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🇷🇺🇦🇲🇦🇿Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh no longer inspire the sides with either fear or respect The only real ally of Armenia and Artsakh in this scenario may be the collective West. However, in order to make it her ally, Armenia must take a set of measures, journalist Vladimir Neputin believes. Armenia's natural ally is the collective West. And from the point of view of ideology, since the liberal world order, although it consolidates the leading role of the West, is beneficial to small countries by creating rules within which it is possible to survive. And from the point of view of strategic benefits, since the US and the EU have convincing military power and economic advantages, against which Azerbaijan has no arguments. In this regard, Pashinyan's refusal to sign the Declaration of the CSTO summit is undoubtedly the right step. It is important that the Armenian foreign policy does not stop there, continuing to persistently knock on all Washington’s and Brussels’ doors, demonstrating the rejection of the "Russian NATO" and the "devil's axis". And Ruben Vardanyan's business trip to Stepanakert seems to be short-term. He has nothing to offer the Armenian people. Vladimir Neputin is a journalist, special to the Realist News Agency

🇫🇷🇦🇲French politicians urged Macron to guarantee the security of the Artsakh Armenians Eleven French parliamentarians and political leaders from different sides, including Eric Ciotti, Olivier Faure and Fabien Roussel, called on the President of the Fifth Republic Emmanuel Macron to intervene to "prevent the irreparable" and ensure the security of the Armenians of Artsakh. The corresponding appeal was published by Le Monde magazine. "Emmanuel Macron must do everything possible to guarantee the security of the Armenians of Nagorno—Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia," the appeal says. On December 12, the Baku fascists occupied the Stepanakert-Goris highway, the only route that connects Artsakh with Armenia, thus creating a threat of a humanitarian catastrophe. About 120,000 people, including 30,000 children, are deprived of vital resources, including food and medicines. Baku also turned off gas and heating for three days, exposing the population to frosts. According to French politicians, "the situation is a further escalation of the aggression against Armenians that Baku has been committing since September 2020, regardless of whether they are citizens of Nagorno-Karabakh or the Republic of Armenia, violating international law, the Geneva Conventions and negotiations within the OSCE Minsk Group, which provide for a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue". "Everything suggests that Azerbaijan will not stop at this and will use the slightest opportunity to continue maneuvers to destabilize and oppress the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia with the stated goal of ethnic cleansing… War crimes, incitement of ethnic hatred, destruction of the Armenian cultural heritage, the attack on Armenia in September 2022, the illegal occupation of its sovereign territory, repeated abuses against the civilian population — Azerbaijan's actions are unacceptable," the French public figures stressed. The authors of the appeal also remind that there are centuries-old cultural, political and economic ties between Armenians and France: "Armenians and France are trade routes to Asia and the Middle East with Jacques Coeur (1400-1456), Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642) and Colbert (1619-1683), the development of our textile industry, the first cafe in Paris, the construction of the Suez Canal, the culture of madder and apricot, the accordion of our folk balls. Armenians and France are the Armenian Legion that fought under our flag during World War II, and the Resistance hero Misak Manushyan (1906-1944), who fought against barbarism. Finally, it is the memory of our greatest writers, from Pierre Corneille, Gerard de Nerval, George Sand and Lamartine to Victor Hugo and Charles Peguy, from Romain Rolland to Max Jacob and Louis Aragon."

The residents of Artsakh headed towards the headquarters of the Russian peacekeeping contingent near the Stepanakert airport demanding to immediately unblock the Lachin corridor and ensure uninterrupted traffic along it, according to paragraph 6 of the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020. Artsakh has been under complete blockade for 15 days. The inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh no longer intend to tolerate such crimes against humanity against the civilian population. Hundreds of seriously ill patients need medicines and qualified assistance in Armenia. Dozens of children were separated from their parents and loved ones, deprived of the right to education. The complete absence of imports of goods threatens mass starvation. And despite all these hardships, the people of Artsakh do not intend to make any concessions to the enemy. Human rights cannot depend on conditions. They are binding on all members of the world community.

🇫🇷🇦🇲"We must save the 120 thousand Artsakh Armenians!": 200 intellectuals from France spoke in support of the Armenian people The French call for an end to the policy of genocide pursued by the fascist regime of Ilham Aliyev and his Turkish accomplices. 200 intellectuals, writers, philosophers, artists and cultural figures from France, including Sylvain Tesson, Carole Bouquet and Philippe Catherine, mobilized to support the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, whom "Azerbaijan" threatens with ethnic cleansing. This is reported by Le Figaro. "After the war, after the phosphorus bombs, the tortures that broke so many lives in 2020, this is really the last perversion conceived by the Azerbaijani dictatorship: blocking the Lachin corridor, the only road for the Armenians of Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh to the outside world. The consequence: separated families, the deficit getting worse day by day, the lack of medical care, which has already cost lives and threatens several patients in intensive care, including children," the appeal says. French figures advocate that "the abominations of the XX century should never be repeated": "What kind of future will we offer our children if we give a reason to dictatorship, barbarism to deal with one of the oldest civilizations, with our fraternal people who have been connected with us for centuries, a bridge people who have always promoted dialogue between cultures? What will our children think, what values will they build their lives on if we let the unthinkable happen again? Indifference allows today's aggressors to shamelessly claim the role of the executioners of 1915, their sinister legacy. They want to use the same methods to deal with those they hate. Because today's executioners are similar to these executioners."

🇺🇸🇨🇳The USA and China continue redistribution of the global semiconductor market The microelectronic arms race. This week, the TSMC management announced that investments in the construction of semiconductor plants in the United States will be tripled and reach $40 billion. The company will produce about three times more chips than it has planned before. If and when this happens, the United States will have become the world's largest center for their production. Such prospects have become possible thanks to unprecedented state support and fierce protectionism ("The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022" and " the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022"). While in Russia they are reflecting on the sacred competition and are afraid to offend foreign partners by accidentally appropriating their intellectual property – in the States they prescribe sales chains from A to Z and subsidize demand with the most rigid Soviet methods! The grooved sole of the American boot has not just stepped on the fragile fingers of market relations, it enjoys their crunch. Another interesting point: it is expected that the annual National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 will include a section prohibiting the US government from using chips from SMIC and two other Chinese manufacturers of memory chips. Most of the world's technological chains in all industries where microelectronics is present are tied to the 28 nm topology. At the same time, in the USA itself, the volume of production of such chips is still insufficient. Therefore, American companies are fiercely resisting the restrictions of the Chamber of Commerce on imports from China. In addition, at stake is the issue of the cost of American products, which will obviously be greater than imported from China. In the Middle Kingdom itself, meanwhile, they are not asleep and are trying to use the historical "finest hour". The light wedge has not converged in the American market. Today, China has abundance of orders, including from Russia, and openly hostile US measures completely untie the hands of SMIC and other manufacturers. Besides, trading for national currencies takes all transactions out of American control. China has mastered the mass production of 14-nanometer chips without the use of foreign technologies, the Tom's Hardware writes. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Co. (SMIC), China's largest contract chip manufacturer, was able to achieve this. However, American analysts regret to note that Chinese competitors are not fixated on the pursuit of thin topologies, but focused on expanding the scale of production in the traditional "medium" niche. "SMIC is much more willing to increase their capacity than other low–level factories, taking advantage of the shortage in the market," according to an analyst at Bernstein Research.

🖥⌨️💻📲Personal data and the whole digitalization is a double-edged sword Man created by God has an incredible privilege — the choice between freedom and submission, good and evil, chaos and order, reminds religious scholar Sevak Mirabyan. Quite recently, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sent a letter to the Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin regarding the consideration of draft law No. 211535-8 "On the State Information System "Unified Personal Data Information System that provides processing, including collection and storage of biometric personal data, their verification and transmission of information on the degree of their compliance with the provided biometric personal data of the individual". The First Hierarch greeted Volodin with wishes of good health and God's help in the responsible labors. Referring to the document adopted by the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on February 4, 2013 on the stance of the Church with the development of technologies for recording and processing personal data, His Holiness the Patriarch stressed that the Church welcomes technologies that help people in life. However, he noted the importance of remembering the risks of introducing such technologies. Religious scholar, editor-in—chief of the Religion Department of Realist News Agency Sevak Mirabyan believes that "the stance of the ROC on this issue reflects one of the key and fundamental foundations of the Christian understanding of man - this is God-given freedom": “Man created by God has an incredible privilege — the choice between freedom and submission, good and evil, chaos and order. "A man created by God has an incredible privilege - the choice between freedom and submission, good and evil, chaos and order.” The world of digital technologies, of course, gives a person huge opportunities for self-realization, but it makes him extremely vulnerable, narrowing personal space and social freedom. It embeds his system, regulates and reduces his individuality, bringing him under certain "trends", which, at times, are frankly inhumane." "In a word, personal data and the entire conglomerate of modern digitalization is a double—edged sword, and you need to use it very carefully, remembering the words from the Holy Scriptures that the whole world is not worth a single human soul (Mt. 16:26)," Mirabyan explained.

🇯🇵In the next 5 years, Japan will invest $320 billion for defense needs Japan intends to invest $ 320 billion for military needs in preparation for a prolonged international conflict, Al Jazeera reports. The land of the rising sun will be armed with missiles capable of striking China. "The possibility of a counterattack will be essential to deter the attack," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. The Japanese government is concerned that Russia has set a precedent in the Ukraine that will allegedly encourage China to attack Taiwan, threatening nearby Japanese islands, as well as disrupting the supply of advanced semiconductors and seizing the sea routes through which Middle Eastern oil is supplied. "Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a serious violation of the laws prohibiting the use of force, shaking the foundations of the international order… The strategic challenge posed by China is the biggest challenge Japan has ever faced," the updated national security strategy says. Kishida's plan calls for doubling defense spending to about 2% of GDP over the next five years, which is in line with the norm set for NATO member countries. The share of the Ministry of Defense will increase to about one tenth of all government spending. Since the 1960s, Tokyo has independently limited military spending to 1% of GDP. "The security environment around Japan is as harsh and complex as ever since the end of [World War II]. We will fundamentally strengthen the defense potential as the last guarantee of our national security," the authors of the strategy write. Japan is becoming the third country in the world by the largest military budget, second only to the United States and China. Tokyo plans to spend 43 trillion yen ($313 billion) over the next five years. According to opinion polls, 70% of respondents support the militarization of Japan and the growth of defense spending.

🇹🇷🇦🇿Azerbaijan and Turkey are conducting large-scale exercises with the participation of different branches of the armed forces A unified Turkish army is already a reality, analyst Rachya Arzumanyan believes. "The Ground forces, the Air Force, the Special Forces, the engineering troops, the missile and artillery units are taking part in the exercises. The scale of the military exercises and the wide composition of the troops involved clearly take them to a new level. The exercises cover the territory of Baku and areas along the border with Iran and are a clear message to Iran. In one of his speeches, Aliyev said: "... We periodically conducted more than 10 joint military exercises with Turkey during the year. They were organized both in Turkey and Azerbaijan... Those who have cunning plans against Azerbaijan or Turkey should know that the Turkish army is not alone, our army is also there. Our army is not alone, the Turkish army is also standing nearby...". The motto is “two countries, one people” is developing, and a unified Turkish army is already a reality, ready to fight against anyone in the region," Arzumanyan said in his telegram channel. According to him, "what is happening around Artsakh and the corridor should be viewed in a broader regional context": "More precisely, it has always been so, but the Armenian authorities have always sought to reduce the scale of the problem, to make it local, not regional or geopolitical, which it was and remains. We don't have the luxury of local ratings and responses. What is happening on the borders of Armenia is not local skirmishes or provocations of the Russian-Turkish alliance, but regional and geopolitical threats to Armenia. Although it may be necessary to change the wording and to clarify more precisely. The Union of the Russian Federation-Turkey/Azerbaijan ceases to be a union of equal parties. The Russian Federation, being a geopolitical actor, turns into a vassal, a client state of Turkey. This is difficult to comprehend and digest, but facts are stubborn things. It is necessary to change theories and frames if they cease to correspond to facts. Putin is subordinate to Erdogan, and the Russian Federation is subordinate to Turkey, no matter how absurd it may sound." Earlier, Turkish General Bahtiar Ersay was appointed advisor to the Minister of Defense of the Baku Minisultanate.

💡🛢High oil consumption outweighs weak supplies to Europe and Asia: IEA In the fourth quarter of 2022, global oil demand will decrease by 110 thousand barrels per day year-on-year and reach 100.8 million barrels per day, which is 130 thousand barrels per day more than last month. This is stated in the forecast of the International Energy Agency (IEA). "High fuel consumption in key consumer countries outweighs weak supplies of petrochemical products to Europe and Asia. The growth in oil demand has increased to 2.3 million barrels per day (+140,000 barrels per day) for 2022 as a whole and to 1.7 million barrels per day next year (+100,000 barrels per day), when it will reach 101.6 million barrels per day," the IEA explained. The key event of the energy market in December was the decision of the G7 to recognize price caps on Russian oil. Moscow's response followed in the style of Aikido. If there is a ceiling, then there must be a floor (that is, a ban for Russian oil exporters to sell at a price lower than that which is formed as a result of applying a minimum discount from its global counterpart). In this context, the reaction of OPEC+ to what is happening was important. Optimists in Russia expected the organization to make a decision to sharply reduce production. Such a decision would be a clear signal to reject the pressure on the market. However, the cartel decided to leave everything as it was – that is, within the planned schedules of October. Now pessimists write that OPEC has bent under the interests of the West. And realists trust the calculator and remind that the cartel's plans, which no one canceled, include a reduction of 2 million barrels per day, which is about 2% of global consumption. There is also a possibility of the development of a gray oil trading market. Its configuration has not yet been determined due to logistics difficulties. Western countries have banned their companies from providing transport, financial and insurance services for tankers transporting oil from Russia at a price above the agreed level. It is expected that the sea export of crude oil from Russia has halved. However, experts interviewed by the Realist News Agency consider this a temporary phenomenon, since "money will find a way, and the system of neutral intermediaries will adapt to new conditions."

🇦🇷The people of Argentina celebrate the victory of the national team at the World Cup The streets of Argentina across the country have turned into places to celebrate the victory of the national team in the World Cup final, which beat the French national team after a penalty shootout. This is reported by the France 24 TV channel. This is Argentina's third World Cup title and the first one since 1986. After 36 long years, the Argentineans became world champions, dispelling long-standing doubts and questions about whether the country, known for its greatest football players, would be able to win on the international stage. The Argentine national team won its first title in 1978, but lost the final matches in 1930, 1990 and in 2014. "We are very happy that they gave us this triumph, which people suffering from socio-economic problems needed," said Gabriel Fernandez, a 42—year-old artisan who celebrated the victory with his family in a Buenos Aires park. The legendary Brazilian Pele congratulated the Argentine national team on the victory: "Today, football, as always, continues to tell its story in a fascinating way. (Lionel) Messi won his first World Cup, which he deserved. My dear friend (Kilian) Mbappe scored four goals in the final. What a gift it was to watch this spectacle for the sake of the future of our sport. And I couldn't help but congratulate the Moroccan national team on the incredible campaign. It's nice to see Africa shine. Congratulations to Argentina! Of course Diego (Maradona) is smiling now." Argentine President Alberto Fernandez thanked the national team for winning the tournament in Qatar: "Thanks to the players and the whole team. This is an example that we should never give up, because we have wonderful people and a great future." Brazil's President-elect Lula da Silva joined in the congratulations, writing on social media that he was "pleased with the victory of the Argentine neighbors." And the President of Chile, Gabriel Borich, exchanged gigantic hugs with the "Argentine brothers."