Sytov Alexander Kapitonovich
"The Patriotic War of 1812. Hussar Youth"
2014 Oil on canvas. 100x150

@grekovstudio

Sen. Rand Paul to Block Sen. Josh Hawley’s Bill to Ban TikTok

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 (March 29).

Hawley’s bill, the No TikTok on United States Devices Act, would prohibit the app from being downloaded in the US and ban commercial activity with TikTok’s parent company, the China-based ByteDance.

The legislation is much narrower than the RESTRICT Act that was introduced in the Senate and has received 21 bipartisan cosponsors. The RESTRICT Act would give the Commerce Secretary sweeping powers to crack down on any transactions between US persons and so-called “foreign adversaries” relating to information and communication technology.

Hawley was hoping to pass his legislation by unanimous consent, but Paul has broken with the rest of the GOP and came out against banning TikTok, saying it would emulate China’s internet censorship. “If you don’t like TikTok or Facebook or YouTube, don’t use them. But don’t think any interpretation of the Constitution gives you the right to ban them,” Paul wrote in an op-ed for the Courier Journal.

🔗Source: Antiwar.com

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An awesome rendition of "Farewell of Slavianka" from the front.

The ASEAN economic union reportedly wants to protect transactions from “possible geopolitical repercussions” by dropping the US dollar, euro, yen and pound sterling from transactions and moving to settlements in local currencies.

An official meeting of ASEAN finance ministers and central bank governors kicked off on Tuesday in Indonesia. ASEAN includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

“Efforts to reduce dependence on major currencies through the Local Currency Transaction (LCT) scheme will be discussed. This is an extension of the previous Local Currency Settlement (LCS) scheme that has already begun to be implemented between ASEAN members,” said the report.

A digital cross-border payments system, allowing ASEAN member states to use local currencies in trade, would be expanded further. An agreement on such cooperation was reached between Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand in November 2022.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has urged regional authorities to abandon Visa and Mastercard payment systems and start using credit cards issued by local banks. Moving away from Western payment systems is necessary to protect transactions from “possible geopolitical repercussions,” Widodo said. @LauraRuHK

The UKR carried out a troop rotation in Izyum. Simultaneously it is noted a few UKR have become casualties due to the petal mines they scattered - and no doubt more civilians.

According to a report to Congress by US Air Force General Michael Schmidt on a per month basis only 53% of the USAF's 540 F-35 aircraft are considered to be "Mission capable".

Just a funny reminder that F-35s started to develop rust on their fuselage on their very first full aboard ship tour with the US Navy last year.

Footage from the scene of the collision of two UH-60 helicopters with members of the 101st Airborne Division in Kentucky

Türkiye intends to approve Finland's membership in NATO today.

Turkey's parliament will vote today to approve Finland's NATO membership, following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's pledge to admit the Scandinavian country to the defense alliance.

The bill, supported by Erdogan, was previously considered by a subcommittee of the Turkish parliament and will be approved by a vote in the general assembly, said on Wednesday
ruling party leader Yilmaz Tunç.

🇯🇵 Japan allocates a new $470 million aid package to Ukraine

Ukraine will receive the equipment needed to clear mines and rubble, as well as to restore energy and agricultural infrastructure.