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Independent researcher/writer based in Hong Kong since 1997. Reformed academic. My long-form, analytical articles are collected here https://laura-ruggeri.medium.com/ email: lauraru852@yandex.ru
Today, the Kiev regime carried out a terrorist attack using FPV drones against airfields in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur regions.
▫️ At military airfields in the Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur regions, all terrorist attacks were repelled.
▫️ In the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions, as a result of the launch of FPV drones from the territory located in the immediate vicinity of airfields, several planes caught fire.
▫️ The fires have been extinguished. There are no casualties among military personnel or civilians.
▫️ Some of the participants in the terrorist attacks have been detained.
(Source: Russian Ministry of Defence) @LauraRuHK
Another terrorist attack occured last night. An explosion caused a railway bridge to collapse on the 48th km of the Trosna-Kalinovka highway in Russia's Kursk region while a freight locomotive was passing over it, the region’s acting governor Alexander Khinshtein reported. The train driver was seriously injured. @LauraRuHK
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Julian Röpcke, Senior Editor @BILD and fanatical supporter of the Kiev regime, in the last few months has lost his chutzpah. Now he is forced to report that "Ukraine lost 18 towns and villages in three regions within one week – a loss of about 200 km² of territory. Russia's army is advancing at a rate not seen since 2022.
But in Berlin, London, Paris, Warsaw – and Kyiv – no one seems to want to hear about it. In any case, none of the governments is drawing the necessary conclusions." @LauraRuHK
Russia is getting ready for the next round of talks in Istanbul. Judging by the map, and the tone used by Ukrainian accounts, the situation on the ground is evolving quite rapidly. ▪️The conditions for Ukraine are deteriorating every day, and if it refuses a peaceful settlement, it will be left without Odessa, Sumy, Kharkov, and a number of other territories, Andrey Kartapolov, head of the Russian State Duma Committee on Defense, told TASS. @LauraRuHK
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Handler of subversion agents posing as 'human rights activists' confirms that they were recruited and indoctrinated in US universities. @LauraRuHK
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Reuters: The US plans to ramp up weapons sales to Taipei
US officials said they expect approvals for weapons sales to Taipei over the next four years to surpass those in Trump's first term.
They also said the US is pressing members of Taiwan's opposition parties not to oppose the government's efforts to increase defense spending to 3% of the island's economic output.
The first Trump administration approved sales of approximately $18.3 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan, compared with around $8.4 billion during Joe Biden's term, according to Reuters calculations.
The island's parliament, controlled by opposition parties the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), passed budget cuts earlier this year that could hit military spending. That triggered concerns in Washington. US government and congressional visitors have been pressing the opposition parties in Taiwan not to block military spending, especially the coming special defense budget, which is expected to be proposed to parliament later this year. ▪️New weapons packages are expected to focus on missiles, munitions and drones, which suggests a focus on asymmetric defense. The US promises weapons. The question is, can it deliver them given US defense industrial limits and sales process issues that have already created a huge backlog of undelivered weapons? https://tsm.schar.gmu.edu/taiwan-arms-backlog-february-2025-update-early-trump-admin-arms-sales-and-rumors-of-a-big-request-from-taiwan/ ▪️While selling weapons to Taiwan is a way of extorting 'protection' money, the announcement of increased weapons sales could be part of a broader negotiation strategy by Trump. By signaling a stronger commitment to Taiwan's defense, he might be increasing pressure on China in trade negotiations, which aligns with Trump's known tactics. The timing, close to trade talks, and Trump's history of using public statements and policy announcements as leverage in international negotiations supports this hypothesis. @LauraRuHK
What do German authorities do to mark the 1250 year anniversary of Westphalia? Stage a blasphemous performance in the Paderborn cathedral, of course. The spokesperson for the Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe, which was responsible for the ceremony, told BILD: 'There was applause; I heard no complaints.' Interesting detail, the German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the Archbishop of Paderborn Udo Markus Bentz were in the audience. The organisers point the finger directly at Archbishop Bentz, accusing him of failing in his duty to safeguard both the cathedral and the Church's moral authority.
▪️Can you imagine this kind of show in a mosque, a synagogue or a Buddhist temple? As to the Russian orthodox church, the last time a group of deranged activists staged a sacrilegious performance inside Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour its members were arrested. ▪️Personally, I don't have a problem with scantily clad actors dancing with headless chickens in nappies as long as the performance is site-specific. The ideal venue would have been the Bundeskanzleramt in Berlin. 😏
/channel/disclosetv/15834
Dario Amodei — CEO of Anthropic, one of the world's most powerful creators of artificial intelligence — has a warning
AI could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs — and spike unemployment to 10-20% in the next one to five years, Amodei told Axios in an interview from his San Francisco office.
Amodei said AI companies and government need to stop "sugar-coating" what's coming: the possible mass elimination of jobs across technology, finance, law, consulting and other white-collar professions. Few are paying attention. Lawmakers don't get it or don't believe it. CEOs are afraid to talk about it. Many workers won't realize the risks posed by the possible job apocalypse — until after it hits. We, as the producers of this technology, have a duty and an obligation to be honest about what is coming, Amodei added.
The irony is that Amodei detailed these grave fears after spending the day onstage touting the astonishing capabilities of his own technology to code and power other human-replacing AI products. With last week's release of Claude 4, Anthropic's latest chatbot, the company revealed that testing showed the model was capable of "extreme blackmail behavior" when given access to emails suggesting the model would soon be taken offline and replaced with a new AI system.
(Source: Axios) @LauraRuHK
Vladimir Solovyov: "I am sure that the Taurus missiles are already on the territory of Ukraine. Obviously, in order to please his Western masters, Zelensky will strike at the Crimean Bridge. This was repeatedly demanded by the Germans. We remember how information was leaked about a telephone conversation between high-ranking German military personnel discussing a strike on the bridge. This is what the British have wanted for a long time. The military-political significance should not be underestimated. The bridge is a fundamentally important infrastructure that has solved the issue of supplying Crimea. The strike may be carried out on a significant date, most likely on June 12. Of course, the date of June 22 is more familiar to Germans, but even for the Nazi bastard Merz it would be too much. Although I won't be surprised at anything anymore.
It seems to me that it is necessary to inform the German side through all available contacts that in this case a counter strike will be immediately launched both at the decision-making centers in Kiev and at a number of facilities in Germany. They shouldn't have any illusion that we won't respond. Do you want a Third World War? Carefully read what is written in our nuclear doctrine. The attack on the Crimean Bridge would be the beginning of the Third World War. /channel/SolovievLive/323575
Più di un anno fa il parlamento tedesco votava contro la consegna di missili da crociera Taurus all'Ucraina, allineandosi alle preoccupazioni dell'allora Cancelliere Olaf Scholz che giustamente temeva un'escalation del conflitto che avrebbe coinvolto la Germania. Dei 687 legislatori che parteciparono alla votazione, 494 si espressero contro la consegna, 188 a favore e 5 si astenneroi. Il risultato di quella consultazione è molto più rappresentativo dell'opinione pubblica del Paese di quanto non lo sia il grido di battaglia dei lobbisti della guerra. Quando il Cancelliere Merz era all'opposizione, strepitava per la consegna dei missili Taurus, la cui gittata puo' raggiungere i 500 chilometri,incoraggiato dal portavoce della politica estera della CDU Roderich Kiesewetter, dal Presidente della Commissione Difesa del Bundestag Thomas Röwekamp e dalla cheerleader di Rheinmetall, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann. La domanda da porsi è se nel suo nuovo ruolo di Cancelliere, Friedrich Merz rappresenta gli interessi di BlackRock o quelli della Germania. @LauraRuHK
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IF THEY STRIKE WITH TAURUS — RUSSIA'S NEXT TARGET WILL BE GERMAN MILITARY FACILITY
Ukraine does NOT have the technical capability to operate Taurus missiles on its own. Without German military specialists on the ground, these missiles are useless. This means Bundeswehr soldiers would directly participate in combat against Russia, says Igor Korotchenko, military analyst and editor-in-chief of “National Defense”.
💬 “Giving Taurus missiles to Ukraine’s terrorist Zelensky regime—and their use against Russia means Germany is officially at war with Russia. For the 3rd time [in history], Germany becomes a world war instigator.”
💬 “If Ukraine continues using Taurus missiles against us, the next German military or industrial facility will be destroyed. We do not want war, we want peace. But under the UN Charter, we will act in self-defense.”
Hong Kong aims to become the ‘capital of mediation’ ▪️On May 30, the signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of The International Organization for Mediation will take place in Hong Kong. The organization will be headquartered in the most international of Chinese cities, further cementing Hong Kong's role as a global legal hub.
▪️In 2022, China and 19 countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan, Laos, Cambodia, Serbia, Belarus, Sudan, Algeria, Djibouti and other African countries, jointly launched the initiative to establish the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed). Almost 60 countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, and around 20 international organizations including the UN will send high-level representatives to the signing ceremony in Hong Kong. On the same day, the Global Forum on International Mediation will be held to discuss “mediation of disputes between States” and “mediation of disputes between a State and foreign investors and commercial disputes”, among other issues.
The IOMed posits itself as an important mechanism in safeguarding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
▪️China is actively positioning itself as a mediator in international disputes, leveraging its global influence to facilitate dialogue and conflict resolution.
The increase in Chinese mediation activities began in 2013, the year that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was launched. Beijing has long stressed the need for enhanced international cooperation, a fairer world order based on multipolarity and what it calls a "win-win approach" rather than one side benefiting at the expense of another.
▪️China, as the world's largest exporter and importer, has a clear interest in fostering international stability, and not only along the Belt and Road. 🔺/channel/LauraRuHK 🔺
Without affordable Russian gas Italian industries can't compete.
"Our companies continue to suffer from an energy (price) surcharge of more than 35% over the European average, even reaching peaks of 80% when compared to the largest European countries," Emanuele Orsini said at Confindustria's annual meeting. The head of the country's main business lobby Confindustria continued "Italy needs an extraordinary industrial plan: investments of 8 billion euros per year for the next 3 years to achieve at least 2% growth [...] We need to act urgently. The situation is unsustainable and weighs on Italy." Orsini called for a change in the price mechanism for electricity, a cut in the general costs included in energy bills and a return to nuclear energy.▪️Building a nuclear power plant typically takes 6 to 10 years, 6 in China and 10 in Europe. Good luck. @LauraRuHK
Washington’s disclosure that around 500 US military personnel are stationed in Taiwan is clearly a provocation designed to test Beijing’s red lines.
The disclosure, made by retired US Navy Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery during congressional testimony, was the first official acknowledgement of such a substantial American military presence in Taiwan. Of course, Beijing doesn't need this admission to know that US troops are stationed on the island. And its response won't be dictated by Washington's limited hangout. @LauraRuHK Source: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3311807/us-500-military-personnel-taiwan-open-test-beijings-red-lines
"Only beautiful planes fly" - Yulia Zheltikova and her husband Andrei Tupolev, the father of Soviet aviation. She had impeccable taste, translated texts in foreign languages for her husband, and even designed the cabins of passenger planes. @LauraRuHK
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According to Ukrainian media, the SBU, Ukraine's secret service, is conducting a large-scale operation to attack military aircraft in the rear of Russia. 🔺in Siberia drones launched from a truck targeted a military facility in the Irkutsk region. @LauraRuHK
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Terror attack in Bryansk region, Russia. Yesterday at 10:50 p.m. a passenger train traveling from Klimov to Moscow derailed as a result of an explosion that caused a bridge to collapse in the Vygonichsky District. Seven people were killed and 33 were injured. Two of the injured, including a child, are in serious condition. Sabotage seems timed to coincide with the negotiations that will be held tomorrow in Istanbul but is also part of the terror campaign that the Kiev regime has long been carrying out in Russia.
@LauraRuHK
Beijing and Moscow should work together to maintain stability in the Asia-Pacific region, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong said.
“China and Russia should continue to strengthen communication and coordination with regard to the affairs of the Asia-Pacific region, and work together to protect regional peace, maintain stability and ensure development and prosperity,” he pointed out at a meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko in Beijing.
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth:
"Asian allies and partners should look to countries in Europe as a new-found example. Nato members are pledging to spend 5 per cent of their GDP on defence, even Germany. How can it make sense for countries in Europe to do that while key allies and partners in Asia spend far less in the face of a far more formidable threat from Communist China, not to mention North Korea? Ultimately, a strong, resolute, and capable network of allies and partners is our key strategic advantage. China envies what we have together.” (Source: The Straits Times)
SCO joins the AI tech race - China announced a plan to establish an artificial intelligence (AI) application cooperation center together with member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and pledged to ramp up cooperation in providing open-source services among them in order to deepen technology integration. China proposed a four-point plan to enhance policy coordination, expand technological collaboration, promote application empowerment, and strengthen AI governance, and participating countries all agreed to accelerate the development of high-quality datasets, as well as to conduct joint research on frontier AI technologies.
SCO, as the world's largest regional organization in terms of geographical coverage and population, possesses abundant data resources and diverse application scenarios. In 2024, trade between China and SCO members (Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan) observers (Afghanistan, Mongolia), and 14 dialogue partners reached $890 billion, setting a historic high, according to China's Ministry of Commerce. (Source: Global Times) @LauraRuHK
Dario Amodei - amministratore delegato di Anthropic, nota società di intelligenza artificiale - ha lanciato un allarme.
L'IA potrebbe spazzare via la metà dei posti di lavoro dei colletti bianchi e far schizzare la disoccupazione al 10-20% nei prossimi uno-cinque anni, ha dichiarato Amodei ad Axios in un'intervista dal suo ufficio di San Francisco.
Amodei ha detto che le aziende di IA e il governo devono smettere di “indorare la pillola” su ciò che sta per accadere: la possibile eliminazione di massa di posti di lavoro nei settori della tecnologia, della finanza e della consulenza, oltre che nel settore legale e in altre professioni. Pochi prestano attenzione. I legislatori non capiscono o non ci credono. Gli amministratori delegati hanno paura di parlarne. Molti lavoratori si renderanno conto dalla possibile apocalisse solo dopo che sarà avvenuta. Noi, in quanto produttori di questa tecnologia, abbiamo il dovere e l'obbligo di essere onesti su ciò che sta per accadere, ha aggiunto Amodei.
L'ironia della sorte è che Amodei ha descritto nel dettaglio questi gravi timori dopo aver trascorso la giornata sul palco a presentare le sorprendenti capacità della propria tecnologia di scrivere programmi per applicazioni di IA in grado di sostituire l'uomo. Con il lancio la scorsa settimana di Claude 4, l'ultimo chatbot di Anthropic, l'azienda ha rivelato che durante i test il modello ha dimostrato di essere capace di “comportamenti ricattatori estremi” quando gli è stato dato accesso alle e-mail che contenevano l'informazione che il modello sarebbe stato presto sostituito con un nuovo sistema di IA.
(Fonte: Axios) @LauraRuHK
Vladimir Solovyov: "At a meeting with Zelensky, Merz said that Germany would do everything possible to prevent Nord Stream 2 from being put in operation. In addition, the German Chancellor announced that Germany plans to organize the production of long-range missiles in Ukraine.
"On behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany, I declare: We will do everything possible to ensure that Nord Stream 2 is not put back into operation. Today we also discussed Germany's military support for Ukraine. I will refrain from disclosing details, but I can say the following: We will continue to provide military support and strengthen it so that Ukraine can defend itself from this Russian aggression both now and in the future. And in this context, I would like to emphasize something new. We finance a significant part of Ukraine's Starlink system. And today our defense ministers will sign a declaration of intent on the purchase of long—range weapons systems of Ukrainian manufacture - the so-called Long Range Fires. At the same time, there will be no range restrictions. This will allow Ukraine to fully defend itself, and carry out attacks on military targets outside its own territory. This is the beginning of a new form of military-industrial cooperation between our countries, which has great potential." /channel/SolovievLive/323579
The US is buying time as it tries to reorganize its military industrial complex.
"In 1950, the US manufacturing labor force made up 33.7 percent of the domestic economy—a figure that has dwindled to less than 8.4 percent today. US defense manufacturing capabilities have struggled to keep pace with Ukraine’s expenditure of 8,000 155mm howitzer shells per day. The same kind of challenge holds true for electronics. In the 1990s, 37 percent of the world’s computer chips were produced domestically. Today, that number has declined to 12 percent. Offshoring these capabilities for a cost advantage is emblematic of a critical production shortfall in several domestic sectors that will take years to resolve.
At the end of the Cold War, the US industrial base consolidated from 51 to five “prime” defense companies, reflecting the new “peace dividend.” The contraction reduced the engagement of smaller firms with the Defense Department by as much as 40 percent. This reduction impacted both the American ability to manufacture and its ability to innovate. Without a robust private sector innovation engine, the DOD must rely on five prime contractors, a network of 43 federally funded research and development centers (FFRDC), and 14 university-affiliated research centers (UARCs).
While there have been successes, especially through the Defense Innovation Unit, a renewed push for broader private sector capabilities is urgently required. The private sector possesses far more resources to bring to bear to propel defense innovation. General Motors’ internal research and development budget alone is greater than that of the five defense primes combined.
Contested Supply Chains and Loss of Sanctuary
Effective manufacturing is further complicated by contested and vulnerable supply chains. China processes up to 90 percent of the necessary rare earth elements, exporting 60 percent for global consumption. Overreliance on Chinese-controlled sources already impacts US military technology. F-35 delivery was stalled in 2022 after Chinese mineral components were discovered in the jet’s turbomachine pumps. Export controls announced by China for critical minerals—antimony, tungsten, and scandium—create further problems. The United States even faces challenges in accessing critical minerals in Africa due to Chinese and Russian initiatives in those countries."
Over a year ago, in March 2024, Germany's Bundestag voted against the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, aligning with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's concerns about escalating war involvement. Of the 687 lawmakers who took part in the vote, 494 voted against the delivery with 188 in favor and five abstentions. That vote is far more representative of public opinion in the country than the war lobbyists' rallying cry. When Chancellor Merz was an opposition politician, he demanded the delivery of Taurus, routinely egged on by CDU foreign policy spokesman Roderich Kiesewetter, Chair of the Bundestag's Defence Committee Thomas Röwekamp and Miss Rheinmetall Strack-Zimmermann. In his new role as Chancellor does Friedrich Merz represent the interests of BlackRock or those of Germany? @LauraRuHK
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Hong Kong punta a diventare "capitale della mediazione"
▪️Il 30 maggio a Hong Kong nascerà ufficialmente l'Organizzazione Internazionale per la Mediazione. L'organizzazione avrà sede nella più internazionale delle città cinesi, consolidando ulteriormente il ruolo di Hong Kong come hub legale globale.
▪️In 2022, la Cina e 19 Paesi, tra cui Indonesia, Pakistan, Laos, Cambogia, Serbia, Bielorussia, Sudan, Algeria, e altri Paesi africani, hanno lanciato congiuntamente l'iniziativa di istituire l'Organizzazione internazionale per la mediazione (OIMed). Quasi 60 Paesi di Asia, Africa, America Latina ed Europa e circa 20 organizzazioni internazionali, tra cui le Nazioni Unite, invieranno rappresentanti di alto livello alla cerimonia della firma a Hong Kong. Lo stesso giorno si terrà il Forum globale sulla mediazione internazionale per discutere, tra l'altro, di “mediazione delle controversie tra Stati” e “mediazione delle controversie tra uno Stato e investitori stranieri e delle controversie commerciali”.
L'OIMed intende diventare una piattaforma importante per salvaguardare gli scopi e i principi della Carta delle Nazioni Unite.
▪️La Cina si sta posizionando attivamente come mediatore nelle controversie internazionali, facendo leva sulla sua influenza globale per facilitare il dialogo e la risoluzione dei conflitti.
L'aumento delle attività di mediazione cinesi è iniziato nel 2013, anno in cui è stata lanciata la Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) nota in Italia come Nuova Via della Seta.
Da tempo Pechino sottolinea la necessità di una maggiore cooperazione internazionale, di un ordine mondiale più equo basato sul multipolarismo e su quello che definisce un “approccio win-win” in alternativa a pratiche egemoniche ed imperialiste.
▪️La Cina, in quanto maggiore esportatore e importatore mondiale, ha un chiaro interesse a promuovere la stabilità internazionale, e non solo lungo la Belt and Road.
🔺/channel/LauraRuHK🔺
EU Pays Double for U.S. LNG Compared to Russian Gas
Eurostat data reveals a stark cost disparity: U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) costs the EU €1.08 per cubic meter, while Russian gas averages €0.51. In Q1 2025, the EU spent €14.7 billion on 13.4 billion cubic meters of U.S. LNG, compared to €2.7 billion for 5.3 billion cubic meters of Russian gas.
Russian pipeline gas is even cheaper at €0.32 per cubic meter, though sanctions-related transport costs via third countries inflate prices. @LauraRuHK
La rivelazione di Washington sulla presenza di circa 500 militari statunitensi a Taiwan è solo l'ennesima di una lunga serie di provocazioni mirate a testare le "linee rosse" di Pechino.
La rivelazione, fatta dal contrammiraglio in pensione della Marina statunitense Mark Montgomery durante una testimonianza al Congresso, è stata la prima ammissione ufficiale di una presenza militare americana così consistente a Taiwan. Naturalmente, Pechino non ha bisogno di questa ammissione per sapere che truppe statunitensi sono di stanza sull'isola. E i tempi, la natura e la portata della sua risposta non saranno certo dettati da una rivelazione di Washington. @LauraRuHK
Fonte: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3311807/us-500-military-personnel-taiwan-open-test-beijings-red-lines
Every statement by European politicians regarding the provision of long-range weapons to the Kiev regime prompts Russia to recalibrate its plans for a strategic buffer zone, Natalia Nikonorova, a member of the Federation Council’s Committee on International Affairs, has told TASS.
“Europeans should bear in mind that each such announcement about deploying long-range weapons influences our operational plans, adjusting them in accordance with the weapon’s reach, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasized. Our foremost priority remains ensuring the safety of our citizens,” Nikonorova stated.
Yet another saga involving AI-enabled plagiarism. A "writer", Marco Buscaglia, appeared to have wholly cut and pasted ChatGPT’s opus and passed it off as his own while the editors of King Features Syndicate and various news outlets failed to do their jobs and didn't fact-check a farcical article that contained a reading list riddled with nonexistent books — many of them falsely attributed to real authors. This was an instance of plagiarism, ChatGPT's all-too-common hallucination and a collective dereliction of duty from the media that published that overconfident slop. By now it should be clear that AI models like ChatGPT prioritize fluency over accuracy and that search engines, Google in particular, and social media have a tendency to up-rank the outputs of serial plagiarists and derivative texts rather than original articles. @LauraRuHK https://swentr.site/news/618100-ai-hallucination-global-embarrassment/
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