Researched by: Rachel John, Aarthi Ramnath & Priyanka Gulati
Manchester City is in big trouble
One of the top teams in the Premier League has been accused of serious violation of financial fair play rules. It allegedly committed around 100 breaches over a nine-year period. The team has been in trouble before with UEFA in 2020—but managed to get away with a $10.7 million (€10 million) fine. The charges will now go in front of an independent commission. If found guilty, Manchester City can be either expelled from the league or have points deducted. The first is extremely unlikely—and the latter may not happen this season (much to the disappointment of Arsenal, its rival for the #1 spot). Sky Sports has a full explainer if you need more.
The link between air pollution and depression
A new UK study reveals that exposure to even low levels of air pollution for a prolonged period of time results in increased risk of depression and anxiety. While medical research has long established the effects of dirty air on physical health, recent studies have focused on its impact on mental health. But the exact relationship remains elusive: “There seems to be a link of some kind, but the pathway for how that link is happening is still something we haven’t figured out.” FYI: India is the second-most polluted country in the world. (Washington Post)
The failure of single-use plastic bans
In recent years, governments around the world—including India—have moved toward banning single-use plastics. Think shopping bags, cups, straws etc. But an Australian study shows that the amount of single-use plastic waste is actually increasing—rising from 133 million metric tons in 2019 to 139 million metric tons in 2021. Now, our first thought was that this jump could be explained by the pandemic—when the use of disposable gloves and masks escalated. But according to the report, the increase was fueled primarily by demand for flexible packaging like films and sachets.
Point to note: Single-use plastics are disastrous for the environment in a variety of ways. Yes, they clog up landfills and our oceans. But the production of polymers needed for single-use plastics also produces significant greenhouse gases. The top 20 companies that manufacture these polymers generated around 450 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions—around the same as the United Kingdom. (CNN)
Dolphins at Bharatpur sanctuary??
The Rajasthan state Forest Department has announced plans to build a zoo inside the well-known bird sanctuary. This bizarre plan includes the following:
[A] breeding and re-introduction centre for locally extinct species, such as otters, fishing cats, blackbucks, hog deer, etc, “with collateral provision as exhibits for tourists”; an aquarium for indigenous species like Gangetic Dolphin, crocodiles; enclosures for the display of large wetland species like Indian Rhino, Water Buffalo, Barasingha (swamp deer); an aviary, a reptile house and a veterinary care facility.
Experts are wondering why the state wants to do this in a habitat that is critical for migratory birds. Activists claim that construction activity has already begun—even though the plan has not been officially approved. Park authorities claim the bulldozers have nothing to do with the planned “zoological garden.” FYI: Bharatpur is a UN-certified World Heritage Site—and home to over 370 species of birds and other animals. (Hindustan Times)
Grammy 2023: The latest update
Queen Bey: The biggest news is that Beyoncé broke the record for the most awards in the history of the Grammys—winning her 32nd award for Best Dance/Electronic Album for ‘Renaissance’. She won three other awards on her record-breaking streak. Watch her acceptance speech below:
Harry’s big win: However, Queen Bey once again missed out on the top award of the night—Album of The Year. Harry Styles snagged that one for his album ‘Harry’s House’. His acceptance speech was kinda meh. Watch it here if you need to.
The India angle: Bengaluru-based music composer Ricky Kej, won his third Grammy award for the album 'Divine Tides'—and dedicated his award to India.
The best speech: We award this one to Lizzo—who said this on winning Record of the Year for ‘About Damn Time’:
Microsoft vs Google: The great AI battle
Microsoft recently announced plans for a new version of its search engine—integrated with the hottest AI chatbot in town, ChatGPT (explained here). It accidentally unveiled the product to users for a brief period of time—only to hastily shut it down. The initial reviews are very positive. This updated Bing is conversational and transparent—citing sources used for its information. How worried is Google? The company announced plans for a conversational AI chatbot named Bard. What’s interesting: Bard promises to offer up-to-date answers unlike ChatGPT—which relies entirely on its training data. France24 has that story. (The Verge)
‘Sushi terrorism’ scare in Japan
In many Japanese restaurants, food arrives on a conveyor belt—allowing customers to help themselves. Unfortunately, these ‘kaitenzushi’ establishments have become of target for ‘sushi terrorists’ who deliberately lick the dishes as they come by:
The country is awash in viral videos showing customers licking dishes that come by. Videos show teenagers licking tea cups, soy sauce bottles and even pieces of sushi. This bizarre prank, however, has had serious consequences—with the stock price of popular restaurant chains crashing by up to 5%. (Independent UK)
Three things to see
One: We got our first glimpse of Salman Rushdie since he survived a brutal stabbing attack in New York (explained here). He gave his first interview to the New Yorker—accompanied by this swashbuckling photo. Rushdie said: “I’m lucky. What I really want to say is that my main overwhelming feeling is gratitude.”
Two: Atlas Air took home the last 747 ever produced—after Boeing decided to end production of 747s after 53 years. After a grand ceremony, the ‘queen of the skies’ headed from Everett in Washington state to Cincinnati, Ohio—taking a very special route. This bit of sky art took 2 hours 35 minutes to complete at an altitude of 12,775 feet. (Flightradar24)
Three: Shocking footage shows the Karnataka police firing three shots at a fruit vendor armed with a knife—on an extremely crowded street. The Indian Express seems to think this is entirely acceptable but take a look at the footage for yourself. Note: the last shot is fired when the suspect is already on the ground.
