International
Musk ‘kills’ new Twitter label, hours after launch
| By AFP | Julie Jammot |
Twitter launched two new verification tools Wednesday but “killed” one of them hours later in a messy start to owner Elon Musk’s campaign to revamp the influential platform following his $44 billion buyout.
The social media platform unveiled its long-awaited Twitter Blue subscription service, which allows users to pay $7.99 per month for a coveted blue tick, as well as a separate gray “official” badge for some high-profile accounts.
But the new gray label was almost immediately scrapped, overshadowing the launch of Twitter Blue, which is currently only available on the mobile app on iPhones and in the United States.
“I just killed it,” Musk tweeted hours after the new tag was added to government accounts, big companies and major media outlets.
“Please note that Twitter will do lots of dumb things in coming months. We will keep what works & change what doesn’t,” the world’s richest man added.
The U-turn invited further scrutiny of Musk’s plans for Twitter a week after he laid off thousands of workers and drew a massive drop in spending by advertisers, who are wary of the site’s direction.
The blue tick has been a mark of an account’s authenticity and doubts emerged that public figures or media outlets would pay for it. The official gray tag was seen by observers as a workaround to solve that problem.
The launch of the new official label began Wednesday and was on the accounts of companies such as Apple and BMW, as well as public ones such as the White House and major media outlets.
But only hours later, it was gone for many of them.
Accounts that had received the “official” badge — including Agence France-Presse, BBC News, Pope Francis and Kanye West — saw the mention disappear.
‘A lot of work’
Esther Crawford, an executive who announced the gray tick on Tuesday, insisted that the official label was still going to be part of the relaunch, but that “we are just focusing on government and commercial entities to begin with.”
“There are no sacred cows in product at Twitter anymore. Elon is willing to try lots of things — many will fail, some will succeed,” she tweeted Wednesday.
“The goal is to find the right mix of successful changes to ensure the long-term health and growth of the business.”
During a panel for advertisers broadcast on Twitter, Musk exercised some damage control, admitting that a lot of work lay ahead to get the site to the place he wished to reach.
“We’ve got a lot to do on the software side. I can’t emphasize that enough,” he said.
Musk took control of Twitter after a drawn-out legal battle in which the mercurial tycoon tried to renege on a deal that many believe he overpaid for.
It emerged on Tuesday that Musk sold $4 billion worth of shares in Tesla to help pay for a transaction in which he took on billions of dollars in debt.
Twitter Blue is seen as one way to overcome the loss in advertisers since Musk took over.
Twitter last week fired half of its 7,500 employees, which Musk said was necessary as the company was losing $4 million a day.
International
Haitian authorities mobilize nationwide as gangs threaten confrontation with police
Haiti’s National Police (PNH) declared a state of maximum alert after the leader of the Viv Ansanm armed coalition, Jimmy Chérizier — known as “Barbecue” — urged the population to stay indoors amid the prospect of clashes with security forces carrying out an offensive against gang groups.
The threats came days after the PNH, the Haitian Armed Forces (FAD’H), and the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) launched a large-scale operation against the 400 Mawozo gang, which for years has controlled and kidnapped residents in Tabarre and Croix-des-Bouquets, north of the capital.
The police announced the suspension of all vacations and leave for officers “in order to mobilize all police personnel, with the goal of ensuring optimal security for the population and responding to any eventuality.” Authorities reported that operations will continue specifically in Croix-des-Bouquets, territory controlled by 400 Mawozo under the command of Lanmò Sanjou.
In recent days, security forces located and raided several hideouts used by criminal groups, managing to kill or force the retreat of gang members from strategic areas. Police Director General Vladimir Paraison visited the barracks of the units involved in the operations to express his “appreciation for the courage and commitment of the police in their relentless battles to restore order and uphold the law.”
Chérizier — for whom the United States has offered a $5 million reward — urged citizens on Sunday to remain in their homes so the gangs could confront police forces and “avoid becoming victims.”
“The time has come, Haitian people, to unite to liberate this country,” he declared in a message shared on social media.
International
U.S. House poised to approve bill requiring declassification of Epstein files
A group of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives said on Tuesday that a bill requiring the Department of Justice to declassify documents related to the case of billionaire Jeffrey Epstein is expected to pass with “overwhelming” support.
Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, the sponsor of the proposal, urged the Senate not to allow delays or amendments. “I expect it to pass by an overwhelming majority in the House. I don’t want politicians playing games with this. They need to pass it in the Senate without changes,” he said from Capitol Hill, joined by Republicans Thomas Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and several Epstein victims.
The vote is scheduled for Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. local time, after 218 lawmakers from both parties forced House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring the measure to the floor.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been criticized by Democrats for his past friendship with Epstein, stated that he would sign the bill if it passes both chambers of Congress. His support came after a shift in his position, following his name appearing in leaked documents.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a frequent ally of the president, publicly confronted Trump in recent days over the issue. Standing alongside several Epstein victims, she defended her backing of the bill despite Trump calling her a “traitor.” “These women have fought the most horrible battle that no woman should ever have to fight (…) even against the president of the United States,” she said.
Taylor Greene added that the “real test” will be whether the Department of Justice complies with releasing the documents once the bill is enacted. “Or everything will remain sealed under the pretext of ongoing investigations,” she warned.
Haley Robson, one of the victims, also spoke during the press event. “I’m traumatized, I’m not stupid,” she said firmly, arguing that attempts by certain sectors to delay the process have caused tremendous emotional harm. “This is not political. This is America. This is the land of freedom,” she stated.
International
Five mexicans detained in North Carolina immigration raids, Sheinbaum confirms
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Tuesday that five Mexican citizens were detained during immigration raids carried out over the weekend in North Carolina, United States. She indicated that the federal government is already providing assistance and consular protection to those affected.
“There are five Mexican nationals in custody, and the Consulate General of Mexico in Raleigh is in communication with them to provide assistance and consular protection,” Sheinbaum said during her morning press conference. She reiterated that protecting Mexicans abroad is a priority for her administration, and that the Foreign Ministry will closely follow the case.
The announcement comes after an operation known as Charlotte’s Web, conducted by U.S. immigration authorities in the city of Charlotte, the state’s financial hub. The raid resulted in at least 81 arrests, including Mexican and Honduran nationals.
The operation focused on targeting “illegal aliens with criminal records,” according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which cited more than 1,400 outstanding arrest warrants that have not been executed due to so-called sanctuary policies in certain cities.
However, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein stated that “the vast majority” of those detained do not have criminal records. Stein urged the public to document immigration operations and protest peacefully, as already witnessed in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland.
One of the most widely shared cases online is that of Willy Aceituno, a U.S. citizen born in Honduras, who reported being violently detained by immigration agents despite having valid documentation. DHS responded by accusing him of “erratic behavior” and claiming that an agent was injured after a civilian crashed their vehicle during the operation.
Haitian authorities mobilize nationwide as gangs threaten confrontation with police
U.S. House poised to approve bill requiring declassification of Epstein files
Five mexicans detained in North Carolina immigration raids, Sheinbaum confirms
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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