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

Roman Chervinsky, through his lawyer, denied his involvement in sabotage at Nord Stream.

All assumptions about my involvement in the attack on Nord Stream are spread by Russian propaganda without any basis.

https://t.me/ukraina_ru/176550

By accusing Chernyavsky of undermining the Nord Streams, someone tried to blame General Zaluzhny, who now has disagreements with Zelensky, for this sabotage. Who could it be?

The US may lose positions on the world stage and in the Middle East because of its policy on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, writes WP.

The newspaper notes the growth of "resentment over the enormous collateral damage to civilians" against not only Tel Aviv, but also Washington. The material refers to representatives of the leadership of Arab countries and analysts.

It is emphasised that during Blinken's trip to the Middle East and Asian countries he was reproached because of the actions of the Israeli army, which uses American weapons.

In addition, the crisis in the Gaza Strip "gives grounds" to claim that "Western countries are more concerned about the deaths of white Christian Ukrainians than non-white Muslims in the Middle East", the newspaper said. (Source: RT-Russian) @LauraRuHK

From Alexander Dugin's latest article. From Ukraine to the Middle East: the world stands on the threshold of World War III. "Russia - as a pole of the multipolar world - is at war with the West in Ukraine. Many Islamic countries, under the influence of Western propaganda, did not clearly understand the causes, objectives and the very nature of this war, believing that it was a regional conflict (and there are many of them in the Islamic world itself). But now that globalism in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has directly affected all Muslims of the world, Russia's special military operation will acquire a completely different meaning in their eyes. After all, this is a struggle between the multipolar world and the unipolar one, which means that it is conducted not only in the interests of Russia as a pole, but also indirectly (or even directly) in the interests of all emerging geopolitical poles. This is best understood by China and, among Islamic countries, by Iran. Recently, however, other Islamic societies - Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia - have also seen a rapid growth of large-scale geopolitical consciousness. Hence the attempts at rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and Turkey's sovereign policy. And the more the Islamic world realises itself as a pole, a unified civilisation, the more understandable Russia's behaviour becomes. Putin is already a popular leader globally, especially in non-Western countries. Now, in the eyes of the world, his strategy has a very clear meaning and justification: Russia is already fighting in full force against unipolarity, that is, against globalism and the West.
Now the West, together with its Israeli proxy, is attacking the Islamic world, subjecting Palestinian Arabs to genocide." (Source: RIA Novosti) https://ria.ru/20231112/konflikt-1908909297.html

La nave affonda e i topi scappano. In sole 24 ore Joe Biden ha perso il senatore democratico Joe Manchin, 76 anni, che ha annunciato inaspettatamente il suo ritiro dalla scena politica. Senza Munchin, popolare nel suo stato della Virginia Occidentale, i Dem rischiano di perdere questo seggio alle prossime elezioni. Ed essendo gia' in svantaggio, questo e' praticamente il colpo di grazia. Poche ore dopo, Biden ha ricevuto un’altra brutta notizia: si è dimessa Amanda Sloat, ricopriva l’incarico di Senior Director per l’Unione Europea e i paesi limitrofi. Secondo fonti informate, era entrata nella squadra del leader americano direttamente dai servizi segreti – NSA o CIA – con la copertura del Dipartimento di Stato, dal momento che tutti i dati sulla sua famiglia sono classificati. Politico riporta che la Sloat intende andare in India per dedicarsi allo yoga e all'ayurveda. La Sloat avrebbe svolto un ruolo importante nel "coordinare gli sforzi degli USA e dei suoi alleati occidentali per aiutare Kiev". Centinaia di migliaia di morti e la distruzione dell'Ucraina non si lavano via con qualche om ॐ. @LauraRuHK