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TikTok and content creators challenging Montana’s ban face off with the state in federal court

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — TikTok and Montana faced off in federal court on Thursday in a case filed by the video sharing app and five Montana content creators who want the court to temporarily block the state’s ban on the platform before it takes effect Jan. 1. Attorneys for TikTok and the content creators argued that the state has gone “completely overboard” in trying to regulate TikTok and is essentially trying to implement its own foreign policy over unproven concerns that TikTok might share user data with the Chinese government. Christian Corrigan, the state’s solicitor general, said Montana’s law was less a statement of foreign policy and rather addresses “serious, widespread concerns about data privacy.”U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy said he would rule on the motion for a preliminary injunction as quickly as possible.In May, Montana became the first state in the U.S. to pass a complete ban on the app, based on the argument that the Chinese government could gain access to user ...

‘Ready to hit the ground running’: Caps goalie more comfortable in 2nd year in Washington

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

“Do your job.”This simple phrase has become the mantra of the Washington Commanders’ season, with head coach Ron Rivera taking a page out of Ted Lasso’s book and hanging a sign reading “DO YOUR JOB.” inside the team’s locker room.But could it be the motto for the Washington Capitals, too?As the Caps prepare to start their season against the Pittsburgh Penguins Friday night, goalie Darcy Kuemper said the message carries over to the ice.“I think there’s a lot of wisdom behind that,” he said during an interview on WTOP Thursday. “It takes a full team to go out and win, but for that to be possible, each player has to do their part and I think that’s what they’re trying to get at with that.”Going into his second season in Washington, Kuemper said he feels like he’s able to better focus on doing his job. The 32-year-old netminder signed a five-year deal with Washington as a free agent ahead of last y...

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to visit Israel on Friday to show support, discuss military aid after Hamas attack

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to visit Israel on Friday to show support, discuss military aid after Hamas attack.Source

NFL appeal in Jon Gruden emails lawsuit gets Nevada Supreme Court hearing date

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Nevada Supreme Court plans to soon hear the NFL’s appeal of a ruling denying a request to move former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden’s lawsuit against the league from a public courtroom into closed-door arbitration. The lawsuit, filed in November 2021, accuses the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell of a “malicious and orchestrated campaign” to force Gruden to resign as the Raiders’ head coach by leaking racist, sexist and homophobic emails that no one disputes Gruden sent.The court posted a notice Wednesday scheduling oral arguments on Nov. 7 in Las Vegas.Attorneys for Gruden, the NFL and Goodell and a league representative did not respond to email messages Thursday about the hearing.The league wants the state high court to reverse a state court judge’s decisions in May 2022 not to dismiss Gruden’s lawsuit outright or order out-of-court talks that could be overseen by Goodell.Gruden’s emails went to former Washington Commanders executive Br...

US and Qatar agree to prevent disbursal of recently unfrozen Iranian funds as Israel-Hamas war rages

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and Qatar have reached an agreement that the Qataris will not act on any request from Tehran for the time being to access $6 billion in Iranian funds that were unblocked as part of a prisoner swap last month, a U.S. official said Thursday.The move, which stops short of a full refreezing of Iranian funds in Qatar’s banking system, follows the deadly attacks by Hamas on Israel and continued Republican criticism of the Biden administration’s deal with Iran, in which $6 billion was unfrozen in exchange for the release of five detained Americans. The official who outlined the understanding between the U.S. and Qatar was not authorized to comment and spoke on condition of anonymity.U.S. officials have strenuously pushed back against the criticism, noting that the money had yet to be spent by Iran and can only be used for humanitarian needs.“None of the funds that have now gone to Qatar have actually been spent or accessed in any way by Iran,” Secretary of ...

A woman accused of killing an elite cyclist attempted to escape custody, sheriff’s office says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

(CNN) — The woman who authorities say fled to Costa Rica and was missing for more than a month after allegedly killing an elite professional cyclist in Texas attempted to escape custody on Wednesday, authorities said.Kaitlin Marie Armstrong is accused of fatally shooting Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson at an Austin home in May 2022 and was captured in Costa Rica on June 29, 2022, authorities said. She was deported to the US days later to face a first-degree murder charge according to the US Marshals Office. She has pleaded not guilty.On Wednesday morning, Armstrong was taken to a doctor’s appointment by corrections staff in Texas, a spokesperson with the Travis County Sheriff’s Office told CNN.“As she and two corrections officers were exiting the medical building after the appointment, Armstrong ran,” spokesperson Drew Knight said. “The officers pursued her on foot for approximately 10 minutes without ever losing sight of her.”Armstrong was captured and taken to a local hospital, Knight sai...

EU starts probe into Musk’s X over Hamas content

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

European Union officials started an investigation against X on Thursday to determine if the website failed to comply with the EU’s new Big Tech regulation, the Digital Services Act (DSA) by letting graphic illegal content and disinformation linked to Hamas’ attack on Israel run rampant.The Commission sent X — the platform formerly known as Twitter and acquired by entrepreneur Elon Musk last year — a formal request for information about how it has been handling problematic content on the platform. The request is a preliminary step to launch a formal probe that could lead to fines being imposed on social media totalling up to 6 percent of a company’s global revenue. It’s the first time the European Union executive has taken this step.X has until October 18 to explain its crisis response to online terrorist propaganda and other violent and false content related to Hamas’ attacks on Israeli communities; it has until October 31 to provide details on other co...

Names and faces of Harvard students linked to an anti-Israel statement were plastered on mobile billboards and online sites

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

New York (CNN) — A billboard truck drove near Harvard’s campus Wednesday displaying the names and photos of Harvard students whose organizations signed a statement blaming solely Israel for the deadly attacks by Hamas.The “doxxing truck” appeared days after the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups, a coalition of Harvard student groups, earlier this week released a statement that held “the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence,” following the attacks by Hamas that have killed more than 1,200 Israelis and more than 25 American citizens. More than 1,400 in Gaza have also been killed since Israel started strikes on Gaza following the deadly Hamas attack.Some students and their groups have since distanced themselves or withdrawn their endorsements from the statement amid an intense backlash inside and outside of Harvard. Several said they did not read the statement before they signed it.A conservative nonprofit said it organized the truck featuring...

Crews assist driver who allegedly fled accident and ended up in Newton pond

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

Police in Newton say crews were able to extract a driver from a pond after their car ended up in the water while allegedly fleeing the scene of a crash.The rescue occurred after crews were called to the pond in front of city hall around 10:30 a.m., off of Commonwealth Avenue and Walnut Street, according to the Newton Police Department.Newton PD said members of the Newton Fire Department were able to get at the driver, who was not injured and was the only person inside the vehicle.SKY7-HD later flew over the scene and spotted a white sedan submerged in the pond, with water up to its windows. A ladder could also be seen stretching from the nearby ground to the car’s hood.According to police, before taking on water, the driver of the sedan was allegedly involved in a crash near 704 Walnut St., where they allegedly hit the rear of a vehicle.Citing a witness, the police department said the driver then allegedly “travelled at a high rate of speed in reverse on Walnut Street,&#...

Ticker: Social Security payments to go up 3.2%;  Mortgage rates up again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:13:52 GMT

Millions of Social Security recipients will get a 3.2% increase in their benefits in 2024, far less than this year’s historic boost and reflecting moderating consumer prices.The cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, means the average recipient will receive more than $50 more every month beginning in January, the Social Security Administration said Thursday. The AARP estimated that increase at $59 per month.“This will help millions of people keep up with expenses,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Social Security’s acting commissioner.Thursday’s announcement follows this year’s 8.7% benefit increase, brought on by record 40-year-high inflation, which pushed up the price of consumer goods. With inflation easing, the next annual increase is markedly smaller.Mortgage rates up againHome loan borrowing costs rose for the fifth straight week, keeping the average long-term U.S. mortgage rate at its highest level in more than two decades and taking another bite out of prospective homebuyers&#...