iWorld
Amazon closes acquisition deal with movie studio MGM
Mumbai: Amazon has completed its $8.45 billion acquisition of movie studio Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) recently. MGM is the studio behind franchises such as ‘James Bond’ and ‘Rocky’.
The decision to close the deal comes after a deadline passed by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to challenge the deal. Earlier this week, the European Commission had approved the deal.
Amazon is set to acquire 4000 film titles, 17,000 TV episodes, 180 Academy Awards and 100 Emmy Awards. It will bolster the content catalogue offered on its video streaming service Amazon Prime Video. The talent at MGM will be merged with Amazon Studios to create diverse entertainment choices for consumers.
MGM’s catalogue includes TV shows such as “The Handmaid’s Tale”, “Fargo”, “Vikings” and films such as “12 Angry Men’, ‘Basic Instinct’, ‘Creed’, ‘Raging Bull’, ‘Silence of the Lambs’, ‘Tomb Raider’ as well as this year’s Oscar nominee ‘Licorice Pizza’.
The MGM staff will join the organisation of Prime Video and Amazon Studios senior vice president Mike Hopkins. Amazon had announced the deal in May 2021.
iWorld
Beware: Fake war lockdown notice mimicking official government order circulates on WhatsApp
The spoof document mimics an official government order but opens to reveal a jester and the words “April Fool”
MUMBAI: It looked official. It had the Ashoka Emblem. It had the formal layout of a government circular. And it was called “War Lockdown Notice.” Thousands of WhatsApp users across India forwarded it in a panic — only to open it and find a cartoon jester waving cheerfully above the words “April Fool.”
The document, which circulated rapidly on Tuesday, was designed to look like a genuine government order, carrying enough official-looking detail to alarm recipients and prompt frantic resharing. The punchline was the entire point. The danger, however, is real.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has cautioned citizens that sharing fake messages and rumours carries serious consequences. In severe cases, it could result in police action or imprisonment.
The warning is timely. Viral hoaxes dressed up as official government communications have a long and damaging history in India, stoking panic, spreading misinformation and, in some cases, triggering real-world consequences. A forged document bearing the national emblem, however briefly intended as a joke, is no laughing matter in the eyes of the law.
April Fool’s Day or not, WhatsApp forwards deserve a hard look before the finger hits share. The jester on that document was not the only fool in the room.
