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What is Threads? Here’s what you need to know about the potential ‘Twitter Killer’

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:42:52 GMT

New York (CNN) — Facebook-parent Meta on Wednesday officially launched its Twitter competitor, Threads, after first confirming its plans for the app just three months ago.Threads is already off to a strong start: 10 million users signed up for the app in the first seven hours after its launch, according to the company, including a large number of brands, celebrities, journalists and many other prominent accounts.The mood on Threads Wednesday night felt a bit like the first day of school, with early adopters rushing to try out the app and write their first posts — and some questioning whether the app could end up being the “Twitter killer.” As of Thursday morning, Threads was the top free app on Apple’s App Store and a top trending topic on Twitter.Threads could pose a serious threat to Twitter, which has faced backlash since Elon Musk took over the platform in October 2022 and has run it with a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants approach. But Twitter has become particularly vulnerable in...

Tesla seeks seasonal vehicle operators in Miami to collect data on self-driving systems

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:42:52 GMT

MIAMI, Fla. (WSVN) — Tesla has announced its plan to hire drivers for seasonal positions this summer in Miami. The company is seeking individuals who will have the opportunity to drive Tesla cars and gather valuable data on the performance of their self-driving systems.In light of recent scrutiny surrounding Tesla’s self-driving technology, this hiring initiative aims to provide the company with a chance to identify and address any potential issues that may arise.By collecting data from real-world driving scenarios, Tesla hopes to improve the functionality and reliability of its autonomous driving systems.Miami is one of the 14 cities where these job openings are available. As seasonal vehicle operators, candidates will play a crucial role in the ongoing development of Tesla’s autonomous driving technology. The positions offer competitive pay, with hourly rates ranging from $17 to $46.Interested individuals can apply for these positions directly on Tesla’s website.

Severe storms cause plane problems at Kissimmee Gateway Airport

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:42:52 GMT

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (WSVN) — Three planes were flipped over at the Kissimmee Gateway Airport on Wednesday afternoon due to severe storms that swept through Central Florida. The powerful gusts of wind proved strong enough to upend the parked planes, causing substantial damage to all three aircraft.Officials from the Kissimmee Gateway Airport said two of the airplanes were not tied down; one was not airworthy and used by an aircraft maintenance school, while the other plane was being used for flight demonstrations. The third aircraft was privately owned and tied down, but its ropes broke free, airport officials said.Despite wind speeds reaching a peak of 60 miles per hour, no injuries were reported during the incident.

Decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine on Biden’s desk

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:42:52 GMT

A decision on whether to send cluster munitions to Ukraine is on President Joe Biden’s desk, and could be finalized this week, according to two U.S. officials.Biden is expected to approve sending the weapons, one of the officials said. Ukrainian forces are struggling to break through Russia’s front lines during their counteroffensive and officials believe providing the munitions will give Kyiv an edge, as its supplies of conventional weapons dwindle. The officials, as well as a congressional aide with knowledge of the discussions, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision that is not yet final.The Biden administration’s views on providing cluster munitions to Ukraine have shifted over the past year. In December, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the U.S. had “concerns” about sending the controversial weapons, which are banned by more than 100 countries because unexploded ordnance can end up killing civilians.But the administration has more recen...

Zelenskyy mauls Bulgarian president over his opposition to arming Ukraine

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:42:52 GMT

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy savaged his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev in a bruising televised exchange in Sofia on Thursday, in which he opened up with both barrels against Radev’s opposition to arming Ukraine.The flustered Bulgarian president, visibly taken aback by Zelenskyy’s indignation, asked TV cameras to leave the room in the presidential palace where the meeting was being filmed.Zelenskyy was visiting Bulgaria largely to meet the pro-NATO and pro-EU administration of Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, which has supported arms exports to Ukraine and is also exploring ways to sell civilian nuclear equipment.The meeting with Radev, a former air force chief who is more sympathetic to Russia and equivocal on NATO, went even worse than expected.Gathered on each side of a long wooden table, the khaki-clad Ukrainian delegation sat stony faced, occasionally grimacing and taking notes, opposite Radev’s team as the Bulgarian president explained that there was “no military s...

Putin’s media machine turns on ‘traitor’ Prigozhin

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:42:52 GMT

From national hero to drug-addled, bewigged zero: the Kremlin’s propaganda machine has turned against Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin.In a sensational report on state-run Rossiya-1’s “60 Minutes” program on Wednesday evening, the Kremlin’s propaganda attack dogs played footage of what they claimed was a raid of Prigozhin’s mansion and offices, showing cash, guns, drugs, a helicopter, multiple (Russian) passports — and a closet full of terrible wigs.“The investigation is continuing,” said pundit Eduard Petrov at the top of the program, referring to the probe into the mutiny led by Prigozhin last month, during which the leader of the Wagner Group of mercenaries marched his men to within 200 kilometers of Moscow in a bid to oust the country’s military leadership. “In reality, no one planned to close this case,” he added.It was an open declaration of war on Prigozhin, and came after Russian President Vladimir Putin and h...

UK government loses legal challenge over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:42:52 GMT

LONDON — The U.K. government must hand over all WhatsApp messages sent and received by Boris Johnson between January 2020 and February 2022 to the official COVID-19 inquiry, the High Court ruled Thursday. Heather Hallett, the chair of the inquiry, requested the messages in April, but the Cabinet Office refused, saying that doing so would lead them to hand over information that was “unambiguously irrelevant.”The Cabinet Office launched a judicial review into the COVID-19 inquiry’s demand after missing the June 1 deadline for handing over the information.But in a ruling on Thursday, judges dismissed the claim for judicial review, saying that Hallett did not act “irrationally in issuing the notice and making the ruling.”The Cabinet Office said that it will “comply fully with this judgment and will now work with the inquiry team on the practical arrangements,” adding: “The Court’s judgment is a sensible resolution and will mean that the Inquiry C...

Boston City Councilor Michael Flaherty announces he will not seek re-election

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:42:52 GMT

Boston City Councilor Michael Flaherty announced Wednesday he will not seek re-election, vowing to finish his current term but withdrawing a bid for an 11th term on the council. Flaherty served on the council from 2000 to 2008 before leaving to practice law after an unsuccessful mayoral campaign. He returned to the council in 2013 and has remained a city councilor ever since, serving as an at-large councilor. Flaherty, who will mark 20 years spent on the council this year, said he made his decision to not seek re-election “after much deliberation and self reflection over the past few months, and in close consultation with my wife and family.”“I believe I have served the city of Boston and its residents faithfully and effectively during my tenure, but it is now time to turn the page and move on to the next chapter of my life,” Flaherty said in a statement shared on Twitter. Flaherty thanked his friends and supporters as well as colleagues in city government and “the many hard-wo...

Second person arrested in connection with deadly shooting in New Bedford

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:42:52 GMT

A second person has been arrested in connection with the death of a man in New Bedford earlier this week, the Bristol County District Attorney’s office announced Thursday. The DA said Wyllie Monteiro, 25, of New Bedford was arrested early Thursday morning in Dartmouth a matter of days after police found 20-year-old Lorenzo Gomes unconscious in his vehicle following a report of shots fired in the area. Gomes was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, the DA said. The DA said police initially responded shortly after 12 a.m. Monday to the area of Tallman and North Front streets. There, the DA said witnesses told officers they heard “loud bangs that sounded like gunshots.”The DA said officers later found Gomes in his car Belleville Avenue, saying he “appears to have attempted to drive to the hospital before losing consciousness in his vehicle.”  Officials previously arrested 24-year-old Sterling Robinson on Monday night in the case on a charge of acc...

Is baseball’s Shohei Ohtani a $701 million man?

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:42:52 GMT

Angels star Shohei Ohtani, left, will likely get a long-term contract larger than teammate Mike Trout’s $426 million, 12-year deal.(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)One big-money California business deal to watch is how rich Angels baseball star Shohei Ohtani will become once his current contract ends this year.Ohtani, who’s making $30 million in 2023, will be a free agent when the season ends. He’ll be available for hire by any of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams to pursue. It’s all but given he’ll sign the priciest long-term contract in baseball history.Now, it’s hard to argue that anybody paid $30 million in a single year is underpaid. Hey, it’s the 15th biggest paycheck in baseball, according to Spotrac. But if you’re not a sports fan, please realize this athlete is arguably the game’s best batter and pitcher – a two-way feat nobody else has pulled off.Next week’s All-Star Game will serve as another billboard for O...