Stolen antiques returned to Indian Consulate
Two hundred and fifty antiques were given to the Indian Consulate in New York following an investigation into stolen art. The artworks were estimated to be worth $15 million, including a $4 million bronze statue of Shiva Nataraja. Cyrus Vance Jr., district attorney, stated that this case “serves as a potent reminder that individuals who maraud sacred temples in pursuit of individual profit are committing crimes not only against a country’s heritage but also its present and future.” Subhash Kapoor, the alleged art dealer, is currently jailed in Indian and faces charges and extradition to the U.S. U.S. authorities believe Kapoor trafficked stolen art through the Arts of the Past gallery in New York.
Dad bod, among other terms, added to dictionary
Four hundred and fifty-five new words have been added to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Among the new additions were dad bod, amirite and abbreviations. Many of these new words are a part of common use on the internet and social media. A spokesperson for Merriam-Webster Dictionary stated, “Just as the language never stops evolving, the dictionary never stops expanding. New terms and new uses for existing terms are the constant in a living language.” The spokesperson also stated that social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to further development of language. Now, Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a dad bod as the “physique regarded as typical of an average father; especially: one that is slightly overweight and not extremely muscular.”
Pope allows Biden to receive Communion
Following months of U.S. bishops calling for President Biden to be denied Communion for his support of abortion and LGBT+ rights, Biden met with Pope Francis last Friday. During their meeting, Francis stated that Biden was a “good Catholic” and “should keep receiving Communion,” according to the Associated Press. A White House release stated, ” Biden thanked His Holiness for his advocacy for the world’s poor and those suffering from hunger, conflict and persecution. He lauded Pope Francis’ leadership in fighting the climate crisis, as well as his advocacy to ensure the pandemic ends for everyone through vaccine sharing and an equitable global economic recovery.”
Facebook Inc. rebrands amidst crisis
Facebook Inc. has changed its name to Meta Platforms Inc., shortened to Meta, following leaked documents causing the company’s largest scandal. The company’s apps will not change names and will remain as before. Following these announcements, the Real Facebook Oversight Board stated, “changing their name doesn’t change reality: Facebook is destroying our democracy and is the world’s leading peddler of disinformation and hate. Their meaningless name change should not distract from the investigation, regulation and real, independent oversight needed to hold Facebook accountable.”
