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Uruguayans went to the polls Sunday for a second round of voting to choose their next president, with the conservative governing party and the left-leaning coalition locked in a close runoff after failing to win an outright majority in last month's vote. The staid election has turned into a hard-fought race between Álvaro Delgado, the incumbent party's candidate, and Yamandú Orsi from the Broad Front, a coalition of leftist and center-left parties that governed for 15 years until the 2019 victory of center-right President Luis Lacalle Pou. The Broad Front oversaw the legalization of abortion, same-sex marriage and the sale of marijuana in the small South American nation of 3.4 million people. Orsi's Broad Front took 44 per cent of the vote while Delgado's National Party won 27 per cent in the first round of voting Oct. 27 . But other conservative parties that make up the government coalition — in particular, the Colorado Party — notched 20 per cent of the vote collectively, enough to give Delgado an edge over his challenger. Congress ended up evenly split in the October vote. Most polls have shown a virtual tie between Delgado and Orsi, with nearly 10 per cent of Uruguayan voters undecided even at this late stage. Many said they believed turnout would be low if voting weren't compulsory in the country. “Neither candidate convinced me and I feel that there are many in my same situation," said Vanesa Gelezoglo, 31, in the capital, Montevideo, adding she would make up her mind at “the last minute.” Analysts say the candidates' lackluster campaigns and broad consensus on key issues have generated extraordinary indecision and apathy in an election dominated by discussions about social spending and concerns over income inequality but largely free of the anti-establishment rage that has vaulted populist outsiders to power elsewhere . “The question of whether Frente Amplio (the Broad Front) raises taxes is not an existential question, unlike what we saw in the U.S. with Trump and Kamala framing each other as threats to democracy," said Nicolás Saldías, a Latin America and Caribbean senior analyst for the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit. “That doesn't exist in Uruguay.” Both candidates are also appealing to voter angst over a surge in violent crime that has shaken a nation long regarded as one of the region’s safest, with Delgado promising tough-on-crime policies and Orsi advocating a more community-oriented approach. Delgado, 55, a rural veterinarian with a long career in the National Party, campaigned on a vow to continue the legacy of current President Lacalle Pou — in some ways making the election into a referendum on his leadership. He campaigned under the slogan “re-elect a good government." Alvaro Delgado, candidate for the ruling National Party, waves to supporters after voting in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Orbach) While a string of corruption scandals rattled Lacalle Pou's government last year, the president — who constitutionally cannot run for a second consecutive term — now enjoys high approval ratings and a strong economy expected to grow 3.2 per cent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. Inflation has also eased in recent months, boosting his coalition. Delgado served most recently as Secretary of the Presidency for Lacalle Pou and promises to pursue his predecessor's pro-business policies. He would continue pushing for a trade deal with China that has raised hackles in Mercosur, an alliance of South American countries promoting regional commerce. "We have to give the government coalition a chance to consolidate its proposals,” said Ramiro Pérez, a street vendor voting for Delgado on Sunday. Orsi, 57, a former history teacher and two-time mayor from a working-class background, is widely seen as the political heir to iconic former President José “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-Marxist guerilla who raised Uruguay's international profile as one of the region's most socially liberal and environmentally sustainable nations during his 2010-2015 term. “He's my candidate, not only for my sake but also for my children's,” Yeni Varone, a nurse, said of Orsi. “In the future they'll have better working conditions, health and salaries.” Yeni Varone, a nurse, casts her vote in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Mujica, now 89 and recovering from esophageal cancer, was among the first to cast his ballot after polls opened. “Uruguay is a small country, but it has earned recognition for being stable, for having a citizenry that respects institutional formalities,” he told reporters from his local polling station. “This is no small feat.” While promising to forge a “new left” in Uruguay, Orsi plans no dramatic changes. He proposes tax incentives to lure investment and social security reforms that would lower the retirement age but fall short of a radical overhaul sought by Uruguay's unions. The contentious plebiscite on whether to boost pension payouts failed to pass in October, with Uruguayans rejecting generous pensions in favor of fiscal constraint. Both candidates pledged full cooperation with each other if elected. “I want (Orsi) to know that my idea is to form a government of national unity,” Delgado told reporters after casting his vote in the capital's upscale Pocitos neighborhood. He said that if he won, he and Orsi would chat on Monday over some yerba mate, the traditional herbal drink beloved by Uruguayans. Orsi similarly pledged a smooth and respectful transition of power, describing Sunday's democratic exercise as “an incredible experience" as he voted in Canelones, the sprawling town of beaches and cattle ranches just north of Montevideo where he served as mayor for a decade. “The essence of politics is agreements,” he said. “You never end up completely satisfied.” __ Associated Press writer Isabel DeBre in Villa Tunari, Bolivia, contributed to this report.PNC Financial Services Group Inc. Increases Stock Position in iShares Silver Trust (NYSEARCA:SLV)
NoneAP News Summary at 8:26 a.m. ESTClimate finance's 'new era' shows new political realitiesTrump is ‘100% serious’ about acquiring Greenland, Panama Canal, say sources close to prez-elect
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers, meet your latest lobbyists: online influencers from TikTok. The platform is once again bringing influencers to Washington, this time to lobby members of Congress to reject a fast-moving bill that would force TikTok's Beijing-based parent company to sell or be banned in the United States. On Tuesday, some influencers began a two-day advocacy event in support of TikTok, which arranged their trip ahead of a House floor vote on the legislation on Wednesday. But unlike a similar lobbying event the company put together last March when talks of a TikTok ban reached a fever pitch, this year’s effort appeared more rushed as the company scrambles to counter the legislation, which advanced rapidly on Capitol Hill. Summer Lucille, a TikTok content creator with 1.4 million followers who is visiting Washington this week, said if TikTok is banned, she “don’t know what it will do” to her business, a plus-sized boutique in Charlotte, North Carolina. “It will be devastating,” Lucille said in an interview arranged by the platform. The legislation is drawing unusual support in Congress In an unusual showing of bipartisanship, a House panel unanimously approved the measure last week. President Joe Biden has said he will sign the legislation if lawmakers pass it. But it’s unclear what will happen in the Senate, where several bills aimed at banning TikTok have stalled. The legislation faces other roadblocks. Former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump, who holds sway over both House and Senate Republicans, has voiced opposition to the bill, saying it would empower Meta-owned Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss. The bill also faces pushback from some progressive lawmakers in the House as well as civil liberties groups who argue it infringes on the First Amendment. TikTok could be banned if ByteDance, the parent company, doesn’t sell its stakes in the platform and other applications it owns within six months of the bill’s enactment. The fight over the platform takes place as U.S.-China relations have shifted to that of strategic rivalry, especially in areas such as advanced technologies and data security, seen as essential to each country’s economic prowess and national security. The shift, which started during the Trump years and has continued under Biden, has placed restrictions on export of advanced technologies and outflow of U.S. monies to China, as well as access to the U.S. market by certain Chinese businesses. The Biden administration also has cited human rights concerns in blacklisting a number of Chinese companies accused of assisting the state surveillance campaign against ethnic minorities. TikTok isn’t short on lobbyists. Its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance has a strong lobbying apparatus in Washington that includes dozens of lobbyists from well-known consulting and legal firms as well as influential insiders, such as former members of Congress and ex-aides to powerful lawmakers, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will also be in Washington this week and plans to meet with lawmakers, according to a company spokesperson who said Chew’s visit was previously scheduled. Influencers descend on Washington But influencers, who have big followings on social media and can share personal stories of how the platform boosted their businesses — or simply gave them a voice — are still perhaps one of the most powerful tools the company has in its arsenal. A TikTok spokesperson said dozens of influencers will attend the two-day event, including some who came last year. The spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about how many new people would be attending this year’s lobbying blitz. The company is briefing them ahead of meetings with their representatives and media interviews. Lucille, who runs the boutique in North Carolina, says has seen a substantial surge in revenue because of her TikTok page. The 34-year-old began making TikTok content focusing on plus-sized fashion in March 2022, more than a decade after she started her business. She quickly amassed thousands of followers after posting a nine-second video about her boutique. Because of her popularity on the platform, her business has more online exposure and customers, some of whom have visited from as far as Europe. She says she also routinely hears from followers who are finding support through her content about fashion and confidence. JT Laybourne, an influencer who also came to Washington, said he joined TikTok in early 2019 after getting some negative comments on videos he posted on Instagram while singing in the car with his children. Laybourne, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, said he was attracted to the short-form video platform because it was easy to create videos that contained music. Like Lucille, he quickly gained traction on the app. He says he also received more support from TikTok users, who reacted positively to content he produced on love and positivity. Laybourne says the community he built on the platform rallied around his family when he had to undergo heart surgery in 2020. Following the surgery, he said he used the platform to help raise $1 million for the American Heart Association in less than two years. His family now run an apparel company that gets most of its traffic from TikTok. “I will fight tooth-and-nail for this app,” he said. But whether the opposition the company is mounting through lobbyists or influencers will be enough to derail the bill is yet to be seen. On Tuesday, House lawmakers received a briefing on national security concerns regarding TikTok from the FBI, Justice Department and intelligence officials. AP Journalist Didi Tang contributed to this report. This story was originally published on March 12, 2024. It was updated on December 23, 2024 to clarify a quote by TikTok content creator Summer Lucille.
Ex-Eagles running back Wendell Smallwood Jr. accused of defrauding COVID relief programs and IRSNoneNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records Tuesday after Donald Trump’s latest talk about tariffs created only some ripples on Wall Street, even if they could roil the global economy were they to take effect. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to top the all-time high it set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 123 points, or 0.3%, to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6% as Microsoft and Big Tech led the way. Stock markets abroad mostly fell after President-elect Trump said he plans to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China once he takes office. But the movements were mostly modest. Stock indexes were down 0.1% in Shanghai and nearly flat in Hong Kong, while Canada’s main index edged down by less than 0.1%. Trump has often praised the use of tariffs , but investors are weighing whether his latest threat will actually become policy or is just an opening point for negotiations. For now, the market seems to be taking it more as the latter. The consequences otherwise for markets and the global economy could be painful. Unless the United States can prepare alternatives for the autos, energy products and other goods that come from Mexico, Canada and China, such tariffs would raise the price of imported items all at once and make households poorer, according to Carl Weinberg and Rubeela Farooqi, economists at High Frequency Economics. They would also hurt profit margins for U.S. companies, while raising the threat of retaliatory tariffs by other countries. And unlike tariffs in Trump’s first term, his latest proposal would affect products across the board. General Motors sank 9%, and Ford Motor fell 2.6% because both import automobiles from Mexico. Constellation Brands, which sells Modelo and other Mexican beer brands in the United States, dropped 3.3%. The value of the Mexican peso fell 1.8% against the U.S. dollar. Beyond the pain such tariffs would cause U.S. households and businesses, they could also push the Federal Reserve to slow or even halt its cuts to interest rates. The Fed had just begun easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high a couple months ago to offer support for the job market . While lower interest rates can boost the economy, they can also offer more fuel for inflation. “Many” officials at the Fed’s last meeting earlier this month said they should lower rates gradually, according to minutes of the meeting released Tuesday afternoon. The talk about tariffs overshadowed another mixed set of profit reports from U.S. retailers that answered few questions about how much more shoppers can keep spending. They’ll need to stay resilient after helping the economy avoid a recession, despite the high interest rates imposed by the Fed to get inflation under control. A report on Tuesday from the Conference Board said confidence among U.S. consumers improved in November, but not by as much as economists expected. Kohl’s tumbled 17% after its results for the latest quarter fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Tom Kingsbury said sales remain soft for apparel and footwear. A day earlier, Kingsbury said he plans to step down as CEO in January. Ashley Buchanan, CEO of Michaels and a retail veteran, will replace him. Best Buy fell 4.9% after likewise falling short of analysts’ expectations. Dick’s Sporting Goods topped forecasts for the latest quarter thanks to a strong back-to-school season, but its stock lost an early gain to fall 1.4%. Still, more stocks rose in the S&P 500 than fell. J.M. Smucker had one of the biggest gains and climbed 5.7% after topping analysts’ expectations for the latest quarter. CEO Mark Smucker credited strength for its Uncrustables, Meow Mix, Café Bustelo and Jif brands. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up U.S. indexes. Gains of 3.2% for Amazon and 2.2% for Microsoft were the two strongest forces lifting the S&P 500. All told, the S&P 500 rose 34.26 points to 6,021.63. The Dow gained 123.74 to 44,860.31, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 119.46 to 19,174.30. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady following their big drop from a day before driven by relief following Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary. The yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.29% from 4.28% late Monday, but it’s still well below the 4.41% level where it ended last week. In the crypto market, bitcoin continued to pull back after topping $99,000 for the first time late last week. It’s since dipped back toward $91,000, according to CoinDesk. It’s a sharp turnaround from the bonanza that initially took over the crypto market following Trump’s election. That boom had also appeared to have spilled into some corners of the stock market. Strategists at Barclays Capital pointed to stocks of unprofitable companies, along with other areas that can be caught up in bursts of optimism by smaller-pocketed “retail” investors. AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.
Greetings CIPAWorld! I’m back, ready to drive you through the latest scoop on all things privacy and compliance. Have you ever wondered who might be listening when you use a website’s chat feature? A recent development in Rodriguez v. Ford Motor Co. , No. 3:23-cv-00598-RBM-JLB, 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 218685 (S.D. Cal. Dec. 3, 2024) brings that question into sharp focus. Earlier this year, the Southern District of California dismissed claims in the First Amended Complaint, finding that allegations under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (“CIPA”) were too thin to proceed ( a point I highlighted in my previous blog regarding Google ). Fast forward to December: the Second Amended Complaint presented a stronger case, and the Court has now shifted gears—dismissing some claims but allowing key allegations of unauthorized eavesdropping and aiding and abetting under CIPA Section 631(a) to move forward. This decision forces Ford to respond by December 17, 2024 and underscores a critical issue I’ve emphasized repeatedly in my CIPA blog posts: how companies manage digital privacy and the role of third-party software providers. The case began when Plaintiff visited Ford’s website and had what she thought was a straightforward chat with a customer service representative. What she didn’t know—and what would later become the center of the matter—was that a third-party company called “LivePerson” was allegedly monitoring and recording these conversations without her knowledge. Before we dive in even more deeply, it’s important to note that this case isn’t just about chat features—it’s part of a broader reckoning over how digital platforms collect, process, and monetize user data. With consumers (myself included) increasingly concerned about privacy and lawmakers introducing stricter regulations, companies must align their practices with emerging legal norms. So, what’s at issue here? Yes, you guessed it. CIPA, specifically Section 631(a), a law, as we all know, that was initially designed to prevent telephone wiretapping, has now become a battleground in cases seen repeatedly. As noted in Heiting v. Taro Pharms. USA, Inc. , 709 F. Supp. 3d 1007, 2023 WL 9319049, at *2 (C.D. Cal. 2023), courts must navigate between two seminal cases that frame the recent jurisprudence on Section 631: Ribas v. Clark , 38 Cal. 3d 355, 212 Cal. Rptr. 143, 696 P.2d 637 (1985), and Rogers v. Ulrich , 52 Cal. App. 3d 894, 125 Cal. Rptr. 306 (1975). This key question has created a significant split among district courts in California. One line of cases, led by Graham v. Noom, Inc. , 533 F. Supp. 3d 823 (N.D. Cal. 2021) holds that software vendors are “extensions” of the websites that employ them, and thus not third parties under the statute. Conversely, the opposing view—exemplified by Javier v. Assurance IQ, LLC , 649 F. Supp. 3d 891 (N.D. Cal. 2023)—holds that software providers can be third parties within Section 631’s meaning, focusing on their capability to use the information rather than actual use. In siding with the Javier approach, LivePerson’s extensive capabilities mainly influenced the Rodriguez Court. Why is this so? Well, the Court found it significant that LivePerson monitors an average of 2.6 billion visitor sessions per month across its customers’ websites and combines this data with other behavioral information to build one of the world’s most extensive customer datasets. Just think about that for a moment. 2.6 BILLION VISITOR SESSIONS... PER MONTH . Wow. As emphasized in D’Angelo v. Penny OpCo, LLC , Case No. 23-cv-0981-BAS-DDL, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 191054, 2023 WL 7006793, at *7 (S.D. Cal. Oct. 24, 2023), the mere capability of using collected data for other purposes could trigger liability—regardless of whether that capability is ever exercised. In addition, the Court found compelling evidence that Ford was aware of these capabilities. Here, Plaintiff successfully alleged that Ford was made aware of LivePerson’s data use and the risk of prohibiting legislation and, therefore, knew LivePerson’s conduct constituted a breach of some duty. This knowledge formed the basis for allowing the aiding and abetting claims to proceed. The Court noted that companies cannot hide behind third-party vendors to evade liability. When outsourcing customer service technology, businesses must account for their partners’ data practices and the potential for improper use of consumer information. What is more, some courts have suggested that determining whether software acts more like a tape recorder or an eavesdropper requires factual investigation. As noted in Kauffman v. Papa John’s Int’l, Inc. , Case No. 22-cv-1492-L-MSB, 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7873, 2024 WL 171363, at *7 (S.D. Cal. Jan. 12, 2024), “Whether [the software provider] acts akin to a tape recorder or whether its actions are closer to ‘an eavesdropper standing outside the door’ is a question of fact which is better answered after discovery into the technical context of the case.” This uncertainty creates additional complexity for businesses operating in the Ninth Circuit, especially given the potential liability under state statutes like CIPA continues to grow. Compliance is key here. As always, Keep it legal, keep it smart, and stay ahead of the game. Talk soon!
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