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United States House Of Representatives Votes 360 To 58 For Bill To Ban TikTok Over Ties With China, Senate Nod Next

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United States House of Representatives votes 360 to 58 for Bill to ban TikTok over ties with China, Senate nod next.

The clock for TikTok to divest from Chinese parent company ByteDance or face a nationwide ban in the United States has started ticking, with the United States House of Representatives voting 360 to 58 in favor of the revised divest-or-ban legislation on TikTok on April 20.

The bill, if passed by the Senate and signed by Biden, will leave TikTok with no other option but to divest from its Chinese parent company or face a ban in the US, where it has around 170 million users.

The passage of the bill by the US House of Representatives on April 20 will be a historical occasion since it is the first time that a bill has been passed which could shut down an entire social media platform.

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The bill is likely to be placed before the Senate in the coming weeks, and President Biden has already said that he will sign the bill if it is passed by the Senate, which will make the legislation a law.

The bill is the brainchild of Texas Republican representative Michael McCaul, who is well known for his hard stance and has said that the bill seeks to shield Americans, particularly kids, from the toxic influence of Chinese propaganda.

Michael McCaul said, “This bill protects Americans and especially America’s children from the malign influence of Chinese propaganda on the app TikTok. This app is a spy balloon in Americans’ phones.”

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The bill was modified after a suggestion by Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell in March to revise certain provisions, like extending the divestment period from TikTok’s parent company ByteDance from six months to a year. The extension was necessary to ensure that the new buyer has enough time to conclude the deal.

Also Read: Mother Warns Other Parents Online After Her Kid Fall Sick Due To The TikTok Chroming Challenge

TikTok’s US Legal Executive Shown The Way Out

The latest passage of the bill has led to the axing of the key executive tasked with addressing US government apprehensions regarding its ties to China. The US-based general counsel for TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance, Erich Andersen, was in the forefront of negotiations with US authorities over several years. TikTok was trying to allay fears that the American users’ data could be utilized by China to influence American opinion, especially with the US Presidential Elections due in November 2024.

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Concerns and Responses

TikTok has been banned in many countries like India amid fears that the social media parent company is based in mainland China and could feature elements from the Chinese Communist Party. The charges have been vehemently denied by the social media platforms and said that it is committed to its independence and user privacy.

Also Read: TikTok Standard Test Meaning, Here’s What The Matchmaking AI Is All About

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Manoj Nair: With a decade of news writing across various media platforms, Manoj is a seasoned professional. His dual role as an English teacher underscores his command over communication. He adeptly covers Politics, Technology, Crypto, and more, reflecting a broad and insightful perspective that engages and informs diverse audiences.

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Heather Pressdee, The Pennsylvania Nurse Connected To The Deaths Of 17 Patients Sentenced To Hundreds Of Years In Prison

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Heather Pressdee, the Pennsylvania nurse connected to the deaths of 17 patients will be spending the rest of her life in prison. The 41 year old nurse had pleaded guilty for three counts of 1st-degree murder and other charges and this helped her avoid the death sentence.

Heather Pressdee while working as a nurse had administered lethal doses of insulin leading to the death of 17 patients had pleaded guilty in a Butler County courtroom to three counts of first-degree murder and 19 counts of criminal attempt to commit murder. Heather Pressdee was working as a nurse at Quality Life Services before her arrest in May 2023.

Investigations revealed that Pressdee’s killing spree began in 2020 when she started administering “lethal and potentially lethal doses of insulin” to at least 22 patients at facilities in Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler and Westmoreland counties. Of these 17 patients died soon or after some time after receiving the insulin doses according to prosecution.

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Heather Pressdee will be serving three consecutive life sentences after pleading to the three counts of first-degree murder. She is also sentenced an additional 380 to 760 years of consecutive jail terms after being found guilty for 19 counts of criminal attempt to commit murder, according to prosecutors.

Attorney General Michelle Henry said, “The defendant used her position of trust as a means to poison patients who depended on her for care. This plea and life sentence will not bring back the lives lost, but it will ensure Heather Pressdee never has another opportunity to inflict further harm. I offer my sincere sympathy to all who have suffered at this defendant’s hands.”

Kings of Pressdee’s victims who were present at the nurse’s sentencing hearing recounted the “pain and anguish caused by learning their loved one’s death was not natural, but was caused by a criminal act,”

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Sister of one of the victims, Nicholas Cymbol, Melinda Brown said that the nurse was pure evil. She added that this is not complete justice and justice will be delivered when she meets her maker. Daughter of another victim Irene Simons said that she will never forgive Pressdee. She added that she is angry because Pressdee disguised herself as a caring nurse and she tried to play God and take the life of someone from the world that she had no right to take.

Attorney General Michelle Henry first became aware of Pressdee’s crimes when her office received a referral in late 2022 regarding a patient under the nurse’s care. A thorough investigation was launched which revealed the full extent of Pressdee’s horrific actions.

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‘Dad’ of Wally, the missing pet support alligator, makes emotional plea for his return on TikTok

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A man living in the city of Brunswick on Georgia’s southeast coast is devastated after his pet alligator was stolen from his home on April 21, 2024. In an emotional video which was posted on TikTok the man who was crying said that he is the dad of Wallygator (the name of the pet alligator) and appealed to the public for help to bring his pet back home.

It has been almost 11 days since Wally the pet support alligator was reportedly kidnapped and stolen in Georgia. The Walygator disappeared from his home on April 21 when his handler Joie Henney was visiting friends.

The owner of the alligator in a video posted on TikTok through tears said, “I’m Wallygator’s dad. We need all the help we can get to bring my baby back. Please, we need your help.”

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The owner is also offering a reward for the safe return of his pet and said that no questions will be asked.

The owner Joie Henney has two alligators as pets and lives in Strinestown. The alligator, which is said to be a 4-foot-long, nearly 60-pound, emotional support alligator lives in SpiriTrust Lutheran Village at Sprenkle Drive and a number of people come to have a glimpse of the reptile.

Henney also revealed that he is putting through a search party for Wally after a Georgia Department of Natural Resources official contacted him and informed him of the theft of his pet by someone who stole Wally with the intent of dropping him off in a resident’s yard “to terrorize them.” The residents called the authorities and the services of a trapper were called for who caught and released the reptile into a swamp. Henney posted on Facebook that Wally is unlikely to survive in the wild on his own.

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Who is Wallygator?

Wallygator is an eight year old emotional support animal and provided solace and comfort to people at nursing homes and baseball games. He was adopted by Henney when he was 1 year old in 2019. Henney revealed that the alligator was very docile and loved to be hugged and kissed by people. He was also fond of going for walks. The pet alligator also was very fond of adventures which included leashed park visits and supervised swimming stints. His frolics were often posted on social media where Wally has tens of thousands of followers.

The search for the missing alligator has also received support from the Gator boys who have joined efforts with other agencies that specialize in rescuing alligators.

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Dartmouth Jewish Studies HOD, Annelise Orleck Arrested; Video Surfaces 

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Dartmouth Jewish Studies HOD, Annelise Orleck Arrested; Video Surfaces 

Annelise Orleck, a professor of Dartmouth College, is all over the internet. She is the head of Jewish Studies at the institution. 

Annelise Orleck was arrested on Wednesday night during a pro-Palestinian protest on campus. Along with her, dozens of other professors were also arrested. Allegedly, they all showed up to support students. 

Recalling the incident, the 65-year-old stated that when police moved into the college on Wednesday night to arrest them, Dartmouth Green was unrecognizable. 

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Annelise said that when she was trying to protect students, her phone was snatched from her and she was knocked down. 

Annelise Orleck added that, in her entire career of being a professor at the college for decades, she had never witnessed anything like that. 

A video of this incident has gone viral all over social media platforms in which police officers can be spotted pushing her against the ground, and then they detain her.

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According to WMUR9, Orleck stated,

“I was mad because they had taken my phone, and I was mad because they just body-slammed me, and it hurt. And so, I went and said, ‘Give me back my phone’. I’m trying to get my phone back. I did. And, at that moment, three police lifted me up in the air, slammed me down onto the ground. I mean, I threw myself down onto the ground on my bad shoulder. And they said I was resisting arrest.”

The video of the 65-year-old that went viral was captured at the protest by news channels. 

She added,

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“And it’s really shameful in a sleepy little campus, in a rural area like Dartmouth, that they brought in this ridiculous show of arms and strength and violence.”

Who is Annelise Orleck?

As per womenalsoknowhistory.com, Annelise Orleck was born and brought up in Brooklyn. Currently, she resides with the journalist Alexis Jetter, her partner in Thetford Center, Vermont. 

At the college, the 65-year-old teaches Jewish Studies, Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies, and History. 

Moreover, she has been serving at Dartmouth for more than thirty years now. However, her bail condition states that she is banned from entering Dartmouth’s campus. 

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Annelise Orleck stated she sent some emails to the institution, but was left unanswered. She said that being a Jewish woman, she was quite worried about her safety, especially after Wednesday night’s police response.

Also Read: Christopher Bouie Jr Video: Minor Arrested For Sanford, Florida Shooting Leaving 10 Injured

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