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How Elon Musk transformed Twitter’s blue check from status symbol into a badge of shame

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

Days after Elon Musk’s Twitter purged blue check marks from VIP users and prominent organizations, the checks reappeared on the accounts of a number of high-profile figures, many of whom promptly stressed they did not ask for or did not want the new verification badge.Those in the latter camp include the rapper Lil Nas X, The New York Times, the scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson, the journalist Kara Swisher, and even the legendary satirical account @dril, to name a few.Even the accounts of public figures known to be deceased, including Bob Saget, Kirstie Alley and Barbara Walters, have had their verification restored, and it is unclear how many of those badges Twitter may be handing out at no charge.The spectacle only added to mounting chaos at Twitter and highlighted how Musk has helped erode the value of the blue check at precisely the moment he’s betting on it to help drive subscription revenue for his company after a massive drop in its core advertising business.Once a recognizable ...

GOP rivals once again failing to wrest party from Trump’s grip

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

By Gregory KRieg and Eric Bradner | CNNThe question put to South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, hours after he announced plans to run for the Republican presidential nomination, was a simple one: How do you plan to defeat Donald Trump?Scott spoke for nearly a minute, discussing his mother, his belief in the power of prayer and his “faith in God and faith in our future.” When Fox and Friends co-host Steve Doocy lightly pressed for a more direct answer, Scott shook him off again.“As opposed to trying to have a conversation about how to beat a Republican,” he said, “I think we’re better off having a conversation about beating Joe Biden.”Scott, like his fellow GOP presidential contenders, is itching to take on the Democratic president, who is now poised to officially launch his reelection bid. But their first challenge will be getting through the Republican primary — and unseating Trump as the party’s standard bearer.Even with Trump facing...

Jeff Liu picked as new East Palo Alto police chief

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

(KRON) -- East Palo Alto has a new top cop. City officials announced Monday that a veteran member of the East Palo Alto Police Department, Jeff Liu, was picked and appointed as Chief of Police. "Mr. Liu was selected after an extensive recruitment and selection process involving community members, city staff, and the City Council," city leaders wrote. "He is best known for 'leading from the heart,' and is passionate about the East Palo Alto community, which he refers to as his family."Liu has served his entire law enforcement career battling crime in East Palo Alto.Liu began his career more than two decades ago as a rookie EPAPD police officer in 2000. His assignments included patrol and investigations until his promotion to the rank of sergeant in 2009. Over the next six years, Liu supervised patrol teams.In 2015, Liu was promoted to commander, and in January 2021, he was promoted again as Interim Chief of Police. Vice Mayor Antonio Lopez said, "With over 20 years of experience work...

2.8-magnitude earthquake hits Antioch

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

(KRON) -- A 2.8-magnitude earthquake struck in Antioch on Sunday afternoon, according to the United States Geological Survey. The USGS had initially reported the quake as a magnitude 3.1, and was later revised to 2.8. A 2.5-magnitude earthquake preceded the larger shake and there was a 2.7-magnitude aftershock. Group of students targeted in smash and grab at San Leandro In-N-Out The main quake struck at 1:20 p.m. and was about 17 miles below the survey, according to data shared by USGS.

Monte Schulz pens new book ‘Metropolis,’ sets record straight about his ‘Peanuts’ father, Charles M. Schulz

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

Hear our full chat on my podcast “Beyond the Fame with Jason Fraley.” toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Jason Fraley chats with Monte Schulz (Part 1) $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); }); Monte Schulz wants to set the record straight about his father, the late “Peanuts” creator Charles M. Schulz.He said that David Michaelis’ 2007 biography “Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography” was largely a work of fiction.“...

Blackout-beset South Africa may delay closing coal stations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa may delay shutting down many of its highly polluting coal-fired power stations, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Monday, a move that could stem a crisis of daily electricity blackouts but would slow a shift to greener energy sources.South Africa is Africa’s most developed economy but is experiencing rolling nationwide blackouts, sometimes for more than 10 hours a day, because of an electricity shortfall. The blackouts, which have become worse over the past year, have been deeply damaging to the economy and to the popularity of Ramaphosa’s government ahead of national elections next year.Under the new plan, which Ramaphosa outlined only broadly in his weekly letter to the nation, South Africa will consider a delay in the decommissioning of some of its 14 coal plants to help ease the electricity cuts, known as “load-shedding.”About 80% of South Africa’s electricity is provided by coal. The nation is the world’s 16th-largest emitte...

Ada Limón reappointed as US poet laureate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

Ada Limón has been appointed to a second term as U.S. poet laureate and has numerous projects in the works, including a poem for NASA’s Europa Clipper mission.Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced Monday that Limón will serve an additional two years, instead of the traditional one-year term for poet laureates. “I am beyond honored to serve for another two years as the Poet Laureate of the United States,” Limón said in a statement. “Everywhere I have traveled during my first term, both nationally and internationally, I’ve been reminded that poetry brings people together. I am looking forward to continuing the important work of celebrating what poetry can do.”On June 1, Limón will unveil her NASA poem, to be engraved on the spacecraft scheduled to explore Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons. She is also collaborating with the National Park Service and the Poetry Society of America to present poems at national parks.Limón, who began her first term last September, has publ...

Respiratory therapist pleads guilty in deaths of 2 patients

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

CHILLICOTHE, Mo. (AP) — A former respiratory therapist has pleaded guilty in the deaths of two patients at a Missouri hospital two decades ago. Jennifer Hall, 42, initially was charged with two counts of first-degree murder but pleaded guilty instead Friday to reduced first-degree involuntary manslaughter counts in the deaths of 75-year-old Fern Franco and 37-year-old David Wesley Harper, The Kansas City Star reported. She also pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree assault.Franco and Harper were among nine patients who died at Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe over several months in 2002 in what charging documents describe as “medically suspicious” events.From December 2001, when Hall started working at the hospital, until she was placed on administrative leave the following May, there also were 18 cardiac arrests or “Code Blue” events, up from an average of one a year before then. The case was revived after an analysis of Franco’s tissue samples found morphine and a powe...

Don Lemon ‘stunned’ after ousting at CNN

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

(The Hill) -- CNN host Don Lemon says he has been fired by CNN.“I am stunned,” Lemon said in a message posted on Twitter on Monday, saying his agent had informed him of his firing by CNN president Chris Licht.The Hill has confirmed Lemon’s exit with CNN.Licht said in a memo to CNN workers that “CNN and Don have parted ways.”“Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years,” Licht said. “We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.”In a separate statement issued on Monday, the network pushed back on Lemon’s framing of the circumstances surrounding his departure. “Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate,” the network said. “He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.” Lemon joined CNN in 2006.  Tucker Carlson, Fox News ‘mutually agreed’ to part ways The news of Lemon’s exit from the cable news channel cam...

Police arrest 24-year-old suspected of spray painting FPL pole in Miami Beach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:15 GMT

Police says they busted an alleged vandal in Miami Beach. A 24-year-old man was arrested and stands accused of spray painting a Florida Power and Light pole behind the Jewish Museum on Washington Avenue.The act of vandalism caused $1,500 in damages. According to police, while the suspect took off, they found him nearby with paint stains on his fingers and shoes. He is being charged with criminal mischief.