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TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew: 3 things to know

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:58 GMT

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified Thursday at a congressional hearing over concerns about user data collected by the popular video-sharing app and potential Chinese spying.Under his helm, TikTok reached 150 million users in the U.S., the majority of them teens and young adults who are attracted to the app’s simple interface and addictive algorithm that serves up short videos on just about any imaginable topic.Lawmakers have said they’re worried about American data falling into the hands of the Chinese government and claim it threatens national security and user privacy and could be used to promote pro-Beijing propaganda and misinformation. Chew attempted to persuade lawmakers not to pursue a ban on the app or force Chinese parent company ByteDance to give up its ownership stake, testifying that TikTok prioritizes the safety of young users. He says the company plans to store all U.S. user data on servers maintained and owned by the software giant Oracle.Here’s a closer lo...

Trudeau stayed in $6,000 London hotel suite for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:58 GMT

OTTAWA — The Prime Minister’s Office says Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, stayed in a $6,000 per night hotel suite while attending the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II.The stay at the Corinthia London hotel became the subject of public debate last fall when media honed in on the details of the $400,000 trip, after obtaining documents through access-to-information requests.But Trudeau’s office and Global Affairs Canada did not respond to questions last month about who stayed in the expensive river suite, which features a butler service.Opposition MPs on the government operations committee asked for a copy of all receipts and invoices associated with the trip last month.In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office says hotel prices surged significantly ahead of the funeral, and many London hotels were sold out as 500 heads of state and their delegations descended on the city.The room was booked on Sept. 9, one day after the Queen’s death.In N...

New air taxi route could get you from O'Hare to Chicago's Near West Side in 10 minutes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:58 GMT

CHICAGO — United Airlines and Archer Aviation announced plans to launch an air taxi route to get people from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to the Near West Side in about 10 minutes. The two companies plan to start the service in 2025 between the airport and the Vertiport, a vertical aircraft take-off and landing facility Feds green light new O’Hare International terminal The companies said the early launch will focus on trunk routes, between the Vertiport and O'Hare, and eventually build branch routes to connect other communities."Both Archer and United are committed to decarbonizing air travel and leveraging innovative technologies to deliver on the promise of the electrification of the aviation industry,” Michael Leskinen, president of United Airlines Ventures, said in a release. “Once operational, we’re excited to offer our customers a more sustainable, convenient and cost-effective mode of transportation during their commutes to the airport.” Troubles continue for ...

Cloudy, rainy start to weekend around Chicago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:58 GMT

Thursday, March 23HIGH: 42 — LOW: 34Showery spells, especially in the morning. Perhaps a thunderstorm early in areas south of I-80. Noticeably cooler with nearly steady temperatures in the upper 30s and lower 40s. North to northeast winds 10-22 mph, some gusts.Thursday NightExtensive cloudiness lingers. Seasonably chilly. Low: 34.Friday, March 24HIGH: 43 — LOW: 36Considerable cloudiness, chilly for the season. Slight chance of a shower toward evening. High: 43/upper 30s near the lake.Friday NightChilly, raw with a cold rain developing. Precipitation may mix with or change to wet snow toward morning in areas northwest of Chicago. Low: 35.Saturday, March 25HIGH: 40 — LOW: 30Wintry gray skies. Cold rain or mixed precipitation briefly changes to wet snow. Some minor slushy accumulation possible, especially normally colder outdoor surfaces. A chilly high near 40 which is more typical of late February than late March.Saturday NightPartly cloudy, colder. Low around 30, some 20s chillier in...

Illinois' community colleges see enrollment growth

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:58 GMT

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Enrollment at some community colleges in Illinois have returned to pre-pandemic levels.The Illinois Community College System had its largest enrollment growth in almost 15 years. This semester saw an increase of 7.2% compared to last spring. Chicago suburb tops ‘Best Places to Live in Illinois’ list It is the second consecutive year that those numbers have gone up.Illinois has the third largest community college system in the country.

Arby's co-founder Leroy Raffel dies at 96, chain announces

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:58 GMT

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — One of the founders of Arby's has died. The restaurant chain announced the death of Leroy Raffel, 96, on its Facebook page Thursday.While details regarding Raffel's death weren't immediately available, an obituary for the Ohio native says he passed away peacefully at his home. Raffel was an active member in the Jewish community, according to his obituary, and his family has asked for contributions in memory of him to be made to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. In a statement Thursday, Arby's President Jim Taylor said the restaurant chain will make a donation to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation in Leroy's name. Leroy and his brother, Forrest, founded Arby's in 1964. The "RB" in the name is a nod to the Raffel brothers. Forrest died in 2008, according to WFMJ. Report: Browns running back leaving Cleveland The first restaurant actually opened along US-224 in Boardman, Ohio. It had 10 seats and only about 20 parking spots outside. The restaurant was di...

Environmentalists sue largest coal plant in Illinois

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:58 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) -- Illinois environmentalists are suing the owners of the state's largest coal plant for violating the Clean Air Act.Representatives of the Sierra Club allege the Prairie State Energy Campus has not received necessary governmental operating permits from the Illinois EPA for emissions testing. Without the permits, local residents would not be warned when pollution levels from the plant exceed certain thresholds, the group argued. ‘A true toxicant’: Oil refinery dumps tons of polluted wastewater into Lake Michigan "The purpose of this litigation is to ensure Prairie State is subject to the most up to date pollution controls, control rules, and that the people of Illinois who breathe in the pollution emitted by Prairie State have access to the information they need to enforce limits at the plant," Megan Wachspress, a staff attorney for the Sierra Club's Environmental Law Program, said Wednesday.Prairie State's campus is located in the Metro East area in Maris...

Iowa governor signs transgender bathroom bill, bans gender-affirming care for youth

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:58 GMT

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) on Wednesday signed into law two bills that will restrict the rights of transgender young people in the state.One of them, Senate File 538, prohibits doctors from providing gender-affirming health care, including puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries, to transgender minors. The other, Senate File 482, bars transgender students from using school restrooms or locker rooms that are consistent with their gender identity.Both laws are effective immediately, although health care providers who are already administering gender-affirming health care to minor patients will have 180 days before they are forced to end treatment.Reynolds has not issued a comment or statement on either measure but said during a press conference on Tuesday that she backed the legislature’s proposal to ban gender-affirming health care for youths, citing a need for research studying the long-term effects of certain medications and procedures.“We need to just pause; we need to understand...

Severe storm threat in the Hill Country overnight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- We are watching the Hill Country between 3-6 a.m. for the potential of severe thunderstorms with wind and hail damage. The rest of us can expect mainly rain showers with an isolated non-severe thunderstorm early Friday.Gusty winds are funneling into the area ahead of the storm threat overnight. There is a marginal threat of severe storms overnight in the Hill Country, and the same minor threat northeast of Austin during the daytime Friday.Severe storm risk overnightSevere storm risk FridayBetween 3-6 a.m., we expect a broken line of strong to severe thunderstorms in the Hill Country. This is where we are most concerned with severe weather, so keep your phone with KXAN Weather App downloaded by the bedside.Forecast radar at 4 a.m. with severe storms possible in the Hill CountryThough storms may be strong in the Hill Country, those storms are expected to miss the Austin metro area. Later Friday morning through midday, Austin and areas eastward can expect a non-severe ...

Anonymous donor offers $5K reward for December burglary suspects

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:58 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for March 23, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — An "anonymous donor" is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of burglary suspects, on top of a $1,000 Crime Stoppers award, according to the Austin Police Department.APD is searching for three people who it believes stole "several valuable items" and credit cards which were later used.The burglary happened sometime between 10:45 p.m. and 5 a.m. Dec. 15, in the 9500 block of Hansford Drive, which is in north Austin, north of Rundberg Lane.The suspects are described as:Black/Hispanic man in his late 20s or early 30s, about 5'10" and 175 pounds and with a short beard and mustace and close-cropped hairHispanic woman in her early 20s, about 5'03" and 125 poundsHispanic man in his mid-30s, 5'8" and 180 poundsAPD shared photos of Dec. 15, 2022 burglary suspects (Austin Police Department Photo)APD shared photos of Dec. 15, 2022 burglary suspects (Austin Police De...