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‘A gap year offers that feeling of absolute freedom’: readers’ trips of a lifetime
Fri, 20 Sep 2024 10:00:09 GMT
Euphoria on a moped in Indonesia, orcas off Argentina and the chance to ranch, surf or simply be the person they always wanted to be are among our readers’ wonderful memories
After a 10-year slog at work, my boss agreed to my taking a year-long sabbatical. We used this to revisit south-east Asia – not to relive past travelling glories of my 20s (where my destinations usually revolved around partying). Instead we floated around the more “cultured” parts that were not on my radar in days gone by – South Korea, Japan, Taiwan (a revelation) and more remote areas of the Philippines and Indonesia. I could list a hundred special moments and locations over the year – but the memory I revisit in my head the most is my daily moped drive to a beach on the Karimunjawa islands in Indonesia. It’s not the crystal-clear sea, smiling locals or amazing food that sticks, but the feeling of absolute freedom and euphoric joy that made me smile from ear to ear on that ride, sometimes laughing to myself hysterically for no reason (I must have looked a bit crazy). It’s joy that I felt from simply being alive. It’s a feeling that can be elusive in life and one I cherish so much.
Benjamin
More than 400,000 people evacuated, hundreds of flights cancelled and many roads shut due to flooding and winds
Typhoon Bebinca struck the east coast of China this week, making landfall near Shanghai, a city of almost 30 million people, on Monday. Bebinca developed into a typhoon to the east of the southern Japan islands late last week, before traveling westwards through the East China Sea and making landfall in Shanghai at approximately 7.30am local time (00.30BST).
The Chinese media say it is the strongest typhoon to hit Shanghai in 75 years. Wind speeds were reported to have reached just over 150km/h (about 94mph), making it equivalent to a category 1 hurricane, albeit just shy of a category 2 in strength. Before Bebinca, Shanghai had been hit directly by only two typhoons, one in 1949 and another in 2022, as they usually track further south.
Continue reading...It is unclear if the suspect targeted the boy because he was Japanese, but there is concern that the incident could trigger a further deterioration in ties
Japan’s foreign minister, Yoko Kamikawa, has described as “despicable” the alleged killing in China of a 10-year-old Japanese boy and demanded that Chinese authorities do everything possible to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals living in the country.
The boy, who has not been named by Japanese media, died on Thursday, a day after he was allegedly stabbed about 200 metres from his school in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
Continue reading...Saturday’s election will be the first since a people’s movement toppled the president. But other problems have proved harder to shift
Just over two years ago, a mood of both crisis and optimism gripped Sri Lanka. Across the Indian Ocean island, the population of 23 million people was enduring hunger, medical shortages and unemployment as part of the worst economic disaster in its history.
Yet there was also a ripple of hope. A youth-led movement known as the aragalaya (struggle) had successfully toppled the authoritarian president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his powerful family dynasty, who were accused of bankrupting the country through corrupt deals and policies. Protesters overran Rajapaksa’s presidential mansion, lying on his bed, swimming in his pool and working out in his gym.
Continue reading...The oddest restaurant I’ve eaten in all year
Köd (pronounced “cud” in Danish), tucked down St Anne’s Court off Dean Street in Soho, is a dark, cavernous Danish steak restaurant with the odd flash of neon faux glamour. In fact, it reminds me of nothing so much as a Wednesday goth night at a club called Ritzy’s in 1987; it’s also the oddest place I’ve eaten in all year.
Köd arrived in London in 2023, over in Liverpool Street, and marketed itself as serving the very best of Nordic meats and experimental Scandi cooking: lobster with crisp pasta and daikon, cod ceviche with passionfruit vinaigrette, that kind of thing. Over in Soho, however, such blue-sky thinking has been grounded, and there’s a scant choice of rather lazy options, alongside Japanese wagyu, Australian striploin and châteaubriand from South America, all served with chips, chips or chips.
Continue reading...This blog has now closed. You can read our latest story here
In our First Edition newsletter today, my colleague Heather Stewart has spoken to our defence and security editor Dan Sabbagh. Here is a snippet:
Targeting Hezbollah directly is not new: Benjamin Netanyahu’s government claimed to have killed a Hezbollah leader in an airstrike on Beirut in July, for example. But the widespread and indiscriminate nature of Tuesday’s blasts represented a significant escalation.
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Continue reading...The FBI has shut down a botnet run by Chinese hackers:
The botnet malware infected a number of different types of internet-connected devices around the world, including home routers, cameras, digital video recorders, and NAS drives. Those devices were used to help infiltrate sensitive networks related to universities, government agencies, telecommunications providers, and media organizations…. The botnet was launched in mid-2021, according to the FBI, and infected roughly 260,000 devices as of June 2024.
The operation to dismantle the botnet was coordinated by the FBI, the NSA, and the Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF), according to a press release dated ...
With three rounds to go, India have won all eight of their matches in Budapest without loss of a game, while the top seeded US team is fifth and England 17th
India are fast becoming the clear No 1 nation of world chess, with a dominance reminiscent of the legendary USSR teams of the 1950s and 1960s. After Thursday’s eighth round (of 11) at the 188-team Olympiad in Budapest, and a 3.5‑0.5 victory over second placed Iran, India had won every Open match and totalled 16/16 without losing a single game.
Hungary’s Peter Leko put it well: “India’s way too strong. They are very young, very determined, brilliantly prepared, and also have fantastic chemistry, so it’s a very tough team for anyone to beat.”
Continue reading...She’s been called a neo-fascist and a danger to Italy. But she has won over many heads of Europe, including the UK prime minister. Should we be worried?
In mid-June, Giorgia Meloni was in an exultant mood while hosting the G7 summit, a gathering of the world’s most powerful nations, in the southern Italian region of Apulia. After days in which she presided over meetings speaking English, French and Spanish along with her native Italian, one evening she danced the pizzica – a traditional Apulian dance – twirling and hopping to the trance-like rhythmic folk music often played at local weddings at a contagious 100 beats per minute. Meloni’s uninhibited performance expressed the self-confidence of an emerging political star, who, after a strong showing in the European elections just a few days earlier, was the hottest political leader in Europe. She took a selfie with Indian strongman Narendra Modi, which she posted on Instagram to her 3.5 million followers with the caption “Hello from the MELODI team.” For a politician who only a few years ago was stuck at the margins of Italian politics as the head of a small rightwing party, Brothers of Italy, Meloni, at 47, appeared to be on top of the world.
Meloni has worked hard to achieve the respectability that has eluded other rightwing parties such as Marine Le Pen’s National Rally. She was received at the White House by Joe Biden and has been accepted by centrist parties within the EU. This is all the more surprising given the openly neo-fascist origins of her career. (Just before she was elected prime minister in late 2022, author Roberto Saviano wrote in the Guardian: “Giorgia Meloni is a danger to Italy and the rest of Europe.”) But in two years, she has surprised many people by her political pragmatism and shrewd ability.
Continue reading...Jagtar Singh Johal is being arbitrarily detained and targeted for his human rights activism, say campaigners
Delhi’s high court has denied bail to the British activist Jagtar Singh Johal, who has been imprisoned in India for nearly seven years, in seven cases brought against him by the country’s National Investigations Agency.
The ruling has shocked family and supporters who claim it should jolt the British government into recognising that Johal is not receiving justice at the hands of the Indian legal system.
Continue reading...The former Tory MP’s fascinating insider account of the Cameron-May-Johnson premierships offers a scathing portrait of our political system
Political memoirs don’t always age well. Getting the juice on the big beasts of Westminster can be tantalising until a changing of the guard occurs and those big beasts disappear from public life. But Rory Stewart’s Politics on the Edge digs deeper than most. As well as a fascinating insider account of the Cameron-May-Johnson premierships, it is a scathing portrait of our flawed political system and a “rebarbative profession” that, despite Stewart’s appetite for public service, chewed him up and spat him out.
Luckily, he is nothing if not adaptable: born in Hong Kong, Stewart is a former soldier who worked for the diplomatic service in Indonesia, as an administrator in postwar Iraq, who taught human rights at Harvard and led a charitable foundation in Afghanistan. When he entered parliament in 2010, he made a maiden speech in which he unwisely compared himself to Scott of the Antarctic, after which he worked variously in environmental and rural affairs, international development and prisons. After a failed bid to become Conservative party leader, he finally stood down as an MP in 2019.
Continue reading...Trade committee head Liam Byrne wants checks on firm’s possible supply chain links to forced labour
A former minister has called on the government to closely scrutinise Shein for possible links to forced working as the China-founded fast-fashion retailer prepares for a stock market listing in London.
Liam Byrne, the Labour MP who heads parliament’s business and trade committee, said the UK should introduce new legislation to increase scrutiny of supply chains that may include products made in the Xinjiang region of north-western China.
Continue reading...Announcement comes hours after rebels said the Indonesian army had bombed its headquarters where Mehrtens is being kept
Rebels in Indonesia’s West Papua region have proposed terms for the release of the New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens a year and seven months after he was detained.
It comes hours after the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) released a statement saying the Indonesian army bombed its headquarters in Alguru, which is where Mehrtens is being kept. The statement also said Mehrtens “survived the attack”.
Continue reading...The impact of the latest outrage in Lebanon is devastating for the citizens of a country caught between Israel and Hezbollah
By Tuesday afternoon, the wails of Beirut – of the country – could be heard not only from its rooftops and balconies but also from its kitchens and living rooms, from its hospitals and coffee houses, from its grocery stores and barber shops, from its cars and pavements. The sirens of ambulances echoed through the city’s streets. Emergency vehicles sped past terrorised pedestrians who were caught between calling their loved ones and discarding their electronic devices altogether. One of the first messages I received from a well-meaning friend was a plea to “stay away from your phone”. She had presumably used her phone to send it, and I had used mine to read it. “You too,” I texted back.
About 4,000 pagers, and a large number of electronic devices, belonging to Hezbollah members were detonated by Israel in civilian and public spaces across Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday. The attacks killed 37 people, among them two children, and wounded about 3,000 people. Security sources, according to Reuters, confirmed that Israel was responsible for the attacks, though Israeli officials have yet to comment. As for the mechanism, speculation abounds. Analysts suspect supply-chain tampering or manipulation of the devices before they reached Hezbollah’s hands.
Continue reading...Hsu Ching-kuang has denied his company manufactured the pagers used in the attack in Lebanon as hunt for origins of exploding devices continues
The president and founder of the Taiwanese pager company linked to pagers used by Hezbollah has been questioned by prosecutors and released, as the hunt for the origins of devices that detonated across Lebanon this week spreads across the globe.
Gold Apollo’s president, Hsu Ching-kuang, has said his company did not manufacture the pagers used in the attack on Tuesday, and that they were made by a Budapest-based company BAC Consulting KFT which has a licence to use its brand.
Continue reading...In West Africa, Pygmy hippos are said to carry a diamond in their mouths, which they use to light their way through the forest
The thing to know about the pygmy hippopotamus named Moo Deng is that she is angry, but also she is sweet. In photographs, she is often blurry and at all times, she is shiny. She secretes something known as “blood sweat” which is actually her sunscreen.
She is a hippopotamidae. She is stout. She runs like a piglet and has a snout like a very, very new puppy’s. She is very fast.
Continue reading...Arom Arunroj, 64, said she was doing the washing-up at about 8.30pm when the 20kg snake attacked her
A Thai woman has described being trapped in the coils of a 20kg (44lb) python for about two hours in her home before rescuers were able to free her.
Arom Arunroj, 64, was bitten several times by the snake, which had entered her home in Samut Prakan, a province south of Bangkok. She said she had been doing the washing-up at about 8.30pm when she suddenly felt something biting her leg. “I looked at it, and it was a snake,” she said in an interview broadcast on Thai media.
Continue reading...Personally, I would not accept an endorsement from a world-historic war criminal.
The post Do Kamala Harris’s Neocon Supporters Just Hate Trump, or Is There Something More to Her Appeal? appeared first on The Intercept.
Delhi chief minister had been in jail since being arrested in March in corruption case he says is politically motivated
One of India’s most prominent opposition leaders has been granted bail after spending almost six months in jail for a corruption case he alleged was politically motivated.
On Friday, India’s supreme court ruled that, Arvind Kejriwal, who is the chief minister of Delhi, should be immediately released from jail in Delhi, where he has been held since his arrest in March.
Continue reading...At least 320,000 people have been displaced and 64 were still missing after the strongest storm to hit Asia this year
Myanmar’s death toll from floods rose to at least 113, the country’s military government said, following heavy rains brought on by Typhoon Yagi that has caused havoc across parts of Southeast Asia.
At least 320,000 people have been displaced and 64 were still missing, government spokesperson Zaw Min Tun said, according to a late-night bulletin on state-run MRTV.
Continue reading...This is an odd story of serving squid during legislative negotiations in the Philippines.
We would like to hear about the impact of the job cuts on workers and their families, as well as the local community and businesses
The steel manufacturer Tata Steel is to cut 2,500 jobs at the Port Talbot steelworks despite a taxpayer-backed deal securing the long-term future of the plant.
The business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, has agreed a deal under which the government will provide £500m towards the construction of a new, greener electric arc furnace at the site, with the plant’s Indian owners paying £750m. However, the deal fell short of job guarantees for current employees.
Continue reading...The Supreme Court’s 2020 decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma resulted in the largest restoration of Indigenous land in U.S. history.
The post Justice for Indigenous Nations Is Rare. But This Supreme Court Decision Proves It Is Possible. appeared first on The Intercept.
The United States voted against a U.N. resolution that sets a 12-month timeframe to end Israel’s illegal occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza.
The post Most of the World Agrees Israel’s Occupation of Palestine Must End. The U.S. Is Fine With It. appeared first on The Intercept.
Ukrainian president tells press conference with Ursula von der Leyen that Ukraine plans to use EU loan for air defence, energy and weapons purchases
Ukraine’s “victory plan” in the war against Russia depends on quick decisions being taken by allies this year, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday during a visit by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
Zelenskyy told a joint press conference with von der Leyen that Ukraine planned to use a proposed multi-billion dollar European Union loan for air defence, energy and domestic weapons purchases.
Continue reading...A radical rebrand will get people off benefits and into training and work. The system must be robust, but also humane
Jobcentres are the “least well-used” and “least well-loved” of all public services, a failure at the heart of the economy that helps account for the biggest contraction in the workforce since the 1980s. So said the employment minister, Alison McGovern, as she launched a report from the Institute for Employment Studies, a commission she worked with closely. It makes a fierce critique of the system as it stands. She packs a punch, rejecting a system in which all the blame falls on the individual and that ignores social obstacles: the millions of people waiting for NHS treatment, the absence of childcare, the lack of buses to work, age discrimination, and punitive jobcentre work coaches instructed to push people into “any old job”, however dead-end and insecure.
Promising a radical “culture change”, which will re-badge the government’s approach as a jobs and careers service, McGovern will throw the doors open for all. By only taking benefit claimants, jobcentres have had a stigma that deters employers as well as jobseekers. Work coaches will become advisers, trained to offer universal careers guidance. There may even be hot drinks, making this a service based more on tea and sympathy than fear and sanctions (stopping benefits). Yes, there will always be “conditionality”, but watch the balance shift rapidly towards help. Here’s how bad it is: half a million people who are in employment currently have to attend a jobcentre every week to prove they spent 35 hours either working or seeking more hours or better-paid jobs; their partners are called in to attest to their own job-seeking. Abandon that compulsion on the already employed and 2,500 advisers will be freed up to offer deeper, better consultations – finding options, easing obstacles, offering training – with less time spent policing benefits.
Polly Toynbee is a Guardian columnist
Continue reading...Trump claims Israel would cease to exist if Harris wins as allegations emerge that North Carolina’s Mark Robinson referred to himself as a ‘black Nazi’
The vice president and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris will be in Georgia today and is expected to speak about Donald Trump’s role in the abortion bans that now blanket much of the United States, days after news broke that two Georgia mothers died after being unable to access legal abortions and adequate medical care.
The deaths of the Georgia mothers, Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller, were first reported earlier this week by ProPublica and occurred as a result of Georgia enacting a six-week abortion ban. Georgia’s maternal mortality review committee looked at both women’s cases and deemed their deaths “preventable”, according to ProPublica.
You’re looking at a mother that is broken, the worst pain ever that a mother, that a parent can ever feel.
Continue reading...Farage ‘can’t be everywhere all the time’ says Reform’s deputy leader Tice
Richard Partington is the Guardian’s economics correspondent
UK national debt has hit 100% of the country’s annual economic output, the highest level since the 1960s, underscoring the challenge facing the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, as she prepares for next month’s budget.
As leader, you’ve got a huge job, because you’re campaigning everywhere. You’re sorting out the professionalisation with the chairman and so we’re sharing and sharing alike and that’s an important part of it. You can’t be everywhere all the time. It’s really difficult. But let me tell you, no one works harder than Nigel Farage.
As a leader of a party that is now becoming mainstream, international affairs, our relationship with our most important, strategic international partner – the US – is very important and the world will be a safer place if Donald Trump wins the presidential election. Nigel’s strong relationship with Donald Trump is actually to the benefit of this country and it’s quite right that he cements and strengthens that.
No one’s got more visibility, frankly, than Nigel on social media. I’m getting millions of views on mine. The other three MPs, likewise. We’re out there. We’re making a noise. Frankly, we are the real opposition. The Tories have vacated the premises, we hardly ever see them in the House of Commons.
I’ve spoken 16 times, I’ve challenged the zealot-in-chief, Ed Miliband. I’ve challenged the home secretary. I’ve challenged the health secretary on the failings of the NHS. So look, we’re holding them to account. That’s what people expect of opposition parties.
Continue reading...Trump’s escalating legal threats against lawyers, donors and others raise concern as Project 2025 seeks to curtail DoJ
Donald Trump’s sweeping threats if he wins the presidency again to name a special prosecutor to “go after” Joe Biden and take legal action against other foes would subvert the rule of law in America and take the country towards authoritarianism, former justice department officials and scholars have warned.
Trump’s escalating legal threats have targeted “corrupt election officials” lawyers, donors and others he falsely deems out to steal November’s presidential election, and have popped up variously on his Truth Social platform, at campaign events and at an elite police group he addressed this month in North Carolina.
Continue reading...Hassan Nasrallah condemns pager and walkie-talkie explosions that killed 37. Plus, how genetics explains picky eating
Good morning.
Israel conducted dozens of strikes across southern Lebanon on Thursday night, hours after Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, threatened retribution and “punishment” for the unprecedented attacks that blew up pagers and walkie-talkies bought by the group.
What has Israel said about the explosions? It has not commented but announced, just hours before Tuesday’s pager attacks, that it was broadening its war aims to return Israelis who had been evacuated from the north.
Does X still use the tags? No, it now uses a “community notes” peer review feature and has weakened its approach to content moderation under Elon Musk’s ownership.
What limitations are there to the study? It was conducted during the 2020 election, when Trump supports were more against the platform. Since Musk bought the company in 2022 he has brought far-right figures back on to the site, as well as adopting a lax position on moderation.
Continue reading...The Republicans desperately need to distract voters away from abortion. They’ve now found the perfect new scapegoat
After Donald Trump’s disastrous debate with Kamala Harris on 10 September he decided to center his campaign on a single incendiary issue: “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
When Trump was corrected during the debate by the ABC moderator David Muir, who pointed out that his statement about the Haitian community in the Ohio town was erroneous, he insisted it was factual. “Well,” he said, “I’ve seen people on television, people on television say, ‘My dog was taken and used for food.’” But there were no such “people on television”. There were no dogs taken for food. Trump called Muir a “foolish fool”, and said, “He’s a guy with good hair, but not as good as it was five years ago.”
Continue reading...Study says tagging posts with false claims on election fraud may make Trump voters more likely to think they’re true
Labelling tweets featuring false claims about election fraud as “disputed” does little to nothing to change Trump voters’ pre-existing beliefs, and it may make them more likely to believe the lies, according to a new study.
The study, authored by John Blanchard, an assistant professor from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and Catherine Norris, an associate professor from Swarthmore College, looked at data from a sampling of 1,072 Americans surveyed in December of 2020. The researchers published a peer-reviewed paper on their findings this month in the Harvard Kennedy School’s Misinformation Review.
Continue reading...Vice-president to speak after news broke that two women died after being unable to access procedure legally in state
Kamala Harris will give remarks on Friday in the Atlanta area about Donald Trump’s role in the abortion bans that now blanket much of the United States, days after news broke that two Georgia mothers died after being unable to access legal abortions and adequate medical care.
In the weeks since becoming the Democratic nominee for president, Harris has made reproductive rights a central part of her campaign. She has toured the country to highlight the healthcare consequences of the 2022 overturning of Roe v Wade, which paved the way for more than a dozen states to ban almost all abortions.
Continue reading...The man, who cannot be named, has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges, including six counts of rape
A woman who alleges she was raped by a high-profile Sydney man has denied she is “completely making the incident up”, a court has heard.
Under cross-examination by David Scully SC, the woman was also asked about her feelings for the man, and about her statement to police that she thought she and the man were going to “be together” and that she “had an obsession with him”.
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Continue reading...This blog is now closed
Australia’s ‘sex report card’ released
The latest Australian Study of Health and Relationships was revealed at a conference in Sydney this week held by the International Union Against Sexually Transmitted Infections.
Rent assistance went up by $25 and … average rents have gone up by more than $100. What might look like a big percentage increase is, frankly, fuck all, and that’s one of the reasons that this is so upsetting.
When CRA is indexed, the amount of rent that you have to pay before you get any rent assistance increases. So the proportion of your rent, where you qualify for it, reduces if you aren’t receiving the maximum payment.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Jenny Leong, who apologised after referencing antisemitic cartoon, was subject of human rights commission complaint
New South Wales Greens MP Jenny Leong will visit the Sydney Jewish Museum and has donated $4,000 after a complaint was lodged with the Australian Human Rights Commission over comments she made about Jewish lobby groups last year.
Leong apologised and said she did not intend to reference an antisemitic cartoon depicting Jews as an octopus after footage emerged of comments she made at a Palestine Justice Movement forum in Sydney in December 2023.
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Continue reading...Australian Bureau of Statistics also told MP Andrew Leigh not including questions on sexual orientation and gender would do ‘damage’
The Albanese government was warned that excluding questions on sexual orientation and gender identity from the census could increase feelings of exclusion in the LGBTQ+ community and even risk the success of the data collection exercise, newly released documents reveal.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics raised concerns in ministerial submissions about strong public criticism to scrapping the proposed questions, potential “damage” to relationships with LGBTQ+ expert groups advising on the census and limitations in the quality of data the census collects.
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Continue reading...With six weeks to go before the election, Jonathan Freedland speaks to the author Sasha Abramsky about the prospect of a second January 6 attack should the former president refuse to accept the election outcome
Archive: BBC News, WBNS 10TV, ABC News, AP, CBS, CNBC, CNN, Fox News 32, MSNBC, Action News Now
Continue reading...Police say victim, 46, was at home in Hillston, near Griffith, when he was shot in the abdomen by an intruder on Friday morning
A man is fighting for life in hospital after allegedly being shot twice in the abdomen when a group of intruders entered his home in a small town in rural New South Wales.
Police alleged the 46-year-old man was inside a home in Burns Street in Hillston, about 100km north-west of Griffith in the state’s Riverina region, when three people – one armed with a gun – came inside the house about 2.30am Friday.
Continue reading...Greens say the price hikes arising from REA Group’s dominance underscore need for new price-gouging laws
Rod Sims, the former chair of Australia’s competition law enforcer, says he believes the regulator should consider investigating the behaviour of the market’s leading real estate property portal, realestate.com.au, for potential anti-competitive behaviour.
The Greens have also hit out at what they say is an alleged “outrageous abuse of market power”, saying the price hikes arising from REA Group’s dominance underscored the need for new price-gouging laws.
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The movement counts among its ranks many disillusioned Arab and Muslim voters in the key swing state of Michigan.
The post Kamala Harris Refused to Meet With Uncommitted About Gaza — and Uncommitted Refused to Endorse Her appeared first on The Intercept.
Experts on international law pointed to the indiscriminate nature of the blasts in Lebanon and the prohibition on booby traps.
The post Paging The Hague: Israel’s Exploding Electronics Might Be War Crimes appeared first on The Intercept.
Euphoria on a moped in Indonesia, orcas off Argentina and the chance to ranch, surf or simply be the person they always wanted to be are among our readers’ wonderful memories
After a 10-year slog at work, my boss agreed to my taking a year-long sabbatical. We used this to revisit south-east Asia – not to relive past travelling glories of my 20s (where my destinations usually revolved around partying). Instead we floated around the more “cultured” parts that were not on my radar in days gone by – South Korea, Japan, Taiwan (a revelation) and more remote areas of the Philippines and Indonesia. I could list a hundred special moments and locations over the year – but the memory I revisit in my head the most is my daily moped drive to a beach on the Karimunjawa islands in Indonesia. It’s not the crystal-clear sea, smiling locals or amazing food that sticks, but the feeling of absolute freedom and euphoric joy that made me smile from ear to ear on that ride, sometimes laughing to myself hysterically for no reason (I must have looked a bit crazy). It’s joy that I felt from simply being alive. It’s a feeling that can be elusive in life and one I cherish so much.
Benjamin
The ministry of justice has added 55 Indigenous organisations to a list of terrorists and extremists, leading many to leave for Nordic countries
Sami people in Russia are being forced to hide their identity and live “outside the law” for fear of imprisonment and persecution, leading figures from the community have warned, after the government labelled dozens of Indigenous organisations terrorists and extremists.
In July, Russia’s ministry of justice added 55 Indigenous organisations to a list of terrorists and extremists, meaning that representatives of the groups – and anyone who takes part, cooperates or communicates with them – risk being sentenced to years in prison.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Documents contain months of warnings about possible Ukrainian advance and also reveal concerns about morale
Russia’s military command had anticipated Ukraine’s incursion into its Kursk region and had been making plans to prevent it for several months, according to a cache of documents that the Ukrainian army said it had seized from abandoned Russian positions in the region.
The disclosure makes the disarray among Russian forces after Ukraine’s attack in early August all the more embarrassing. The documents, shared with the Guardian, also reveal Russian concerns about morale in the ranks in Kursk, which intensified after the suicide of a soldier at the front who had reportedly been in a “prolonged state of depression due to his service in the Russian army”.
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Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada celebrate idiosyncrasy, while Ian Griffiths foregrounds mathematical tailoring
A Prada show is never a straightforward beauty pageant, so when the co-designers Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons go out of their way to be contrary and challenging, the result is, frankly, pretty weird.
Thick woollen tights with belt loops. A boob tube with snap pockets on the nipples. Shoes that peel back at the heels like curls of butter. In the cavernous concrete of Prada’s Milanese headquarters, the catwalk was twisted into hairpin bends, so that the audience couldn’t see what was coming next. Each outfit was crazier than the last. A strapless lemon ballgown with sunglasses the size of a gas mask was followed by black jeans tucked into dirty white cowboy boots.
Continue reading...She’s been called a neo-fascist and a danger to Italy. But she has won over many heads of Europe, including the UK prime minister. Should we be worried?
In mid-June, Giorgia Meloni was in an exultant mood while hosting the G7 summit, a gathering of the world’s most powerful nations, in the southern Italian region of Apulia. After days in which she presided over meetings speaking English, French and Spanish along with her native Italian, one evening she danced the pizzica – a traditional Apulian dance – twirling and hopping to the trance-like rhythmic folk music often played at local weddings at a contagious 100 beats per minute. Meloni’s uninhibited performance expressed the self-confidence of an emerging political star, who, after a strong showing in the European elections just a few days earlier, was the hottest political leader in Europe. She took a selfie with Indian strongman Narendra Modi, which she posted on Instagram to her 3.5 million followers with the caption “Hello from the MELODI team.” For a politician who only a few years ago was stuck at the margins of Italian politics as the head of a small rightwing party, Brothers of Italy, Meloni, at 47, appeared to be on top of the world.
Meloni has worked hard to achieve the respectability that has eluded other rightwing parties such as Marine Le Pen’s National Rally. She was received at the White House by Joe Biden and has been accepted by centrist parties within the EU. This is all the more surprising given the openly neo-fascist origins of her career. (Just before she was elected prime minister in late 2022, author Roberto Saviano wrote in the Guardian: “Giorgia Meloni is a danger to Italy and the rest of Europe.”) But in two years, she has surprised many people by her political pragmatism and shrewd ability.
Continue reading...Keir Starmer says he wants to learn from Italy’s ‘dramatic’ statistics. But a Guardian investigation reveals that EU money goes to officers who are involved in shocking abuse, leaving people to die in the desert and colluding with smugglers
When she saw them, lined up at the road checkpoint, Marie sensed the situation might turn ugly. Four officers, each wearing the combat green of Tunisia’s national guard. They asked to look inside her bag.
“There was nothing, just some clothes.” For weeks Marie had traversed the Sahara, travelling 3,000 miles from home. Now, minutes from her destination – the north coast of Africa – she feared she might not make it.
Continue reading...Trump always wants to cast himself as a victim. Delaying his sentencing until after the election makes that harder.
The post It’s Good Trump Won’t Be Sentenced Until After the Election appeared first on The Intercept.
Interesting social engineering attack: luring potential job applicants with fake recruiting pitches, trying to convince them to download malware. From a news article
These particular attacks from North Korean state-funded hacking team Lazarus Group are new, but the overall malware campaign against the Python development community has been running since at least August of 2023, when a number of popular open source Python tools were maliciously duplicated with added malware. Now, though, there are also attacks involving “coding tests” that only exist to get the end user to install hidden malware on their system (cleverly hidden with Base64 encoding) that allows remote execution once present. The capacity for exploitation at that point is pretty much unlimited, due to the flexibility of Python and how it interacts with the underlying OS...
The hard work of summer is over and I can reflect on the season’s surprises, and failures
Can you feel it? The shift? Sunday is the autumn equinox, when night and day will be almost exactly the same length. Summer is over; autumn and longer nights lie ahead.
For sun lovers, I know this is not a day to be celebrated, but this is my favourite part of the year. For one thing, it’s a magical time in our gardens. I recently returned from a holiday and fell in love with mine all over again; it was overgrown and indignant, with flowers elegantly swaying with the final energy of a summer’s growth – on the brink of teetering from their final triumph into seed.
Continue reading...New kinds of coat only come around every five years or so – this one will keep you cosy while adding a minimal sleekness to your look
Before we get any deeper into autumn, I need to tell you that this year we have a New Coat. This doesn’t happen very often. I mean, every year shops make out that the coats they are flogging this season are radically different from the coats they were flogging this time last year, for obvious coat-flogging-related reasons. But most years the coats are, in fact, pretty much the same as last year’s, except perhaps in a different colour, or a bit shorter or longer, or fluffier.
Which is why I am quite beside myself with excitement about the scarf coat. Because only about twice a decade does a genuinely new kind of coat come along. Five years ago, we had the rise of the puffer jacket. About five years before that, the trenchcoat, which had played a supporting role in style for a century, suddenly took on main character energy in our shop windows and wardrobes.
Continue reading...The country, which has more 300 days of sunshine a year, has embraced rooftop systems that harness the sun’s energy
The Thriamvos company truck pulls up at noon outside the four-storey building in the heart of Nicosia.
It’s the third rooftop installation of a solar-powered water heating system that Petros Mihali and his assistant, Soteris, have made in the Cypriot capital since their working day began at 7am.
Continue reading...Personally, I would not accept an endorsement from a world-historic war criminal.
The post Do Kamala Harris’s Neocon Supporters Just Hate Trump, or Is There Something More to Her Appeal? appeared first on The Intercept.
Firefighters and police in Rondônia battle fires intensified by both the climate crisis and a criminal assault on the rainforest
The occupants of the vinyl-coated military tents at this remote jungle camp in Brazil’s wild west compare the hellscape surrounding them to catastrophes old and new: the extinction of the dinosaurs, the bombardment of Gaza, the obliteration of Hiroshima during the second world war.
“It’s as if a nuclear bomb has gone off. There’s no forest. There’s nothing. Everything’s burned. It’s chaos,” said Lt Col Victor Paulo Rodrigues de Souza as he gave a tour of the base on the frontline of Brazil’s fight against one of its worst burning seasons in years and a relentless assault on the greatest tropical rainforest on Earth.
Continue reading...The candidates fought to out-hawk each other on sustaining the bloody status quo in the Middle East at the presidential debate.
The post Trump and Harris Agree: More Bombs for Israel appeared first on The Intercept.
The number of Americans opposed to sending arms to Israel has grown, month after month, as the brutal war on Gaza grinds on.
The post Most Americans Want to Stop Arming Israel. Politicians Don’t Care. appeared first on The Intercept.
Residents of Springfield, Ohio, worry that politicians are inciting violence against Haitian immigrants. It’s a long U.S. tradition.
The post America’s Racist, Xenophobic, and Highly Specific Fear of Haiti appeared first on The Intercept.
In a total capitulation to a far-right narrative, even typical liberal shibboleths about our “nation of immigrants” were absent on Tuesday night.
The post Kamala Harris Accepted Trump’s Racist Lie That Immigration Is Bad appeared first on The Intercept.
In addition to billions in weapons, the U.S. military is renovating an air base in the south of Israel, according to a new contract.
The post U.S. Army Is Upgrading an Israeli Base to Make Room for New Boeing Jets appeared first on The Intercept.
With tens of thousands more killed and Ukraine’s leverage tanking, the quickly withdrawn House Democrats’ letter is proving prescient.
The post Progressives Were Pilloried for Wanting to End the Ukraine War in 2022. Things Have Only Gotten Worse. appeared first on The Intercept.
Even before making his endorsement, Kennedy was surrounded by far-right supporters of Donald Trump.
The post RFK Campaign Paid $10 Million to Consultant Who Appears to Have Been on Capitol Grounds During Jan. 6 Attack appeared first on The Intercept.
After weeks of arguments over the format and rules, the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a key swing state. Both candidates went into the event virtually tied in the polls, in search of a campaign-altering moment
‘They’re eating the cats’: Trump rambles falsely about immigrants in debate
Harris’s powerful abortion stance and Trump’s fact-checks: key takeaways from the debate
Harris slams Trump for falsehoods on abortion and immigration in fiery debate
The Supreme Court’s 2020 decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma resulted in the largest restoration of Indigenous land in U.S. history.
The post Justice for Indigenous Nations Is Rare. But This Supreme Court Decision Proves It Is Possible. appeared first on The Intercept.
In the rolling hills of central Italy sits Honeydew, an eco-community created as a direct response to the isolation of the Covid pandemic, enabled by modern technology and aiming to address the profound changes the climate crisis looks set to bring. With stated aims to spread the project globally, the Guardian visited Honeydew to see how founder Benjamin Ramm's vision for the future is playing out, and to learn how sustainable such eco living projects really are.
You can read more about life at Honeydew here
Continue reading...According to Microsoft researchers, North Korean hackers have been using a Chrome zero-day exploit to steal cryptocurrency.
Israel says warplanes struck hundreds of multiple-rocket-launcher barrels; Bulgarian authorities say Sofia company had nothing to do with exploding pagers and walkie-talkies
A pro-Palestinian protester wearing a keffiyeh scarf has been charged with violating a suburban New York City county’s new law banning face masks in public, reviving fears from opponents that the statute is being used to diminish free speech rights, reports the Associated Press (AP).
Police said the 26-year-old North Bellmore resident was arrested on Sunday afternoon during a protest in front of Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst, an orthodox synagogue near the New York City borough of Queens.
According to the AP, Nassau County police department spokesperson Scott Skrynecki said Thursday that officers questioned the man because he had been concealing his face with a keffiyeh, which has become a symbol of support for Palestinian people.
Police on the scene asked him if he was wearing the garment for medical or religious purposes, which are the two major exceptions to the new ban, according to Skrynecki. When the man confirmed he was wearing it in solidarity with Palestinians and not for either of those reasons, he was placed under arrest, Skrynecki said. He was released with a notice to appear in court on 2 October.
The AP reports that videos showing some of the arrest have been shared on social media. They show the man wearing the keffiyeh around his neck as he is led away by officers in handcuffs and continues to lead others in pro-Palestinian chants.
The man did not respond to the AP’s calls and social media messages seeking comment Thursday.
Rachel Hu, a spokesperson for ANSWER Coalition, which organised a rally this week against the arrest, said the man is now seeking legal counsel and will not be commenting on the case until then.
She added that organisers believe the man was targeted as one of the leaders of Pro-Palestinian protest movements on Long Island.
“We feel that this arrest (and this ban overall) was aimed at intimidating known activists to discourage us from using our first amendment right to protest,” Hu wrote in an email.
The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations denounced the arrest as proof that the local law was being used as a “silencing tactic” against Palestinian supporters.
“Barring other criminal misconduct, wearing a keffiyeh or a mask does not make you suspicious,” Lamya Agarwala, supervising attorney for the organisation, said in a statement. “Using this policy to arrest protesters is an affront to our fundamental rights as Americans.”
Skrynecki responded that police officers, as with all laws, “enforce the mask transparency act equally and fairly regardless of the demographics of the defendant”.
A spokesperson for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman didn’t respond to the critiques, according to the AP, but confirmed the Republican, who is Nassau’s first Jewish county executive, was at the synagogue at the time of the protest.
Sunday’s arrest is among the first under the Mask Transparency Act approved by Nassau County’s Republican-controlled legislature and signed into law by Blakeman last month.
The Guardian picture desk has shared a couple of images that show smoke and flames rising after the Israeli army launched attacks on Al Mahmudiyah, located in southern Lebanon.
Continue reading...Study says tagging posts with false claims on election fraud may make Trump voters more likely to think they’re true
Labelling tweets featuring false claims about election fraud as “disputed” does little to nothing to change Trump voters’ pre-existing beliefs, and it may make them more likely to believe the lies, according to a new study.
The study, authored by John Blanchard, an assistant professor from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and Catherine Norris, an associate professor from Swarthmore College, looked at data from a sampling of 1,072 Americans surveyed in December of 2020. The researchers published a peer-reviewed paper on their findings this month in the Harvard Kennedy School’s Misinformation Review.
Continue reading...Raheem says it’s stressful and their cabin bags end up 10 rows back. Nia thinks queuing is a waste of time. You decide who gets the final call on their behaviour
Find out how to get a disagreement settled or become a juror
I think Nia gets a kick out of pushing things to the last minute. She needs to take travel seriously
I don’t want to sit on a plane for longer than I have to. Boarding my way wastes less time
Continue reading...Justice Alexandre de Moraes imposes $900,000 daily fine on banned social media platform in dispute with Elon Musk
In the latest round of the dispute between Elon Musk and Brazil’s top court, a senior judge has accused X of a “willful, illegal and persistent” effort to circumvent a court-ordered block – and imposed a fine of R$5m ($921,676) for each day the social network remains online.
The social media platform formerly known as Twitter, which has been banned by court order since 30 August, on Wednesday became accessible to many users in Brazil after an update that used cloud services offered by third parties, such as Cloudflare, Fastly and Edgeuno.
Continue reading...So far, no one has been able to hold the notorious Israeli spyware firm accountable for complicity in human rights abuses.
The post Pegasus Spyware Victims Ask U.K. Police to Charge Shadowy NSO Group appeared first on The Intercept.
Trump always wants to cast himself as a victim. Delaying his sentencing until after the election makes that harder.
The post It’s Good Trump Won’t Be Sentenced Until After the Election appeared first on The Intercept.
An Intercept investigation reveals that the Army National Guard has known about poisonous lead dust at armories open to the public for years, but is doing little to respond.
The post The National Guard Knows Its Armories Have Dangerous Lead Contamination, Putting Kids and Soldiers At Risk appeared first on The Intercept.
Since 2021, Israeli soldiers have met weekly protests in the West Bank village with deadly force.
The post Israeli Soldiers Killed 15 Protesters in the Same Place They Shot Aysenur Eygi appeared first on The Intercept.
In addition to billions in weapons, the U.S. military is renovating an air base in the south of Israel, according to a new contract.
The post U.S. Army Is Upgrading an Israeli Base to Make Room for New Boeing Jets appeared first on The Intercept.
After the AG's meddling, a trial court judge rejected Williams's innocence claim — even though prosecutors mishandled the murder weapon.
The post A Prosecutor Wanted to Spare Marcellus Williams’s Life. Missouri’s Attorney General Got in the Way. appeared first on The Intercept.
Even before making his endorsement, Kennedy was surrounded by far-right supporters of Donald Trump.
The post RFK Campaign Paid $10 Million to Consultant Who Appears to Have Been on Capitol Grounds During Jan. 6 Attack appeared first on The Intercept.
With tens of thousands more killed and Ukraine’s leverage tanking, the quickly withdrawn House Democrats’ letter is proving prescient.
The post Progressives Were Pilloried for Wanting to End the Ukraine War in 2022. Things Have Only Gotten Worse. appeared first on The Intercept.
In a total capitulation to a far-right narrative, even typical liberal shibboleths about our “nation of immigrants” were absent on Tuesday night.
The post Kamala Harris Accepted Trump’s Racist Lie That Immigration Is Bad appeared first on The Intercept.
The Supreme Court’s 2020 decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma resulted in the largest restoration of Indigenous land in U.S. history.
The post Justice for Indigenous Nations Is Rare. But This Supreme Court Decision Proves It Is Possible. appeared first on The Intercept.
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Imagine a world in which you can do transactions and many other things without having to give your personal information. A world in which you don’t need to rely on banks or governments anymore. Sounds amazing, right? That’s exactly what blockchain technology allows us to do.
It’s like your computer’s hard drive. blockchain is a technology that lets you store data in digital blocks, which are connected together like links in a chain.
Blockchain technology was originally invented in 1991 by two mathematicians, Stuart Haber and W. Scot Stornetta. They first proposed the system to ensure that timestamps could not be tampered with.
A few years later, in 1998, software developer Nick Szabo proposed using a similar kind of technology to secure a digital payments system he called “Bit Gold.” However, this innovation was not adopted until Satoshi Nakamoto claimed to have invented the first Blockchain and Bitcoin.
A blockchain is a distributed database shared between the nodes of a computer network. It saves information in digital format. Many people first heard of blockchain technology when they started to look up information about bitcoin.
Blockchain is used in cryptocurrency systems to ensure secure, decentralized records of transactions.
Blockchain allowed people to guarantee the fidelity and security of a record of data without the need for a third party to ensure accuracy.
To understand how a blockchain works, Consider these basic steps:
Let’s get to know more about the blockchain.
Blockchain records digital information and distributes it across the network without changing it. The information is distributed among many users and stored in an immutable, permanent ledger that can't be changed or destroyed. That's why blockchain is also called "Distributed Ledger Technology" or DLT.
Here’s how it works:
And that’s the beauty of it! The process may seem complicated, but it’s done in minutes with modern technology. And because technology is advancing rapidly, I expect things to move even more quickly than ever.
Even though blockchain is integral to cryptocurrency, it has other applications. For example, blockchain can be used for storing reliable data about transactions. Many people confuse blockchain with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum.
Blockchain already being adopted by some big-name companies, such as Walmart, AIG, Siemens, Pfizer, and Unilever. For example, IBM's Food Trust uses blockchain to track food's journey before reaching its final destination.
Although some of you may consider this practice excessive, food suppliers and manufacturers adhere to the policy of tracing their products because bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella have been found in packaged foods. In addition, there have been isolated cases where dangerous allergens such as peanuts have accidentally been introduced into certain products.
Tracing and identifying the sources of an outbreak is a challenging task that can take months or years. Thanks to the Blockchain, however, companies now know exactly where their food has been—so they can trace its location and prevent future outbreaks.
Blockchain technology allows systems to react much faster in the event of a hazard. It also has many other uses in the modern world.
Blockchain technology is safe, even if it’s public. People can access the technology using an internet connection.
Have you ever been in a situation where you had all your data stored at one place and that one secure place got compromised? Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to prevent your data from leaking out even when the security of your storage systems is compromised?
Blockchain technology provides a way of avoiding this situation by using multiple computers at different locations to store information about transactions. If one computer experiences problems with a transaction, it will not affect the other nodes.
Instead, other nodes will use the correct information to cross-reference your incorrect node. This is called “Decentralization,” meaning all the information is stored in multiple places.
Blockchain guarantees your data's authenticity—not just its accuracy, but also its irreversibility. It can also be used to store data that are difficult to register, like legal contracts, state identifications, or a company's product inventory.
Blockchain has many advantages and disadvantages.
I’ll answer the most frequently asked questions about blockchain in this section.
Blockchain is not a cryptocurrency but a technology that makes cryptocurrencies possible. It's a digital ledger that records every transaction seamlessly.
Yes, blockchain can be theoretically hacked, but it is a complicated task to be achieved. A network of users constantly reviews it, which makes hacking the blockchain difficult.
Coinbase Global is currently the biggest blockchain company in the world. The company runs a commendable infrastructure, services, and technology for the digital currency economy.
Blockchain is a decentralized technology. It’s a chain of distributed ledgers connected with nodes. Each node can be any electronic device. Thus, one owns blockhain.
Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, which is powered by Blockchain technology while Blockchain is a distributed ledger of cryptocurrency
Generally a database is a collection of data which can be stored and organized using a database management system. The people who have access to the database can view or edit the information stored there. The client-server network architecture is used to implement databases. whereas a blockchain is a growing list of records, called blocks, stored in a distributed system. Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, timestamp and transaction information. Modification of data is not allowed due to the design of the blockchain. The technology allows decentralized control and eliminates risks of data modification by other parties.
Blockchain has a wide spectrum of applications and, over the next 5-10 years, we will likely see it being integrated into all sorts of industries. From finance to healthcare, blockchain could revolutionize the way we store and share data. Although there is some hesitation to adopt blockchain systems right now, that won't be the case in 2022-2023 (and even less so in 2026). Once people become more comfortable with the technology and understand how it can work for them, owners, CEOs and entrepreneurs alike will be quick to leverage blockchain technology for their own gain. Hope you like this article if you have any question let me know in the comments section
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Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are the most popular digital assets today, capturing the attention of cryptocurrency investors, whales and people from around the world. People find it amazing that some users spend thousands or millions of dollars on a single NFT-based image of a monkey or other token, but you can simply take a screenshot for free. So here we share some freuently asked question about NFTs.
NFT stands for non-fungible token, which is a cryptographic token on a blockchain with unique identification codes that distinguish it from other tokens. NFTs are unique and not interchangeable, which means no two NFTs are the same. NFTs can be a unique artwork, GIF, Images, videos, Audio album. in-game items, collectibles etc.
A blockchain is a distributed digital ledger that allows for the secure storage of data. By recording any kind of information—such as bank account transactions, the ownership of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), or Decentralized Finance (DeFi) smart contracts—in one place, and distributing it to many different computers, blockchains ensure that data can’t be manipulated without everyone in the system being aware.
The value of an NFT comes from its ability to be traded freely and securely on the blockchain, which is not possible with other current digital ownership solutionsThe NFT points to its location on the blockchain, but doesn’t necessarily contain the digital property. For example, if you replace one bitcoin with another, you will still have the same thing. If you buy a non-fungible item, such as a movie ticket, it is impossible to replace it with any other movie ticket because each ticket is unique to a specific time and place.
One of the unique characteristics of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) is that they can be tokenised to create a digital certificate of ownership that can be bought, sold and traded on the blockchain.
As with crypto-currency, records of who owns what are stored on a ledger that is maintained by thousands of computers around the world. These records can’t be forged because the whole system operates on an open-source network.
NFTs also contain smart contracts—small computer programs that run on the blockchain—that give the artist, for example, a cut of any future sale of the token.
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) aren't cryptocurrencies, but they do use blockchain technology. Many NFTs are based on Ethereum, where the blockchain serves as a ledger for all the transactions related to said NFT and the properties it represents.5) How to make an NFT?
Anyone can create an NFT. All you need is a digital wallet, some ethereum tokens and a connection to an NFT marketplace where you’ll be able to upload and sell your creations
When you purchase a stock in NFT, that purchase is recorded on the blockchain—the bitcoin ledger of transactions—and that entry acts as your proof of ownership.
The value of an NFT varies a lot based on the digital asset up for grabs. People use NFTs to trade and sell digital art, so when creating an NFT, you should consider the popularity of your digital artwork along with historical statistics.
In the year 2021, a digital artist called Pak created an artwork called The Merge. It was sold on the Nifty Gateway NFT market for $91.8 million.
Non-fungible tokens can be used in investment opportunities. One can purchase an NFT and resell it at a profit. Certain NFT marketplaces let sellers of NFTs keep a percentage of the profits from sales of the assets they create.
Many people want to buy NFTs because it lets them support the arts and own something cool from their favorite musicians, brands, and celebrities. NFTs also give artists an opportunity to program in continual royalties if someone buys their work. Galleries see this as a way to reach new buyers interested in art.
There are many places to buy digital assets, like opensea and their policies vary. On top shot, for instance, you sign up for a waitlist that can be thousands of people long. When a digital asset goes on sale, you are occasionally chosen to purchase it.
To mint an NFT token, you must pay some amount of gas fee to process the transaction on the Etherum blockchain, but you can mint your NFT on a different blockchain called Polygon to avoid paying gas fees. This option is available on OpenSea and this simply denotes that your NFT will only be able to trade using Polygon's blockchain and not Etherum's blockchain. Mintable allows you to mint NFTs for free without paying any gas fees.
The answer is no. Non-Fungible Tokens are minted on the blockchain using cryptocurrencies such as Etherum, Solana, Polygon, and so on. Once a Non-Fungible Token is minted, the transaction is recorded on the blockchain and the contract or license is awarded to whoever has that Non-Fungible Token in their wallet.
You can sell your work and creations by attaching a license to it on the blockchain, where its ownership can be transferred. This lets you get exposure without losing full ownership of your work. Some of the most successful projects include Cryptopunks, Bored Ape Yatch Club NFTs, SandBox, World of Women and so on. These NFT projects have gained popularity globally and are owned by celebrities and other successful entrepreneurs. Owning one of these NFTs gives you an automatic ticket to exclusive business meetings and life-changing connections.
That’s a wrap. Hope you guys found this article enlightening. I just answer some question with my limited knowledge about NFTs. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to drop them in the comment section below. Also I have a question for you, Is bitcoin an NFTs? let me know in The comment section below
According to Microsoft researchers, North Korean hackers have been using a Chrome zero-day exploit to steal cryptocurrency.
In the rapidly advancing landscape of AI technology and innovation, LimeWire emerges as a unique platform in the realm of generative AI tools. This platform not only stands out from the multitude of existing AI tools but also brings a fresh approach to content generation. LimeWire not only empowers users to create AI content but also provides creators with creative ways to share and monetize their creations.
As we explore LimeWire, our aim is to uncover its features, benefits for creators, and the exciting possibilities it offers for AI content generation. This platform presents an opportunity for users to harness the power of AI in image creation, all while enjoying the advantages of a free and accessible service.
Let's unravel the distinctive features that set LimeWire apart in the dynamic landscape of AI-powered tools, understanding how creators can leverage its capabilities to craft unique and engaging AI-generated images.
This revamped LimeWire invites users to register and unleash their creativity by crafting original AI content, which can then be shared and showcased on the LimeWire Studio. Notably, even acclaimed artists and musicians, such as Deadmau5, Soulja Boy, and Sean Kingston, have embraced this platform to publish their content in the form of NFT music, videos, and images.
Beyond providing a space for content creation and sharing, LimeWire introduces monetization models to empower users to earn revenue from their creations. This includes avenues such as earning ad revenue and participating in the burgeoning market of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). As we delve further, we'll explore these monetization strategies in more detail to provide a comprehensive understanding of LimeWire's innovative approach to content creation and distribution.
LimeWire Studio welcomes content creators into its fold, providing a space to craft personalized AI-focused content for sharing with fans and followers. Within this creative hub, every piece of content generated becomes not just a creation but a unique asset—ownable and tradable. Fans have the opportunity to subscribe to creators' pages, immersing themselves in the creative journey and gaining ownership of digital collectibles that hold tradeable value within the LimeWire community. Notably, creators earn a 2.5% royalty each time their content is traded, adding a rewarding element to the creative process.
The platform's flexibility is evident in its content publication options. Creators can choose to share their work freely with the public or opt for a premium subscription model, granting exclusive access to specialized content for subscribers.
As of the present moment, LimeWire focuses on AI Image Generation, offering a spectrum of creative possibilities to its user base. The platform, however, has ambitious plans on the horizon, aiming to broaden its offerings by introducing AI music and video generation tools in the near future. This strategic expansion promises creators even more avenues for expression and engagement with their audience, positioning LimeWire Studio as a dynamic and evolving platform within the realm of AI-powered content creation.
The LimeWire AI image generation tool presents a versatile platform for both the creation and editing of images. Supporting advanced models such as Stable Diffusion 2.1, Stable Diffusion XL, and DALL-E 2, LimeWire offers a sophisticated toolkit for users to delve into the realm of generative AI art.
Much like other tools in the generative AI landscape, LimeWire provides a range of options catering to various levels of complexity in image creation. Users can initiate the creative process with prompts as simple as a few words or opt for more intricate instructions, tailoring the output to their artistic vision.
What sets LimeWire apart is its seamless integration of different AI models and design styles. Users have the flexibility to effortlessly switch between various AI models, exploring diverse design styles such as cinematic, digital art, pixel art, anime, analog film, and more. Each style imparts a distinctive visual identity to the generated AI art, enabling users to explore a broad spectrum of creative possibilities.
The platform also offers additional features, including samplers, allowing users to fine-tune the quality and detail levels of their creations. Customization options and prompt guidance further enhance the user experience, providing a user-friendly interface for both novice and experienced creators.
Excitingly, LimeWire is actively developing its proprietary AI model, signaling ongoing innovation and enhancements to its image generation capabilities. This upcoming addition holds the promise of further expanding the creative horizons for LimeWire users, making it an evolving and dynamic platform within the landscape of AI-driven art and image creation.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
Upon completing your creative endeavor on LimeWire, the platform allows you the option to publish your content. An intriguing feature follows this step: LimeWire automates the process of minting your creation as a Non-Fungible Token (NFT), utilizing either the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. This transformative step imbues your artwork with a unique digital signature, securing its authenticity and ownership in the decentralized realm.
Creators on LimeWire hold the power to decide the accessibility of their NFT creations. By opting for a public release, the content becomes discoverable by anyone, fostering a space for engagement and interaction. Furthermore, this choice opens the avenue for enthusiasts to trade the NFTs, adding a layer of community involvement to the artistic journey.
Alternatively, LimeWire acknowledges the importance of exclusivity. Creators can choose to share their posts exclusively with their premium subscribers. In doing so, the content remains a special offering solely for dedicated fans, creating an intimate and personalized experience within the LimeWire community. This flexibility in sharing options emphasizes LimeWire's commitment to empowering creators with choices in how they connect with their audience and distribute their digital creations.
After creating your content, you can choose to publish the content. It will automatically mint your creation as an NFT on the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. You can also choose whether to make it public or subscriber-only.
If you make it public, anyone can discover your content and even trade the NFTs. If you choose to share the post only with your premium subscribers, it will be exclusive only to your fans.
Additionally, you can earn ad revenue from your content creations as well.
When you publish content on LimeWire, you will receive 70% of all ad revenue from other users who view your images, music, and videos on the platform.
This revenue model will be much more beneficial to designers. You can experiment with the AI image and content generation tools and share your creations while earning a small income on the side.
The revenue you earn from your creations will come in the form of LMWR tokens, LimeWire’s own cryptocurrency.
Your earnings will be paid every month in LMWR, which you can then trade on many popular crypto exchange platforms like Kraken, ByBit, and UniSwap.
You can also use your LMWR tokens to pay for prompts when using LimeWire generative AI tools.
You can sign up to LimeWire to use its AI tools for free. You will receive 10 credits to use and generate up to 20 AI images per day. You will also receive 50% of the ad revenue share. However, you will get more benefits with premium plans.
For $9.99 per month, you will get 1,000 credits per month, up to 2 ,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 50% ad revenue share
For $29 per month, you will get 3750 credits per month, up to 7500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 60% ad revenue share
For $49 per month, you will get 5,000 credits per month, up to 10,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
For $99 per month, you will get 11,250 credits per month, up to 2 2,500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
With all premium plans, you will receive a Pro profile badge, full creation history, faster image generation, and no ads.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
In conclusion, LimeWire emerges as a democratizing force in the creative landscape, providing an inclusive platform where anyone can unleash their artistic potential and effortlessly share their work. With the integration of AI, LimeWire eliminates traditional barriers, empowering designers, musicians, and artists to publish their creations and earn revenue with just a few clicks.
The ongoing commitment of LimeWire to innovation is evident in its plans to enhance generative AI tools with new features and models. The upcoming expansion to include music and video generation tools holds the promise of unlocking even more possibilities for creators. It sparks anticipation about the diverse and innovative ways in which artists will leverage these tools to produce and publish their own unique creations.
For those eager to explore, LimeWire's AI tools are readily accessible for free, providing an opportunity to experiment and delve into the world of generative art. As LimeWire continues to evolve, creators are encouraged to stay tuned for the launch of its forthcoming AI music and video generation tools, promising a future brimming with creative potential and endless artistic exploration
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