Thursday, 16 March 2023

The U.S. issues TikTok an ultimatum. Is a ban coming?

March 16, 2023 | VIEW IN BROWSER

This is TODAY

A newly released video shows what the U.S. military says is a Russian fighter jet colliding with an American spy drone over the Black Sea. Plus, the Biden administration hands TikTok an ultimatum, and a woman details her rare uterine cancer symptoms.

The Latest

The Pentagon released a video of a Russian jet intercepting an American drone over the Black Sea.

The U.S. military released declassified video footage Thursday of what it says is a Russian fighter jet colliding with an American drone earlier this week. Two Russian fighter jets dropped fuel on and struck the propeller of the MQ-9 Reaper, causing U.S. forces to down the drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday, according to the U.S. European Command. Three U.S. officials familiar with the intelligence told NBC News Russian leaders approved the action of the fighter jets, and one official said it was "Russian leadership's intention to be aggressive in the intercept." Russia has denied that its planes came into contact with the drone and called for the U.S. to stop "hostile" surveillance flights near Ukraine. Here's the latest.

The US is threatening to ban TikTok if its Chinese owners don't sell their stakes in the company.

The U.S. has threatened TikTok with a ban if its Chinese owners don't sell or divest their shares in the social media company, a spokesperson for TikTok told Reuters. According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment recently reached out to the company to demand for the Chinese shareholders to sell their stake in the company, or face a ban in the U.S. Officials fear TikTok could use the app to exploit Americans' data. A spokesperson for TikTok fired back in a statement, telling NBC News, "If protecting national security is the objective, divestment doesn't solve the problem." This is the first time TikTok has faced a ban since former President Donald Trump attempted to ban the video-sharing app in 2020, but the move was blocked by U.S. courts.

A mom had been having heavy periods for years. Doctors dismissed her. It was a rare uterine cancer.

Kelly Pendry, 42, began experiencing pain and heavy bleeding during periods in 2016, two years after giving birth to her daughter. Her symptoms only got worse, but doctors recommended antidepressants or said it was due to fibroids. The mom from North Wales in the U.K. eventually learned in 2021 that she had a rare uterine cancer after pleading to get an MRI. One nurse even told her in 2021 that she was terminal and not to make plans with her children for Christmas. She underwent chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, but still worries about her prognosis and hopes to travel to the U.S. for a clinical trial or a surgery. See her journey here.

People are sharing their most absurd hobbies from the early COVID days, and we can relate.

As we mark three years since the COVID-19 pandemic began in the U.S., people are sharing their most off-the-wall hobbies and activities from the early days of lockdown. The memories of that time came flooding back in response to a study published earlier this month that described the mental health impact of the pandemic as "minimal." (Seriously?!) People shared how that stressful time had them planning indoor beach days complete with inflatable pools, building cardboard suits for their cats, and holding a funeral for a pair of pliers. See all the relatable responses here.

Live Better TODAY

Achieve your life goals with easy tips.

You're busy at your desk when a funky odor wafts over from a nearby cubicle. Smells like tuna salad, or is that onions? It's one of those situations that anyone working from home doesn't miss: How do you tactfully approach a co-worker whose smelly lunch is bothering you? TODAY'S Mr. Manners has tips on how to deal with it while also remaining sensitive — because what smells bad to you may be a beloved meal from someone else's culture. He also has 4 questions to answer if you're worried about your own lunch turning people off.

What's for dinner?

Allow us to do the meal-planning for you.

If it's been a long week and you're just looking for a simple, home-cooked meal on a Thursday night, Chef Gaby Dalkin's butter-basted pork chops (above) only take about 20 minutes to cook to perfection. Grab a cut of pork just over an inch thick and throw it in a skillet with butter, rosemary, thyme, sage, onions and garlic. Or try Gaby's pork souvlaki with tzatziki.

Daily Delight

A little pick-me-up before you go.

A dog named Harvey was languishing in a San Diego shelter for months as officials tried to find anyone to adopt him. The lovable husky has a lopsided face from a bite as a puppy, which led to him being rejected by potential owners. "I was hearing people say that he was ugly or 'Ew, look at him!'" a woman who shared his photos online told Today.com. The Lankston family from Seattle definitely didn't think so — they took one look at that crooked smile and their hearts melted. They were so smitten they drove more than 2,500 miles round trip to pick him up. "I just saw that happy face with his tongue rolling out the side and I told my husband, 'That little wonky face speaks my little wonky heart and I think that's my dog,'" Sherry Lankston said. See more adorable photos of Harvey and his family.