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TikTok Access Restored In United States TikTok Access Restored In United States
TikTok Access Restored In United States Americans regained access to TikTok after a 14-hour ban left the popular app unavailable. As of Sunday, Jan. 19, it remained unclear why the app was once again operational in the United States. The Supreme Court had previously upheld a ruling to enforce the ban, citing national security concerns linked to TikTok’s Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance. President Trump reportedly said he planned on issuing an executive order giving ByteDance more time to sell the video-sharing platform.

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by Cecilia Levine
Politics
Trump Unveils Plan For TikTok After App Used By 170M Americans Goes Dark Trump Unveils Plan For TikTok After App Used By 170M Americans Goes Dark
Trump Unveils Plan For TikTok After App Used By 170M Americans Goes Dark President-elect Donald J. Trump announced Sunday, Jan. 19, that he plans to issue an executive order to delay the federal ban on TikTok, just hours after the app went dark for 170 million US users. UPDATE: TikTok Access Restored After 14 Hours In United States The popular social media platform ceased operations late Saturday, Jan. 18, as a federal law requiring its sale or ban took effect.  The legislation passed last year by Congress amid concerns over TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, raised fears that the app could enable data collection or propaganda by the Chinese gover…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban: How The App Could Survive In The U.S. Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban: How The App Could Survive In The U.S.
Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban: How The App Could Survive In The U.S. The Supreme Court has upheld a new law that could ban TikTok in the U.S. unless its Chinese parent company divests from the very popular video-sharing social media app. The justices said the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" doesn't violate the First Amendment, according to the court's decision on Friday, Jan. 17. The ruling allows for TikTok to potentially be banned in the U.S. as early as Sunday, Jan. 19. TikTok, which has more than 170 million users in the U.S., has come under scrutiny over fears that ByteDance could allow the Chinese gov…

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by Chris Spiker
News
TikTok Ban: Fate Of Video App Unclear As Deadline For Chinese Parent Company To Divest Looms TikTok Ban: Fate Of Video App Unclear As Deadline For Chinese Parent Company To Divest Looms
TikTok Ban: Fate Of Video App Unclear As Deadline For Chinese Parent Company To Divest Looms The future of TikTok in the United States is facing a critical juncture as the Supreme Court deliberates on whether to delay a looming ban on the popular video-sharing app. On Friday morning, Jan. 10, the Court heard oral arguments regarding the Biden administration's law requiring TikTok's parent company, ByteDance to separate from TikTok, and whether or not it's in violation of the First Amendment. ByteDance, which is headquartered in China, has until Jan. 19 to separate from the video-sharing app under the law passed last year over national security concerns. Noel Francisco argued on be…

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by Cecilia Levine
Politics
Trump Eyes US Expansion Of Canada, Greenland, Panama Canal, New 'Gulf Of America' Trump Eyes US Expansion Of Canada, Greenland, Panama Canal, New 'Gulf Of America'
Trump Eyes US Expansion Of Canada, Greenland, Panama Canal, New 'Gulf Of America' President-elect Donald Trump unveiled sweeping plans for US territorial expansion in the Western Hemisphere during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach, Florida.  He refused to rule out military action to retake the Panama Canal, proposed the acquisition of Greenland, and suggested economic measures to incorporate Canada into the United States. Leaders in all three countries swiftly condemned the remarks. The remarks came during a news conference on Tuesday, Jan. 7, where Trump covered a wide range of topics, including his plans to reshape American energy pol…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Former Gov. Larry Hogan Shares Mysterious Video Of Possible 'Drones' Outside Maryland Home Former Gov. Larry Hogan Shares Mysterious Video Of Possible 'Drones' Outside Maryland Home
Former Gov. Larry Hogan Shares Mysterious Video Of Possible 'Drones' Outside Maryland Home It's a bird... It's a plane... It's a drone? Maybe?  Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is the latest to throw out thoughts about the plague of drones that have been spotted across the East Coast in recent weeks. Hogan fanned the flames of speculation recently after sharing a curious nearly two-minute video of what he believed to be drones in the area, though he cautioned that he was no expert in the matter in a social media post that garnered nearly 4.5 million views. Last night, beginning at around 9:45 pm, I personally witnessed (and videoed) what appeared to be dozens of large dr…

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by Zak Failla
News
Drone Sightings Spark Security Concerns In Maryland Drone Sightings Spark Security Concerns In Maryland
Drone Sightings Spark Security Concerns In Maryland Authorities along the East Coast are grappling with a surge in drone sightings, raising security concerns and prompting high-level responses. In New Jersey, residents have reported numerous drone sightings since mid-November, particularly in Morris and Somerset counties, and more than a dozen mayors are calling for investigations. Gov. Phil Murphy is urging residents to report suspicious drone activity to law enforcement and emphasizing the state's commitment to public safety.  "We are actively monitoring the situation and in close coordination with our federal and law enforcement par…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
'Radical' Ex-Con Sentenced For Plotting To Destroy Power Grids Across Maryland: Feds 'Radical' Ex-Con Sentenced For Plotting To Destroy Power Grids Across Maryland: Feds
'Radical' Ex-Con Sentenced For Plotting To Destroy Power Grids Across Maryland: Feds The Maryland woman who sought to “completely destroy” Baltimore with a neo-Nazi in Florida will spend years behind bars after admitting to planning to damage electrical facilities, federal authorities announced. Catonsville's Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 34, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, May 14 to conspiring to disable the facilities and for being a felon in possession of a firearm following a scheme she planned with 27-year-old Orlando resident Brandon Clint Russell, the US Justice Department said. Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Destroy The Baltimore Region Power Gr…

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by Zak Failla
News
FBI Investigators In Maryland Offer $10M Reward For Info On Russian Hacker Targeting Ukraine FBI Investigators In Maryland Offer $10M Reward For Info On Russian Hacker Targeting Ukraine
FBI Investigators In Maryland Offer $10M Reward For Info On Russian Hacker Targeting Ukraine A massive reward has been offered by federal authorities in Maryland as they attempt to track down a man wanted for cyberattacks targeting Ukraine.  On Wednesday, June 26, a $10 million reward was offered by the FBI, which is looking to arrest 22-year-old Amin Timovich Stigal, who is among the agency's most wanted.  According to the feds, Stigal is wanted for his alleged involvement in criminal cyber activities between August of 2021 and February of 2022, during which he conspired to commit computer intrusions targeting Ukrainian critical infrastructure. “Amin Timo…

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by Zak Failla
News
Maryland Woman, Neo-Nazi From Florida Plotted To 'Completely Destroy' Baltimore: DOJ Maryland Woman, Neo-Nazi From Florida Plotted To 'Completely Destroy' Baltimore: DOJ
Maryland Woman, Neo-Nazi From Florida Plotted To 'Completely Destroy' Baltimore: DOJ Federal officials say that a Catonsville woman and a Neo-Nazi man in Florida conspired to disrupt an energy facility in Maryland in furtherance of their violent extremist beliefs. Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 34, and Orlando resident Brandon Clint Russell, 27, are facing federal charges for coming up with an elaborate plan to “completely destroy the city,” in a move that threatened thousands in Maryland, according to the Department of Justice. “This alleged planned attack threatened lives and would have left thousands of Marylanders in the cold and dark,” Maryland US Attorney Erek L. Barron said…

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by Zak Failla
News
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan Orders TikTok Ban For Government Employees Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan Orders TikTok Ban For Government Employees
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan Orders TikTok Ban For Government Employees Outgoing Gov. Larry Hogan is taking steps to ensure that there will be no TikToking coming out of the Maryland State House anytime soon. Hogan announced on Tuesday, Dec. 6 that the state is issuing an emergency cybersecurity directive that will prohibit the use of certain Chinese and Russian-influenced products and platforms - including TikTok - in the state's executive branch. “These entities present an unacceptable level of cybersecurity risk to the state, and may be involved in activities such as cyber-espionage, surveillance of government entities, and inappropriate collection of sensi…

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by Zak Failla
News
Navy Engineer, Wife Sentenced For Trying To Sell American Submarine Secrets For Crypto: Feds Navy Engineer, Wife Sentenced For Trying To Sell American Submarine Secrets For Crypto: Feds
Navy Engineer, Wife Sentenced For Trying To Sell American Submarine Secrets For Crypto: Feds The wife of a former Navy engineer who worked with her husband and attempted to sell American secrets to a foreign country to an undercover operative got a longer sentence than her husband, federal officials announced on Wednesday, Nov. 9. Diana Toebbe, 46, of Annapolis, and husband Jonathan Toebbe, 44, serviced three “dead-drops," which were picked up by undercover FBI agents during a year-long sting operation, federal prosecutors said, leading to lengthy prison terms for both. On Wednesday, Jonathan Toebbe received a sentence of 232 months - more than 19 years - in prison, while his wife…

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by Zak Failla