When TikTok was arguing for its survival in the US in front of a US appeals court, the topic of Palestine took centre stage as TikTok's lawyer and circuit court judges went back and forth about the future of the social media platform.
“What about the case involving the Palestine Information Office, are you familiar with that case?” asked DC Circuit Court Judge Neomi Rao, one of three judges hearing TikTok's argument against a law passed by US congress that could lead to a potential ban in the country.
“I don't think I am [familiar], unfortunately, I apologise your honour,” said TikTok's lawyer Andrew Pincus.
Judge Rao is referring to case from 1987 known as Palestine Information Office v Shultz.
“There, this court said the fact that the Palestine Information Office, which was an entity in the US, could be shut down by the State Department, in part because of it's affiliation as a foreign mission to the PLO, which is a designated terrorist organisation,” said Judge Rao.
“Our court seemed to suggest very strongly that the control or the relationship itself was part of the strong justification for what the government did,” she explained to Mr Pincus, who seemed to be on the defensive for much of the hearing.
“I'm not familiar with that case your honour, I'm happy to address it in a supplemental brief,” Mr Pincus told the judge, trying to pivot to his overall arguments against the legislation passed by US Congress that seeks to force Beijing-based ByteDance to sell TikTok.
It is not yet clear if TikTok's lawyer being unfamiliar with Palestine Information Office v Shultz will impact his overall argument, but one thing is for certain, given that it was one of the first topics brought up by one of the three appeals court judges, the case's precedent is definitely being tested to some extent.
Palestine Information Office versus Shultz origins
The case of PIO v Shultz stretches back to 1987, when then US Secretary of State George Shultz, and ultimately the US State Department, ordered the closure of the Palestine Information Office in Washington DC.
That decision stemmed from a US law passed in 1982 known as the Foreign Missions Act, which caused tighter regulation with regard to foreign missions inside the US.
More specifically, it sought to “protect the US public from abuses and privileges and immunities by members of foreign missions”, while also seeking to regulate “the activities of foreign missions in the US in a manner that protects the foreign policy and national security interests of the US”.
Since the US classified the Palestine Liberation Organisation as a terrorist group, it applied the Foreign Missions Act to the Palestine Information Office as well, claiming that the office operated in association with the PLO.
In response, the PIO sued Mr Schultz, alleging that the organisation's freedom of speech and association was being violated.
The US government, however, told the circuit court that closing the PIO was well within the State Department's responsibility to conduct foreign affairs.
In the end, the circuit court upheld the State Department's decision to close the PIO office.
“Having found that the Secretary's determination that the PIO is a 'foreign mission' representing the PLO was proper, the court concludes that the plaintiff's constitutional claims … do not rise to the level necessary to implicate First Amendment concerns,” the court wrote, dismissing the case and the idea that the PIO's free speech was being violated.
Thirty-seven years after the gavel slammed in on that particular case, it appears that decision may be weighing heavily on the outcome of TikTok's fight against US Attorney General Merrick Garland, and for that matter, the legislation that could potentially ban TikTok from operating in the US.
TikTok's argument
Back in April, US President Joe Biden signed HR 7521, also known as the 'protecting Americans from foreign adversary controlled applications act.'
That legislation singled out ByteDance, the Beijing-based parent company of TikTok, and essentially accused it of being under control of China, therefore making it a threat to US national security.
The bill requires that ByteDance divest from TikTok for the app to continue operating for millions of users in the US.
TikTok came out swinging against the legislation, urging users to call legislators and insist that the platform's free speech was being violated.
After passing both houses of US Congress and ultimately receiving a signature from Joe Biden, TikTok decided to sue the US government.
During his argument before the US appeals court, Mr Pincus disagreed with US government's claim that ByteDance was based out of China, and stated that it's technically a holding company registered in the Cayman Islands.
In response, Sri Srinivasan, one of three judges at the hearing, told Mr Pincus that company was ultimately “subject to Chinese control”, seeming to echoing the legislative concerns that data from the app could fall into the hands of Chinese government officials.
TikTok's lawyer, however, kept refocusing on his main arguments.
“This law imposes extraordinary speech prohibition based on indeterminate future risks,” he explained.
“For the first time in history, Congress has expressly targeted a specific US speaker, banning its speech and the speech of 170 million Americans.”
He also told the judges that mere foreign ownership of companies should not necessarily negate the exercise of free speech, listing several US media companies that he said were owned by foreign entities.
“We have lots of publications owned by foreign entities and to say your foreign ownership casts your First Amendment in doubt … would fundamentally change the first amendment,” he added.
“Mere foreign ownership can't possibly be a justification because it would throw the First Amendment on its head.”
It remains to be seen when the court will make its much-anticipated decision regarding the TikTok's future, but it is likely to do so before the January 19 divestment deadline codified in the legislation signed by US President Joe Biden.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
PROFILE BOX:
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Rami Salman, Rishav Jalan, Ayush Chordia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Technology, Sales, Voice, Artificial Intelligence
Size: (employees/revenue) 10/ 100,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($800,000)
Investors: Eight first-round investors including, Beco Capital, 500 Startups, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Hala Fadel, Odin Financial Services, Dubai Angel Investors, Womena, Arzan VC
Bio
Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind.
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 8' (P), Bernardo Silva 19', Jesus 72', 75')
Fulham 0
Red cards: Tim Ream (Fulham)
Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
Bullet%20Train
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Company info
Company name: Entrupy
Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist
Based: New York, New York
Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.
Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius.
Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place.
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Sassuolo v Bologna (11.45pm)
Saturday
Brescia v Torino (6pm)
Inter Milan v Verona (9pm)
Napoli v Genoa (11.45pm)
Sunday
Cagliari v Verona (3.30pm)
Udinese v SPAL (6pm)
Sampdoria v Atalanta (6pm)
Lazio v Lecce (6pm)
Parma v Roma (9pm)
Juventus v Milan (11.45pm)
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
SPECS
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
Ukraine
Capital: Kiev
Population: 44.13 million
Armed conflict in Donbass
Russia-backed fighters control territory
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
The%20specs
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More on Quran memorisation:
The specs: 2018 Infiniti QX80
Price: base / as tested: Dh335,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.1L / 100km
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
FA Cup semi-finals
Saturday: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 8.15pm (UAE)
Sunday: Chelsea v Southampton, 6pm (UAE)
Matches on Bein Sports
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
