Mar 15, 2018 - Technology

Snap shares fall after Rihanna blasts insensitive ad

Singer Rihanna at the GPE Financing Conference. Photo: Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images

Snap fell 4% on Thursday after singer Rihanna blasted Snapchat for running an ad mocking her and former boyfriend, Chris Brown, reports Business Insider. The ad asked users if they'd "rather slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown." Brown pleaded guilty to assaulting Rihanna in 2009 after the two got into an argument in a car.

Snapchat pulled the ad and released a statement to BBC: "The advert was reviewed and approved in error, as it violates our advertising guidelines. We immediately removed the ad last weekend, once we became aware. We are sorry this happened."

Rihanna reacted to the apology in an Instagram post: "I'd love to call it ignorance but I know you ain't that dumb. You spent money to animate something that would intentionally bring shame to DV victims and made a joke of it."

Go deeper: Kylie Jenner disavowed Snap earlier with criticism on a new update.

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Rashaan Ayesh
13 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Voters visit polls in Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Washington

Photo: Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images

Primary elections on Tuesday in fives states see crowded fields of both Republicans and Democrats hoping to make the ballot in 2020.

What to watch: Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) is "fighting for her political life" in a tight primary race against Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones, who Tlaib beat by 900 votes in 2018, The New York Times writes. Senate Republicans are also watching the primary race in Kansas to see who could replace retiring Republican Sen. Pat Roberts.

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Axios
Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m. ET: 18,387,725 — Total deaths: 696,586 — Total recoveries — 10,976,180 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m. ET: 4,758,028 — Total deaths: 156,426 — Total recoveries: 1,513,446 — Total tests: 57,543,852 — Map.
  3. States: New York City health commissioner resigns in protest of De Blasio's coronavirus response — Local governments go to war over schools.
  4. Public health: 59% of Americans support nationwide 2-week stay-at-home order in NPR poll.
  5. Politics: Trump's national security adviser returns to work after coronavirus recovery — Republicans push to expand small business loan program.
  6. Sports: Indy 500 to be held without fans — Rafael Nadal opts out of U.S. Open.
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Dave Lawler
Updated 2 hours ago - World

At least 50 killed, 3,000 injured after massive explosion rocks Beirut

Photo: Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty Images

A major explosion has slammed central Beirut, Lebanon, damaging buildings as far as several miles away and injuring scores of people.

Driving the news: Lebanon's health minister said in televised remarks that more than 50 people have been killed and over 3,000 injured. Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the explosions occurred at a warehouse that had been storing 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate for the past six years, per NBC.

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