The Biden administration has issued an ultimatum to TikTok, a popular social media app with over 100 million US users, to be sold by its Chinese owners or face a ban across the US. The move is in response to security concerns posed by the app's Chinese ownership, and marks a possible turning point in the long-running negotiations between federal officials and the company. TikTok has expressed disappointment with the ultimatum, and it remains to be seen how the company will respond.
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The Houston Independent School District (HISD), the largest school district in Texas and one of the largest in the nation, will have its superintendent and board of education trustees replaced by a new board appointed by the state Commissioner of Education. This move has angered Democrats, and deepens a rift between Texas' largest city and state Republican leaders. It is unclear what changes the new board will make, who will be appointed, or what impact the takeover will have on the district's students and staff.
Make America Great Again Inc., a super PAC closely aligned with former President Donald Trump, has filed a 15-page complaint with the Florida Commission on Ethics accusing Governor Ron DeSantis of running a "shadow presidential campaign" while in office. The complaint alleges that DeSantis is a de facto candidate for president while also serving as governor, and should have to resign under a state law that prohibits people from holding elected office while seeking another. Trump acknowledged earlier this week that DeSantis is "probably" his biggest challenger in the presidential primary, and the investigation will likely have a major impact on the political landscape in the coming months.
Rep. Anthony D'Esposito (R-NY) has announced that he would not support Rep. George Santos' (R-NY) potential candidacy in 2024, as federal and state investigators are probing Santos' role in the sale of a $19 million yacht involving two of his wealthy donors. Santos recently filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission signaling that he may be considering running for another term in Congress, but the Nassau County Republican Committee is not in support of his potential candidacy. It remains to be seen if Santos will decide to run for Congress again in 2024 and how the investigations into his finances will affect his campaign.
Customers have been transferring their funds to larger banks in the wake of two high-profile bank failures, with Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citigroup seeing significant increases in deposits. President Biden has reassured consumers that the banking system is safe, but experts recommend diversifying funds by maintaining multiple accounts across FDIC-insured banks to protect them.
A federal judge in Texas heard arguments Wednesday in a case that could potentially threaten the most common form of abortion in the United States. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk heard arguments from the Alliance Defending Freedom lawyers to revoke or suspend the approval of the abortion medication mifepristone, which has been used by millions of American women for over two decades. Judge Kacsmaryk did not issue a ruling Wednesday, but the outcome of the case could have far-reaching implications for women’s reproductive rights in the United States.
Stormy Daniels, an adult film actor, met with prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office to discuss an alleged "hush money" payment made to her on behalf of former President Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign. Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, is giving testimony before a New York grand jury looking into the matter. Daniels is cooperating with the investigation and has expressed appreciation for the thoroughness and professionalism of the prosecutors.
Exiled Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui has been arrested by federal authorities in New York on charges of fraud and money laundering. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York alleges that Guo and an associate created a series of fraudulent businesses worth $1 billion, and the FBI is currently executing a search warrant at Guo's residence. This case is part of the U.S. government's efforts to combat financial crimes, particularly those committed by Chinese nationals.