New law starts the clock for TikTok
Is TikTok going to be banned? Legal battles are still looming. Reggie Bush is getting his Heisman Trophy back. And the anticipated Israeli invasion of Rafah could be imminent.
👋 Hi! Laura Davis here, and it’s time for Wednesday’s news.
But first: "Cicada rain." 😭☂️ Be less worried about when the cicadas are coming and more concerned about the ... *checks notes* ... yes, massive amounts of cicada pee that could "rain" down.
Potential TikTok ban is officially law
President Joe Biden signed into law Wednesday legislation that could potentially ban the video app TikTok, a historic development in government regulation of social media.
What to know: The legislation gives TikTok's Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, up to a year to sell the app. If they don't, it would be banned from U.S. app stores and web hosting companies. TikTok has pledged to mount a legal challenge.
What they're saying: Proponents of the policy have raised concerns about the Chinese government spying on Americans, although there is no public evidence that's happened and TikTok says it would not hand over Americans' user data if asked. TikTok also argues the legislation violates free speech rights and a ban would harm small businesses that rely on the app. 📱 A look at what's ahead for the law.
Grandpa, please don't ban TikTok: How pressure campaign hit close to home for lawmakers.
Israel poised to invade Rafah
More than 1 million Palestinians have taken shelter in Rafah in southern Gaza – which Israel says is the last remaining bastion of Hamas. Now, Israel's military appears poised to launch an attack on Rafah, the timing of which now awaits approval by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet, Israeli and Western media reported.
Has President Joe Biden’s opposition to an attack softened? In March, Biden warned that an invasion of Rafah would be a “mistake,” but last week the White House said the U.S. and Israel have a “shared objective to see Hamas defeated in Rafah.” 👉 Everything we know.
Campus protests: Columbia says encampments will shrink; police clashes at more schools.
Real quick
Why is everyone telling me to look between the letters on my keyboard?
New FAFSA rules open up 'grandparent loophole' that boosts 529 plans.
Enough hidden airline fees: New rules take aim at 'corporate rip-offs.'
Don't let the title fool you: Netflix's 'Baby Reindeer' is a true stalker story.
Anne Heche's son struggling to pay estate debts after her death in car crash.
🔎 See which nursing homes have enough nurses to meet new staffing minimums.
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Reggie Bush is getting his Heisman back
Reggie Bush better clear off a spot on the mantle. The Heisman Trophy he won in 2005 as college football's most outstanding player will be officially reinstated and returned to him, it was announced Wednesday. Bush was stripped of the award over a pay-for-play scandal during his time at Southern Cal.
What changed? The Heisman Trust, which administers the award, cited "fundamental changes in college athletics," including the ability for athletes to now profit off their name, image and likeness. 🏈 Here's everything we know.
250-year-old cherries found buried at George Washington's house
So that's where he left those! Archaeologists made an incredibly rare discovery in the cellar of George Washington's home at Mount Vernon: Two intact jars of cherries. It's been common to find wine bottles and glasses at the site about 15 miles south of Washington, D.C., archaeologists said, but intact jars like these don't come along very often. "They're plump, they have flesh, they have pits and stems," archaeologist Jason Boroughs said. "They don't look as if they've been sitting in a bottle for 250 years, although they have." 🍒 See more pictures of the discovery.
A break from the news
💵🔍 Finding a financial advisor is daunting. Ranking the top firms.
📱👍 How to easily add your driver's license to your Apple Wallet.
💰📈 The unfortunate truth about maxing out your 401(k).
Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Say hi: laura@usatoday.com. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: TikTok legislation, Reggie Bush, anti-Israel protests on campus: Wednesday's news
