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Romania's constitutional court on Friday cancelled the country's presidential election following allegations of Russian interference in favour of the far-right frontrunner, just two days ahead of the run-off. Romania's pro-EU President Klaus Iohannis said he would stay in his post until a new government that emerges from legislative elections last weekend can be formed to set a new presidential election date. Romanian authorities intervened after far-right outsider Calin Georgescu topped the first round of the election on November 24, a shock result in the EU and NATO member bordering Ukraine. On Wednesday, the presidency declassified documents detailing allegations against Georgescu and Russia, including "massive" social media promotion and cyber-attacks. The court said it had unanimously decided "to annul the entire electoral process for the election of the president of Romania to ensure the correctness and legality of the electoral process." Georgescu, a former senior civil servant, had been due to face centrist mayor Elena Lasconi in Sunday's runoff. Lasconi, a former journalist, 52, called the court's decision "illegal, immoral... crushing the very essence of democracy". Fears had been raised that if Georgescu won, the country -- whose strategic importance has increased since Moscow invaded Ukraine -- would join the EU's far-right bloc and undermine European unity against Russia. While Bucharest streets were largely empty late Friday, without any protests taking place as far as AFP journalists could see, several people slammed the court's decision. "We are upset because this is a political game" to allow the losers to "get back in the game," said Marius Neagu, a 48-year-old salesman. Miruna Mihai, 25, said the decision "is a slap in the face of everyone who voted in this election" and risked "radicalising" Georgescu's supporters. Madalina Stroe, 34, working in the IT sector, welcomed it, however, saying she didn't want Romania "to go back in time to communism in case Georgescu was elected. I don't want us to lose our freedom". Outgoing Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu -- who lost in the first round of presidential elections -- welcomed the decision as "the only correct solution". Anti-corruption prosecutors on Friday said they have opened an investigation into "illegal operations with computer devices or software". Prosecutors are already probing "possible violations of electoral legislation" and "money laundering offences". In documents, drawn up for a security council meeting and published Wednesday, the authorities said data had "revealed an aggressive promotional campaign, in violation of electoral legislation, and an exploitation of algorithms to increase the popularity of Calin Georgescu at an accelerated pace". Last week authorities slammed "preferential treatment" of Georgescu by TikTok, which the social media platform has denied. The European Commission announced however that it had stepped up monitoring of TikTok's role in the elections. A separate intelligence services document stated that Romania is a "target for aggressive Russian hybrid actions, including cyberattacks and hacks and leaks and sabotage". On Monday, before the documents were released, Romania's constitutional court validated the first round presidential results. George Simion, leader of the far-right AUR party, slammed Friday's court ruling, calling it a "state coup in full swing", while urging party supporters to remain calm. Canceling the presidential elections is "an unprecedented and historic decision", political analyst Costin Ciobanu told AFP. It "deepens uncertainty and polarisation within Romanian society, raising serious concerns about the strength of Romania's institutions and democracy," he added. Georgescu, 62, shot into the limelight with his performance in the first round of voting. Having praised Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past, he has recently avoided answering questions about him being pro-Russian. A critic of the EU and NATO, he says he does not want to leave either group but wants to put Romania "on the world map". Like his idol US president-elect Donald Trump, he is opposed to military aid to Ukraine. While the president's post is largely ceremonial, the head-of-state has moral authority and influence on Romania's foreign policy. The president also designates the prime minister -- a key role especially since legislative elections last weekend returned a fragmented parliament. The governing pro-European Social Democrats won the vote, but far-right parties made strong gains, together securing a third of the ballots. Since the fall of Communism in 1989, Romania has never seen such a breakthrough by the far right, fuelled by mounting anger over soaring inflation and fears over Russia's war in neighbouring Ukraine. bur-jza/gv
A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied TikTok's petition to overturn the law — which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — and rebuffed the company's challenge of the statute, which it argued had ran afoul of the First Amendment. “The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States,” said the court's opinion, which was written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg. “Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States.” TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court, though its unclear whether the court will take up the case. “The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue," TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the TikTok ban was conceived and pushed through based upon inaccurate, flawed and hypothetical information, resulting in outright censorship of the American people,” Hughes said. Unless stopped, he argued the statute “will silence the voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world on January 19th, 2025.” Though the case is squarely in the court system, its also possible the two companies might be thrown some sort of a lifeline by President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the presidential campaign that he is now against such action . The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, was the culmination of a years-long saga in Washington over the short-form video-sharing app, which the government sees as a national security threat due to its connections to China. The U.S. has said it’s concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including sensitive information on viewing habits , that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials have also warned the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect — a concern mirrored by the European Union on Friday as it scrutinizes the video-sharing app’s role in the Romanian elections. TikTok, which sued the government over the law in May, has long denied it could be used by Beijing to spy on or manipulate Americans. Its attorneys have accurately pointed out that the U.S. hasn’t provided evidence to show that the company handed over user data to the Chinese government, or manipulated content for Beijing’s benefit in the U.S. They have also argued the law is predicated on future risks, which the Department of Justice has emphasized pointing in part to unspecified action it claims the two companies have taken in the past due to demands from the Chinese government. Friday’s ruling came after the appeals court panel, composed of two Republican and one Democrat appointed judges, heard oral arguments in September. In the hearing, which lasted more than two hours, the panel appeared to grapple with how TikTok’s foreign ownership affects its rights under the Constitution and how far the government could go to curtail potential influence from abroad on a foreign-owned platform. On Friday, all three of them denied TikTok’s petition. In the court's ruling, Ginsburg, a Republican appointee, rejected TikTok's main legal arguments against the law, including that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. He also said the law did not violate the First Amendment because the government is not looking to "suppress content or require a certain mix of content” on TikTok. “Content on the platform could in principle remain unchanged after divestiture, and people in the United States would remain free to read and share as much PRC propaganda (or any other content) as they desire on TikTok or any other platform of their choosing,” Ginsburg wrote, using the abbreviation for the People’s Republic of China. Judge Sri Srinivasan, the chief judge on the court, issued a concurring opinion. TikTok’s lawsuit was consolidated with a second legal challenge brought by several content creators - for which the company is covering legal costs - as well as a third one filed on behalf of conservative creators who work with a nonprofit called BASED Politics Inc. Other organizations, including the Knight First Amendment Institute, had also filed amicus briefs supporting TikTok. “This is a deeply misguided ruling that reads important First Amendment precedents too narrowly and gives the government sweeping power to restrict Americans’ access to information, ideas, and media from abroad,” said Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the organization. “We hope that the appeals court’s ruling won’t be the last word.” Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, lawmakers who had pushed for the legislation celebrated the court's ruling. "I am optimistic that President Trump will facilitate an American takeover of TikTok to allow its continued use in the United States and I look forward to welcoming the app in America under new ownership,” said Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, chairman of the House Select Committee on China. Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who co-authored the law, said “it's time for ByteDance to accept” the law. To assuage concerns about the company’s owners, TikTok says it has invested more than $2 billion to bolster protections around U.S. user data. The company has also argued the government’s broader concerns could have been resolved in a draft agreement it provided the Biden administration more than two years ago during talks between the two sides. It has blamed the government for walking away from further negotiations on the agreement, which the Justice Department argues is insufficient. Attorneys for the two companies have claimed it’s impossible to divest the platform commercially and technologically. They also say any sale of TikTok without the coveted algorithm - the platform’s secret sauce that Chinese authorities would likely block under any divesture plan - would turn the U.S. version of TikTok into an island disconnected from other global content. Still, some investors, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in purchasing the platform. Both men said earlier this year that they were launching a consortium to purchase TikTok’s U.S. business. This week, a spokesperson for McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative, which aims to protect online privacy, said unnamed participants in their bid have made informal commitments of more than $20 billion in capital.
STILLWATER — For 11 years, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy found himself noticing Kody Walterscheid’s family on the pre-game march into Boone Pickens Stadium. “I noticed the mom's holding a baby,” Gundy said. “I'm guessing that's a grandkid. They're in the same place on The Walk, and it just happens that when I get to a certain point, that for whatever reason, I can see them. Obviously, his dad's like 6-foot-9, so it's not hard to miss them. ... That family's been a big part of our football team." Saturday’s senior day game against Texas Tech will be Walterscheid’s 61st game as a Cowboy. It will also mark the end of the 11-year streak of OSU teams including a Walterscheid that began when Kody’s older brother Cole Walterscheid joined the team in 2014. At least 20 seniors will say goodbye to Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday, but the list could get much bigger. Twelve seniors have the option to return but might choose to go ahead and participate in senior day this weekend perhaps influenced by pending roster cuts following the season. Then there’s any players who might choose to declare early for the NFL Draft which Gundy expects to include running back Ollie Gordon and linebacker Nick Martin although he hadn't received official word yet. People are also reading... Sooners legend Tiare Jennings 'a game changer' as OU softball graduate assistant Bill Haisten: ‘Why would you even say that?’ OSU fund-raising was damaged by Gundy comments Berry Tramel: Kevin Wilson makes a decision for TU's future that might not be his State Department of Education bought 532 Trump Bibles, purchase order shows QB commit Jett Niu's dreams led him to OSU, but he had one question for Mike Gundy What's the latest with Michael Fasusi? An update on OU's top 2025 recruiting target Roster cuts are coming to Oklahoma State and Mike Gundy is dreading it Will Brent Venables make a solid offensive coordinator hire? Joe C believes so — and here's why POLL CLOSED: Vote for the Bill Knight Automotive high school football player of the week for Week 11 A new name coming for one of Tulsa's tallest buildings What's Brent Venables telling recruits now? Has no-visit policy for OU commits changed? Police, sheriff talk about what Trump's mass deportation plan could mean for Tulsa James Franco visits Outsiders House Museum Mike Gundy preparing to send Ollie Gordon, Nick Martin, Collin Oliver to NFL Draft Video: Stephen Colbert counts Ryan Walters among 'far-right weirdos' Trump could hire Sixteen seniors have played their entire career at OSU. Only five other teams in the nation have more this season. “Those guys have, a lot of them have been here for six years, and each year when they depart, I can't decide whether I think they just got here or if they've been here forever with all the classes that are meshing nowadays,” Gundy said. “These guys have won a lot of games. ... Their commitment to the organization has been very special, like all of them. It takes a lot, and those guys have been very successful.” At times, defensive lineman Collin Clay thought he’d never make it to this moment after tearing the same ACL in back-to-back years. “I felt like after my second one, I was ready to, you know, just hang it up,” Clay said. “But, you know, I just feel like I'm strong enough to just go out there and persevere through that stuff. And I feel like I did. I feel like that's a story for anybody else that may be going through the same thing. ... If you feel like you know your faith is there, just trust and believe God that everything will work out the way they're supposed to.” Clay said his time on the sidelines taught him that there’s more to life than football. At some point, his identity became completely wrapped up in the sport, which made things difficult when he couldn’t play. “It definitely built my character,” Clay said. Clay plans to coach high school football after his playing career wraps up, but he’s also considering another path— culinary school. “I think it's cool to just watch people cook things,” Clay said. “It's pretty entertaining just to see like the process and everything that it takes. ... It is just cool to be able to try new things.”
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‘You don’t do that’ – Michael Strahan rips into Azeez Al-Shaair for ugly hit on Trevor Lawrence as linebacker breaks silenceNEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans tight end Taysom Hill is likely to miss the rest of the season after injuring his knee in the Saints' loss to the Los Angeles Rams. “It looks like an ACL tear,” interim coach Darren Rizzi said Monday. “He’ll probably get a second opinion, but it looks like it will be season-ending.” Hill, who is listed at tight end but plays a variety of roles, was carted off the field after taking a hard hit to his left knee while converting a fourth down on a direct snap in the Saints’ 21-14 loss Sunday to the Rams. The injury came one game after he'd posted a career-best 138 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns in a victory over Cleveland. He also has lined up at quarterback and running back, as well as playing special teams. “It means everybody else has to step up,” Rizzi said. “He fills so many roles, so there are going to be a lot of different guys that have to be a part of the solution there. It’s hard to sit here and tell you we are going to replace Taysom. You can’t. He’s a phenomenal person, player, leader and captain. It’s a big loss." Hill is the third key offensive player the Saints have lost. He joins leading wide receivers Chris Olave, who suffered a concussion in Week 9 and has not played since, and Rashid Shaheed, who is out for the year after tearing a meniscus in Week 7. Rizzi said guard Nick Saldiveri also might miss the remaining five games after injuring his left knee in the fourth quarter one series before Hill. Without Hill, though, the Saints’ quest to get back in the NFC South race became even tougher. At 4-8, they trail Atlanta and Tampa Bay by two games. Hill has 99 catches, 437 carries, 302 passes, 44 touchdowns, 19 tackles and one blocked kick in seven years with the Saints. “I don’t know if I can compare Taysom to anybody else that I’ve ever coached,” Rizzi said. “There’s not a guy that comes to mind that has been able to do all the different things he’s been able to do just in one game, forget about his career." What's working Alvin Kamara had his third 100-yard rushing game of the year and is 106 yards away from the first 1,000-yard season of his eight-year career. He needs only 39 more yards to set a career high. His 206 carries are the third most in his career. What needs help Los Angeles averaged 5.4 yards per carry, finishing with 156 yards. Rams running back Kyren Williams said they knew at halftime they would win if they stuck to the ground game, and he carried seven times on the opening series of the third quarter as they took the lead. The Saints have allowed 5.1 yards per carry for the season — tied for last with the New York Giants. Stock up Signed in late October after Shaheed’s season-ending surgery, Marquez Valdes-Scantling has become Derek Carr’s go-to receiver for big plays. His 28-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter was the Saints’ longest gain of the day and his fourth score in the past three games. Stock down Tight end Foster Moreau, a reliable performer all year, could not handle Rams outside linebacker Jared Verse on the Saints’ final offensive snap, allowing him to hit Carr as he released a pass on fourth-and-3 from the Los Angeles 9 with New Orleans trailing by 7. Injuries Although the news was bad for Hill and Saldiveri, Rizzi said he expected starting center Erik McCoy to play Sunday against the Giants. McCoy was scratched against the Rams after aggravating a groin injury two weeks earlier versus Cleveland in his first game back since missing seven in a row. Rizzi said oft-injured running back Kendre Miller, who has played in two games this year, might return from a hamstring injury Sunday. Key number 2 — The number of sacks for the Saints, not enough to keep Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford from finding his rhythm in the second half. In the Rams’ last five losses, he has been sacked 20 times. In their last five wins, he has been sacked three times. Next steps With their NFC South hopes on life support, the Saints travel to face the reeling Giants, who have lost seven in a row. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Guerry Smith, The Associated Press
