When Yekaterina Maksimova can’t afford to be late, the journalist and activist avoids taking the Moscow subway, even though it’s probably the most efficient route. That’s because she’s been detained five times in the past year, thanks to the system’s pervasive security cameras with facial recognition. She says police would tell her the cameras “reacted” to her — although they often seemed not to understand why, and would let her go after a few hours. “It seems like I’m in some kind of a...
To pull off the most audacious opening ceremony in Olympic history, French organizers are now — literally — on the same page. France’s government, the organizing committee president for the 2024 Paris Games and the French capital’s mayor signed an 11-page security protocol Tuesday that for the first time publicly laid out some of the gritty details of their planning to shield the unprecedented July 26 opening ceremony from the threats of terrorism, drone attacks and other risks for the...
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned in a new advisory Tuesday that widespread social media use among kids and teens poses a significant mental health risk that needs to be addressed immediately. Social media is used almost universally, the report says, with up to 95% of youth between ages 13 and 17 reporting using it. In the latest advisory, Murthy concedes that social media can have both positive and negative effects on kids. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned in a new advisory...
Angelica Lyons knew it was dangerous for Black women to give birth in America. As a public health instructor, she taught college students about racial health disparities, including the fact that Black women in the U.S. are nearly three times more likely to die during pregnancy or delivery than any other race. Her home state of Alabama has the third-highest maternal mortality rate in the nation. Then, in 2019, it nearly happened to her. What should have been a joyous first pregnancy...
Seven people accused of racially abusing Real Madrid player Vinícius Júnior have been arrested in Spain, police said Tuesday. Three were detained in Valencia for alleged abuse against Vinícius in a Spanish league match on Sunday. Four were arrested in Madrid for allegedly hanging an effigy of the player off a highway bridge in January. The arrests come after an outpouring of support for Vinícius after he said he was abused in Valencia. The case prompted widespread reaction from sports...
Venmo unveiled a new linked account that parents can open for kids 13 to 17 years old. A consumer watchdog shares how to protect teens from common peer-to-peer payment issues. As new peer-to-peer payment app options emerge for teenagers, experts say it’s an opportunity for parents to teach their kids how to use these financial tools wisely — and educate them on how to avoid common pitfalls. Venmo on Monday unveiled a new linked teen account that parents can open with select features for kids...
Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general, is calling for “immediate action” by tech companies and lawmakers to protect kids’ and adolescents’ mental health on social media. But after years of middling and insufficient action by both social media platforms and policymakers, parents and young people still bear most of the burden in navigating the fast-changing, often harmful world of secretive algorithms, addictive apps and extreme and inappropriate content found on platforms such as...
Apple on Tuesday announced a new multibillion-dollar deal with Broadcom to develop 5G radio frequency components in the U.S. “We’re thrilled to make commitments that harness the ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit of American manufacturing,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a release. Apple said its deal with Broadcom is part of its 2021 commitment to invest $430 billion in the U.S. economy. Apple on Tuesday announced a new multibillion-dollar deal with Broadcom to develop 5G radio...
A father and son from Massachusetts have both been sent to prison for running an elaborate lottery fraud scheme designed to enrich themselves and help prize winners avoid paying taxes on their windfall, prosecutors said. Ali Jaafar, 63, and Yousef Jaafar, 29, both of Watertown, cashed in 14,000 winning lottery tickets over a roughly 10-year period, laundered more than $20 million in proceeds, and then lied on their tax returns to cheat the IRS out of about $6 million, the U.S. attorney’s...
Wish you could reword that snarky text message you just sent? WhatsApp is allowing users to do just that, for up to 15 minutes after they send a message. The popular chat app announced in a blog post Monday that users can correct misspellings, add more details or otherwise change what they have sent to friends, family and coworkers. The ability to edit messages has started rolling out to people worldwide and will be available to all users in coming weeks, according to the company owned by...
Portuguese police aided by German and British colleagues on Tuesday resumed their search for Madeleine McCann, the British child who disappeared in the country’s southern Algarve region 16 years ago. Between 20 and 30 officers, some in uniform, could be seen in the area by the Arade dam, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Praia da Luz, where the 3-year-old was last seen alive in 2007. Portuguese police had set up a blue base tent and cordoned off the area to the media and public....
Veteran Sherpa guide Kami Rita has scaled Mount Everest for the 28th time Tuesday, beating his own record less than a week after setting it, as two guides compete with each other for the title of most climbs of the world’s highest peak. Kami Rita, considered one of the greatest mountain guides, reached the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) summit at 9:20 a.m. local time Tuesday, according to expedition organizer Seven Summits Treks. His latest climb comes a day after fellow Sherpa guide Pasang...