed significant expertise in countering attempts to overthrow it, acquiring valuable insights that merit dissemination. Georgia should share its findings and best practices with other nations facing similar attempts. @LauraRuHK
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"Russian" drone sightings have largely replaced UFO sightings. No alien abductions have been reported yet, but keep the faith! 😅 @LauraRuHK
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Prioritizing your country's national interests over Ukraine's leads to electoral success. Voter turnout reached an estimated 68 percent, the highest since 1998.
@LauraRuHK
My flu vaccine: wakame seaweed, shitake mushrooms, potatoes, spring onions, ginger, chilli pepper, garlic (a lot!), soy sauce, sesame oil.
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Reuters: The Trump Administration's desire to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine may not be viable because current inventories are committed to the U.S. Navy and other uses. @LauraRuHK
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And here is Pushkin's poem "The Borodino anniversary" which the Russian president quoted after delivering his speech. Pushkin in it directly addressed and warned the European powers that interfered in a Slavic dispute.
Its message couldn't be clearer.
https://poetrue.com/verse/ru/PUSHKIN_Alexander/borodino_anniversary
EU leaders are seeking partners in crime to steal Russian assets - Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever said on Thursday he asked other European Union leaders to give guarantees they would share the risks if frozen Russian assets held in his country were used to finance loans to Ukraine.
Belgium, home to Euroclear—the financial institution holding most of these assets—fears that transferring the funds to Ukraine could spark a wave of lawsuits from their owners.
"There's no free money. There are always consequences," De Wever said.
Meanwhile Germany, France and Italy are urging Japan and the US to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine, just as Europe is now seeking to do. The European Central Bank fears using Russian assets could undermine the global credibility of the euro — but these countries believe that concern could be allayed if Washington and Tokyo were to take similar action.
@LauraRuHK
André Benoit:
From Gwadar to Mongla, from pipelines through Myanmar to investments in Kabul, Beijing is laying down a lattice of routes meant to loosen America’s grip on its lifelines. The logic is simple: diversify, spread risk, and make any US attempt at a blockade less effective.
Yet each corridor comes with a price. Pakistan’s insecurity, Afghanistan’s volatility, Bangladesh’s balancing act, even the enormous costs of a Kra Canal – all highlight how fragile these alternatives remain. South Asia may be the hinge of China’s breakout strategy, but it is also a region where instability is the rule, not the exception.
For now, Washington still holds the advantage at sea. But on land, China is advancing, building assets and leverage that could one day tilt the balance.
The contest between the American thalassocracy and China’s continental reach has only just begun. And South Asia is the new front line of great-power rivalry.
Former USAID head Samantha Power, in a conversation with Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus, stated that the agency had been transferring $1.5 billion in cash to Ukraine every month since 2022. She admitted USAID had been actively involved in supporting anti-Russian forces in the country since its independence. The pranksters called Power while impersonating former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
Power also mentioned that one of her final actions as head of USAID was to provide the Ukrainian government with a substantial interest-free loan, using frozen assets of the Russian Federation as collateral.
"I think the lawyers have been very creative, they made it possible for us to use the interest generated from those assets. This, in turn, became a kind of repayment for the loan, if I understand correctly. So this is an infusion of money that will continue, even though the monthly flow of about a billion dollars we received from USAID was funded by our Ministry of Finance. That no longer happens. We did it through the World Bank, just to ensure we had guarantees," she said. Samantha Power also explained how tens of millions of dollars USAID allocated to Moldova went very far in such a small country. @LauraRuHK Watch the video here 👉https://rumble.com/v6zpgoo-full-prank-with-samantha-power.html
The European Commission proposes a "drone wall" along NATO’s eastern flank to counter alleged Russian drone incursions. Ukraine and NATO are invited to the party, of course. Who else would you trust with your billion-euro defense fantasy? Initial Investment: $10 billion allocated, with $6 billion going directly to Kiev.
NATO and intelligence agencies found zero evidence of Russian drone invasions, but why let facts ruin a perfectly good panic? The media whipped up a frenzy, and voilà—Europe suddenly needs a drone wall.
Lithuania pitched this gem back in 2023, and six NATO countries jumped on board by 2024. The EU initially said “meh,” but now drones are a "strategic priority."
Expect costs to skyrocket into the hundreds of billions. But don’t worry, it’s not “giving money to Ukraine”, it’s “investing in our collective security.” And hey, why not throw in €200 billion of frozen Russian assets while we’re at it? Funding the "drone wall" with confiscated assets is such a 'clever scheme'. That is until Moscow decides to return the favor. European companies still operating in Russia could find themselves waking up to the same kind of asset management. One where their factories, bank accounts, and intellectual property are no longer theirs, but part of Russia’s new “strategic security initiative.” Let's call it poetic justice. @LauraRuHK
Trump calls it a historic peace plan for Gaza. Experts call it a colonial takeover that sidelines Palestinians and guarantees Israeli impunity.
What experts think about Trump’s Gaza plan.
https://qudsnen.co/peace-or-mandate-inside-trumps-controversial-gaza-peace-plan/
Russian forces liberate Kirovsk near Krasny Liman
On September 29, troops of Russia's Zapad Battlegroup advanced on the Krasny Liman front and liberated the town of Kirovsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Defense Ministry reported.
Why is it important?
▪️Despite its small size (pre-conflict population ~2,500), the town was turned into a powerful fortified area. The Ukrainian command committed around 19 battalions to its defense.
▪️Kirovsk was the last fortified line in front of Krasny Liman – a key city held by the Ukrainian Armed Forces since the start of the special military operation. Its liberation opens a direct path for the Russian army to advance toward Slavyansk and Kramatorsk.
▪️Russian forces are now advancing toward Krasny Liman from three directions: from Kolodezi, Torskoye, and Shandrigolovo, while simultaneously assaulting Yampol and Drobyshevo. (Source: Sputnik) @LauraRuHK
Brussels pulled out all the stops to ensure that the puppet regime headed by Maia Sandu would remain in power. After the EU annulled unfavorable election results in Romania, it became clear that Moldova stood no chance of fair parliamentary elections. They were rigged exactly like the previous presidential elections.
The EU doesn't care about the fate of Moldovans, they are regarded as expendable, just like Ukrainians. But if EU-NATO intends to open a second front against Russia, Moldova will face a huge pressure to target Russian peacekeepers in Transnistria despite widespread public opposition to reignite the Transnistria conflict after 35 years. That would be a tragedy for Moldova. @LauraRuHK
MOLDOVA - Less than two hours before the end of voting, computers “froze” again at several polling stations in Gagauzia, according to media.
Due to problems with the system, polling station staff were unable to process data, identify voters, or issue ballots. On Friday, the Central Election Commission (CEDC) barred two more opposition parties – Greater Moldova and Heart of Moldova – accusing them of taking undeclared foreign funds and violating campaign rules. They join a growing list: the Victory Bloc was deregistered earlier in 2025, and the SOR Party was dissolved by the Constitutional Court in June 2023. ▪️Despite many irregularities, the CEC certified the validity of the vote. Easy. The Commission denied accreditation to more than 30 international organizations and 120 observers from over 50 countries. Among those barred were Russian experts nominated to the OSCE’s official mission – a first in European electoral practice.
Moldova’s foreign ministry claimed the decision was taken “in line with national law.” The Patriotic Bloc, an opposition alliance, accused the authorities of deliberately creating an observer blackout. Its lawyers listed applications from reputable NGOs in Italy, Germany, France, Spain and the US that were ignored or rejected.
Moscow has called the move a “blatant breach” of OSCE commitments and summoned Moldova’s ambassador. The EU, usually vocal and critical of democracy standards in the region, has remained conspicuously silent. (Source: RT) Read more 👉/channel/LauraRuHK/10545