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Lung cancer diagnoses on the rise among never-smokers worldwide
Mon, 03 Feb 2025 23:30:05 GMT
Research shows need for further studies into air pollution and other causal factors, expert says
The proportion of people being diagnosed with lung cancer who have never smoked is increasing, with air pollution an “important factor”, the World Health Organization’s cancer agency has said.
Lung cancer in people who have never smoked cigarettes or tobacco is now estimated to be the fifth highest cause of cancer deaths worldwide, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Continue reading...Canadian PM Justin Trudeau says he had ‘good call’ with US president, as Mexico tariffs paused too
Donald Trump’s administration has confirmed plans to merge the US international aid agency USAid into the state department in a major revamp that would shrink its workforce and align its spending with Trump’s priorities.
The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, declared himself the acting administrator of the agency and employees have been locked out of its Washington DC headquarters, while others have been suspended.
Trump announced he’s planning to appoint Michael Ellis and the deputy director of the CIA. Ellis is a close Trump ally and worked in the president’s previous administration and helped fight allegations of collusion with Russia in the 2016 election.
The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five US universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.
The US Senate on Monday confirmed Chris Wright, a fracking executive, to be Donald Trump’s energy secretary. The vote was 59-38. Wright, 60, the CEO of Liberty Energy since 2011 has said he will step down from the company once confirmed. He wrote in a Liberty report last year that he believes human-caused climate change is real, but that its hazards are “distant and uncertain”. He has also said that top-down governmental policies to curb it are destined to fail.
The US interior department has unveiled a suite of orders aimed at carrying out Donald Trump’s agenda to maximise domestic energy and minerals production and slash red tape, Reuters reports. In a statement, the agency said interior secretary Doug Burgum, the former governor of North Dakota, signed six orders on his first day in office.
US President Donald Trump has invited Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to visit the White House next week, a White House official said, hours after a US military plane departed to return deported migrants to the country.
Senator Susan Collins, a republican from Maine, said she’ll vote to confirm Tulsi Gabbard as the director of national intelligence. Collins is a key swing vote and her support brings Gabbard’s nomination close to being sealed.
Trump is reportedly mulling an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, in alignment with mandates from Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” to slash federal agencies.
Musk’s Doge reportedly accessed administration systems for the federal Small Business Administration. It has also reportedly accessed secure information at USAid and the Treasury department. According to Wired, Musk has reportedly deployed six young men to lead Doge’s efforts to access federal government data.
The Trump administration made plain its intent to merge USAid with the state department under Musk’s supervision. Employees were barred from the agency headquarters today, after the website was shuttered over the weekend. Several democrats cried foul, calling the act illegal and denouncing Musk.
The Trump administration may today begin using an obscure 18th-century law to deport undocumented migrants without first going through the courts.
Darren Beattie, a former White House official who wrote, “Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work,” is reportedly set for a top role at the state department.
Continue reading...Liberty Energy executive, who has called climate change activists alarmist, confirmed in vote of 59-38
The US Senate on Monday confirmed Chris Wright, a fracking executive, to be Donald Trump’s energy secretary.
The vote was 59-38.
Continue reading...
SEMrush and Ahrefs are among
the most popular tools in the SEO industry. Both companies have been in
business for years and have thousands of customers per month.
If you're a professional SEO or trying to do digital
marketing on your own, at some point you'll likely consider using a tool to
help with your efforts. Ahrefs and SEMrush are two names that will likely
appear on your shortlist.
In this guide, I'm going to help you learn more about these SEO tools and how to choose the one that's best for your purposes.
What is SEMrush?
SEMrush is a popular SEO tool with a wide range of
features—it's the leading competitor research service for online marketers.
SEMrush's SEO Keyword Magic tool offers over 20 billion Google-approved
keywords, which are constantly updated and it's the largest keyword database.
The program was developed in 2007 as SeoQuake is a
small Firefox extension
Features
Ahrefs is a leading SEO platform that offers a set of
tools to grow your search traffic, research your competitors, and monitor your
niche. The company was founded in 2010, and it has become a popular choice
among SEO tools. Ahrefs has a keyword index of over 10.3 billion keywords and
offers accurate and extensive backlink data updated every 15-30 minutes and it
is the world's most extensive backlink index database.
Features
Direct Comparisons: Ahrefs vs SEMrush
Now that you know a little more about each tool, let's
take a look at how they compare. I'll analyze each tool to see how they differ
in interfaces, keyword research resources, rank tracking, and competitor
analysis.
User Interface
Ahrefs and SEMrush both offer comprehensive information
and quick metrics regarding your website's SEO performance. However, Ahrefs
takes a bit more of a hands-on approach to getting your account fully set up,
whereas SEMrush's simpler dashboard can give you access to the data you need
quickly.
In this section, we provide a brief overview of the elements
found on each dashboard and highlight the ease with which you can complete
tasks.
AHREFS
The Ahrefs dashboard is less cluttered than that of
SEMrush, and its primary menu is at the very top of the page, with a search bar
designed only for entering URLs.
Additional features of the Ahrefs platform include:
SEMRUSH
When you log into the SEMrush Tool, you will find four
main modules. These include information about your domains, organic keyword
analysis, ad keyword, and site traffic.
You'll also find some other options like
Both Ahrefs and SEMrush have user-friendly dashboards,
but Ahrefs is less cluttered and easier to navigate. On the other hand, SEMrush
offers dozens of extra tools, including access to customer support resources.
When deciding on which dashboard to use, consider what
you value in the user interface, and test out both.
If you're looking to track your website's search engine
ranking, rank tracking features can help. You can also use them to monitor your
competitors.
Let's take a look at Ahrefs vs. SEMrush to see which
tool does a better job.
The Ahrefs Rank Tracker is simpler to use. Just type in
the domain name and keywords you want to analyze, and it spits out a report
showing you the search engine results page (SERP) ranking for each keyword you
enter.
Rank Tracker looks at the ranking performance of
keywords and compares them with the top rankings for those keywords. Ahrefs
also offers:
You'll see metrics that help you understand your
visibility, traffic, average position, and keyword difficulty.
It gives you an idea of whether a keyword would be
profitable to target or not.
SEMRush offers a tool called Position Tracking. This
tool is a project tool—you must set it up as a new project. Below are a few of
the most popular features of the SEMrush Position Tracking tool:
All subscribers are given regular data updates and
mobile search rankings upon subscribing
The platform provides opportunities to track several
SERP features, including Local tracking.
Intuitive reports allow you to track statistics for the
pages on your website, as well as the keywords used in those pages.
Identify pages that may be competing with each other
using the Cannibalization report.
Ahrefs is a more user-friendly option. It takes seconds
to enter a domain name and keywords. From there, you can quickly decide whether
to proceed with that keyword or figure out how to rank better for other
keywords.
SEMrush allows you to check your mobile rankings and
ranking updates daily, which is something Ahrefs does not offer. SEMrush also
offers social media rankings, a tool you won't find within the Ahrefs platform.
Both are good which one do you like let me know in the comment.
Keyword research is closely related to rank tracking,
but it's used for deciding which keywords you plan on using for future content
rather than those you use now.
When it comes to SEO, keyword research is the most
important thing to consider when comparing the two platforms.
The Ahrefs Keyword Explorer provides you with thousands
of keyword ideas and filters search results based on the chosen search engine.
Ahrefs supports several features, including:
SEMrush's Keyword Magic Tool has over 20 billion
keywords for Google. You can type in any keyword you want, and a list of
suggested keywords will appear.
The Keyword Magic Tool also lets you to:
Both of these tools offer keyword research features and
allow users to break down complicated tasks into something that can be
understood by beginners and advanced users alike.
If you're interested in keyword suggestions, SEMrush
appears to have more keyword suggestions than Ahrefs does. It also continues to
add new features, like the Keyword Gap tool and SERP Questions recommendations.
Both platforms offer competitor analysis tools,
eliminating the need to come up with keywords off the top of your head. Each
tool is useful for finding keywords that will be useful for your competition so
you know they will be valuable to you.
Ahrefs' domain comparison tool lets you compare up to five websites (your website and four competitors) side-by-side.it also shows you how your site is ranked against others with metrics such as backlinks, domain ratings, and more.
Use the Competing Domains section to see a list of your
most direct competitors, and explore how many keywords matches your competitors
have.
To find more information about your competitor, you can
look at the Site Explorer and Content Explorer tools and type in their URL
instead of yours.
SEMrush provides a variety of insights into your
competitors' marketing tactics. The platform enables you to research your
competitors effectively. It also offers several resources for competitor
analysis including:
Traffic Analytics helps you identify where your
audience comes from, how they engage with your site, what devices visitors use
to view your site, and how your audiences overlap with other websites.
SEMrush's Organic Research examines your website's
major competitors and shows their organic search rankings, keywords they are
ranking for, and even if they are ranking for any (SERP) features and more.
The Market Explorer search field allows you to type in
a domain and lists websites or articles similar to what you entered. Market
Explorer also allows users to perform in-depth data analytics on These
companies and markets.
SEMrush wins here because it has more tools dedicated to
competitor analysis than Ahrefs. However, Ahrefs offers a lot of functionality
in this area, too. It takes a combination of both tools to gain an advantage
over your competition.
When it comes to keyword data research, you will become
confused about which one to choose.
Consider choosing Ahrefs if you
Consider SEMrush if you:
Both tools are great. Choose the one which meets your
requirements and if you have any experience using either Ahrefs or SEMrush let
me know in the comment section which works well for you.
Following Trump’s executive order, a trans woman held at a federal prison was told she would be moved to a men’s prison.
The post Trans Women in Federal Custody Face the Terror of Being Transferred to Men’s Prisons appeared first on The Intercept.
UNRWA delivered the majority of food aid during the war and sheltered more than 1 million people. What happens when it’s banned?
The post Israel Bans UNRWA as Trump Throttles Foreign Aid appeared first on The Intercept.
Barbican Hall, London
Making a much-anticipated London appearance, Daniil Trifonov balanced lyricism and vigour in Schumann. Daniel Harding’s well-judged account of Mahler 7 caught the symphony’s sense of impending disintegration
Ordinarily, the main attraction of this London Symphony Orchestra concert under Daniel Harding would have been Mahler’s Seventh symphony, a special-occasion piece which is still relatively rarely performed compared with its peers. But this was also Daniil Trifonov’s much anticipated first appearance in London since before the pandemic. The buzz among a capacity Barbican audience about the celebrated Russian pianist’s return was palpable.
Trifonov did not disappoint. Under his hands, the reading of Robert Schumann’s A minor piano concerto was searchingly individual in the very best sense, with Trifonov illuminating the muscularity of Schumann’s piano writing as well as its delicate poetry. Trifonov unquestionably commands the restraint of dynamics that Schumann’s scoring requires from the soloist – his passagework was exemplary. But he was unafraid of making weightier keyboard statements too, even in the opening bars and especially in the first movement cadenza.
Continue reading...Gabbard is a rare Washington politician who defended the NSA whistleblower. But she has also changed positions and even political parties.
The post Tulsi Gabbard Once Called for an Edward Snowden Pardon. Will She Flip-Flop Now? appeared first on The Intercept.
The founder of Mothers Against College Antisemitism says her 62,000-member Facebook group is influencing NYU policy.
The post A Well-Connected NYU Parent Is Trying to Get Students Deported appeared first on The Intercept.
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Turkey and its militias have cut off the Kurdish city of Kobane from the rest of Syria.
The post Twelve Days in Kobane, Where Syrian Kurds Are Under Attack by Turkey appeared first on The Intercept.
The US president is testing the limits of executive authority, sidelining Congress and enriching allies while destabilising the global economy
Donald Trump is provoking a US constitutional crisis, claiming sweeping powers to override or bypass Congress’s control over spending in a brazen attempt to centralise financial power in the executive branch. If he succeeds, Nobel laureate Paul Krugman warns, it would be a 21st-century coup – with power slipping from elected officials’ hands. The real story hidden behind the president’s trade war, he says, is the hijacking of government. And Mr Krugman’s right.
By usurping the authority to shut down government programmes at will – even those funded by Congress – Mr Trump could slash federal spending and taxes while pretending to balance the books. In reality, he’d be robbing the poor to enrich the wealthy. In a world where economic jargon has been corrupted to depict exploitation as “wealth creation”, the audacity of Mr Trump – and his lackeys – to personally profit is breathtaking. Mr Trump’s philosophy is simple: let the uber-rich do whatever they want, with little or no oversight. The result will be vast wealth for a select few while life grows nastier and shorter for the many.
Continue reading...Prospective chancellor takes startlingly aggressive line against those protesting against gamble with AfD
The German conservative opposition leader, Friedrich Merz, whose party is widely tipped to win this month’s general election, defended his hardline migration proposals after a wave of protests accused him of breaching the time-honoured “firewall” between the far right and centrists.
In an uncompromising speech to a party congress of his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Berlin, Merz said he was confident they would win the 23 February vote “with a very good result”, well ahead of the anti-immigration, anti-Islam Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), which has been consistently placing second in the polls.
Continue reading...With the Democratic Party reeling from its losses, the DNC is voting on a new chair. Will it choose to reform its top-down model?
The post The Democratic National Committee Is Undemocratic. That’s by Design. appeared first on The Intercept.
Trump’s recent executive orders show unwavering support of Israel and the further dehumanization of Palestinians.
The post Trump’s Nightmare Plan for Gaza appeared first on The Intercept.
Facing more than a dozen questions about her views on the NSA leaker, Gabbard held her ground at her DNI confirmation hearing.
The post Tulsi Gabbard Refused to Back Down on Edward Snowden. It Could Tank Her Nomination. appeared first on The Intercept.
The FBI trawled NSA records without a warrant to investigate a man suspected of trying to join a terror group, prosecutors admit.
The post FBI’s Warrantless Search Ruled Unconstitutional in a Blow to Government Spying appeared first on The Intercept.
The Alien Enemies Act provides sweeping powers to detain or deport foreign nationals. It’s ripe for abuse, experts say.
The post Trump Leans on WWII Japanese Incarceration Law to Deport Immigrants appeared first on The Intercept.
The “privacy-first” company surprised its user base when CEO Andy Yen lauded Trump on social media.
The post Proton Mail Says It’s “Politically Neutral” While Praising Republican Party appeared first on The Intercept.
For many government employees, merely owning cryptocurrency is off-limits. Not for Trump, who created a “very grifty” meme coin.
The post Trump Appointees Can’t Own Crypto. That Rule Doesn’t Apply to Trump Himself. appeared first on The Intercept.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is writing law today. This has required no changes in legislative procedure or the rules of legislative bodies—all it takes is one legislator, or legislative assistant, to use generative AI in the process of drafting a bill.
In fact, the use of AI by legislators is only likely to become more prevalent. There are currently projects in the US House, US Senate, and legislatures around the world to trial the use of AI in various ways: searching databases, drafting text, summarizing meetings, performing policy research and analysis, and more. A Brazilian municipality ...
Asylum-seekers are being detained because they come from Russia and Central Asia, immigrants and attorneys told The Intercept.
The post They Flee Russia as Dissidents Seeking Asylum. The U.S. Locks Them Up. appeared first on The Intercept.
Advocates say the bill will put domestic violence survivors who face false allegations from their abusers at greater risk of deportation.
The post Republicans Say This Anti-Immigrant Bill Will Protect Victims of Abuse. It Will Do the Opposite. appeared first on The Intercept.
He’s been nominated for an Academy Award for The Brutalist, but all Guy Pearce is concerned with is how bad he was in Memento … oh, and in Neighbours
The Oscars are just one month away and nobody knows anything for sure, apart from the fact that Kieran Culkin is definitely going to win the best supporting actor category. This is all but written in stone at this point. Culkin has won most of the other awards, and he’s a hit on the internet, and so the Oscars themselves are merely a formality.
Which is fine, except that four other people have been nominated for best supporting actor, and they’re faced with spending the next few weeks grinding through a thankless promotional campaign that they know will be fruitless. How does one even begin to do that? In the case of Guy Pearce, who is nominated for The Brutalist, you spend your time telling everyone how rubbish you are.
Continue reading...Whether it’s tricky past social posts, news meltdowns or PR teams trying too hard to make an impact, here are some past examples of self-sabotaged awards campaigns
The star of trans gangster musical Emilia Pérez had already collected some grief over the film’s portrayal of Mexico, where it was set but not shot, and whether or not it was a step forward for trans representation. Writer-director Jacques Audiard apologised and the controversy didn’t seem to massively hurt the film’s Oscar chances, as it led the 2025 field with 13 nominations including best actress for Gascón. However, a few days later, a journalist inspected Gascón’s social media feed and found a string of inflammatory posts, including one that described Islam as “a hotbed for infection for humanity that urgently need[s] to be cured”. Gascón has since been on a contrition tour, including a tearful, hour-long interview with CNN in which she declared: “My most sincere apologies to all the people who may have felt offended by the ways I express myself in my past, in my present and in my future”, but it looks like there’s no way back.
Continue reading...
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
With the Democratic Party reeling from its losses, the DNC is voting on a new chair. Will it choose to reform its top-down model?
The post The Democratic National Committee Is Undemocratic. That’s by Design. appeared first on The Intercept.
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau says he had ‘good call’ with US president, as Mexico tariffs paused too
Donald Trump’s administration has confirmed plans to merge the US international aid agency USAid into the state department in a major revamp that would shrink its workforce and align its spending with Trump’s priorities.
The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, declared himself the acting administrator of the agency and employees have been locked out of its Washington DC headquarters, while others have been suspended.
Trump announced he’s planning to appoint Michael Ellis and the deputy director of the CIA. Ellis is a close Trump ally and worked in the president’s previous administration and helped fight allegations of collusion with Russia in the 2016 election.
The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five US universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.
The US Senate on Monday confirmed Chris Wright, a fracking executive, to be Donald Trump’s energy secretary. The vote was 59-38. Wright, 60, the CEO of Liberty Energy since 2011 has said he will step down from the company once confirmed. He wrote in a Liberty report last year that he believes human-caused climate change is real, but that its hazards are “distant and uncertain”. He has also said that top-down governmental policies to curb it are destined to fail.
The US interior department has unveiled a suite of orders aimed at carrying out Donald Trump’s agenda to maximise domestic energy and minerals production and slash red tape, Reuters reports. In a statement, the agency said interior secretary Doug Burgum, the former governor of North Dakota, signed six orders on his first day in office.
US President Donald Trump has invited Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to visit the White House next week, a White House official said, hours after a US military plane departed to return deported migrants to the country.
Senator Susan Collins, a republican from Maine, said she’ll vote to confirm Tulsi Gabbard as the director of national intelligence. Collins is a key swing vote and her support brings Gabbard’s nomination close to being sealed.
Trump is reportedly mulling an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, in alignment with mandates from Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” to slash federal agencies.
Musk’s Doge reportedly accessed administration systems for the federal Small Business Administration. It has also reportedly accessed secure information at USAid and the Treasury department. According to Wired, Musk has reportedly deployed six young men to lead Doge’s efforts to access federal government data.
The Trump administration made plain its intent to merge USAid with the state department under Musk’s supervision. Employees were barred from the agency headquarters today, after the website was shuttered over the weekend. Several democrats cried foul, calling the act illegal and denouncing Musk.
The Trump administration may today begin using an obscure 18th-century law to deport undocumented migrants without first going through the courts.
Darren Beattie, a former White House official who wrote, “Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work,” is reportedly set for a top role at the state department.
Continue reading...Facing more than a dozen questions about her views on the NSA leaker, Gabbard held her ground at her DNI confirmation hearing.
The post Tulsi Gabbard Refused to Back Down on Edward Snowden. It Could Tank Her Nomination. appeared first on The Intercept.
Plan sets aside $25m for legal battles against US government and $25m for legal groups to defend immigrants
California’s Democratic-dominated assembly endorsed up to $50m in funding Monday to defend the state’s progressive policies against challenges by the Trump administration.
The legislation sets aside $25m for the state department of justice to fight legal battles against the federal government, and another $25m for legal groups to defend immigrants facing possible deportation.
Continue reading...Ex-Senate majority leader is one of few party members to criticize president’s trade war with US neighbors and China
Republicans on Capitol Hill have largely fallen in line with Donald Trump’s move to impose tariffs on the US’s biggest trading partners, with the notable exception of the former Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, who called it a “bad idea”.
With even Trump admitting that the tariffs – 25% on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10% on China – might cause “some pain”, there was mostly strong support from the president’s loyalists. Jason Smith, chair of the ways and means committee of the House of Representatives, said the tariffs would “send a powerful message that the United States will no longer stand by as other nations fail to halt the flow of illegal drugs and immigrants into our country”.
Continue reading...Liberty Energy executive, who has called climate change activists alarmist, confirmed in vote of 59-38
The US Senate on Monday confirmed Chris Wright, a fracking executive, to be Donald Trump’s energy secretary.
The vote was 59-38.
Continue reading...Gabbard is a rare Washington politician who defended the NSA whistleblower. But she has also changed positions and even political parties.
The post Tulsi Gabbard Once Called for an Edward Snowden Pardon. Will She Flip-Flop Now? appeared first on The Intercept.
The US president is testing the limits of executive authority, sidelining Congress and enriching allies while destabilising the global economy
Donald Trump is provoking a US constitutional crisis, claiming sweeping powers to override or bypass Congress’s control over spending in a brazen attempt to centralise financial power in the executive branch. If he succeeds, Nobel laureate Paul Krugman warns, it would be a 21st-century coup – with power slipping from elected officials’ hands. The real story hidden behind the president’s trade war, he says, is the hijacking of government. And Mr Krugman’s right.
By usurping the authority to shut down government programmes at will – even those funded by Congress – Mr Trump could slash federal spending and taxes while pretending to balance the books. In reality, he’d be robbing the poor to enrich the wealthy. In a world where economic jargon has been corrupted to depict exploitation as “wealth creation”, the audacity of Mr Trump – and his lackeys – to personally profit is breathtaking. Mr Trump’s philosophy is simple: let the uber-rich do whatever they want, with little or no oversight. The result will be vast wealth for a select few while life grows nastier and shorter for the many.
Continue reading...Trump’s recent executive orders show unwavering support of Israel and the further dehumanization of Palestinians.
The post Trump’s Nightmare Plan for Gaza appeared first on The Intercept.
Prospective chancellor takes startlingly aggressive line against those protesting against gamble with AfD
The German conservative opposition leader, Friedrich Merz, whose party is widely tipped to win this month’s general election, defended his hardline migration proposals after a wave of protests accused him of breaching the time-honoured “firewall” between the far right and centrists.
In an uncompromising speech to a party congress of his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Berlin, Merz said he was confident they would win the 23 February vote “with a very good result”, well ahead of the anti-immigration, anti-Islam Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), which has been consistently placing second in the polls.
Continue reading...Canadian PM Justin Trudeau says he had ‘good call’ with US president and that tariffs will be postponed for at least a month
South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa has rejected Donald Trump’s claim that the country is confiscating land.
AFP reports that Ramaphosa said he was ready to explain his government’s land reform policy to his US counterpart.
Continue reading...Democratic senator concerned after company is accused of ‘shadow-banning’ non-profits offering medication abortion
Senator Ruben Gallego has accused social media giant Meta of “presumptively bowing” to the Trump administration by making abortion-related content more difficult to find.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, was accused of “shadow-banning” several non-profits who provide medication abortion to women in the US.
Continue reading...Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Turkey and its militias have cut off the Kurdish city of Kobane from the rest of Syria.
The post Twelve Days in Kobane, Where Syrian Kurds Are Under Attack by Turkey appeared first on The Intercept.
Berlin correspondent Kate Connolly charts the rise of Alice Weidel, the far-right Alternative für Deutschland candidate for chancellor
Alice Weidel is a politician of contradictions: a German nationalist who lives in Switzerland; a former investment banker who rails against elites; and a lesbian with two adopted sons, leading a party that defines a family as “father, mother and children”.
Yet as our Berlin correspondent, Kate Connolly, explains, despite Weidel’s background – or perhaps because of it – she has risen to the top of Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), picked to be its candidate for chancellor in federal elections on 23 February.
Continue reading...For many government employees, merely owning cryptocurrency is off-limits. Not for Trump, who created a “very grifty” meme coin.
The post Trump Appointees Can’t Own Crypto. That Rule Doesn’t Apply to Trump Himself. appeared first on The Intercept.
Exclusive: Armour was supposed to be replaced in 2023 but that was delayed by four years under previous government
Ministers have issued an emergency recall of 120,000 body armour plates used by the British military, amid accusations from Labour that the Conservatives failed to safely renew basic protection for troops during their time in office.
Testing discovered microscopic cracks in ageing enhanced combat body armour (ECBA) which was supposed to be swapped out in 2023, but whose replacement was delayed by four years to make savings by the previous government.
Continue reading...Officials are discussing executive order as part of efforts by Musk’s Doge team to seize control of federal spending
The Trump administration is weighing executive actions to dismantle the US education department as part of efforts by Elon Musk’s so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) to seize control of federal spending and slash the size of the government workforce, the Wall Street Journal reported.
US officials have discussed an executive order that would shut down all functions of the education department that are not written explicitly into statute, or move certain functions to other departments, according to the paper, citing sources.
Continue reading...President threatened to withhold federal funding from hospitals providing gender-affirming care to those under 19
In the wake of Donald Trump’s executive order threatening to withhold federal funding from hospitals that offer gender-affirming care to individuals under the age of 19, several major hospitals across the US have stopped providing such treatments.
The 28 January executive order directed federal departments and agencies to ensure that hospitals and medical institutions receiving federal research or education grants stop providing puberty blockers, hormone therapy or surgical procedures to transgender youth under the age of 19.
Continue reading...It seems bizarre that ministers and UK’s largest company cannot complete investment in vital life sciences sector
The announcement in March last year that AstraZeneca would be investing £450m to expand its vaccine plant in Speke in Liverpool was presented in full flag-waving style by the company and the government of the day.
Sir Pascal Soriot, the AstraZeneca chief executive, reflected it had been 25 years since the merger of Astra of Sweden and Zeneca of the UK; the firm was now “truly global” but also “proud of our British roots”. Jeremy Hunt, then the chancellor, said the £450m investment, plus £200m to expand its research facility in Cambridge, was “a vote of confidence in the attractiveness of the UK as a life sciences superpower”.
Continue reading...Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss Keir Starmer’s trip to Brussels this week, as he attempts a post-Brexit reset. But how risky is seeking closer ties with the EU when Donald Trump is threatening a trade war?
Continue reading...Critics say Trump is using every presidential power possible against clean power in sharp turn after Biden investments created jobs
For several years, Republicans accused Joe Biden of waging a “war on energy” even as the Untied States drilled more oil and gas than at any time in its history. Now, a more tangible assault is gathering pace under Donald Trump – aimed squarely at wind, solar and other cleaner forms of power.
In the first two weeks of his return as president, Trump has, like his first term, issued orders to open up more American land and waters for fossil fuel extraction and started the process to yank the US from the Paris climate agreement. “We will drill, baby drill,” said Trump, who has promised to cut energy and electricity prices in half within 18 months.
Continue reading...Guantánamo Bay? Imperialism? Alliances with billionaires? Those shocked at the president’s early moves have forgotten what came before
The dust briefly settled, only for it to be kicked up once again. Donald Trump’s flurry of executive orders – causing chaos on everything from foreign aid to world trade – is rapidly rocking and reshaping domestic and foreign policy. And the temptation is, yet again, to think of Donald Trump as an exogenous shock to US democracy. But look closer, and you will see not a rogue president taking a hammer to a hitherto stable political order, but a history of the erosion of norms that paved the way for him.
Political norms are the scaffolding of democracy, enforced not by the law, but by a sort of social consensus. They are not codified, strict mechanisms for regulating political facts – such as the separation of powers – but the agreement that such things should be respected and observed. A clear case in point is the president’s ability to issue pardons. And Joe Biden’s pardoning of his family members was as much an injury to norms as Trump’s pardoning of those convicted after 6 January.
Nesrine Malik is a Guardian columnist
Continue reading...New fact sheet bears similarity to Heritage Foundation’s Project Esther, which aims to quash US support of Palestine
Critics warn that a new executive order from Donald Trump’s administration purporting to “combat antisemitism”, and a corresponding fact sheet suggesting deporting international students who protest Israel, could chill political speech on campuses.
The fact sheet released before Trump signed the order on Wednesday quoted the president as saying: “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you. I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”
Continue reading...Parabon NanoLabs sells police composite images of suspects built on DNA. Critics say the product is snake-oil science fiction that can exacerbate problems in the criminal legal system.
The post A Forensics Company Tells Cops It Can Use DNA to Predict a Suspect’s Face. Scientists Worry the Tool Will Deepen Racial Bias. appeared first on The Intercept.
From yearning for a ‘strong leader’ to being swept up in riots, the portents for our children are not good – and who can blame them for being so disillusioned, asks Marina Hyde. Oscar-nominated Cynthia Erivo has gone stratospheric as Elphaba in Wicked – what next for one of Britain’s brightest stars? And new research shows western medicine’s traditional split between brain and body is far from clear cut – could this new understanding provide a breakthrough for many complex conditions?
Continue reading...The Alien Enemies Act provides sweeping powers to detain or deport foreign nationals. It’s ripe for abuse, experts say.
The post Trump Leans on WWII Japanese Incarceration Law to Deport Immigrants appeared first on The Intercept.
Bill to rule out interference from abroad expected to pass this week as country prepares for polls before 6 April
Greenland plans to ban foreign political donations over fears about potential interference in its forthcoming elections after attracting Donald Trump’s interest.
The government of the autonomous territory, which is a former Danish colony and remains part of the kingdom of Denmark, announced details of a bill on Monday intended to “safeguard the political integrity of Greenland”.
Continue reading...The founder of Mothers Against College Antisemitism says her 62,000-member Facebook group is influencing NYU policy.
The post A Well-Connected NYU Parent Is Trying to Get Students Deported appeared first on The Intercept.
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Treasury has done modelling on cost of potential US tariffs
Jim Chalmers has now gone to ABC RN Breakfast and says the government has done modelling on what impact tariffs from the US would have.
I’ve had the ability to brief my colleagues on a number of occasions now on some of that sort of work, and the broad conclusion out of that work is that Australia is a big beneficiary of open global trading. We are a very trade exposed economy, it means that we’re not immune when they are escalating trade tensions.
Our relationship is mutually beneficial and all the conversations we’ll have with our American counterparts will be about making sure that this really key economic relationship continues to be beneficial to both sides.
Continue reading...The belief that a few glasses of wine help to protect against heart disease has persisted – despite evidence showing that the benefits have been overestimated
Alcohol causes huge harm in Australia, responsible for 5,800 new cancer cases a year. Yet many of us remain in the dark about its health risks.
In January the United States’ Office of the Surgeon General, the country’s leading public health agency, recommended that warnings about alcohol’s cancer risks should be displayed on drink packaging.
Continue reading...Eggs and verbal abuse were allegedly hurled at young women in Bondi with the incident initially investigated under Strike Force Pearl
Two teenage boys have been charged after allegedly egging a group of women in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on the weekend, in what police now believe was a random attack.
Eggs and verbal abuse were allegedly hurled at the young women in Bondi – striking a 22-year-old – on Saturday night.
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Continue reading...Supreme court case discontinued after Ilknur Caliskan, 47, underwent sleep study and her lawyers flagged parasomnia defence
A woman charged over the death of her husband will no longer face a murder trial after prosecutors dropped the case against her following a sleep study.
Ilknur Caliskan, 47, was accused of stabbing her husband to death in September 2023, after the 50-year-old was found dead inside a car at Clonbinane, north of Melbourne.
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Continue reading...If successful, the scheme could speed up testing and reduce radiologists’ workload by around half
The NHS is launching the world’s biggest trial of artificial intelligence to detect breast cancer, which could lead to faster diagnosis of the disease.
AI will be deployed to analyse two-thirds of at least 700,000 mammograms done in England over the next few years to see if it is as accurate and reliable at reading scans as a radiologist.
Continue reading...Costings commissioned by Jim Chalmers suggest policy at risk of being ‘rorted’ could cost up to $10bn a year
The Coalition’s policy for tax-deductible business lunches would cost between $1.6bn and $10bn a year, the Labor government claims, according to costings Jim Chalmers commissioned from his Treasury department.
The treasurer claimed the policy was at risk of being “rorted” by businesses claiming personal food expenses, adding further to confusion about the Coalition’s contentious meals and entertainment policy.
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Continue reading...Chris Minns says if more trips by transport minister came to light ‘it would weigh very heavily on me’ as premier announces ‘we are changing the rules’
The embattled New South Wales transport minister could be in hot water if further revelations emerge about her use of a ministerial car for private purposes, the premier has suggested.
It emerged on the weekend that Jo Haylen had asked her chauffeur to take her and some friends to a winery lunch on the Australia Day weekend. It involved a 13-hour 446km round-trip for the driver, from Sydney to Haylen’s holiday house at Caves Beach and then a Hunter Valley winery and back.
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Continue reading...President delays threatened 25% tariffs on US neighbors but China still to face 10% levy on exports to US from Tuesday
Donald Trump has pulled back from the brink of a trade war with Canada and Mexico, postponing sweeping new US tariffs on goods from its two closest economic partners by one month.
It is the third time in two weeks the US president has delayed his threatened 25% tariffs on the two countries. China is still set to face additional 10% levy on its exports to the US from Tuesday.
Continue reading...Labour MPs describe ‘breaking point’ in relations, calling for Keir Starmer to stand by party’s manifesto commitments
Keir Starmer is facing a growing internal backlash over the potential approval of a giant new oilfield, after Treasury sources indicated Rachel Reeves was likely to give it her backing.
MPs described a “breaking point” in relations and called for Starmer to reiterate his own commitments to no further oil and gas licences. The proposed Rosebank development was given the go-ahead in 2023 but was ruled unlawful by a court last week.
Continue reading...PM and Nato’s secretary general were in perfect agreement that the orange manchild is a sensible, super-smart genius
Don’t mention the trade war. Don’t mention anything much, come to think of it. Stick to generalised soundbites. Careless talk costs lives. Keir Starmer’s trip to Brussels to meet EU leaders was fraught with danger. Don’t say anything too complimentary about the EU as all the Brexiters will go mad and shout “betrayal”. Don’t sound too hostile about the EU as remainers will also be up in arms. Try to find the tricky balance of somewhere in between. A politeness that lands the right side of indifference.
Then there’s the US to worry about. How to cope with the orange manchild. Too much independence of thought and you might feel the full weight of trade tariffs. Time to bury your self-worth and go into full-fawning mode. Few people had ever come unstuck by telling Donald Trump he was an undiscovered genius. No one said that being prime minister was going to be easy. Or dignified.
Continue reading...French president and other leaders call for cooperation with Washington but vow a robust response if needed
The EU will stand up for itself if its interests are targeted, Emmanuel Macron has said, as the bloc’s leaders urged talks – but a firm response if needed – in response to Donald Trump’s weekend threat to impose punishing tariffs.
“If our commercial interests are attacked, Europe, as a true power, will have to make itself respected and therefore react,” the French president said as he arrived for an informal defence meeting with other leaders in Brussels on Monday.
Continue reading...PM says UK does not have to choose between Europe and US, before meeting EU leaders in Brussels
Keir Starmer has said he wants an “ambitious security partnership” with the EU, while insisting the UK does not have to choose between Europe and the US.
The prime minister was speaking before meeting EU leaders in Brussels to discuss security and defence, the first time a British leader has attended a European Council meeting since Britain left the EU five years ago.
Continue reading...Britain is less vulnerable to US tariffs than other nations, but shares a historic responsibility. A recession would mean dark days for everyone
Can a country ever be too big to fail? Waiting for global stock markets to open this morning felt grimly reminiscent of the beginnings of the sub-prime lending crash, the moment many finally understood the old cliche that when the US sneezes, everyone catches a cold. But when it threatens to hack its nose off with a chainsaw, before changing its mind at 10 minutes to midnight, then nobody knows where they stand.
The world’s biggest economy is now experiencing what looks like its very own Liz Truss moment, only this time in a country powerful enough to take everyone else down with it. If the US really is prepared to keep playing this mad game of chicken – threatening ruinous tariffs against Mexico then postponing them, sowing fear and discord constantly among its allies – that risks creating the kind of all-American supernova that sucks everyone into a black hole.
Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnist
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Continue reading...Education secretary launches ‘new era of school standards’ in England while defending Ofsted inspection changes
The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has urged parents to ensure their children attend school consistently, warning of “a casual kind of attitude increasingly emerging” over attendance in England.
She acknowledged that many families faced challenges, but said: “It’s not OK just to say, ‘It’s only a Friday, you don’t need to go to school today.’ Every day at school matters and parents have responsibilities, too.”
Continue reading...Social education is fundamental to steering young people towards better lives, writes Dr Annette Rimmer. And Linda Theobald backs community schemes to tackle violence
At last, a sensible solution from Martin Kettle to the current crisis of youth misogyny, knife crime, mental ill health and radicalisation (After Southport, Westminster is floundering. It should look to Idris Elba, 30 January). Those of us in the youth and community sector have watched successive governments demolish our excellent universal, statutory service, leaving it hanging by the fragile thread of short-term, problem-focused charity funding.
Isn’t it plain to see that social education is fundamental to steering young people towards sociable, conscious and contented lives? While youth work is not a panacea, it offers a curriculum based on understanding adolescence, building positive relationships and bringing out the immense talent and creativity of young people.
Continue reading...Alasdair Macdonald says the last 14 years were not a success for the schools system, while Michael Pyke thinks the government is right to rein in academies. Plus, a letter by Paul McGilchrist
Your editorial (The Guardian view on the children’s bill: academy freedoms are beside the point, 30 January) is a welcome riposte to the academy lobby’s attempt to hijack debate on the children’s wellbeing and schools bill. We must focus on what we need to do to improve our school system and challenge the view that the past 14 years were a great success.
Doubtful claims, without robust supporting evidence, that the bill will “destroy the huge gains made over the last decade and a half” have been widely repeated. Attention is often drawn to the opinions of CEOs of large academy chains. Evidenced comparisons between academies and maintained schools are rare, and reference is seldom heard, for example, of the fact that UK 15-year-olds have the lowest life satisfaction score in Europe.
Continue reading...Keir Starmer’s spokesperson also rejects idea of UK ban after online misinformation prompted outrage
Scotland’s first minister and the UK prime minister’s spokesperson have been forced to deny there are plans to ban cat ownership in Scotland after media interest in feline welfare proposals prompted outrage from pet lovers.
The concerns were prompted by media coverage of a report for the Scottish government by the independent Scottish Animal Welfare Commission, which published its recommendations on responsible domestic cat ownership last Monday.
Continue reading...Doug Ford says Canada will not work with ‘people hellbent on destroying our economy’, blaming failed deal on Trump
The leader of Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, announced on Monday that he would be “ripping up” a contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink internet services in response to the US tariffs on Canada announced by Donald Trump.
The contract, first signed in November, aimed to provide high-speed internet access through Starlink’s satellite service to 15,000 eligible homes and businesses, notably those in remote, rural and northern communities of Canada, by June 2025.
Continue reading...Environmental disasters have plagued the water body for decades. Now the region is thrust in the global spotlight
The enormous semi-enclosed bay, its waters flanked by the Florida and Yucatán peninsulas and partially blockaded by Cuba, has been called the Golfo de México for centuries, a name that first appeared on a world map in 1550. And for centuries the name bothered no one.
Thomas Jefferson used the name without shame, even as he, Donald Trump-like, imagined dominating nearby nations. If the US could take Cuba, Jefferson wrote in 1823, it would control the “Gulf of Mexico and the countries and isthmus bordering on it”. Country music stars, no less than founding fathers, liked the romance of the place. Tracy Lawrence dreams of a Gulf of Mexico filled with whiskey. Johnny Cash wanted to dump his blues down in the Gulf.
Continue reading...Cyril Ramaphosa’s government ‘treating certain classes of people very badly’, says Trump, calling for investigation
Donald Trump has claimed South Africa is “confiscating” land and “treating certain classes of people very badly”, announcing he is cutting off all future funding to the country pending an investigation.
The US president’s intervention into one of South Africa’s most divisive issues was rebutted by the country’s government and criticised by groups across its political spectrum.
Continue reading...Trump takes softer line on UK, while Mexico and Canada vow levies and to strengthen ties with each other
Donald Trump has threatened to widen the scope of his trade tariffs, repeating his warning that the European Union – and potentially the UK – will face levies, even as he conceded that Americans could bear some of the economic brunt of a nascent global trade war.
It comes as Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China, announced on Saturday, sparked retaliation from all three countries. Mexico and Canada have vowed levies of their own while China and Canada are seeking legal challenges.
Continue reading...European futures also down more than 3% after Trump indicates tariffs will ‘definitely happen’ in EU countries
Asian sharemarkets tumbled in early trade on Monday after the Trump administration’s imposition of tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China sparked fears of an escalating global trade war.
Taiwan’s Taiex fell 4.4% at the open, led by a more than 6% plunge in semiconductor heavyweight TSMC. Japan’s Topix index was down as much as 2.3% and Korea’s Kospi fell as much as 2.4%, led by major exporters with exposure to global markets, including Canada and Mexico such as electronics manufacturers Samsung and LG, and automaker Kia. China’s sharemarkets remain closed for the lunar new year holidays.
Continue reading...Exclusive: National Fire Chiefs Council says firefighters’ ability to respond is at risk as it calls for preventive action
The UK is not prepared for the impact of climate breakdown, fire chiefs have said, as they called on the government to take urgent action to protect communities.
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said the ability of fire services to tackle weather-related emergencies was at risk, despite them often being the primary frontline response to major weather events including flooding, fires caused by heatwaves, and storm-related emergencies, all of which are becoming more common.
Continue reading...Belgium leads calls for suspension of agreement after Rwanda-backed rebels captured city of Goma
The EU is under mounting pressure to suspend a controversial minerals deal with Rwanda that has been blamed for fuelling the conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Calls to freeze the agreement have grown after fighters from the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group captured the city of Goma in the eastern DRC, escalating a decades-old conflict and raising fears of a regional war.
Continue reading...Rebels had captured the city in January in major escalation of 10-year-old conflict
At least 773 people were killed in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo’s largest city of Goma and its vicinity this week amid fighting with Rwanda-backed rebels who captured the city in a major escalation of a decade-long conflict, Congolese authorities have said.
The rebels’ advance into other areas was slowed by a weakened military that recovered some villages from them.
Continue reading...The US secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, indicated multiple jihadists were killed and no civilians were harmed
The US military has conducted airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) operatives in Somalia, the first attacks in the country during Donald Trump’s second term as president.
The strikes were carried out against IS-Somalia in the Golis Mountains, in Somalia’s semi-autonomous northern Puntland region. In 2015, IS-Somalia splintered from al-Shabaab, a much larger and more widely known jihadist organisation affiliated with al-Qaida, which controls parts of southern Somalia.
Continue reading...From Brooke Shields on abuse and ageing to fashion outfits chosen by AI: the best original photographs from the Observer commissioned in January 2025
Continue reading...The “privacy-first” company surprised its user base when CEO Andy Yen lauded Trump on social media.
The post Proton Mail Says It’s “Politically Neutral” While Praising Republican Party appeared first on The Intercept.
Following Trump’s executive order, a trans woman held at a federal prison was told she would be moved to a men’s prison.
The post Trans Women in Federal Custody Face the Terror of Being Transferred to Men’s Prisons appeared first on The Intercept.
It was heartening – if no surprise – to see Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Charli xcx and Chappell Roan all grab gongs, while an award for the Beatles suggests confidence in AI
• News: Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar lead Grammy awards in aftermath of LA fires
• Grammy awards 2025: list of winners
• Gallery: Taylor Swift, Charli xcx, Chappell Roan and more
Like all major awards ceremonies, the Grammys spawn a mini-industry in predictions: in the weeks before the winners are announced, a rash of articles inevitably appear in which expert voices scan the nominations and foretell who’s going to win. This year, you didn’t really need in-depth knowledge of the music industry or the Recording Academy’s internal machinations to work out what was going to happen, unless there was a major upset.
Across the previous 12 months, a succession of artists impacted in a way that pop music is no longer supposed to do. Its once-central defining role within broader popular culture is held to have been vastly diminished by social media, and yet Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us wasn’t just a huge commercial success, it influenced everything, from US sports to the campaign messaging of the American presidential election to sales of the fashion brands featured in its video: if you were going to dub anything the song of the year, it was obviously going to be that. Likewise, Charli xcx’s Brat, an album which caught a mood so completely, its title wound up a widely used (if nebulously defined) adjective: the notion of it ending the night unrewarded seemed fairly unthinkable (though it didn’t triumph in its biggest nominated categories).
Continue reading...Jen Easterly is out as the Director of CISA. Read her final interview:
There’s a lot of unfinished business. We have made an impact through our ransomware vulnerability warning pilot and our pre-ransomware notification initiative, and I’m really proud of that, because we work on preventing somebody from having their worst day. But ransomware is still a problem. We have been laser-focused on PRC cyber actors. That will continue to be a huge problem. I’m really proud of where we are, but there’s much, much more work to be done. There are things that I think we can continue driving, that the next administration, I hope, will look at, because, frankly, cybersecurity is a national security issue...
As the second Trump presidency begins, John Harris and John Domokos go to a Staffordshire town whose economy went from coal to Amazon warehousing to find out if 21st century populism
is cutting through. At a byelection down the road, meanwhile, there's a big question facing voters: Labour or Reform UK?
Continue reading...Asylum-seekers are being detained because they come from Russia and Central Asia, immigrants and attorneys told The Intercept.
The post They Flee Russia as Dissidents Seeking Asylum. The U.S. Locks Them Up. appeared first on The Intercept.
Advocates say the bill will put domestic violence survivors who face false allegations from their abusers at greater risk of deportation.
The post Republicans Say This Anti-Immigrant Bill Will Protect Victims of Abuse. It Will Do the Opposite. appeared first on The Intercept.
The FBI trawled NSA records without a warrant to investigate a man suspected of trying to join a terror group, prosecutors admit.
The post FBI’s Warrantless Search Ruled Unconstitutional in a Blow to Government Spying appeared first on The Intercept.
Roger Goodell speaks as emails detail how team helped to spin coverage of clergy sexual abuse scandal
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the New Orleans Saints “are great corporate citizens” despite revelations in unearthed emails detailing how the football team’s owner and other top executives coordinated with the city’s Roman Catholic archdiocese in a campaign to soften media coverage of a decades-old clergy-abuse scandal engulfing the church.
Saints owner Gayle Benson and other key lieutenants “are very involved in this community, and they are great corporate citizens”, Goodell said after media outlets provided the most complete accounts yet detailing the team’s decision to help the New Orleans church’s messaging about a scandal that has prompted state police and federal agents to jointly open a child sex-trafficking investigation into the archdiocese.
Continue reading...Oscar-winning director – and longtime Buffy fan – Chloé Zhao is onboard to direct, with Dolly Parton as executive producer
A sequel reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is reportedly in the works, with Sarah Michelle Gellar expected to return to the titular role and the Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao to direct the pilot episode.
On Tuesday Deadline reported sources close to the project confirming that the streaming service Hulu is “near a pilot order”, with lifelong Buffy fan Zhao onboard to direct the episode, written by the Poker Face writers Nora and Lilla Zuckerman.
Continue reading...  | submitted by /u/Chadrasekar [link] [comments] |
Robyn Cowen is joined by Barry Glendenning, Philippe Auclair and Dan Bardell as Arsenal thrash Manchester City 5-1
Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast and Stitcher, and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email.
On the podcast today; we begin at the Emirates, a 5-1 thrashing of Manchester City and an Arsenal team who are just so, so, so, so good. Brilliant performances across the pitch but the teenage sensation of Myles Lewis-Skelly left Pep and Haaland with plenty to meditate on
Continue reading...Aspiring emigrants seek help at ‘Visa Hanuman’ and ‘Visa God’ temples after US president demanded tougher vetting
Indian professionals have been flocking to Hindu temples believed to grant prayers for a US visa after Donald Trump signed several executive orders aimed at making immigration to the US more difficult.
The rush for divine help has been in evidence at Chamatkari Hanuman temple – popularly called “Visa Hanuman” – in Ahmedabad in the western state of Gujarat.
Continue reading...Unearthed emails detail how the sports franchises’ owner and PR team counseled archdiocese on how to respond to unfolding clergy-abuse case
High-level executives with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints football team and the NBA’s Pelicans basketball team had a deeper role than previously known in connection with a list of priests and deacons faced with credible allegations of child molestation while the clergymen worked with their city’s Roman Catholic archdiocese, the Guardian and reporting partner WWL Louisiana can reveal.
According to highly sensitive emails that were obtained by the outlets, one top executive even described a conversation with the New Orleans district attorney at the time that allowed them to remove clergy names from the list – though the clubs deny their official participated in that discussion, and the prosecutor back then vehemently denies he would ever have weighed in on the list’s content.
Continue reading...With the new Trump era likely to pose unprecedented challenges the message from Europe’s fragile democracies is: stay united and safeguard your institutions
Europeans who witnessed democracy crumble before their eyes have some words of advice for Americans now entering the second Trump era and worrying about the durability of their rights and freedoms: stay united, safeguard your civic institutions and never, never give up.
Citizens of central and eastern Europe are long accustomed to receiving counsel from a multitude of well-meaning US organisations on how to protect their fragile democracies following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Now, after just 10 days of Donald Trump’s executive orders and civil service purges, the advice is beginning to flow the other way.
Continue reading...Across the globe, vast swathes of land are being left to be reclaimed by nature. To see what could be coming, look to Bulgaria. By Tess McClure. Read by Sara Lynam
Continue reading...President Donald Trump began his first full day in office attending a prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral. The Episcopal bishop of Washington, Mariann Edgar Budde, pleaded with Trump during the service, asking the newly elected president to protect immigrants and respect gay rights. ‘There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives,’ she said as Trump and his family watched on. After the inauguration, Trump launched a sweeping immigration crackdown and promised mass deportations
Continue reading...Artificial intelligence (AI) is writing law today. This has required no changes in legislative procedure or the rules of legislative bodies—all it takes is one legislator, or legislative assistant, to use generative AI in the process of drafting a bill.
In fact, the use of AI by legislators is only likely to become more prevalent. There are currently projects in the US House, US Senate, and legislatures around the world to trial the use of AI in various ways: searching databases, drafting text, summarizing meetings, performing policy research and analysis, and more. A Brazilian municipality ...
UNRWA delivered the majority of food aid during the war and sheltered more than 1 million people. What happens when it’s banned?
The post Israel Bans UNRWA as Trump Throttles Foreign Aid appeared first on The Intercept.
We’d like to hear from people or anyone in their family who has been ‘evicted’ from a care home providing specialist care for vulnerable adults due to funding cuts
Residential homes providing specialist care to thousands of vulnerable adults with learning disabilities and severe autism have warned they are having to “evict” residents to avoid insolvency because of tax and wage rises and local authority funding cuts.
The annual Sector Pulse Check survey of more than 200 social care providers, both private and charitable, says many are on the brink as they struggle to remain viable in the face of cash-strapped councils’ refusal or inability to meet the rising cost of services.
Continue reading...Trans, intersex, and nonbinary people applying for passports will no longer be able to select an “X” marker for gender.
The post Rubio Orders State Department to Stop Issuing Accurate Passports to Trans People appeared first on The Intercept.
Last month, Henry Farrell and I convened the Third Interdisciplinary Workshop on Reimagining Democracy (IWORD 2024) at Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg Center in Washington DC. This is a small, invitational workshop on the future of democracy. As with the previous two workshops, the goal was to bring together a diverse set of political scientists, law professors, philosophers, AI researchers and other industry practitioners, political activists, and creative types (including science fiction writers) to discuss how democracy might be reimagined in the current century...
Tech CEOs cozying up to Trump want to reshape reality to their politics.
The post The Broligarchy: The Who’s Who of the Silicon Gilded Age appeared first on The Intercept.
Poland has promised Netanyahu safe passage to an Auschwitz memorial service. Former and current EU officials are speaking out.
The post Netanyahu Has an ICC Arrest Warrant. Poland’s Promise to Ignore It Would Be a “Grave Mistake.” appeared first on The Intercept.
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
Are you looking for a new graphic design tool? Would you like to read a detailed review of Canva? As it's one of the tools I love using. I am also writing my first ebook using canva and publish it soon on my site you can download it is free. Let's start the review.
Canva has a web version and also a mobile app
Canva is a free graphic design web application that allows you to create invitations, business cards, flyers, lesson plans, banners, and more using professionally designed templates. You can upload your own photos from your computer or from Google Drive, and add them to Canva's templates using a simple drag-and-drop interface. It's like having a basic version of Photoshop that doesn't require Graphic designing knowledge to use. It’s best for nongraphic designers.
Canva is a great tool for small business owners, online entrepreneurs, and marketers who don’t have the time and want to edit quickly.
To create sophisticated graphics, a tool such as Photoshop can is ideal. To use it, you’ll need to learn its hundreds of features, get familiar with the software, and it’s best to have a good background in design, too.
Also running the latest version of Photoshop you need a high-end computer.
So here Canva takes place, with Canva you can do all that with drag-and-drop feature. It’s also easier to use and free. Also an even-more-affordable paid version is available for $12.95 per month.
The product is available in three plans: Free, Pro ($12.99/month per user or $119.99/year for up to 5 people), and Enterprise ($30 per user per month, minimum 25 people).
To get started on Canva, you will need to create an account by providing your email address, Google, Facebook or Apple credentials. You will then choose your account type between student, teacher, small business, large company, non-profit, or personal. Based on your choice of account type, templates will be recommended to you.
You can sign up for a free trial of Canva Pro, or you can start with the free version to get a sense of whether it’s the right graphic design tool for your needs.
When you sign up for an account, Canva will suggest different post types to choose from. Based on the type of account you set up you'll be able to see templates categorized by the following categories: social media posts, documents, presentations, marketing, events, ads, launch your business, build your online brand, etc.
Start by choosing a template for your post or searching for something more specific. Search by social network name to see a list of post types on each network.
Next, you can choose a template. Choose from hundreds of templates that are ready to go, with customizable photos, text, and other elements.
You can start your design by choosing from a variety of ready-made templates, searching for a template matching your needs, or working with a blank template.
Inside the Canva designer, the Elements tab gives you access to lines and shapes, graphics, photos, videos, audio, charts, photo frames, and photo grids.The search box on the Elements tab lets you search everything on Canva.
To begin with, Canva has a large library of elements to choose from. To find them, be specific in your search query. You may also want to search in the following tabs to see various elements separately:
The Photos tab lets you search for and choose from millions of professional stock photos for your templates.
You can replace the photos in our templates to create a new look. This can also make the template more suited to your industry.
You can find photos on other stock photography sites like pexel, pixabay and many more or simply upload your own photos.
When you choose an image, Canva’s photo editing features let you adjust the photo’s settings (brightness, contrast, saturation, etc.), crop, or animate it.
When you subscribe to Canva Pro, you get access to a number of premium features, including the Background Remover. This feature allows you to remove the background from any stock photo in library or any image you upload.
The Text tab lets you add headings, normal text, and graphical text to your design.
When you click on text, you'll see options to adjust the font, font size, color, format, spacing, and text effects (like shadows).
Canva Pro subscribers can choose from a large library of fonts on the Brand Kit or the Styles tab. Enterprise-level controls ensure that visual content remains on-brand, no matter how many people are working on it.
Create an animated image or video by adding audio to capture user’s attention in social news feeds.
If you want to use audio from another stock site or your own audio tracks, you can upload them in the Uploads tab or from the more option.
Want to create your own videos? Choose from thousands of stock video clips. You’ll find videos that range upto 2 minutes
You can upload your own videos as well as videos from other stock sites in the Uploads tab.
Once you have chosen a video, you can use the editing features in Canva to trim the video, flip it, and adjust its transparency.
On the Background tab, you’ll find free stock photos to serve as backgrounds on your designs. Change out the background on a template to give it a more personal touch.
The Styles tab lets you quickly change the look and feel of your template with just a click. And if you have a Canva Pro subscription, you can upload your brand’s custom colors and fonts to ensure designs stay on brand.
If you have a Canva Pro subscription, you’ll have a Logos tab. Here, you can upload variations of your brand logo to use throughout your designs.
With Canva, you can also create your own logos. Note that you cannot trademark a logo with stock content in it.
With Canva, free users can download and share designs to multiple platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Slack and Tumblr.
Canva Pro subscribers can create multiple post formats from one design. For example, you can start by designing an Instagram post, and Canva's Magic Resizer can resize it for other networks, Stories, Reels, and other formats.
Canva Pro subscribers can also use Canva’s Content Planner to post content on eight different accounts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Slack, and Tumblr.
Canva Pro allows you to work with your team on visual content. Designs can be created inside Canva, and then sent to your team members for approval. Everyone can make comments, edits, revisions, and keep track via the version history.
When it comes to printing your designs, Canva has you covered. With an extensive selection of printing options, they can turn your designs into anything from banners and wall art to mugs and t-shirts.
Canva Print is perfect for any business seeking to make a lasting impression. Create inspiring designs people will want to wear, keep, and share. Hand out custom business cards that leave a lasting impression on customers' minds.
The Canva app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. The Canva app has earned a 4.9 out of five star rating from over 946.3K Apple users and a 4.5 out of five star rating from over 6,996,708 Google users.
In addition to mobile apps, you can use Canva’s integration with other Internet services to add images and text from sources like Google Maps, Emojis, photos from Google Drive and Dropbox, YouTube videos, Flickr photos, Bitmojis, and other popular visual content elements.
In general, Canva is an excellent tool for those who need simple images for projects. If you are a graphic designer with experience, you will find Canva’s platform lacking in customization and advanced features – particularly vectors. But if you have little design experience, you will find Canva easier to use than advanced graphic design tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator for most projects. If you have any queries let me know in the comments section.
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Continue reading...The founder of Mothers Against College Antisemitism says her 62,000-member Facebook group is influencing NYU policy.
The post A Well-Connected NYU Parent Is Trying to Get Students Deported appeared first on The Intercept.
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