The US House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday to approve a bill that would compel TikTok to divest from its Chinese owner or face a ban in the United States.

In a display of rare bipartisan unity in politically divided Washington, 352 lawmakers voted in favour of the proposed law, while 65 voted against it.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise praised the passage of the TikTok bill and dismissed concerns that targeting the popular app could have negative repercussions for Republicans in the upcoming November elections.

Scalise emphasised the need to protect young users from potential data risks posed by the app, stating that the bill would provide additional layers of security for families and youth.

He expressed confidence that the strong support for the legislation in the House would facilitate its passage in the Senate. However, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has not yet committed to considering the House’s version of the bill.

Scalise indicated that discussions with several senators have shown interest in the bill, particularly noting the bipartisan support it received in the House.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Friday said that the late Iyalode of Yoruba land, Chief Mrs. Alaba Lawson left a legacy that would be a reference and an inspiration to generations yet unborn.
Abiodun stated this at the funeral and outing service held at the African Church, Cathedral of St. James, Idi-Ape, Ago-Oko, Abeokuta, even as he noted that the late educationist life and times are inspiring narrative of great accomplishments.
According to the governor, as the first female president of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), former Chairman, Board of Governing Council, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Fellow and Council Member, Institute of Directors, Chairman Board of Trustees, Nigerian Quality Infrastructure Forum, among others, the deceased dedicated her life to serving the nation, Ogun State and the society at large.
He added that her accomplishments are extraordinary and challenging to replicate.
The governor said: “Chief Alaba Lawson was a woman of remarkable achievements, leaving indelible marks and lasting impact, not just in our dear State, but throughout the entire country. A great philanthropist who garnered numerous accolades throughout her life time and her contributions to the society were immense.
“The Lawson family of Abeokuta has lost a true gem, and the Association of Academics in Nigeria mourns the loss of a distinguished member with exceptional intelligence. Her eventful life will continue to inspire many especially the younger generation.”
He described the late Alaba Lawson as the cultural ambassador who held on to her root by promoting the cultural values and the Adire fabrics wherever she went, adding that as an advocate of women rights, she was fearless and tireless and was always ready to sacrifice for the benefit of the society.
Mrs. Lawson, the governor emphasized, was a loving mother to her children and those of others, saying she lived an impactful life, and was a strong supporter of the present administration, assuring that his administration would do the needful to sustain her legacy.
“We as government, we will do the needful in sustaining your legacy. Let me assure you that we will continue to ensure that we sustain the legacy of our own dear Iyalode Oluwaseun Alaba Lawson,” Prince Abiodun said.
In his sermon, the Primate, African Church, His Eminence Julius Olayinka Abbe, said the late Alaba Lawson lived an impactful life as she was kind and generous to the people, the church and the society.
Iyalode Lawson, according to the Primate, was a defender to the defenceless, a reliable and worthy mother who was not only interested in the welfare of her biological children, but to anyone who crossed her path during her life time.
Taking his text from the Book of Matthew 5 verse 8, the Cleric decried the attitude of some wealthy individuals who care less about the well-being of others, noting that late Alaba Lawson, apart from being a well known educationist, an industrialist with wide network of connections, was a beacon of hope.
He added that her death has created a big vaccum that would be difficult to fill.
He called on the wealthy and those in authority, to work towards alleviating the sufferings in the land brought about by the removal of subsidy on petroleum products, saying many people are struggling to survive due to the hardship.
The service had in attendance the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and his wife, Chief (Mrs) Bola Obasanjo; former Governor of the state, Ibikunle Amosun his wife, Olufunso; the wife of the Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, amongst others.

Elon Musk took control of Twitter and fired its top executives late Thursday in a deal that puts one of the leading platforms for global discourse in the hands of the world’s richest man.

Following the takeover, Musk tweeted that the “the bird is freed,” referencing the company’s iconic avian logo.

He wasted no time sacking chief executive Parag Agrawal, as well as the company’s chief financial officer and its head of safety, the Washington Post and CNBC reported citing unnamed sources.

Agrawal previously went to court to hold the Tesla chief to the terms of a deal he had tried to escape.

The takeover came hours before the court-appointed deadline for Musk to seal his on-again, off-again deal to purchase the social media network.

Musk tweeted earlier in the day that he was buying Twitter “because it is important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner.”

Twitter did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the departure of its top executives, but the platform’s co-founder Biz Stone thanked the trio — Agrawal, Ned Segal and Vijaya Gadde — for their “collective contribution to Twitter.”

“Massive talents, all, and beautiful humans each.”

‘Chief Twit’

The closure of the deal marks the culmination of a long and drawn out back-and-forth between the billionaire and the social network.

Musk tried to step back from the Twitter deal soon after his unsolicited offer was accepted in April, and said in July he was canceling the contract because he was misled by Twitter over the number of fake “bot” accounts — allegations rejected by the company.

Twitter, in turn, sought to prove Musk was contriving excuses to walk away simply because he changed his mind.

After Musk sought to terminate the sale, Twitter filed a lawsuit to hold Musk to the agreement.

With a trial looming, the unpredictable billionaire capitulated and revived his takeover plan.

Musk signaled the deal was on track this week by changing his Twitter profile to “Chief Twit” and posting a video of himself walking into the company’s California headquarters carrying a sink.

“Let that sink in!” he quipped.

He even shared a picture of himself socializing at a coffee bar at Twitter headquarters earlier in the day Thursday.

Musk said during a recent Tesla earnings call that he was “excited” about the Twitter deal even though he and investors are “overpaying.”

Twitter free-for-all?

Some employees who would prefer not to work for Musk have already left, said a worker who asked to remain anonymous in order to speak more freely.

“But a portion of people, including me, are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for now,” the employee said.

The idea of Musk running Twitter has alarmed activists who fear a surge in harassment and misinformation, with Musk himself known for trolling other Twitter users.

But Musk said he realizes Twitter “cannot become a free-for-all hellscape where anything can be said with no consequences.”

Musk has vowed to dial content moderation back to a bare minimum, and is expected to clear the way for former US president Donald Trump to return to the platform.

The then-president was blocked due to concerns he would ignite more violence like the deadly attack on the Capitol in Washington to overturn his election loss.

Far-right users were quick to rejoice on the network, posting comments such as “masks don’t work” and other taunts, under the belief that moderation rules will now be relaxed.

“Free speech will always prevail,” tweeted Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, prompting replies including “says the party that bans books.”