5 things you need to know this morning: July 20, 2021

Start your day off right with five things you need to know this morning.

Five things you need to know

1. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos flies to space

American magnate Jeff Bezos has flown to space in his own rocket ship. The multibillionaire, who controls assets worth more than many countries' GDPs, took his brother, an 82-year-old scientist and an 18-year-old student with him on the jaunt.

"You are going to space!"

Jeff Bezos and three passengers blast off toward the edge of space in historic #BlueOrigin flight. https://t.co/A0eR1oJLjm pic.twitter.com/rrh29y0Dcv

— ABC News (@ABC) July 20, 2021

2. Ben & Jerry's slammed for 'morally wrong' decision to block ice cream sales in Palestinian territory

Activist ice cream seller Ben & Jerry's has attracted ferocious criticism after pledging to end the sale of its products in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the decision by the Unilever-owned firm was "morally wrong."

Ben & Jerry’s plans to stop selling ice cream in West Bank settlements and East Jerusalem, citing “our values” https://t.co/diwzcOzUJ0

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) July 19, 2021

3. Over 4 million excess deaths in India due to COVID-19: study

COVID-19 has caused over four million excess deaths in India, a new study has claimed. Indian authorities have recorded 414,000 deaths related to the pandemic.

India’s death toll during the pandemic exceeded 4 million – ten times the official count – according to a new report https://t.co/tmUpPQpC7d

— The Times (@thetimes) July 20, 2021

4. Norway handball team fined for not wearing bikini

Norway's handball team has been fined 1,500 euros for wearing shorts instead of bikinis at the European Beach Handball Championships. The players' shorts contravened the rules of the tournament, but Norwegian officials complained that participants should have a "free choice."

Norway women's beach handball team fined for wearing shorts https://t.co/fl2wCcg0jD pic.twitter.com/EKoj3M6WqO

— New York Post (@nypost) July 20, 2021

5. Biden changes tune on comment about Facebook 'killing people'

US President Joe Biden has backtracked after making an incendiary remark about Facebook "killing people" during the COVID-19 pandemic. He now claims he had meant people spreading "misinformation" on the platform, not Facebook itself.

Pres. Biden tries to clarify comment that Facebook is "killing people." https://t.co/RVunRWcksz pic.twitter.com/qfi3Uys9vT

— ABC News (@ABC) July 19, 2021