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TRUMP GRANTS TIKTOK 90-DAY EXTENSION, DELAYING SALE-OR-BAN LAW

CapitalTimesNews / 4 days

2 min read

President Donald Trump is set to grant TikTok another 90-day extension, delaying the enforcement of the sale-or-ban law. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump will sign an additional Executive Order this week to keep TikTok up and running. “This extension will last 90 days, which the Administration will spend working to ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure,” Leavitt said in a statement. Trump has consistently stated that he doesn’t want TikTok to “go dark”. The decision marks Trump’s third extension of the ban, which was initially set to take effect on January 19 after being signed into law by former President Joe Biden. Despite the legislation passing with bipartisan support over concerns about TikTok’s Chinese ownership posing a US national security risk, Trump has chosen not to enforce the law. A potential deal to transfer majority control of TikTok’s US operations to American ownership was nearly finalized in April but fell apart after Trump announced additional tariffs on China. ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, said any agreement would be subject to approval under Chinese law. Trump believes a deal would “probably” require approval from the Chinese government and expressed confidence that President Xi would ultimately approve it. “I think President Xi will ultimately approve it, yes,” Trump said. The extension allows TikTok to continue operating in the US for at least another 90 days, with 170 million American users able to access the app. The development comes amid tense trade talks between the US and China, where TikTok has become a bargaining chip.

SOUTHERN BAPTISTS ENDORSE BAN ON SAME SEX MARRIAGE, CALL FOR REVERSAL OF OBERGEFELL V. HODGES

CapitalTimesNews / 2 weeks

2 min read

The Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, has overwhelmingly endorsed a ban on gay marriage and called for the reversal of the US Supreme Court’s 2015 precedent legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. The resolution, which was passed without debate, urges legislators to “pass laws that reflect the truth of creation and natural law — about marriage, sex, human life, and family” and to oppose laws contradicting “what God has made plain through nature and Scripture.” The resolution specifically calls for the “overturning of laws and court rulings, including Obergefell v. Hodges, that defy God’s design for marriage and family.” A reversal of Obergefell v. Hodges would not automatically ban same-sex marriage, but would pave the way for individual states to outlaw it. The resolution affirms that marriage should be between “one man and one woman.” The vote comes as the denomination is grappling with the aftermath of a major scandal involving sexual abuse. Jennifer Lyell, a prominent whistleblower who went public with allegations of abuse, died on Saturday at the age of 47. Lyell’s death has cast a pall over the gathering, with many advocates for reform and abuse survivors expressing frustration over the denomination’s slow progress in addressing the issue. “It’s not a healthy thing for them (survivors) to be here,” said Johnna Harris, host of a podcast on abuse in evangelical ministries. “I felt like it was important for someone to show up. I want people to know there are people who care.” Two people stood vigil outside the convention center, holding signs with photos of Lyell and Gareld Duane Rollins, who accused longtime SBC power broker Paul Pressler of sexual abuse. The SBC Executive Committee has acknowledged its failure to adequately respond to Lyell’s allegations and has promised reforms. However, advocates say that the denomination has not done enough to implement these reforms. Christa Brown, an abuse survivor and advocate, criticized the denomination’s “hollow words” and “impotent task forces” and questioned the Executive Committee’s commitment to creating a database to track pastors and church workers credibly accused of sex abuse. The convention will also consider other resolutions, including a ban on pornography and restrictions on sports betting. Messengers will also debate whether to institute a constitutional ban on churches with women pastors and to abolish the denomination’s public-policy arm, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

HARVARD FIGHTS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER FOREIGN STUDENT BAN

CapitalTimesNews / 2 weeks
0
3 min read

Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s latest directive to bar foreign students from entering the US, calling it “illegal retaliation” for the university’s rejection of White House demands. The lawsuit comes after Trump signed a proclamation suspending the entry of foreign nationals seeking to study or participate in exchange programs at Harvard University. According to the proclamation, Trump cited concerns about Harvard’s ties to foreign governments, particularly China, and its handling of student misconduct records. The university allegedly received over $150 million from China and failed to provide sufficient information about foreign students’ misconduct. Harvard argues that Trump’s action is an attempt to circumvent a previous court order and that targeting only Harvard students doesn’t qualify as a “class of aliens” under federal law. “The President’s actions thus are not undertaken to protect the ‘interests of the United States,’ but instead to pursue a government vendetta against Harvard,” the university wrote in its filing. US District Judge Allison Burroughs issued a temporary restraining order against Trump’s proclamation, saying Harvard had demonstrated “it will sustain immediate and irreparable injury before there is an opportunity to hear from all parties.” The uncertainty has left international students like Yonas Nuguse, a 21-year-old student from Ethiopia, anxiously waiting to find out if he’ll be able to attend Harvard. Nuguse was granted a visa to study at Harvard and worries it might be too late to reverse his decision and attend another university. “I hope the situation is temporary and I can enroll on time to go on and realize my dream far from reality in Ethiopia,” Nuguse said. Harvard President Alan Garber said the university is making contingency plans to ensure students and visiting scholars can continue their work. The standoff comes as the Trump administration tightens scrutiny of student visas nationwide. Thousands of students lost permission to be in the US this spring before the administration reversed itself. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the US would “aggressively revoke” visas for students from China. International student interest in the US has dropped significantly, according to Mike Henniger, CEO of Illume Student Advisory Services. “It is one blow after another,” Henniger said. “At this point, international student interest in the US has basically dropped to nil.” Craig Riggs, editor of ICEF Monitor, urges families to consult carefully with advisers and not overreact to the headlines. “The rules under which students would make this huge decision to devote years of their lives and quite a bit of money to studying at Harvard have been shown to change quite quickly,” Riggs said.

FRANCE TO BAN SMOKING IN OUTDOOR PUBLIC SPACES TO PROTECT CHILDREN

CapitalTimesNews / 3 weeks

2 min read

France is set to implement one of its most sweeping smoking bans yet, outlawing smoking in virtually all outdoor public areas where children may gather, including beaches, parks, gardens, playgrounds, sports venues, school entrances, and bus stops. The new restrictions, announced by Health Minister Catherine Vautrin, will come into effect on July 1 and carry a fine of up to €135 for violators. “Tobacco must disappear where there are children,” Vautrin emphasized, adding that “the freedom to smoke stops where children’s right to breathe clean air starts.” The minister’s goal is ambitious: to ensure that children born in 2025 become the first smoke-free generation. The decision reflects a deeper cultural shift in France, where smoking has long been a defining aspect of identity, fashion, and cinema. French films frequently feature smoking scenes, with over 90% of movies from 2015 to 2019 showcasing smoking, more than double the rate in Hollywood productions. According to France’s public health authorities, around 75,000 people die from tobacco-related illnesses each year. While smoking rates have dipped recently, with fewer than 25% of French adults smoking daily, the habit remains prevalent among young people and the urban chic. Reactions to the ban are mixed, with some embracing the move as a necessary public health measure. “It’s about time. I don’t want my kids growing up thinking smoke is romantic,” said Clémence Laurent, a 34-year-old fashion buyer. Others, however, see it as an attack on French culture. “Smoking has always been part of our culture. Take away cigarettes and what do we have left? Kale smoothies?” scoffed Luc Baudry, a 53-year-old vintage dealer. The ban mirrors broader European trends, with countries like Britain, Spain, and Sweden implementing significant smoking bans in public spaces. Electronic cigarettes, however, are exempt from the ban, with some, like literature student Thomas Bouchard, seeing them as a compromise. “Maybe vaping’s our compromise. A little less sexy, perhaps. But fewer wrinkles too,” he said, exhaling gently.

TIKTOK DISAPPEARS FROM US APP STORES, STOPS WORKING NATIONWIDE

Nicolas Adekeye / 5 months

1 min read

TikTok, the popular Chinese-owned short-video app, has stopped working in the United States and disappeared from Apple and Google app stores. The sudden shutdown occurred on Saturday evening, just before a federal ban on the platform was set to take effect. When users attempted to access the app, they were met with a pop-up message stating, “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now.” The message further explained, “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.” In a surprising twist, the notice also mentioned that President-elect Donald Trump had indicated his willingness to work with TikTok to find a solution to reinstate the platform once he takes office. The company assured users to “stay tuned” for further updates. Prior to the shutdown, TikTok had informed users that its service would be “temporarily unavailable” and that it was working to restore its U.S. service “as soon as possible.” However, the duration of the platform’s downtime remains uncertain. The sudden disappearance of TikTok from US app stores has left many users wondering about the platform’s future in the country.

BREAKING: SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS FEDERAL LAW BANNING TIKTOK UNLESS SOLD BY CHINESE PARENT COMPANY

Nicolas Adekeye / 5 months

2 min read

In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court has upheld a federal law banning TikTok in the United States unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells the app. The law, which takes effect on Sunday, prohibits app stores from offering TikTok and internet hosting services from hosting the app unless a sale is made to an approved buyer. The decision comes amid concerns over national security risks posed by TikTok’s ties to China. The US government has expressed concerns that TikTok collects vast amounts of user data, including sensitive information on viewing habits, that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. TikTok has denied that it could be used as a tool of Beijing, and pointed out that the US has not presented evidence that China has attempted to manipulate content on its US platform or gather American user data through TikTok. The law was passed by bipartisan majorities in Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden in April. A three-judge panel upheld the law in December, prompting TikTok’s quick appeal to the Supreme Court. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar defended the law at the Supreme Court, saying that having the law take effect “might be just the jolt” ByteDance needs to reconsider its position. ByteDance has said it won’t sell, but some investors, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire businessman Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok’s US assets. The decision has significant implications for TikTok’s 170 million users in the US, who will no longer be able to download the app or receive updates once the law takes effect. However, experts say that existing users will still be able to use the app, at least for now. SOURCE: AP

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TRUMP GRANTS TIKTOK 90-DAY EXTENSION, DELAYING SALE-OR-BAN LAW

SOUTHERN BAPTISTS ENDORSE BAN ON SAME SEX MARRIAGE, CALL FOR REVERSAL OF OBERGEFELL V. HODGES

HARVARD FIGHTS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER FOREIGN STUDENT BAN

FRANCE TO BAN SMOKING IN OUTDOOR PUBLIC SPACES TO PROTECT CHILDREN

TIKTOK DISAPPEARS FROM US APP STORES, STOPS WORKING NATIONWIDE

BREAKING: SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS FEDERAL LAW BANNING TIKTOK UNLESS SOLD BY CHINESE PARENT COMPANY

CASER ED URGES RESTRAINT ON SUPREME.

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