Business Stories from February 26, 2026 (Change date)
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Netflix walks away from Warner Bros deal, clearing the path for ParamountFeb 26, 2026 6:14 pm - Netflix is declining to raise its offer to buy Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming business, in a stunning move that effectively puts Paramount in a position to take over its storied Hollywood rival.
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‘It’s just a bad idea’: Suburban officials oppose Pritzker’s plan to reduce local control over residential zoningFeb 26, 2026 4:40 pm - Municipal leaders gathered Thursday in South Barrington to oppose Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan to legislatively reduce local officials’ ability to control residential construction.
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Burger King is testing AI headsets that will know if employees say ‘welcome’ or ‘thank you’Feb 26, 2026 4:08 pm - Burger King is testing AI-powered headsets that can recite recipes, alert managers when inventories are low and even track how friendly employees are to customers. The OpenAI-powered system collects data on restaurant operations and shares it via “Patty,” a voice that talks to employees through their headsets.
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For the first time since 2022, average US long-term mortgage rate dips below 6%Feb 26, 2026 3:57 pm - The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate slipped this week below 6% for the first time since late 2022, good news for home shoppers as the spring home-buying season gets rolling. The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate fell to 5.98% from 6.01% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.76%.
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Instagram says it will notify parents if teens ‘repeatedly’ search for terms related to suicideFeb 26, 2026 3:56 pm - Instagram said Thursday it will start alerting parents if their kids repeatedly search for terms clearly associated with suicide or self-harm. The alerts will only go to parents who are enrolled in Instagram’s parental supervision program.
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Elgin City Council moves to ban single-use plastic bags at large retailersFeb 26, 2026 2:48 pm - The Elgin City Council gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a ban on single-use plastic checkout bags at larger retailers. If approved, Elgin would be one of the only municipalities in the state with such an ordinance.
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Illinois legislators introduce bills to regulate pricing based on personal dataFeb 26, 2026 2:46 pm - Two bills introduced in the House would require companies to tell consumers when their personal data is used in price setting. Known as algorithmic pricing, the practice has come under fire recently for anticompetitive tactics.
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‘We’ve got limited time’: Bears legislation advances in Springfield as Indiana governor signs billFeb 26, 2026 1:34 pm - An Illinois House committee Thursday advanced legislation that could give the Bears a big property tax break and clear the way to a new stadium in Arlington Heights, despite questions over the bill’s prospects in the legislature as a whole.
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What to know about the boat shooting in Cuban waters that killed 4Feb 26, 2026 11:07 am - A speedboat carrying 10 people approached Cuba’s north shore and opened fire on Cuban soldiers when they confronted the vessel, according to the Caribbean island's government.
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Barrington Square Town Center in Hoffman Estates sold for $9 millionFeb 26, 2026 7:14 am - Barrington Square Town Center on Higgins Road in Hoffman Estates has been sold for $9 million, marking the shopping center’s first change of ownership since 1979.
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