Facebook makes amends
- Under fire for protecting hate and misinformation, the company announced plans to roll out its Facebook News tool in India. Basically, it will pay Indian publishers for their content.
- The company finally shared information on posts and pages run by the Myanmar military—which is accused of genocide of Rohingya Muslims in the International Court of Justice. FB had thus far refused to turn over evidence to UN investigators.
- And Facebook will challenge a Thai government order to block a Facebook group that challenges the monarchy—which has been the target of rising pro-democracy protests.
Also ramping up in India: Apple, which is getting ready to open its first online store just ahead of the festival season. Also in the works: An offline store in Mumbai, followed by another in Bangalore. (Bloomberg via Mint)
We all live in Adani’s airport
Adani Enterprises has already won the bid to operate six airports—including Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram. Now it’s set to buy a 74% stake in Mumbai International. Part of the great Adani dream: Airport Villages, turning the area around airports into entertainment centers with malls and hotels. In other words, the Bangalore model. (The News Minute)
Lionel Messi heads for the door
The world’s greatest footballer wants to leave Barcelona this summer—after spending his entire professional career at the club. And he wants to walk out a free man as per a clause in his contract. But Barca is not playing ball. The club prefers that Messi either end his career with them—or another club will have to pay €700 million for the honour of hiring him. A potential wealthy suitor: Manchester City. (ESPN)
The global pandemic: A quick roundup
- India is adding the greatest number of daily new cases in the world—well ahead of the US and Brazil.
- According to the United Nations, the global tourism industry has lost $320 billion due to the pandemic—and more than 120 million jobs are at risk. This threatens to cripple the economies of a number of countries for whom tourism accounts for more than 20% of their GDP.
- World-record sprinter and eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt has tested positive for the coronavirus—and is self-isolating at his home in Jamaica. He had been partying mask-free at his 34th birthday party. He is now being investigated by the Jamaican police since its pandemic laws prohibit gatherings of more than 20 people. DailyMail has the pictures and the video of his transgression. Or watch Bolt’s video message.
- As per Delhi’s second serological survey, 34.7% of kids between the ages of 5 and 17 in Delhi were exposed to the virus. This is puzzling as schools are not open as yet. Some theories: they may still be heading out to play, or getting the virus from household help.
- KFC will no longer be 'Finger Lickin' Good'. The reason: licking your fingers may not be wise during a pandemic. They put out the tongue-in-cheek ad below to explain their decision.
News of the absurd: A quick round up
CBI antics: The agency plans to perform a “psychological autopsy” of Sushant Singh Rajput—which will involve a detailed study of his social media posts and WhatsApp messages: “The CBI will also look to obtain information about the actor's mood swings, behavioural patterns and even personal idiosyncrasies, as it tries to build a composite picture of his mental state in the days leading up to his death."
Save the cows: The Universal Society of Hinduism is very unhappy with a new fitness trend in the UK: ‘yoga with cows’—which involves people doing downward dogs in peaceful bovine company. The society’s president is worried that it will become a “trendy fad with herds of people flocking to dairy farms… with many visualising it as an Instagram opportunity”—all of which would be deeply disrespectful to gau mata.
BJP waapsi: Uttarakhand MLA Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion was suspended by the party after the clip below went viral. Now, that suspension has been revoked, and all was forgiven and forgotten—until the insane clip went viral again. See it to believe it.
Power puff girls are all grown up
The beloved Cartoon Network series is getting a live-action spinoff, but it won’t be wholesome fare for little kids:
“In the updated version of the series, the titular superheroes are now disillusioned twentysomethings who resent having lost their childhood to crime fighting. Will they agree to reunite now that the world needs them more than ever?”
Among the writers of the show: Diablo Cody best known for writing the very adult-themed ‘Juno’. (Variety)
An anti-bullying font
A Finnish company has developed a Polite Type font that automatically blurs out mean words:
“As users try to write offensive English words, the font will automatically replace them. Phrases such as “you are ugly” are replaced with “you are not traditionally beautiful” while expletives are blurred completely.”
According to the company, “We want bullies to rethink the words they use and the actual meaning behind them.” Note: this is only available in text-editing programs and cannot be used on the real cesspools of bullying—social media platforms—as yet. (The Independent)