TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance filed a lawsuit in federal court in the United States on Tuesday, seeking to overturn a law signed by President Joe Biden that would require the divestment or prohibition of the short video app used by 170 million Americans.

The corporations filed their action in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, claiming that the statute violates the U.S. Constitution for various reasons, including violating First Amendment free speech protections.

Biden signed the measure on April 24, giving ByteDance until January 19 to sell TikTok or face a ban.

“For the first time in history, Congress has enacted a law that subjects a single, named speech platform to a permanent, nationwide ban,” the firms claim in their case.

The lawsuit stated that the divestment “is simply not possible: not commercially, technologically, or legally.” There is little doubt that the Act (law) will compel the shutdown of TikTok by January 19, 2025, silencing the 170 million Americans who use the platform to communicate in ways that cannot be replicated elsewhere.”

The White House has stated that it wants to restrict Chinese ownership for national security reasons, not a ban on TikTok. The White House and the Justice Department have declined to comment on the case.

TikTok’s political uncertainties

The complaint is TikTok’s latest measure to stave off efforts to shut it down in the United States. Competitors like Snap and Meta seek to profit from TikTok’s political uncertainties and steal advertising dollars from its competitors.

Driven by concerns among U.S. senators that China may use the app to acquire data on Americans or spy on them, the bill was passed by Congress overwhelmingly just weeks after it was presented.

TikTok has denied sharing U.S. user data and accused American politicians of raising “speculative” fears in the case.

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, the lead Democrat on a House Committee on China, stated that the proposal is “the only way to address the national security threat posed by ByteDance’s ownership of apps like TikTok.”

“Instead of continuing its deceptive tactics, it’s time for ByteDance to start the divestment process,” he stated.

The rule prevents app stores such as Apple and Alphabet’s Google from supplying TikTok and internet hosting providers from supporting It unless ByteDance divests by January 19.

The suit stated that the Chinese government “has made clear that it would not permit a divestment of the recommendation engine that is critical to TikTok’s success in the United States.”

Conflicts between the United States and China

The firms urged the D.C. Circuit to prevent U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland from executing the statute, arguing that “prospective injunctive relief” is necessary.

According to the lawsuit, global institutional investors such as BlackRock, General Atlantic, and Susquehanna International Group hold 58% of ByteDance, while the company’s Chinese founder owns 21%, and employees, including around 7,000 Americans, own another 21%.

The four-year battle over TikTok represents a crucial battleground in the ongoing conflict between the United States and China over the internet and technology. In April, Apple announced that China had asked to remove Meta Platforms’ WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China because of national security concerns.

According to the lawsuit, TikTok spent $2 billion on steps to secure U.S. users’ data and made additional pledges in a 90-page draft National Security Agreement established through negotiations with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

According to the claim, TikTok agreed to a “shutdown option” under which the U.S. government could stop TikTok in the U.S. if it violated specified requirements.

According to the lawsuit, CFIUS discontinued significant conversations concerning the transaction in August 2022, and in March 2023, CFIUS “insisted that ByteDance divest the U.S. TikTok business.”

Biden Campaign Using TikTok

CFIUS is an interagency body chaired by the United States Treasury Department that investigates foreign investments in American enterprises and real estate that raise national security issues.

In 2020, judges ruled against President Donald Trump’s attempt to prohibit TikTok and WeChat, owned by Tencent (0700. H.K.).

Resides in the United States. Trump, the Republican candidate running against Democrat Joe Biden in the November 5 presidential election, has shifted course, stating he does not support a ban but that security concerns must be addressed.

If Biden believes ByteDance is progressing, he may extend the January 19 deadline by three months. According to the lawsuit, Biden’s presidential campaign’s continued usage of TikTok “undermines the claim that the platform poses an actual threat to Americans.” The Trump campaign does not use TikTok.

Many experts have questioned if any potential buyer has the financial capacity to acquire TikTok and whether Chinese and U.S. government authorities would authorize a sale.

According to the lawsuit, moving the TikTok source code to the United States “would take years for an entirely new set of engineers to gain sufficient familiarity.”

Source: Reuters

At a glamorous Kremlin inauguration on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin took office for a fifth term, extending his six-year reign as head of state after crushing his political rivals, starting a catastrophic war in Ukraine, and consolidating all power in his own hands.

In front of an assembled group of specially chosen guests, Putin touched the Russian Constitution at the ceremony held in the opulent Grand Kremlin Palace and swore to protect it.

After taking the oath of office, Putin declared, “We are a united and great people and together we will overcome all obstacles, realize all our plans, and together we will win.”

AP News – VOR News Image

Putin Begins His Fifth Term As President, More In Control Of Russia Than Ever

Following President Boris Yeltsin’s death in the final hours of 1999, Putin turned Russia from a nation rising from economic ruin to a pariah state that poses a threat to international security. Russia is seeking assistance from other regimes such as China, Iran, and North Korea in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which has turned into the largest conflict in Europe since World War II. Russia has been subject to severe sanctions from the West.

Putin has been in power for almost 25 years, making him the longest-serving head of state since Josef Stalin. His current term will not end until 2030 when he will be allowed to compete for office again under the constitution.

In a highly staged performance, Putin was seen going through his files in his office before making his way down the lengthy halls of the Kremlin and stopping occasionally to admire an artwork en route to his inauguration.

Putin’s guard of honor waited for hours in the rain and sleet, at temperatures just above freezing, as his Auras limousine made the short trip to the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Putin angrily denounced the West and thanked the “heroes” of his battle in Ukraine in the opening minutes of his fifth term.

He declared that Russia “does not refuse dialogue with Western states.” Instead, he declared, “the choice is theirs: do they intend to look for a path to cooperation and peace, or do they intend to continue trying to contain Russia, continue the policy of aggression, and continuous pressure on our country for years.”

He was met with cheers when he arrived in the hall with over 2,500 invited guests. Among them were prominent figures from the Russian government, such as American actor Steven Seagal.

German, British, and American diplomats were not present. According to the US Embassy, Ambassador Lynne Tracy was on “prescheduled, personal travel” when she left the nation.

A few representatives from the European Union attended the inauguration, even though top EU diplomat Josep Borrell claimed to have advised them that “the right thing to do is not to attend this inauguration” because Putin is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, which holds him accountable for the kidnappings of Ukrainian children.

According to a French official who spoke anonymously because they were not permitted to talk publicly, the French ambassador was among those present.

A 30-gun salute followed Putin’s speech. In the drizzle on Cathedral Square in front of the Kremlin, Putin inspected the presidential regiment before going nearby to Annunciation Cathedral to receive a blessing from Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

During the brief ceremony, Kirill compared Putin to Prince Alexander Nevsky, the medieval tyrant who “courageously defended their people on the battlefield.”

Recalling that the head of state occasionally “has to take fateful and formidable decisions” that can result in victims, he reminded Putin that the church has backed the conflict in Ukraine that has resulted in several casualties.

AP News – VOR News Image

Putin Begins His Fifth Term As President, More In Control Of Russia Than Ever

The current question is what the 71-year-old Putin will do in the Kremlin during the next six years, both domestically and internationally.

Using scorched-earth tactics, Russian forces are consolidating their position in Ukraine while Kyiv struggles with a manpower and ammunition shortfall.

By using drones and missiles, Ukraine has moved the war to Russian territory, particularly in border areas. Putin promised to carry out Moscow’s objectives in Ukraine and take all necessary steps to “defend our sovereignty and security of our citizens” in a speech given in February.

Putin announced he wanted to create a buffer zone in Ukraine to safeguard his nation from cross-border attacks shortly after his planned reelection in March. He also hinted that a conflict between NATO and Russia would occur.

The Russian government has been dissolved so that Putin can choose a new prime minister and Cabinet.

A crucial domain to monitor is the Defense Ministry.

Amidst allegations of widespread corruption, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s protege, Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov, was arrested last month on bribery accusations. Given that the war is ongoing, it would be risky for some commentators to claim that Shoigu may fall victim to the cabinet upheaval.

Putin’s popularity at home is strongly correlated with rising living levels for common Russians.

Putin assured Russians on Tuesday that their country would grow in the future, but many have seen their standard of living increase since the invasion of Ukraine.

Putin pledged at the start of his term in 2018 that Russia’s economy would be “modern and dynamic” and that it would rank among the top five in the world. Rather, Russia’s government is spending unprecedented sums on defense, and the country’s economy has shifted to a war footing.

Now that Putin has secured a further six years in office, analysts predict the government may decide to implement controversial measures like tax increases to finance the war and increased pressure on men to enlist in the military.

Authorities have clamped down on any dissent in the years after the invasion with an intensity not seen since the Soviet era.

Putin hinted on Tuesday that he would keep critics quiet.

AP News – VOR News Image

Putin Begins His Fifth Term As President, More In Control Of Russia Than Ever

Recalling the “tragic cost of internal turmoil and upheaval,” he advised the audience gathered in the Grand Kremlin Palace that Russia “must be strong and absolutely resistant to any challenges and threats.”

Putin faces essentially no domestic opposition as he begins his fifth term in office.

Laws that threaten lengthy prison terms have been passed for anyone who discredits the armed forces. In addition, the Kremlin attacks rights organizations, independent media, LGBTQ+ activists, and other groups that deviate from what Putin has described as Russia’s “traditional family values.”

Opposition leader and worst political enemy, Alexei Navalny, passed away in a prison camp in the Arctic in February. Several well-known detractors have either left the nation or been imprisoned, and several of his opponents overseas are afraid for their safety.

Before the inauguration, Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Navalny, declared in a video that Putin’s pledges “are not only empty, they are false.”

She declared that “a liar, a thief, and a murderer” rules Russia.

SOURCE – (AP)

Former NDP leader Jack Layton, who had a genuine relationship with a broad cross-section of Canadians, led his party to its largest electoral victory ever in 2011, securing official opposition status. Since then, things have largely gone south.

Looking at today’s New Democrats, Layton’s broad appeal based on sincerity, friendliness, and a pleasant demeanor has been replaced with a more narrow one centered on divisive identity politics.

Jagmeet Singh, who took over the party’s leadership following Tom Mulcair’s ouster at the 2016 national convention, has unfortunately led the NDP down an ideological and electoral dead end.

According to Ryan Painter, a former NDP executive, under Singh’s leadership, the NDP has been all but annihilated in Quebec, losing 15 of its 16 seats, and even in the prairies, the party’s origin.

Under Singh, the NDP has become almost exclusively an urban party, the result of a leader who prioritizes the interests of individuals on university campuses and in white-collar government offices.

While balancing identity politics and the effort to advance progress for all Canadians has always been a challenge within the NDP, Layton understood how to appeal to activists without allowing them to co-opt the party, avoiding the virulently toxic wedge politics that the NDP now embraces.

Layton Fought for the Middle Class

Painter stated that Jack Layton recognized that realistic ideas may benefit middle-class Canadians. Whether it was his push to revitalize the automotive sector by investing billions of dollars in environmentally friendly cars and trucks made in Canada, or his commitment to working with the provinces to strengthen and eventually double the pension system.

Layton saw his job as fighting to build and strengthen the middle class. Not so for Singh, who showed no enthusiasm for a stronger middle class.

Instead, Jagmeet Singh focuses his attention on populist attacks on the “ultra-rich” and large corporations such as grocery chains, frequently targeting Loblaws and its CEO, Galen Weston.

It is important to note that Singh’s brother, Gurratan Singh, former Ontario NDP MPP, works for a firm that lobbies for Loblaws competitor Metro. Painter points out.

Millennials and younger voters are clearly anxious for at least one Canadian leader to acknowledge their growing sense of pessimism. However, Singh’s words of support and understanding concerning cost ring hollow coming from someone who enjoys pricey clothes, Rolex watches, and Versace bags.

A recent Abacus Data poll found that people aged 30-44—the elder millennial cohort, which generally favors the NDP—have all but abandoned the party.

Instead, they largely back Pierre Poilieve and the Conservatives. Why? Simple: Singh is providing nothing tangible for millennial and working-class voters to latch upon.

According to Painter, Singh has squandered Layton’s goodwill and transformed the NDP from the nation’s so-called conscience to the epitome of irrelevance.

Jagmeet Singh is Canada’s most expensive NDP MP

Meanwhile, according to the National Post, Jagmeet Singh has spent more than $500,000 on running his constituency office during the first nine months of 2024.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is now the highest-spending individual member of Parliament in the House of Commons, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre ranking lowest.

The most recent MP spending numbers were issued in late March, and they show that Singh spent $533,533 in his position as MP for Burnaby South for the first three quarters of the previous fiscal year (April 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023).

During the same time period, Poilievre claimed $143,201 in costs relating to his work as MP for the Carleton riding, which was nearly one-fourth of Singh’s total.

Poilievre was also one of just a few MPs whose constituency costs did not include any funds for “travel” or “hospitality.”

To be true, Poilievre and Singh have significantly larger annual expenses as party leaders. However, in terms of expenses incurred as individual members of Parliament, Singh charged the most while Poilievre charged the least.

Singh’s seat is 4,000 kilometers west of Parliament Hill, but Poilievre represents an Ottawa suburb, thus it stands to reason that their travel expenses would be vastly different.

Singh’s outrageous expenses

Singh, while being born in Scarborough, Ont., and having previously represented Toronto-area ridings as a member of Ontario’s provincial parliament, chose to run in Burnaby South in the 2019 election and has represented the city near Vancouver since.

In 2023, Singh routinely rated among the top ten MPs in terms of travel expenses.

Between July 1 and September 30, his travel expenses of $65,836.58 were nearly identical to those of Lori Idlout ($66,181.59), a perennial high-spender in parliamentary travel due to the fact that she represents Nunavut.

Singh’s charges for paying salaries to employees working in his offices are roughly twice those of Poilievre. Singh’s salary costs were $63,790.64 in the most recent quarter, compared to Poilievre’s expense of $33,808.68.

In the second quarter (July 1 to September 30), the spread nearly tripled: $94,051.82 to $33,751.19.

Singh would also quadruple Poilievre’s constituency budget for “contracts,” which include incidental office expenses such as rent, advertising, and janitorial services.

Over three months, the NDP leader earned $45,535.99 to Poilievre’s $15,510.25. Poilievre’s whole budget for that period was nearly identical to Singh’s spending on the $4,500/month lease for his Kingsway constituency office.

Poilievre’s advantage over Singh

Of course, it’s a very different scenario when it comes to the expenses that Poilievre and Singh incur as party leaders. Those expenses are counted separately in their capacity as “presiding officers” of the House of Commons.

Approximately two dozen MPs, including the prime minister, speaker, and party whips, are paid budgets in addition to their MP expenses.

In these data, Poilievre has a significant advantage over Singh.

Poilievre’s expenses as “Leader of the Official Opposition” cost taxpayers around $1.1 million in the last three months of 2023, with an additional $35,463 going to the upkeep of Stornoway, Poilievre’s official residence.

The prime minister, the official opposition leader, and the Speaker of the House of Commons all have official residences.

During the same year, Singh’s costs as leader of the “Other Opposition Party” totaled only $330,994.71.

Despite the fact that Poilievre represents a caucus of 118 to Singh’s 24, the Conservative leader’s per-member cost to taxpayers remains lower.
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In terms of prime ministerial expenses, while Justin Trudeau is well-known for his exorbitant travel costs, the most recent numbers show that his Montreal constituency office is also one of the most cost-effective in the country.

In one quarter, Trudeau’s Papineau riding was one of the few offices, along from Carleton, that had no travel or hospitality expenses.

By Geoff Thomas