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Lyft launches feature to let women riders choose women drivers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:04 GMT

By Natalie Lung | BloombergLyft Inc. is launching a feature that will try to prioritize matches between women and non-binary riders and drivers in response to demand for increased safety protections for its users.Drivers and riders who indicate their gender preference as women or non-binary in the app, or those with a user name commonly identifiable as a woman’s name, will be given access to opt in to the feature called “Women+ Connect.” The tool will increase the chances of matching women and non binary riders with similar gender-identified drivers.Women make up only 23% of Lyft drivers, but account for nearly half of its riders, according to the company, which hopes to attract more women drivers with the new feature. Those numbers mean a preferred match isn’t guaranteed, so women riders, for example, can still be offered a male driver if no Women+ users are available nearby. Users can choose to opt out of the feature at any time.Lyft and rival Uber Technologies Inc. are being push...

Senator Dianne Feinstein’s family feud is set for private talks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:04 GMT

By Joel Rosenblatt and David Voreacos | BloombergA judge ordered a high-stakes family feud over the finances of US Senator Dianne Feinstein, the powerful 90-year-old California Democrat, to be moved out of court for private negotiations.Since early this summer, the fight has been playing out publicly between the families of two of San Francisco’s storied power brokers: Feinstein, who built a political dynasty over decades, and her wealthy husband Richard Blum, the co-founder of private equity firm Blum Capital Partners, who died last year and left much of his fortune to her in a marital trust.At a hearing Monday in San Francisco, retired Judge Roger T. Picquet told lawyers for both sides, “I love making decisions, don’t get me wrong.” But private mediation, he said, where the two parties work our their differences outside of court, often produces more satisfying results.“If any case deserves an honest appraisal of mediation, this case does,” he said.The dispute centers on how truste...

Ferry terminal to close for more than 2 months for renovation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:04 GMT

(BCN) -- The Main Street Ferry Terminal in Alameda will close for renovation for over two months starting in October, ferry service officials said. The terminal's operation will be suspended from Oct. 23 through Jan. 1, 2024, the San Francisco Bay Ferry said in a news release. The terminal will undergo repair and replacement of its aging infrastructure to comply with with seismic safety requirements, according to the ferry service. Massive sinkhole forms in SF intersection after water main break During the closure, downtown San Francisco-bound riders can use the Alameda Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal while ferries to Chase Center and South San Francisco will only be available out of the Oakland Ferry Terminal. The Alameda Short Hop route will be suspended during the closure. Operations at the Main Street terminal are planned to resume on Jan. 2, 2024 for the Oakland and Alameda, South San Francisco, Alameda Short Hop, Oracle Park and Chase Center ferry routes. "Design...

TikTok Shop launches in the U.S. as the company bets big on e-commerce

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:04 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — After months of testing, TikTok is fully launching its e-commerce product in the U.S. in an effort to translate the app’s cultural relevance among young consumers to sales. The company said Tuesday its shopping wing, called TikTok Shop, will include several features such as a “Shop Tab,” a marketplace its been testing on the app since August; affiliate videos in user’s feed that allows creators to earn commissions from products; as well as a logistics arm called Fulfilled by TikTok that stores and ships products for merchants. TikTok, which has 150 million users in the U.S., said in its announcement that it will continue to offer live shopping, which is big in Asia but hasn’t picked up steam among U.S. shoppers. Earlier this year, Meta owned Instagram removed a live shopping feature from its app. ByteDance, the Beijing company that owns TikTok, already runs a thriving social media marketplace on Douyin, its twin video app for the Chinese market.The e-commerce platfor...

A new documentary reexamines the Louis CK scandal, 6 years later

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:04 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Louis C.K. came to the Toronto International Film Festival six years ago with the hotly anticipated “I Love You, Daddy,” just as allegations of sexual misconduct against the comedian were gaining new prominence.The movie sold at TIFF for $5 million, but before it could reach theaters, its premiere was canceled and its release scuttled. After years of rumors, a New York Times article in November that year detailed the allegations of several women who described incidents in which C.K. masturbated in front of female stand-up colleagues.Now, a new documentary premiering in Toronto, where C.K.’s downfall began, is delving into one of most debated #MeToo cases. “Sorry/Not Sorry,” directed by Caroline Suh and Cara Mones and produced by the Times, examines the allegations, the fallout for those who came forward and C.K.’s comeback in comedy.“In the early years, the advice I was given was: Don’t make this movie,” says Suh, who directed the Barack Obama-narrated docuseries “Wor...

Residents hole up, schools close as searchers zero in on escaped murderer Danelo Cavalcante

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:04 GMT

Residents of a suburban Philadelphia community locked themselves in their houses and at least one school district canceled classes as authorities indicated they were closing in on an escaped murderer who has evaded capture in the region for nearly two weeks.Danelo Souza Cavalcante entered a garage late Monday in the search area northwest of Philadelphia, stole a rifle, and fled when the homeowner drew a pistol and shot at him, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said in a news conference Tuesday morning.State Police posted on social media that the department was pursuing Cavalcante in South Coventry Township, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of the Chester County jail, from which he escaped Aug. 31. Police warned that Cavalcante was armed and not to approach him, and asked the public to call 911 if they see him.About 500 officers are searching or guarding an 8- to 10-square mile area roughly 30 miles northwest (50 kilometers) of Philadelphia, Bivens said.At about 10...

Today in Sports – Rafael Nadal wins his first U.S. Open title to complete a career Grand Slam

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:04 GMT

Sept. 131930 — Tommy Armour beats Gene Sarazen 1 up to win the PGA Championship.1964 — Roy Emerson beats fellow Australian Fred Stolle to win the men’s title in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships. Brazil’s Maria Bueno wins the women’s title. Emerson wins in straight sets 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 and Bueno easily wins 6-1, 6-0.1970 — Only 55 of 126 finish the first New York City Marathon, with Gary Muhrcke winning in 2 hours, 31 minutes, 38.2 seconds. The race is run counterclockwise on a 26.22-mile course in Central Park.1981 — The Atlanta Falcons, trailing 17-0 with 13 minutes remaining in the game, score 31 points to beat the Green Bay Packers 31-17. The Falcons score touchdowns on a punt return, two by passes, an interception return and a fumble return.1981 — John McEnroe defeats Bjorn Borg to win his third straight men’s singles title in the U.S. Open.1989 — Pat Day breaks the record for most winners in one day when he scored with eight of his nine mounts at Arlington Racecours...

Sports on TV for Wednesday, September 13

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:04 GMT

(All times Eastern)Schedule subject to change and/or blackoutsWednesday, September 13COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)8 p.m.ESPN — Kentucky at LouisvilleFS1 — Wisconsin at MarquetteMLB BASEBALL1 p.m.MLBN — Tampa Bay at Minnesota7 p.m.MLBN — Regional Coverage: NY Yankees at Boston OR Texas at Toronto11 p.m.MLBN — San Diego at LA Dodgers (Joined in Progress)TENNIS8 a.m.TENNIS — Davis Cup Finals Group Stage: U.S. vs. Croatia, Australia vs. Britain, Spain vs. Czech Rep., Canada vs. Italy; San Diego-WTA, Osaka-WTA Early RoundsSOCCER (MEN’S)5:30 p.m.FS2 — CPL: Pacific FC at Atletico OttawaWNBA BASKETBALL8 p.m.ESPN2 — Playoffs First Round: Minnesota at Connecticut, Game 110 p.m.ESPN — Playoffs First Round: Chicago at Las Vegas, Game 1_____Source

Congo communities forcibly uprooted to make way for mines critical to EVs, Amnesty report says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:04 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The mining of minerals critical to electric vehicle batteries and other green technologies in Congo has led to human rights abuses, including forced evictions and physical assault, according to a new report from Amnesty International and another rights group.Congo is by far the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a mineral used to make lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and other products, and it is also Africa’s top producer of copper, which is used in EVs, renewable energy systems and more.Rights groups and U.S. officials have long criticized the trade of Congo’s cobalt, copper and other minerals due to abusive labor and the risk of violence in an impoverished central African country where militants control swaths of territory.A measure was introduced in the U.S. House in July to ban imported products containing cobalt and copper and mined through child labor and other abusive conditions in Congo. The report released Tuesday by Amnesty International ...

Stock market today: Wall Street drifts as oil prices rise and Oracle weighs on tech stocks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:04 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are drifting Tuesday as Wall Street waits to see what reports coming up this week on the economy and Big Tech companies say.The S&P 500 was 0.2% lower in early trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 30 points, or 0.1%, at 34,625, as of 9:40 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.2% lower.Software giant Oracle was weighing on tech stocks after reporting revenue for the latest quarter that fell just short of what analysts expected. Its stock tumbled 11.3%, even though its profit topped expectations.Oracle’s forecast for how much revenue it will make in the current quarter wasn’t as strong as some analysts expected, even as it touts customers signing up for services because of the boom around artificial-intelligence technology.Apple was 0.2% higher ahead of an event later in the day where it’s expected to unveil its latest phone models. The stock soared through much of this year, which is crucial for investors because it’s the most...