China is reportedly learning Russia’s lessons from Ukraine

Published

2 years ago

July 21, 2022

China’s invasion of Taiwan is a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ according to reports from the CIA

The war in Ukraine is reportedly affecting Beijing’s calculations on how to invade the island-nation.

The Director of the CIA Bill Burns, says China is determined to use force in Taiwan, which it sees as a breakaway region.

“Our sense is that it probably affects less the question of whether the Chinese leadership might choose some years down the road to use force to control Taiwan, but how and when they would do it.”
CIA DIRECTOR BILL BURNS

Burns is playing down speculation that Chinese president Xi Jinping could move onto the island after a key Communist party meeting, which is scheduled for later this year.

“I suspect the lesson that the Chinese leadership and military are drawing is that you’ve got to amass overwhelming force if you’re going to contemplate that in the future,” he says.

The CIA has also reportedly seen China stepping up its purchases of Russian energy. However, Beijing is being careful about not experiencing any western sanctions.

Washington maintains a “strategic ambiguity” approach to Taiwanese affairs and security.

Meanwhile, China’s Foreign Ministry believes “China is firmly against all forms of official interaction between the Taiwan region and the EU”.

Beijing’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lijian Zhao says China is against “any force or individual to play[ing] the ‘Taiwan card’.

The TikTok ban was just passed by the House. What could happen next?

Published

2 hours ago

April 24, 2024

ticker NEWS

Washington D.C. has been under pressure to ban the popular Chinese-owned social media app TikTok.

TikTok users could soon find that the popular social media service is either under new ownership or could be outright banned in the U.S.

Calls are growing louder from many lawmakers and national security hawks to ban TikTok, over fears the app could censure content, influence users, and give Americans’ personal data to Beijing.

But the Chinese tech company, ByteDance—which owns TikTok— denies the allegations.

Dave Levinthal, the Editor-in-Chief of Raw Story joins Veronica Dudo to discuss.

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TikTok implements stricter guidelines on weight-loss drug promotion

Published

22 hours ago

April 23, 2024

Mike Loder

TikTok is tightening its regulations on influencers who promote weight-loss drugs like Ozempic.

With over 170 million users in the US, the app aims to prevent the spread of potentially harmful content related to rapid weight loss.

Starting in May, TikTok will prohibit influencers from posting “before-and-after” photos and restrict minors from accessing weight-loss content deemed risky. The crackdown extends to any content promoting drastic weight loss methods, aiming to combat the promotion of unrealistic body standards.

However, some influencers, like Dave Knapp and Kim Carlos, criticise the move, arguing it discriminates against those with health conditions. Others fear losing their income as TikTok takes down their content, prompting concerns about the platform’s future amid potential US bans.

As TikTok enforces stricter guidelines, influencers may seek alternative platforms to share weight-loss content. Despite the popularity of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, the crackdown reflects growing concerns about the impact of such promotions on user health.

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Game on with indie devs celebrated by Nintendo

Published

23 hours ago

April 23, 2024

ticker NEWS

Nintendo Switch fans rejoice! The recent Indie World Showcase unveiled 17 new titles coming in 2024.

Including in the rundown is the adorable “Little Kitty, Big City” and explosive platformer “Anton Blast.” In other news, “Stellar Blade” confirms an uncensored release on PlayStation 5, Fallout’s TV adaptation gears up for Season 2, and Keanu Reeves joins the cast of Sonic 3 as Shadow. New releases this week include “Tales of Kenzera: Zau” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants,” while “Fallout 4” gets a next-gen update. With “Stellar Blade” topping the list, gamers have plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks.