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Ding-dong-ditching has resurfaced as the door kick challenge. But this time it could lead to criminal charges and potentially deadly consequences. In Florida this week, five minors were caught on camera participating in the challenge. Instead of simply knocking or ringing a doorbell and running, footage shows one individual approaching a front door, kicking it repeatedly, then firing an airsoft gun before fleeing the scene, according to Fox News. Earlier this month in DeBary, near Orlando, two teenagers faced felony burglary charges after taking part in the challenge. Doorbell footage captured them sneaking up to a house, forcefully kicking the door until the wood splintered, then running away. When questioned by police, one teen reportedly said they were just being dumb, per the Daily Mail. Similar incidents have been reported in Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Police departments across these states are warning both teens and their parents about the risks involved in the challenge. Not only is it illegal, but it also raises the risk of violent confrontations between residents and those taking part. Last month, the Fleetwood Police Department in Pennsylvania issued a warning that “While ding dong ditch has been a hallmark for decades of kids who were looking to have a little mischievous fun, todays youth have taken things to a more serious level by kicking at doors and ultimately causing damage.” The Fort Worth Police Department in Texas released a similar statement in May. “It is imperative that individuals partaking in this trend understand that even if no burglary or theft occurs, this behavior is illegal and considered vandalism and can lead to criminal charges. More critically, it can be mistaken as an attempted break-in, potentially prompting dangerous or defensive responses from homeowners,” the department wrote. Hot off the heels of the recent #ChromebookChallenge, police are urging parents “to speak with their children about the risks and consequences of participating in trends like this,” emphasizing that “what may seem like a prank can result in very real trouble and/or danger.”
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E-Commerce
Tesla says it has started production of a more affordable model and expects volume production in the second half of the year. The company reported the steepest decline in quarterly revenue in more than a decade, with a 12% fall, as it battles strong competition from cheaper electric vehicles and a backlash against CEO Elon Musk’s political views. Revenue fell to $22.5 billion for the April-June quarter from $25.50 billion a year earlier. Analysts on average were expecting revenue of $22.74 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG. The company reported a second straight quarterly revenue drop despite rolling out a much-awaited refreshed version of its best-selling Model Y SUV that investors had hoped would rekindle demand. Much of the company’s trillion dollar valuation hangs on its bet on its robotaxi servicea small trial of which was started in Austin, Texas, last monthand developing humanoid robots. However, investors are worried about whether Musk will be able to give enough time and attention to Tesla after he locked horns with President Donald Trump by forming a new political party this month. He had promised weeks earlier that he would cut back on government work and focus on his companies. A series of high-profile executive exits, including a longtime Elon Musk confidant who oversaw sales and manufacturing in North America and Europe and left Tesla last month, is also adding to the concerns. Akash Sriram and Abhirup Roy, Reuters
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E-Commerce
Hundreds of thousands of doses of mpox vaccine that the United States had promised to send to African nations are in danger of going to waste, dozens of congressional Democrats said in a letter to the U.S. State Department on Wednesday. Forty-eight Democratic members of the House of Representatives, led by Representatives Mark Pocan of Wisconsin and Sara Jacobs of California, signed the letter, saying that the vaccines may expire as they sit in warehouses, wasting the U.S. taxpayer dollars that paid for them. The letter said 800,000 doses of the vaccines are at risk, and that some 220,000 doses could be viable if the State Department begins shipping them immediately. “This is a moral, strategic, and public health failure in the making,” the letter said. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Republican U.S. President Donald Trump has made sharp cuts to foreign aid programs since beginning his second term six months ago, firing thousands of aid agency employees and contractors and throwing global humanitarian operations into chaos. The Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives passed legislation this month approving Trump’s request for about $8 billion in foreign aid cuts. Trump has said the U.S. pays disproportionately for foreign aid, and he wants other countries to shoulder more of the burden. The World Health Organization first declared the outbreak of mpox in August 2024, when an outbreak of a new form of the disease spread from the badly-hit Democratic Republic of Congo to neighboring countries. Uganda and Burundi also have been significantly affected. Mpox is a viral infection that spreads through close contact and typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. It is usually mild, but can be lethal. The WHO said last month that the outbreak was still a public health emergency of international concern, its highest form of alert. Patricia Zengerle, Reuters
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E-Commerce
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