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US Supreme Court weighs Twitter’s role in sharing ISIL content

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US Supreme Court weighs Twitter’s role in sharing ISIL content

America Supreme Courtroom justices have expressed scepticism on Wednesday a couple of lawsuit towards the social media big Twitter, as they weighed whether or not to carry web corporations accountable for contentious content material by customers.

US relations of Nawras Alassaf had accused Twitter of aiding and abetting the ISIL (ISIS) group, which claimed accountability for a January 1, 2017, assault in Jordan that killed him and 38 others throughout a New 12 months’s celebration. The lawsuit alleges that Twitter didn’t police the social media platform for ISIL accounts or posts.

The 9 justices heard arguments in Twitter’s attraction, after a decrease courtroom allowed the lawsuit to proceed and located that the corporate had refused to take “significant steps” to forestall ISIL’s use of the platform.

The justices on Tuesday heard arguments in an attraction arising from a separate lawsuit towards Google LLC-owned YouTube, a part of Alphabet Inc, by the household of a US girl killed within the 2015 Paris assault, for which ISIL additionally claimed accountability.

Each lawsuits have been introduced below a US regulation that allows People to get well damages associated to “an act of worldwide terrorism”.

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Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch mentioned the Anti-Terrorism Act focuses legal responsibility on aiding an individual who engaged in a “terrorist” act.

“All of us respect how horrible the assault was, however there’s little or no linking the defendants on this criticism to these individuals,” Gorsuch mentioned of Twitter.

Division of Justice lawyer Edwin Kneedler, arguing in favour of Twitter’s place on behalf of President Joe Biden‘s administration, mentioned an organization may be liable below the statute if it engaged in “private interplay” with the perpetrator of an illegal act. However Kneedler mentioned Twitter’s providers have been too distant from the act of terrorism within the case.

Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh raised doubts over the scope of the statute, reminding Eric Schnapper, a lawyer for Alassaf’s relations, about CNN’s 1997 interview with then-leader of al-Qaeda Osama bin Laden.

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“May, below your principle, CNN have been sued for aiding and abetting the September 11 assaults?” Kavanaugh requested, referring to the 2001 assaults on the USA wherein al-Qaeda associates crashed hijacked aeroplanes.

The justices requested Seth Waxman, the lawyer representing Twitter, questions concerning the scope of the Anti-Terrorism Act, testing the corporate’s argument that it shouldn’t be held chargeable for offering a service utilized by tens of millions of individuals whereas additionally imposing a coverage towards terrorism-related content material.

“You’re serving to by offering your service to these individuals, with the specific information that these individuals are utilizing it to advance terrorism,” liberal Justice Elena Kagan mentioned.

Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett added, “If you understand ISIS is utilizing it, you understand ISIS goes to be doing unhealthy issues, you understand ISIS goes to be committing acts of terrorism.”

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Barrett, nevertheless, challenged Schnapper over whether or not the claims within the lawsuit have been particular sufficient, asking: “Does your criticism include any particular allegations about methods wherein Twitter was used to perpetrate this assault?”

Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor advised that, in a “impartial enterprise setting”, utilizing a “platform to speak with individuals” with out making an attempt to assist an individual commit against the law may not fulfill the regulation’s necessities for a lawsuit.

Lawyer Ari Holtzblatt, a part of the regulation agency Wilmer Hale, represents Twitter in a case over whether or not the social media big might be held chargeable for ISIL content material [Andrew Harnik/AP Photo]

‘Substantial help’

A key subject is whether or not the household’s claims sufficiently confirmed that the corporate knowingly offered “substantial help” to an “act of worldwide terrorism”, which might them to keep up their swimsuit and search damages below the anti-terrorism regulation.

Biden’s administration has argued that the Anti-Terrorism Act imposes legal responsibility for helping a terrorist act and never for “offering generalized assist to a overseas terrorist group” with no causal hyperlink to the act at subject.

ISIL referred to as the assault revenge for Turkish navy involvement in Syria. The primary suspect, Abdulkadir Masharipov, an Uzbek nationwide, was later captured by police.

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The justices within the case argued on Tuesday appeared torn over whether or not to slim a type of authorized immunity offered below Part 230 of the Communications Decency Act that shields web corporations from a big selection of lawsuits. The decrease courtroom dismissed that case largely primarily based on Part 230 immunity.

That case entails a bid to carry Google chargeable for recommending to sure YouTube customers content material from ISIL. The lawsuit was introduced by the household of a US girl named Nohemi Gonzalez who was fatally shot within the 2015 rampage in Paris.

Within the Twitter case, the San Francisco-based ninth US Circuit Courtroom of Appeals didn’t take into account whether or not Part 230 barred the household’s lawsuit. Google and Meta’s Fb are also defendants however didn’t formally be a part of Twitter’s attraction.

Rulings in each instances are anticipated by the top of June.

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New Lonely Island Song ‘Sushi Glory Hole’ Premieres on ‘SNL’; Raps About Secret Sushi Spots Around NYC

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New Lonely Island Song ‘Sushi Glory Hole’ Premieres on ‘SNL’; Raps About Secret Sushi Spots Around NYC

In the first Lonely Island song of the 50th season of “SNL,” the beloved trio of Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer debuted “Sushi Glory Hole,” a humorous take on a fictional app where you can find sushi in a hole in a bathroom around New York.

“SNL” alumna Maya Rudolph, who has been portraying presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris during the new season, was on hand for the video. “Gentleman, what do you have for us today?” she asked in the video opener.

“Sushi glory hole,” rapped Samberg. “Imagine that. Instead of getting strange [expletive] you’ll be getting a snack.” A long refrain of “Hear us out, hear us out, hear us out,” played on loop as the trio tried to get others on board with their idea.

Dressed as 1980s businessmen, the Lonely Island members, and Bowen Yang, rapped about sushi in bathrooms, with suggestive lyrics, singing, “So drop to your knees and get ready for some fish.” The digital short featured funny evocative imagery of slices of sushi being presented through holes in bathroom walls. The trio rapped, “Hit the bathroom stall, and find a sushi-sized hole in the bathroom wall.”

“Hit the map,” they said, showing a phone with a lit-up map with “SGH” locations all around Manhattan, where one could find a sushi glory hole. They rapped on, defending the unorthodox food-related business idea, saying, “You got nothing to fear. It’s not weird. It’s sushi being through a hole in the wall.”

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They rapped about the different ideal circumstances for a “SGH.” Samberg sang about sushi glory holes in nightclubs and how it’s better than eating in the middle of a street. “Make a wish and prepare for some shockingly high-grade fish.”

“Don’t leave, hear us out. No substitutions or special requests,” they said.

Stand-up comedian Nate Bargatze was this episode’s guest and musical group Coldplay was the musical guest.

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Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei defends missile barrage against Israel in rare sermon

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Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei defends missile barrage against Israel in rare sermon

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared in a rare sermon Friday that his country’s ballistic missile attack on Israel earlier this week was “legal and legitimate” and that the “resistance in the region will not back down even with the killing of its leaders.” 

The public address from Khamenei was his first during Friday prayers in Tehran in nearly five years, according to the AFP.  

Khamenei said Iran will not “procrastinate nor act hastily to carry out its duty” in going after Israel, Reuters reports. 

The news agency cited him as saying that Tuesday’s barrage of nearly 200 missiles fired by Iran at Israel was “legal and legitimate” and the minimum punishment for Israel’s “crimes.” 

IRAN WARNS OF ‘DECISIVE RESPONSE’ IF ISRAEL CROSSES ‘RED LINES’ 

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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during Friday Prayers and a commemoration ceremony of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Tehran, Iran, on Oct. 4. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/West Asia News Agency/Reuters)

“The resistance in the region will not back down even with the killing of its leaders,” Khamenei reportedly added, mentioning recently slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah during the speech. 

The remarks came as the Israel Defense Forces announced Friday that Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, the commander of Hezbollah’s Communications Unit, was killed in an airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon. 

“Sakafi was a senior Hezbollah terrorist, who was responsible for the communications unit since 2000,” the IDF wrote on X. “Sakafi invested significant efforts to develop communication capabilities between all of Hezbollah’s units.” 

ISRAEL BANS UN SECRETARY-GENERAL OVER ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIONS 

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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in Tehran

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday that Iran’s missile attack on Israel this week was “legal and legitimate,” Reuters reports.  (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/West Asia News Agency/Reuters)

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said earlier this week that the Iranian missile attack on Israel was “defeated and ineffective” and that the U.S. military coordinated with the IDF to repel the strikes.  

“U.S. naval destroyers joined Israeli Air Defense units in firing interceptors to shoot down inbound missiles. President Biden and Vice President Harris monitored the attack and the response from the White House Situation Room, joined in person and remotely by their national security team,” Sullivan said during a briefing.  

Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system

Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets during the missile attack, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, on Tuesday, Oct. 1. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)

 

“This is a significant escalation by Iran, a significant event, and it is equally significant that we were able to step up with Israel and create a situation in which no one was killed in this attack in Israel… We are now going to look at what the appropriate next steps are to secure, first and foremost, American interests and then to promote stability to the maximum extent possible as we go forward,” he added. 

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report. 

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Protests across Europe as Gaza war anniversary nears

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Protests across Europe as Gaza war anniversary nears

The war in Gaza, which started on 7 October last year, has seen more than 41,000 Palestinians killed and decimated the Strip. Almost 100 Israelis are still being held hostage by Hamas, with fewer than 70 believed to be alive.

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Thousands of people have staged protests in capitals across Europe in support of Palestine in the run-up to the first anniversary of the war on 7 October.

Huge rallies took place in several major European cities, with rallies expected to continue over the weekend and peak on Monday, the date of the anniversary.

Italy

In Rome, several thousand demonstrated peacefully until a smaller group tried to push the rally toward the centre of the city, in spite of a ban by local authorities who refused to authorize protests, citing security concerns.

Some protesters, dressed in black and with their faces covered threw stones, bottles and paper bombs at the police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons, eventually dispersing the crowd.

At least 30 law enforcement officers and three demonstrators were injured in the clashes, local media reported.

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The rally in Rome had been calm earlier, with people chanting “Free Palestine, Free Lebanon,” waving Palestinian flags and holding banners calling for an immediate stop to the conflict.

United Kingdom

In London, thousands marched through the capital to Downing Street amid a heavy police presence.

The atmosphere was tense as pro-Palestinian protesters and counterdemonstrators, some holding Israeli flags, passed one another.

Scuffles broke out as police officers pushed back activists trying to get past a cordon.

At least 17 people were arrested on suspicion of public order offences, supporting a proscribed organisation and assault, the Metropolitan Police said.

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Spain

Thousands also took to the streets of Madrid to demand a ceasefire in Gaza.

The protests were peaceful and there were no reported incidents of altercations with police.

“Outrage at this situation, thousands and thousands of people killed in Gaza, now in Lebanon, there are already more than 2,000, more than 10,000 people missing. This has to be stopped one way or another,” said Enrique Quintanilla from the ‘Disarm Madrid’ group.

Germany

In the northern of Hamburg, about 950 people staged a peaceful demonstration with many waving Palestinian and Lebanese flags and chanting “Stop the Genocide,” the DPA news agency reported, citing a count by police.

Two smaller pro-Israeli counterdemonstrations took place without incident, it said.

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Serbia

A smaller protest of around 200 people happened in Belgrade with protesters chanting “Free Palestine” and expressing their anger at their government’s support for Israel.

“The main message is that we, citizens of Serbia and Belgrade, are against arms exports to Israel. The Republic of Serbia is exporting arms to Israel. Since October 7 last year, the value of weapons exported to Israel from Serbia is at least 20 million euros. We are against that,” said protest organiser, Mihajlo Nikolic.

Rallies were also planned in several other countries across Europe including Greece, the Netherlands, Denmark and Switzerland.

Increased security

Security forces in several countries warned of heightened levels of alert in major cities, amid concerns that the conflict in the Middle East could inspire new terror attacks in Europe or that the protests could turn violent.

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Pro-Palestinian protests calling for an immediate cease-fire have repeatedly taken place across Europe and around the globe in the past year and have often turned violent with confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement officers.

A bloody year

On 7 October last year, Hamas launched a surprise attack into Israel, killing 1,200 Israelis, taking 250 people hostage and setting off a war with Israel that has shattered much of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed since then in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between fighters and civilians.

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Nearly 100 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with fewer than 70 believed to be alive. 

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