(2/2) “Maidan midwife” Victoria Nuland’s association with Mongolia dates back to 1988, when she helped open the US embassy there. She resurfaced in the country with a visit in April this year, raising questions about the US' intentions regarding the country. Her visits and seemingly symbolic photo sessions in the central square of Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar, 35 years apart, suggest that the country holds a key place in her strategic interests. It can be inferred that she may attempt to replicate the Ukraine scenario in Mongolia.

Furthermore, according to the Russian newspaper Izvestia, citing informed sources, the US Department of Defense has prepared an extensive biological research program in Mongolia. The Pentagon is seeking permission from the Mongolian authorities to open several special laboratories in the republic. Experts believe that Washington could be preparing to transfer to Mongolia research which is similar to that which was taking place in laboratories in Ukraine. There, Russia has accused the US of developing biological weapons, which Washington initially dismissed as propaganda – before later admitting that 46 Pentagon-supported laboratories had been operating in Ukraine, but maintaining that their research was “focused on improving public health and agricultural safety.” Moscow’s calls for an investigation into what exactly those laboratories were doing were vetoed at the UN by the US and its NATO allies Britain and France. Now experts believe that the plan could be for the labs in Mongolia to study the effects of dangerous viruses on the body of people of Asian descent.

Another reason for the surge in American interest in Mongolia is economic: the country, with its population of only 3.2 million people, has colossal resources of copper, coal, gold, uranium and other minerals, and the development of the largest deposits has not yet begun. It is also likely that the US aims to disrupt the planned Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which should pass through the territory of Mongolia to export Russian natural gas to China.

Meanwhile, the next parliamentary elections in Mongolia are scheduled for the summer of 2024, and could not only change the legislative trends, but also the “level of democracy” in the country, as well as the state’s relationship with its immediate and “third neighbors.”

Given their proximity and vested interests in Mongolia, Russia and China are likely to play a significant role in ensuring it does not follow in Ukraine's footsteps. Their assistance could be crucial in maintaining Mongolia's stability and preventing it from becoming another failed state. (Source: RT) @LauraRuHK

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EU won’t keep promises to Ukraine.
Dmitry Peskov: "Brussels is treating Kiev like a donkey chasing a carrot."

The EU promise of negotiations with Ukraine on eventual membership is a shallow ruse, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday, using a ‘dangling carrot’ metaphor. @LauraRuHK

Un iscritto al canale mi ha mandato un messaggio per chiedermi come mai io che sono italiana e vivo in Cina dedico cosi' tanto spazio alla Russia. Ero tentata di rispondergli con ironia, magari allegando l'articolo del Corriere della Sera che dipingeva me e altri colleghi come agenti della disinformazione russa. In realta' esiste una spiegazione molto personale. Da anni vivo la mia immigrazione a Hong Kong come una condizione lacerante: divisa tra Italia e Cina mi sento straniera in entrambi i luoghi. L'Italia non e' piu' il paese che avevo lasciato quasi 30 anni fa, sia io che lei siamo cambiate profondamente, non ci riconosciamo piu'. Per gli amici italiani mi sarei "cinesizzata", per quelli cinesi invece io sono e saro' sempre italiana. Quella cinese e' una civilta' affascinante ma a cui non appartengo ed e' inutile pretendere il contrario. Vivo quindi in uno stato di esilio permanente. L'unico posto in cui mi sento a casa e dove magicamente si risolvono le mie contraddizioni esistenziali e culturali e' la Russia, esattamente a meta' strada tra il paese che ho lasciato e quello che mi ospita. Insomma, se prendi un'italiana e la metti in Cina finisce che ti ritrovi una russa. 😏 https://lauraru852.wixsite.com/ruggeri/about

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is on his way to Saudi Arabia to attend an emergency Arab summit, which will be held Saturday to discuss the means to stop the war in Gaza, Saudi officials familiar with the matter said.

Arab leaders at a summit in Cairo last month condemned the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, but with Israel and senior U.S. officials absent, there was no agreement toward containing the violence.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will travel to Saudi Arabia on Sunday for a separate Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit, the first visit by an Iranian head of state since Tehran and Riyadh ended years of hostility under a China-brokered deal in March. That summit is also aimed at de-escalating the conflict in Gaza. (Source: WSJ) @LauraRuHK

❗️Israel and Hamas agreed to exchange Palestinian women and children detained by Israel for one hundred hostages held by Hamas, Al Arabiya reports. @LauraRuHK

What will happen if the US and the EU steal the frozen assets of Russian companies and citizens? First of all retaliation.
The assets of Russian residents in the West (mostly securities) will be compensated with the assets of Western residents in Russia. Vladimir Putin signed the decree on November 8.
Other measures are being discussed, including, according to Dmitry Peskov, completely "asymmetrical" ones, that is, unexpected and painful, .

At the same time, the thieving West has already begun to feel the consequences of its fraud. Until recently, the main asset of the West, primarily the United States, was not money, gold, deposits, or anything tangible, but the main asset was the image of a "safe and secure haven" for international capital, which was guaranteed protection.
Now the U.S. and its G7 allies have shot themselves in the foot.

Against the backdrop of news about the robbery, the yield on the "safest on the planet" US government bonds, which foreign investors love so much, fell by 20 percent as of October 2023, 42 compared to last year.
The world's largest Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, with $1.4 trillion in assets, reported a loss of $2023.33 billion in the third quarter of 8, largely due to a drop in interest in Western stocks by cautious foreign investors who fear similar confiscations.
Luxury real estate in London, which has attracted investors from all over the world for decades, is rapidly losing its position, and its place in the world is beginning to be taken by real estate in other parts of the world. Dubai and (surprise!) Sochi.

The theft of Russian assets is the inglorious end of schmaltzy myths about the West as a "safe haven," "the inviolability of private property," and the "invisible hand of the market."
The United States and its vassals, in their frenzied desire to harm Russia, have destroyed their rotten world, and we have only one way forward – build a new world. @LauraRuHK https://ria.ru/20231110/rossiyskie_aktivy-1908511959.html

Afghanistan is ready to provide Iran with the Wakhan corridor for the transit of goods to China — Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund | PLA
Afghanistan expressed readiness to provide the Wakhan Valley (Afghan province of Badakhshan, bordering China) to establish direct trade and economic relations between Iran and China, the parties agreed to create joint groups to accelerate ground and practical work in this direction.
The country is also ready to connect Iran with Uzbekistan through its territory and extend the railway project along this route to the Wakhan Corridor.
Afghanistan is becoming an important logistics hub...

PNRR, ovvero la pernacchia agli italiani. Solo gli ingenui potevano sperare che i fondi stanziati per risollevare il paese dopo la pandemenza servissero a finanziare il sistema sanitario, a migliorare la rete dei trasporti o a sostenere programmi di inclusione sociale. Non sentite forse il bisogno di satelliti per scopi militari? Thales Alenia Space realizzerà a Roma una delle fabbriche spaziali più grandi d’Europa: investimento da oltre 100 milioni

La Space Smart Factory sarà operativa entro metà 2025. Thales Alenia Space farà costruire la Space Smart Factory nel parco tecnologico della Capitale, il Tecnopolo Tiburtino. I 100 milioni di investimento includono anche l’impegno dell’Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (Asi) attraverso i fondi del Pnrr. (Fonte: Milano Finanza) @LauraRuHK

Bradley Blankenship wrote a very good op-ed for RT, "BEIJING’S VISION FOR HONG KONG IS ABOUT TO BE PUT TO THE TEST", which i summarized for those who can't access RT due to censorship. ▪️On December 10, Hong Kong will have its first District Council elections since the implementation of this year’s electoral reform law. It will be a litmus test for the city’s future and the success of China’s ‘One Country, Two Systems’ policy.

The changes that happened this year to the electoral system were quite significant. While all of the council seats used to be decided by direct election, now this has been reduced to 20%. Another 40% are decided by indirect elections, and 40% are decided by the Beijing-approved chief executive, who is currently John Lee Ka-chiu.

▪️This reform was implemented in direct response to the forces that are openly separatist, trying to pull Hong Kong away from Beijing, as well as those who are purposely trying to muck up the city’s democracy and ruin the local government’s ability to help average people. Given all that’s taken place in the city in recent years, this is quite a reasonable approach, and it’s been a long time coming. To those protesters, their sympathizers and supporters, the new electoral scheme may seem totally antithetical to democracy. However, the most important thing is that the government produces results for the people. Contrary to how Western democracy and republicanism work, the social contract in Chinese civilization has always been such that if the government materially benefits the lives of the people, then the state has legitimacy in the eyes of the people.

▪️In essence, the Chinese state is what guarantees the rights and well-being of the people. This is different to the West, where the state is what people need to be protected from in the first place. This is why Hong Kong is placing such an emphasis on the ordinary function of government ahead of kowtowing to some loud voices. ▪️This year’s electoral scheme is a hybrid between Western-style democracy and Chinese-style governance. It is a system that prioritizes results, procedure, and decorum over polarization and sedition. Hong Kong is a vibrant, eclectic, and truly unique place. Its unique history and culture have made it one of the greatest places in the world. But there are still some problems and excesses, of which rampant inequality and ballooning housing costs are some of the most notable. Addressing these issues will take serious results-driven governance – not petty partisanship. (Source: RT) @LauraRuHK

As a long-term Hong Kong resident i see both risks and opportunities in this new electoral scheme, a hybrid between Western-style democracy and Chinese-style governance. The main risk is that voter turnout may be very low which will provide ammunition to critics of the reform. Many of those who cast their votes in the past couldn't care less about district-level politics and local governance, they just saw it as a chance to elect anti-government candidates who would paralyze the legislative council through their filibustering tactics. Some of these voters have thankfully left Hong Kong and are struggling in their Western paradise, others will abstain. Convincing people to vote will be the main challenge. Some friends would rather do away with this hybrid system and just let Beijing manage Hong Kong affairs as it has a better track record than our local politicians and civil servants. I can see their point. But the new electoral reform offers a great opportunity, namely it will allow a new generation of Hong Kong politicians to cut their teeth on district level issues and hopefully new political cadres can emerge from among their ranks. https://t.me/LauraRuHK/6815

Ukraine's foreign trade deficit reaches 22.4 bln USD in January-October
The deficit of Ukraine's foreign trade in goods increased by more than threefold year on year in January-October 2023 to 22.4 billion U.S. dollars, official data showed on Friday.

In the period, Ukraine's exports totaled 29.8 billion dollars, while imports stood at 52.2 billion dollars, the State Customs Service said in a statement.

Poland was the largest export destination for Ukrainian goods in the first ten months, accounting for about 14 percent of the total exports. It was followed by Romania and Türkiye with 11 percent and 7 percent respectively.

Meanwhile, about 16 percent of Ukraine's imports were sourced from China, 10.5 percent from Poland, and 8 percent from Germany.

In January-October 2022, the deficit of Ukraine's foreign trade in goods stood at 7.05 billion dollars. (Source: Xinhua) @LauraRuHK

Genocide is Israel's Strategy

Israel is losing the battle. They cannot afford to remain fully mobilized this long, even with unlimited US financial support. It is estimated that despite limited commercial flights, more than a quarter million Israelis have left the country. This is also the number that have evacuated settlements in both the south, in a large radius around Gaza, and in a wide ribbon along the northern border with Lebanon.

Israel is not used to this, and despite its sophisticated military equipment, it depends upon concluding its combat quickly and overwhelmingly. The problem is that it can't. Hamas is too well dug in, and Hezbollah is too strong. Both have their own sophisticated equipment, despite an absence of navy and air force. Their strategy has been to make air and naval forces largely useless against them by means of a vast and well equipped underground network of reinforced, sealed and well defended tunnels. Their strategy is attrition: to draw out the conflict longer than Israelis are willing or able to endure. 

It appears to be effective. Israelis are taking casualties at a rate to which they are not accustomed. This is making them slower and more cautious, except in the air, and it is disrupting civilian life to an unprecedented extent. The resistance forces of the Palestinians and their allies have planned for a confrontation of unlimited duration, while Israel plans only short, massive attacks designed for a quick, decisive victory, which in this case is illusive.

This is the main reason they have chosen genocide as a tactic. They reason that massive, horrible deaths of vulnerable civil Palestinians, mainly women and children, will force Hamas, Hezbollah and their allies to take risks and expose themselves. But genocide is not working. And when it doesn't, Israel's answer is to use more genocide.

Gaza is largely without food, medicine, electricity, fuel or potable water. Israel is trying to force a panicking population to leave or die. If they leave, it is to the Sinai, never to return to their own country. That suits Israel, but not Egypt, which has arrayed a solid row of tanks and other equipment along the border to prevent being forced to admit the Palestinian population. 

This is why Israel is resorting to bombing hospitals, schools, mosques and even the few churches of the tiny Christian community that opened their doors to their Muslim brothers and sisters seeking refuge. The Israeli strategy seems to be that when pictures of gaunt living skeletons of children and mounds of corpses begin to be estimated in the hundreds of thousands, or more, the fighters will become desperate and/or the international community will compel Egypt to open its doors.

The strategy could backfire. The international community could become so horrified that no amount of hasbara [friendly media] will cover such epic crimes. Instead, their staunchest allies may be forced to abandon them, and other powers may enter the fray on the side of the Palestinians. At that point, the consequences become unpredictable. Demonstrations by the millions are already beginning to occur around the globe. At least one prominent voice in Israel has suggested the nuclear option. 

The call for a ceasefire is becoming louder, but Israel sees that as a Palestinian win, and the Palestinian factions have little stomach for returning to the status quo ante, which means little more than confinement to destitute concentration camps or "reservations". Caring people from around the globe are beginning to mobilize near the conflict zone, to try to, at minimum, allow the resumption of humanitarian aid, fuel, electricity and water to the besieged, starving, sick, parched and dying people of Gaza.

This is just the beginning. Things could change very quickly, for good or bad.

Paul Larudee, from an undisclosed location 

Paul Larudee: La strategia di Israele è il genocidio - Israele sta perdendo la battaglia. Non può permettersi di mantenere la mobilitazione così a lungo, anche con il sostegno finanziario illimitato degli Stati Uniti. Si stima che, nonostante i voli siano ridotti, più di 250mila israeliani abbiano lasciato il Paese. Questo è anche il numero di chi ha dovuto evacuare gli insediamenti sia nel sud in un ampio raggio intorno a Gaza, sia nel nord in un'ampia fascia lungo il confine con il Libano.

Israele non è abituato a questo, con le sue armi sofisticate si aspettava una vittoria rapida e schiacciante. Il problema è che non la raggiunge. Hamas è troppo ben trincerato e Hezbollah è troppo forte. Entrambi hanno un arsenale sofisticato, nonostante l'assenza di marina e aviazione. La loro strategia è stata quella di rendere le forze aeree e navali ampiamente inutili contro di loro grazie a una vasta e ben attrezzata rete di tunnel rinforzati, sigillati e ben difesi. La loro strategia è quella del logoramento: far durare il conflitto più a lungo di quanto gli israeliani siano disposti o in grado di sopportare. Sembra funzionare. Gli israeliani stanno subendo perdite a un ritmo a cui non sono abituati. Questo li sta rendendo più lenti e cauti, tranne che quando attaccano dal cielo, e stanno sconvolgendo la vita dei civili in una misura senza precedenti. Le forze di resistenza dei palestinesi e dei loro alleati hanno pianificato uno scontro di durata illimitata, mentre Israele pianifica solo attacchi brevi e massicci, finalizzati a una vittoria rapida e decisiva, che in questo caso è illusoria. Questo è il motivo principale per cui hanno scelto il genocidio come tattica.

Ritengono che la morte massiccia e orribile di civili inermi, soprattutto donne e bambini, costringerà Hamas, Hezbollah e i loro alleati a correre rischi e a esporsi. Ma il genocidio non funziona. E anche se non funziona, la risposta di Israele è quella di continuare con il genocidio. Gaza è in gran parte senza cibo, medicine, elettricità, carburante o acqua potabile. Israele sta cercando di costringere una popolazione in preda al panico ad andarsene o a morire. Se se ne andranno, sarà nel Sinai, per non tornare mai più nel loro Paese. Questo va bene per Israele, ma non per l'Egitto, che ha schierato una solida fila di carri armati lungo il confine per evitare di essere costretto ad accogliere la popolazione palestinese.
Israele sta ricorrendo a bombardamenti su ospedali, scuole, moschee e persino sulle poche chiese della comunità cristiana che ha aperto le porte ai fratelli e alle sorelle musulmani in cerca di rifugio.

La strategia israeliana sembra essere quella di far sì che quando gli scheletri di bambini e i cadaveri inizieranno a diventare centinaia di migliaia o più, i combattenti cederanno per disperazione e/o la comunità internazionale costringerà l'Egitto ad aprire le sue porte. La strategia potrebbe ritorcersi contro.

La comunità internazionale potrebbe inorridire a tal punto che nessuna hasbara [media amici] funzionerà. Invece, i loro alleati più fedeli potrebbero essere costretti ad abbandonarli e altre potenze potrebbero scendere in campo dalla parte dei palestinesi. A quel punto, le conseguenze diventano imprevedibili. Ci sono già imponenti manifestazioni in tutto il mondo. Una voce di spicco in Israele ha addirittura suggerito l'opzione nucleare.
La richiesta di un cessate il fuoco si fa sempre più forte, ma Israele la vede come una vittoria dei palestinesi e le fazioni palestinesi non hanno molta voglia di tornare allo status quo ante, che significa confinamento in campi di concentramento o in "riserve". Volontari di tutto il mondo stanno iniziando a mobilitarsi per cercare di consentire, come minimo, l'arrivo di aiuti umanitari, del carburante, dell'elettricità e dell'acqua alla popolazione di Gaza assediata, affamata, assetata, malata e ferita. Questo è solo l'inizio. La situazione potrebbe cambiare rapidamente in meglio o in peggio. @LauraRuHK

Erdogan and Assad meet for first time in a decade: Two extraordinary summits involving Arab and Muslim leaders of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League have opened in Saudi Arabia to forge a unified position to end hostilities in the Gaza Strip. https://t.me/dimsmirnov175/58542

That explains a lot 😏

May i have the phone number of the PLA soldier in the middle? 😏

The vote on the United Nations resolution on ending the illegal Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories:

- 168 countries voted in favor of ending the occupation (Included all Arab and most African countries)

- 9 countries abstained from voting (including 5 African countries)

- 7 countries opposed the decision: (The Zionist entity, United State, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Canada, Hungary)

Politically speaking, 91% of the world are frankly against the occupation

The final resolution issued by the joint Arab and Islamic summit in Riyadh condemned Israel’s aggression against Gaza and demanded an immediate end of the barbaric, brutal and inhumane massacres committed by the colonial occupation government against the Palestinian people.
It also demanded the UN Security Council take a “decisive and binding decision” that imposes a cessation of aggression; the International Criminal Court should conduct an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israel in all occupied Palestinian territories.
It called on all countries to stop exporting weapons and ammunition to Israel used by its army and the terrorist settlers.
“Protection from cycles of violence and wars will not be achieved without ending the Israeli occupation. We hold Israel, the occupying power responsible for the continuation and aggravation of the conflict". 📍According to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the summit of 57 countries appeared incapable of anything except plead and demand.

The PIJ said the summit's final statement reflects the collective evasion of Arab and Islamic countries from their responsibilities and distancing themselves from their duty to protect Arab and Islamic national security. It added that the summit's final statement would have gained credibility if Arab and Islamic countries had taken the step of severing ties with the Israeli occupation, similar to some Latin American countries that have no cultural or religious ties with Palestine. @LauraRuHK