Netflix Blames Russian War On Ukraine And Account Sharing By Subscribers For Its Losses

Netflix blamed the suspension of its service in Russia and account sharing as reasons behind its losses in the first quarter of this year. The Silicon Valley tech firm is also facing tough competition from titans like Apple and Disney. The leading streaming television service is planning to take measures to strengthen its market share.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Netflix reported a loss of subscribers in the first quarter of this year
• Its net income dropped from $1.7 billion in the last quarter to $1.6 billion this quarter
• Its shares also dropped by 25% to $262 in after-market trades

Why Is Netflix Facing Losses?

Netflix Facing Losses

The prime reason Netflix sees behind the drop in subscribers is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which led to the suspension of its services in Russia and the loss of subscribers.

The second reason it gives for slow subscribers is the slow speed of broadband Internet service and the slow growth of smart television. Also, subscribers sharing their accounts with others is also a reason behind its losses.

What Is The Present State Of Its Subscribers?

Netflix has nearly 222 million households as its subscribers but this number is slightly less than the subscribers it had in the first quarter of last year. But what worries it is that the subscribers are sharing their accounts with 100 million others that aren’t paying for the service.

The streaming services admitted that account sharing as a percentage of their paying membership hadn’t changed much over the years. Also, it was harder to grow membership in many markets.

Last year it tried to increase its membership by allowing the subscribers to pay slightly more to … Read the rest

Cristiano Ronaldo Mourns The Death Of His Newborn Son

Portuguese footballer and Manchester United player Cristiano Ronaldo and his partner Georgina Rodriguez broke the sad news of the death of their newborn baby on a social media post.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The legendary footballer mourns the death of his newborn twin son
• Cristiano Ronaldo says that the birth of a newborn girl gives them strength
• The Portuguese footballer is a father to 4 our children

What Was The Sad News?

Ronaldo and his long-term partner Rodriguez were expecting twins when the doctors broke the news of the death of their twin son to them. Saddened with the news, they took to social media to update their fans and followers about their grief and ask for privacy at this difficult time.

“It is the greatest pain that any parents can feel. Only the birth of our baby girl gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness”, wrote the Manchester United footballer.

Manchester United Tweeted

Man U stood firmly behind their player at this tough time. They said Cristiano’s pain is their pain. They also sent love and strength to Ronaldo and his family at the tough time.

Real Madrid Responded

Real Madrid wrote on its web page that the president and the board of directors of the club deeply regret the death of one of the children that their beloved Cristiano Ronaldo and his partner Rodriguez were expecting. The club joined the grief of the whole family and wanted to show all their love and affection.

Cristiano Ronaldo Mourns The Death Of His Newborn Son

When Did The Couple Meet?

Cristiano Ronaldo met Georgina Rodriguez during … Read the rest

Why Did Twitter Want Tesla CEO Elon Musk On Its Board?

Elon Musk isn’t joining the Twitter Board. The Tesla CEO was slated to join the micro-blogging site on 9 April Saturday but he informed Twitter the same morning that he won’t join, said Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal.

Highlights

• Tesla CEO Elon Musk had many discussions with Twitter over joining its board
• Elon Musk informed the company about his decision not to join the Twitter board on the day of joining
• The micro-blogging site was excited about his entry after his recent tweets
• Elon Musk toyed with radical ideas like converting Twitter headquarters into a shelter home

Why Was Twitter Bringing Elon Musk To Its Board?

Twitter Want Tesla CEO Elon Musk On Its Board

According to the company it considered Elon Musk as a fiduciary of the company and expected him to add value to it with his ideas of radical change. Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal formally informed its shareholders about Elon Musk joining the board on April 5 but the Tesla CEO decided not to join the board and remain a shareholder. It is to be noted that Elon Musk is the biggest shareholder in Twitter.

After the Elon Musk incident, Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal said that there would be distractions ahead but their goals and priorities remained unchanged. Parag Agrawal further maintained that the decisions they make and how they execute them were in their hands, no one else’s. He called his team to tune out the noise and stay focused on the work.

What Were The Ideas Of Radical Changes Promoted By Elon Musk?

Elon Musk started a poll for turning the San Francisco headquarters of Twitter into a shelter for the homeless. He also suggested a … Read the rest

Police And Army Clash At Protest In Sri Lanka

As anti-government demonstrations intensified in the country, Sri Lankan Army Chief called for an inquiry as police stopped soldiers of special forces at protests in Colombo.

10 Developments In Sri Lanka

Police And Army Clash At Protest In Sri Lanka
  1. Army Chief Shavendra Silva called for an inquiry after police stopped a group of masked soldiers with assault rifles at protests near parliament, where children, women, and the elderly were protesting.
  2. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa revoked the state of emergency he declared on 1 April with immediate effect amid protests against the nation’s worst economic crisis.
  3. 41 lawmakers walked out of the ruling alliance bringing the government to a minority and former allies demanding Rajapaksa’s resignation.
  4. Opposition parties have rebuffed Preside Rajapaksa’s call to join the government. But there are no signs of the opposition toppling the minority government.
  5. Finance Minister Ali Sabry stepped down ahead of a crucial meeting with International Monetary Fund for a loan program.
  6. The UN Human Right Council is closely watching the developments in Sri Lanka which is already under international censure for its deteriorating human rights record.
  7. Sri Lanka temporarily shut its embassies in Norway and Iraq and the Consulate General in Sydney.
  8. The International Monetary Fund is closely monitoring the political and economic developments of Sri Lanka as the public unrest in the island country grows against the worst economic crisis.
  9. Mass agitations are at a fever pitch in Sri Lanka after the foreign exchange crisis and balance of payment issues culminated into an unprecedented economic crisis. People attempted to storm the homes of government officials to protest against the failed policies of the ruling Rajapaksa family.
  10. Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since its independence from the British empire in 1948. The country is facing
Read the rest

Hashtags #Bucha And #Buchamassacare No Longer Trending On Facebook And Instagram

Hashtags related to civilian deaths in northern Ukraine will no longer feature on Facebook and Instagram according to Meta Platforms, the owner of two social media platforms. While Meta Platforms has justified reasons for the action, humanitarian organizations are criticizing the deletion of data.

Highlights:

• Meta Platforms removes violent Ukraine war content from Facebook and Instagram
• Automated systems are activated to block hashtags related to civilian killings
• Facebook and Instagram allow the publication of violent content only to raise awareness but explicit images are deleted
• Meta Platforms stores data only for 90 days but it is looking for ways to preserve the important data

Why Are Hashtags Related To Northern Ukraine Civilian Killings Blocked?

Bodies of civilians shot at close range were discovered in a town seized back from Russian forces. The city is Bucha and the images are titled killings in Bucha. The images are so disturbing that the people have started demanding further sanctions against Moscow. But Russia has clearly denied any accusations of killing the civilian population in Ukraine.

Giving the reason for removal, Meta spokesman Ando Stone wrote on Twitter that the company initiated the process of deleting disturbing images after it came to know about the hashtags #bucha and #buchamassacre.

Northern Ukraine Civilian Killings Blocked

Ando Stone said that Meta Platforms allow the publication of images on its social media sites only for raising public awareness. But the images found disturbing are removed automatically from the platforms. The company owns automated scanning systems that scan Facebook and Instagram for violent images and remove the images that celebrate suffering.

Meta Platforms has also added warning levels to explicit graphic posts containing violent … Read the rest

Did Will Smith Resign In Disciplinary Action?

Will smith first made a public apology through social media and then decided to resign from the Academy over his indecent behavior at the 94th Academy Awards presentation.

Resignation Statement of Will Smith

Resignation Statement of Will Smith

“I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences”, read the statement. It was further written that Will Smith would accept any further consequences the Board deemed appropriate. His action at the award function was shocking and painful. He hurt Chris, Chris’ family and friends, and all those attendees and the global audience in their homes.

The statement read that Will Smith betrayed the trust of the Academy and deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated. Will Smith was heartbroken.

Recalling The Incident

Chris Rock, the standup comedian, mocked Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett about his medical condition. She’s suffering from alopecia and facing hair loss as a result. Smith instantly walked up to Chris and slapped him in full public view. While it soothed his anger but the Academy criticized the indecent behavior.

Will Smith’s Apology

Will Smith also tendered his apology through his Instagram post but it did little to calm the anger against him. Academy was determined to take strict disciplinary action against Smith. First, Chris Rock was asked to call the police and get Smith arrested for his behavior but Chris denied taking any action.

Will Smith’s Resignation

Will Smith’s Resignation

Will Smith sent his resignation to the Academy after the news of strict disciplinary action against him was broke. The Academy was mulling expelling, suspending, or taking any other suitable action against Will Smith. But Smith sent his resignation to … Read the rest

Will Smith To Face Disciplinary Action From Academy

After Chris Rock dismissed all options of legal action against Will Smith, the Academy said it was mulling punishment including possible expulsion of Smith for his public outrage at the Oscar ceremony.

Highlights:

• Chris Rock was allowed to take legal action against Will Smith
• Los Angeles police were ready to arrest Smith
• Smith was given the best actor Oscar
• Academy could punish Smith for his behavior

What Were The Legal Options For Chris Rock?

Will Packer, the show’s producer, said that he sat with police officers and Chris Rock to discuss the legal options Rock could choose against Will Smith. The officers said that they could arrest Smith if Rock could press charges. But Chris said that he was fine. Los Angeles police officers laid all options before Chris Rock but he said no to all those options.

Would The Academy Punish Will Smith?

Would The Academy Punish Will Smith

Will Smith was awarded the best actor Oscar award soon after he slapped Chris Rock in full public view. Chris Rock, a standup comedian, mocked Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett for her hair loss. Smith couldn’t accept the joke and slapped Rock before the audience.

The Academy allowed the function to proceed after the public display of the outrage. Will Smith was awarded and the audience cheered for Smith. Soon after he was asked to leave the event but he denied it and insisted on staying.

Will Smith is the fifth black man to win a leading actor Oscar but the Academy is serious about taking action against Smith. He could be expelled from the industry for indecent behavior.

Will Smith To Face Disciplinary Action From Academy

Academy Has Already Started Proceedings

A statement from the … Read the rest

Imran Khan Loses Key Ally MQM-P To Joint Opposition

Imran Khan-led Tehreek-e-Insaf government of Pakistan lost the majority after its key ally Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM) struck a deal with the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) last night.

Highlights:

• Imran Khan lost the majority before the no-trust vote on April 3
• MQM-P left the government to join hands with the opposition PPP
• PTI government is reduced to only 164 MNAs (Members of National Assembly)
• Imran Khan alleged that his government was topped with foreign funds

Why Did MQM-P Left The Government?

The united opposition and MQM-P reached an agreement last night bringing the Imran Khan government to minority status. The PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari tweeted “congratulations Pakistan” after the agreement. He further tweeted that Rabta committee MQM and PPP CEC would ratify the said agreement.

MQM-P leader Faisal Subzwari confirmed that an agreement had been drafted and MQM-P had decided to stand with the opposition. An MQM-P spokesperson said that Rabta committee would meet at the party’s Bahadurabad office, at 2 pm on Wednesday to discuss the draft.

What Is That Draft?

Prepared by Administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab, the draft details aren’t made public yet. It will first be ratified by the concerned parties and then revealed to the world. Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari are … Read the rest

What Volodymyr Zelenskiy Wants Moscow To Hear?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy released a video address in the early hours of Saturday to send his peace message to Russia. He called for comprehensive peace talks with Moscow to end the war. Also, he warned Russia of consequences that Moscow would need generations to cover.

What Was The Video Message Of Volodymyr Zelenskiy?

Zelenskiy said that he wanted everyone, especially in Moscow, to hear him. He further maintained that the time had come for a meeting and start negotiations to restore territorial integrity and justice for Ukraine. Also, there was a hidden warning for the Russians in the message.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned Russia of unprecedented consequences. The losses suffered in the war would be so high that Russia would need generations to cover those losses.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia of deliberately blocking humanitarian supplies to cities under attack. He called it a deliberate tactic and a war crime for which Russia would be answerable. He said that he was 100% certain that Moscow would be made to answer for the war crimes.

He maintained that Ukraine had always offered solutions for peace and favored meaningful negotiations on the security of the region.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy Accuses Russia Of Bombing Civilians

Volodymyr Zelenskiy Accuses Russia Of Bombing Civilians

Russian forces bombed a theatre in the city of Mariupol that had sheltered hundreds of civilians. The news of the attack on the theatre came on Wednesday. Zelenskiy said that more than 130 people had been rescued so far and the exact number of casualties would be known after the rescue operation.

Ukrainian Invasion Of Russia

Russian forces started what they call a “special military operation” in Ukraine on 24 February 2022. They are … Read the rest

The US Fears China Could Supply Military Equipment To Russia

Russia is looking forward to China for military help in its “special operation” against Ukraine reported the Financial Times and Washington Post from sources in the US administration.

Highlights:

• Russia needs supply for its military operation
• China could be the likely partner of Russia
• Jake Sullivan of the US will meet Chinese diplomat in Rome
• China has so far maintained silence on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

What Kind Of Military Help Does Russia Need?

Russia needs military equipment supplies for its ongoing “special operation” against Ukraine. Since the west has imposed sanctions on Russia, it has become very difficult for Moscow to get the necessary equipment for its military. But China could provide military supplies to Russia. But the report didn’t give any clue to what kind of military supplies Russia needs for its defense forces.

Why Would China Help Russia?

China Could Supply Military Equipment To Russia

Beijing has so far refrained from condemning Russia’s “special operation” as an invasion of Ukraine and it has urged a negotiated solution for the military problem. Also, China is facing similar sanctions as Russia. It has come under tremendous western pressure on human rights and other issues. Since both the countries are facing similar sanctions from the west, they could join hands to form a collective defense before the west.

How Would US Stop China From Helping Russia?

U.S. National Security advisor Jake Sullivan is expected to meet China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi in Rome. The meeting could take place on Monday. Jake Sullivan would raise the issue of military supplies to Russia with the Chinese diplomat in the meeting. If China proceeds with its military supplies to Russia, it … Read the rest