The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, has arrived in China on his first official visit abroad after his recent inauguration. He was received by his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, with whom he held talks agreeing to deepen mutual political trust and contribute to global security and stability.
For a Just and Multipolar World Order: Russia and China Strengthen Alliance
Related:
Xi Agrees To Deepen China-Russia Military Ties, Brushing Off US Warnings
In Defense of Neutrals: Why they’re more than just fence sitters.
The demise of neutrality has been much exaggerated. Finnish membership and Sweden’s accession application to NATO have been interpreted in some corners as evidence of its decline. In wars of aggression, refusing to pick sides is untenable, some hold, as they berate those who still do not send weapons to Ukraine or sanction Russia.
Neutrality and Nonalignment Are Signs of Strength
Late last week, Eritrea Profile published “Words Matter: Double Standards in Mainstream Media,” a well-written article by Afabet Gebretinsae that decries media coverage of the recent spate of crime and terror perpetrated against peaceful Eritrean festivals in cities across the West. Not long after, The Grayzone, an independent news website producing original investigative journalism, released the article, “Western media glorifies TPLF mob violence against Eritrean festivals,” an enlightening commentary that similarly raised critical questions about how mainstream media in the West have reported recent events.
Western Media’s Double Standards Exposed Amidst Violence Against Eritrean Communities in The West
Related:
Western media glorifies TPLF mob violence against Eritrean festivals
Niger’s deposed president wrote an article in the Washington Post. It read as if it was prepared to fit the agenda of the US military interventionists. Mohamed Bazoum is either ignorant of history or he is not the one puling the strings. Here is my latest.
Niger’s Crisis: Why is Mohamed Bazoum Calling for Western Intervention? via Ramzy Baroud
Related:
President of Niger: My country is under attack and I’ve been taken hostage
Niger’s Detained President Pleads With U.S. and Others for Help
I don’t think he wrote the opinion article! 🤷🏼♀️
Former Ukrainian diplomat and political insider Andrii Telizhenko — now under US sanctions on what he says are false grounds — speaks out.
Biden’s corruption led to Ukraine’s destruction: fmr. Kiev diplomat
The Coming Fight Over American Surveillance
But no threat of any kind is required to conduct surveillance under Section 702. The law permits surveillance of any foreigner abroad, as long as a significant purpose of the surveillance is to acquire “foreign intelligence information.” FISA defines this term extremely broadly to include any “information related to . . . the conduct of U.S. foreign affairs.” A conversation between friends about whether the United States should do more to support Ukraine would justify surveillance under this definition.
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Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) plans to block a bill introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) that would ban the popular video-sharing app TikTok, The Hill reported Wednesday.
Sen. Rand Paul to Block Sen. Josh Hawley’s Bill to Ban TikTok
Bill to Ban Tik Tok Would Give Government Sweeping Powers to Crackdown on Tech
A person who violates the act could be fined up to $1 million or punished with up to 20 years in prison. The broad and vague definitions in the legislation caused many to wonder if people could be handed such harsh punishments for using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to get around future government censorship that could come as a result of the bill.
A spokesperson for Warner insisted that the legislation wasn’t designed to target individual users and pointed to the language that says someone “must be engaged in ‘sabotage or subversion’ of American communications technology products and services, creating ‘catastrophic effects’ on US critical infrastructure, or ‘interfering in, or altering the result’ of a federal election, in order to be eligible for any kind of criminal penalty.”
But the bill will give the Commerce Secretary the authority to deem what is considered “sabotage or subversion” or any of the other threats listed above. The legislation has grave implications for civil liberties and could be used against any individuals or tech and media companies the Biden administration, or any future administration would want to target.
Previously:
Tik-Tok bills could dangerously expand national security state
Congressional proposals to address Chinese ownership of the popular app go well beyond the hearing soundbites. Let’s explore.
Tik-Tok bills could dangerously expand national security state
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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