The great pandemic: a quick update
- First the numbers. India reported 240,495 new cases on Thursday. Also: External Affairs minister S Jaishankar has Covid.
- The WHO warned that the next variant is likely to be more contagious than Omicron—though not necessarily deadlier.
- UK scientists have developed a mobile testing kit that costs only $51—which is great news for poorer countries.
- At the Beijing Olympics, hugs are strictly prohibited, but officials will provide “appropriate quantities of condoms for free” to people who are in a “closed loop.”
Tatas takeover Air India
Tata Sons officially took charge of the debt-ridden airline—marking a landmark moment in privatisation in India. The first in two decades. While the airline will return to the Tatas after 69 years, its board of directors will retain four government nominees—though it isn’t clear how long they plan to stick around. The Telegraph has the most details. For more background, check out our explainer.
Rape survivor paraded in Delhi
Just when you think it can’t get worse… A young woman was first gang-raped—and then paraded with her head shaved and face blackened by a group of cheering women. The reason: a boy in their family had become obsessed with her—and the family blamed her for his suicide. You can see the clip here if you must. (NDTV)
Three studies of note
One: New research reveals that 75% of water- and stain-resistant items—including jackets, napkins, tablecloths etc—have PFAS or “forever chemicals.” These are associated with cancer, decreased immunity, liver disease, kidney problems and birth defects. (The Guardian)
Two: A global study shows that 40% of women media professionals have experienced sexual harassment of some kind in the workplace—but only 20% chose to report. Point to note: the study also surveyed 85 senior executives (including 51 women)—of whom 43.5% said they had experienced sexual harassment but “only 27% of these same executives believe that it is still an issue in the industry.” (Women In News)
Three: A new study establishes a link between plastic and weight gain. It analyzed 34 everyday objects like yogurt cups and dish sponges—and found that a third of them had “metabolism-disrupting chemicals that induce the body to create more fat cells and that they carry the potential to interfere with how the body stores fat.” (MIC)
Netflix India’s growing woes
The two-season prequel to the blockbuster films—‘Baahubali: Before the Beginning’—is now being “reevaluated.” One of the seasons cost $20 million to make—and is already in post-production—but Netflix is apparently unhappy with it—and is planning to getting in new directors to replace Deva Katta (‘Prasthanam’) and Praveen Sattaru (‘Guntur Talkies’). Variety has that story. BBC News has a good report on why Netflix is struggling in India.
Speaking of cinematic superheroes: HBO Max’s ‘Batgirl’ will include DC’s first openly trans character—Batgirl’s best friend Alysia Yeoh. She will be played by trans actor Ivory Aquino. (Hollywood Reporter)
Speaking of super performances: Weeknd is the #1 global artist on Spotify—finally ousting Justin Beiber. This is surely a reason to rejoice. (Entertainment Weekly)
Two space stories
One: A fascinating new research paper claims that octopuses came from outer space: “cephalopods like octopuses, squid, and others arrived on the planet by falling from space, frozen in a kind of stasis”—many millions of years ago. Other scientists are not as convinced. (BGR)
Two: Australian scientists have identified a weird spinning object in the Milky Way—which releases a huge burst of radio energy every 18 minutes:
“[It] was appearing and disappearing over a few hours during our observations…That was completely unexpected. It was kind of spooky for an astronomer because there's nothing known in the sky that does that.”
BBC News has more on the various theories of what this might be. No aliens are involved, however.
Speaking of spooky: A frog re-grew its amputated leg over 18 months—after receiving a single 24-hour treatment with a new drug cocktail. Why this is astonishing: only certain animals like lizards can regenerate their limbs. While human trials are not likely any time soon, it does offer a different route to restoring limbs and organs. See the timeline of the leg below. (Gizmodo)
Speaking of animals: The prestigious Hansraj College in Delhi University now has a cow protection and research centre—with a single cow—which will do ‘research on various aspects of the cow’. And it will also provide “pure milk and ghee” for the students, and for the monthly havan conducted on the campus. Wah! (Indian Express)
Three things to see
One: The World Wildlife Fund has identified 224 new species of flora and fauna in the Mekong region—a biodiversity hotspot that spans parts of China, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. We may be most in love with the Popa langur—also known as the ghostly monkey, so called for their white circles under their eyes. (CBS News)
Two: Typically, having a wax statue of oneself is a sign of finally having arrived. But that’s only if the statue is the Madame Tussaud’s variety. The Panoptikum wax museum in Germany is just as capable of making you look even worse than your real-life version. Look what they did to Queen Elizabeth? (Daily Mail)
Three: 90-year-old Methuselah is the world’s oldest living aquarium fish. The female Australian lungfish is 4ft-long, weighs 18.1kg and enjoys belly rubs and fresh figs. (The Guardian)
