Latest news with #NEXSTAR
The Hill
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
Are you owed Fortnite settlement money? How to apply before the July deadline
(NEXSTAR) – Time is ticking for Fortnite gamers and their parents or guardians to file a claim tied to a multimillion-dollar settlement over online charges. On Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it is sending 969,173 payments totaling over $126 million to eligible recipients who filed by Feb. 14. The average refund amount was about $130, a spokesperson told Nexstar. The FTC is also reopening the claims process for another two weeks, giving people until July 9 to apply. The payments stem from a 2022 settlement with Fortnite developer Epic Games, which agreed to pay $520 million over privacy settings and allegations that young players of the wildly popular game were duped into making unwanted purchases 'based on the press of a single button.' Examples of the so-called 'dark patterns' used to trick users into spending money included payments triggered by waking the game from sleep mode or pressing a button while trying to preview an item, according to the FTC. The FTC claimed that Fortnite even blocked some users who disputed the invoices from accessing content they paid for. As part of the settlement, Epic agreed to get consent before charging its millions of daily users, and to keep from locking accounts over disputes related to unauthorized charges, according to the FTC. Epic addressed the initial announcement of the settlement saying it had agreed to the payout because it wanted 'to be at the forefront of consumer protection and provide the best experience for our players.' The Cary, North Carolina-based gaming company added that it was making changes 'to ensure our ecosystem meets the expectations of our players and regulators, which we hope will be a helpful guide for others in our industry.' Eligible claimants who are at least 18 years old can file for part of the settlement money by applying on the FTC website. Anyone who has already applied after Feb. 14, 2025 need not reapply, according to the FTC, which is still reviewing claims filed since that date. You may apply for a refund if any one of the following is accurate: The FTC advises anyone who opts for a check to cash it within 90 days. PayPal recipients should accept the payment within 30 days. Anyone with additional questions can visit the FTC FAQ page or call the refund administrator at 1-833-915-0880.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pritzker expected to announce campaign for third term as Illinois Governor on Thursday
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) — Governor JB Pritzker is expected to announce his campaign for a third term as Illinois Governor on Thursday. Multiple sources told WGN and the Nexstar Capitol Bureau that Pritzker has campaign announcement events scheduled for different parts of the state on Thursday. Pritzker has largely been noncommittal when talking about his political future. If he wins, he will be the first Illinois Democratic Governor to ever serve more than two terms. Former Republican Governor Jim Thompson previously served three terms. Pritzker defends Illinois' immigration laws to congressional committee Close allies of the Governor would not say whether he was definitively running or not, but they said they hope he does. 'The governor turned around a state that had a bond rating just barely above junk status, thanks to former Governor Rauner, who ran the state into the ground, didn't pay her bills, and has delivered several balanced budgets since he's been in office and raised our rating a bond rating significantly,' U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth said in an interview Tuesday. 'I am, like everyone else is, waiting to see if he decides to run for reelection. And if he does, I will support him.' More recently, Pritzker has faced criticism on two fronts — the state's immigration policies and the increases in state spending that has happened under his watch. The state's budget climbed above $55 billion this year. Republicans roundly criticized it for being almost a $14 billion increase in the budget since before Pritzker took office. Pritzker's office defends that increase by attributing it to a combination of inflation and increases in mandated spending, like on education, pensions and other essential programs. State audit finds IL massively overspent on undocumented immigrant health care program Pritzker's national profile has exploded in recent years, as he has become a top critic of President Donald Trump. The Illinois Governor was viewed as a potential replacement candidate for Democrats when Former President Joe Biden dropped out of the race in 2024, and he has only continued to fuel speculation about his presidential ambitions since. Pritzker has spoken at numerous Democratic party events in other states, continued to be a vocal critic of the Trump administration and overall just tried to expand his image beyond Illinois. Pritzker's partner on the campaign trail the past two cycles, Lt. Governor Julianna Stratton, is on her own campaign now. She is running to replace Senator Dick Durbin in the U.S. Senate. Gov. Pritzker endorses Stratton's run for Senate 'Whatever he decides to announce, I'll leave that up to him,' Stratton said. 'But all I can speak to is our partnership which was, and continues to be, a partnership of deep mutual respect. I love working alongside of him and I can say he's the best governor in the United States.' Seeing that Stratton won't be joining him on the ticket, Pritzker needs to pick a new running mate. That choice would be important if he does move on to a different office, since they would be first in line to take over governing Illinois. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Video appears to show missiles intercepted in sky over Qatar
(NEXSTAR) – Video recorded in Doha, Qatar Monday captured a crowd of people on the street with their eyes trained on the sky, some recording with cellphones, as possible missiles appeared to explode as they were intercepted. Iran announced on state television that it had launched a missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar in retaliation for the American strikes against its nuclear sites. The announcement called the attack on Al Udeid Air Base a 'mighty and successful response by the armed forces of Iran to America's aggression.' Iran said its Monday night missile attack on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on its nuclear sites this weekend, signaling its likely desire to deescalate. The Qatari Minister of Foreign affairs issued a statement via a spokesperson calling the attack 'a flagrant violation of the State of Qatar's sovereignty and airspace' adding that Qatar 'reserves the right to respond directly in a manner proportional to the nature and scale of this blatant aggression and in accordance with international law. According to the statement, the Qatari military 'thwarted the attack and successfully intercepted the Iranian missiles.' The attack came shortly after Qatar closed its airspace as a precaution amid threats from Iran. A senior White House official told The Hill Monday that the White House and Department of Defense are closely monitoring the situation in Qatar. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Hill
6 days ago
- The Hill
NPS could impose surcharge on some national park visitors in 2026: budget proposal
(NEXSTAR) — After the busiest year on record, and an already busy start to the year for at least one park, the National Park Service budget could be reduced by more than $1 billion next year. A new surcharge imposed on some visitors may, however, help bring in more than $90 million, according to the Department of the Interior's budget proposal for fiscal year 2026. 'I think we're way undercharging, as a nation, for international visitors,' Secretary Doug Burgum said during a House Committee on Natural Resources oversight hearing earlier this month. Currently, only 106 of the 475 sites that are managed by the National Park Service charge an entrance fee. The most expensive among them — like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion — charge $35 per private vehicle. Few charge on a per-person basis (for those entering on foot or by bicycle), but the highest fee there is $20, found at the same three parks. If you'd prefer an annual membership, which is not available at all of the fee-charging parks, the most you'll pay is $70. Some parks also require reservations to get in or visit certain features within the parks. International visitors do not currently pay more to visit the national parks than U.S. residents. During the hearing, Burgum pointed to other international venues where Americans and other non-resident tourists are charged more than locals, like the Galapagos Islands. There, according to the Galapagos Observatory, non-Ecuadorian adults must pay a $200 entrance fee, in cash, to the Galapagos National Park. The entrance fee for children is $100. Meanwhile, Ecuadorian citizens over the age of 12 pay $30 while the fee for younger citizens is $12. Citizens also have discounted or free admission to popular tourist attractions around the world. College-aged residents of the European Union have free access to several museums within member countries, including the Louvre and The Orsay Museum in Paris. Tourists pay over 20 times more to visit the Taj Mahal than local residents do. It's not uncharacteristic for venues and tourist attractions in the U.S. to charge out-of-towners more than locals, either. Hawaii will begin charging a 'Green Fee' tourist tax next year in order to generate funds for mitigating future environmental challenges the state expects to face. Chicago's Field Museum offers discounted admission to city residents, for example. Residents of the state of New York are able to pay whatever they prefer to visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art, though they are required to pay at least one penny per ticket. Even Disney World and Disneyland offer deals for those who live near their parks. 'There could be a billion-dollar revenue opportunity without discouraging visitors,' Burgum said during the committee hearing. He did not expand on how the extra fee could bring in more than $90 million. An analysis by SFGate, using an estimate that 14.6 million international visitors went to U.S. national parks last year, determined that if the parks saw the same number of visitors in 2026, the necessary surcharge to reach the aforementioned budget goal would be about $6 a person. The Interior Department did not immediately respond to Nexstar's request for additional information on the proposed surcharge. Meanwhile, the budget proposal is requesting $2 billion for the national parks, down more than $1 billion from the current budget. It would be the largest cut in NPS history, according to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). 'It's nothing less than an all-out assault on America's national parks,' Theresa Pierno, president and CEO of the NPCA, said.
The Hill
6 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
Picking a college major? These pay the worst after graduation, data shows
(NEXSTAR) – The cost of attending college has more young people (and their financially stressed parents) questioning whether it's even worth it to pursue a degree. The answer, it turns out, could largely depend on what you study. Not every degree will provide the same return on investment, with some having higher unemployment rates and lower income prospects post-graduation. A database updated this year by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York allows people to explore which college majors tend earn the most – and the least – after students get their diploma. The lowest wages right after graduation go to foreign language majors, who earn a median of $40,000. Those who study social sciences and performing arts don't fare too much better, the analysis found. Over time, education majors seem to have the lowest income ceiling. Those who studied early childhood education, elementary education, special education and other related fields not only had low early-career wages, but those wages stayed relatively low even in mid-career. Anthropology majors, meanwhile, found themselves with the highest unemployment rate at 9.4%. The U.S. Census Bureau hasn't released updated data yet in 2025, but the latest available data from the Bureau showed similar findings. Those with a bachelor's degree in visual and performing arts, education, psychology, multidisciplinary studies, and literature and languages had the lowest median income. Low wages can add insult to injury if a recent graduate finds themselves weighed down by hefty student loans. As student loan collections have restarted in the U.S., millions are having trouble keeping up with payments and getting hit with credit score penalties. In March, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York estimated about 25% of people with student loan accounts were more than 3 months behind on payments. The average cost of attending college in the U.S. is $38,000 per year when you account for tuition, supplies and living expenses, according to the Education Data Initiative. On the other side of the spectrum from education and the arts are the students who majored in engineering, computer science, physics, finance and math. Those fields of study tend to have the highest early- and mid-career earnings.
