Andrew Dudum, CEO and founder of Telemedicine Company Hims & Hers is facing flak on the social media after his reported statement that he wants to hire students and protestors who are taking part in the protest in support of Palestinians in Universities across the US.

A number of tech sector founders has also condemned his statements.

Dudum had posted on X,

“If you’re currently protesting against the genocide of the Palestinian people and for your university’s divestment from Israel, keep going. It’s working. There are plenty of companies and CEOs eager to hire you, regardless of university discipline.”

He also posted a link to a page showing open positions at Hims & Hers.

X users have expressed their disapproval and have even called for a boycott Hims & Hers, and others said they are selling their stock in the company.

Cofounder of Palantir Technologies as well as the managing partner of early stage venture capital firm 8VC Joe Lonsdale responded on X and said

“Real moral courage doesn’t involve joining a mindless mob, chanting anti   U.S. and other woke pablum, following instructions not to debate or discuss your positions at all yet being indignantly righteous, while large numbers in the mob chant for violence and block Jewish students.”

While Hims & Hers spokesperson said Dudum were not available for comments, old posts by Dudum have been unearthed which puts in context his actions. Days before the horrific attack by Hamas’ terrorist against Israel on October 7, Dudum had posted –

 “In pursuit for peace: Our leaders need to embrace nuance.”

Dudum further explained that he is a Palestinian American and had roots in and family in the West Bank and Gaza and said Hims & Hers’ values are based on a respect for human dignity and life.

Dudum wrote

“It is upon those values that I believe all leaders and CEOs should use their platform today to call for an immediate cease   fire. To actively recognize Israel’s right to defense and also recognize the means and manner in which they are responding violates international law. I ask us to find nuance, and share our voice today to help save innocent lives.”

Deadly protests have hit U.S. college campuses through last month and protest encampments have sprung across more than 40 colleges nationwide.

Police crackdown is on and there have been more than 1,900 arrests or detainments following a wave of activism at universities across the country.

Hims & Hers is a Telemedicine Company that links consumers with licensed healthcare professionals, enabling access to high-quality care for conditions related to sexual health, mental health, and more. It also offers its own range of products and is in a partnership with Los Angeles-based Hustle & Co. on media relations.

Also Read: Brazil Dam Collapse Amid Heavy Rainfall and Flood; Watch Video Here

Florida has become the first State in the US to ban laboratory grown meat. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Wednesday which bans the sale of any form of lab grown meat. The bill is clearly a move to appease the state’s cattle industry.

In a statement the state’s commissioner of agriculture said it was protecting the interests of the state’s farmers as well as the integrity of American agriculture. The lab grown meat ban is also one of the many other pet causes of DeSantis.

DeSantis said just after the bill was signed,

“Today, Florida is fighting back against the global elite’s plan to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs to achieve their authoritarian goals,”

In a press release it was said that Florida was negating the World Economic Forum’s goal of forcing the world to eat lab-grown meat and insects.

However it must be remembered that lab grown meat is still not available for the consumers. Lab grown meat is harvested from animal cells and the FDA has given approval to two entities Upside Food and Good Meat to make the lab grown meat. The two companies also do not have any outlets to sell this meat. Till date only two high end restaurants China Chilcano, Chef José Andrés’ high-end Peruvian restaurant in Washington, DC, and Bar Crenn, a Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco have served lab grown meat to the consumers. However both these restaurants have stopped featuring the lab grown meat on their menu.

The lab grown meat industry has not even started competing with the farmers but it seems the ban is a way to preempt any such possibility. A section of the population believes that the move is a consequence of a conspiracy theory which stated that the “globalists” are forcing people to eat bugs and live in pods. This theory is also known as the “Great Reset,” which was first coined in 2020 after a World Economic Forum initiative that urged governments to use the pandemic to promote sustainable development. The Right Wing experts connected it with a 2016 World Economic Forum blog post which talked about the possible use of bug protein and a 2013 book about insect farming published by the United Nations.

Lab Grown or cultivated meats are harvested in bioreactors using cells from animals. Startups are working on chicken, fish and beef meat. The promoters of lab grown meat contend that the process will in the long run significantly lower the greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing meat. The process of making lab grown meat involves extracting living cells from an animal and feeding it with nutrients such as proteins, sugars and fats. The final product is much akin to traditionally produced meat in taste as well as composition.

For example the Los Angeles startup Meat uses the plasma of cows to grow meat for ground beef. It takes about three years to raise a cow to 300 kilograms of meat. However 2000 kg of meat can be produced in a year from a single cow’s plasma and there is no need to slaughter the animal also.

However lab grown meat is extremely energy intensive and the startups have not been able to scale up the production and bring the price down.

The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, an association which represents the traditional meat producers have vehemently opposed cultivated meat citing safety concerns and have been lobbying to prevent the lab grown meat to be referred as beef.

Good Meat, a lab grown Meat Company which is the first in the world to sell lab-grown meat, wrote on X it was “disappointed” by the new Florida law.

Southern Brazil experienced heavy rains which have caused destruction in the area. Due to heavy rains, a hydroelectric dam located in the Rio Grande do Sul state collapsed. 

Due to this, over 30 people met their ultimate demise in the disaster. The BBC has reported that more than 60 people are also reported missing. 

Since Saturday, more than 15000 people have been forcibly evacuated from their houses as the rescue efforts intensify. 

Dam Collapse Causes Chaos

The hydroelectric dam collapse between the Bento Gonçalves and Cotiporã resulted in a two-meter wave. As a result, it worsened the critical situation in the flood-stricken areas. 

Emergency responders and residents both panicked hard as the difficulties were exacerbated. 

This Brazil flooding is described as one of the worst in recent history. Almost 500,000 people were devoid of critical resources, such as access to clean water and electricity. 

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the Brazilian President, responded to the chaos and extended the central government’s support. Rescue operations were carried out in multiple municipalities as per urgent orders given by Governor Eduardo Leite.

Helicopters were also sent if any person is trapped and needs evacuation. Due to heavy destruction, aerial winching has been proved to be the most effective means of extraction. 

Cause Of Heavy Rain and Flood

Meteorologists studied the cause and announced that the level of unprecedented rainfall intensity can be attributed to higher-than-average temperatures coupled with upgrading humidity and strong winds. 

Thus, El Niño worsened Southern Brazil’s situation and its extreme weather conditions. 

According to The Economic Times, Forecasters from the meteorological department predicted the continued rainfall “with the passage of a cold front, Rio Grande do Sul’s communities’ resilience is being tested to the limit.”

Also Read: Watch: Dubai Floods Gushing Every Year As Storm Dumps 1.5 Years of Rain