A U.S. federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban of TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied TikTok's petition to overturn the law — which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — and rebuffed the company's challenge of the statute, which it argued had ran afoul of the First Amendment. "The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States," said the court's opinion, which was written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg. "Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary's ability to gather data on people in the United States." TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, though it's unclear whether the court will take up the case. "The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans' right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue," TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the TikTok ban was conceived and pushed through based upon inaccurate, flawed and hypothetical information, resulting in outright censorship of the American people," Hughes said. Unless stopped, Hughes argued the statute "will silence the voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world on January 19th, 2025." Trump could offer a lifeline Though the case is squarely in the court system, its also possible the two companies might be thrown some sort of a lifeline by U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the most recent presidential campaign that he is now against doing so. During his first term in office, Donald Trump tried to ban TikTok. The U.S. president-elect, who will return to power in January, has more recently said that he is now against such action. (Heather Khalifa/The Associated Press) The law, signed by U.S. President Joe Biden in April, was the culmination of a years-long saga in Washington over the short-form video-sharing app, which the government sees as a national security threat due to its connections to China. The U.S. has said it's concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including sensitive information on viewing habits, that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials have also warned the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who they say can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that's difficult to detect — a concern mirrored by the European Union on Friday as it scrutinizes the video-sharing app's role in the Romanian elections . TikTok, which sued the U.S. government over the law in May, has long denied it could be used by Beijing to spy on or manipulate Americans. Its attorneys have accurately pointed out that the U.S. hasn't provided evidence to show that the company handed over user data to the Chinese government, or manipulated content for Beijing's benefit in the U.S. They have also argued the law is predicated on future risks, which the U.S. Department of Justice has emphasized pointing in part to unspecified action it claims the two companies have taken in the past due to demands from the Chinese government. TikTok content creators worry that Canadian office shutdown will lead to app ban What the federal ban on TikTok's Canadian operations means for you TikTok has also faced increasing hurdles on this side of the border, with Canada's own government — citing national security concerns — recently forcing the company to shutter its Canadian operations , though usage of the app is still allowed. In response, TikTok said it would challenge the order in court. Prior to that, Ottawa banned the app from federal government devices in 2023 . Similar bans have occurred at the provincial and territorial government levels . Two years ago, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Canada's electronic spy agency was watching for security threats from the app . Court heard oral arguments in September Friday's ruling came after the appeals court panel, composed of two Republican and one Democrat appointed judges, heard oral arguments in September. WATCH | TikTok loses bid to strike down law that could bring ban: TikTok loses appeal of a law that could ban it from the U.S. 3 hours ago Duration 0:42 TikTok has lost its bid to strike down a ruling that could result in the platform being banned in the United States. In the hearing, which lasted more than two hours, the panel appeared to grapple with how TikTok's foreign ownership affects its rights under the Constitution and how far the government could go to curtail potential influence from abroad on a foreign-owned platform. On Friday, all three of them denied TikTok's petition. In the court's ruling, Ginsburg, a Republican appointee, rejected TikTok's main legal arguments against the law, including that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. He also said the law did not violate the First Amendment because the government is not looking to "suppress content or require a certain mix of content" on TikTok. U.S. surgeon general wants warning labels on social media platforms Intelligence chief warns Canadians that China can use TikTok to spy on them "Content on the platform could in principle remain unchanged after divestiture, and people in the United States would remain free to read and share as much PRC propaganda (or any other content) as they desire on TikTok or any other platform of their choosing," Ginsburg wrote, using the abbreviation for the People's Republic of China. Judge Sri Srinivasan, the chief judge on the court, issued a concurring opinion. Some U.S. lawmakers celebrate ruling TikTok's lawsuit was consolidated with a second legal challenge brought by several content creators — for which the company is covering legal costs — as well as a third one filed on behalf of conservative creators who work with a nonprofit called BASED Politics Inc. Other organizations, including the Knight First Amendment Institute, had also filed amicus briefs supporting TikTok. "This is a deeply misguided ruling that reads important First Amendment precedents too narrowly and gives the government sweeping power to restrict Americans' access to information, ideas, and media from abroad," said Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the organization. "We hope that the appeals court's ruling won't be the last word." Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, lawmakers who had pushed for the legislation celebrated the court's ruling. New TikTok parent company says it won't sell, despite possible U.S. ban Video Why did the U.S. TikTok ban bill get packaged with foreign aid? "I am optimistic that President Trump will facilitate an American takeover of TikTok to allow its continued use in the United States and I look forward to welcoming the app in America under new ownership," said Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, chair of the House Select Committee on China. Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who co-authored the law, said "it's time for ByteDance to accept" the law. To assuage concerns about the company's owners, TikTok says it has invested more than $2 billion US to bolster protections around U.S. user data. The company has also argued the government's broader concerns could have been resolved in a draft agreement it provided the Biden administration more than two years ago during talks between the two sides. It has blamed the government for walking away from further negotiations on the agreement, which the Justice Department argues is insufficient. Attorneys for the two companies have claimed it's impossible to divest the platform commercially and technologically. They also say any sale of TikTok without the coveted algorithm — the platform's secret sauce that Chinese authorities would likely block under any divestiture plan — would turn the U.S. version of TikTok into an island disconnected from other global content.
Despite unique headwinds in this year's giving season, nation's largest nongovernmental provider of social services remains hopeful for generous support to close gap of $13.5 million ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With five fewer days in the holiday season this year — which could equal a double-digit decrease in funds, based on daily gifts — and declining donations across the sector , The Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign faces a potentially significant donation deficit. The iconic Christmas campaign provides the financial backbone of the organization's year-round social services at their 6,400 locations. An army of celebrity and corporate supporters are teaming up to bring awareness to the need and to the ways people can help. Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/the-salvation-army/9294954-en-the-salvation-army-red-kettle-campaign-donation-deficit The Red Kettle Campaign kicked off last week at the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game with a halftime performance by country music artist Lainey Wilson and surprise guest Jelly Roll. On Giving Tuesday, Ben and Erin Napier will appear with Commissioner Kenneth G. Hodder, national commander of The Salvation Army, on Fox & Friends, while Kelli Finglass and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders will appear on the Today Show to celebrate the love and support The Salvation Army brings to communities across America. Despite current headwinds, the Red Kettle Campaign continues to demonstrate The Salvation Army's commitment to making generosity approachable and accessible for all. Several exciting initiatives and partnerships are in place to bring awareness and raise funds for those in need, including: "When you see a Red Kettle on Giving Tuesday, it doesn't just represent a 134-year-old campaign. It represents over 1 million kids who get to open a present on Christmas Day, 166 million meals, 9 million nights of shelter, and rent and utility assistance to more than 3 million families," said Commissioner Hodder. "When communities come together to support each other through The Salvation Army, they help us serve more than 27 million people in America." In addition to events on Giving Tuesday, volunteers, donors, communities, and corporations are stepping up in remarkable ways: The following options are available for those wishing to support their neighbors in need this Giving Tuesday: Visit SalvationArmyUSA.org to learn more about ways to support and give this Giving Tuesday. About The Salvation Army The Salvation Army annually helps more than 27 million people in America overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and meeting human needs in His name without discrimination in nearly every ZIP code. By providing food, shelter, eviction prevention assistance, emergency disaster relief, rehabilitation, after-school and summer youth programs, spiritual enrichment, and more, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 6,400 centers of operation around the country. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org . Follow us on X @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood. Contact Lindsey Logan 512-769-5673 lindsey@genuinearticlecomms.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-salvation-army-and-supporters-show-that-everyday-generosity-can-make-a-change-for-27-million-people-in-america-302319974.html SOURCE The Salvation ArmySt. Paul-based Bremer Bank to be acquired in $1.4 billion merger with Old National Bank
KIA K4 SEDAN NAMED FINALIST FOR 2025 NORTH AMERICAN CAR OF THE YEARTM (NACTOY)Supreme Court will take up a challenge related to California's tough vehicle emissions standards WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court says it will take up a business-backed appeal that could make it easier to challenge federal regulations, acting in a dispute related to California’s nation-leading standards for vehicle emissions. The justices agreed Friday to hear an appeal filed by fuel producers who object to a waiver granted to California in 2022 by the Environmental Protection Agency during Joe Biden’s presidency. The waiver allows California to set more stringent emissions limits than the national standard. The case won’t be argued until the spring, when the Trump administration is certain to take a more industry-friendly approach to the issue. Musk says US is demanding he pay penalty over disclosures of his Twitter stock purchases DETROIT (AP) — Elon Musk says the Securities and Exchange Commission wants him to pay a penalty or face charges involving what he disclosed — or failed to disclose — about his purchases of Twitter stock before he bought the social media platform in 2022. In a letter, Musk’s lawyer Alex Spiro tells the outgoing SEC chairman, Gary Gensler, that the commission’s demand for a monetary payment is a “misguided scheme” that won’t intimidate Musk. The letter also alleges that the commission reopened an investigation this week into Neuralink, Musk’s computer-to-human brain interface company. The SEC has not released the letter. Nor would it comment on it or confirm whether it has issued such a demand to Musk. Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is pushing toward a vote on legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer began the process on Thursday for a final vote on the bill, known as the Social Security Fairness Act. It would eliminate policies that currently limit Social Security payouts for roughly 2.8 million people. The legislation has passed the House. The bill would add more strain on the Social Security Trust funds, which are already estimated to be unable to pay out full benefits beginning in 2035. The measure would add an estimated $195 billion to federal deficits over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Saudi Arabia banned film for 35 years. The Red Sea festival is just one sign of the industry's rise JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — “My Driver and I” was supposed to be made in 2016, but was scuttled amid Saudi Arabia’s decades-long cinema ban. Eight years later, the landscape for film in the kingdom looks much different. And the star of “My Driver and I” now has an award. Roula Dakheelallah was named the winner of the Chopard Emerging Saudi Talent award at the Red Sea International Film Festival on Thursday. Both the award and the glitzy festival itself are signs of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to shaping a new film industry. The reopening of cinemas in 2018 after 35 years marked a cultural turning point for Saudi Arabia. Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn't install more automated systems WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is offering his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports. He posted on social media Thursday that he met with union leaders and that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. He wrote that the “amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. The Maritime Alliance says the technology will improve worker safety and strengthen our supply chains, among other things. IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power WASHINGTON (AP) — IRS leadership on Thursday announced that the agency has recovered $4.7 billion in back taxes and proceeds from a variety of crimes. The announcement comes under the backdrop of a promised reckoning from Republicans who will hold a majority over both chambers of the next Congress and have long called for rescinding the tens of billions of dollars in funding provided to the agency by Democrats. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said improvements made to the agency will help the incoming administration and new Republican majority congress achieve its goals of administering an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Unique among 'Person of the Year' designees, Donald Trump gets a fact-check from Time magazine Donald Trump got something this year that no other person designed Time magazine's Person of the Year had ever received. He got a fact-check of claims that the president-elect made in the interview accompanying the magazine's piece. Trump earned the recognition of the year's biggest newsmaker for the second time, also winning it in 2016 the first time he was elected president. But in a piece described as a “12-minute” read, Time called into question more than a dozen statements Trump made when speaking to the magazine's reporters, on issues like border size, autism and crowd size at a rally. Time said it has fact-checked other interviews in the past, but not for this annual feature. OpenAI's legal battle with Elon Musk reveals internal turmoil over avoiding AI 'dictatorship' A 7-year-old rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and best avoid an artificial intelligence ‘dictatorship’ is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker’s ongoing conversion into a for-profit company. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year. Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. OpenAI is filing its response Friday. OpenAI's Altman will donate $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund LOS ANGELES (AP) — OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is planning to make a $1 million personal donation to President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships the incoming administration. A spokesperson for OpenAI confirmed the move on Friday. The announcement comes one day after Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said it donated $1 million to the same fund. Amazon also said it plans to donate $1 million. China signals it's prepared to double down on support for the economy as Trump tariffs loom BANGKOK (AP) — Chinese leaders met this week to plot economic policy for the coming year and sketched out plans to raise government spending and relax Beijing's monetary policy. Analysts said the broad-brush plans from the annual Central Economic Work Conference were more of a recap of current policy than ambitious new initiatives at a time when the outlook is clouded by the President-elect Donald Trump's threats to sharply raise tariffs once he takes office. The ruling Communist Party did commit to raising China's deficit and to doing more to encourage consumer spending by bringing wage increases in line with the pace of economic growth. Here's a look at China's main priorities and their potential implications.Saudi Arabia to Host World Investment Conference on November 25-27
Asante Files Financial and Operating Results for the Quarter Ended October 31, 2024
KIA K4 SEDAN NAMED FINALIST FOR 2025 NORTH AMERICAN CAR OF THE YEARTM (NACTOY)
Awolowo Foundation webinar: FG committed to gender equity advancement — ShettimaInside the life of trans scientist named one of BBC's most influential women: Her wife still calls her Luis, she talks about palm trees being 'transsexual' and has two daughters who call her 'Dad' By KATHRYN KNIGHT Published: 20:51, 6 December 2024 | Updated: 20:51, 6 December 2024 e-mail View comments Given that she has been described as a 'rock star' of the environmental scene, it is perhaps only to be expected that Brigitte Baptiste's dress sense leans towards the flamboyant. Knee-high cheetah print boots, tight-fitting dresses showcasing an eye-popping cleavage, an assortment of wigs - pink, silver, blonde, red – and long manicured nails are all among the regular features of the 61-year-old professor's colourful wardrobe. Combined with her large arm tattoos (one featuring a naked woman), Brigitte certainly stands out, not least among the sober surrounding of Columbia's EAN University, the business school where she was recently appointed chancellor. It is a prestigious role, but then there is no arguing with either Brigitte's academic credentials, which feature a university degree and two doctorates, or her passion for the environment, which has proved the primary focus of her studies for decades. She has also written 15 books and won international prizes for her work. In the UK it is fair to say few had heard of Brigitte - until this week when she was announced by the BBC as one of this year's '100 inspiring women', the corporation's annual index of women who have achieved great things in public life. For Brigitte, who styles herself as a 'queer ecologist', her achievements are inextricably linked to her belief that Mother Nature is gender fluid. 'There is nothing more queer than nature,' she declared in a 2018 TED talk in which she also spoke about the discovery of 'transsexual' palm trees. Brigitte Baptiste, 61, was announced by the BBC as one of this year's '100 inspiring women', the corporation's annual index of women who have achieved great things in public life This is contentious territory, of course, although Brigitte does bring personal experience to the table. Brigitte came out as a transwoman in 1998. But at home, her wife of 25 years, Adriana, still calls her by her birth name while to their daughters, Candelaria, 22, and Juana Pasion, 20, she is simply 'Dad'. Others featured in the Beeb's list include the Hollywood actress Sharon Stone and the new Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, as well as the survivors of male sexual violence. Among them Gisèle Pelicot, who bravely waived her anonymity to allow the world to witness in detail the French trial of her husband and 50 other men accused of her mass rape. It is, undoubtedly, a varied list. But the inclusion of what novelist Joan Smith calls the 'hypersexualised' Brigitte has led to a wave of outrage from those who believe her presence there is nothing less than an insult to biological women. Among those to protest was Kate Barker-Mawjee, chief executive of the LGB Alliance, who called the choice 'another breathtakingly insulting move from the woman-haters at the BBC,' while on X, children's author Onjali Rauf pointed out that the inclusion of someone she refuses to accept as a woman came at the expense of millions of other less high-profile women working at the coal face of the needy. 'Millions of AMAZING women out there aiding the sick, dying, homeless and traumatised, rescuing refugees on land & sea. Saving lives in Congo, Gaza, Sudan. Sacrificing it all for women's rights,' she wrote. 'Most didn't make the BBC 100 Women cut. But he did.' Quite what Brigitte herself makes of the controversy is unclear: she was formerly a regular user of X, amassing 134,000 followers under a bio which read 'Naturally transgender, impudent and pagan', but two weeks ago announced she was abandoning the social media platform for her 'mental health'. Her account remains inactive. Born Luis Guillermo in October 1963 in Columbia's capital in Bogota, Brigitte was raised in a traditional middle-class Catholic household alongside younger sister, Carolina. Brigitte with her wife Adriana Vasquez and their daughters Candelaria, now 22, and Juana Pasion, now 20 For Brigitte, who styles herself as a 'queer ecologist', her achievements are inextricably linked to her belief that Mother Nature is gender fluid A nature-loving child, she went on to study biology at Columbia's private Pontifical Xavierian University, going on to become a prestigious Fulbright Scholar at the University of Florida, where she completed a master's degree in tropical conservation and development studies. More graduate studies followed at Barcelona's Autonomous University. At this point, Brigitte was still living publicly as a man and had married her first wife, whose identity is unknown. In interviews, however, she has talked of how she had long struggled with gender identity and during her early 30s started to participate in LGBT marches wearing make-up and a wig, as well as writing an anonymous letter to a gay magazine in Bogota in which she explored the concept of 'Gender Freedom'. She had started to discuss these feelings with her first wife, who had been unaware of them, but who, Brigitte says, was subsequently supportive. Nonetheless the relationship did not survive and the pair divorced in the mid-90s. Then in 1997, a seismic event forced her to reconsider her life decisions: against the backdrop of her divorce, her sister Carolina died of brain cancer at the heartbreakingly young age of 33. The sisters were close – Brigitte has described Carolina as 'the person who knew me best' - and her loss was a catalyst for evaluation. 'That loss made me understand life is fleeting and the best thing to do is be honest about who we are,' she later recalled. 'My life as I knew it had ceased to exist. The foundations had collapsed: the death of my sister and the divorce from my first wife changed everything.' It led to her making a public transition in 1998, aged 35, emerging as Brigitte Baptiste – the Christian name chosen in deliberate homage to the French sex bomb Brigitte Bardot. 'Let's say that she was the woman,' Brigitte affirmed, revealing her parents had supported this transformation, although they still call her by her childhood nickname Luisgé. Born Luis Guillermo in October 1963 in Columbia's capital in Bogota, Brigitte was raised in a traditional middle-class Catholic household. She came out as a transwoman in 1998 'At home I'm Luisgé,' she said. '35 years being called Luisgé for me (it's too late) to change that now.' There is also another person who calls her Luisgé: her wife Adriana Vasquez, a sociologist and writer eight years' Brigitte's junior. The couple met in the late nineties as Brigitte was starting to undergo her transition, moved in together after three months of dating and married in December 1999. Three years later, their eldest daughter Candelaria, now 22, was born followed by now 20-year-old Juana Pasion in 2004. The couple opened up about their domestic circumstances to the Columbian programme Los Informantes in 2015, in a candid interview in which they addressed life with their then teenage daughters and maintained that – aside from Brigitte's propensity to wear sequins and the most scandalous type of 'tanga' or bikini bottom on the beach - they lived a largely conventional life. 'Roast chicken on Sundays, matinees in the neighbourhood cinema, bicycle rides in the cycle lane,' Brigitte said. Nonetheless, Adriana, who confides she is naturally a less 'visible' and ostentatious character than her spouse, admits there was a 'moment of crisis' before she made her long term commitment. 'At 25 years old I wasn't frightened of anything, but I didn't imagine I was going to fall in love or get involved in an adventure of these dimensions,' she said. 'It was complicated at first. 'My heart said one thing and my brain said I should stay there because I knew we loved each other but there was something that told me, 'How scary! What am I doing?' The couple went on to retake their vows in 2012 and, when asked about sexual orientation, Brigitte dismissed the question out of hand. 'Are you gay or not? Sometimes people ask me that straight out. My sexual orientation is Adriana. That's the person I adore and the person I live with and share my life with,' she says. 'Anything else is irrelevant in the sense that all my sexuality is committed to her.' (Notably however, three years later, in April 2018, Brigitte went on to post a picture of herself on her Facebook page emblazoned with the words 'Persona no heterosexual.') Asked about criticism from conservatives that their set up is not 'natural' she replied: 'What we need is for children to be loved and wanted and well brought up.' Few could argue with that sentiment, but many of Brigitte's other views have proved rather more contentious. Read More Changing face of Women of the Year awards: Transgender women have been honoured throughout 2024 While her trans status has made little difference to her standing in the academic community, some of her proclamations have met with raised eyebrows, not in the least her unexpected commitment to the Columbian mining industry which has put her at odds with other environmental campaigners. At one event in March 2020, she proclaimed that mining 'is the activity most likely to contribute to sustainable futures' and has been accused - with no evidence, it must be said – by some detractors of being in the pocket of the oil companies. Others have questioned her apparent advisory role to a controversial new 72-hectare urban development project in Bogota. 'Good luck in your new role as a real estate consultant and planner of 'sustainable' condominiums in wetlands and strategic ecosystems,' wrote one observer in reply to Brigitte's decision to leave X last month. Then there are her assertions about the 'queerness' of nature, a disputed philosophy which critics see as nothing less than an attempt to mould the natural world to serve an emerging political discourse. Either way, Brigitte is resolute: 'Nature is queer' she has said repeatedly. 'That's been proven.' While Brigitte has received no shortage of opprobrium online, she is also celebrated by many as a heroine in Colombia, where she is featured in murals and is frequently stopped for selfies. Although she insists she doesn't seek to be a figurehead, undoubtedly her profile has been raised even further now. 'I'm just a university rector,' she said recently. But now, thanks to the BBC, she's also one of its 100 Inspiring Women – whether people like it or not. Additional reporting by Gerard Couzens Share or comment on this article: Inside the life of trans scientist named one of BBC's most influential women: Her wife still calls her Luis, she talks about palm trees being 'transsexual' and has two daughters who call her 'Dad' e-mail Add commentWith Trump on the way, advocates look to states to pick up medical debt fight
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