>China connection?
You mean Israel
Google, Facebook & Twitter Threaten To Pull Services In Hong Kong Over "Vague" Doxxing Law
The big three internet and social media companies Facebook, Twitter and Google have warned the Hong Kong government that they could quit the city altogether if new controversial data protection laws ostensibly to "combat doxxing" are pushed through. The Silicon Valley giants reportedly made their stance known "privately" according to reporting in The Wall Street Journal Monday.
Without doubt the new proposed legal amendments to existing data protection laws are closely related to the pro-China crackdown which has for many months utterly stifled the kind of large-scale pro-independence protests which defined much of 2019. Facebook, Twitter and Google's anger over the possible beefed-up law centers on the part that would make them liable for revealing individuals' private information online. Also in the cross-hairs is Amazon.
Doxxing was widely viewed as a favored tactic of young anti-China activists, which reportedly targeted pro-mainland HK officials and entities while sometimes violent protests raged in the streets. The amendments were first proposed in May by Hong Kong’s Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and would also impose steep penalties on individuals caught doxxing, including up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 1 million Hong Kong dollars (or over $120,000).
The US companies are also alarmed at how vague the definition of doxxing might be defined by HK authorities at a moment the 'national security law' continues to be used as a broad, blunt instrument for pursuing activists and dissidents. At this point, a number of the most prominent protest leaders are either in jail or in exile, with Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Jimmy Lai currently serving prison sentences related to things like the "anti-mask" law and unauthorized assembly.
The tech giants worry their own local employees and system administrators would inevitably be subject to criminal charges based merely on the actions of random individual users, including what might be viewed in the West as political free speech, but which Hong Kong and its Beijing backers would view as banned speech. Google's Hong Kong Web site is considered to be much less censored when compared to mainland China's filters designed to prevent access to government-critical information and sources.
The previously undisclosed June 25 letter from an industry group through which Facebook, Twitter, and Google raised their alarm said bluntly that—
"The only way to avoid these sanctions for technology companies would be to refrain from investing and offering the services in Hong Kong…"
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/google-facebook-twitter-threaten-pull-services-hong-kong-over-proposed-doxxing-law
Army Video of Soldiers Marching in Cadence with Masks Draws Criticism
A U.S. Army video compilation featuring soldiers marching in cadence with masks on has sparked criticism and mocking, after the service’s official Twitter account posted it on Thursday.
The video, tweeted July 1, begins with a clip of soldiers in their physical training uniforms — black and gold t-shirts and shorts — but wearing masks outdoors while marching.
The tweet said, “The week is almost done! Time for some step-by-step #motivation!! What’s your favorite cadence?”
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/07/05/army-video-soldiers-marching-cadence-masks-draws-criticism/
Hunter Biden memos call into question congressional testimony of Democrat lobbying firm
Emails state Hunter Biden met, strategized with Blue Star Strategies executives who claimed they had no contact.
Hunter Biden memos on a laptop recovered by the FBI directly conflict with the congressional testimony of two key executives at a Democrat-connected firm who asserted they did not deal with the current president's son while working for a Ukrainian energy firm where the younger Biden served on the board.
The questions about the testimony from Blue Star Strategies officials comes as the Justice Department is reportedly investigating whether the firm violated the Foreign Agent Registration Act with its work contacting federal officials on behalf of the Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings.
Blue Star, a lobbying and strategy firm with deep Democrat connections dating to the Bill Clinton era, was hired in late 2015 by Burisma in an effort to improve its image and fight corruption allegations the Ukrainian firm had been facing since early 2014 when Hunter Biden joined its board, according to documents previously published by Just the News.
Blue Star's work later became the focus of a Senate investigation that concluded last year that Hunter Biden's role at Burisma while his father oversaw Ukraine policy as vice president created a conflict of interest that undercut U.S. efforts to fight corruption in the former Soviet republic.
Late last August — just over two months before the presidential election won by Joe Biden — the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee summoned two representatives from Blue Star Strategies to testify on the firm's relationship with Burisma.
Blue Star's Karen Tramontano and Sally Painter were asked about the firm's contacts with Hunter Biden while he served on Burisma's board.
Tramontano testified that "at no time did I or anyone else in the firm working on behalf of Burisma collaborate or coordinate the development or implementation of our work with Hunter Biden. … Mr. Biden played no role in Blue Star Strategies' work on behalf of Burisma."
You can read Tramontano's testimony here.
File
2020-08-28-Tramontano Interview with Exhibits.pdf
Under questioning from the Democratic counsel on the Senate committee, Painter gave similar testimony.
"Did you ever consult with Hunter Biden about Blue Star Strategies and its representation of Burisma?" Painter was asked.
"Never," she answered.
"Did Hunter Biden ever direct any of Blue Star Strategies and its representation of Burisma?" the questioner asked.
"No," Painter responded.
You can read Painter's testimony here.
File
2020-08-31-Painter Interview with Exhibits.pdf
https://justthenews.com/accountability/russia-and-ukraine-scandals/hunter-biden-memos-call-question-congressional-testimony
Pop-up COVID testing site targeted by vandals in Sydney's south
A pop-up COVID-19 testing site in Sydney's south has been targeted by vandals, calling the pandemic a "government scam".
This is the second time the drive-through testing site at Heathcote Oval, Heathcote has been attacked, with police launching an investigation to find the culprits.
Things like "government scam", "government lies" and"stop murdering our children"were sprayed across the tents and front signage on Sunday night
Local council said the continued vandalism was disappointing.
"I care about my local community, and it is always disappointing to see vandalism in a public place, especially in a COVID-19 testing clinic on two separate occasions," Sutherland Shire Councillor Diedree Steinwall told nine.com.au.
Ms Steinwall said residents of the Shire were just trying to get by and do the right thing during lockdown and hopes the police are able to locate the offender or offenders soon.
"Like everyone in Sydney, residents in the Shire are concerned and cautious at this stage. Sutherland Shire Council is doing its very best to support the community and help small businesses during the lockdown," she said.
While this is the second time the Heathcote pop-up testing site has been vandalised, other locations across Sydney have also been targeted.
https://www.9news.com.au/national/covid-19-testing-site-graffitied-by-vandals-in-heathcote-sutherland-shire/5829c777-6101-485c-b877-23aa480187a5
Pfizer boss suggests third COVID-19 vaccine dose needed after efficacy rates drop in Israel
Israel is leading the world in COVID-19 vaccination rates with 57 per cent of the population fully inoculated but an increase of positive cases in the country has indicated the Pfizer vaccine's effectiveness has fallen.
Health authorities in Israel - one of the countries with the highest COVID-19 vaccine take up rates - are considering if a third booster shot is needed as the efficacy of the Pfizer jab drops.
Ran Balicer, chair of Israel's national expert panel on COVID-19, said a steady increase of positive cases in the country is suggesting a "preliminary signal" that Pfizer is less effective at preventing mild symptoms from the Delta strain.
He stressed it was "too early to precisely assess vaccine effectiveness against the variant" with "some decrease in vaccine effectiveness against mild illness - but not severe illness - is likely".
The difficulty to make a solid conclusion on Pfizer is partly due to overall low numbers of cases among fully vaccinated Israelis and those cases were not evenly distributed across the population.
Mr Balicer estimated that people experiencing symptoms went from "one every other day to five per day".
Around May, the vaccine had an efficacy rate of 94 per cent but almost two months later, it has fallen to 64 per cent.
The fall comes after a combination of the country's government recently relaxed coronavirus restrictions and the Delta variant's continued spread across the world.
However, fresh restrictions could be introduced after Israel recorded the highest number of cases in three months on Monday with 343 new cases in the last 24 hours. Numbers were down to single digits in June.
The Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was due to meet with Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz to discuss whether a third shot was needed after a spike in cases.
Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla has come out and said people will "likely" need a third dose within 12 months of being fully vaccinated.
While efficacy rates have fallen, the vaccine is still proving to be strong barrier against any severe symptoms.
Hospitalisation prevention was sitting at 93 per cent from June to July, slipping slightly from earlier reports of 98 per cent and there have been no deaths in the last 12 days.
The Delta variant of COVID-19 was first detected in India on October 2020 and has since spread to close to 100 countries.
https://www.skynews.com.au/world-news/pfizer-boss-suggests-third-covid19-vaccine-dose-needed-after-efficacy-rates-drop-in-israel/news-story/1f90169fde67900b1dcef977debc0d90
Aussie PM’s refusal to back WikiLeaks’ Assange is ‘morally bankrupt’ says MP in Oz who also tells US & UK: ‘enough is enough’
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s future hangs in the balance as the US appeals a UK decision not to extradite the Aussie to face espionage charges. Meanwhile, bipartisan support in Oz piles the pressure on President Biden.
The Aussies take their petitions seriously. When the government threatened a hike in the price of beer back at the turn of the 21st Century, 800,000 angry Australians put their names to paper – never mind e-petitions – in a show of people power that gave the politicians one choice: abandon their futile quest.
The message was clear, don’t mess with their beer and equally strident is the almost pathological Australian defence of the underdog. Nothing gets an Aussie’s budgie smugglers in a twist more than a bully.
And when the victim is a fellow Aussie, well, you’ve got a real ding-dong in the offing. Even when that compatriot is controversial WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, currently residing in the UK’s grim Belmarsh prison, having been considered too much of a flight risk to be granted bail while the British courts decide whether to send him to the US to face espionage charges.
Nearly 12,000 miles away, Assange’s treatment has seen an unlikely cross-party alliance form to argue for the underdog. Among those leading the call for the US administration to drop its bid to extradite Assange is Aussie MP Julian Hill, a vocal member of a cross-party group of federal politicians who discussed exclusively with RT.com last week’s release of a video demanding that US President Joe Biden rethink his administration’s pursuit of their compatriot.
Video Message to President Biden @POTUS from Australian Parliamentarians"We’re calling on the government of the United States to drop the unprecedented Espionage Act charges against #JulianAssange."#HomeRun4Julian please pic.twitter.com/n0LbDIPv5B
— Consortium News (@Consortiumnews) June 30, 2021
To Hill, the issue is one of principle. “I don't agree with everything he's done and I don't know whether I like the guy but it’s not my job to be his friend. I don't have any personal connection with him,” said the 48-year-old Victorian. “It's a matter of principle. People have their own reactions and a lot of people, in that great Australian way, really don’t give a hoot but still support that principle, although they may not really have any particular personal care for the guy beyond his welfare and well-being.”
So strong is that innate sense of fair play, even when the underdog is a stranger, that it has seen more than 600,000 Aussies sign a change.org petition calling for the release of Assange and to stop the legal precedent of the USA extraditing a non-US citizen for exposing their (the USA’s) wrongdoing. When presented to the International Criminal Court in The Hague earlier this year, it became the largest petition ever to land at the door of that institution.
But so far, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has refused to back the campaigners, and Hill is scathing.
“The prime minister's failure to defend Julian Assange, who is an Australian citizen, is incredibly disappointing as is his refusal to engage in the matters of principle at stake,” said the MP. “He’s hiding behind talking points about ‘due process,’ ‘having his day in court’ and ‘facing the music’ and similar sort of nonsense, which is intellectually and morally bankrupt but that's not deterring us.
“There is growing support from other members of parliament and indeed with the return of Barnaby Joyce [who won a leadership battle in minority coalition partner National Party last month] to the role of Deputy Prime Minister, Assange now has at least one clear supporter in the cabinet.”
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/528444-aussie-assange-wikileaks-julian/
HIV vaccine trial launched at University of Oxford in bid to end ‘40-year wait’
Researchers at the UK’s University of Oxford have administered the first doses of a potential HIV vaccine to participants, as part of a Phase-One clinical trial launched on Monday.
The trial, called HIV-CORE 0052, aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of the HIVconsvX vaccine, the University said. The project is part of the European Aids Vaccine Initiative, funded by the European Commission.
The jab is known as a “mosaic,” meaning it can target a broad range of HIV-1 variants and potentially become a suitable vaccine for use around the world.
Scientists will give two doses of the vaccine four weeks apart to 13 healthy, HIV-negative adults, aged between 18 and 65, who are not considered at risk of infection.
“An effective HIV vaccine has been elusive for 40 years,” Tomas Hanke, the trial’s lead researcher and Professor of Vaccine Immunology at the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute, said in a statement.
“This trial is the first in a series of evaluations of this novel vaccine strategy in both HIV-negative individuals for prevention and in people living with HIV for cure.”
The Oxford solution works by stimulating the body’s immune response via T cells which kill specific pathogens, unlike most other HIV vaccine candidates, which induce antibodies created by B-cells to fight the virus.
HIV attacks the body’s immune system and can develop into life-threatening AIDS if left untreated.
In 2014 the UN announced a ‘fast-track’ target of decreasing the number of people newly-infected with the virus to 500,000 by 2020. However, last year there were approximately 1.5 million new cases.
The Oxford team expects to report its results by April next year. There are also plans to start similar trials in Europe, Africa and the US.
https://www.rt.com/uk/528446-oxford-university-launches-hiv-vaccine-trial/
Cardiologist arrested over Mt. Lavinia Child Sex Trafficking Ring; 34 suspects nabbed so far
Sri Lanka Police arrested a 41-year-old cardiologist from Bandarawela over the Mount Lavinia Child Sex Trafficking Ring.
‘He is a reputed cardiologist working in Colombo’, said Police Spokesperson Senior DIG Ajith Rohana on Tuesday (06).
On Monday (05), a 33-year-old male was arrested for procuring the 15-year-old victim.
‘Several names have been revealed with regarding to exploiting the 15-year-old victim,’ said the Senior DIG adding that special teams have been deployed to arrest all the suspects.
A special investigation was also launched on websites for advertising the procuration of the 15-year-old victim, said the Police Spokesperson.
In total, 34 suspects were arrested in connection to the Mount Lavinia Child Sex Trafficking Ring and 12 more suspects have been identified for committing statutory rape.
Among those arrested are, the parents of the victim, a three-wheeler driver, a car driver, the individual who designed the advertisement, a gem businessman, a captain of a ship and several crew members, administrators and operators of several website, and the Deputy-Chairman of the Mihintale Pradeshiya Sabha, said the Senior DIG Ajith Rohana.
Maldives’ former state minister for finance and treasury is among the arrested.
A 15-year-old girl was sexually exploited by an individual in Mount Lavinia via social media outlets and the main suspect in connection with the incident was arrested on the 07th of June, by a special team led by Headquarter-Inspector of Mount Lavinia.
The 15-year-old female victim had been exploited for three months and she had been handed over to various people to be exploited.
https://www.newsfirst.lk/2021/07/06/cardiologist-arrested-over-mt-lavinia-child-sex-trafficking-ring-34-suspects-nabbed-so-far/