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A Meta engineer saw his own child face Instagram harassment. Now, he’s testifying before Congress

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:21 GMT

By BARBARA ORTUTAY | AP Technology WriterOn the same day whistleblower Frances Haugen was testifying before Congress about the harms of Facebook and Instagram to children in the fall of 2021, a former engineering director at the social media giant who had rejoined the company as a consultant sent an alarming email to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg about the same topic.Arturo Béjar, known for his expertise on curbing online harassment, recounted to Zuckerberg his own daughter’s troubling experiences with Instagram. But he said his concerns and warnings went unheeded. And on Tuesday, it was Béjar’s turn to testify to Congress.“I appear before you today as a dad with firsthand experience of a child who received unwanted sexual advances on Instagram,” he told a panel of U.S. senators.Béjar worked as an engineering director at Facebook from 2009 to 2015, attracting wide attention for his work to combat cyberbullying. He thought things were getting better. But between leaving the company and re...

Airbnb ‘tenant from hell’ who reportedly lived rent-free in Oakland forced to move out of SoCal home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:21 GMT

(KTLA) -- Elizabeth Hirschhorn, referred to as the “tenant from hell," has been forced out of the Los Angeles Airbnb rental she has been staying in since 2021.Hirschhorn was escorted out of the guest house last Friday by police after she had been living there “rent-free” for 575 days, People magazine reported. Before moving out, Hirschhorn refused to leave unless she received $100,000 for relocation costs.A Daily Mail article claimed Hirschorn was also kicked out of a $2.6 million Oakland rental home after refusing to leave. This allegedly happened just two months before she moved into Jovanovic’s Brentwood neighborhood home.Sascha Jovanovic, the landlord in Brentwood, met Hirschhorn when she rented his guesthouse through Airbnb for six months at $105 per night. When her stay was over and she refused to leave, that’s when the trouble started.Hirschhorn’s attorney previously told the Los Angeles Times that “she was not required to pay rent because the city had never approved the unit...

U.S. Weapons Transfers to Israel Shrouded in Secrecy — but Not Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:21 GMT

One month since Hamas’s surprise attack, little is known about the weapons the U.S. has provided to Israel. Whereas the Biden administration released a three-page itemized list of weapons provided to Ukraine, down to the exact number of rounds, the information released about weapons sent to Israel could fit in a single sentence.National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby acknowledged the secrecy in an October 23 press briefing, saying that while U.S. security assistance “on a near-daily basis,” he continued, “We’re being careful not to quantify or get into too much detail about what they’re getting — for their own operational security purposes, of course.”“The notion that it would in any way harm the Israeli military’s operational security to provide more information is a cover story.”The argument that transparency would imperil Israel’s operational security — somehow not a concern with Ukraine — is misleading, experts told The Intercept.“The notion that it would i...

Shoals Technologies: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:21 GMT

PORTLAND, Tenn. (AP) — PORTLAND, Tenn. (AP) — Shoals Technologies Group Inc. (SHLS) on Tuesday reported a loss of $9.8 million in its third quarter.On a per-share basis, the Portland, Tennessee-based company said it had a loss of 6 cents. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 20 cents per share.The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 16 cents per share.The solar energy equipment supplier posted revenue of $134.2 million in the period, which missed Street forecasts. Seven analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $136.7 million.Shoals Technologies expects full-year revenue in the range of $485 million to $495 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on SHLS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/SHLSSource

Talisca’s hat trick powers Al-Nassr to 3-2 win over Al-Duhail in Asian Champions League

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:21 GMT

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Anderson Talisca’s hat trick gave Al-Nassr a 3-2 win over Al-Duhail in the Asian Champions League on Tuesday with Philippe Coutinho scoring both goals for the Qatari team.The victory puts the Saudi Arabian team, which rested Cristiano Ronaldo, in control of Group E with four wins from four and needing just a point from the two remaining games to reach knockout stage. Al-Duhail was eliminated.Coutinho, the former Liverpool and Barcelona star who joined Al-Duhail on loan in September, put the team ahead after eight minutes. Talisca leveled after 27 minutes and then added a second ten minutes later.Talisca completed his hat trick just after the hour to put Al-Nassr, still searching for a first continental championship, 3-1 ahead. Coutinho converted a late penalty.On Monday, Saudi Arabian title-holder Al-Ittihad lost 2-0 to Al Quwa Al Jawiya of Iraq. Despite the defeat, Al-Ittihad is still atop Group C with nine points from four games, two above Iranian team Sep...

Kansas coach Bill Self signs richest college basketball contract ever given by a public university

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:21 GMT

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self signed a lifetime contract Tuesday that will pay him $53 million over the first five years, easily surpassing Kentucky coach John Calipari for the richest deal ever given to a college basketball coach at a public university.Self will make more than $11 million this season in base pay, professional services and royalties along with a one-time signing bonus and retention payments, including some that were deferred amid the pandemic. At the conclusion of each year, another year is added to the deal, and Self will earn a one-time, $5 million retention bonus if he serves out the first five.The deal amends a similarly structured contract Self signed in 2021, and includes a provision allowing the renegotiation of terms after the 2025-26 season. Calipari’s deal with the Wildcats pays him $8.5 million this season.“Bill Self is undoubtedly the most consistent coach in college basketball, and a restructuring of his contract terms were long ove...

Personalis: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:21 GMT

FREMONT, Calif. (AP) — FREMONT, Calif. (AP) — Personalis Inc. (PSNL) on Tuesday reported a loss of $29.1 million in its third quarter.On a per-share basis, the Fremont, California-based company said it had a loss of 60 cents. Losses, adjusted for asset impairment costs, came to 51 cents per share.The provider of contract research and genomic information posted revenue of $18.2 million in the period, surpassing Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $17 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on PSNL at https://www.zacks.com/ap/PSNLSource

Lucid Group: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:21 GMT

NEWARK, Calif. (AP) — NEWARK, Calif. (AP) — Lucid Group, Inc. (LCID) on Tuesday reported a loss of $630.9 million in its third quarter.The Newark, California-based company said it had a loss of 28 cents per share.The an electric vehicle automaker posted revenue of $137.8 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on LCID at https://www.zacks.com/ap/LCIDSource

Business Highlights: WeWork seeks bankruptcy protection; Yellen blasts GOP bid to cut IRS funding

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:21 GMT

___WeWork seeks bankruptcy protection in stunning fall for a company once valued close to $50 billionNEW YORK (AP) — WeWork has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It marks a stunning but anticipated fall for the office sharing company once seen as a Wall Street darling that promised to upend the way people went to work around the world. WeWork says it entered into a restructuring support agreement with the majority of its stakeholders to “drastically reduce” its debt while further evaluating its commercial office lease portfolio. WeWork added that it is seeking to cancel leases in locations that WeWork described as largely non-operational. All affected WeWork members have received advanced notice.___Treasury’s Yellen calls Republican effort to cut IRS funding for Israel ‘damaging and irresponsible’WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS commissioner says for the agency to keep building on its customer service and enforcement priorities it needs a reliable funding stream. IRS Commissioner...

Inspire: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:21 GMT

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. (AP) — GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. (AP) — Inspire Medical Systems Inc. (INSP) on Tuesday reported a loss of $8.5 million in its third quarter.On a per-share basis, the Golden Valley, Minnesota-based company said it had a loss of 29 cents.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of 53 cents per share.The maker of devices for treating obstructive sleep apnea posted revenue of $153.3 million in the period, which fell short of Street forecasts. Six analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $156.1 million.Inspire expects full-year revenue in the range of $608 million to $612 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on INSP at https://www.zacks.com/ap/INSPSource