Good morning everyone, we hope you’re having a relaxing Saturday morning.
0:05- Indicted for...having a job?
As part of its larger war against social media and the political protests it causes, India’s government has now threatened to arrest employees of Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp. While largely unprovoked, this was a result of the companies’ reluctance to bend to the will of the government by complying with takedown demands and data requests. A spokesperson of Whatsapp indicated that the demands would never be met, stating they would only follow through with ones that are “consistent with internationally recognized standards, including human rights, due process, and the rule of law.”
0:30- “Ehh, that’s too hard” -Texas
Yesterday The Public Utility Commission of Texas officially stated that it would not be taking any action over the $16Bn in increased electricity overcharges as a result of the blackouts in the state. This decision came as a result of several independent market auditors that found that the electricity costs in the state had been kept artificially high for up to 33 hours more than was warranted. Even the power generators were saying that it was the wrong decision, as the largest, Vistra Corp, said not repricing “would result in unjust and unreasonable outcomes.”
0:55- Mission Successful? Kind of?
Earlier this week, SpaceX’s SN10 spacecraft successfully completed its first ever high-altitude test flight – a great indicator that it’s on the right path towards its goal of a manned mission to Mars. Unfortunately, less than eight minutes after sticking the landing on the pad, it rose slightly back up into the air and then exploded into pieces. If you’re interested in watching that, Elon tweeted out a slow-mo video of it happening.
1:14- An award-winning ban
A legal filing from US officials revealed that a large portion of the reason why the Chinese smart-phone manufacturer Xiaomi was blacklisted from the US— the founder received an award... from the chinese government... for being an “Outstanding Builder of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics.”
1:26- Coats and Coffee
For the seventh straight year, Peter Thomas of Pilot Pete’s Coffee Treats in Chicago has collected coats for the homeless, and then personally delivered more than 6k coats to individuals— with a coffee on the side as well!
Have a great rest of your day, and we’ll see you Monday bright and early!
-The 90 Second News Team
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