House Approves Legislation Potentially Paving the Way for TikTok Ban in the U.S.

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On Wednesday, the GOP-led House passed a bill that could lead to a ban on TikTok unless its Chinese-based parent company, ByteDance, divests in the popular social media app.

The legislation, known as the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” was approved by a 352-65 vote. Fifty Democrats and 15 Republicans voted against the measure. The bill now heads to the Democrat-controlled Senate.

According to a press release from the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, the “bill prevents app store availability or web hosting services in the U.S. for ByteDance-controlled applications, including TikTok, unless the application severs ties to entities like ByteDance that are subject to the control of a foreign adversary, as defined by Congress in Title 10.”

The legislation demands ByteDance sell TikTok within 180 days of the bill being enacted, or risk having the app face a clampdown in the United States. (House Approves Legislation Potentially Paving the Way for TikTok Ban in the U.S.” HERE)

Singer Promotes Abortion by Handing out Emergency Contraceptives, Condoms at Concert

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Pop star Olivia Rodrigo pushed a pro-abortion message at her Missouri concert this week, handing out free emergency contraceptives and condoms to attendees.

Fans at her March 12 show in St. Louis were offered a package that included two boxes of Julie, a pill similar to Plan B, and cards with QR codes linking to abortion access resources and the Missouri Abortion Fund. Fans shared photos of free condoms and promotional stickers that were also being passed out at the show.

The 21-year-old singer had previously announced her “Fund 4 Good” initiative, per Variety, which she said, “works to support all women, girls and people seeking reproductive health freedom.” Rodrigo promised to donate a portion of all ticket sales for her “Guts” tour to Fund 4 Good and also said she had partnered with the National Network of Abortion Funds.

“Supporting abortion funds has never been more critical, in an era where abortion access is under relentless attack,” NNAF executive director Oriaku Njoku told USA TODAY in a statement. “We are excited to be in partnership with Olivia Rodrigo, as she’s uplifting the critical work of abortion funds, and leading (her fans) into the movement towards reproductive freedom!” (Read more from “Singer Promotes Abortion by Handing out Emergency Contraceptives, Condoms at Concert” HERE)

Trump: Government Documents Taken ‘Legally,’ ‘Wasn’t Hiding Them’

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Former President Donald Trump said on Wednesday on Newsmax TV’s “Greg Kelly Reports” that when he took government documents from the White House to Mar-a-Lago, it was done legally.

Trump said, “I was dealing with them. We were dealing fine. And then all of a sudden they raided this house. They raided Mar-a-Lago. These are corrupt people.”

He continued, “But they release Biden. What Biden did, he wasn’t protected by the Presidential Records [Act] because he wasn’t president. He took them when he was a senator.” (Read more from “Trump: Government Documents Taken ‘Legally,’ ‘Wasn’t Hiding Them’” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Biden Abandons American Missionaries in Haiti

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American missionaries trapped in Haiti pleaded for rescue on Tuesday, reporting constant gunfire around their hideaway and corpses rotting in the streets. The group’s leader said the only assistance they have received from the Biden administration was advice to “be safe.”

“Okay, well, that’s not really helpful,” Jill Dolan of the group Love A Neighbor said of the response she received from the U.S. Embassy when she asked for help getting her family out of Haiti.

“My fear is that we will be caught in the middle of something really dangerous. We’re already on the front lines of it; we’re in a bad area. It’s kind of depressing. The gunfire never stops,” Dolan told the New York Post on Tuesday.

Dolan and her family are holed up in a “makeshift motel” in the capital city of Port-au-Prince, where the worst battles of Haiti’s immense gang war have been fought. She and her family founded Love a Neighbor — a nonprofit missionary charity, based in Washington State — to help manage a small orphanage for children abandoned or sold by their impoverished parents.

Dolan said she was on her way out of Haiti to attend a wedding in Florida with her husband and adopted teenage children when gangs attacked the airport, causing all commercial flights to be canceled. (Read more from “Biden Abandons American Missionaries in Haiti” HERE)

American Man Eats This Popular Food, Predictably Develops Debilitating Migraines. Here’s Why

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A startling medical case has emerged, shedding light on the unexpected link between a man’s chronic migraines and a hidden menace lurking within his brain: tapeworm larvae. The tale unfolds with an American man, aged 52, whose worsening migraines ultimately led to a surprising diagnosis of neurocysticercosis – a parasitic infection caused by tapeworm larvae residing in the brain tissue.

Published in the American Journal of Case Reports, the study chronicles the journey of this unidentified patient whose migraines intensified over four months, defying conventional treatments. Upon admission to the hospital and subsequent CT scans, a grim revelation surfaced – numerous cystic foci, indicative of fluid-filled sacs within the brain. Further tests confirmed the presence of neurocysticercosis, unraveling a rare yet concerning medical condition.

Neurocysticercosis, a form of parasitic tissue infection caused by the larval stage of the pork tapeworm, is a condition more commonly associated with regions of poor sanitation in the developing world. However, what made this case particularly intriguing was the absence of recent travel to high-risk areas. Instead, a seemingly innocuous habit came under scrutiny – the patient’s penchant for consuming lightly cooked, non-crispy bacon throughout his life.

The medical investigation suggests a plausible connection between the patient’s dietary preferences and the transmission of the tapeworm larvae. Speculating on the mode of transmission, researchers proposed that the patient might have contracted the tapeworm himself due to improper handwashing after handling contaminated pork. This hypothesis points towards autoinfection, where the individual becomes the unwitting host of the parasite after initial exposure.

Prompt treatment with anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory medications proved successful, with regression of brain lesions and improvement in headaches observed in the patient. Nevertheless, this case serves as a stark reminder of the potential risks associated with consuming undercooked pork products, particularly in regions where neurocysticercosis remains endemic.

Pentagon Alerted of Potential ‘Maritime Mass Migration’ From Haiti

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The Department of Defense revealed that it was alerted of a possible “maritime mass migration” from Haiti amid deteriorating conditions in the country.

During a House hearing, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) asked about the possibility of a massive influx of Haitian immigrants into Florida, given the country’s extreme turmoil. While stressing their efforts to control such a crisis, Pentagon officials revealed that they were aware of the possibility.

“Congressman, we’re doing a number of things to ensure that we’re keeping track of the situation and we’re prepared — at the moment, we have not yet seen large numbers of what we would characterize as maritime mass migration,” said Rebecca Zimmerman, assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and hemispheric affairs, to which Gaetz interjected, clarifying that they were aware of the possibility. . .

The situation in Haiti has deteriorated drastically over the past few weeks, making the prospect of a mass maritime migration more likely.

The Caribbean nation has suffered a series of cascading crises in recent years, which has culminated in violent gangs seizing control over much of the country, including 80% of the capital. Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced from abroad that he would resign on Tuesday after being blocked from re-entering the country. The week prior, the government declared a state of emergency after several gangs launched an offensive of direct attacks on government buildings. (Read more from “Pentagon Alerted of Potential ‘Maritime Mass Migration’ From Haiti” HERE)

Trump to Cite Lawyers’ Participation in Hush Money Payments for Key Trial Defense

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Former President Donald Trump plans to argue he cannot be held responsible for the conduct at the heart of his criminal case related to hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels because he had lawyers involved in decisions that led to the charges.

Trump’s attorneys told a New York criminal court on Tuesday that a key part of his defense will be that he lacked an “intent to commit the conduct charged in the indictment,” according to their latest filing.

“President Trump intends to elicit these facts from witnesses … whom we expect will testify about President Trump’s awareness of counsel’s involvement in the charged conduct,” his lawyers wrote. “This is not a formal advice-of-counsel defense.”

Prosecutors from the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg allege Trump falsified the documentation surrounding payments to his ex-attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and is preparing for jury selection in the trial scheduled to start on March 25.

Trump’s counsel, led by Todd Blanche and Susan Necheles, outlined their plans to ask prosecutors’ key witness, Cohen, and other individuals who were involved in the Daniels discussions about Trump’s “awareness of counsel’s involvement.”

(Read more from “Trump to Cite Lawyers’ Participation in Hush Money Payments for Key Trial Defense” HERE)

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Woman Says She Jumped Through Her Window to Escape Naked Intruder She Found Smoking Drugs in Her Home

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A Texas woman described the harrowing series of events after she went to her home to find a naked man smoking drugs after ransacking her belongings.

Austin police said that a SWAT team had to respond to her home after 44-year-old Larry Robinson broke in.

Elena Doguet told KEYE-TV that she had returned home from visiting her husband when she realized someone had trashed the house. Her guard dogs were barking and foaming at the mouth.

That’s when she found Robinson allegedly naked with a drug pipe and a lighter. . .

“I guess I hadn’t heard him come in, because he didn’t have shoes on or any other clothes, so I saw him and was obviously startled and just kind of froze there,” said Doguet.

(Read more from “Woman Says She Jumped Through Her Window to Escape Naked Intruder She Found Smoking Drugs in Her Home” HERE)

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Snickers Fires Back at Joe Biden’s Claim That the Company Is Duping Customers With ‘Shrinkflation’

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Snickers is contradicting President Joe Biden’s claim that the size of its candy bars are being secretly reduced.

In his State of the Union address last Thursday, Biden accused snack companies of shrinkflation, a process whereby a manufacturer includes less product in packaging while not adjusting the price.

“Look, too many corporations raise prices to pad their profits, charging more and more for less and less. That’s why we’re cracking down on corporations that engage in price-gouging and deceptive pricing, from food to health care to housing,” Biden said. “In fact, the snack companies think you won’t notice if they change the size of the bag and put a hell of a lot fewer — same size bag — put fewer chips in it. No, I’m not joking. It’s called shrinkflation.” . . .

But Mars Inc., the candy company that manufactures the Snickers bar, released a statement accusing Biden of not telling the truth.

The statement read:

We have not reduced the size of Snickers singles or share size in the U.S. Like many industries, we continue to face high inflation and spikes in material costs; however, we work to absorb these extra costs wherever possible to provide affordable treats and the best value. Final prices are always at the discretion of the retailer, but we make every effort to minimize costs to provide a full range of delicious products.

(Read more from “Snickers Fires Back at Joe Biden’s Claim That the Company Is Duping Customers With ‘Shrinkflation’” HERE)

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Paul Rips Trump for Endorsing ‘Worst Deep State Candidate This Cycle’

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Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) ripped former President Trump on Monday for endorsing former House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Rogers’s (R-Mich.) bid for Senate, slamming the former congressman as the “worst Deep State candidate this cycle.”

“Donald Trump just endorsed the worst Deep State candidate this cycle. @MikeRogersForMI is a never Trumper, and a card carrying member of the spy state that seeks to destroy Trump,” Paul posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

“You have to ask yourself who gives Trump this awful advice? Who’s next, John Bolton?” he asked, referring to Trump’s former national security adviser, who has become one of the former president’s harshest critics.

Trump announced Monday he is backing Rogers, who is favored to win the Republican nomination to run for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).

Rogers is also backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee. NRSC Chair Steve Daines (Mont.) has worked closely with Trump to advance candidates favored by Senate GOP leadership to the general election. (Read more from “Paul Rips Trump for Endorsing ‘Worst Deep State Candidate This Cycle’” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr