Forbes - The end of face masks? 😷

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5 things we learned

Chinese consumer drones are reportedly being used on both sides of the conflict in Ukraine. Hobbyist drones from DJI being are being used to navigate Russian missiles, according to local reports. Ukraine also admitted using the non-military drones and claimed Russia was using a tool from the manufacturer to detect Ukraine's drones from up to 30 miles away.

Ukrainian LGBTQ soliders are fighting ‘against darkness’ of a Russian invasion. Once a refuge for LGBTQ people from Eastern Europe and Kazakhstan, Ukraine’s queer community, along with journalists and activists are being allegedly targeted by Russian troops. 

One Swedish Private Equity fund has almost as many billionaires as Google. Shares in EQT Ventures rose 12% after news of a strategic acquisition in Asia, minting three new billionaire partners at the firm.

Covid restrictions continue to fall despite rising case numbers. Lawmakers in Germany voted to end almost all restrictions, while the U.K. dropped travel restrictions and forms including masks on board flights. Airlines will now have to navigate different mask rules between departure and destination.

You can keep your face mask on while unlocking your iPhone. 2 years after the pandemic started, the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system is finally mask-friendly. Better late than…

The good

Bacterial 'leather' from food waste is here and ready to scale. Forget petrochemical-based 'vegan leather', next-gen material Celium is made from truly sustainable source: food waste.

The bad

Netflix stock fell to its lowest point since March 2020. Once a ‘pandemic darling’, the world’s best-known streaming service saw subscriber growth slowdowns and increased competition from Apple and Disney.

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Do this

A life in painting. A series of work from renowned British post-WW2 artist, Leon Kossof, will be exhibited in La Louvre, CA. Comprising 58 works, this show will be the first posthumous and largest exhibition of his work yet. Showing until 26 March 2022, free to attend. 

Watch

Ukraine's Prime Minister's TV show on Netflix. As Volodymyr Zelensky leads the Ukraine defense against Russian invasion, the former comedian’s political satire - which helped him gain political prominence in 2018, has been added back on to the streaming platform. Netflix, available in the U.S.

Listen

Nearly 2 million Ukrainians have arrived in Poland. While they are being embraced with open arms, some Polish politicians are worried the mass migration could overwhelm the country's economy. Gimlet Media, free to listen worldwide.

Read

How we invent language. Cognitive scientists Morten H. Christiansen and Nick Chater refute the view that language is developed through a hardwired set of grammar, but instead through improvisation, imagination, and a desire to be understood. Basic Books, from $28.00.

Taste

A new breed of wine. Tuscany is globally recognized for its Chianti Classico. But diverging from this tradition is Bertiga, a new winery looking to disrupt the status quo using foreign grape varieties. 

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