Mr.Putin goes to Kazak
What do you do when you promised some reforms and couldn’t deliver on them?
When people revolt against you?
When do things go out of control?
The Answer: Call an old friend and ask for help to squash the revolution.
And if you wondering why Russia was happy to help. I have two charts and one comment for you
Kazak Oil reserves
Oil price movement in the last 1 year
China - to restrain China’s growing influence in Central Asia
Mr. Putin’s Ukrainian adventure
An illustrative from the NYtimes on Russian troops’ positions on the border shows a classical military formation of spreading the opposition thin with multi-faceted army buildups. It seems like Russia wants to force Ukraine to deploy and spread its limited force across various fronts, making it difficult for Ukraine to consolidate military fronts on strategic assets or areas.
War and Peace
Germany always had a complex relationship with weapons. Germany is one of the top 5 exporters of weapons but doesn’t like to talk about them openly since it doesn’t go well with the image of a peace-loving and sustainable Germany. It’s like a dirty habit, you don’t want to acknowledge it in front of others but you secretly do it.
Recently, Germany blocked the transfer of German weapons from Estonia to Ukraine citing that “German peace policy that aims at restricting arms exports and fostering peace via diplomacy”
Pro-tip for the German Govt: If you have recently approved a big arms export order and 2021 has been the record year for arms exports, Try not to make public statements about resolving conflicts with peace and diplomacy. This makes you look like a hypocrite.…just saying
Another country, another dictator exerting power
So what do you do -
When you’re the president of the largest capitalistic Communist nation in the world?
When you have declared yourself President for life?
When you already have started cracking down on companies?
When you already have kidnapped the countries leading business tycoons and celebrities for talking against you?
You start on a campaign to develop a sustainable and work-life balanced culture but in reality, use it to gain tighter control on the country.
As China continues cracking down hard on the Tech sector, jobs and companies are being wiped out. Here, here, here
The online-education and tutoring sector has nearly been eliminated after Beijing decided that the businesses created unnecessary burdens for parents and children, hindering a push to bolster the country’s low birthrates. Hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions, have lost their jobs.
Online social media and entertainment platforms are pulling popular content and influencers, wary of repeated government warnings that their products and stars aren’t ideologically appropriate for the young.
Top Chinese education company laid off 60,000 people after Beijing's crackdown last year
Chinese tech companies are reportedly laying off staff amid the government's tech crackdown
And if you thought the Internet was supposed to be freedom of speech or the tool to reinforce democracy and give voice to everyone, you’re wrong!
In mid-December, the country’s internet regulator said it had ordered platforms to shut down more than 20,000 accounts of top influencers in 2021, including people who spoke ill of the country’s martyrs, entertainers involved in scandals and major livestreaming stars.
Lately, cyber policing is increasing around the world as governments realize (and rush to tame) the power of internet companies. That begs another question, is the era of tech utopia and principles of freedom coming to a slow and painful death?
New ruler in Hong Kong
As empires take over new territory they systemically crush the old ruling structures and power players and make way for new ones. This has been quite evident as Beijing has taken control of Hong Kong and tried to gain control through extremely strict Covid measures and outdated seditions and terrorism laws.
China’s methodical effort to dismantle what remains of civil liberties and an independent news media in Hong Kong continued Wednesday as security forces targeted pro-democracy outlet Stand News. They raided its newsroom and arrested seven people—including acting Editor-in-Chief Patrick Lam—citing a colonial-era U.K. sedition law. The news outlet is shutting down permanently.
Hong Kong went from zero to 29 terrorism arrests in 18 months
How far will China go with the crackdown?
This far!
The ending to cult 1999 US film Fight Club has been removed for viewers in China, and replaced by a screen with a message saying the authorities won.
VC money has never been easier and cheaper
At the start of the pandemic, Sequia capital wrote a famous memo to all their CEOs saying that the pandemic is going to be difficult, buckle down, and prepare for war. However, the pandemic has been an accelerating factor and boom to the majority of the technology companies and now 2021 funding figures only reiterate this.
Startup funding in 2021, hit an all-time high in almost every major region
US - 330Billion
China - 131billion - despite crackdown!
EU - 121 billion
India - 35 billion
Even though the EU, China, and India are celebrating record milestones in VC funding, the USA is a clear winner in the technology and if anybody had doubts, the 330Billion figure should dispel any remaining doubt.
And lastly, more GDPR fines
France fines google face 210M for cookies. If you ask me, Google will be happy to pay that every year to continue the cookie tracking practices. GDPR and privacy is a complex topic that I will cover in detail later this year
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