Daily Archives: February 25, 2021

Himansh Kohli took to Instagram stories last November to call out a video falsely claiming that he apologised to his ex-girlfriend, Neha Kakkar, after she married Rohanpreet Singh. In a new interview, he talked about what triggered his angry outburst and how he has been labelled as a villain.

I wonder when such manipulative content will be banned from social media. Who is benefitting from all this nonsense? Whats more upsetting is that people are sharing this actively. Please wake up and stop spreading the hatred and this fake post. Sudhar jao (Get back on track), was his sharp response to the fake news.

Talking to radio host Siddharth Kannan, Himansh said that many videos are shared on social media, with voiceovers telling tall stories. Usually, what happens is that the educated and sensible people can understand. But there are some people jo uss story ko real maan lete hai. Unko aisa lagta hai ki Himansh villain hai, bohot bura hai, humesha aise interviews deta hai jaake, woh humesha baat shuru karta hai ki usey Neha ka naam lena padega har interview mein (There are some people who believe these stories. They think I am the villain and I always mention Neha in every interview), he said.

Himansh said that though he does not normally pay heed to what happens on social media, everything was slowly accumulating. He added that while he is used to people calling him names, he got triggered when his family was dragged into it.

Also read: Rakhi Sawant claims her love-lapata with Abhinav Shukla was encouraged by Rubina Dilaik to rid him of boring tag

Mujhe lagta hai ki ek insaan ko toh blame lena hi hota hai life mein jab koi problem ho jaati hai (I think one person always has to take the blame whenever there is a problem), so let it be me only. Thats fine. What triggered me was log mere parents, mere sister ke baare mein ulta seedha likh rahe hai (people were writing all kinds of nonsense about my parents and sister), he said.

Himansh maintained that his family lives in Delhi and they have nothing to do with the film industry nor with his personal life. Agar meri life mein koi ladki aati hai toh woh mera decision hai, agar woh ladki jaati hai, toh bhi humara decision hai (If there is a woman in my life, it is my decision. If the woman is no longer in my life, then that is also our decision). That has nothing to do with my parents, he said.

Himansh and Neha broke up in December 2018, after being in a relationship for almost a year. She is now married to Rohanpreet.

Actor Himansh Kohli is fed-up of trolls sending him messages about his ex-girlfriend Neha Kakkars recent wedding. He said that messages and memes spoil his mood and he has this message for those who send him the messages.

By HT Correspondent | Hindustan Times, New Delhi

UPDATED ON FEB 18, 2020 10:55 AM IST

Himansh Kohli said that though he was tempted to reply to ex-girlfriend Neha Kakkars social media posts with his own posts, he did not want to say anything against the woman he was once in love with.

Continued here:

Himansh Kohli explains his angry reaction to fake news of apology to ex Neha Kakkar, says people think he is a 'villain' - Hindustan Times

Finnish sports enthusiasts have embraced a new trendrunning through snow wearing only socks and no shoes. The latest craze hit headlines across the world this week, with many marvelling at the phenomenon.

According to those who indulge in the practice, running without footweareven in snow that reaches depths of half a meterprovides a sense of freedom.

Proponents recommend wearing at least two thick pairs of woollen socks, ideally three, to protect against frostbite and ease movement.

Finland also received attention for its success in effectively tackling disinformation. Despite a flood of incorrect information about the COVID-19 virus, over 80 per cent of Finns are reportedly willing to take the jab.

Jussi Toivanen, chief communication specialist at the Finnish prime minister's office, credits the populations ability to discern fake news to the education system in the country.

Children are encouraged to develop media literacy right from kindergarten. Students are taught to critically analyse news reports and schools conduct mock debates focusing on current affairs.

New research by optical retailer Lenstore has found a strong link between overall happiness and universal healthcare, suggesting that Finland is consistently ranked the worlds happiest country owing to its healthcare system.

The study analysed 84 countries and concluded that those without universal healthcare registered an average happiness rating that fell 0.4 points below that of countries that offer it.

Finland scored 89.6 points based on the quality and accessibility of its healthcare. Despite ranking first in the World Happiness Report, it was beaten by Iceland (ranked fourth happiest), which came in first with a score of 93.6 for its healthcare services.

In other news, 240,000 Finns recycled the waste fats from Christmas cooking for the fifth time in a row this year as part of the Ham Trick.

The Ham Trick is an ongoing campaign organised by Finnish oil refining and marketing company Neste and is aimed at promoting a circular economy.

Meanwhile, the Finnish government plans to donate 4.3 million euros to help children in Lebanon. The donation will go to UNICEFs No Lost Generation programme.

The money will be used to combat child labour and marriage by increasing learning opportunities through informal training and skill development.

Finns take to running in snow without footwear

Fitness freaks in Finland have begun running in deep snow with multiple layers of socks instead of shoes. Adherents of this latest fad claim that the activity provides stimulation for the feet while also offering fitness benefits.

Barefoot running is a popular pastime in warmer weather, but the heavier than usual snowfall this winter has not hindered running enthusiasts in the country.

Woollen socks are now abundantly available, as a large number of Finns have reportedly adopted knitting as a hobby this winter.

Original story was published by New York Post on 16.02.2021 and can be found here.

Finland winning the fight against disinformation

Finland recently ranked first in an annual index that measures resilience to disinformation. Since 2014, schools in the country have included media literacy in their curriculum.

Children are taught to critically analyse news sources and identify propaganda from the age of 6. Schools encourage students to study how the media portrays various incidents and to question the effect that social media has on their attitudes and perceptions.

Finlands anti-disinformation campaign also extends to initiatives such as Faktabaari (Fact Bar)a volunteer-run NGO that offers fact-checking services.

Original story was published by The Telegraph on 16.02.2021 and can be found here.

Study claims Finland is the happiest country due to universal healthcare

New data from Lenstore suggests countries such as Finland and Iceland rank high on the UNs World Happiness Report due to the quality and accessibility of their healthcare.

Finland has topped the list of happiest countries for three years in a row. The World Happiness Report takes into account factors such as life expectancy, corruption levels and freedom of expression.

Despite being declared the fourth happiest country, Iceland beat Finland in Lenstores study by scoring 93.6 for its healthcare offerings. Finland scored 89.6, tying with Spain.

Original story was published by the Daily Express on 11.02.2021 and can be found here.

Record number of Finns recycle waste fats left over from Christmas

The Ham TrickNestes campaign to recycle waste fat and advocate a circular economyreached a new record for the fifth year in a row.

The campaign has drawn in more participants every year since it began, with an increased network of almost 350 collection points this year.

The waste fats collected via the Ham Trick are used to produce Neste MY Renewable, and can create enough renewable diesel to drive a car around the world up to 17 times.

Original story was published by Petrol Plaza on 12.02.2021 and can be found here.

Finland contributes 4.3 million euros to help children in Lebanon

The Finnish government plans to donate 4.3 million euros towards supporting the wellbeing of children in Lebanon. The money will go to UNICEFs No Lost Generation programme, which focuses on supporting children in crisis-hit countries.

The ongoing pandemic and economic crisis in Lebanon have had a highly damaging effect on childrens living conditions, depriving them of proper education and facilities.

Original story was published by The961 on 18.02.2021 and can be found here.

Tahira Sequeira

Helsinki Times

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Shoeless sprinters, fake news and universal healthcare: Finland in the world press - Helsinki Times

Think about YouTube conspiracy theorists or many QAnon or anti-vaccine influencers. Their tactic, as Mr. Caulfield noted, is to flatter viewers while overloading them with three-hour videos laced with debunked claims and pseudoscience, as well as legitimate information. The internet offers this illusion of explanatory depth, he said. Until 20 seconds ago, youd never thought about, say, race and IQ, but now, suddenly, somebody is treating you like an expert. Its flattering your intellect, and so you engage, but you dont really stand a chance.

What he described is a kind of informational hubris we have that is quite difficult to fight. But what SIFT and Mr. Caulfields lessons seem to do is flatter their students in a different way: by reminding us our attention is precious.

The goal of SIFT isnt to be the arbiter of truth but to instill a reflex that asks if something is worth ones time and attention and to turn away if not. Because the method is less interested in political judgments, Mr. Caulfield and Ms. Ladam noticed, students across the political spectrum are more likely to embrace it. By the end of the two-week course, Ms. Ladam said, students are better at finding primary sources for research papers. In discussions theyre less likely to fall back on motivated reasoning. Students tend to be less defensive when confronted with a piece of information they disagree with. Even if their opinions on a broader issue dont change, a window is open that makes conversation possible. Perhaps most promising, she has seen her students share the methods with family members who post dubious news stories online. It sounds so simple, but I think that teaching people how to check their news source by even a quick Wikipedia can have profound effects, she said.

SIFT is not an antidote to misinformation. Poor media literacy is just one component of a broader problem that includes more culpable actors like politicians, platforms and conspiracy peddlers. If powerful, influential people with the ability to command vast quantities of attention use that power to warp reality and platforms dont intervene, no mnemonic device can stop them. But SIFT may add a bit of friction into the system. Most important, it urges us to take the attention we save with SIFT and apply it to issues that matter to us.

Right now we are taking the scarcest, most valuable resource we have our attention and were using it to try to repair the horribly broken information ecosystem, Mr. Caulfield said. Were throwing good money after bad.

Our focus isnt free, and yet were giving it away with every glance at a screen. But it doesnt have to be that way. In fact, the economics are in our favor. Demand for our attention is at an all-time high, and we control supply. Its time we increased our price.

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Opinion | Dont Go Down the Rabbit Hole - The New York Times

MAWKYRWAT, Feb 23:Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, on Tuesday, warned school students against being misled by fake news as he highlighted the recent incident where a survey team was allegedly assaulted by miscreants who claimed that they (survey team members) intended to mine minerals.The incident took place on February 13 at Sohparu in West Khasi Hills.The team was undertaking a survey and soil testing for setting up of the Eklavya Model Residential School when they were reportedly attacked.Rymbui was speaking as the chief guest during the inaugural programme of Horirai Syiemlieh Memorial Higher Secondary School at Photjaud Ranthong village, South West Khasi Hills, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through the Supporting Human Capital Development Project.Dont be confused by such news circulated on social media, which, in many cases, have misled people. If you hear anything, get proper information from the district administration as people will come to conduct survey in Mawkyrwat area before setting up of the Eklavya Model Residential School, he said.Informing that there were 117 schools in the state, which were built through the ADB project, he said that the main objective of the project is to provide feature-packed school building for students coupled with training for teachers.Mentioning that the school has smart classrooms and connectivity which will enable students to access education not only from the teachers but also the internet, he expressed happiness.It may be mentioned that the Horirai Syiemlieh Memorial Higher Secondary School was built at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore.Besides this school, three other schools from South West Khasi Hills were also funded by the ADB.

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Min cautions against fake news after 'assault' - The Shillong Times

In the last couple of years, Facebooks CEO Mark Zuckerberg has found himself in the middle of more than one political controversy. BuzzFeed News has yet again recently got their hands on a stack of internal company documents that reveal more information about Mark Zuckerbergs politically motivated policy decision within the company.

According to BuzzFeed News, these new documents contain interviews with fourteen current & former Facebook employees that depict Facebooks policy team in quite a negative light. The documents contain allegations that Facebooks policy team which is headed by Joe Kaplan, the Vice President of Global Public Policy have intervened on behalf of prominent conservative figureheads who allegedly violated Facebooks rules, but were allowed to continue operations unhindered.

Among the allegations include suggestions that Kaplans policy team removed penalties for the dissemination of misinformation at the hand of right-wing conservative pages, bowing down and ignoring behaviors that violate user guidelines to avoid political pressure from right-wing heavy hitters, and even blocking a proposal to stop recommending political groups ahead of the 2020 U.S. election.

It has been suggested that by allowing these figureheads to continue operating on the Facebook platform unhindered, Facebook is actively contributing to the dissemination of fake news. Here is everything we know about the Facebook drama.

Joe Kaplan is no stranger to the world of conservative politics. Prior to joining Facebook in 2011, Kaplan was a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and more notably served as the White House Deputy Chief of Staff under President George W. Bush. Kaplan joined Facebook in 2011 to oversee its DC operations.

In 2014, Kaplan was promoted to the position of Vice President of Global Public Policy. This meant Kaplan was now responsible for Facebooks government relations all around the world in addition to the companys content policy team.

Kaplan was instrumental in advising Facebook not to intervene during Donald Trumps election campaign and subsequent earlier years of his presidential terms. Trump used the Facebook platform to spout many racists ideas during that period, including a post where he called for a total ban of Muslims entering the U.S. Kaplan advised that, even though policies against this type of user behavior exists, Facebook should do nothing.

When Facebook refused to act when Donald Trump posted the now-infamous when the looting starts, the shooting starts post during the George Floyd protests in 2020, company employees spoke out against Kaplan again then, too. Employees expressed concern that Kaplan had too much power, to which Zuckerberg dismissed immediately.

Samidh Chakrabarti, the lead of Facebooks Civil Integrity Team spoke out against the current policy decisions being made, stating that Facebook employees feel compelled to only make recommendations that align with the interests of policymakers. The Civil Integrity Teams sole purpose was to diminish abuse and election interference on the Facebook platform.

Despite the election being over, both former & current Facebook employees continue to express concern over Kaplans influence on Facebooks decision, citing a conflict of interest as the reason for their concern. Zuckerberg continues to support Kaplans position within the company.

In the lead up to the 2020 U.S election, an internal company report determined that Facebook users were being polarized into political discussion groups that were spreading misinformation and hate. Although Facebook did make attempts to address this issue, the Facebook Policy Team raised concerns over right-wing retaliation.

A Facebook Data Scientist, who spent five years with the company before leaving in the latter half of 2020 said the fear of antagonizing powerful political actors became a key factor for the Facebook Policy Teams decisions not to act on inciting and hateful political content. The company frequently allowed prominent political users to violate policy if the user was deemed sensitive or likely to retaliate.

Some of these users which Facebook definitely turned a blind eye towards include conservative radio talk show host Charlie Kirk, right-wing news publication Breitbart News, Prager University, and then sitting president, Donald Trump.

In 2019, the Facebook team was in the middle of preparing to ban Infowars founder Alex Jones. Facebook considered Alex Jones to be one of the worst spreaders of misinformation and hate within the Facebook domain. Before the company could complete the ban and make it official, Zuckerberg stepped in and put a stop to the initiative.

Jones used Facebook to say that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax, that the survivors speaking out against the Parkland massacre were actors, while also using the platform to spread violent hate speech against Muslim and trans people. This behavior qualified Jones to be removed from the Facebook platform, as well as any content that showed support for said hate speech.

Zuckerberg basically took the decision that he did not want to use this policy against Jones because he did not personally think he was a hate figure, said a former Facebook Policy Team employee.

There are known links between Alex Jones and right-wing extremist groups Oath Keepers & Three Percenters. Because of the changes that Zuckerberg required the policy teams to implement, Facebook employees were less able to monitor the actions of these groups on their platforms. Both groups were instrumental in the attack on the U.S Capitol on January 2, 2021.

The Justice Department and the FBI are currently investigating the links between these two groups and Alex Jones.

In a recent BuzzFeed News report, Facebook employees shared their feelings candidly on what they believe is failing company leadership.

I think the people working in these areas are working as hard as they can and I commend them for their efforts. However, I do think our leadership isnt doing enough. said one employee.

A content policy employee who made the decision to leave the company just weeks after the election said, Ideology is not, and should not be, a protected class. White supremacy is an ideology; so is anarchism. Neither view is immutable, nor should either be beyond scrutiny. The idea that our content ranking decisions should be balanced on a scale from right to left is impracticable . . . and frankly can be dangerous, as one side of that scale actively challenges core democratic institutions and fails to recognize the results of a free and fair election.

Others that spoke out agreed that while Kaplan is indeed a problem for the future of the company, they believe the real issue is Mark Zuckerberg himself. At the end of the day, Zuckerberg has the power, regardless of policies that may or may not already exist.

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Is Facebook responsible for launching the concept of "fake news"? Film Daily - Film Daily

Not a single day passes with some or other media house spreading fake news about the government of India, which is further circulated by the Congress party and its leaders and its ecosystem. The latest incident of the same is an allegation that ticket fares for passenger trains will be doubled.

After remaining suspended due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Indian Railways has decided to resume passenger train services in the country. While long-distance trains have already resumed as special trains, passenger trains were not started. While reporting this decision, some media houses had also claimed that the fare for such passenger trains will be doubled.

On 23rd Febrary, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi shared a clipping of a Hinde newspaper report making the same claim.

The same report was also shared by the official Twitter handle of the Congress party, claiming that passenger train fares will be doubled. The Congress claimed while the Modi government is promising bullet train at cheap rate, very soon passengers of general trains will have to pay the price of bullet trains.

After the reports of doubling railway fares were circulated by media houses and political parties, sources in Indian Railway has come forward to deny those reports. The source in railways has said that fares have been slightly increased for passenger and other short-distance trains, and it has not been doubled. The fares have been fixed at the existing fares for mail / express trains for the same distance.

The Indian Railway has clarified that the fares for unreserved tickets for short distanced have been increased to discourage crowding at trains, as the Coronavirus pandemic continues in the country. Little higher price is to be seen as Pro-Active measure of Railways to prevent crowding in trains and stop Covid-19 from spreading, said a source in Indian Railways.

With a view to regulate rush at stations and in trains, passenger trains are being charged slightly more fare than pre-COVID-19 times and a close watch is being kept on its patronisation. The situation is being constantly monitored to ensure restoration of services in keeping with the protocols necessary to be followed during COVID-19 times, the source added.

It may be noted that passenger operations have always been subsidized by railways. Normally, Railways bears a loss on every journey by a passenger.

A comparison with the bus fares shows that despite the moderate increase, the train remains the cheapest mode of transport in the country.

Sources in the Railways have also informed that fares have been increased in less than 3% of all the total trains running in the country. It added that the higher fare is a tool to discourage unnecessary crowding in trains and hence prevent the spread of coronavirus.

With the gradual withdrawal of the lockdown measures, Railways has operationalized almost 65 % of the Mail/Express trains and over 90 % of suburban services, as compared to the pre lockdown times. At present, 1250 Mail/Express trains, 5350 suburban service trains & more than 326 passenger trains are in operation average on a daily basis. This means, passenger trains constitute less the 3% of the total trains, for which the fare has been increased.

Indian Railways has noted that Coronavirus cases are still increasing in some states, and some states are re-introducing restrictions to prevent further spread of the pandemic. In such a situation, it is necessary to prevent crowding in passenger trains, which generally sees the most crowding as they need unreserved tickets to travel. In view of this, Railways has taken this step to discourage train travel unless it is absolutely necessary.

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Rahul Gandhi spreads fake news about train ticket fares being doubled: Here is the truth - OpIndia

Bollywoodshaadis.com

There is nothing more surreal than becoming parents. The newbie parents feel a surge of mixed emotions the moment they hold their little one in their arms for the first time or see them for the first time. It is like their nine-month-long wait has finally come to an end and now they can finally meet their baby, with whom, they were interacting for so long. TV actor, Naman Shaw and his wife, Neha Mishra Shaws wait of nine months has finally come to an end as the couple has welcomed their little wonder into this blissful world. (Also Read: Soha Ali Khan Spends Some Quality Time With Her Baby Girl, Inaaya Naumi Kemmu In The City) It was on Naman Shaw's birthday, i.e., December 18, 2020, when his pregnant wifey, Neha Mishra Shaw had shared two full-frame pictures with him and had delighted their million fans and friends with their 'Good News'. In the pictures, the couple had looked stunning in their respective attires. While Naman had looked handsome in his dark blue t-shirt and blue pants, his wifey, Neha had made us go 'aww' with her black dress and eccentric smile for the camera. Their sweet camaraderie in the pictures had once again made us believe that they're a match made-in-heaven. Now, finally, Naman and Neha have welcomed their little prince into this world. Yes, it is a baby boy for the couple and to announce the good news, the newbie parents took to their respective IG handles and shared a picture where while Neha was flaunting her baby bump, kissing Naman, the actor was seen pouting, holding his wifes baby bump. While Neha captioned the picture as Blessed with a Baby Boy Date - 24 /02/2021, on the other hand, Naman added a heart and Its a boy gif on the picture and wrote, Its a Boy. In a conversation with The Times Of India, the new father, Naman shared that Neha had a normal delivery after 12 hours long labour pain. He said, Nehaa was in labour for 12 hours and had a normal delivery. I was with her throughout. I can't even imagine what a mother goes through. But at the end of it, everything is worth it when you see your baby. Both of us wanted a healthy baby and are grateful to God for it. (Recommended Read: Nakuul Mehta's Wife, Jankee Parekh Opens Up On Her Life Post Their Baby Boy, Sufi's Birth) Naman also talked about embracing fatherhood and how the feeling of being a father is slowly sinking in. Sharing that he had developed fatherly instinct, right after Neha got pregnant, he said, It is an unreal feeling and slowly sinking in that our baby is finally here. To be honest, I developed the fatherly instinct immediately after Nehaa got pregnant. It feels like I have been taking care of the baby for the last nine months. It doesn't feel like a new addition... somehow it feels that I have known him all these months. New daddy, Naman also shared if the couple has finalized any name for their baby boy. He shared, We are going through all the names right now that we had shortlisted according to the nakshatra and horoscope. Both our families are super excited. My mother is flying down from Kolkata and Nehaa's mother is coming from Pune to help us out. On January 24, 2021, Naman Shaw had taken to his Instagram handle and had shared a cutesy picture with his wife, Neha Mishra Shaw from her surprise baby shower. The lovely suprise was organised by their closed friends, Kaniz Rabbi and Sheena Varma, and it had delighted the pregnant couple. In the picture, while Naman had looked dashing as always in his black shirt and blue denim, his wife, Neha had taken away all the limelight with her pregnancy glow and baby bump, as she had looked stunning in her blue striped dress. Along with the picture, Naman had written a short and simple caption that could be read as "Thank you @kaniz_rabbi @sheenavarma for this beautiful surprise #surprisebabyshower #memorable." (Must Read: Abhinav Shukla Reveals The Real Reason Why He And His Wifey, Rubina Dilaik Wanted A Divorce) Congratulations, Naman and Neha! Images Courtesy: Naman Shaw

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Himansh Kohli Opens Up About His Angry Reaction to the Fake News of Apologising to Ex Neha Kakkar - Yahoo India News

Fact Check

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

| Updated: Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 16:51 [IST]

New Delhi, Feb 24: A website has claimed that the Ministry of Labour, Government of India is offering Rs 12,0000 to those who have worked between 1990 and 2021.

The website says that those who have worked between 1990 and 2021 have the right to withdraw Rs 12,0000 from the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Check if your name your name is there and if you are entitled to withdraw these funds, it also says.

Further, the website also asks you to answer three simple questions and asks for your gender details in order to be entitled to withdraw the amount.

Fake: These guidelines on COVID-19 protocols are not issued by the ICMR

This claim is entirely fake. The government has made no such announcement for the Central Government employees. We checked on google if the government has made any such announcement. We found no such announcement and had it been made, it would have made big news and would have been covered by all major news outlets.

Beware of such fake news and do not share any such information on these fake websites. The official website of the Ministry of Labour and Employment is https://labour.gov.in. Follow updates only on this website and beware of such fake sites.

Govt is giving Rs 12 lakh to employees who have worked from 1991-2021

The claim is fake and the government has made no such announcement

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Fake: Govt is not giving Rs 1.2 lakh to employees who have worked between 1990-2021 - Oneindia