
<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/"></a><a href="https://www.forbes.com/search/"></a>U.K.-based startup Hertility provides at-home hormone tests to help women assess their risk of fertility decline and make informed decisions about whether to consider treatment like IVF or egg-freezing. It wants to advertise its services on TikTok, which women <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/01/31/americans-social-media-use/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">use at higher rates</a> than men. But it can’t.</p>



<p>That&#8217;s because Hertility ads that mention its diagnostic tests have been blocked by the platform. TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe says it’s because the company prohibits advertising about fertility treatments and IVF care—something not stated publicly or explicitly in&nbsp;<a href="https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/tiktok-ads-policy-healthcare-pharmaceuticals" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">TikTok&#8217;s healthcare advertising policy</a>—but Hertility doesn’t offer those. TikTok also offered a number of other reasons for the blocks: that Hertility offers medical appointments through its website (something not necessarily mentioned in its ads), or that an ad featured pharmaceutical content (when the company doesn’t sell prescription drugs).</p>



<p>When Hertility has managed to get an ad on TikTok, it&#8217;s been forced to water down its promotional language to the point that it’s no longer even clear what the company does. The company spent two years trying to find a way to market itself on the platform. But in the end, it’s just giving up.</p>



<p>“We are literally hitting our heads against a brick wall,” said Dr. Helen O’Neill, a Hertility cofounder and molecular geneticist who’s spent more than a decade researching infertility and embryonic development.</p>



<p>“We&#8217;re not trying to sell anyone egg-freezing or IVF; we&#8217;re trying to actually help them get on an IVF journey if they need to sooner,” O’Neill said. But the platform “blocks people from even just getting answers, even though [people] sell all sorts of untoward things on TikTok.”</p>



<p>Previously, Hertility’s ads had also been blocked by Meta. The Instagram and Facebook parent’s policies&nbsp;<a href="https://transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards/restricted-goods-services/health-wellness" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">allow ads</a>&nbsp;that promote sexual health, wellness and reproductive products and services—including IVF—as long as the users targeted are over 18, and the focus is on health and medical efficacy rather than sexual pleasure or enhancement, according to Meta spokesperson Daniel Roberts.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>“What this leads to more broadly is also that it negates normalizing conversations around sexual and reproductive health.”Caroline Hoffman, chief business officer at Nurx</p>
</blockquote>



<p>“I&#8217;m sad to say that it has something to do with the fact that anything involving women&#8217;s health becomes territorial,” O’Neill added. “We see it now with IVF and egg-freezing—that even the smallest bit of insight into women&#8217;s health will soon become under attack.”</p>



<p>Hertility isn’t the only fertility company that has struggled to advertise on social media: Startups across the space have seen their ads about in-vitro fertilization and egg-freezing blocked or restricted across TikTok, Google and Meta, according to leaders of multiple reproductive health companies.</p>



<p>On the one hand, these giant platforms have valid reasons for their strict advertising rules, often stemming from the need to meet complex legal requirements of regulations in healthcare and medicine, as well as user safety and privacy laws that vary between countries and states. On the other, some companies and brands in the space see these decisions as censorship of a topic deemed by many to be controversial, in a post-Roe v. Wade era when fertility care has become politicized in the race for the White House, Congress and state governments.</p>



<p>Social media platforms have long struggled to strike the right balance with content moderation: Its rules are ever-changing and often opaque, with imperfect detection and decisions. And the lines between what is or isn’t an ad have been blurred by influencer marketing, which is another (and arguably, more powerful) form of advertising that is not always disclosed, nor policed the same way as classic paid ads.</p>



<p>Different platforms have different rules about whether they allow political ads, but across the board, users and companies alike have raised concerns that politicized topics like women’s reproductive health are increasingly getting the ax. This has previously&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/11/business/abortion-groups-tech-platforms.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">affected posts about abortion</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/11/style/facebook-womens-sexual-health-advertising.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">ads about female sexual health</a>, which may be disproportionately suppressed or removed compared with similar ads geared towards men. In 2022, the nonprofit Center for Intimacy Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://www.intimacyjustice.org/petition" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">published a report</a>&nbsp;highlighting this disparity across Facebook and Instagram, which allowed ads from men’s health companies promoting products for their sexual endurance, erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation while blocking ads about menopause, endometriosis and bladder control experienced by women. Hertility and other “femtech” startups banded together to lobby against the issue. And last year, Democrats in Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hirono.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2023_ftc_letter_meta.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">asked</a>&nbsp;the Federal Trade Commission to investigate.</p>



<p>Reproductive health companies “engage in a lot of work-arounds [to avoid getting their ads rejected] but by and large, other than obvious known knowns&#8230; you often have to guess what wasn&#8217;t right,” said Caroline Hoffman, chief business officer at Nurx, a telemedicine platform for women&#8217;s health aimed at expanding access to birth control, emergency contraceptives and reproductive care. She said Nurx spends millions per year advertising on TikTok and that they’ve had problems not only with paid ads, but also with organic posts. They see their organic content suppressed less on Meta platforms, and when their ads are rejected there, Meta offers more explanation than TikTok as to why, she said.</p>



<p>“What this leads to more broadly is also that it negates normalizing conversations around sexual and reproductive health,” she added. “It decreases the accessibility for credible and educational content. We want to play a much more active role in informing and sharing facts, and we think that this is our responsibility as a company to educate our patients. But it&#8217;s more and more difficult.”</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>“Trying to conceive: Not a political issue, unless you are not in a traditional relationship. But egg freezing: Very controversial.”An anonymous fertility startup founder</p>
</blockquote>



<p>IVF and egg-freezing now appear to be the newest frontier for the problem. At the same time as startups in the space say they’re seeing their ads rejected or restricted, brands are using the same platforms to hawk dubious fertility products to enormous audiences. On TikTok Shop, for example, it’s easy to find unproven pills, powders, teas and gummies claiming to improve the quality of women’s eggs, circulation of their ovaries, functioning of the uterus and balance of their hormones, in apparent violation of company policies. (TikTok Shop&nbsp;<a href="https://seller-us.tiktok.com/university/essay?knowledge_id=1399532709988097&amp;default_language=en&amp;identity=1" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">prohibits</a>&nbsp;the sale of “unlicensed medicines, herbal or homeopathic products, and those making health claims.”)</p>



<p>Meanwhile, influencers being compensated by fertility clinics are broadcasting their IVF and egg-freezing journeys to followers as a promotional tool—<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandralevine/2024/07/26/rise-of-the-ivf-influencers-fertility-creators-tiktok-instagram/'">without always disclosing the financial relationship</a>. (This, too, is not allowed on TikTok.) “That seems so ironic that a clinic can directly pay someone to get a procedure” as an advertisement, and “we want to enable people to just get answers, and we&#8217;re banned,” O’Neill, the Hertility founder, said.</p>



<p>The cofounder of an egg-freezing company said that TikTok regularly rejecting their ads is polarizing fertility issues that should be straightforward. They were told their ads violated TikTok’s policy on “medical devices,” though their company does not sell medical devices.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<p>“Trying to conceive: Not a political issue, unless you are not in a traditional relationship. But egg freezing: Very controversial, because it means that you are someone who&#8217;s potentially looking to put off having a baby so you can pursue a career, education or other parts of your life,” said the cofounder, who requested anonymity because the company is actively lobbying to be able to advertise on the platform. They said they never expected egg-freezing to be controversial. And given the size of the audience for the TikTok hashtag #eggfreezingjourney — at one point 30 million viewers, they said — “Why wouldn’t they want our money as an advertiser to reach that audience?”</p>



<p>TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe said ads for egg-freezing are allowed in the U.S., as long as they are targeted at individuals over 18 and comply with other rules set out in the company&#8217;s policies. But the egg-freezing startup said it met those age requirements.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<p>These obstacles extend beyond traditional social media to search giants like Google.</p>



<p>Google has limited the advertising possible for AIVF, a startup using artificial intelligence to improve and digitize the end-to-end IVF process for patients, fertility clinics and embryology labs across the United States, Europe and Latin America, said AIVF’s vice president of marketing Eyal Katz.</p>



<p>IVF and egg-freezing fall under a Google advertising category called “birth control,” even though they are not a form of birth control. Google spokesperson Nate Funkhouser told&nbsp;<em>Forbes</em>&nbsp;advertising on these topics is restricted only in some parts of the world,&nbsp;<a href="https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/176031?hl=en#zippy=%2Ctroubleshooter-birth-control" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">banned in</a>&nbsp;China, Hong Kong, Iran, Lebanon, Palestinian Territory, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates, among other places. But AIVF’s Katz said their prospective U.S. market is affected, too.</p>



<p>“We are targeting countries not included as part of the policy… and still having issues with the policy rejecting our ads,” Katz said. “I was told by a Google representative that it would be wise to remove any mention of birth control or IVF from our landing pages and/or ads. However, unclear as to why I would need to do that in countries where the policy is not supposed to be enforced.”</p>



<p>Funkhouser, the Google spokesperson, said over email that “we have long allowed ads for fertility treatments and services in most countries,” but “to ensure advertisers don&#8217;t target people based on sensitive health information, we do implement certain protections.” As part of its&nbsp;<a href="https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/og_pCzpqjMfzELZmuXhvF95Upl?domain=support.google.com" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">personalized advertising policies</a>, Google prevents those advertising fertility services—which it considers a sensitive category—from using certain ad customization tools. The goal, he noted, is to avoid targeting that could negatively impact user experience. But there are no restrictions on specific fertility-related words (except for users under 18), he said.</p>



<p>“It&#8217;s not that [Google] prohibits us from advertising to people in search of an IVF treatment, it just limits the ways that we can do it, into a way that makes it not very effective,” Katz told&nbsp;<em>Forbes</em>.</p>



<p>“Technology makes IVF something that is more accessible to a wider audience,” he added. “And with these platforms limiting it, they&#8217;re limiting the access that IVF treatment would have, especially for those types of audiences that need it.”</p>



<p><em>This story has been updated to clarify Meta’s ad policies.</em></p>



<p></p>


Be always in contact.

TikTok Is Rejecting Ads About IVF, Egg Freezing And Fertility Services, Founders Say


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The once-highly anticipated fashion event and television ratings juggernaut, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, will take place in New York tonight for the first time since 2018, after the annual event went on a hiatus amid a series of controversies that rattled the lingerie brand and declining viewership.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is a typically star-studded annual event used by the company as a marketing tool for its lingerie and is known for the models (called “Victoria’s Secret Angels”) that walk the runway and wear the brand’s iconic wings.</p>



<p>This year’s show will take place in Brooklyn and will be hosted by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-week/a62337129/tyra-banks-victorias-secret-comeback-interview/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Tyra Banks</a>, who walked in nine shows as a Victoria’s Secret Angel before her retirement at the 2005 Victoria’s Secret show.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/cher-2024-victorias-secret-fashion-show-all-women-lineup-1235777330/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Cher</a>&nbsp;will headline an all-female lineup of artists, which also includes the South African singer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/tyla-victorias-secret-fashion-show-performer-1235778829/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Tyla</a>&nbsp;and Thai singer and rapper&nbsp;<a href="https://vsnow.victoriassecret.com/fashion-show/musical-guest-lisa/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Lisa</a>.</p>



<p>Victoria’s Secret announced in May the fashion show would return and will “reflect who we are today,” likely referring to the brand’s attempt to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/style/article/victorias-secret-rebrand-vs-collective/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">overhaul its image</a>&nbsp;to become more inclusive of body types and gender identities.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-is-participating-in-this-year-s-show">Who Is Participating In This Year’s Show?</h2>



<p>Valentina Sampaio, a Brazilian model hired in 2019 as the brand’s first openly transgender model,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DBJdgdKvSfJ/?img_index=1" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said on Instagram</a>&nbsp;she will be in the show.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_2-0-WuSMq/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Gigi Hadid</a>, a Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show veteran, will also walk the runway, the company confirmed. Brazilian model&nbsp;<a href="https://people.com/adriana-lima-announces-she-return-to-2024-victorias-secret-fashion-show-8727934" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Adriana Lima</a>, who spent two decades as a Victoria’s Secret model and walked in 18 of its fashion shows, will also walk the runway.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2024/10/15/victorias-secret-fashion-show-how-to-watch/75683705007/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Other models</a>&nbsp;set to walk include Barbara Palvin, Jasmine Tookes, Ashley Graham, Candice Swanepoel and Behati Prinsloo.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-and-where-will-the-fashion-show-air">When And Where Will The Fashion Show Air?</h2>



<p>The “pink carpet” before the show starts at 6:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.victoriassecret.com/us/vs/vsinsider/fashion-show/all-access-pass" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">broadcast</a>&nbsp;live on Prime Video, as well as on Victoria’s Secret’s Instagram, YouTube and TikTok accounts. The show begins at 7 p.m. EDT, broadcast on the same channels.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-controversies-did-victoria-s-secret-face">What Controversies Did Victoria’s Secret Face?</h2>



<p>The brand faced a string of controversies in the late 2010s, including growing criticism over its lack of inclusivity for all body types. Its much-criticized “Perfect Body”&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/victorias-secret-controversial-perfect-body-slogan/story?id=26735138" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">campaign</a>&nbsp;included photoshoots with only thin models, sparking a petition that garnered more than 30,000 signatures. One of the brand’s highest-profile models, Karlie Kloss, left the company in 2015, which she later said was because she “didn’t feel it was an image that was truly reflective of who I am and the kind of message I want to send to young women around the world about what it means to be beautiful.” Another model,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BpBdRsenNxf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=62e25ac5-b7be-4b56-a8bc-17aa08b5bb88" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Robyn Lawley</a>, led a boycott of the brand in 2018, alleging it tells women “only one kind of body” is beautiful. The brand faced a wave of renewed criticism in 2018 when Ed Razek, then the chief marketing officer for Victoria’s Secret’s then-parent company L Brands,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/victorias-secret-ed-razek-monica-mitro-interview?intcid=inline_amp" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told Vogue</a>&nbsp;he doesn’t think the show should feature models who are “transsexuals,” stating: “Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special.” Razek&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/victorias-secret-backlash-ed-razeks-comments-trans-size-models-spark-outrage-1160446/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">apologized</a>&nbsp;days later, stating: “To be clear, we would absolutely cast a transgender model for the show.” He&nbsp;<a href="https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2019/08/victorias-secret-cmo-ed-razek-quits-days-first-trans-model-hired/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">stepped down</a>&nbsp;in August 2019, days after Victoria’s Secret cast Sampaio, its first transgender model. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/01/business/victorias-secret-razek-harassment.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">New York Times</a>&nbsp;published an investigation in February 2020 alleging the company had a “culture of misogyny” characterized by “widespread bullying and harassment of employees and models,” alleging Razek was repeatedly subject to complaints of inappropriate conduct, including attempts to kiss models and touching one’s crotch. Razek said the allegations were “categorically untrue, misconstrued or taken out of context,” and the company said it is “committed to continuous improvement and complete accountability.” Former L Brands CEO, billionaire Les Wexner,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-40c85023f3854f3ebfc597d2a8e75ec3" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">apologized</a>&nbsp;in 2019 for his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, whom Wexner had employed to manage his finances until he severed ties in 2007.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-has-the-company-attempted-to-shift-its-image">How Has The Company Attempted To Shift Its Image?</h2>



<p>Victoria’s Secret replaced its “Angel” title for supermodels in 2021 with a new concept called the “<a href="https://www.cnn.com/style/article/victorias-secret-rebrand-vs-collective/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">VS Collective</a>,” a group initially composed of seven ambassadors formed to embrace diversity, including Sampaio, openly lesbian soccer player Megan Rapinoe, plus-size model Paloma Elsesser and actress Priyanka Chopra. Last year, instead of having a live fashion show, the company released a film on Amazon Prime Video titled “Victoria’s Secret: The Tour ’23” that it called “part documentary, part spectacular fashion event.” Critics noted the&nbsp;<a href="https://fashionista.com/2023/09/victorias-secret-the-tour-2023-fashion-show-review" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">casting</a>&nbsp;was more&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/fashion/2023/09/26/victorias-secret-fashion-show-world-tour-film-jennyfax/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">diverse</a>&nbsp;for the special and included open discussion of topics like LGBTQ identities and bodily autonomy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was held annually between 1995 and 2018, and began broadcasting on television in 2001. The 2001 broadcast on ABC was a ratings hit, attracting 12 million&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1006127270419778440" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">viewers</a>, and the show sustained that success for more than a decade, drawing nearly 10 million viewers on CBS in 2013. But ratings soon took a dive, declining year after year to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/story/victorias-secret-fashion-show-lowest-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">new low</a>&nbsp;of just over 3 million viewers in 2018, the last show before the hiatus.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>$15 million. That’s how much the most expensive item ever worn at a Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was valued to be. Model Gisele Bündchen wore the iconic “<a href="https://www.elle.com/fashion/news/g29153/victorias-secret-fantasy-bra/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Fantasy Bra</a>”—an item worn by one select model in each show—in 2000, the most expensive version of the bra that is worth millions each year.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.victoriassecret.com/us/vs/vsinsider/fashion-show/all-access-pass" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Your All-Access Pass to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show</a>&nbsp;(Victoria’s Secret)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/01/business/victorias-secret-razek-harassment.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">‘Angels’ in Hell: The Culture of Misogyny Inside Victoria’s Secret</a>&nbsp;(New York Times)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.cnn.com/style/article/victorias-secret-rebrand-vs-collective/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Victoria’s Secret is overhauling its image. Is it enough to regain relevance?</a>&nbsp;(CNN)</p>


Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2024

Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Returns Tonight—After Controversies Spurred Brand To Overhaul Image


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Thirty pages of uncovered documents in a lawsuit against TikTok owner ByteDance suggest the company has aggressively pursued children’s use of its app despite knowing its widespread dangers including possible sexual exploitation, according to an exclusive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/10/11/g-s1-27676/tiktok-redacted-documents-in-teen-safety-lawsuit-revealed" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">NPR report</a>, which confirms previous reporting by Forbes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The documents, discovered&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lpm.org/news/2024-10-09/ag-coleman-sues-tiktok-says-internal-documents-show-company-knowingly-addicted-ky-youth" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">by Kentucky Public Radio</a>&nbsp;after they were improperly redacted, include summaries of internal studies and communications between TikTok executives as they discuss responses to crises and ways to improve the app.</p>



<p>The documents were part of a suit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandralevine/2024/10/08/attorneys-general-sue-tiktok-ban/">filed this week</a>&nbsp;by the Kentucky attorney general as part of a two-year, multistate investigation into TikTok.</p>



<p>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandralevine/2022/04/27/how-tiktok-live-became-a-strip-club-filled-with-15-year-olds/">Forbes report in 2022</a>&nbsp;showing TikTok’s live-streaming platform crowded with viewers urging and paying young girls to perform acts that “toe the line of child pornography” caused ByteDance to open an investigation that confirmed “a significant” number of adults messaging underage streamers about stripping live, and in just one month users sent 1 million “gifts” to underage children engaged in this “transactional behavior,” according to the documents.</p>



<p>The investigation prompted one TikTok official, according to NPR, to report that “a major challenge with Live business is that the content that gets the highest engagement may not be the content we want on our platform.”</p>



<p>Other documents show TikTok executives aware of the addictive quality of the app, citing internal research that it took less than an hour to become addicted, and that compulsive usage correlates to negative mental health effects like the loss of analytical skills and memory formation while also interfering with sleep, responsibilities and human connection.</p>



<p>App features released and promoted by the app to help users limit their time on the platform were internally viewed only as a “way to improve public trust” while not effectively reducing users’ screen time, according to the documents, which also reveal that TikTok believed 95% of smartphone users under 17 used the app, which was often ineffective at quickly removing users under 13, the age requirement to be on the app.</p>



<p>The documents also show the platform largely used artificial intelligence instead of human moderation to prevent content about self-harm and eating disorders, while also demoting users deemed “unattractive” by the company and reworking the algorithm to amplify those deemed “beautiful.”</p>



<p>TikTok spokesman Alex Haurek told Forbes in a statement it was highly irresponsible of NPR to publish court-sealed information, adding the “complaint cherry-picks misleading quotes and takes outdated documents out of context to misrepresent our commitment to community safety.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



<p>One TikTok executive warns in the documents that the addictive nature of the app could deprive children using TikTok of “other opportunities,” clarifying that “I literally mean sleep, and eating, and moving around the room, and looking at someone in the eyes.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background"><strong>Key Background</strong></h2>



<p>These documents — now sealed — come from the Kentucky Public Radio&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lpm.org/news/2024-10-09/ag-coleman-sues-tiktok-says-internal-documents-show-company-knowingly-addicted-ky-youth" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">copying-and-pasting parts</a>&nbsp;of the redacted legal documents, which revealed the 30 pages of secret documents. The documents were redacted legal filings from a two-year investigation by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandralevine/2024/10/08/attorneys-general-sue-tiktok-ban/">14 attorney generals</a>, which led to state officials suing the company on Tuesday. One of the cases, a complaint filed in the D.C. Superior Court, explicitly referenced Forbes reporting on the problems with TikTok Live. ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, faces a federal law requiring the company to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/09/16/tiktok-ban-heard-today-in-court-heres-what-to-know/">sell by January 2025</a>, so that it’s not solely owned by a Chinese company, or face a U.S. ban. Federal government officials&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cadc.40861/gov.uscourts.cadc.40861.1208647192.0_1.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">argued</a>&nbsp;in the September lawsuit that ByteDance’s Chinese ownership “creates a national security threat of immense depth and scale.” The Forbes investigation mentioned in the lawsuit is just one of many Forbes stories on the company, which also includes ByteDance&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2022/12/22/tiktok-tracks-forbes-journalists-bytedance/?sh=2ccb583e7da5">spying on Forbes journalists,</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandralevine/2023/05/05/tiktok-bytedance-sensitive-words-suppression-china/?sh=130ca8e469c9">tracking “sensitive” words</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandralevine/2023/09/27/tiktok-exposed-politicians-celebrities-contacts-privacy-security-election-china/?sh=7282c882466c">exposing</a>&nbsp;celebrities and politicians’ contacts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2022/12/01/tiktok-chinese-state-media-divisive-politics/?sh=79d4798e5e64">promoting</a>&nbsp;Chinese propaganda and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandralevine/2024/04/17/tiktok-mishandled-advertisers-data-bytedance-china/?sh=8e548b1da2b5">mishandling</a>&nbsp;user data.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">Chief Critic</h2>



<p>In response to the federal law, TikTok <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cadc.40861/gov.uscourts.cadc.40861.1208620273.1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">argued</a> the U.S. government’s ban does not equally apply its free speech rules to platforms. It also argued that the ban would be based purely on speculation and flawed concerns about content manipulation and data security practices TikTok is not performing.</p>


In this photo illustration the TikTok logo seen displayed on

TikTok Can Become Addictive After Just 35 Minutes, Uncovered Documents Claim


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>An investigation by two Harvard students went viral Friday as they demonstrated how they used Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses to access the personal information of people on Harvard’s campus—including name, age, home address and phone number—raising significant security concerns about facial recognition and artificial intelligence technologies.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>In a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/AnhPhuNguyen1/status/1840786336992682409" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">demo</a>&nbsp;posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, students AnhPhu Nguyen and Caine Ardayfio can be seen walking around the Cambridge, Massachusetts, campus and subway stations and asking people they have never met if the information they have is correct: “Are you Betsy?” Ardayfio asks, before a woman confirms she is.</p>



<p>Nguyen and Ardayfio, who run the Augmented Reality Club at Harvard, told Forbes they happened to have access to a pair of Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses and realized that when they combined the glasses with various software, there were privacy implications.</p>



<p>By livestreaming to Instagram and having a program monitor the stream, the students engineered a way for a facial recognition software to start a search by scraping data from reverse image search engine PimEyes.</p>



<p>When a face was detected on the livestream, online links surfaced in which the person appeared, and by using a large language model, the students said they could access personal information like home addresses, phone numbers and even relatives’ names.</p>



<p>“This could be done with any regular phone camera and still do the same amount of damage,” Nguyen told Forbes, adding the smart glasses were just a tool they used for the project.</p>



<p>They built the project, dubbed I-XRAY, as a public service announcement to raise awareness that large language models have gotten to the point where they can scrape data and get insight at a completely automatic scale, Nguyen said.</p>



<p>Meta did not respond to request for comment from Forbes; it has said in its policies regarding privacy concerns that it encourages users to respect people’s preferences, power off in private spaces, and use “voice or a clear gesture” to let others know they are being captured.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic"><strong>Chief Critic</strong></h2>



<p>A Meta spokesman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/technology/personaltech/meta-ray-ban-glasses.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told The New York Times</a>&nbsp;the company takes privacy seriously and designed safety measures, including a tamper-detection technology, to prevent users from covering up the LED light indicator with tape. The LED light is outward-facing on the glasses, and glows to indicate the camera is recording.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background"><strong>Key Background</strong></h2>



<p>Meta has faced backlash for the discreet camera on its smart glasses, which critics have said could enable bad actors to do more harm. The smart glasses have already&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wired.com/2013/12/glasshole/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reportedly</a>&nbsp;led to a college football spy scandal, and reviews describe the LED light indicating the camera is on as a gentle white light that’s easily overlooked in broad daylight. Meta also&nbsp;<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/02/meta-confirms-it-may-train-its-ai-on-any-image-you-ask-ray-ban-meta-ai-to-analyze/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">confirmed</a>&nbsp;that it may train its AI on images taken by the smart glasses if the images are uploaded into Meta AI.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-you-reduce-your-digital-footprint"><strong>How Do You Reduce Your Digital Footprint?</strong></h2>



<p>Nguyen and Ardayfio recommend people remove themselves from&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iWCqmaOUKhKjcKSktIwC3NNANoFP7vPsRvcbOIup_BA/edit" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">a list</a>&nbsp;of databases and search engines that people may not realize their information is on, including the search engine PimEyes and major people search engine FastPeopleSearch, which typically offer free opt-out choices. People who suspect their personal information may have been compromised can protect against identity theft by freezing their credit across all three credit reporting bureaus, Scott Shackelford, executive director of Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research at Indiana University, previously&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindseychoo/2024/10/04/-prime-day-scams-amazon/">told Forbes</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading"><strong>Further Reading</strong></h2>



<p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/technology/personaltech/meta-ray-ban-glasses.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">How Meta’s New Face Camera Heralds a New Age of Surveillance</a>&nbsp;(New York Times)</p>



<p></p>


Tourist sunglasses reflecting Roman theater in Bosra, Syria

How 2 Students Used The Meta Ray-Bans To Access Personal Information


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>A year after Hamas attacked Israel, prompting a counterattack on Gaza and a regional conflict that recently bled into Lebanon, the death toll continues to grow, but remains uncertain amid discrepancies in figures reported by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry and logistical challenges in tracking the dead.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Nearly 42,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war on Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Health Ministry—the most commonly cited figure for the Gaza death toll.</p>



<p>The World Health Organization, United Nations and Israeli government accept the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry as the official authority for the death toll, though the figures have been heavily criticized by Israeli officials and researchers.</p>



<p>The Ministry calculates the death toll based on reporting from hospitals and morgues, media sources, first responders and reports from families whose loved ones have been killed, according to a study by the peer-reviewed medical journal,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01169-3/fulltext" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The Lancet</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-is-the-death-toll-so-difficult-to-track">Why Is The Death Toll So Difficult To Track?</h2>



<p>The Gaza Health Ministry has struggled to maintain accurate tallies due to the destruction of data-keeping technology and infrastructure in the war, according to analysis published by The Lancet, which noted an estimated 10,000 victims are likely still buried in the rubble of destroyed buildings. Some of the dead also go uncounted because “what we’ve seen in Gaza is entire families just being wiped out,” so there is no one to report them dead, Emily Tripp, the director of Airwars, a watchdog group that tracks war casualties, told Nature.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-the-death-toll-over-or-under-estimated">Is The Death Toll Over- Or Under-Estimated?</h2>



<p>The non-governmental organization, Airwars, has also determined the death toll is likely underestimated after finding some victims’ names are missing from the list released by the Ministry. Some experts, including Israel-based independent researcher Mark Zlochin, believe the death toll is overcounted because it likely includes people who are missing, but not dead, he told the scientific journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02508-0#:~:text=Since%20war%20broke%20out%20in,count%20dead%20people%20during%20conflicts" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Nature</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-have-israelis-questioned-the-death-toll">Why Have Israelis Questioned The Death Toll?</h2>



<p>The Ministry updated its breakdown of the fatalities in May to clarify that approximately 25,000 of the 35,000 reported dead at the time were “people who have been fully identified.” The Ministry revised its count of women and children estimated to be dead to about 60% of all reported fatalities, down from a previous estimate of about 70%, sparking allegations of inaccuracies from Israeli officials. The World Health Organization, however, expressed confidence in the new tally amid the dispute, noting that it’s a “step forward” that 25,000 bodies have been identified, World Health Organization spokesperson Christian Lindmeier&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/nothing-wrong-with-gaza-death-toll-figures-who-says-2024-05-14/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;during a press briefing at the time that it’s “normal” for death tolls to shift in conflict.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-often-is-the-death-toll-updated">How Often Is The Death Toll Updated?</h2>



<p>Nearly every day. The death toll doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. The death toll includes nearly 16,756 children and more than 10,000 people who are missing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-many-people-have-been-injured-in-gaza-since-the-start-of-the-war">How Many People Have Been Injured In Gaza Since The Start Of The War?</h2>



<p>More than 97,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-many-people-have-been-killed-and-injured-in-israel">How Many People Have Been Killed And Injured In Israel?</h2>



<p>1,139 have been killed and at least 8,730 have been injured, as of Sunday, according to Israeli officials.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-many-have-been-killed-in-the-occupied-west-bank">How Many Have Been Killed In The Occupied West Bank?</h2>



<p>At least 742 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and more than 6,250 have been injured.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Hamas invaded Israel in a surprise land, sea and air attack launched from the Gaza Strip in what was the deadliest day in Israeli history, and for Jews since the Holocaust, following decades of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Hamas militants took more than 240 people hostage; 154 of whom have been freed or rescued, with 97 remaining in Gaza, including 33 believed to be dead. Israel declared a state of war the day after the attack and launched air strikes, followed by a ground invasion, on Gaza. The Israeli invasion has spawned a humanitarian crisis as the dismantling of critical infrastructure and the Israeli occupation has blocked routes into Gaza, restricting the flow of aid. The outpouring of international support for Israel has dwindled since the start of the war as a broad coalition of its allies, including the U.S., have called for a cease-fire. The war has since expanded to Lebanon as tensions between Hezbollah and Israel reached a tipping point in July when a rocket attack Israel says Hezbollah carried out killed 12 children playing soccer in the Golan Heights region. Israel has retaliated with air strikes followed by a ground invasion, killing Hezbollah’s’ longtime leader and other top officials, and Hezbollah has vowed its strikes will continue unless there’s a cease-fire in Gaza.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>56%. That’s the share of Israelis who want to see an end to the war if all hostages are returned, according to a July&nbsp;<a href="https://en.idi.org.il/articles/55018" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">poll</a>&nbsp;by the Israel Democracy Institute.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/10/01/iran-launches-missile-strike-on-israel-israeli-military-says/">Iran Launches Missile Strike On Israel, Israeli Military Says</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/10/05/how-americans-feel-about-the-growing-middle-east-conflict-one-year-after-israel-was-attacked/">How Americans Feel About The Growing Middle East Conflict One Year After Israel Was Attacked</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/09/30/israel-begins-ground-raids-in-southern-lebanon/">Israel Begins Ground Raids In Southern Lebanon</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Visits Berlin

Why The Israel-Hamas War Death Toll Is Uncertain—1 Year After Start Of War


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline"><a href="https://www.forbes.com/"></a>Topline</h2>



<p>College students who get short phone breaks during class periods score higher on tests and use their phones less during lectures, according to a new study, the newest research in a heated debate about cellphone use and its effects on students’ success.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The researchers used data from 22 class periods with an average of 21 students at an undergraduate midwestern university over the course of a semester, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1393070/abstract" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">study</a>&nbsp;published Wednesday in Frontiers in Education.</p>



<p>Some students were given either one-, two- or four-minute technology breaks during class when they could use their devices, while control groups were given equally long question breaks during which phone use wasn’t permitted, but students were encouraged to ask questions.</p>



<p>Students who were given phone breaks were more attentive during class and scored higher grades on quizzes than the control group did.</p>



<p>The one-minute cellphone break proved to be the most effective: Participants who were given this break period had the highest test scores and used their phones less while professors were lecturing.</p>



<p>The researchers aren’t sure why “the shorter, the better,” but one reason may be because one minute is enough to time to read and send a quick message, so “if they have more time to send many messages, they may be more likely to receive messages and respond again during class,” Ryan Redner, the study’s first author and a professor at Southern Illinois University, said in a statement.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">Contra</h2>



<p>Whether phones are detrimental to students’ success is a controversial topic, and some previous research has shown cellphone use during class does more harm than good. Both short-term and long-term phone use in college classes resulted in lower test scores and GPAs, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hendrix.edu/uploadedFiles/Academics/Faculty_Resources/2016_FFC/Cell%20phone%20use%20during%20class%20and%20grades.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">study</a>&nbsp;by the American Psychological Association found. Electronic device use during college courses hindered students’ long-term retention, which in turn reduced their final exam grades, according to a Taylor &amp; Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01443410.2018.1489046" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">study</a>. College freshmen who reported low, medium and high cellphone usage during class all had negative impacts on their grades, according to a Springer&nbsp;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12564-023-09824-6" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">research paper</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>Although there aren’t any statewide efforts to ban phone use in college classes, there have been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/08/13/cellphone-bans-in-schools-grow-gavin-newsom-requests-restrictions-in-california/">bans implemented</a>&nbsp;in primary and secondary schools. Florida became the first state last year to ban cellphone use during class, which includes a ban on social media access while using school Wi-Fi. Indiana lawmakers also approved a ban earlier this year that restricts electronic device usage—including phones, tablets, laptops and gaming systems—during class. Other states that have implemented restrictions include Minnesota, Ohio and Virginia. State leaders like Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., and Gov. Spencer Cox, R-Utah, have urged school districts to implement phone bans. Calls for phone restrictions in schools have increased in recent years as studies highlight the negative effects phones and social media have on youth. Around 72% of high school teachers and 33% of middle school teachers in the U.S. said cellphone distractions were a “major problem” during class, a recent Pew Research&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2024/04/04/whats-it-like-to-be-a-teacher-in-america-today/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">survey</a>&nbsp;found. However, some parents oppose these bans because they believe their children should have access to their phones in case of an emergency, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://nationalparentsunion.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/National-Parents-Union-February-2024-Survey-Topline.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">research</a>&nbsp;by the National Parents Union.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/08/13/cellphone-bans-in-schools-grow-gavin-newsom-requests-restrictions-in-california/">Cellphone Bans In Schools Grow: Gavin Newsom Requests Restrictions In California</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


Young multiracial students using cell phone sitting at campus school

Short Phone Breaks During Class Could Help Students Score Higher Grades, Study Suggests


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón has said his office will review the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, convicted of murder for killing their parents in 1989, two weeks after Netflix released the controversial Ryan Murphy series &#8220;Monsters” that has been slammed for its inclusion of an incestuous storyline and called a “blatant lie” by the real-life brothers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Gascón on Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/03/arts/menendez-brothers-district-attorney-los-angeles.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&amp;amp;referringSource=articleShare" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;his office is evaluating whether or not the brothers, who claimed they killed their parents out of fear for their lives following years of sexual abuse, should remain in prison for the rest of their lives and said he has a &#8220;moral and ethical obligation to review what is being presented.”</p>



<p>The review comes after Netflix&#8217;s dramatic series based on the murders drew more than 50% more viewers in its second week amid criticism from one brother and a boast from creator Ryan Murphy the show is “best thing to happen to the Menendez brothers in 30 years.”</p>



<p>&#8220;Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story&#8221; was the most-watched series on Netflix for the second week in a row with 153.8 million hours viewed from Sept. 23 to Sept. 29, a 57% increase from the 97.5 million hours it was watched in its debut week.</p>



<p>The second season of the anthology series &#8220;Monster&#8221; from Ryan Murphy focuses on the murders of José and Kitty Menendez, who were killed by their then 18- and 21-year old sons Erik and Lyle, though the two men have slammed the show as a “blatant lie” amid its portrayal of sexual abuse trauma and the suggestion they had an incestuous relationship.</p>



<p>On Sept. 19, the day of the show&#8217;s premiere, Erik Menendez shared a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/TammiMenendez1/status/1836967482013229168" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">statement to X</a>&nbsp;through his wife Tammi&#8217;s account that accused Murphy of &#8220;bad intent,” slammed the show as a step backward in accurately portraying male sexual abuse, and said it included “vile and appalling character portrayals of Lile and of me.&#8221;</p>



<p>The more controversial depictions in the show, like the incest implication and scenes showing Lyle using cocaine, are largely based on the far-flung theories of the late Vanity Fair journalist Dominick Dunne, with no real evidence behind them.</p>



<p>Murphy&nbsp;<a href="https://deadline.com/2024/09/ryan-murphy-responds-erik-menendez-criticism-monsters-the-lyle-and-erik-menendez-story-1236098037/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;he found Erik Menendez&#8217;s commentary &#8220;interesting because I know he hasn’t watched the show&#8221; and said he stands by how &#8220;Monsters&#8221; portrayed the story, later&nbsp;<a href="https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/ryan-murphy-menendez-brothers-retrial-monsters-backlash-netflix-1236157104/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">slamm</a>ing the Menendez brothers for claiming &#8220;lies after lies” without specific criticisms and then labeled the show “the best thing to happen to the Menendez brothers in 30 years.”</p>



<p>On Tuesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/monsters-cast-netflix-show-menendez-reaction-1236018420/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The Hollywood Reporter</a>&nbsp;published an article with interviews from the show&#8217;s main actors—including Cooper Koch, who played Erik, and Nicholas Alexander Chavez, who plays Lyle—who expressed sympathy for the Menendez brothers but also agreed with Murphy that press from the show stands to benefit, more than harm, the family.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-did-the-menendez-brothers-have-an-incestuous-relationship">Did The Menendez Brothers Have An Incestuous Relationship?</h2>



<p>Most of the controversy surrounding &#8220;Monsters&#8221; focuses on the implication the Menendez brothers had a sexual relationship. In the show, Erik and Lyle share a kiss in the second episode and their mother finds them showering together in episode six. Both have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/374720/menendez-brothers-abuse-claims-real-monsters-netflix-drama" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">vehemently denied</a>&nbsp;a sexual relationship, and Murphy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eonline.com/ca/news/1407713/ryan-murphy-responds-to-eric-menendezs-criticism-of-monsters-the-lyle-and-erik-menendez-story" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">has said</a>&nbsp;&#8220;there are people who say that never happened, there were people who said it did happen.” Robert Rand, an expert on the case, told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/monsters-the-lyle-and-erik-menendez-story-incest-fiction-1236009852/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Hollywood Reporter</a>&nbsp;he doesn&#8217;t think the pair were &#8220;ever lovers&#8221; and said any inappropriate contact between the two would not have been a real relationship, but a &#8220;response to trauma.&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>José and Kitty Menendez were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2024/09/21/facts-menendez-brothers-murders-trial-lyle-erik-netflix/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">shot</a>&nbsp;six and 10 times, respectively, in their home in August of 1989. Initially, Erik and Lyle told police they&#8217;d been out of the house when the murders occurred, but Erik later confessed the killing to his psychologist, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://time.com/7022796/lyle-erik-menendez-story-jerome-oziel/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">mistress told police</a>&nbsp;about the brother&#8217;s involvement. The Menendez trial was a huge news event, and while the brothers never denied killing their parents, they claimed they shot them out of fear for their lives after a lifetime of sexual abuse at the hands of their father. They said their mother, who they accused of being an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-10-30-me-51371-story.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">alcoholic and drug addict</a>, enabled her husband&#8217;s behavior and was also physically abusive. The defense presented pornographic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/inside-monsters-erik-lyle-menendez-inaccuracies-incest-claims-more/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">images</a>&nbsp;of the boys taken by their father, and two people testified in support of the abuse claims. One prosecutor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/menendez-brothers-new-evidence/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">claimed</a>&nbsp;&#8220;men could not be raped.&#8221; The first trial ended with deadlocked juries and a second trial, which focused&nbsp;<a href="https://people.com/monsters-lyle-and-erik-menendez-fact-fiction-8718956" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">much less</a>&nbsp;on the abuse claims, ended in the conviction of both brothers on two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder. They were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole and remain in prison.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">What To Watch For</h2>



<p>In addition to the new investigation from the Los Angeles District Attorney, Lyle and Erik, now 56 and 53, are awaiting a habeas corpus petition filed last year that asked for a new evidentiary hearing or for the Menendez brothers’ convictions to be vacated. Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a62283100/menendez-brothers-evidence-retrial/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">new evidence</a>&nbsp;emerged in the case when Roy Rosselló said he, too, had been raped by José Mendenez, and the brothers&#8217; defense team discovered a letter written by Erik to his cousin in 1988 opening up about his father&#8217;s abuse.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>&#8220;Monsters&#8221; was the No. 1 <a href="https://www.netflix.com/tudum/top10/tv" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">most-watched show</a> on Netflix last week. &#8220;Nobody Wants This,&#8221; a romantic comedy series starring Kristen Bell and Seth Cohen, was in second place with 45.7 million hours viewed, less than a third of &#8220;Monsters&#8221; in the same week. &#8220;The Perfect Couple&#8221; was in third place (30.7 million hours viewed), followed by &#8220;Mr. McMahom&#8221; (28.2 million) and the fourth season of &#8220;Emily In Paris&#8221; (25.1 million views). The <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2024/09/18/ellen-degeneres-jokes-she-got-kicked-out-of-show-business-in-first-look-at-netflix-special/">much-anticipated</a> comedy special of Ellen DeGeneres, called &#8220;For Your Approval,&#8221; was the ninth most-watched show in its debut week.</p>


MONSTERS_THE_LYLE_AND_ERIK_MENENDEZ_STORY_PROUD_OFFICIAL_TRAILER_THUMB_16x9_CLEAN (1)

Menendez Brothers Case Gets New Legal Review As Controversial ‘Monsters’ Continues To Top Netflix Charts


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The Israeli Defense Forces&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1841155252428390707" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;Iran fired rockets at Israel just before 1 p.m. EDT—news that comes after the U.S. said it believed Iran was preparing to “imminently” launch missile strikes against Israel, potentially escalating the war in the Middle East.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The IDF said Iran fired rockets in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1841155252428390707" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;on X, formerly known as Twitter, at 12:35 p.m. EDT.</p>



<p>In a follow up&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1841155252428390707" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">post</a>, Israel’s military said Israeli civilians are in bomb shelters.</p>



<p>Iran took responsibility for the attack—and warned it is only a “first wave”—saying it was retaliation for the killings of multiple Hezbollah leaders in a statement read on state television, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Associated Press</a>&nbsp;reported.</p>



<p>Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, said around 1:30 p.m. EDT that Israeli authorities believed there were no additional aerial threats from Iran, there were no reports of casualties and that Israel would respond to the attack.</p>



<p>Airspaces in Jordan and Iraq were closed following the attack, and the Israeli airports authority said its airspace was closed and flights were being redirected, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/10/01/world/israel-lebanon-hezbollah" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">New York Times</a>&nbsp;reported—though the Israeli airspace&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/10/01/world/israel-lebanon-hezbollah/5a2849f6-7571-5a04-b434-e663b4a830b4?smid=url-share" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reopened</a>&nbsp;around 1:45 p.m. EDT.</p>



<p>A senior White House official said earlier on Tuesday the U.S. had “indications” Iran would launch a “ballistic missile strike against Israel” imminently, though the scale of the attack wasn’t clear,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-lebanon-war-hezbollah-10-1-24-intl-hnk/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">CNN</a>&nbsp;reported.</p>



<p>The unnamed official told CNN the U.S. was “actively supporting” preparations to defend Israel against the expected attack, which would carry “severe consequences” for Iran.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Iranian officials warned they would retaliate against Israel for a strike last week that killed the longtime leader of Hezbollah,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/09/28/hezbollah-leader-hassan-nasrallah-target-of-israels-beirut-strike-confirmed-killed/">Hassan Nasrallah</a>. Nasrallah was one of at least seven Hezbollah leaders killed in recent weeks as Israel has increased its attacks in Lebanon against Hezbollah. The attacks increased after Israel’s Security Cabinet&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/1835890307763757535" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">updated</a>&nbsp;its objectives of war in mid-September to include “returning [Israeli]</p>



<p>residents of the north securely to their homes” amid intermittent Hezbollah strikes from across the border. As Israel’s attacks have ramped up against Hezbollah—which is largely funded by Iran and has been labeled a terrorist group by the U.S.—so have concerns about the conflict expanding to the wider Middle East. President Joe Biden called for a cease-fire Monday ahead of Israel launching “targeted ground raids” in southern Lebanon, and the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres&nbsp;<a href="https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-10-01/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-lebanon" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;Tuesday “an all-out war must be avoided in Lebanon at all costs, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon must be respected.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



<p>Hours after the attack ended, President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MSNBC/status/1841212755790991498" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;it appeared to be “defeated and ineffective,” which he said was a testament to both the Israeli and U.S. militaries. He went on to say: “Make no mistake, the United States is fully fully fully supportive of Israel.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">Chief Critic</h2>



<p>Guterres said in a statement&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/antonioguterres/status/1841167889191112704" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">posted to X</a>&nbsp;shortly after Iran’s attack that he condemns “the broadening of the Middle East conflict with escalation after escalation. This must stop. We absolutely need a ceasefire.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>10 million. That’s roughly how many civilians were targeted by the Iranian missile strike, the IDF&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1841159354914898024" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;on X. The IDF later&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1841205620709503051" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;it believed Iran launched more than 180 ballistic missiles.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>On Monday, Israel began <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/09/30/israel-begins-ground-raids-in-southern-lebanon/">“targeted ground raids”</a> in a notable escalation of the fighting. The IDF said the raids were “limited, localized, and targeted … in southern Lebanon” against Hezbollah targets and infrastructure, and that the Israeli Air Force and Artillery will also conduct “precise strikes on military targets” in support of the raids.</p>


Iran fires around 180 ballistic missiles at Israel amid rising tensions

Iran Launches Missile Strike On Israel, Israeli Military Says


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Crude oil prices rose again Wednesday as traders priced in heightened concerns about violence in the Middle East.<strong></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>International benchmark Brent crude rose 2.7% to about $75.50 per barrel by midmorning, while U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate climbed 3% to $72 per barrel.</p>



<p>That’s Brent’s highest level since Sept. 3 and WTI’s highest since Sept. 24.</p>



<p>Brent is up more than 5% this week and WTI almost 6% as oil traders digest a series of escalatory headlines from the key oil-producing region, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/10/01/iran-launches-missile-strike-on-israel-israeli-military-says/">missile strikes</a>&nbsp;from Iran on Israel and Israel’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/09/28/hezbollah-leader-hassan-nasrallah-target-of-israels-beirut-strike-confirmed-killed/">killing</a>&nbsp;of the leader of Hezbollah, Lebanon’s ruling party.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">Contra</h2>



<p>Despite the recent bump, oil prices remain far cheaper than they were this summer, with Brent down 14% from its July peak, and far lower than the more than $100 per barrel it stood for much of 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



<p>“While the geopolitical risk premium rose on Tuesday…this premium remains moderate,” explained Goldman Sachs oil strategist Yulia Zhestkova Grigsby in a Wednesday note to clients, adding it’s “likely” due to an otherwise favorable setup for production.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Crude oil prices most directly <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/08/business/oil-price-surge-threat-us-economy/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">make their way</a> to consumers as they heavily influence gasoline prices, but they also can lead to higher prices across the board as higher production costs make their way to final prices of goods. The climb in oil prices may throw a wrench in the Federal Reserve’s inflation fight, but the volatile commodity is still well within its normal range of the last year, amid demand <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/iea-cuts-2024-oil-demand-growth-forecast-china-slowdown-2024-09-12/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">concerns</a> from China, the top oil consumer outside of the U.S., and a <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/1d186f62-5941-4f9e-aef1-7d93a8a696cd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">proposed</a> increase in production from Saudi Arabia, the top oil producer in the Middle East.</p>


Oil pump with candle stick graph chart in the background. World Oil Industry

Oil Prices Rise Again As Concerns About Middle East Conflict Escalate


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The Israeli Defense Forces began “limited, localized, and targeted ground raids … in southern Lebanon” against Hezbollah targets and infrastructure Monday—escalating the conflict in the Middle East after Israel killed a number of Hezbollah leaders.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The IDF announced the raids “a few hours” after they began, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1840890054819864776?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">post on X</a>&nbsp;just after 7 p.m. EDT, and the military clarified the operations were “approved and carried out in accordance with the decision of the political echelon.”</p>



<p>The Israeli Air Force and Artillery will also conduct “precise strikes on military targets,” the post said.</p>



<p>The ground action will be smaller than Israel’s last against Hezbollah in 2006, a U.S. official&nbsp;<a href="https://wapo.st/3XO98KS" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told The Washington Post</a>, and will reportedly focus on clearing out militant infrastructure on Lebanon’s southern border to protect communities in northern Israel.</p>



<p>At around 1:30 p.m. EDT on Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-lebanon-war-hezbollah-09-30-24-intl-hnk#cm1p92r23000m3b6kugujpjjy" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">CNN</a>&nbsp;reported there were about 100 Israeli military vehicles around five miles from the Lebanon border.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-is-israel-attacking-lebanon">Why Is Israel Attacking Lebanon?</h2>



<p>On Sept. 16, Israel’s Security Cabinet&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/1835890307763757535" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">updated</a>&nbsp;its objectives of war to include “returning the residents of the north securely to their homes,” and warned it would continue to act to achieve the goal. Around 60,000 residents of northern Israel communities have been displaced following Lebanon-based Hezbollah attacks that began on Oct. 8, 2023, one day after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, and have continued since, The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/26/world/middleeast/israel-hezbollah-displaced.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">New York Times</a>&nbsp;reported. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the only way to achieve the goal was “via military action,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-new-war-goal-hezbollah-military-action-lebanon-gaza-rcna171417" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">NBC News</a>&nbsp;reported.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">Chief Critic</h2>



<p>President Joe Biden said earlier Monday he was “more aware than you might know” of Israel’s plans to launch a ground operation, and said he’s “comfortable with them stopping,” calling for a cease-fire. The Biden administration had been discouraging Israel from invading Lebanon,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/09/30/israel-ground-invasion-lebanon?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=editorial" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Axios</a>&nbsp;reported, and has privately expressed concern that doing so could increase support for Hezbollah among Lebanese people.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has escalated recently, leading to heightened concerns about the war expanding into a broader Middle East conflict. Israel has spent recent weeks targeting southern Lebanon and Beirut, attempting to “strike and eliminate” Hezbollah leadership. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/09/25/israel-says-it-intercepted-missile-fired-at-tel-aviv-hezbollah-says-mossad-headquarters-was-target/">launched</a>&nbsp;strikes into Israel. Israel recently blew up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/09/18/walkie-talkies-reportedly-explode-across-lebanon-one-day-after-hezbollah-pager-explosions/">pagers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/09/18/walkie-talkies-reportedly-explode-across-lebanon-one-day-after-hezbollah-pager-explosions/">walkie-talkies</a>&nbsp;used by Hezbollah, injuring thousands of people and killing at least&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz04m913m49o" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">32</a>, and increased its bombings and strikes in Lebanon. The U.S. has warned Israel against escalating its fighting in Lebanon, though State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/IYG5j-A7yiY" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;Monday the U.S. was aware of Israel’s “limited operations” and he said “military pressure can at times enable diplomacy.” Miller said the U.S. still supports a cease-fire, and a 21-day cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah that was presented last week is still on the table.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>On Saturday, the IDF <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/09/28/hezbollah-leader-hassan-nasrallah-target-of-israels-beirut-strike-confirmed-killed/">announced</a> it killed Hezbollah’s longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah, who Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said was “not just another terrorist, he was the terrorist.” On Sunday, the IDF announced the death of Nabil Kaouk, commander of Hezbollah’s preventative security unit, whose death marked the seventh death of a Hezbollah leader in a little more than a week, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-09-29-2024-4696e581e28d8c747f017221f2cf420f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Associated Press</a> reported.</p>



<p>.</p>


Israel Launches Fresh Strikes In Lebanon As Ground Operation Appears Imminent

Israel Begins Ground Raids In Southern Lebanon


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Hezbollah confirmed Saturday its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah—the target of Israel’s aerial bombardment on the group’s Beirut headquarters—was killed during the strike, a major victory for Israel but a further escalation in the conflict.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Nasrallah was killed in a large strike on what the Israel Defense Forces called Hezbollah’s “central headquarters” in southern Beirut, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/09/28/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-hamas-war-news-gaza/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a>.</p>



<p>Israeli leaders were tracking the whereabouts of Nasrallah months ahead of the strike, which involved the use of more than 80 bombs,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/world/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-hamas" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>&nbsp;reported, noting the body of Hezbollah commander Ali Karaki was found and identified alongside Nasrallah’s.</p>



<p>Nasrallah’s cousin and potential successor, Hashem Safieddine, was not present at the site of the attack and could soon be announced as Hezbollah’s new secretary general, the Times reported, citing Israeli Defense Force officials.</p>



<p>Israel expects Hezbollah or its allies to launch retaliatory strikes following Nasrallah’s death and has prohibited gatherings of more than 1,000 until Monday evening in certain parts of the country, the Post reported, citing Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari.</p>



<p>The Israel Defense Forces said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/idf/status/1839937408587968917?s=46&amp;t=JkM0_55XDyTRv3jACj1XjA" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;early Saturday, “Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorize the world.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-is-hassan-nasrallah">Who Is Hassan Nasrallah?</h2>



<p>Nasrallah, 64, was Hezbollah’s secretary general for 32 years, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/27/world/middleeast/hassan-nasrallah-hezbollah-leader.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">the Times</a>, building the group’s status as a political party and military power over those three decades. The former secretary general has referred to Israel as “the Zionist entity” and called for Jerusalem to be liberated, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/27/world/middleeast/hassan-nasrallah-hezbollah-leader.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">multiple</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/hassan-nasrallah-hezbollah-leader-israel-says-killed-beirut-strike-rcna173053" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">outlets</a>. Nasrallah was described as a “fiery orator” by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hezbollah-nasrallah-lebanon-israel-airstrikes-haret-hreik-7d89051bb420991cee29398243c250fe" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Associated Press</a>, which noted he largely stayed out of the public eye out of fear of Israeli assassination attempts. The late Hezbollah leader supported Hamas’ strike against Israel on Oct. 7 last year, and vowed that Hezbollah would continue attacking Israel along its northern border until a cease-fire was reached in Gaza.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>The Israel-Hezbollah conflict has ramped up significantly in the last two weeks, killing more than 600 in Lebanon and injuring more than 2,000, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/lebanon-israel-strikes-hamas-war-updates" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">AP</a>&nbsp;reported. Israeli strikes have largely targeted southern Lebanon and the country’s capital of Beirut, while Hezbollah has launched its own strikes into northern Israel and beyond, claiming a ballistic missile recently fired at Tel Aviv was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/09/25/israel-says-it-intercepted-missile-fired-at-tel-aviv-hezbollah-says-mossad-headquarters-was-target/">supposed to target</a>&nbsp;Mossad, Israel&#8217;s intelligence agency. The missile was intercepted. The conflict shows no signs of slowing down, as Israel has considered a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/09/25/israel-preparing-for-potential-ground-invasion-into-lebanon/">ground invasion into Lebanon</a>&nbsp;that would mark another escalation toward all-out war in the Middle East, where&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/09/25/israel-preparing-for-potential-ground-invasion-into-lebanon/">about 40,000 U.S. troops</a>&nbsp;are stationed.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/hezbollah-nasrallah-lebanon-israel-airstrikes-haret-hreik-7d89051bb420991cee29398243c250fe" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Who is longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah?</a>&nbsp;(AP)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/09/25/israel-preparing-for-potential-ground-invasion-into-lebanon/">Israel Preparing For Potential Ground Invasion Into Lebanon</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


Nasrallah’s death hits headlines in Iranian newspapers

Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah—Target Of Israel’s Beirut Strike—Confirmed Killed


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Hezbollah fired a missile at Tel Aviv on Wednesday—its deepest strike into Israeli territory and the latest sign of escalating tensions—which Israel’s military said it intercepted to prevent any damages or casualties.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Hezbollah&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanons-hezbollah-says-it-launched-rocket-targeting-mossad-base-near-tel-aviv-2024-09-25/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;the ballistic missile fired at Tel Aviv was meant to target the headquarters of Israel&#8217;s intelligence agency, Mossad, which the militant group has blamed for the recent killings of some of its leaders and last week’s attack involving exploding pagers, which killed at least a dozen.</p>



<p>The launch triggered sirens in Israel’s financial capital, but the country’s military said it was able to intercept the missile and then struck the area where it was fired from in southern Lebanon.</p>



<p>Israel’s military spokesperson, Nadav Shoshani,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/LTC_Shoshani/status/1838791830189601185" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">tweeted</a>&nbsp;that Hezbollah’s missile launch sent “millions of innocent civilians across central Israel running to shelter” and later said the “Mossad headquarters is not in that area.”</p>



<p>A few hours later, Hezbollah said it had targeted the town of Hatzon in central Israel and the Dado military base in the country’s north with tens of rockets, Lebanese state media&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nna-leb.gov.lb/en/security-law/724275/islamic-resistance-targets-hatzor-settlement-dado" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reported</a>, with the latter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c5y32qew9z2t?post=asset%3A458f3dbc-97bf-4b67-a7ae-ef90c58c94f4#post" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">causing</a>&nbsp;some property damage.</p>



<p>The Israeli Defense Forces said it had launched another round of “extensive” strikes into southern Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley region in the country’s east.</p>



<p>According to Lebanese state media, at least three people were killed and nine injured by Israeli airstrikes on the town of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nna-leb.gov.lb/en/justice-law/724262/moph-three-martyrs-nine-injured-in-initial-toll-fr" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Maaysrah</a>—located north of Beirut—on Wednesday.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>The latest exchange between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah comes amid growing concerns of an all-out regional war. On Monday, Israel began carrying out its most extensive aerial bombardment of what it said were Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, after smaller operations&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/09/21/israel-strikes-hezbollah-in-lebanon-again-as-death-toll-hits-37/">last week</a>. Israel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/09/23/israel-launches-more-strikes-against-hezbollah-in-lebanon-killing-over-270-after-urging-evacuations/">warned</a>&nbsp;civilians civilians living in Lebanese villages “located in and next to buildings and areas used by Hezbollah for military purposes…to immediately move out of harm’s way for their own safety.” Despite this, Israel’s strikes have resulted in hundreds of deaths and forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee towards Beirut. Israeli authorities, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have said the aerial offensive is meant to destroy Hezbollah’s capabilities and allow civilians to safely return to towns and cities in northern Israel—after being forced to flee amid escalating tensions along the Lebanese border. However, international authorities,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GMA/status/1838540673974165837" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">including Biden adminstration officials</a>, have cautioned Israel against escalating the situation into a full-blown conflict. President Joe Biden told the the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday that a “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



<p>Speaking at an event in New York on Tuesday, Lebanon&#8217;s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib criticized Biden’s remarks: “It was not strong, it is not promising, and it would not solve the Lebanese problem. We are still hoping. The United States is the only country that can really make a difference in the Middle East and with regard to Lebanon.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>At least 558. That is the combined death toll in Lebanon after the IDF conducted a widespread aerial bombardment campaign targeting the country’s south on Monday and Tuesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/09/24/israeli-airstrikes-kill-more-than-500-in-lebanon-local-authorities-say/">according to</a>&nbsp;local authorities. The toll includes 50 children and 94 women.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/09/24/israeli-airstrikes-kill-more-than-500-in-lebanon-local-authorities-say/">Israeli Airstrikes Kill More Than 500 In Lebanon, Local Authorities Say</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


Walkie-talkies of Hezbollah members in Lebanon

Israel Says It Intercepted Missile Fired At Tel Aviv—Hezbollah Says It Targeted Mossad Headquarters


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The Israeli military said Monday it completed a series of strikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/09/23/world/gaza-israel-hamas-hezbollah?smid=url-share#here-are-the-latest-developments" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reportedly</a>&nbsp;killing at least 100 people and injuring more than 400 others in the deadliest day in Lebanon since fighting between Israel and the militant group began in October.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The Israeli Defense Forces&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1838152619040157970" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">claimed</a>&nbsp;it had struck more than 300 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in the latest wave of strikes.</p>



<p>Monday’s strikes are Israel’s most widespread wave of aerial bombardments against the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon in the ongoing conflict, Reuters&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-military-says-it-is-striking-hezbollah-targets-lebanon-2024-09-23/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reported</a>.</p>



<p>As Israel launched the strikes, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1838081162129940615" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">issued</a>&nbsp;an “advanced warning” to civilians from Lebanese villages in eastern Lebanon “located in and next to buildings and areas used by Hezbollah for military purposes &#8230; to immediately move out of harm’s way for their own safety.”</p>



<p>According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/09/23/world/gaza-israel-hamas-hezbollah/here-are-the-latest-developments?smid=url-share" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, the IDF also published a map highlighting 19 villages and towns in southern Lebanon, but did not say whether all of them would be targeted or needed to be evacuated; Hagari indicated there will likely be more targets in eastern Lebanon.</p>



<p>While Israel has issued multiple evacuation orders for civilians in Gaza amid its war against Hamas in the past year, this is the first time it has done so for Lebanese civilians—potentially signaling a more intense aerial campaign.</p>



<p>Hagari told reporters the Israeli military is currently focused on the “aerial campaign only,” but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-military-says-it-is-striking-hezbollah-targets-lebanon-2024-09-23/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">did not explicitly rule out</a>&nbsp;a ground invasion, saying “we will do whatever is needed.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



<p>In a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/yoavgallant/status/1838099583857045967" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;on X, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said he spoke with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday evening and provided him with a “situation assessment of Hezbollah threats and briefed him on IDF operations to degrade Hezbollah’s ability to launch attacks against Israeli civilians. We also discussed the wider regional situation and the threats posed by Iran and its proxies.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Monday’s airstrikes come a day after Hezbollah fired more than 100 rockets into Northern Israel on Sunday. On Friday and Saturday, Israel conducted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/09/21/israel-strikes-hezbollah-in-lebanon-again-as-death-toll-hits-37/">multiple air strikes</a>&nbsp;targeting the militant group’s leadership in Lebanon, including senior Hezbollah member Ibrahim Aqil—who the U.S. accused of killing hundreds of Americans in two terror attacks in the 1980s. Earlier in the week, hundreds of pagers used by Hezbollah members&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/09/17/9-killed-thousands-wounded-after-wireless-devices-explode-in-lebanon/">exploded simultaneously</a>&nbsp;across Lebanon and parts of Syria, killing at least a dozen people and injuring more than 2,750. Lebanese officials blamed the attacks on Israel—who hasn’t publicly accepted responsibility—while Hezbollah leaders vowed to retaliate against the Jewish state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his government will do whatever is necessary to return residents from northern Israeli cities—who were forced to flee their homes in the areas amid an escalation along the border with Lebanon—back to their homes safely.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">What To Watch For</h2>



<p>The intensifying military exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah have raised fears that the situation could escalate into an all-out conflict between the two, even as Israel’s war in Gaza is set to enter its second year. On Sunday, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/john-kirby-us-diplomatic-efforts-continue-middle-east/story?id=113901048" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">ABC News</a>&nbsp;that the White House was doing “everything we can to try to prevent this from becoming an all-out war there with Hezbollah across that Lebanese border.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/09/21/israel-strikes-hezbollah-in-lebanon-again-as-death-toll-hits-37/">Israel Strikes Hezbollah In Lebanon Again As Death Toll Hits 37</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


Lebanese-Israeli conflict – Haifa

Israel Launches More Strikes Against Hezbollah In Lebanon—Killing 100 After Urging Evacuations


<p>Xtalpi, a Shenzhen-based AI drug discovery company, saw its shares soar 108% on the Hong Kong stock exchange over the past week, boosting its market cap to $5.5 billion.</p>



<p>The stock price rise comes on the back of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.xtalpi.com/en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Xtalpi’s&nbsp;</a>sales growth and its more than $135 million deal with Chinese billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/zhu-gongshan/">Zhu Gongshan’s</a>&nbsp;energy company GCL Group.</p>



<p>Known formally as QuantumPharm, the Hong Kong-listed company posted a 28% year-over-year rise in revenue to 102.6 million yuan ($14.4 million) in the first half of 2024, the company said in a filing last Wednesday. Xtalpi attributed the sales growth to the increased number of customers of its AI-powered drug discovery services. Its customers include Pfizer, Johnson &amp; Johnson, Sino Biopharmaceutical subsidiary Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group and CK Life Sciences, the biotech arm of Hong Kong billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/li-ka-shing/">Li Ka-shing’s</a>&nbsp;CK Hutchison Holdings.</p>



<p>Part of the revenue growth came from its first-ever milestone payment, at an undisclosed amount, from Signet Therapeutics, a Chinese biotech startup backed by Xtalpi and Forbes Midas Lister&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/richard-liu/">Richard Liu’s</a>&nbsp;5Y Capital. The milestone payment came after a potential drug the two companies co-developed for diffuse gastric cancer, a form of stomach cancer, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin human clinical trials.</p>



<p>Xtalpi’s net loss, however, widened 46% to 1.3 billion yuan in the first six months of 2024 from the previous year. The company said it’s due partly to the drop in interest income and an increase in expenses such as the listing fees. Xtalpi has continued to invest heavily in research and development, spending 210.4 million yuan in the first half of the year, though that’s roughly 10% less from the previous year.</p>



<p>Meanwhile, Xtalpi in late August entered into a five-year partnership with Chinese energy and power company GCL Group in a deal worth more than $135 million. Under the collaboration, the two companies will jointly research and develop new materials in areas such as lithium-ion batteries, which are used in electric vehicles.</p>



<p>Cofounded by Wen Shuhao, Ma Jian and Lai Lipeng—three Chinese quantum physicists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology—Xtalpi combines AI, quantum physics, cloud computing and robotic automation to find novel molecules that could be developed into new medicines. Its drug candidate for primary hyperoxaluria, which causes kidney stones, is set to enter clinical safety evaluation for human in Australia in the first half of 2025, Xtalpi said.</p>



<p>Recently, Xtalpi has also expanded into discovering new chemical compounds for applications such as agriculture, cosmetic, healthcare, as well as petrochemicals and new materials for EV batteries.</p>



<p>The company has attracted investors from the likes of Tencent, Chinese billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/neil-shen/">Neil Shen’s</a>&nbsp;Hongshan (formerly Sequoia China), 5Y Capital, Google, U.S. billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/jeff-yass/">Jeff Yass’</a>&nbsp;Susquehanna International Group, Chinese tycoon&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/tse-ping/">Tse Ping’s</a>&nbsp;Sino Biopharmaceutical and SoftBank’s Vision Fund 2, among others.</p>



<p>Xtalpi was the first to go public under a Hong Kong new listing rule for specialist technology companies with smaller market cap and lower revenue, which was introduced more than a year ago to revive the city’s sluggish IPO market. After raising HK$989.3 million ($126.7 million) in its IPO in June, Xtalpi is set to be included as a constituent stock of Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng Index on Monday.</p>


Doctor holding tablet showing brain human and body anatomy futuristic technology

Tencent-Backed AI Drug Researcher Xtalpi’s Shares Double On Revenue Rise


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The London-based department store Harrods said Thursday it is “utterly appalled” by allegations of sexual assault and rape against its former owner Mohamed Al Fayed, the late billionaire whose former employees outlined decades of alleged abuse in a new documentary.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>More than 20 former Harrods employees accused Al Fayed—who died last year at age 94—of sexual assault, rape and violence between the late 1980s and 2000s in interviews with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz6x635wpjxo" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">BBC</a>, which documented the allegations in a new documentary, “Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods.”</p>



<p>Harrods said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harrods.com/en-gb/press?srsltid=AfmBOoozmDs4j2J38lSGJzlC3fcc_N_9Q5w5eK02Y8pe3UdeDN-ci3g3" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;Al Fayed was an “individual who was intent on abusing his power wherever he operated,” adding they also acknowledged “that during this time as a business, we failed our employees who were his victims and for this, we sincerely apologize.”</p>



<p>Last year, new unspecified information “came to light” about allegations against Al Fayed, Harrods said, and since then the department store has tried to “settle claims in the quickest way possible” to avoid “lengthy legal proceedings for the women involved.”</p>



<p>According to the documentary, police investigated allegations of rape against Al Fayed in 2015 but did not press charges, while another woman said she went to the police in 2018 and was told Al Fayed was too old to be prosecuted.</p>



<p>Other former Harrods employees indicated the department store was aware of Al Fayed’s abuse, including one who noted his alleged behavior was “known around the whole company.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forbes-valuation">Forbes Valuation</h2>



<p>We&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/mohamed-al-fayed/">estimated</a>&nbsp;Al Fayed’s net worth at $2 billion as of April 2023, four months before his death. Al Fayed owned Harrods for 26 years before selling the department store to Qatar for $2.4 billion in 2010. He later sold the Fulham F.C. soccer team to billionaire Shahid Khan for $300 million in 2013.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Al Fayed has faced allegations of sexual assault for more than a decade, including after his sale of Harrods. The late billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/10/22/alfayed.allegations/index.html?iref=nextin" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reportedly</a>&nbsp;denied sexual assault allegations in 2008 after being questioned by police, though it was not known at the time whether Al Fayed was under investigation. In 2018, an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.channel4.com/news/new-allegations-of-sexual-assault-against-mohamed-al-fayed-by-three-women-including-15-year-old-employee" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">investigation</a>&nbsp;by Channel 4 alleged Al Fayed sexually assaulted three former Harrods employees and had tried to groom them, though he denied the claims. Harrods said at the time Al Fayed attended an interview with police to “categorically refute” involvement in an alleged assault. Vanity Fair&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.vanityfair.com/article/1995/9/holy-war-at-harrods" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;other allegations against Al Fayed in 1995, indicating former employees were subjected to verbal abuse, including “humiliating comments about their appearance or dress.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>Al Fayed’s son, Dodi, died in a car crash with Princess Diana in 1997. Al Fayed <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/mohamed-al-fayed-harrods-owner-whose-son-dated-princess-diana-dead-94-2023-09-01/#:~:text=Unsupported%20by%20any%20evidence%2C%20according,Muslim%20and%20having%20his%20baby." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accused</a> the Royal Family of their deaths, arguing without evidence Diana was bearing Dodi’s child and that the family did not want Diana to marry a Muslim.</p>


Author: Forbes

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA