Blinken Refuses to Say If the US Will Do Anything to Stop China From Building Military Spy Base in Cuba

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday refused to say whether the United States will do anything to stop China from building a military spy base in Cuba.

The Wall Street Journal last week reported that Cuba and China are negotiating to establish a joint training facility in Cuba.

The Chinese will have a military spy base 90 miles from Florida.

Blinken refused to say if the US will do anything to stop China from building a base in Cuba.

“Are we gonna prevent China from having a military base on the island of Cuba?” NBC’s Chuck Todd asked Blinken.

Blinken refused to give a straight answer.

Chuck Todd pressed Blinken, “Are we gonna make sure it doesn’t happen? Is this a line in the sand?”

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/06/blinken-refuses-say-if-us-will-do-anything/

IRS Whistleblower Fights Back: Names Additional Six Witnesses in Response to Garland’s Denial of Interference in Biden Investigations

On Friday, US Attorney General Merrick Garland denied the IRS whistleblower allegations detailing the Justice Department’s efforts to block felony recommendations against Hunter Biden.

The House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday released devastating depositions detailing accounts of Biden corruption from two IRS whistleblowers.

The two IRS whistleblowers told lawmakers about the Justice Department’s effort to block search warrants and cover up Hunter Biden’s tax crimes.

One of the whistleblowers, Gary Shapely, confirmed to prosecutors that Joe Biden met with officials from CEFC, a Chinese energy company.

Shapely also revealed Hunter Biden demanded payment from his Chinese business associate over WhatsApp messenger and used his powerful father as muscle as he issued threats.

The WhatsApp message Hunter Biden sent to Henry Zhao is as follows according to the IRS whistleblower:

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/06/ag-garland-denies-interference-biden-investigations-irs-whistleblower/

TRUMP: "I was the first President in 70 years who didn't start a war. […] You know I don't call her 'Crooked' anymore, so I have a new name: 'Beautiful' — she's a beautiful person. 'Beautiful' Hillary, she's a beautiful woman."

"She said, 'He's going to stary a war! Listen to him — his personality!' I said, 'No, my personality will stop a war.'"

https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1673124397421416455

TRUMP: "We will carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history and we're gonna get the bad ones out quickly."

https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1673080722792366081

UN releases online ‘hate speech’ guide

The global body has called for social media users to tattle on purveyors of “harmful content”

The United Nations has taken to Twitter in a new campaign to battle speech that it finds objectionable, urging social media users to push back against hateful content and report offenders to police and other authorities in extreme cases.

“Hate speech can take many different forms,” the UN said on Sunday. “But no matter what it looks like, hate speech has real consequences.” The tweet linked to a guide on steps that the UN recommends for taking action against offensive speech.

The global organization didn’t spell out what constitutes hate speech. “It can sometimes be hard to assess when a comment is meant as hate speech, especially when expressed in the virtual world,” the tutorial said. “It can also feel overwhelming to try to deal with obviously hateful content.”

The UN has previously defined hate speech as “offensive discourse targeting a group or an individual based on inherent characteristics – such as race, religion or gender – and that may threaten social peace.” Earlier this month, it declared June 18 as International Day for Countering Hate Speech

“We are far from powerless in the face of hate speech,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said. “We can and must raise awareness about its dangers and work to prevent and end it in all its forms.”

The campaign comes amid a global crackdown on hate speech, including legislation in Ireland that reportedly could allow for the jailing of citizens who possess material that criticizes gender identity. Legislation passed this month by lawmakers in Michigan would enable prosecutors to criminally charge people who make others feel threatened based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The UN urged social media users to refrain from posting or forwarding any hateful content themselves and to speak out when other people are targeted by such messaging. The tutorial called for refuting misinformation and offensive content “to make sure hate is not the dominant narrative,” as well as reporting hateful commentators to social media platforms.

“For more serious cases – which may constitute incitement to violence, harassment and/or threats prohibited by law – notify organizations fighting hate speech and/or file a complaint with police or the public prosecutor,” the UN said. “Some countries have online tools to make reporting hate speech easier.”

Such countries as Sweden, Denmark and Belgium have online reporting systems for hate speech. In Sweden, for instance, “mean statements about an ethnic group or a group of people alluding to race, skin tone, ethnic background, belief or sexual orientation” can constitute a criminal offense, according to a government-funded group Nathatshjalpen.

https://www.rt.com/news/578698-un-hate-speech-guide/

Guardrails Urgently Needed to Contain “Clear and Present Global Threat” of Online Mis- and Disinformation and Hate Speech, says UN Secretary-General

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2023/06/press-release-guardrails-urgently-needed-to-contain-clear-and-present-global-threat-of-online-mis-and-disinformation-and-hate-speech-says-un-secretary-general/

TikTok Admits Storing Some US User Data In China: Senators

The Chinese video-sharing platform confirmed this in a letter dated June 16 made in response to questions raised by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew.

The senators had accused TikTok of making misleading claims to Congress regarding its storage of U.S. user data, citing a Forbes report that TikTok stored financial information—such as social security numbers and tax IDs—of U.S. content creators on Chinese servers.

In response, TikTok said that its previous testimony specifically pertained to the protected user data collected within the app and was not related to content creators’ data, which it said falls into two different categories.

“The Forbes reporter conflated two categories of data, and we stand by the statements made by our company executives to Congress,” it stated. “We are asked about, and our testimony focused on, the protected user data collected in the app—not creator data.”

The company clarified that there are “limited exceptions to the definition of protected data.”

These exceptions include “public data, business metrics, interoperability data, and certain creator data, if a creator voluntarily signs up for a commercial program to be supported by TikTok in reaching new audiences and monetizing content.”

“TikTok believes that the Forbes article cited in your letter was referencing certain creator data such as signed contracts and related documents for U.S. creators who enter into a commercial relationship with TikTok—information that is collected outside of the standard app experience,” it stated.

Regarding the potential sharing of U.S. user data stored in China with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime under China’s National Intelligence Law, TikTok said that it had not been asked by the CCP to provide such data.

TikTok said it has not been asked for U.S. user data by the Chinese regime, adding that TikTok has not provided such data to the regime, nor would TikTok do so the company said.

‘Misleading Public Relations Campaign’

However, the senators maintained their stance and said that TikTok’s response showed that its executives had repeatedly provided misleading information to Congress regarding the storage of U.S. user data.

https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/tiktok-admits-storing-some-us-user-data-china-senators

'Disgusted' New Zealand Surgeons Now Required To Consider Ethnicity Of Patients

Surgeons in Auckland, New Zealand are 'disgusted' over a new policy rolled out in February which requires them to address "historical disparities in healthcare access" for Māori and Pacific Island communities, which will be factored into a new ranking system that determines priority for surgical procedures.

According to leaked documents obtained by the NZ Herald, the new initative, implemented by Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand, uses an "Equity Adjustor Score" algorithm to assign priority based on clinical urgency, waitlist duration, geographic location, ethnicity and level of deprivation.

Patients of Māori and Pasifika backgrounds receive higher rankings, while European New Zealanders and other ethnicities are downranked.

Several surgeons spoke with the Herald, one of whom said he was "disgusted" by the new system.

"It’s ethically challenging to treat anyone based on race, it’s their medical condition that must establish the urgency of the treatment," said the surgeon, adding "There’s no place for elitism in medicine and the medical fraternity in this country is disturbed by these developments."

A document on the equity adjustor which was leaked to Newstalk ZB shows two Māori patients, both aged 62 and who have been waiting more than a year, ranked above others on the list. A 36-year-old Middle Eastern patient who has been waiting almost two years has a much lower priority ranking.

An email by Te Whatu Ora business support manager Daniel Hayes in April said: “Hi team, Heads up. This is going to be the new criteria for outsourcing your patients going forward. Just putting this on your radar now so that you can begin to line up patients accordingly. Over 200 days for Māori and Pacific patients. Over 250 days for all other patients.” -NZ Herald

Health Minister Ayesha Verrall defended the move, pointing to a Government-commissioned, independent review of the health system conducted in 2018, which found that the system produced unequal outcomes, particularly for populations deemed vulnerable.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/disgusted-new-zealand-surgeons-now-required-consider-ethnicity-patients

https://www.timesofisrael.com/these-jewish-gay-dads-show-how-parenting-benefits-from-a-shifting-division-of-labor/