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Ex-TikTok exec alleges in suit Beijing had access to data

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:11:57 GMT

A former executive fired from TikTok’s parent company ByteDance made a raft of accusations against the tech giant, including that it stole content from competitors like Instagram and Snapchat, and served as a “propaganda tool” for the Chinese government by suppressing or promoting content favorable to the country’s interests.The allegations were made in a complaint Friday by Yintao Yu, the head of engineering for ByteDance’s U.S. operations from August 2017 to November 2018, as part of a wrongful termination lawsuit filed earlier this month in San Francisco Superior Court. Yu claims he was fired for disclosing “wrongful conduct” he saw at the company.In the complaint, Yu alleges the Chinese government monitored ByteDance’s work from within its Beijing headquarters and provided guidance on advancing “core communist values.”Yu said government officials had the ability to turn off the Chinese version of ByteDance’s apps,...

Two decades later, David Miller’s 2003 win looms over Toronto mayoral race

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:11:57 GMT

The battle lines in Toronto’s upcoming mayoral race may feel familiar to some: A conservative has left office and a wide open race to replace him has taken shape. Candidates lament a city in disrepair and spar over the future of the waterfront.It all resembles 2003, city hall watchers say, when Toronto elected its first – and only – centre-left mayor since amalgamation in 1998.Not since David Miller left office in 2010 has a progressive candidate stood a better chance of winning the mayor’s seat, said Zack Taylor, political science professor at Western University. Progressives running this time can learn from Miller’s first successful campaign, Taylor added.Miller told The Canadian Press that he hears the echoes too.“There was a feeling that the city wasn’t investing in the priorities of the people,” Miller said of his 2003 run. “And I think there’s a parallel today. We do see a lot of services declining.”Miller’...

Election count shows Turkey’s Erdogan under threshold needed to avoid presidential election runoff

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:11:57 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Voter support for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dipped below the majority required to win reelection outright with the ballot count nearly completed Sunday, making a May 28 runoff presidential election more likely.With almost 91% of ballot boxes counted, Erdogan had 49.9% of the vote, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. His main challenger, opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, had 44.4% as the gap between the two shrank.Meanwhile, the opposition-leaning Anka news agency reported that with 95% of ballot boxes counted, Erdogan had 49% and Kilicdaroglu 45%. If neither candidate secures more than 50%, the two will compete in a run-off vote in two weeks. Turkey’s election authority, the Supreme Electoral Board, said it was providing numbers to competing political parties “instantly” but would not make the results public until the count was completed and finalized. Earlier Sunday, Anadolu and Anka provided different partial results from the cou...

Herders in Kenya kill 10 lions, including Loonkiito, one of the country’s oldest

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:11:57 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — One of Kenya’s oldest wild lions was killed by herders and the government has expressed concern as six more lions were speared at another village on Saturday, bringing to 10 the number killed last week alone.The male lion named Loonkiito was 19 years old and was described as frail by Kenya Wildlife Service spokesperson Paul Jinaro, who said it wandered out of the Amboseli national park into a village in search of food on Thursday night.Six other lions from the same national park were speared by herders after they killed 11 goats in Mbirikani area, Kajiado county. The deaths brought to 10 the number of lions killed by herders last week in escalated human-wildlife conflict that has worried the government.Tourism minister Peninah Malonza met locals in Mbirikani area on Sunday and urged them not to spear wandering lions and to instead reach out to the wildlife service.The government and conservation groups have a compensation program for herders whose livestock is ...

Minneapolis city council brawlers could be expelled from Minnesota Democratic Party

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:11:57 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Democratic Party will consider expelling anyone involved in a brawl that broke out over nominations for a Minneapolis City Council seat.At least two people were injured in Saturday’s confrontation. The head of the state Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, Chair Ken Martin, said on Twitter that he plans to call an emergency meeting later this week to consider banning anyone involved in the assaults from the DFL Party, an affiliate of the national Democratic Party.Video posted on social media showed the disturbance began after supporters of Minneapolis Council Member Aisha Chughtai took the stage, which caused an uproar among supporters of her challenger, Nasri Warsame. Some Warsame supporters then jumped on stage, shouting, banging on tables and waving signs.As supporters of both candidates pushed and shoved each other, a party official repeatedly banged a gavel and tried to quiet the crowd but was ignored.Convention chair Sam Doten called the behavior em...

Moment of silence, bell tolling for Buffalo supermarket mass shooting victims 1 year after massacre

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:11:57 GMT

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Standing in the same parking lot where he was shot in the neck a year ago in a racist attack at a Buffalo supermarket, Zaire Goodman said he was grateful to see the community come together in remembrance Sunday.His family and others affected by the mass shooting gathered with top state and local officials, first responders and religious leaders to remember the 10 people who were killed and three, including Goodman, who were wounded at Tops Friendly Market, which closed Sunday for the one-year anniversary of the shootings.Goodman, who worked at the store and was shot while collecting carts outside, has been back to the. market many times since, even visiting while it was being remodeled in the weeks after the massacre as some questioned whether it should ever reopen.“I just wanted to show people that it’s alright. We don’t need to close the store indefinitely,” he said. “We know the store is still important to people in this area.”Mayor Byron Brown read the 13 vi...

Student loan forgiveness: What to know as the Supreme Court mulls case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:11:57 GMT

(NEXSTAR) - Within the next month or so - but likely sooner - millions of federal student loan borrowers will know whether or not they’ll see thousands of dollars in debt erased from their accounts. The Supreme Court is expected to make a ruling in two cases that sought to halt President Joe Biden’s plan to forgive up to $20,000 in federal student loans for over 44 million Americans. As we get closer to the Supreme Court’s decision, here are four things to know.When will SCOTUS make their decision?While there is no firm answer to this as of yet, the decision is expected before the end of June. The Supreme Court typically releases major rulings in May or June. If SCOTUS rules in favor of student loan forgiveness, how many would receive relief?The White House has previously said that roughly 44 million Americans would benefit from Biden’s proposed student loan forgiveness.  $42B in student debt forgiven for public workers: How to qualify for the PSLF program Whil...

Austin mom welcomes baby days after wrapping breast cancer treatment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:11:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin mom has extra to celebrate this Mother's Day, just months after she successfully completed breast cancer treatment while pregnant with her second child.Emily Williams celebrated her 40th birthday last March and underwent her first routine mammogram, which came back clear. In May, she learned she was pregnant with her second child, after seven rounds of in vitro fertilization attempts. TRENDING NOW: San Antonio Zoo welcomes several baby endangered animals But come June 2022, she discovered a lump in her breast. After completing a biopsy, she was diagnosed with stage IIB breast cancer."It's almost like my happiness turned and went 180 [degrees]," she said. "Can I even keep this baby, after all that we went through? And so it was really — it was devastating to me."Austin resident Emily Williams has plenty to celebrate this Mother's Day, having given birth earlier this year to her second child just days after wrapping chemo treatment. (Courtesy: Cynthia Hamil...

Afternoon sun for mom before more rain Monday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:11:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Happy Mother's Day! Morning and midday rain has faded giving way to increasing afternoon sun. For the rest of the day and this evening our rain chances stand at just 10% or less giving you some time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine and drier weather. Preliminary 24-hour rainfall totals With a sun/cloud mix this afternoon high temperatures will head for the mid 80s.Overnight clouds thicken back up with a continued very low rain chance. Lows tonight drop into the upper 60s with some areas of fog by morning.A few spotty showers or storms are possible Monday morning, but our best chances for rain return during the afternoon and evening with 60% coverage. The flash flooding risk has increased to a 2 out of 4 for all of the area. Flash flood risk MondayRainfall amounts will range from very little to 1-2" in isolated spots on Monday. Flash flooding will be possible in spots during the second half of the day.Our last "decent" chance for rain and storms comes on Tuesd...

Ascension Seton hosts Mother's Day NICU photoshoot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:11:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Ascension Seton Medical Center is celebrating Mother's Day with a little extra flair this year, hosting photoshoots for mamas and their newborn babies. Austin mom welcomes baby days after wrapping breast cancer treatment The medical center put on the photoshoots for mothers with babies staying in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), per a hospital release. Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin is rated a Level III NICU, carrying for "our tiniest Central Texans and their families."Ascension Seton Medical Center is celebrating Mother's Day with a little extra flair this year, hosting photoshoots for mamas and their newborn babies staying in the neonatal intensive care unit. (Courtesy: Ascension Texas)Ascension Seton Medical Center is celebrating Mother's Day with a little extra flair this year, hosting photoshoots for mamas and their newborn babies staying in the neonatal intensive care unit. (Courtesy: Ascension Texas)Ascension Seton Medical Center is celebrati...