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Most Americans support House plan to ban TikTok if it isn’t sold, poll finds

Most Americans support House plan to ban TikTok if it isn’t sold, poll finds

A slim majority of Americans are in favor of a House bill that would ban TikTok if the platform is not sold to a company without ties to the Chinese Communist Party, according to a Wednesday poll. The poll from Quinnipiac University found that 51% of Americans support the legislation, compared to 41% who support an outright national ban. A plurality of voters, 47%, said they oppose the latter move. Broken down by age, however, younger Americans are far more likely to defend access to TikTok. Among 18- to 34-year-olds, 60% opposed the House legislation, while just 35% supported it. Quinnipiac conducted its poll from March 21-25, via telephone interviews, including both cellphones and landlines. The survey included 1,569 U.S. adults and reports a margin of error of 2.5%. GOP LAWMAKERS PRESS TIKTOK CEO ON ‘DELUGE OF PRO-HAMAS CONTENT’ ON PLATFORM Earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed legislation requiring TikTok to divest itself of CCP control or face a ban in the U.S. FORMER GOOGLE ENGINEER INDICTED FOR STEALING AI SECRETS TO AID CHINESE FIRMS The bill, led by House China Select Committee Chair Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., and ranking member Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., would block TikTok in the U.S. if its parent company, Bytedance, does not divest from it within 165 days of passage. It would also require it to be bought by a country that is not a U.S. adversary. TikTok’s critics have long called the social media app a national security threat. They have cited concerns about the Chinese government’s ability to leverage its power over Bytedance to access sensitive user data, even in the U.S., something the company has denied.  KEVIN O’LEARY OFFERS TO BUY TIKTOK AND TURN IT INTO A ‘NEW AMERICAN COMPANY’ IF PROPOSED BAN ADVANCES China hawks have also warned that the app’s popularity among young Americans gives the ruling Chinese Communist Party a platform for a mass influence campaign. Opponents of the bill, including young people and activists, flooded Congress with phone calls and messages urging them not to restrict TikTok prior to the vote this month. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, one of the bill’s lead co-sponsors, told Fox News Digital that lawmakers’ offices were even fielding calls from people threatening suicide. “TikTok fires everybody up and then our offices are getting called with thousands of people calling up. Some kid called in, said they were gonna commit suicide. We have people calling in saying, ‘I’m on this all day long, every day. You can’t take this away from me,’” Roy said at the time. “It’s like we called into an AA meeting.” The bill passed through the House with a widely bipartisan 352-65 vote. Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report

Former top ICE official sides with Texas Gov. Abbott over Biden in ongoing border battle

Former top ICE official sides with Texas Gov. Abbott over Biden in ongoing border battle

A former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) chief who served in federal law enforcement under presidents of both parties is backing Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, in his fight with the Biden administration over efforts to secure the border. Thomas Homan, whose service includes being head of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) under President Obama and acting ICE director under President Trump, spoke to Fox News Digital about the ongoing feud between Abbott and the administration over border security. “I’ve seen six different administrations, I’ve seen policies come and go. I see policies that failed and policies work, but as far as what Gov. Abbott is doing I’m 100% behind him,” he said. HOW EAGLE PASS BECAME THE CENTERPIECE OF ABBOTT’S EFFORTS TO SECURE THE BORDER  Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in 2021, surging resources and personnel to the border in response to what he believes is a lack of leadership on the matter by the Biden administration. Its efforts to secure the border, including setting up razor wire, deploying buoys and a new anti-illegal immigration law allowing police to arrest illegal immigrants, have seen pushback from the Biden administration and immigration activists. In January, Texas officials also seized Shelby Park, part of Eagle Pass. The White House has accused Abbott of trying to politicize the border crisis, and the administration has argued in court that its border security measures – including the anti-illegal immigration law – interfere with federal immigration enforcement. “[Texas’] efforts, through SB 4, intrude on the federal government’s exclusive authority to regulate the entry and removal of noncitizens, frustrate the United States’ immigration operations and proceedings, and interfere with U.S. foreign relations,” the Department of Justice said in its January lawsuit against the law. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Homan pointed to things Abbott had done, including putting up barriers and imposing punishments for illegal entry, moves that are similar to what the Trump administration did. “He has proven what the Trump administration did, that border barriers work and consequences work, ending catch release,” he said. Homan said that if the Biden administration worked with Texas on the matter, it would benefit both sides. He said Texas taking Shelby Park allowed Border Patrol to go to areas where gotaways are getting through. “So why would they push back on the governor, who has proven success in Eagle Pass? Why not use the state of Texas as a force multiplier? The men and women of the Border Patrol love what the state of Texas is doing because they act as a force multiplier for them.” He dismissed the claim that Texas is interfering with federal enforcement. “I would say, ‘Interfering with what enforcement? What are they interfering with?’” he said. BIDEN, TEXAS FEUD OVER ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION LAW AS MIGRANTS RUSH BORDER: WHAT TO KNOW  The Biden administration has said it is imposing “consequences” for illegal entry while expanding “lawful” migration pathways, but says it is dealing with a hemisphere-wide crisis that needs funding and immigration reform from Congress.  Biden has accused Republicans of making the crisis worse by refusing to pass a bipartisan Senate border package. Conservatives have said that package would not fix the crisis, and have urged instead the passage of a House GOP bill that passed the chamber last year. As that feud goes on, the border crisis is still hitting records. And while places like Eagle Pass have seen a reduction in migration encounters, the crisis has had flashpoints elsewhere in places like El Paso – where migrants burst through barriers last week and have also been spotted trying to cut through fences with boltcutters. Homan argues that Texas was right to take action as he believes the federal government is not stepping up. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “I truly believe if the federal government’s going to abdicate their responsibility to secure the border and protect Texas, then Texas has to do it,” he said. “And what we’ve got to remember is Texas isn’t only protecting the citizens of Texas; 98% of the people aren’t staying in Texas, they’re going all over the country, so Gov. Abbott is actually protecting the entire country.” Asked whether states or the federal government are better at enforcing immigration law, Homan stressed that it isn’t an either/or situation. “I think it’s a combination of the two. Border Patrol is good at what they do if they’re allowed to do it. We proved that under the Trump administration. But again, we had high numbers in the first two years of the Trump administration and the partnership of Texas was invaluable. So it’s best if everybody works together to secure the border.” He also accused the administration of running an anti-Trump agenda, arguing that they focused on ending anything that was a Trump-era policy, including wall construction and safe third country agreements. “From day one it’s been political… they tried to tear down anything associated with Trump,” he said. Homan is supportive of a second Trump term, and asked whether a Trump administration would restore that cooperation, Homan said “100%.” “Because, again, they’re a force multiplier, we have the same goal. Additional resources are always good on the border. So, of course, we’d have a partnership. Why would you not have a partnership with a force that has the same goals as you?” Fox News Digital’s Aubrie Spady contributed to this report. 

Trump campaign unleashes on Biden for backing California’s gas car ban

Trump campaign unleashes on Biden for backing California’s gas car ban

EXCLUSIVE: Former President Trump’s campaign is again criticizing President Biden’s climate agenda, taking aim at his administration’s electric vehicle (EV) policies. In a fiery statement to Fox News Digital on Thursday, the Trump campaign blasted Biden’s actions related to California’s proposed EV mandate regulations, which would phase out all gas-powered car sales in the coming years. The statement comes amid a war of words on EV policy between Trump and both the Biden administration and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. “Fresh off imposing his insane, job-killing electric vehicle mandate at the federal level, Crooked Joe Biden is preparing to slaughter the remnants of the U.S. auto-industry by approving California’s waiver request outlawing the sale of all gasoline-powered automobiles,” Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital in a statement.  VULNERABLE HOUSE DEM BUCKS PARTY ORTHODOXY, BLASTING HIS STATE’S PROPOSED EV MANDATE The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to soon finalize a waiver requested by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to green-light a plan which would begin setting statewide EV sales requirements in 2026 and culminate in a complete ban on gas cars in 2035. The federal waiver has received opposition from automakers, car dealers, Republican and Democratic lawmakers, and the energy industry. Leavitt said Thursday that, if elected, on his first day in office, Trump would revoke both federal EV requirements and any waiver issued for California by the Biden administration. MAINE REJECTS SWEEPING ELECTRIC VEHICLE MANDATE IN BLOW TO GOVERNOR’S CLIMATE AGENDA “Despite these cataclysmic consequences, Crooked Joe is preparing to formally approve this extremist, ultra-left-wing ban on gasoline cars in much of the United States,” Leavitt said. “The Trump administration will stand for car affordability and maximum choice for American consumers.” In March 2022, the EPA reinstated California’s authority under the Clean Air Act to broadly implement its own emission standards and EV sales mandates, and allowed other states to adopt California’s rules. That action came after the Trump administration revoked the state’s authority to pursue standards that run counter to federal rules. 130+ HOUSE, SENATE REPUBLICANS JOIN FORCES IN OPPOSITION OF BIDEN’S UPCOMING EV MANDATE Months later, on Aug. 25, 2022, CARB announced its Advanced Clean Cars II plan and, shortly thereafter, Newsom said California would continue to “lead the revolution towards our zero-emission transportation future.” Then, in May 2023, the state submitted a waiver request with EPA, asking it to approve the plan, which more than a dozen other states have pledged to adopt. The Advanced Clean Cars II plan would require that 35% of new car sales are zero-emission in 2026 and rapidly increase that requirement until 2035, when 100% of sales would be required to be zero-emissions.  “The U.S. auto industry is undoubtedly transitioning to electric vehicles as evidenced by the massive investments automakers have committed to technology and their ongoing product announcements,” the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an industry group that represents major automakers, wrote to the EPA last month.  “And while California has long led the way in developing the EV market in that state, other states have not yet caught up. It is therefore important for policymakers to assess whether a ZEV regulation that is right for California is also right for other states.” VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS UPHOLD STATE’S EV MANDATE DESPITE GROWING OPPOSITION: ‘DEFY COMMON SENSE’ According to data compiled by the group, 24% of car sales last year were battery electric while another 4% were hybrid. However, in the last half of 2023, state EV sales saw a precipitous decline for the first time in more than a decade, the Los Angeles Times reported. Meanwhile, Newsom recently blasted Trump for his comments on EVs, saying California was prepared to defend its climate agenda. “Do I worry about the politicization of this? Of course, I do. I’m not naive about that. And there’s a deep naivete, particularly coming from Trump’s rhetoric around this,” Newsom said after signing a climate agreement with Sweden in February.  “You see the market changing all across the globe. I’m not going to cede that future and I don’t want to recreate the 19th century,” he continued. “The Trump administration promoted policies to roll back progress over the last half century as it relates to environmental standards. Their number one target – this was not just recent rhetoric – was our efforts as it relates to regulating tailpipe emissions.” The governor added that his administration was looking to “future-proof” its climate policies ahead of the November presidential election. Newsom’s office and the White House didn’t respond to requests for comment for purposes of this story. 

Japan health scare: Drugmaker reports two more deaths linked to supplement

Japan health scare: Drugmaker reports two more deaths linked to supplement

Kobayashi Pharma has recalled cholesterol-lowering supplements with red yeast rice over possible link to kidney disease. A Japanese drugmaker whose dietary supplements are at the centre of a growing health scare has reported two more deaths potentially linked to a pill that lowers cholesterol. Thursday’s announcement by Kobayashi Pharmaceuticals brings the total number of deaths under investigation by the company and health ministry to four, with more than 100 people hospitalised. Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told parliament on Thursday that “we need to make clear the cause [of the illnesses] and consider various responses if necessary”. He was responding to an opposition politician who urged him to revise safety frameworks that were relaxed under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Last week, Kobayashi recalled three of its supplements, including Beni Koji Choleste Help, after about 106 customers were hospitalised because of kidney problems. The over-the-counter products contain an ingredient called red yeast rice, or “beni koji”, which is supposed to help lower bad cholesterol. The company said on Thursday that it was in the “process of confirming the facts and causal relationships” in the two additional fatalities and “decided to make this report public from the viewpoint of prompt disclosure”. “Beni koji” contains Monascus purpureus, a red mould that is also used as food colouring. Public concern Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a media conference that the government has urged the pharma company to take “swift and serious action toward determining the cause” and disclose relevant information as “concern among the public is spreading”, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported. The Osaka-based drugmaker has yet to pinpoint a specific cause but said there was a possibility that the products contained “ingredients we had not intended to include”. The fermentation process can produce a toxin called citrinin which can damage the kidneys, however, the company said its analysis did not detect any citrinin. Medical studies describe red yeast rice as an alternative to statins for lowering high cholesterol, but also warn of a risk of organ damage depending on its chemical makeup. In addition to the supplements, more than 40 products from other companies containing “beni koji”, including miso paste, crackers, sake, bread and a vinegar dressing, have been recalled, the health ministry said. Hayashi said Japan was sharing information with the World Health Organization and relevant countries after online sales of products subject to the drugmaker’s voluntary recalls were suspended in China, while products have also been removed from circulation in Taiwan. The company supplies red yeast rice to some 50 firms in Japan and two in Taiwan. A Kobayashi executive said last week that the company first received complaints about kidney problems in January. Adblock test (Why?)

India’s opposition supporters protest arrest of key leader

India’s opposition supporters protest arrest of key leader

NewsFeed Protesters attempted to march to Prime Minister Modi’s house after a key opposition leader was arrested in an alcohol corruptions case just weeks ahead of national elections. The ruling BJP has been accused of suppressing opposition after senior leaders were jailed for similar charges. Published On 28 Mar 202428 Mar 2024 Adblock test (Why?)

Eleven dead, thousands affected as Cyclone Gamane batters Madagascar

Eleven dead, thousands affected as Cyclone Gamane batters Madagascar

Houses washed away and roads destroyed after cyclone hits north of the Indian Ocean island. At least 11 people have been killed and hundreds of homes destroyed as Cyclone Gamane smashed into northern Madagascar, according to officials. The storm was projected to skim the Indian Ocean island, but changed course and hit the island’s Vohemar district in the early hours of Wednesday. Video images showed torrents of water rushing through villages and people making human chains in waist-deep water while trying to help those trapped in their houses escape the deluge. Numerous routes and bridges were flooded and cut off. Six people drowned and five others were killed by collapsing houses or falling trees, with some 7,000 people affected overall. “It’s rare to have a cyclone like this. Its movement is nearly stationary,” General Elack Andriakaja, director general of the BNGRC national disaster management office, said in a statement. “When the system stops in one place, it devastates all the infrastructure. And that has serious consequences for the population. And significant flooding”, he said. The full extent of the damage is still unclear, because many villages in the region were cut off from the rest of the country, making access difficult for rescue teams. The cyclone moved across the island with an average wind speed of 150km/h (93mph) and heavy rainfall. In some places, winds of 210km/h (130mph) were measured. Gamane has been reclassified as a tropical storm and was expected to leave the island on Friday afternoon, according to meteorologists. Located off the coast of southeastern Africa, Madagascar is regularly affected by severe weather. A year ago, tropical Cyclone Freddy devastated the country as well as the neighbouring mainland countries of Mozambique and Malawi. More than 500 people lost their lives. Adblock test (Why?)

GOP senator visits border, hails Abbott’s success slowing migrant surge despite Biden admin opposition

GOP senator visits border, hails Abbott’s success slowing migrant surge despite Biden admin opposition

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., returning from the southern border, is backing Gov. Greg Abbott in his efforts to secure the Texas border, pointing to a sharp change in migrant traffic in the Eagle Pass area. Blackburn visited the border in Eagle Pass Tuesday, which she previously visited in January 2023, and she said the difference was marked, from a time when she said the area was “overrun” and the Shelby Park area had been taken over by Border Patrol to be used as a staging area. She cited the moves Abbott has made, including additional border barriers, a surge of resources and a new controversial anti-illegal immigration law. HOW EAGLE PASS BECAME THE CENTERPIECE OF ABBOTT’S EFFORTS TO SECURE THE BORDER  “Then to see it today, where they have put up buoys in the river, they’ve got containers at the water’s edge. They’ve got fencing and razor wire and to see how effective that is and helping them drop those numbers,” she told Fox News Digital in an interview. “I think it’s wonderful that the state of Texas has moved forward, spending billions of dollars in order to secure their border. And it’s why now you’re seeing some of these illegal entrants go down to Arizona, New Mexico, California and try to find another way. But they are not going there to Eagle Pass, Texas.” Blackburn said that in the river there were about a dozen people trying to cross, compared to hundreds lining up last year. She also praised Texas authorities’ efforts in stopping drugs like fentanyl. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Texas and the Biden administration have feuded over how to handle border security since the start of the crisis. Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in 2021, which sent resources and personnel to the border, in response to what he claimed was a lack of action from the Biden administration to handle the then-surging crisis. Abbott’s administration began building a border wall, constructed razor wire along the Rio Grande, set up floating buoys in the river and deployed the National Guard. In December, Abbott signed an anti-illegal immigration law that would allow police to arrest illegal immigrants and for judges to order them deported.  That bill is currently on hold after being blocked by a court order, which was continued by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals late Tuesday. BIDEN, TEXAS FEUD OVER ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION LAW AS MIGRANTS RUSH BORDER: WHAT TO KNOW  Blackburn has two pieces of legislation that she believes would help the border crisis. The Clear Act would require ICE to pick up criminal illegal aliens within 48 hours of an agency notifying them, and reimburse them for the costs of the apprehension and detention. The Container Act would allow states to build their own border fences in lieu of action from the federal government. Blackburn told Fox News Digital that Texas’ example was a sign that barriers work and said other states should follow the example Texas is setting. “They need to listen to what Border Patrol has been saying. They need a physical barrier, better technology, because cartels have superior technology, and then more officers and agents,” she said. “It’s kind of simple. Walls and barriers actually work. And you’re seeing that in Texas.”