Microsoft acknowledges it supplied AI technology to Israel's Ministry of Defense, but claims "no evidence" it's been used to "target or harm people in the conflict in Gaza"

https://www.eurogamer.net/microsoft-acknowledges-it-supplied-ai-technology-to-israels-ministry-of-defense-but-no-evidence-its-been-used-to-target-or-harm-people-in-the-conflict-in-gaza

Microsoft published a statement last week, where it admitted to providing IMOD with "software, professional services, Azure cloud services, and Azure AI services, including language translation". It added: "As with many governments around the world, we also work with the Israeli government to protect its national cyberspace against external threats".

The statement follows reports of Israel using AI in its conflict in Gaza, which has resulted in thousands of Palestinian deaths. As reported by The Guardian last year, the Israeli military employed its own AI system, called Lavender, with intelligence sources claiming Israeli military officials permitted large numbers of Palestinian civilians to be killed.

It made the gaming news now. MS admitting their working with the Israeli Ministry of Defense, but claims they don't know. There is tons and tons of evidence of Israel using AI to target and erase entire families.

Even if somehow Azure and MS AI are not directly involved, they're still supporting the defense ministry responsible for carrying out genocide.

Plus:

Microsoft noted it does occasionally provide special access to its technologies beyond the terms of its commercial agreements. It did this in the weeks following 7th October 2023 by providing limited emergency support to the Israeli government to help rescue hostages, but with "significant oversight and on a limited basis".

The company also acknowledged it does not have visibility into how its customers use its technology on their own servers, typically the case for "on premise software". As such, it does not have visibility to the IMOD's government cloud operations.

...

Last year, a group of current and former Microsoft employees launched the No Azure for Apartheid petition, which currently has 1527 signatures. The group has now called for Microsoft to make this investigation public.

"It's very clear that their intention with this statement is not to actually address their worker concerns, but rather to make a PR stunt to whitewash their image that their relationship with the Israeli military has tarnished," said former employee Hossam Nasr to Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Nasr was fired in October for helping to organise an unauthorised vigil for Palestinians killed in Gaza at Microsoft's headquarters.

As RockPaperShotgun reported, the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement called for a boycott of Microsoft products last month in protest against the company's reported connections with the Israeli military. Back in February, the Associated Press published a report into the use of AI technology by the Israeli military, including Microsoft and OpenAI.

Similarly, the developer of indie role-player Tenderfoot Tactics removed the game from sale on Xbox in support of the boycott.

Petition here:
No Azure for Apartheid petition
Currently at 8860 signatures

The Senate passed a "No Tax on Tips" Bill unanimously.

Assuming it sails through the House that would be a visible win for Trump on one of his campaign promises.

I don't necessarily agree with the law. It does provide Trump and Republicans some cover that they did not only do tax cuts for the wealthy though.

“It Is Going to Kill People”: Disability Rights Activist Speaks Out on Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill”

Over two dozen disability rights activists were arrested on Capitol Hill last week when they protested the Trump-backed Republican budget bill and its cuts to Medicaid, affordable housing and more. “We’re putting our bodies on the line [because] our bodies are on the line,” says Julie Farrar, an activist with ADAPT, which organized the protest. “It is blood on the hands of the GOP and the president and the administration, that they want this big, beautiful bill for billionaires that will kill poor people [and] disabled people.”

“A Big, Ugly, Destructive, Deadly Bill”: Bishop William Barber Slams Bill Cutting Medicaid, Medicare

As a Republican-sponsored budget bill advances through Congress, we hear from Bishop William Barber about how the bill hurts low-income people. “It is about death-dealing and destruction to the poor and the elderly and the youth of our country,” says Barber, citing the bill’s cuts to essential social services like Medicaid and paralleling those cuts to the government’s funding of defense and deportation initiatives. “We have to start talking about this budget as a form of social and political murder.” Barber has been arrested with other faith leaders twice in the past month while protesting cuts, including in the Capitol Rotunda.

Tax Revolt: Arjun Singh on the Roots of Trump’s Push for Massive $4.5 Trillion Tax Cut for the Rich

As President Trump pushes House Republicans to support a sweeping budget bill that gives massive tax breaks to the rich while slashing spending for Medicaid, food stamps and subsidies for clean energy, we look at a new series for The Lever's podcast Lever Time, which covers the history of the Republican anti-tax movement and how their anti-government influence is impacting Trump's attempts to build power. The anti-tax activist wing “has made it impossible for this party to raise taxes, which then makes it very difficult to actually govern when you’re the party in power,” explains Lever Time co-host Arjun Singh, who breaks down the roots of the movement and its impact in the MAGA era.

Trump is now giving the South African president the full Zelenskyy treatment

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 21 May 2025 at 17:53

REPORTER: What will it take for you to be convinced there is no white genocide in South Africa?

RAMAPHOSA: I can take that. It will take President Trump listening to the voices of South Africans

TRUMP *scowling*: We have thousands of stories talking about it. Turn the lights down and put this on

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 21 May 2025 at 17:50

Trump: "Elon is from South Africa. I don't want to get Elon involved. That's all I have to do -- get him in another thing. This is what Elon wanted."

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 21 May 2025 at 18:00

RAMAPHOSA: I am sorry I don't have a plane to give you

TRUMP: I wish you did. I'd take it. If your country offered the US Air Force a plane, I would take it

RAMAPHOSA: Okay

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 21 May 2025 at 18:01

What a fucking embarrassment of a country America is.

Trump: "It used to be the G8 but brilliantly, they threw Russia out. It would've been a lot better if Russia was in."

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 21 May 2025 at 18:22

K Russian Agent Krasnov.

Nice to see the "rumours" that Elon Musk was being pushed out because "Republicans don't like him" were complete bullshit too, considering he is standing right there in the room only days after the rumours, Lmao. Someone was definitely pushing that bullshit rumour because they knew Elon Musk is toxic to Republicans brand but it's clear that it's not what Trump thinks.

I also think the rumours of Trump being mad with Netanyahu are from the same bullshit vine, I think a certain faction is pushing these fake rumours trying to salvage the brand, don't worry guys, we know how much you hate Musk, Trump hates him too! Don't worry guys, Trump hates Netanyahu as well! Ignore all actions that point to the opposite of that!

REPORTER: Genocide is a very strong word. Have you made up your mind if you believe that genocide is occurring? If you have made up your mind, why invite President Ramaphosa here today?

TRUMP: Well, I haven't made up my mind. I hate to see it.

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 21 May 2025 at 18:21

Trump loses it at Peter Alexander: "What are you talking about? You oughta get out of here ... you're a terrible reporter. You don't have what it takes to be a reporter. You're not smart enough ... Brian Roberts and the people that run that place they ought to be investigated."

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 21 May 2025 at 17:49

REPORTER: What are you expecting on the ICJ case? Are you expecting South African to drop that?

TRUMP: Which case?

REPORTER: The ICJ case

TRUMP: Ah. I don't expect anything, to be honest. I don't know.

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 21 May 2025 at 17:39

Don't worry though, the US media is stepping up to the plate while America has a senile fascist in charge!

By still banging on about Biden's fucking age. 😂

"Trump has brought so much respect back to America. They were laughing thinking about dealing with Biden."

- I'm sure someone out there believes this unironically. 

Are those posts quoted verbatim? I can't tell anymore what's a bad SNL skit and what's reality with Trump.


Embarrassing and still going on about the White genocide myth

Even the BBC won't buy it
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wg5pg1xp5o

Most of the white evangelical population of the South believes it fervently. 

Stephen Colbert was right. Trump realy is Putin's c**k holster. 

I am so fucking sick of the double standards that conservatives have for Trump and themselves. Biden's health gets mocked, so we now have a lifelong sociopath whose already shaky mental health is being compromised by senility. Biden, at least, had a decent Cabinet to advise him. And if he had passed away in office? That's what the Vice President is for.  I'm also absolutely fucking sick of liberals being chided for their behavior towards the people who call have been calling them Godless heathen pedophile traitors for my entire lifetime. I divided my childhood between Arizona, which is more moderate, and Oklahoma, which was the canary in the coal mine for MAGA. Do you think Oklahoma conservatives ever behaved nicely towards liberals? Spoiler alert: they didn't! 

Part of the reason why every Presidential election threatens to erupt in an American reprise of the Troubles is because the U.S. political system has made the office of the Presidency a blood contract. People are stuck with an adminstration for four years, come hell or high water. There are no snap elections and the bar for firing a president from is impossibly high. Japan went through a six year period where they changed Prime Ministers on an annual basis, bookended on both ends by Shinzo Abe. Britain got rid of Lettuce Liz in less than 50 days (and then she ran away to the U.S. and played the victim in front of the MAGA crowd). Charles, the head of state for every Commonwealth nation, is unlikely to survive to the end of the decade and be replaced by William.  Life will go on. It should not be that big of a deal to change Presidents as we need to.