Trial set to begin for man who drove car into Time Square tourists, killing Michigan woman
The man behind the wheel of the car that barreled through crowds of pedestrians in New York City’s Times Square, killing a Michigan woman and injuring 22 other people, is finally headed to trial. According to the Associated Press, prosecutors said Rojas said he wanted to “kill them all.” Rojas’ trial in Manhattan is expected to take several months. Alyssa Elsman, 18, of Portage, who was on a family trip when she was hit by the vehicle, was the only fatality. His trial has been delayed several times over the last five years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and court shutdowns that came with it. Rojas enlisted in the Navy in 2011 and served for part of 2012 aboard the USS Carney.
mlive.com'I think all Asians should die': Man filmed hurling racist remarks on Times Square subway
An unidentified man in a Times Square subway was recorded hurling anti-Asian remarks at an Asian American woman. Kat Yen, a New York City-based theater director and an M.F.A. candidate at Yale School of Drama, was on the Times Square subway when a man wearing a gray sweater and a black backpack started hurling anti-Asian remarks at her.
news.yahoo.comHomeless man shoves a woman in front of a train in Times Square, then confesses: NYPD sources
A homeless man shoved a woman to her death in front of a subway train in Times Square Saturday — then went to a lower Manhattan police station and allegedly confessed to what he had done, police and law enforcement sources said. The victim, an Asian woman, was waiting for an R train at the Times Square-42nd St. station about 9:30 a.m. when the 61-year-old suspect pushed her onto the tracks, ...
news.yahoo.comAndy Cohen Goes on Epic Drunken New Year’s Eve Rant Against Bill de Blasio: ‘Sayonara Sucka!’
CNNFour minutes into 2022, and about ten minutes before Miley Cyrus suffered a wardrobe malfunction over on NBC, Andy Cohen unleashed an incredible very drunken 45-second rant against outgoing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.The Bravo exec and his buddy Anderson Cooper were in the midst of co-hosting CNN’s New Year’s Eve special live from Manhattan’s Times Square when, after taking a shot of tequila, Cohen went in on the deeply disliked ex-mayor.good god this man is full of rage pic.twitter.c
news.yahoo.comSuspect in attack on Asian American woman in NYC is arrested
Police said Brandon Elliot, 38, is the man seen on surveillance video kicking and stomping the woman near Times Square on Monday. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called the attack “absolutely disgusting and outrageous” and said it was “absolutely unacceptable” that witnesses didn’t help the woman. Two lobby workers, described by their union as doormen, were seen on video witnessing the attack but failing to help Kari. This year in New York City, there have been 33 hate crimes with an Asian victim as of Sunday, police said. Joo Han, the deputy director of the Asian American Federation, called the plainclothes patrols a “knee-jerk response” that ignored misgivings she said many people in Asian communities have about law enforcement.
New York City launches push to vaccinate theater workers
After the virus descended on New York, the only sounds in the streets were wailing ambulance sirens. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)NEW YORK – New York City is taking steps toward the reopening of the city's theaters, creating vaccination and testing sites for stage workers in a bid to restore a key part of New York's draw. It’ll be staffed by workers from the theater industry. The city also plans for a mobile unit that will serve off-Broadway theaters and pop-up testing sites at or near theaters. “Vaccination and testing sites for theatre workers are a great step towards recovery and bringing Broadway back," said a statement from The Broadway League.
Facebook to label vaccine posts to combat COVID-19 misinfo
With vaccination against COVID-19 in full swing, social platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter say theyve stepped up their fight against misinformation that aims to undermine trust in the vaccines. And their efforts to weed out other types of COVID-19 misinformation often with fact-checks, informational labels and other restrained measures, has been woefully slow. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)LONDON – Facebook is adding informational labels to posts about vaccines as it expands efforts to counter COVID-19-related misinformation flourishing on its platforms. “For example, we’re adding a label on posts that discuss the safety of COVID-19 vaccines that notes COVID-19 vaccines go through tests for safety and effectiveness before they’re approved," Zuckerberg said. And their efforts to weed out other types of COVID-19 misinformation — often with fact-checks, informational labels and other restrained measures, has been woefully slow.
Facebook moves to dismiss federal, state antitrust suits
FILE - This March 29, 2018, file photo shows the Facebook logo on screens at the Nasdaq MarketSite, in New York's Times Square. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)Facebook has asked a court to dismiss state and federal antitrust lawsuits that accuse it of abusing its market power in social networking to crush smaller competitors. The antitrust suits, filed in December by the Federal Trade Commission and 48 states, are seeking remedies that could include a forced spinoff of the social network’s popular Instagram and WhatsApp services. In an emailed statement, James said Facebook is “wrong on the law and wrong on our complaint." Lawmakers and consumer advocates have accused Facebook of anticompetitive behavior, most starkly in buying up aspiring smaller rivals like Instagram and WhatsApp and by copying competitors.
Judge approves $650M Facebook privacy lawsuit settlement
FILE - This March 29, 2018, file photo shows the Facebook logo on screens at the Nasdaq MarketSite, in New York's Times Square. A federal judge on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021 approved a $650 million settlement of a privacy lawsuit against Facebook for allegedly using photo face-tagging and other biometric data without permission of its users. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)SAN FRANCISCO – A federal judge on Friday approved a $650 million settlement of a privacy lawsuit against Facebook for allegedly using photo face-tagging and other biometric data without the permission of its users. U.S. District Judge James Donato approved the deal in a class-action lawsuit that was filed in Illlinois in 2015. Nearly 1.6 million Facebook users in Illinois who submitted claims will be affected.
Facebook signs pay deals with 3 Australian news publishers
(AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)CANBERRA – Facebook announced on Friday preliminary agreements with three Australian publishers, a day after the Parliament passed a law that would make the digital giants pay for news. Facebook said letters of intent had been signed with independent news organizations Private Media, Schwartz Media and Solstice Media. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new Australian law was critical to the deals that Australian media businesses were negotiating with the two gateways to the internet. News Corp. Australia executive chairman Michael Miller said last week that his company had pay negotiations with Facebook. I think the door is still open,” Miller told a Senate inquiry into Australian media diversity.
Unfriended no more: Facebook to lift Australia news ban
Facebook said on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, it lift its ban on Australians sharing news after a deal was struck on legislation that would make digital giants pay for journalism. Google also had threatened to remove its search functions from Australia because of the proposed law, but that threat has faded. Ad“There is no doubt that Australia has been a proxy battle for the world,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said. The legislation was designed to curb the outsized bargaining power of Facebook and Google in their negotiations with Australian news providers. “We’re restoring news on Facebook in Australia in the coming days.
Facebook steps up vaccine misinfo efforts. Will it work?
FILE - This March 29, 2018 file photo shows the Facebook logo on screens at the Nasdaq MarketSite, in New York's Times Square. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)A inoculation efforts for the coronavirus ramp up around the world, Facebook says it’s going all in to block the spread of bogus vaccine claims. Among Facebook’s new targets: claims include that vaccines aren’t effective or that they’re toxic, dangerous or cause autism, all of which have been thoroughly debunked for both the coronavirus vaccine and any other vaccine. AdIn the fall of 2020, the company banned advertisements that discourage vaccinations — with an exception carved out for advocacy ads about government vaccine policies — but at that time it didn't ban unpaid posts by users. It’s not clear if Facebook’s newly-expanded policy will be more effective than its past attempts to clamp down on COVID and vaccine-related misinformation.
'A long two days': Major storm pummels Northeast with snow
Although the heaviest parts of the storm had moved through the metropolitan area by Monday evening, lighter snow showers were expected to continue virtually all day Tuesday, forecaster James Tomasini said. “We’re looking at a long two days here,” New York Gov. Across the Northeast, many coronavirus vaccination sites closed Monday. AdHundreds of flights and many trains and were canceled, and aboveground New York City subway service stopped at 2 p.m. In recent days, a storm system blanketed parts of the Midwest, with some areas getting the most snow in several years.
UK opens formal investigation of Facebook's Giphy takeover
The U.K.'s competition watchdog launched a formal investigation on Thursday Jan. 28, 2021 into Facebook's purchase of Giphy over concerns it will stifle competition for animated images. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)LONDON – The U.K.'s competition watchdog launched a formal investigation on Thursday into Facebook's purchase of Giphy over concerns it will stifle competition for animated images. The watchdog started examining the deal last year, shortly after Facebook announced its plan to acquire Giphy in a deal reportedly worth $400 million. “We will continue to fully cooperate with the CMA’s investigation," Facebook said in a statement. Half of Giphy’s traffic comes from Facebook’s apps, which also include Messenger and WhatsApp, Facebook said when it announced the deal.
AP sources: Michael Strahan tests positive for COVID-19
FILE - In this Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017 file photo, Former New York Giant Michael Strahan poses for a picture at the opening of "NFL Experience" in Times Square, New York. Pro Football Hall of Famer and Good Morning America host Michael Strahan has tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-quarantining, according to people familiar with the situation. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)Pro Football Hall of Famer and “Good Morning America” host Michael Strahan has tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-quarantining, according to people familiar with the situation. Strahan, who also provides analysis on the “Fox NFL Sunday” pregame show, appeared remotely during last Sunday’s NFC championship game. The 49-year-old Strahan has been absent from the ABC morning show all week and it remains uncertain when he will be on again.