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Chicago mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson is open about his plans to raise taxes on middle and upper income Chicagoans to fund increased government spending on schools and other social services. And he doesn't think high taxes will push more residents to leave the city. In an interview Friday with local news station CBS 2, the left-wing candidate, who is endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union, said he's going to be "honest with the people of the city of Chicago" about how higher taxes are needed to pay for investments in social programs. "I know there's been some pushback from a lot of the proposals, but I'm going to be honest with the people of the city of Chicago," he said. Among his ideas are creating jobs for teens and hiring nurses and mental health professionals to respond to non-violent police calls.  CHICAGO MAYOR CANDIDATE REVEALS TAX-THE-RICH PLAN THAT WILL MAKE THE SUBURBS ‘PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE’ To pay for those investments in Chica...

NBC News : Biden and some GOP senators have formed a loose alliance in asking SCOTUS to change Section 230 protections when hearing Gonzalez v. Google on February 21   —  WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and some of his most prominent Republican adversaries in Congress have become allies, of sorts …

Jeremy Renner is sharing an update with his fans as he continues to recover from his traumatic snowplow accident. The Marvel actor took to his Instagram Story, Saturday, and posted a video of his leg receiving treatment after being crushed by the vehicle that weighed more than 14,000 pounds. "Electric, stimulation, workout out and muscle strength," the text read over the video of him using a device that may be used to treat various muscle issues and pain. JEREMY RENNER REVEALS WHAT BRINGS HIM ‘HOPE’ AFTER SNOWPLOW ACCIDENT "Lady Madonna" by The Beatles was playing in the background of Renner’s video with the lyrics -- "Lady Madonna, children at your feet. Wonder how you manage to make ends meet. Who finds the money when you pay the rent? Did you think that money was heaven-sent?" The 52-year-old star has continuously shared his recovery updates on his social media after nearly being crushed to death on New Year’s Day. Earlier this week, the "H...

Former Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson is touting an "important announcement" set for next month as speculation over a potential White House bid from the spiritual guru intensifies. "As America gears up for the 2024 presidential election, I’m preparing an important announcement on March 4th in Washington DC," Williamson said in a Saturday statement. Williamson listed several factors that she said moved her "to explore the possibility of running for the Democratic nomination for president in 2024," including a "commitment to the tenets of liberty espoused in the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg Address." "I look forward to discussing with the country my thoughts about where we have been as a nation, where we are now and where we need to go from here," Williamson added. SPIRITUAL GURU MARIANNE WILLIAMSON CONSIDERS BIDEN CHALLENGE, SAYS DNC IS 'SPITTING IN THE FACE OF DEMOCRACY' Should she...

Vice President Kamala Harris was forced to switch planes on her return trip from Europe on Saturday due to technical issues on Air Force Two. Harris boarded a C-17 support plane Saturday afternoon following her speech at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. US DETERMINES RUSSIA HAS COMMITTED CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN UKRAINE, VP HARRIS SAYS "Due to maintenance difficulties, the VP and the traveling party will depart Munich to Washington, D.C. on a back-up aircraft," a White House official told reporters. CHINA SPY RISKS ABOUND AS VP HARRIS AND SENIOR US OFFICIALS ATTEND GERMANY SECURITY CONFERENCE Harris met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom this afternoon following her remarks at the Munich conference. She also briefly met with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of Sweden and Prime Minister Sanna Marin of Finland The conference runs from Feb. 17-19 and gathers world leaders to discuss pressing international security issues, including the war i...

Li Yuan / New York Times : Experts say China lags behind the US in AI systems like ChatGPT due to censorship, government's growing control of the private sector, and geopolitical tensions   —  The state's hardening censorship and heavier hand have held back its tech industry; so has entrepreneurs' reluctance to invest for the long term.

Selena Gomez opened up about her fluctuating weight as she told body shamers to "go away." Gomez, 30, recently went live on TikTok to explain how her lupus medication can sometimes affect her weight. "[When I'm taking it, I] tend to hold a lot of water weight, and that happens very normally. When I'm off of it, I tend to lose weight," Gomez said . "I just wanted to say and encourage anyone out there who feels any sort of shame for exactly what they're going through, and no one knows the real story." SELENA GOMEZ SAYS HOLLYWOOD IS ‘A BEAST,' REVEALS WHAT SHE WAS NEVER ALLOWED TO SAY AS A DISNEY STAR "I just want people to know that you're beautiful, and you're wonderful. Yeah, we have days where maybe we feel like s---, but I would rather be healthy and take care of myself. My medications are important, and I believe that they're what helps me." The "Calm Down" singer noted that she's not a model an...

President Biden issued support Friday for Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., after he checked himself into a Washington, D.C., hospital to be treated for clinical depression this week. "John, Gisele – Jill and I are thinking about your family today," Biden wrote in a tweet. "Millions of people struggle with depression every day, often in private. Getting the care you need is brave and important." "We're grateful to you for leading by example,' the president added. Reports later on Friday indicate that Fetterman may be in the hospital for several weeks as he receives treatment. FETTERMAN CHECKS HIMSELF INTO HOSPITAL 'TO RECEIVE TREATMENT FOR CLINICAL DEPRESSION' Fetterman's office released a statement Thursday confirming the senator checked himself into the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Wednesday evening to "receive treatment for clinical depression." "While John has experienced depression off and on through...

Sergiu Gatlan / BleepingComputer : GoDaddy says it discovered a multi-year security breach in early December 2022 where unknown attackers stole source code and installed malware on its servers   —  Web hosting giant GoDaddy says they suffered a breach where unknown attackers have stolen source code and installed malware …

Kris Holt / Engadget : Samsung says the Message Guard feature in Galaxy S23 series will prevent zero-click exploits via messaging apps by detecting malware hidden in image attachments   —  Zero-click attacks, which can install malware onto a device without the user clicking or tapping on anything, have been on the rise in recent years.

Bruce Willis' daughter Scout Willis shared her thoughts on the actor's "cruel" diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Scout took to her Instagram story hours after Demi Moore announced Bruce's diagnosis to the world.  "Feeling emotionally tired and a bit overwhelmed, yet also very in awe of the love so many people have for my papa," she wrote alongside a photo of herself. WHAT IS FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA, THE DIAGNOSIS BRUCE WILLIS HAS RECEIVED? Her sisters, Tallulah and Rumer Willis, shared her sentiment by reposting the story to their own accounts. "Second this Scouter," Tallulah wrote. "Feeling the abundant love for our guy and our family." Rumer added, "I third this Scouter and [Tallulah] feeling so deeply grateful and in awe of the love for us and our sweet Daddio." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Moore announced Bruce's new diagnosis months after the world learned the actor was ...

The president said the three objects shot down after the military's take-down of the Chinese spy balloon is most likely from private entities and not believed to be related to China or other surveillance operations.  The intelligence committee is still assessing the three unknown aerial objects, President Biden said during a press briefing on Thursday.  "I gave the order to take down these objects, and couldn't rule out the risk of surveillance," Biden said.  Fighter jets shot down  at least four aerial objects , including a Chinese spy balloon that flew across country from Alaska to South Carolina. Three more objects of unknown origins were shot down over the U.S. and Canada in recent days. TIMELINE: FOURTH FLYING OBJECT DOWNED BY US MILITARY IN 8 DAYS The U.S. is in the process of recovering pieces of the Chinese balloon, officials said.  But debris from the three other objects shot down over Alaska, Canada's Yukon territory and in U.S. airspace ove...

Sarah Perez / TechCrunch : Snap says Snapchat now has over 750M MAUs, up 25% from April 2022, with 150M users in North America, $3.99/month Snapchat+ has 2.5M subscribers, and more   —  At its Investor Day event on Thursday, Snap shared a handful of new metrics about its business and teased its prospects.

U.S. officials told Fox News Digital that it was initially "not clear" that the Chinese spy balloon "was coming to" America, responding to reports that intelligence agencies had tracked the flight since its launch. Recent reports revealed that U.S. intelligence watched the mainland China takeoff of the spy balloon that flew across America before being shot down on the coast of South Carolina. U.S. officials told Fox News Digital the intelligence community was "tracking it but it was not clear it was coming to the US." CHINA THREATENS ‘COUNTERMEASURES’ AGAINST US ENTITIES AFTER SPYCRAFT SHOOTDOWN The officials also said the "action to take down the Chinese spy balloon occurred within U.S. airspace against an unmanned foreign surveillance balloon that entered and was operating unlawfully in US airspace," noting that was how they "exercised our right to take it down." The officials doubled down that the balloon’s path was not clearl...

Aisha Malik / TechCrunch : Meta launches Instagram Channels, a broadcast chat feature that lets select US creators share public, one-to-many text, images, and more with their followers   —  Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced today that the company is launching a new broadcast chat feature on Instagram called “Channels.”

Dick Van Dyke  proved he's still got it.  The 97-year-old was one of the stars unmasked during the premiere episode of Fox's "The Masked Singer" Wednesday night.  Van Dyke was singing as the Gnome, and as he revealed his identity host Nick Cannon remarked, "We are in the presence of an icon, ladies and gentlemen."  The audience and the panel of judges seemed stunned to see the legendary actor on stage. Nicole Scherzinger burst into tears as the rest of the panel, Jenny McCarthy, Robin Thicke and Ken Jeong, stood on the desk for a standing ovation. "The world loves you so much," Scherzinger told Van Dyke. "It's an honor to have you on this show. I can't believe you're here." When the "Mary Poppins" star was asked what it was like being the Gnome he replied, "It was real dark in there…you couldn't see anything."  "I just loved it that they thought I was Robert De Niro," he added laughing....

Georgia senators are moving to restrict vaping in public spaces. The state Senate voted 51-3 on Wednesday to pass Senate Bill 47, which would regulate vaping in the same way the state already regulates smoking . The measure moves to the House for more debate. Georgia's 2005 Smoke-Free Air Act says that people can't smoke indoors in many public places, although it excludes some places including tobacco stores, bars that only admit patrons older than 18, and privately owned convention rooms HOW TO QUIT VAPING AS THE E-CIGARETTE FAD FIRES UP: 6 SMART STEPS TO TAKE A person who violates the law commits a misdemeanor and can be fined $100 to $500. The state Department of Public Health is supporting the measure. In 2019, the department reported it had identified 42 cases of vaping-associated illness in Georgia, including six deaths. Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, a Rome Republican, said he was trying to keep the change as simple as possible. "Some people would say that vaping ...

Natalie Andrews / Wall Street Journal : The US House Judiciary Panel subpoenas the CEOs of Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft for documents and communications over content moderation issues   —  Republican Jim Jordan demands information from chiefs of Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft

Duran Duran's Andy Taylor is not giving up in his fight against cancer. Nearly five years after initially receiving his diagnosis of stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer , the musician is providing an update on his health as well as revealing new details on how he originally learned the news of his disease. The first symptoms were pain while exercising and some lumps in his lymph nodes, Taylor explained in a new interview with People. "The first thing I thought of was, when was the last time I had a PSA test?'" The PSA, or prostate-specific antigen test screens for prostate cancer.  DURAN DURAN GUITARIST ANDY TAYLOR REVEALS STAGE 4 PROSTATE CANCER DIAGNOSIS "My father passed away because of prostate. So there was the family history. So I thought this could be, and sure enough," Taylor told the outlet. "As harsh as it is, it's a death sentence. So you sort of walk out of the hospital in a stunned silence because you could never be prepared for ....

U.S. officials told Fox News Digital that it was initially "not clear" that the Chinese spy balloon "was coming to" America, responding to reports that intelligence agencies had tracked the flight since its launch. Recent reports revealed that U.S. intelligence watched the mainland China takeoff of the spy balloon that flew across America before being shot down on the coast of South Carolina. U.S. officials told Fox News Digital the intelligence community was "tracking it but it was not clear it was coming to the US." CHINA THREATENS ‘COUNTERMEASURES’ AGAINST US ENTITIES AFTER SPYCRAFT SHOOTDOWN The officials also said the "action to take down the Chinese spy balloon occurred within U.S. airspace against an unmanned foreign surveillance balloon that entered and was operating unlawfully in US airspace," noting that was how they "exercised our right to take it down." The officials doubled down that the balloon’s path was not clearl...

Jesse Hamilton / CoinDesk : The US SEC proposes a rule that could bar investment advisers from storing assets at crypto platforms and lenders that are not registered as exchanges or banks   —  As long as crypto platforms and lenders aren't registered as exchanges or banks, they wouldn't qualify as custodians …

Kate Hudson opened up about losing out on a role because of Nicole Kidman. The 43-year-old actor revealed she tried for the lead role of Satine in Baz Luhrmann’s "Moulin Rouge," a part that ultimately went to Kidman.  "One of my favorite auditions I ever did was with Baz Luhrmann… he was so inspiring and so much fun," Hudson said during a guest appearance on the podcast "You’re Doing Fine…Just Keep Going."  KATE HUDSON SAYS EX-HUSBAND CHRIS ROBINSON TAUGHT HER HOW IT FELT TO BE 'UNCONDITIONALLY LOVED' Hudson made a subtle dig at Kidman, 55, for being cast, pointing out their 12-year age difference. "Even if I don’t get this part, which I didn’t because they went way older but, what a great experience that was to do a work session with Baz Luhrmann." She went on to say that she "really wanted that part" and she was "bummed out." "It was written at the time for a young…19-year-old girl, I believe. Then what...

President Biden was panned for a tweet Tuesday promising that climate investments will ensure "our kids will breathe cleaner air" as his administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is under fire for its handling of the Ohio train derailment and health concerns over toxic chemicals are mounting.  "Because of our climate investments, our kids will breathe cleaner air, drink safer water, and get to school powered by clean energy," Biden tweeted Tuesday morning. The president added, "That’s the future we’re building," tapping EPA Administrator Michael Regan, "let’s finish the job."  Twitter users, however, accused the timing of the tweet of being "tone deaf," as concerned residents who live miles away from the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment are telling local news outlets that they’re still smelling lingering odors in the atmosphere. Some reported developing worsening coughs. Others expressed fears of drinking or bathi...

Nicole Farley / Search Engine Land : Meta updates Facebook's “Why am I seeing this ad?” tool to include information about how users' on- and off-platform activity informs its ML models for ads   —  Facebook has just launched an updated version of its “Why am I seeing this ad?” tool which now includes information on how they use machine learning to deliver ads.

Despite finalizing their divorce in October, Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen are still spreading the love on Valentine's Day. The 7-time Super Bowl Champion, who recently announced his retirement from the NFL for the second time, shared a quote by Sadhguru which reads, "Love is not a transaction; it is a certain exuberance and sweetness of your emotion." Following the quote on his Instagram story, Brady shared several photos of his children and animals. The first two photos featured Brady's children with Bündchen, Benjamin and Vivian.  TOM BRADY HAPPY HE'S RETIRED AFTER DROPPING UNDERWEAR SELIFE: 'I'D HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF S---' The first shot featured 10-year-old Vivian sitting in the sand at the beach. Brady captioned the photo "The Sweetest." Another photo showcased the siblings hugging each other with the caption "True Love." Brady also posted photos of his eldest son, Jack, with ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan. He was pictu...

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis laughed and offered a blunt response Tuesday when he was asked whether he would be "following suit" of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and announcing a run for president in 2024. The question was posed to DeSantis during a news conference from the Sunshine State's most populous city at Kenworth of Jacksonville, Inc., a truck dealership. "Nikki Haley announced her presidential run today. Do you plan on following suit," one reporter asked DeSantis. "Wouldn't you like to know," DeSantis responded , laughing as he looked out among those in attendance for the event. TRUMP DENIES SPENDING TIME COMING UP WITH DESANTIS NICKNAME AFTER NEW YORK TIMES REPORTS ‘MEATBALL RON’ DIG DeSantis, a former congressman who has witnessed widespread support among conservatives in both Florida and nationally, has yet to declare his 2024 intentions. Long speculated to enter the 2024 presidential race, DeSantis was re-electe...

Andrew J. Hawkins / The Verge : Hyundai and Kia are offering free anti-theft software updates for 8M+ vehicles, after hundreds of car thefts inspired by the viral “Kia Challenge” on TikTok   —  Hyundai and Kia are offering free software updates for millions of their cars in response to a rash of car thefts inspired …

J.K. Rowling is addressing comments she made about transgender people in an upcoming podcast. The trailer for "The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling" was released Tuesday. In a clip, Rowling notes that many have "misunderstood" her. "What has interested me in recent years, particularly on social media [is when fans say], ‘You’ve ruined your legacy. Oh, you could have been beloved forever, but you chose to say this,'" Rowling said. "And I think: ‘You could not have misunderstood me more profoundly.’" "I never set out to upset anyone," she continued. "However, I was not uncomfortable with getting off my pedestal." ‘HARRY POTTER’ STAR TOM FELTON SUPPORTS J.K. ROWLING AS AUTHOR GETS CONTINUED CRITICISM FROM TRANS ACTIVISTS In the podcast series, which is set to premiere Feb. 21, Rowling talks "about the controversies surrounding her – from book bans to debates on gender and sex." The "Harry Potter" author...

A photo of former Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake attending Super Bowl LVII has gone viral, but for reasons you might not expect. The former news anchor turned GOP firebrand was seen sitting during the controversial playing of the Black national anthem ahead of the game, which took place Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona . A photo of her refusing to stand for the anthem was posted on social media and quickly sparked a frenzy of people praising her decision. CHRIS STAPLETON KICKS OFF SUPER BOWL 2023 WITH COUNTRY-STYLE NATIONAL ANTHEM "Never been easier to be a hero these days," wrote one user responding to the photo of Lake seated during the song. Another Twitter user stated: "Good for her. No one should support this. It was created to divide the country." CHRIS STAPLETON'S SUPER BOWL ANTHEM RENDITION GETS TEARY, ECSTATIC RECEPTION: ‘IT WILL NEVER BE DONE BETTER’ "I’m just here for THE National Anthem," Lake ...

Dmitri Brereton / DKB Blog : At Microsoft's demo last week, the “new Bing” incorrectly summarized a Gap financial statement and provided wrong info on pet vacuums and Mexico City nightlife   —  Microsoft knowingly released a broken product for short-term hype  —  Bing AI got some answers completely wrong during their demo.

Queen Consort Camilla has tested positive for COVID-19, Fox News Digital has learned. "After suffering the symptoms of a cold, Her Majesty The Queen Consort has tested positive for the Covid virus," a statement from Buckingham Palace said. "With regret, she has therefore cancelled all her public engagements for this week and sends her sincere apologies to those who had been due to attend them."  It remains unclear if King Charles III is also feeling ill. KING CHARLES AND QUEEN CONSORT MARK FIRST JOINT ROYAL APPEARANCE SINCE DEBUT OF PRINCE HARRY'S MEMOIR ‘SPARE’ Camilla also tested positive for COVID-19 almost exactly one year ago.  "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall has tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-isolating. We continue to follow government guidelines," Clarence House said in a statement released on Feb. 14, 2022. She tested positive days after news broke that then-Prince Charles had also tested positive for coronavirus....

The State Department drew hundreds of mocking tweets over the weekend after it announced a new program that seeks to deploy American chefs in order to "advance the nation’s culinary diplomacy." The "diplomatic culinary partnership" program was announced last week. The aim of the program is to add "another tool to the Department of State’s public diplomacy toolkit" by using "the dining experience as diplomatic tools to engage foreign dignitaries, bridge cultures, and strengthen relationships with civil society." But the plan was roundly criticized by dozens of Twitter users on Saturday as a waste of money . AFTER CHINESE BALLOON ENTERS US AIRSPACE, BIDEN SECRETARY OF STATE POSTPONES TRIP TO CHINA "Economy in shambles, people struggling to make ends meet, high food price, homelessness at crazy numbers… and this is the US Gov," one respondent wrote. "Terrible use of tax payer $$," wrote another who echoed dozens of other co...

Former President Donald Trump's reportedly used a "classified" folder as a lamp shade next to his bed to help him sleep at night, according to his lawyer. During an appearance on CNN Sunday, Trump's attorney Timothy Parlatore revealed the "Classified Evening Summary" folder was found it in the peculiar location after being subpoenaed by the Department of Justice (DOJ). "He has one of those landline telephones next to his bed, and it has a blue light on it, and it keeps him up at night. So he took the manilla folder and put it over, so it would keep the light down, so he could sleep at night," Parlatore said. "It’s just this folder. It says ‘Classified Evening Summary’ on it. It’s not a classification marking. It’s not anything that is controlled in any way. There is nothing illegal about it." TRUMP TEAM TURNS OVER LAPTOP, ADDITION CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS MONTHS AFTER INFAMOUS MAR-A-LAGO RAID Parlatore did not say how long Trump used t...

Ed Garsten / Forbes : Ouster and Velodyne announce the “completion of their merger of equals”, further consolidating the lidar industry, which is key to Level 4 autonomous vehicles   —  Lidar companies Ouster and Velodyne announced they have combined in a “merger of equals,” further evidence of a consolidation in the high-tech sensor industry.

Jordin Sparks is applauding Rihanna for taking on the Super Bowl stage as a new mom.  "It's a big deal... I really, really want her to have the best show," Sparks said in an interview with People Magazine. "I've been sending so much good energy to her since I heard since she was doing it, 'cause after I had my first son, I was nervous to get back out onstage." RIHANNA SUPER BOWL TRAILER RELEASED AHEAD OF HER HALFTIME SHOW PERFORMANCE The "American Idol" alum made these comments ahead of Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show , where she will perform on "the biggest stage ever." Rihanna welcomed a baby boy with rapper A$AP Rocky in March 2022. A$AP ROCKY, RIHANNA MAKE FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE SINCE HIS ARREST During a Super Bowl Halftime Show press conference, Thursday, the "Umbrella" songstress confessed work-life balance was challenging after giving birth to her son.  "When you become a mom, there's something ...

A transgender activist group in South Dakota is suing Republican Gov. Kristi Noem after she canceled a contract with the group and disavowed its efforts in December. The Transformation Project filed a lawsuit Friday against Noem and South Dakota Secretary of Health Melissa Madstadt alleging discrimination after the cancellation caused the group to lose a nearly $136,000 grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Susan Williams, director of the Transformation Project, said the loss of the grant was "uncalled for and was, in fact, discrimination." "We believe that our contract was not broken and that the State’s claims against us are unfounded," she said. ‘TRANS LIVES MATTER’ PROTESTERS OCCUPY OKLAHOMA STATE CAPITOL: ‘THIS IS OUR HOUSE!’ Noem spokesperson Ian Fury said in December that the contract with the Transformation Project had been signed without Noem’s knowledge or consent.  The governor’s office has also said the organization did ...