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Meta shuts thousands of fake Facebook accounts primed to polarize voters

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:25 GMT

By David Klepper | The Associated PressSomeone in China created thousands of fake social media accounts designed to appear to be from Americans and used them to spread polarizing political content in an apparent effort to divide the U.S. ahead of next year’s elections, Meta said Thursday.The network of nearly 4,800 fake accounts was attempting to build an audience when it was identified and eliminated by the tech company, which owns Facebook and Instagram. The accounts sported fake photos, names and locations as a way to appear like everyday American Facebook users weighing in on political issues.Instead of spreading fake content as other networks have done, the accounts were used to reshare posts from X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that were created by politicians, news outlets and others. The interconnected accounts pulled content from both liberal and conservative sources, an indication that its goal was not to support one side or the other but to exaggerate partisan ...

2 children who died in Southern California fire had been deemed ‘safe’ by caseworker

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:25 GMT

Riverside County Child Protective Services caseworkers assessed the risk to the children living with a drug-addicted mother in a Lake Elsinore-area home as “moderate” and the living conditions as “safe” a year before a boy and girl died in a fire that authorities blamed on their mother’s neglect, according to documents obtained by the Southern California News Group.Arya Alcarez, 1, and Julian Alcaraz-Fisher, 2, perished on Jan. 25, 2021, when a garage, converted into a living quarters at a home on Blackwell Boulevard in unincorporated Lakeland Village, caught fire with three children inside watching television. Cal Fire/Riverside County fire investigators said a space heater tethered to a table by bungee cords either tipped over into a pile of clothes or made contact with clothes and a bamboo partition hanging from the ceiling.The children’s mother, Devinn Elise Fisher, was outside in a car with her boyfriend at the time — she under the influence of methamphetamine and he smoking me...

Rafael Nadal to return to playing at Brisbane International in January after being out for a year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:25 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Rafael Nadal will return to playing at the Brisbane International in Australia in January, the 22-time Grand Slam champion said Friday.“After a year of not competing, it is time to come back,” Nadal said in a video posted on social media. “It will be in Brisbane in the first week of January. See you there.”The 37-year-old Spaniard has not played on tour since last January, when he hurt his hip flexor during a loss in the second round of the Australian Open.In May, a little more than a week before the start of the French Open, Nadal announced that he would miss the tournament he’s won a record 14 times and wasn’t exactly sure when he might return to play.Nadal had said then that he hoped to compete in 2024, which he expected to be his final season.“You never know how things will turn out,” Nadal said at a news conference at the time, “but my intention is that next year will be my last year.”He wound up having arthroscopic surgery in June in Barcelona.Dating ...

Haslam family denies allegation from Warren Buffett’s company that it bribed truck stop chain execs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:25 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An attorney for the billionaire Haslam family called bribery allegations leveled by Warren Buffett’s company a “wild invention.But a judge didn’t decide immediately whether those allegations will be resolved at a January trial that should help determine the multibillion-dollar price Berkshire Hathaway might have to pay the Haslams for the rest of the Pilot truck stop chain.The Haslams and Buffett’s company are accusing each other of manipulating Pilot’s earnings this year to affect the price Berkshire would have to pay for the Haslams’ remaining 20% stake in the company if the family decides to sell.The Haslam family — which includes Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and former Tennessee governor Bill Haslam — accused Berkshire last month of trying to understate Pilot’s earnings this year by changing its accounting practices. Berkshire responded this week with a lawsuit of its own accusing Jimmy Haslam of trying to bribe key Pilot e...

Rafael Nadal says he will return to playing at Brisbane International in Australia in January

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:25 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Rafael Nadal says he will return to playing at Brisbane International in Australia in January.Source

UK police probe ticket problem that sparked violence and arrests of Polish fans at Aston Villa game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:25 GMT

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — English police had 46 supporters of Legia Warsaw in custody Friday after “ 90 minutes of sustained violence ” the night before when 1,000 Polish fans arrived to Villa Park but weren’t given their tickets to the game against Aston Villa.West Midlands Police said their investigation will include determining why the tickets weren’t distributed but that they’ll pursue charges against those arrested after four officers were injured.“The disorder that we encountered last night was the most severe that a lot of us have ever seen,” assistant chief constable Damian Barratt told Talk Sport radio.“It was undoubtedly, as I say, instigated as a result of this issue related to ticket allocation,” he continued. “That’s something I’ll be taking up with football authorities and UEFA in particular. I will be expecting some strong decisions on their part.”Villa won the Europa Conference League game 2-1. The away fans section of the stadium...

A secret trip by Henry Kissinger grew into a half-century-long relationship with China

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:25 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Official China called Henry Kissinger “an old friend.” A commentator likened him to a giant panda, a goodwill ambassador between two countries that have been at odds more often than not over the decades.Kissinger, who died Wednesday, developed a special relationship with China in the second half of his 100-year-long life. It started with a secret trip in 1971, when he feigned illness while at a meeting in Pakistan and flew undercover to Beijing for unprecedented talks that led to U.S. President Richard Nixon’s groundbreaking visit the next year.For that act, he is remembered positively in China as an envoy who was willing to overlook ideological differences at the height of the Cold War and to engineer a rapprochement that over time brought communist-ruled China fully back into the family of nations. Many Chinese people mourned Kissinger’s death on social media.“This is one of the main reasons for him to be revered,” Zhao Minghao, an international relations prof...

Things to do in Denver this weekend: Dec. 1-3

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:25 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Dec. 1 is here, and the countdown to the holidays is on. This weekend, holiday markets, pop-up Christmas bars and all things related to the winter season are taking place in Denver. Actor Jason Segel visited these Denver spots on recent trip Here are a few ideas for what to do with your weekend.Things to do in Denver this weekendFirst Fridays - Dec. 1Friday marks Dec. 1, meaning there are plenty of First Friday events around Denver. Make a night of it and walk through First Friday in RiNo and First Fridays on Tennyson. There are also First Fridays like Denver's Art District on Santa Fe, Holiday Mercardo, Five Points Jazz Hop and Art Walk in 40 West Arts.South Pearl Street Winterfest - Dec. 1-2The two-day celebration includes Christmas caroling, ice sculptures, silent holiday movie showings and more. If you want to take a wreath-making class or participate in other arts and crafts, stop by Winterfest.Disney on Ice - Dec. 1-3This weekend at Ball Arena, "Frozen" ...

Federal safety regulators propose major redesign of baby loungers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:25 GMT

New York (CNN) — Federal consumer safety regulators are pushing ahead in their effort to make baby loungers safer by proposing a major redesign of the products, following 79 deaths connected with their use.The Consumer Product Safety Commission on Wednesday voted to adopt proposed agency recommendations for changes to lounger products that require manufacturers to make all lounger surfaces sufficiently firm so they don’t conform to a baby’s face and increase the risk of suffocation.Another recommended redesign is for the height of the infant support side cushions to not exceed two inches, again to reduce the risk of entrapment and suffocation. The agency said that limiting the height of the side cushions could also “discourage caregivers from mistakenly believing these products to be safe for unattended infants.”The CPSC told CNN Thursday that the agency’s proposal will now proceed to a 60-day public comment period after which the agency will reevaluate its recommendations. It ...

Police searching for suspect after hit-and-run crash causes road closures near SR-836

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:25 GMT

A hit-and-run crash near State Road 836 has resulted in road closures and significant traffic delays on Northwest 27th Avenue as police investigate the scene. Now, police need the public’s help in searching for a driver who fled on foot. According to police, a two-vehicle hit-and-run crash unfolded around 4:40 a.m. at the intersection of Northwest 27th Avenue and Northwest 11th Street. The collision involved a red Toyota traveling southbound on 27 Avenue and a black Chevy SUV heading northbound. Live video from the scene captured the intensity of the traffic delays, with honking in the background expressing the frustration of commuters navigating the aftermath of the crash. After the collision at the intersection, the black SUV continued nearly to Northwest 14th Street, where the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. The male driver of the red Toyota was transported to the hospital, sustaining serious injuries; he is expected to survive. Police have taken measures to ...