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Former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, on Sunday expressed confidence in Georgia’s election security, a contrast with Trump’s recent attacks against Republican state officials Gov. At the time, Trump and his allies filed a series of lawsuits in an effort to overturn the 2020 election results, but none succeeded due to a lack of evidence. Ahead of the 2024 election, the Trump campaign and the RNC have pledged to enlist 100,000 volunteers and attorneys to monitor votes in battleground states. On Jan. 2, 2021, Trump also called Raffensperger, a Republican, urging the top Georgia election official to “find” the votes to toss out Biden’s victory in the battleground state. Trump and 18 co-defendants last year were charged with racketeering in connection with their efforts to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss in Georgia.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Sen, JD Vance, Brian Kemp, Brad Raffensperger, ” Vance, Trump, Vance, we’ve, ”, “, you’re, Kemp, Raffensperger, Stacey Abrams, ” Trump, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, —, Trump’s Organizations: Republican, Fox News, Republican National Committee, RNC, Republican Party, Democratic Locations: American, Georgia

☆ One Ukrainian journalist’s mission to stop Russian and Belarusian athletes competing at the Paris Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-04 | by ( Svitlana Vlasova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Journalist Artem Khudolieiev was another Ukrainian who felt passionately that Russian and Belarusian athletes shouldn’t be allowed to compete at the Paris Olympics for having openly supported the war in Ukraine. As a result, he started checking the social media output of Russian and Belarusian athletes as well as watching videos of various events held in the two countries. There are those who also sympathize with Russian athletes,” Vadym Gutzeit, head of the Ukrainian National Olympic Committee, said in an interview with CNN. We have nothing further to add.”The Russian Olympic Federation did not respond to CNN’s request for comment regarding Larin and Khramtsov. “The Russian Judo Federation condemns the unsportsmanlike method of qualification, which is geared to undermine the principles of unity of our team and break the spirit of Russian athletes,” said Soloveichik.

Persons: Elina Svitolina, Wladimir Klitschko, Artem Khudolieiev, shouldn’t, ” Khudolieiev, Svitlana Vlasova, CNN “, ”, Khudolieiev, “, ” Vadym Gutzeit, let’s, ” Vladislav Larin –, –, Larin, Maxim Khramtsov, Khramtsov, Putin, Viacheslav, ” Gutzeit, Sergey Soloveichik Organizations: CNN —, Paris Olympics, CNN, Ukraine, Olympic Committee, Olympic Games, Watchers Media, National Olympic Committee, Ministry of Sport, Olympics, Ukrainian National Olympic Committee, Russian, Tokyo, Khudolieiev, Olympic, World Taekwondo, Swiss Foundation for Mine, Publishing, IOC, Russian Olympic Federation, “ Posts, International, Russian Federation, Military Games, Russian Judo Federation Locations: Ukrainian, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Russian, Kharkiv, “, Belarusian, AIN, Paris

☆ A millennial dentist with $231,000 in student debt is worried he'll have to sell his home or get a second job if Biden's new repayment plan is axed
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-04 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Related storiesShould the plan ultimately be blocked, David said he might have to sell his home or get a second job to afford higher student-loan payments again. But he's highly concerned about his fate with the SAVE plan up in the air. They cited an estimate from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania that found the SAVE plan could cost $475 billion over 10 years. Are you enrolled in the SAVE plan and concerned about student-loan payments? Will student loans influence how you vote in the election?

Persons: David, David —, —, Joe Biden's, we've, you'll, he's Organizations: Service, Business, BI, Circuit, GOP, Education Department, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, SAVE Locations: recalculate

☆ After various degrees and a brain injury, I owe $150,000 in student loans. The lawsuits and election only make it worse.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-04 | by ( Alice Tecotzky | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I wasn't prepared for the reality of my teaching salary or complicated nature of interest on student loans. I'm 35 now and have a long, winding history with my student debt, from income-driven repayment plans, to in-school deferments, to the SAVE plan, which an appeals court just blocked. And with the lawsuits and delays, my $150,000 of worth of debt in private and federal loans is now in limbo. AdvertisementThe lawsuits feel political to me, but I just don't see why politicians are interested in hindering my ability to survive. The election looms before me, with my financial future depending on who occupies the White House and how they feel about student debt.

Persons: Shanna Hayes, I'd, wasn't, I've, deferments, —, it's Organizations: Service, New England College, SAVE, House Locations: New York, New Hampshire

☆ How an Elon Musk-backed PAC is gathering data to boost Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

How do I start?”The ad then displays a website for a group called America PAC. “I have created a PAC, or a super PAC ... the America PAC,” Musk said in a recent interview. But what is unique about America PAC’s project is who is backing it and the timing of its creation. The America PAC raised over $8 million between April 1 and June 30, according to FEC records. He recently said on X that he is “making some donations to America PAC,” but did not say how much.

Persons: “, Donald Trump, Trump, they’ll, Elon Musk, Kamala Harris, ” Musk, Musk, ”, Brendan Fischer, Fischer, ” Fischer, Phil Cox, Generra Peck, Dave Rexrode, Doug Leone, Cameron, Tyler Winklevoss, Joe Lonsdale, Lonsdale, Harris, Daniel Weiner, Brennan, Matthew Baum, Baum, Weiner Organizations: Google, America PAC, Tesla, Republican, Democratic, Forbes, PAC, Facebook, YouTube, America, “ America PAC, Trump, The New York Times, FEC, Harvard Kennedy School Locations: Michigan, California, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona , Michigan, North Carolina , Nevada , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, America, Trump

☆ Appeals court: Separate, distinct minority groups can’t join together to claim vote dilution
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

NEW ORLEANS — Distinct minority groups cannot join together in coalitions to claim their votes are diluted in redistricting cases under the Voting Rights Act, a divided federal appeals court ruled Thursday, acknowledging that it was reversing years of its own precedent. At issue was a redistricting case in Galveston County, Texas, where Black and Latino groups had joined to challenge district maps drawn by the county commission. Circuit Court of Appeals initially upheld the decision before the full court decided to reconsider the issue, resulting in Thursday’s 12-6 decision. “Nowhere does Section 2 indicate that two minority groups may combine forces to pursue a vote dilution claim,” Jones, nominated to the court by former President Ronald Reagan, wrote. “To reach its conclusion, the majority must reject well-established methods of statutory interpretation, jumping through hoops to find exceptions,” Douglas wrote.

Persons: Edith Jones, ” Jones, Ronald Reagan, “, ”, Dana Douglas, Joe Biden, ” Douglas Organizations: Circuit, Supreme, Democratic, Republican, “, Union Locations: Galveston County , Texas, New Orleans, Texas , Louisiana, Mississippi, Galveston

☆ Federal judge overturns $4.7 billion jury verdict in ‘Sunday Ticket’ lawsuit, ruling for NFL
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES — A federal judge has overturned a jury’s $4.7 billion verdict in the class-action lawsuit filed by “Sunday Ticket” subscribers against the NFL and has granted judgment to the NFL. U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez ruled Thursday that the testimony of two witnesses for the subscribers had flawed methodologies and should have been excluded. The jury on June 27 awarded $4.7 billion in damages to residential and commercial subscribers after it ruled the NFL violated antitrust laws in distributing out-of-market Sunday afternoon games on a premium subscription service. The lawsuit covered 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses in the United States who paid for the package on DirecTV of out-of-market games from the 2011 through 2022 seasons. Since damages can be tripled under federal antitrust laws, the NFL could have been liable for $14,121,779,833.92.

Persons: Philip Gutierrez, Daniel, Rascher, John, Zona, ” Gutierrez, Beverly Reid O’Connell, ” Organizations: ANGELES, NFL, U.S, DirecTV, District, Circuit Locations: United States, U.S

☆ 'Baby Reindeer' Lawsuit: Why Netflix's 'True Story' Dramas Are Getting Them Sued
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Caralynn Matassa | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

To many, "Baby Reindeer" is known as the Netflix series that swept the internet in the spring of 2024 with its harrowing, seemingly true tale based on creator Richard Gadd's experience of being stalked. Richard Gadd as Donny Dunn and Jessica Gunning as Martha Scott in "Baby Reindeer." The drama over "Baby Reindeer," which has been both a boon and a threat to the streamer, reflects a larger reckoning for prestige TV's favorite pastime: adapting true stories. Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix Show less "Baby Reindeer." Harvey's lawyer Roth doesn't think Netflix particularly cared about the risk of legal action when it greenlit "Baby Reindeer."

Persons: Richard Gadd's, Fiona Harvey, Gadd, Donny, he'd, Martha Scott, Martha, Richard Gadd, Donny Dunn, Jessica Gunning, Ed Miller, Piers Morgan, Harvey, Rachel DeLoache Williams, Anna Delvey, Anna Sorokin, Anna, Linda Fairstein, Ava DuVernay, Fairstein, Felicity Huffman, Katie Lowes, Rachel, Julia Garner, Laverne Cox, Duke, Alexis Floyd, Neff, Aaron Epstein, Buster Murdaugh, Alex Murdaugh, Kelly's, Kelly, Richard Roth, Joan of Arc, Victoria Price, Judge Horton, Ruby Bates, Bates, Michael, Bette, Joan ", Olivia de Havilland, we're, they're, Macbeth, Atsushi Nishijima, Griselda Blanco's, Griselda, Harvey's, Roth, There's, Jeff Lewis, there's, Lewis, Netflix hasn't, Jackie Ward, Ward Organizations: Netflix, Business, Former New York, Neff Dav, Lifetime, Hollywood, NBC, Scottsboro, Disney Locations: Scottish, England, California, Former New York City, Tennessee, New York, Los Angeles

☆ How an Elon Musk PAC is using voter data to help Trump beat Harris in 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The ad then displays a website for a group called America PAC. "I have created a PAC, or a super PAC ... the America PAC," Musk said in a recent interview. But what is unique about America PAC's project is who is backing it and the timing of its creation. He recently said on X that he is "making some donations to America PAC," but did not say how much. Musk on X mirrors Musk PAC

Persons: Elon Musk, The Beverly Hilton, David Swanson, Donald Trump, Trump, they'll, Kamala Harris, Musk, Brendan Fischer, Fischer, Phil Cox, Generra Peck, Dave Rexrode, Doug Leone, Cameron, Tyler Winklevoss, Joe Lonsdale, Lonsdale Organizations: SpaceX, Tesla, The Beverly, Reuters, Google, America PAC, Republican, Democratic, Forbes, PAC, Facebook, YouTube, America, Trump, The New York Times, FEC Locations: Beverly Hills , California, U.S, Michigan, California, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona , Michigan, North Carolina , Nevada , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin

☆ Appeals Court Further Narrows Voting Rights Act’s Scope
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Michael Wines | More About Michael Wines | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A federal appeals court further narrowed the scope of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, ruling that members of separate minority groups cannot join together to claim that a political map has been drawn to dilute their voting power. The 12-to-6 ruling on Thursday by the full Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned almost four decades of legal precedent, as well as an earlier ruling by a three-judge panel of the same appeals court. It applies only in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, the three states where the court has jurisdiction, but the decision has national implications and may be appealed to the Supreme Court. The redrawn boundaries reduced their combined share of the district’s electorate to 38 percent, and a lawsuit claimed that doing so violated Section Two of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits drawing maps that dilute minority voting power. A lower court and the three-judge appellate panel both ruled that the new map was a clear violation of the law.

Persons: ” Organizations: Fifth, Supreme, Circuit Locations: Louisiana , Mississippi, Texas, Galveston County , Texas, Black

☆ NY appeals court rejects Trump’s latest appeal of gag order in hush money case
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Lauren Del Valle | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —A New York appeals court has rejected Donald Trump’s attempt to lift a gag order that continues to restrict his public statements in the wake of his New York criminal conviction. As it stands, the gag order bars Trump from publicly discussing the prosecutors, court staff and their families. In the decision filed Thursday, a panel of judges from the Appellate Division First Department said Judge Juan Merchan can keep the gag order in place through Trump’s sentencing. “Contrary to petitioner’s contentions, the People’s evidentiary submissions in opposition to his motion in Supreme Court demonstrate that threats received by District Attorney staff after the jury verdict continued to pose a significant and imminent threat,” the appeals court ruled. Trump’s sentencing, which was originally scheduled for July, was delayed to mid-September while Merchan considers his motion to toss the conviction in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s presidential immunity decision.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Juan Merchan, Merchan, Trump Organizations: CNN, Trump, Division, Department, District Attorney Locations: York

☆ Biden administration proposes new rule banning airlines from charging parents extra fees to have their kids seated next to them
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Pete Muntean | Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Airlines would no longer be allowed to charge parents extra fees for their kids to be seated next to them under a new rule proposed by the Biden administration. White House officials say their “fee-free family seating” proposal could potentially save parents up to $200 per round trip flight. Today’s ban on family seating fees could save a family of four as much as $200 per round trip. “We’ll cap service fees on tickets to concerts and sporting events and make companies disclose all fees upfront. And we’ll prohibit airlines from charging up to $50 roundtrip for families just to sit together,” Biden said in 2023.

Persons: Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Buttigieg, Lael Brainard, “, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Kevin McCarthy, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, ” Biden Organizations: CNN — Airlines, White, National Economic, Chamber, U.S, Capitol, Getty, “, Frontier, JetBlue, Department of Transportation’s, Airlines, America Locations: Washington ,, AFP, Alaska, American

☆ Federal judge says New Jersey’s ban on AR-15 rifles is unconstitutional
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Trenton, New Jersey AP —New Jersey’s ban on the AR-15 rifle is unconstitutional, but the state’s cap on magazines over 10 rounds passes constitutional muster, a federal judge said Tuesday. “Bans on so-called ‘assault weapons’ are immoral and unconstitutional. He added: “We look forward to pressing our arguments on appeal.”Several challenges to state assault weapons bans have cited the Bruen decision. A gun rights group has challenged Connecticut’s landmark 2013 gun control law, passed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, that bans assault weapons, including certain AR-15-style rifles and large capacity magazines. The state’s assault weapons ban dates to 1990 and includes various other weapons, but Sheridan focused on the Colt AR-15, citing the plaintiffs’ concentration on that weapon in their court filings, and the law specifying that make of the rifle.

Persons: Peter Sheridan’s, Sheridan’s, Sheridan, ”, Sandy, “, Brandon Combs, Matt Platkin, Phil Murphy, Murphy, ” Murphy Organizations: Trenton , New Jersey AP, District of Columbia, Elementary, Firearms Policy Coalition, New, Sandy, National Association for Gun Rights, Democratic Gov Locations: Trenton , New Jersey, Jersey’s, New York, Los Angeles, Newtown , Connecticut, United States, New Jersey

☆ USDA farmer discrimination relief payments begin as some Black farmers ask courts to include heirs in program
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Chandelis Duster | Janie Boschma | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association, which says it has over 20,000 members, lost at a federal district court. Much needed payments for farmers of colorMore than 23,000 people will receive payments between $10,000 and $500,000, according to the USDA. “It’s good that the payments are going out to needy Black farmers and families. Exclusive USDA data obtained by CNN through a follow-up Freedom of Information Act request shows that rejection rates for Black farmers continued to climb, peaking in 2022. Loan rejection rates fell to 43% for Black farmers in 2023, but remained much higher than those for other racial groups.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Joe Biden, ” Biden, It’s, …, ”, Thomas Burrell, we’ve, –, John Boyd , Jr, “, ” Boyd, Trump, CNN’s Devan Cole, Betsy Klein, Tierney Sneed Organizations: CNN, of, Black Farmers, Agriculturalists Association, Appeals, Department of Agriculture, American, Chevron, USDA, National Black Farmers Association Locations: Farmers, Chevron

☆ How Samuel Alito got canceled from the Supreme Court social media majority
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Joan Biskupic | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Behind the scenes, the conservative justice sought to put a thumb on the scale for states trying to restrict how social media companies filter content. The states enacted their laws in 2021 and, with variations, restricted the ability of social media platforms to filter third-party messages, videos and other content. Greg Abbott signed that state’s measure, he said, “there is a dangerous movement by social media companies to silence conservative viewpoints and ideas.” In Florida, Gov. Kagan added a footnote to her majority opinion buttressing that point and reinforcing Barrett’s view. But, despite Alito’s protest, Kagan had a majority signing her decision, which, at minimum, offers lower court judges a strong indication of the framework the high court majority would use in future online challenges.

Persons: Samuel Alito, Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Justice Elena Kagan, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, SCOTUS, Trump, Greg Abbott, ”, Ron DeSantis, Andrew Oldham, Kevin Newsom, Newsom, Feedback Alito, NetChoice, unconstitutionality, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Barrett, Jackson, Kagan, John Roberts, Sonia Sotomayor, Brett Kavanaugh, ” Barrett, Justice Roberts, CNN Jackson, “, ” Kagan, –, Thomas, Gorsuch, Sylvia Gonzalez, Gonzalez’s, Gonzalez, Trevino, Alito’s, haven’t, Republican Trump, Judge Oldham Organizations: CNN, New York Times, Democratic, Trump, Facebook, Twitter, Texas Gov, Gov, Big Tech, Texas, Appeals, Oldham, YouTube, Chief, Supreme, Circuit, Republican Locations: Texas, Trump, SCOTUS The Texas, Florida

☆ Drop bears: The true history of a fake Australian animal
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Ben Westcott | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“Once prey is within view, the Drop Bear will drop as much as eight meters to pounce on top of the unsuspecting victim. When CNN Travel asked Australian film star Chris Hemsworth for advice on avoiding drop bears in 2018, he said: “Bring an umbrella.”The origins of the drop bearDespite the drop bear’s popularity and growing international reputation, its actual origins are unknown. Not every Australian grew up with stories of drop bears, but those who do remember being told about drop bears by their parents, especially people who grew up in the country or in farming communities. The Drop BearsThere is, however, one clear marker of when the mythical drop bears began to enter Australian pop culture. Tell them you’ve got to be wary or (the drop bears) will drop down and take you,” Batchelor said.

Persons: they’ll, ”, Ian Coate, “, Chris Hemsworth, Clint, Paul Hogan, Hogan, Indiana Jones, koalas, savaging Hogan, Coate, ” Coate, Chris Toms, Johnny Batchelor, ” Batchelor, Toms, you’ve, Batchelor, It’s, Bears Batchelor, thylacoleo, Australia’s Coates, Coates, isn’t Organizations: CNN, of Australia, CNN Travel, National Library of Australia, Canberra Times, TAM, Clint, US, Aussie, Bears, Google, Bundaberg, ITV Locations: Australian, “, Goannas, Australia, Zealander, Sydney, New Zealand, New South Wales, Bundaberg Rum

☆ Court blocks US rule requiring airlines to disclose all fees up front
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

However, the rule “likely exceeds DOT’s authority and will irreparably harm airlines,” a three-judge panel of the Fifth U.S. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, JetBlue, Alaska Airlines were among the airlines, joined by trade group Airlines for America and the International Air Transport Association, which sued in May to block the rules. The industry said the rule would require airlines to “spend millions” to re-engineer their websites, diverting resources from other projects. Many large US airlines boosted fees this year for checked baggage. U.S. airlines collected $7.1 billion in baggage fees in 2023, up from $6.8 billion in 2022.

Persons: Biden, Pete Buttigieg, ” Organizations: Reuters, Transportation, Fifth U.S, Circuit, Appeals, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, Airlines for, International Air Transport Association, ”, Microsoft Locations: Airlines for America

☆ Student-loan borrowers on Biden's new repayment plan have 2 options to get credit toward debt cancellation while the program is blocked
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThe Education Department has updates on the next steps for student-loan borrowers enrolled in President Joe Biden's new repayment plan. The ruling follows a roller coaster of court decisions regarding the SAVE plan. AdvertisementThe department recently updated its guidance on what this forbearance period means for borrowers — including two avenues for borrowers to receive forgiveness credit despite the forbearance. The first option is for borrowers on SAVE to switch to a new income-driven repayment plan, including PAYE, income-based repayment, or income-contingent repayment — all of which are not blocked in court. Along with switching repayment plans to receive credit toward forgiveness, the Education Department highlighted another option for borrowers on PSLF to receive forgiveness credit: a "buy back."

Persons: —, Joe Biden's, IDR, Donald Trump Organizations: Service, Department, Appeals, Business, SAVE, GOP, Education Department, Public, PSLF, Democrat, Invest Locations: forbearance

☆ Trump will no longer send out his statements of worth
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-27 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"Based on discussions with the Trump Organization, my understanding is that the Trump Organization does not intend to develop any estimations of value for any entity, the Trump Organization as a whole, or the guarantors' collateral," Jones wrote. Donald Trump no longer intends to calculate his own net worth for financial statements, this excerpt from a new report reveals. He has issued these net-worth statements — 20- to 30-page balance sheets formally called Statements of Financial Condition — since at least 2004. The firm declared the whole previous decade's worth of net-worth statements unreliable in 2022, saying it would stop preparing them. New York attorney general's officeThroughout the decade's worth of net-worth statements, Trump ignored generally accepted accounting principles, the AG and judge found.

Persons: —, Letitia James, Donald Trump, Trump, Barbara Jones, Jones, Arthur Engoron, James, Donald Trump's, Forbes, it's, Engoron, James ' Organizations: Service, New York, Business, Trump Organization, Trump, Forbes, Buffalo Bills, Deutsche Bank, Mazars, Post Locations: Washington ,, Mazars USA, Miami, Chicago, Manhattan, . New York, New York

☆ Justice Department claims TikTok collected U.S. user views on issues like abortion and gun control
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

In a fresh broadside against one of the world's most popular technology companies, the Justice Department is accusing TikTok of harnessing the capability to gather bulk information on users based on views on divisive social issues like gun control, abortion and religion. The Justice Department warned, in stark terms, of the potential for what it called "covert content manipulation" by the Chinese government, saying the algorithm could be designed to shape content that users receive. In the redacted version of the court documents, the Justice Department said another tool triggered the suppression of content based on the use of certain words. Certain policies of the tool applied to ByteDance users in China, where the company operates a similar app called Douyin that follows Beijing's strict censorship rules. But Justice Department officials said other policies may have been applied to TikTok users outside of China.

Persons: ByteDance, TikTok, Joe Biden, Alex Haurek, Haurek, we've Organizations: Justice, Wall Street, Department, Justice Department, U.S Locations: Washington, Beijing, China, U.S, Texas, Israel, Gaza

☆ Justice Dept. Defends TikTok Law That Forces App’s Sale or Ban
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-27 | by ( David Mccabe | Sapna Maheshwari | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Justice Department argued in a court filing on Friday that TikTok should be required to sell its American operations to resolve national security concerns about its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. In the government’s first detailed response to TikTok’s lawsuit challenging a new U.S. law that could ban the social media app, the Justice Department said measures that TikTok previously offered to address those security concerns — including walling off U.S. user data domestically — were insufficient. The Chinese government could still collect sensitive data on Americans or spread propaganda, the agency argued, and it has incentive to misuse the app because of larger geopolitical goals. And while TikTok argued in its suit that the law violated the First Amendment rights of its 170 million U.S. users, the Justice Department contended that those users were free to turn to other social media sites if TikTok was banned or sold. Under the law, any challenges must begin in that court.

Persons: walling, TikTok Organizations: Justice Department, Department, U.S ., Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit Locations: United States, China

☆ Justice Department responds to TikTok lawsuit, argues algorithm could allow Chinese government to influence US elections
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-27 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Evan Perez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Allowing TikTok to continue to be operated by its current parent company could allow the Chinese government to covertly influence US elections, the Justice Department said in a court filing late Friday. The filing is in response to a federal lawsuit TikTok brought against the US government in May in an attempt to block a law that could force a nationwide ban of the app. In their lawsuit, TikTok and Bytedance say that US law is unconstitutional because it runs afoul of free speech rights and prevents Americans from accessing lawful information. “TikTok application collects vast swaths of sensitive data from its 170 million U.S. users,” the DOJ filing reads. The Friday filing makes clear that law enforcement officials believe TikTok could – and has in some instances – taken direction from the Chinese government.

Persons: ”, TikTok, Joe Biden, Lisa Monaco, ” Monaco Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, The Justice Department, DOJ, Prosecutors Locations: United States, China, American, People’s Republic of China

☆ Student loan payments are on pause for millions. Here's what borrowers need to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

We Are | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesFederal student loan payments are on pause for millions of borrowers while the Biden administration defends its new relief program in court. The U.S. Department of Education is placing federal student loan borrowers enrolled in the Biden administration's new income-driven repayment plan, known as SAVE, into an administrative forbearance. The SAVE plan has been a magnet for controversy ever since the Biden administration rolled out the program in the summer of 2023, describing it as "the most affordable student loan plan ever." Borrowers can explore their other repayment plan options, "but that would lead to a higher monthly loan payment," Kantrowitz said. "By staying in the SAVE plan, the borrower doesn't lose anything other than time," he added.

Persons: They'll, IRAs, Biden, Mark Kantrowitz, Kantrowitz Organizations: Getty, Biden, U.S . Department of Education, Finance, White, SAVE, Education Department, Republican Locations: forbearance, Missouri

Ms. Harris was receiving 93 percent support from Democrats, the same share that Mr. Trump was getting from Republicans. Overall, Mr. Trump leads Ms. Harris 48 percent to 47 percent among likely voters in a head-to-head match. Mr. Trump leads Ms. Harris 48 percent to 46 percent among registered voters. The country’s view of Ms. Harris has also brightened, with her favorable rating rising by 10 percentage points since February. In a multicandidate race, less than a single percentage point separated Mr. Trump and Ms. Harris, with Ms. Harris at 44 percent and Mr. Trump at 43 percent after rounding.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Donald J, Trump, Biden, Harris, Nate Cohn, Mr, Erin Schaff, Harris’s, JD Vance, Ohio, “, ”, Summer Nesbitt, Nesbitt, Biden’s, Trump’s, … Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Harris —, don’t, Eddie Otzoy, Hillary Clinton, Michael Newman, —, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, ” Harris Trump, Christine Zhang Organizations: New York Times, Siena College, Democratic Party, Democratic, Mr, Republicans, Times, Credit, The New York Times, Sun, Republican National Convention, Trump, Siena, “, Democrats Locations: Siena, Atlanta, Nevada , Arizona, Georgia, Detroit, Pennsylvania, Los Angeles, Arlington , Texas

☆ UK: Assisted dying bill introduced in House of Lords
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

London CNN —An emotional, accelerating campaign to allow assisted dying for terminally ill adults in Britain has reached parliament, with activists hoping the country will become one of few to legalize the process. Opponents of legalization have argued that those small figures represent a limited appetite for assisted dying in the UK, but there are other pressures at play too. But some among the country’s lawmakers, who will ultimately decide the fate of the assisted dying law, say there is more to consider. For Starmer, the assisted dying bill has the potential to disrupt those intentions. But legalizing assisted dying wasn’t in Labour’s manifesto or in its King’s Speech, limiting the opportunities for it to ever reach MPs.

Persons: Bill, “ I’ve, ” Charlie Falconer, ”, Ellie Ball, Alistair Thompson, Falconer, Esther Rantzen, Wiktor, Rantzen, ” Rantzen, Paola Marra, “, Rachael Maskell, ” Maskell, Marieke Vervoort, CNN “ I’ve, Keir Starmer, –, wouldn’t, wasn’t, ” Falconer Organizations: London CNN, Labour, CNN, Publishing, BBC, Health, Social Care, Labour Party Locations: Britain, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Oregon, England, Wales, Westminster, Dignitas

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