WASHINGTON — The Biden administration recently told TikTok that it wanted the app’s Chinese owners to sell the app or face a possible ban in the United States. But that plan hit a roadblock on Thursday, when Beijing said it would oppose a sale.

The announcement scrambled the debate over the future of the app, leaving the White House with few if any clear options.

President Biden’s narrow menu now includes trying to ban the app — the other side of the administration’s threat. But that would be very difficult without congressional help. Or, experts said, he could try to push a sale anyway, through a government body that vets foreign companies, essentially daring Beijing to make good on its opposition.

“He has to make a choice: Does he want to have a confrontation with China over TikTok?” said James A. Lewis, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Robin DiAngelo, the author of the bestselling antiracist book, White Fragility, insisted that racial minorities should separate themselves from white Americans.

“People of color need to get away from White people and have some community with each other,” DiAngelo chuckled during a webinar entitled, “Racial Justice: The Next Frontier,” hosted on March 1.

Later on in the panel discussion, DiAngelo went on to suggest that people who do not concede to antiracist teachings do not belong in modern workforces.

“In 2023, we have to see the ability to engage in these conversations with some nuance and some skill as a basic qualification and if you can’t do that, you’re just simply not qualified in today’s workplace,” DiAngelo said as the panel of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultants nodded in agreement.

“What I want to do is create a culture that actually spits out those who are resistant,” DiAngelo added.

Democrats blasted the White House on Tuesday for reportedly considering reinstating a policy that would detain migrant families who cross the U.S. border illegally.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that she would not comment on a New York Times report that the administration was considering reviving a family detention policy, adding, “I’m not saying it’s being considered. ... I’m not saying it is not.”

Democrats have sounded the alarm over the idea, demanding the White House not reimplement a much-criticized policy Biden ended when he took office.

“I am disgusted and disappointed that our nation would ever consider reinstating a program that has been proven to cause harmful, long-term effects on migrant families, especially children, who have been forced to flee their home nations in search of freedom, safety, and democracy,” said Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-Fla.).

White House Press Sec. Karine Jean-Pierre does not deny the reporting that the Biden administration is considering bringing back the Trump policy of migrant family detention:

“I’m not saying it’s being considered … I’m not saying it is not.”

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—the federal initiative designed to help low-income Americans access more food—received a temporary boost in response to COVID-19 that is set to end on March 1. These pandemic-era SNAP benefits, known as emergency allotments (EA), are set to expire in 32 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Here’s what you need to know about the current state of SNAP benefits.

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As the U.S. Department of Agriculture explains, SNAP emergency allotments were a temporary strategy to help low-income homes deal with the pandemic. But with the passing of Congress’ $1.7 trillion omnibus package this year, all SNAP households’ benefits will return to normal amounts without the added supplement.

After 17 states already cut payments earlier this year, March 2023 will be the first month that all SNAP benefits will be at typical amounts nationwide. This means if you live in a state that has already ended emergency allotments, your benefits have already returned to normal amounts—you shouldn’t see another change from the recent law.

The end of pandemic-era EAs means every household will have their SNAP benefits cut by at least $90 to $95. (Households that receive lower benefits due to a higher income could see reductions of $250 a month or more.)

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If you receive SNAP benefits in any of the following states, expect reductions as of March 1.

Alabama
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Hawaii
Illinois
Kansas
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin

SNAP eligibility is determined by a few factors, so check in with your state if you think you might qualify for the program or to check what your typical benefit amounts will now be. For more, check out some of the unexpected things you can buy with SNAP.