The TikTok app logo appears in Tokyo on Sept. 28, 2020. A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump's attempts to ban TikTok, the latest legal defeat for the administration as it tries to wrest the popular app from its Chinese owners. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)
A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump's attempts to ban TikTok, the latest legal defeat for the administration as it tries to wrest the popular app from its Chinese owners.
The Trump administration had tried to ban the short-form video app from smartphone app stores in the U.S. and cut it off from vital technical services. TikTok sued, arguing such actions would violate free speech and due process rights.
Judge Carl Nichols of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., said in a ruling Monday that the Commerce Department “likely overstepped" its use of presidential emergency powers “and acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner by failing to consider obvious alternatives."
Nichols is the second federal judge to fully block the Trump administration's economic sanctions against the app as the court cases proceed.
The Trump administration has alleged that TikTok is a security threat because the Chinese government could spy on app users’ personal data. TikTok has denied it’s a security threat but said it’s still trying to work with the administration to resolve its concerns.
Trump in September gave his tentative blessing to a proposal by ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, meant to resolve U.S. national security concerns by having the U.S. companies Oracle and Walmart invest in TikTok. Oracle would manage U.S. user data under the arrangement. But a federal agency still has to review and finalize an arrangement.
A government deadline for ByteDance to complete the deal passed on Friday, and it's not clear what the status of the agreement is.
The Treasury Department, which chairs the agency reviewing the deal, said Friday that the agency "is engaging with ByteDance to complete the divestment and other steps necessary to resolve the national security risks arising from the transaction.”
The Trump administration’s aggressive tactics are part of its latest attempt to counter the influence of China. Since taking office in 2017, Trump has waged a trade war with China, blocked mergers involving Chinese companies, and stifled the business of Chinese firms like Huawei, a maker of phones and telecom equipment.
While President-elect Joe Biden has said TikTok is a concern, it’s not clear what his administration will carry on the Trump administration's ongoing attempts to secure a ban, or increase the involvement of U.S. companies.
Nvidia on Wednesday became the first public company to reach a market capitalization of $5 trillion. The ravenous appetite for the Silicon Valley company’s chips is the main reason that the company’s stock price has increased so rapidly since early 2023.
Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global, breaks down September’s CPI print and inflation trends, explaining what it means for markets.
A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
